NFLTR Review: Draft Grades For 32 Teams

Welcome to another week of NFLTR Review! In this issue:

• Draft grades for all 32 teams
• 10 final thoughts from the 2021 NFL Draft
• The first casualty of the NFLPA’s curious crusade against OTA’s

Draft Grades For All 32 Teams

All picks for every team located here at our 2021 NFL Draft Pick Signings Tracker.

Bengals

Pick I loved: First-round WR Ja’Marr Chase

Pick I didn’t: Fifth-round K Evan McPherson

Grade: B-

Summary: However you feel about taking a receiver over a left tackle for the Bengals, Chase is a legitimate blue-chip prospect. Cincinnati tried to address the offensive line later with Carman and Smith. Carman might start but Smith is a developmental project, so the jury is still out. Addressing the defensive line was smart for a team that was mediocre rushing the passer. The Bengals needed a kicker but spending a fifth on the position reeks of desperation. 

Browns

Pick I loved: Second-round LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

Pick I didn’t: Third-round WR Anthony Schwartz

Grade: A-

Summary: The Browns legitimately have one of the more talented rosters in the AFC, so landing this many players who could be legit contributors is impressive. Newsome adds more depth to a secondary that could be really nasty if everyone stays healthy. Landing Owusu-Koramoah deep in the second is a steal regardless of any questions that pushed him down there. If there’s a nit to pick, it’s that Schwartz offers blinding speed but potentially not much else. 

Ravens

Pick I loved: First-round WR Rashod Bateman

Pick I didn’t: Fourth-round WR Tylan Wallace

Grade: B-

Summary: When Lamar Jackson has needed to make a play the past couple of years, his most reliable go-to receiver has been Willie Snead. Bateman is a big upgrade in that area and could become the safety net Jackson needs. Wallace is a good player, but doubling up at receiver was curious for a Ravens team that de-emphasizes the position more than any in the NFL and already has a ton of young players. Cleveland and Oweh could be key starters as rookies. 

Steelers

Pick I loved: Third-round C Kendrick Green

Pick I didn’t: Fifth-round DL Isaiahh Loudermilk

Grade: C

Summary: Green is a fascinating prospect as a former wrestler and could be a real gem for the Steelers as a replacement at center. The rest of the class is a little weird. Harris is a terrific player and already a terrific influence off the field, but he’s also a first-round running back. The Steelers took a tight end in Freiermuth over bigger needs. The weirdest might have been trading a future fourth for a fifth to take Loudermilk. He’s an interesting sleeper prospect but 2022 is supposed to be a much deeper draft, so that fourth has real value. 

Bears

Pick I loved: First-round QB Justin Fields

Pick I didn’t: Second-round OT Teven Jenkins

Grade: A

Summary: It’s low-hanging fruit to pick Fields as the Bears’ best pick but he truly has more potential than just about any other quarterback in franchise history. Jay Cutler is the only one who comes close and Fields is a much better athlete and has a much better makeup. It’s not hyperbole to say this is a potentially franchise-changing pick. I also really like what the Bears did on Day 3 by landing Herbert, Graham and Tonga. All three could stick as contributors. As for Jenkins, the player himself isn’t bad, and the second round was tremendous value for him. Chicago wants to move him to left tackle, though, and that could go poorly. 

Lions

Pick I loved: Fourth-round WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

Pick I didn’t: Third-round DT Alim McNeill 

Grade: B+

Summary: The Lions made it a clear priority to improve in the trenches. It’s a smart if not flashy approach and overall I think Detroit could be a lot better than many expect in 2021. Drafting McNeill as the second straight defensive tackle was a little overboard, though, considering Detroit’s depth chart wasn’t barren at the position. They still landed a starting caliber receiver in St. Brown in the fourth round, which showcases just how deep this class was. 

Packers

Pick I loved: Third-round WR Amari Rodgers

Pick I didn’t: Second-round C Josh Myers

Grade: B

Summary: This is a critical draft for the Packers to land a ton of contributors on cheap rookie contracts given the state of their future cap. Time will tell but I would bet on Rodgers becoming much much more than just a contributor. He’s far faster than his pro day time would indicate and can be a terrific weapon with the ball in his hands for Matt LaFleur to utilize on offense. The rest of the class doesn’t stand out in a huge way. Myers is solid but Green Bay took him one spot before Creed Humphrey, which will be interesting to contrast as their careers play out. 

Vikings

Pick I loved: Third-round LB Chazz Surratt

Pick I didn’t: Fourth-round RB Kene Nwangwu

Grade: B+

Summary: Trading down in the first round and still landing the player they would have chosen is a nice coup for the Vikings. Besides that, it was hard to narrow down to just one pick as my favorite, as Darrisaw, Davis, Jones, Robinson, Smith-Marsette and Twyman are all intriguing. But I’ll put my Tar Heel-colored glasses on and saw Surratt, as it’s astounding how productive he was at linebacker after making the move from quarterback. The athleticism and potential for him are through the ceiling, which is the roof. Nwangwu is also a stellar athlete but most projections had him as primarily a special teamer to start, which is a little rich for a fourth-round pick. I’m also not bullish on Mond as anything more than a Brett Hundley-level backup. 

Colts

Pick I loved: First-round DE Kwity Paye

Pick I didn’t: Second-round DL Dayo Odeyingbo

Grade: C

Summary: The three-cone drill has proven to have a lot of signal when it comes to forecasting which pass rushers can transition successfully to the NFL and there hasn’t been a prospect in a long time who runs the three-cone as quickly as Paye. He’s well-built for the position and strong too, to say nothing of a top-notch person off the field. The Colts love Odeyingbo the player and time might prove them right. But it was curious to pass on a huge need at tackle for a player that could redshirt most of the season. They also chose a move tight end and another safety with picks that could have gone toward the offensive line. 

Jaguars

Pick I loved: Fourth-round OLB Jordan Smith

Pick I didn’t: First-round RB Travis Etienne

Grade: C

Summary: End of the day, if Lawrence is as good as he can be, no one will really remember the rest of this draft. The Jaguars took a bunch of swings and didn’t really play it safe with guys like Campbell, Little and Cisco. It adds a boom-bust element to their safe selection in Lawrence. In the fourth round with someone like Smith, that’s a risk well worth taking, and I think Smith could develop into a contributing pass rusher for them. When it’s in the first round on a running back, that’s harder to defend. Jaguars HC Urban Meyer is talking about Etienne like he’s a dual-threat runner-receiver like Alvin Kamara. Etienne is a good player, but Kamara comparisons are setting him up to fail, as he’s much more of a straight-line athlete and not nearly as developed a receiver. 

Texans

Pick I loved: Fifth-round TE Brevin Jordan

Pick I didn’t: Third-round QB Davis Mills

Grade: D

Summary: Hard to really wow when you’re not picking until the third round, but using his first pick on Mills was not necessarily a hot start to GM Nick Caserio’s first draft. Mills is an interesting developmental quarterback but the history of those is poor and if Houston is as bad as everyone expects without Deshaun Watson, they’re in line to need a quarterback in the first round next year. Jordan was my favorite of their picks and could develop into an interesting option for Houston even though he’s a bit of a tweener sizewise for the position. 

Titans

Pick I loved: First-round CB Caleb Farley

Pick I didn’t: Fourth-round DE Rashad Weaver

Grade: B+

Summary: It’ll be overshadowed by the assault charges filed against Weaver just days after he was drafted, but the Titans actually had a really solid draft. Not catching the incident with Weaver, which occurred a few weeks before the draft, is a horrible look for the team given how badly they missed on 2020 first-round OT Isaiah Wilson and his character issues. But Farley is a potential slam-dunk pick if his medical situation works out as well as it did for the Titans the last time with DT Jeffery Simmons. Radunz, Molden and Rice are also solid picks who could be starters in the near future. 

Buccaneers

Pick I loved: First-round DE Joe Tryon

Pick I didn’t: Second-round QB Kyle Trask

Grade: B-

Summary: Tampa Bay didn’t have any real pressing needs and took a futuristic approach to this year’s draft. I like that a lot with Tryon, who can learn behind Jason Pierre-Paul before eventually taking over without missing a beat ideally. The same principle applies with Trask but I just don’t think it’s going to work out with him. He has a popgun of an arm and I think it’ll be a fatal flaw. 

Falcons

Pick I loved: Second-round S Richie Grant

Pick I didn’t: Third-round OL Jalen Mayfield/fourth-round C Drew Dalman

Grade: B-

Summary: Pitts is the obvious gem of the class, and I’m eager to see if he avoids the usual rocky transition to the NFL for tight ends. But Grant is another solid pick for an Atlanta team that’s starting over at safety and needs Swiss army knife-style players on the back end. Mayfield and Dalman aren’t bad picks necessarily but they’re different style players. Dalman is sub-300 pounds and better suited for wide zone schemes where his mobility is more important than brute strength. Mayfield is 6-5, 320 and did not test particularly well. That’s fine for power schemes but makes him more of a square peg for wide zone, even if Atlanta kicks him inside to guard. 

Panthers

Pick I loved: Fifth-round DT Daviyon Nixon

Pick I didn’t: First-round CB Jaycee Horn

Grade: B+

Summary: My distaste for Carolina’s trade for QB Sam Darnold is well-documented and that can’t help but color my perception of my favorite team’s draft. Horn is a fine player, if a little raw, but if Fields turns into a star, passing on him could look like a huge mistake. Setting that aside, the rest of the draft was actually exceptional. Panthers GM Scott Fitterer pulled off five trades and turned seven picks this year into 11 as well as adding a fourth in 2022. Carolina nabbed a lot of falling value with Marshall, Hubbard and Brown but Nixon could be a huge hit. He was massively productive in the BIG 10 and fills a big need for an interior rusher for Carolina. 

Saints

Pick I loved: Third-round CB Paulson Adebo

Pick I didn’t: Fourth-round QB Ian Book

Grade: C

Summary: The Saints ended up having to make a slight reach on Turner after unsuccessfully trying to trade up all day on Thursday. That wasn’t as bad as taking Book in the fourth, though, as HC Sean Payton showed his hubris with the quarterback position again. New Orleans did address its gaping hole at corner with Adebo, and if they can also land Richard Sherman as a mentor and to help ease him in, that would be a coup. 

Bills

Pick I loved: Second-round DE Carlos Basham

Pick I didn’t: Sixth-round WR Marquez Stevenson

Grade: A

Summary: Bills GM Brandon Beane hammered the trenches with his first four picks, which is how you build a winning football team. Doubling up with Basham after taking Rousseau while the Bills still have veterans Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes to mentor the youngsters was a masterful stroke and hopefully leaves the Bills’ future pass rush in strong hands. Brown is the most athletic tackle prospect to come out in 30 years and a fascinating developmental project. If I had one bone to pick, it would be taking Stevenson over a cornerback, as the Bills are deep at receiver and there’s a decent chance he doesn’t make the team. 

Dolphins

Pick I loved: First-round DE Jaelan Phillips

Pick I didn’t: Third-round TE Hunter Long

Grade: A

Summary: The Dolphins had one of my favorite drafts. Waddle, Holland and Eichenberg are all strong picks but Phillips has huge upside if he can stay healthy. All four should start or play key roles this year. Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki is in a contract year but Miami is deep enough at tight end that I thought taking Long was a bit superfluous, especially given the continued need at running back. Trey Sermon might have been interesting here. 

Jets

Pick I loved: Fourth-round RB Michael Carter

Pick I didn’t: First-round G Alijah Vera-Tucker

Grade: C+

Summary: This draft was all about the quarterback for the Jets, from taking a new franchise QB at No. 2 in Wilson to adding to his protection, receiving corps and running game. I love Moore’s game even if I’m not 100 percent sure how he’ll fit as a slot receiver in a Shanahan offense. 

Carter is a terrific pick in the fourth round and could be highly productive for the Jets this year. Wilson excites a lot of people in the NFL even if it’s weird Fields wasn’t more in play. Vera-Tucker might be the safest player in the draft but I don’t love GM Joe Douglas’ move to trade two third-round picks to jump up for a guard. It cost the Jets a chance to land a corner in the third and there might not be a weaker position group in the entire NFL on paper right now. New York did address the secondary on Day 3, but with three safeties, which doesn’t make a ton of sense unless one or two can play cornerback. 

Patriots

Pick I loved: Second-round DT Christian Barmore

Pick I didn’t: First-round QB Mac Jones

Grade: C+

Summary: We’ll see if the issues that caused Barmore to slip to New England in the second round affect his career negatively but that’s terrific value for the Patriots and a big shot in the arm to their front. Prepare for the Patriots to be nasty on defense again in 2021. I don’t hate the Jones pick and New England is a good schematic fit for him. I think Jones could be underrated as a prospect at this point now that he’s not in the conversation to go No. 3 overall. It’s just hard to get too jazzed up about him as opposed to someone with a higher ceiling like Fields. 

Cowboys

Pick I loved: Fourth-round LB Jabril Cox

Pick I didn’t: Third-round CB Nahshon Wright

Grade: C

Summary: Dallas unfortunately missed out on both top corners and traded down, ending up with Parsons which isn’t bad but also doesn’t fill as big of a need. He should still have an impact, as should Cox in the fourth round as a coverage-focused matchup piece. Dallas looked elsewhere to address their need at cornerback and they might have gotten a little bit desperate in the third round with Wright. The developmental tools are there — Wright stands at a staggering 6-4 — but most places had a Day 3 grade on him. 

Eagles

Pick I loved: Third-round DT Milton Williams

Pick I didn’t: N/A

Grade: A

Summary: I’ll side with Howie Roseman over Tom Donahue. Williams’ athleticism and upside makes him well worth the pick, and the extra selection from trading down is gravy. Top to bottom I’m a big fan of what the Eagles did. They are betting on a couple of outlier profiles with their first two picks, however, with Smith’s size and Dickerson’s injury history injecting a boom-bust element to their outlooks for Philadelphia. 

Giants

Pick I loved: Third-round CB Aaron Robinson

Pick I didn’t: First-round WR Kadarius Toney

Grade: A-

Summary: A lot of people are bagging on the Giants’ pick of Toney, as he is one of the more polarizing players in this class, but I actually really like what he brings to the table. There are times where he looks like what would happen if Barry Sanders moved to slot receiver. I’m skeptical of his fit with Daniel Jones and Jason Garrett, however. I’m not skeptical of the moves the Giants made on defense in this draft. Robinson is a boost to a defense that can never have too many quality corners and I like the pick of Williams in the sixth. Ojulari and Smith also bring much-needed help to the pass rush. 

Washington

Pick I loved: First-round LB Jamin Davis

Pick I didn’t: Sixth-round LS Camaron Cheeseman

Grade: A-

Summary: When Ron Rivera zeroes in on a linebacker, pay attention. His track record at the position is outstanding, which bodes well for Davis. Washington landed a couple other really interesting picks, from Cosmi at left tackle to St-Juste at corner and Brown at receiver. But while this was a shallow draft, it still feels like a stretch to take a long snapper in the sixth round, especially when Rivera has talked up the two defensive ends drafted in the seventh as potential contributors. 

Broncos

Pick I loved: First-round CB Patrick Surtain II

Pick I didn’t: Third-round LB Baron Browning

Grade: B

Summary: I didn’t love passing on Fields but if Denver lands Aaron Rodgers, and the Broncos are the current favorite if Green Bay buckles and deals him, that’ll look better. Surtain is a tremendous fit in Denver and gives the Broncos a terrifying secondary. But I’m not sure how much more Browning offers than the current options on the roster. I’m a big fan of Williams but I’m also not sure how much they needed a running back. 

Chargers

Pick I loved: Second-round CB Asante Samuel Jr.

Pick I didn’t: Third-round TE Tre’ McKitty

Grade: A-

Summary: Slater was a gift falling to the Chargers in the first round. So was Samuel, who as best I can tell was only a second-round pick because of questions about his size, which isn’t bad at 5-10. He’s only 180 pounds, but he can fill out and get stronger. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up as the best corner in this class in the end. I do think the Chargers could have done better signing someone like Darren Fells than spending a third on McKitty to do the dirty work, as they talked about in their post-draft presser. 

Chiefs

Pick I loved: Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey

Pick I didn’t: Missouri LB Nick Bolton

Grade: B+

Summary: Kansas City’s revamp of the offensive line continued and got a major building block with the selection of Humphrey in Round 2. Smith’s medical condition is worrisome, but he’s a potential Day 2 or better talent in the sixth. Bolton is decent but he’s not much better than the one-dimensional linebackers Kansas City has largely been content to trot out the past few seasons. It would be fun to see a dynamic modern playmaker but it’s a stretch to expect that from Bolton. 

Raiders

Pick I loved: Second-round S Trevon Moehrig 

Pick I didn’t: First-round OT Alex Leatherwood

Grade: D+

Summary: The Raiders’ draft schtick is so well-established that I predicted Leatherwood as the pick a few days before the draft. Every year they take someone from a CFP playoff team way higher than the consensus, betting that they’re smarter than the rest of the league. So far they haven’t been proven right. Getting Moehrig in the second round is a decent consolation, as he’d have been a more justifiable pick than Leatherwood in the first. 

Cardinals

Pick I loved: Second-round WR Rondale Moore

Pick I didn’t: Sixth-round CB Tay Gowan

Grade: B+

Summary: The Cardinals didn’t have a ton of high picks but they added a pair of fascinating athletes with their first and second-rounders in Collins and Moore. The latter should feast as a quick-hitting option in HC Kliff Kingsbury’s spread attack. Hard to really ding a sixth-round pick but I thought there were better corners that went later than Gowan. 

49ers

Pick I loved: First-round QB Trey Lance

Pick I didn’t: Second-round G Aaron Banks

Grade: B+

Summary: On one hand, I’m glad the 49ers took Lance as I think that’ll be more fun to watch and better for Lance to end up in a quality situation. On the other, the chaos of Mac Jones going No. 3 overall would have been fun in a different way. Lance is a terrific fit for the Shanahan offense and so is Sermon in the third round. Banks doesn’t necessarily have the mobility associated with Shanahan offensive linemen, who run a heavy amount of wide zone, so while San Francisco needed a guard, he’s a bit of a curious choice. 

Rams

Pick I loved: Fourth-round CB Robert Rochell

Pick I didn’t: Second-round WR Tutu Atwell

Grade: D

Summary: Atwell is fast but he’s under 160 pounds and is knocked over by a stiff breeze. For all the hand-wringing over DeVonta Smith’s weight, he at least plays strong. Atwell’s best comp might be Trindon Holliday and the Rams used a second-round pick for that. They did get value elsewhere with Rochell, who could be the latest defensive back to develop into a strong starter in LA. 

Seahawks

Pick I loved: Fourth-round CB Tre Brown

Pick I didn’t: Second-round WR D’Wayne Eskridge

Grade: B

Summary: Brown is a gritty and tough defender and even though he doesn’t meet Seattle’s traditional size thresholds, I think he’ll fit right in. It’s a little hard to grade the Seahawks given they just had three picks, but Forsythe as a developmental left tackle in the sixth is also strong. He had some huge fans in the draft community. As for Eskridge, I really love the player. He’s a chippy player Seahawks fans will love and opposing fans will hate and he has legit wheels. The second round was a little rich for him, though, and he’s already 24. 

This Week In Football

• As the draft wraps up, we learn more about the goals teams had going in, which ones they were able to accomplish and which ones they weren’t, although every team will declare the draft a rousing success in the immediate aftermath. Perhaps the most interesting what-if was the revelation that the Vikings were targeting QB Justin Fields before the Bears moved up ahead of them. Minnesota hadn’t really been involved in the quarterback movement this offseason, so this is the first indication they might be less than satisfied with Kirk Cousins. Drafting Kellen Mond in the third with their second pick is another bread crumb in that direction. 
• The other landmark after the draft is that teams can start signing free agents without them counting toward the compensatory pick formula, which opened up a wave of action this week. The Ravens landed a new starting right tackle by adding former Steelers OT Alejandro Villanueva. He got $8 million guaranteed on a two-year deal which is strong money this time of year. He’s also already fitting right in on the other side of the Steelers/Ravens rivalry. 
• The Raiders landed a veteran cornerback to mentor their young group, signing Casey Hayward to a one-year deal. This has always made sense given the new defensive staff in Las Vegas’ connections to Hayward. It’ll be interesting to see how much the soon-to-be-32-year-old corner has left, as he started to show signs of decline in his final season with the Chargers. 
• Just days after exercising his fifth-year option, the Lions made C Frank Ragnow the league’s highest-paid center with a four-year extension on top of the two he’s already under contract. Ragnow’s option already would have pushed him to the front of the market and Detroit added a little extra distance with a reported $13.5 million APY on the new deal. It’s well-deserved for one of the league’s best centers and locks in the central piece of what is looking like a potentially elite offensive line for the Lions. 
• Speaking of fifth-year options, the final results are in. Excluding QB Josh Rosen, the first 18 picks in 2018 all had their fifth-year options picked up and the final tally was 22 out of 32. That wasn’t necessarily expected given the options were now fully guaranteed under the new CBA and teams can’t back out of them. But they also were less burdensome in a lot of cases this year. In addition to Rosen who didn’t qualify, Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch, Bengals C Billy Price, Titans LB Rashaan Evans, Falcons TE Hayden Hurst, Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny, Steelers S Terrell Edmunds, Jaguars DL Taven Bryan, Vikings CB Mike Hughes and Patriots RB Sony Michel all had their options declined. 
• Teams also started getting their books in order after the draft to prepare to sign rookies and for the season, as well as dump veterans who were made extraneous by some rookies. Bears LT Charles Leno fell into both categories as Chicago designated him a post-June 1 cut to save space and clear the way for second-round OT Teven Jenkins to start on the left side. Leno should not be out of work long, as there are still a number of tackle needy teams. 
• The Dolphins also made moves, specifically targeted at their secondary. After drafting S Jevon Holland, Miami cut team captain Bobby McCain to free up snaps and a chunk of cap space. They hosted Malik Hooker as a potential option at free safety and signed CB Jason McCourty to add some more experienced depth to the secondary. 
• Broncos RT Ja’Wuan James tore his Achilles while working out away from the team facility this week, which is an unfortunate situation for him and the team that has multiple layers. Though there’s some hope otherwise, this looks like a probable season-ending injury for James, which means he’ll have played three games in three seasons since signing a major deal with Denver in free agency. James was also taking part in the NFLPA-backed push for all players not to attend voluntary OTAs, which means he wasn’t at the team facility and thus could have his injury classified as a non-football injury. That would void the remaining $10 million guaranteed the Broncos owe him this year and make him cuttable. It’s a disaster for the NFLPA’s curious crusade against OTAs, though it’s not stopping them. 

Top 10 Draft Takeaways 

With some time to digest all seven rounds from last week, here’s what stood out to me from across the league:

Are the Ravens really going to open up the offense more?

Baltimore has thrown the ball the least of any team in the NFL over the past two seasons since installing Lamar Jackson as the starter. In that same time span, though, the Ravens have spent the most picks in the NFL at the wide receiver position, with the selections of Bateman and Wallace this year bumping that total to six — two in the first round, two in the third, one in the fourth and one in the sixth. 

Receiver is a need for the Ravens but it’s curious that they would draft over prospects so quickly. Baltimore OC Greg Roman talked about continuing to evolve the offense in a post-draft presser, is drafting this many receivers an indication the Ravens are going to open up the offense more and become less dependent on solely the running game?

Something has to change for the Ravens one way or another on offense, as they became stale at times in 2020. It’ll be fascinating to see if they can meet the challenge ahead of them. They certainly have the talent at receiver to do so if they can land some hits and get some development out of the players already on their roster. 

Gettleman changing his stripes

In eight drafts in charge, Giants GM Dave Gettleman had never traded down to accumulate more picks. That changed in his ninth last week as Gettleman moved down not just once, but twice! He acquired a future first-round pick in the process which could be major for the Giants as they continue to rebuild. 

Gettleman has actually built up a fair bit of momentum since a rough start to his tenure in New York when he tried to compete and rebuild at the same time and ended up doing neither. The Giants had a strong free agency last year and have hit on a few picks. Their draft this year looks good, though that means nothing. But it all comes down to QB Daniel Jones for Gettleman and the Giants. 

If Jones pans out and takes a step forward with the plethora of weapons Gettleman has given him, all will be well in the Big Apple. If he doesn’t, a lot of jobs will be on the line, Gettleman’s included. New York’s free-agent spending spree this offseason was a tacit indication by Gettleman that he knows he doesn’t have much leash left. Perhaps the trade down was, too. 

The 49ers bamboozled us

Kudos to the 49ers for keeping a lid on their plans for months to select Trey Lance and not Mac Jones as many of us on the outside believed. There’s probably a lesson in here, though I’m not completely positive what it is. Adam Schefter thought it was Jones and I’ll be right far more than I’m wrong if I go off of what Schefter says. 

It was interesting to see Kyle Shanahan pigeonholed by many into preferring a pocket passer based on his interest in Cousins when there were several Shanahan quotes floating around talking about how difficult it is for a defense when the quarterback is a threat to do more than just throw. This is another data point to watch in the NFL’s shift away from pure pocket passers and toward more dynamic quarterbacks. 

Still, don’t count out Jones

Even if he wasn’t going to take him at No. 3 after all, Shanahan still was positive in his reviews of Jones. In fact, many in the NFL liked him a lot more than the general consensus when he first declared for the draft. I like to watch prospects, especially offensive skill positions, as a hobby, but talent evaluators better and more experienced than me have praised Jones this offseason. 

Ultimately, winning from the pocket is still the most important attribute a quarterback can have, and if Jones can do that, he can find a role as a starter. It just might make him more reliant on his supporting cast, especially early in his career. Jones isn’t an exciting prospect compared to the others at the top of this class but landing in New England is a good match for his skills. Others have compared him to Tom Brady. I won’t. But I think Jones will find more success than many people expect. 

Year of the slot receiver

It’s starting to become an annual tradition that the incoming crop of receivers is seen as one of the deepest in a while. And while 2021 is overall a deep class of wide receiver talent, a lot of those promising prospects look like they’ll be primarily or exclusively slot receivers. 

That matters less now that 90 percent of the NFL is in three-receiver sets a majority of the time. Some of the league’s most productive wideouts do most of their damage from the slot. But when forecasting the outlook for guys like Jaylen Waddle, Kadarius Toney, Rondale Moore, Elijah Moore, Amari Rodgers and more, figuring out if they have the versatility to win on the outside will be key to their long-term upside. 

That’s why although I like this class of receivers, I think 2020 and even 2019 might end up being better. Get ready for another big wave of receivers in 2022 and 2023, too. 

Favorite draft: Bills

The key to beating Kansas City is to rough them up on the offensive line so they don’t have time to beat you with their weaponry. Buffalo’s draft showed an understanding of that. 

Least favorite draft: Rams

I elaborated on my disdain for the Atwell pick above but the rest of the draft was curious. Their next pick was a slow thumper of a linebacker. They spent a fourth-round pick on TE Jacob Harris who is a converted soccer player and a total projection, though an absurd athlete which is why I don’t hate it as a gamble. The entire seventh round was dedicated to special teamers. The Rams are Super Bowl contenders but they aren’t quite at the point of having the luxury of dropping nearly half their draft on special teamers. 

Strong first impression from Scott Fitterer

Time and time again, the teams that draft the best tend to be the ones that trade down and accumulate more picks. In that regard, new Panthers GM Scott Fitterer‘s draft was a big success, as he moved down four times and added five picks, including a fourth in 2022. Seattle was known for trading back while he was there so it’s neat to see him bring that to Carolina. 

Lions a team to watch out for

Dunking on new Lions HC Dan Campbell after his kneecap-biting press conference was easy content, but I was actually buying what he and new GM Brad Holmes were selling about being a passionate team that’s going to embody the hard-knock identity of Detroit. The number of former players Campbell has assembled on his staff is a good sign to me that they’ll be able to connect with and inspire their group, which was a struggle for the previous coaching staff. After seeing their reaction in the first round to drafting Sewell, I don’t doubt their passion and energy is genuine, and the players will feel that. 

Beyond all the intangible culture stuff that really only gets highlighted when teams are winning, the Lions’ roster is underrated at the moment. They already had a strong offensive line and landing Sewell takes it to the cusp of elite. They continued to fortify the trenches with back-to-back defensive tackles on Day 2, which is how you build a strong foundation. 

New QB Jared Goff has played his best with a strong offensive line in front of him. He’s got that, plus a strong 1-2 punch at running back between D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams and a Pro Bowl at tight end in T.J. Hockenson. The receiving corps isn’t flush with talent but Tyrell Williams is a former 1,000-yard receiver. A lot of Detroit’s success will ride on how much progress new DC Aaron Glenn can make on his side of the ball, especially in the secondary. A lot of places have the Lions pushing for the top pick, I think they’re more likely to push for seven or eight wins. 

This really could be a momentous draft for the Bears

The franchise history for the Bears at quarterback truly is bleak. That’s why outside of Trevor Lawrence to the Jaguars, Chicago trading up for Justin Fields could be the biggest franchise-changing move in this year’s draft.

He has loads of talent. Bears HC Matt Nagy isn’t going to have to limit the playbook to account for a quarterback he doesn’t trust. Fields is the type of player who can elevate the supporting cast around him eventually, even if he’s not a finished product right now. 

Nagy and Bears GM Ryan Pace aren’t out of the woods yet. They could still screw this up. The onus is now on them to build a strong enough supporting cast for Fields to thrive, which has been part of Chicago’s struggles at quarterback. But it does appear that they may have finally found The Guy. 

Check This Out

• The NFL’s compensatory pick formula is convoluted and not easy to project for outsides. But Over The Cap’s Nick Korte does it better than anyone and this past year he actually had more picks correct than the NFL’s official release that it had to correct later. So when he projects 2022’s compensatory picks, it’s worth paying attention to. 
• Pro Football Focus does a lot of interesting statistical work and asks interesting questions, including this piece on whether reaches end up being reaches and steals end up being steals when it comes to the draft. Their conclusion was that picks who are considered to be reaches at the time more often than not end up proving the consensus right. However, picks seen as steals by the consensus actually rarely live up to those expectations, which is bad news for a number of players I highlighted above. 
• Dan Patrick is a skillful interviewer and it’s always worth watching to see what he can pull out of his subject. In this case, he talks with ESPN reporter Adam Schefter who broke the story of the offseason regarding Rodgers and his level of discontent with Green Bay. It’s a fascinating interview that is worth the 17 minutes it takes to get through. There’s more insight into how he reported the story and what could be ahead for both sides.