A little over exactly a year ago, I composed my first ever blog post, reviewing my winners and losers of the 2022 NFL Draft. It's been a wild 365+ days since then: over 125 blogs, 42 podcasts, some great interactions with fellow sports writers and athletes. Sometimes taking the jump is the hardest part, but it's been a fun and worthwhile adventure with Chopping Lines.
With the dust having settled around this most recent NFL draft, what a better time than to sit back and reflect upon how my thoughts from last year's held up. Much to my self-fulfillment, I actually fared pretty alright! How alright you ask?
Where I Went Right
-Kyle Hamilton and Travis Jones: Keeping this one in the hometown! Kyle Hamilton was the top ranked safety in the entire league at some points last season, and that was without Marcus Williams back there with him. The kid is special and was a steal for the Ravens at 14. Travis Jones may not have had quite the impact Jordan Davis did for Philly, but he was a game wrecker in limited time and a very encouraging building block on the Baltimore D-Line. Hit these two on the head.
-The J-E-T-S: We mentioned it a year ago, but it was hard to miss with the #4 and #10 picks in the draft. However, the Jets have been known to do this! Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson were not only great talents, but award winning ones, as each took home Rookie of the Year. Crazy thing is, their second round pick Breece Hall would have won the OROY, had he stayed healthy. High praise, but among a stacked draft class, he may be the best.
-Jalen Pitre: I liked this pick last year, but I didn't expect Pitre to finish top seven in the league for interceptions as a rookie. Especially given that the Texans were trailing for so much of the season...surprised there were enough pass attempts against him to accrue such stats. Regardless though, Pitre looks like a solid safety pairing with cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
-The Panthers picking high again and Matt Rhule not being a part of it: Not usually one to brag about layups...but I was confident on this one. The Panthers not only picked high, but first! Albeit via trade. Matt Rhule was fired just a few games into the season and, not surprisingly, the team improved pretty substantially after his departure. Dude just couldn't cut it on the NFL level.
-The Cardinals' lack of pass rush: I hated the Cardinals' draft last year, while admitting they were hamstrung a bit by their lack of picks. But their second round pick on the hardly-used Trey McBride didn't really pay off and their neglected pass rush ranked 24th in the league. Gloomy days ahead Arizona fans.
-No need for New England to draft two new running backs: The strategy of multiple dart throws at a position in the draft is one the Patriots use with some regularity. But with Rhamondre Stevenson and Damien Harris on the roster last season, I didn't like their selections of Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris. Stevenson went crazy during the season, establishing himself as the offense's workhorse. They also proceeded to sign James Robinson during this offseason and have Ty Montgomery as a 3DRB. Strong Jr and Harris were only active in nine combined games, totaling 28 carries, 7 receptions and 200 total yards. Not the value New England was hoping for.
Where Things Went Wrong
-Calling Jared Goff a "lame duck" quarterback, Daniel Jones too: Swing and a miss...Jared Goff was excellent this season, throwing for over 4400 yards and a 29:7 TD:INT ratio. He was closer to an All-Pro than a lame duck. Daniel Jones also outperformed expectations, leading the G-Men to the playoffs while earning himself a handsome, new contract. Not nearly as impressive a performance statistically, but Jones clearly elevated his team.
-Malik Willis and Hassan Haskins: Malik Willis may not even make it to the end of his rookie contract. After tumbling to the mid-third round in the draft, the Liberty quarterback was actually benched for Josh Dobbs late in the season, and has completely fallen out of favor in Tennessee since. Not what many speculated for the talented prospect. Haskins could end up making his way to the upcoming section in this blog, but the Ty'Jae Spears selection in this draft doesn't bode well for him. He looked slow and inexplosive in limited work last season behind Derrick Henry, and lacks the pass-catching ability that Spears has to get him some burn on third downs.
-George Pickens' value: For the record, I liked the George Pickens selection. Personally hated that it was to Pittsburgh, but loved the selection. It just felt like the Steelers' had bigger needs than an X receiver. Pickens flashed brilliance at times during his rookie campaign though, so much so that the team moved on from starting wideout Chase Claypool midseason. The Georgia alum is going to be a problem for AFC North corners for years to come.
Jury's Still Out
-David Ojabo: Back to the Ravens we go, specifically to second round edge rusher David Ojabo. Expectations were modest for the former Wolverine, as he was coming off an Achilles' tear during the combine. Reports from practice were mainly positive, but he was only able to play in one game during the season. Optimistically, he notched a sack and forced fumble in that game! Can't wait to see what the kid can do during a full season.
-Kenyon Green: Houston made a curious move with their 15th pick last season, selecting guard Kenyon Green out of Texas A&M. As far as positional value goes, it was a bit high for a guard. His 37.7 PFF grade didn't instill a ton of confidence into skeptical pundits either. Another year under his belt should definitely help though, as should some competence at quarterback.
-Kenny Pickett: The first quarterback selected in the draft got his first start four games into the season, replacing an ineffective Mitchell Trubisky under center. His 7:9 TD:INT ratio was far from inspiring, but his play definitely invigorated the Steelers, as they continued their streak of seasons above .500. Seems like Pickett may have a game manager ceiling, but he still has plenty of time to prove me wrong.
That's it that's all from me here! As you can see by the category stacks, my predictions seemed to hold up pretty well through these rookies' first season. We'll see what the future has in store for them, as well as our 2023 class. I included last year's article link here for accountability purposes. Feel free to share any thoughts or insight on the socials or comments
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@Choppinglines
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