Okay, sure, it's been a few days since the NFL Draft wrapped up, but we really wanted to let things digest before busting out one of these articles. After all, sometimes decisions need to resonate a little before they can be truly analyzed.
Of course, time will tell just how accurately this piece turns out, but until then, these are our winners and losers from a busy three-day weekend.
Winners
The Seahawks: Not sure there was a better draft out there than Seattle's. Their first selection of Grey Zabel is a versatile, plug and play offensive lineman who'll help keep Sam Darnold upright. Round two brought them Nick Emmanwori, our top rated safety, and tight end Elijah Arroyo out of Miami, who would've surely gone higher if not for some medical concerns. Scooping QB Jalen Milroe in the third was excellent value for a guy that some expected to go in the first, while nabbing Arroyo's teammate Damien Martinez in the seventh was a steal. Throw in some depth pieces at receiver and OT and it's clear to see the Seahawks knocked this one out of the park.
Justin Herbert: While passing up on Matthew Golden at #22 may have been a little bold by the Bolts, running back Omarion Hampton will immediately contribute in this offense. They chose not to neglect the receiver position long though, taking Tre Harris in the second to fill either the X or Z slot for Herbert. Fellow wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith will chip in on special teams while working his way up the depth chart, while tight end Oronde Gadsden II gets an opportunity to start day one. Excited to see what this revamped Jim Harbaugh offense ends up looking like.
The Giants: For the ever-unpredictable franchise, taking Abdul Carter at #3 was the correct move, providing New York with a pass rush that could be a real force to be reckoned with next season. They then moved back into round one to take their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart 25th overall, for a substantially lower price then Atlanta paid to move into pick #26. Cam Skattebo should be a fun change of pace in the backfield, while guard Marcus Mbow was amazing value in the 5th. Maybe not the flashiest collection of guys, but a group that could be foundational for the G-Men moving forward.
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| Photo: AP Photo/ Jeff Roberson |
Drake Maye: Getting a new left tackle, one of the most explosive running backs in the class, a 4.4 receiver and our top rated center on the first two days of the draft really showed New England's commitment to their up and coming quarterback. They're probably still a year or two from becoming contenders, but like New York, this is a group that could be setting the stage for big time success moving forward.
The Steelers: Pittsburgh's draft haul last season was strong, but this most recent one may have been even better. Derrick Harmon is a tailor-made Steelers interior linemen who'll pair nicely with Cameron Heyward in their front seven. Running back Kaleb Johnson felt a bit overrated in the pre-draft process, but it's hard to argue with his value in the middle of the third. Jack Sawyer and Yahya Black will add some rotation studs on the D-line, with Will Howard providing a decent project under center. While the team could've added a stronger prospect at cornerback, there's no arguing that they had some tremendous talent fall into their laps while standing pat in the first four rounds.
Aaron Rodgers: Speaking of Pittsburgh...when is their 41-year-old quarterback officially going to sign? It seems to be a deal all-but-done after passing on the top guys in this class, providing plenty of speculation on how the Rodgers-Tomlin would look. Stay tuned for this developing drama.
Losers
Shedeur Sanders: Just how bad were those pre-draft interviews? Falling from a potential top five pick to a fifth rounder was an unprecedented slide for the son of Deion, driving a media frenzy obsessed with pinpointing the root cause of the fall. We may never get that full story, at least not for a few years, but it was a process that made some of even the biggest Sanders-haters garner some sympathy.
When the dust finally did settle for Shedeur, he at least found himself in a spot where he has a legitimate chance of earning a starting job, which is all he could really ask for. Key word from that last sentence to focus on though: earning. You're in Cleveland now, and Daddy's not on the sidelines anymore.
The Bengals: Cincy's defense had a multitude of needs, as did their offensive line, so the draft strategy made some sense overall. However, it was the execution that left question marks. Not taking a single cornerback was a head-scratcher, especially with Jahdae Barron sitting there at #17. Edge rusher Shemar Stewart projects incredibly, but the Bengals passed on more complete guys like James Pearce Jr. and Jihaad Campbell when making that pick. Dylan Fairchild likely will start at guard on day one, while Barrett Carter is a fun piece to move around the front seven.
On paper, it's not the worst draft in the world-- but when you look at what they passed up to acquire the guys they did, it starts to stink a little more.
CJ Stroud: After watching Stroud run for his life for majority of 2024, it was absolutely baffling to see Houston not address the offensive line more in this draft. The Texans selected one (1) project for their O-line in Aireontae Ersery-- instead opting for three pass catchers, a running back, two members of the secondary, a defensive tackle and backup quarterback. This team was as promising as any just two years ago, but it's hard to say they've improved since-- as their window with a rookie QB contract gets smaller and smaller.
The Browns: Cleveland trading down from two to five was a masterclass, wrapping Thursday up with a premier defensive tackle and a bounty of extra draft capital. They went on to use those picks for a middle linebacker, two running backs, two quarterbacks and a tight end. While some of the values made sense, they really didn't do a ton to actually improve on the field for this upcoming season. Admittedly, this is volatile take, one that could be massiveyl swayed by big showings from the likes of Shedeur Sanders, Quinshon Judkins and/or Harold Fannin Jr.
Justin Tucker: An offseason full of turmoil surrounding Tucker's sexual misconduct allegations finally forced Baltimore to at least address the position, as the team selected kicker Tyler Loop out of Arizona in round six. Nothing's set in stone yet regarding JT's future with the Ravens, but it was a proactive, potentially indicative move by an organization that hasn't had to worry about the position over the last decade.
The Dolphins: Miami's offensive line was left in shambles after the surprise retirement of Terron Armstead last month, leading many to believe they'd be drafting in the trenches early and often. While this ended up being the case, the team opted to take defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in round one. Don't get it twisted, the kid should be a beast on the front seven, but maybe was a bit rich at #13 overall-- even with the board falling sub-optimally for the Fins. They'd ultimately take a single offensive lineman in the draft, as well as just two guys to fill out a depleted secondary.
Mike McDaniel's seat's gotten hotter and hotter over the last two seasons and could possibly reach a boiling point in the near future as the team goes into training camp with the worst roster of his tenure. It wouldn't be shocking to see a new head coach down in South Beach this time next year.
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@Choppinglines
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