Well, the first-ever Week 18 in NFL history was everything I hoped it would be. There was an overtime game in each of the three major time slots on Sunday, and they all had playoff implications.
In the morning slate, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens wrote another electric chapter in one of the NFL’s best rivalries. Steelers pass rusher TJ Watt tied New York Giants legend Michael Strahan‘s single-season sack record en route to a 3-pt overtime victory in Baltimore to keep the Steelers’ playoff hopes alive and eliminate the Ravens.
In the afternoon slate, it was the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams gifting us extra football. After the Rams got out to a 17-3 halftime lead, the 49ers stormed back thanks to TDs from WRs Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings. The 49ers kicked a field goal on the first drive of OT, then picked off an errant throw from Rams QB Matthew Stafford to seal the victory and earn a playoff spot, thereby eliminating the New Orleans Saints.
Sunday Night Football featured the game of the day, weekend, probably month, and possibly season between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. The winner would clinch a playoff spot, the loser would watch the playoffs from home, and a tie would see both teams in the playoffs and force the Steelers to watch the playoffs from home. The Raiders had the ball at the Chargers’ 45-yard line with 2 minutes left in overtime. After two straight runs, the Raiders faced a 3rd down and 4 yards to go at the Chargers’ 39-yard line. The final 40 seconds will forever live in controversy. The Raiders seemed content to let the game end in a tie and allow their division rival into the playoffs at the expense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then Chargers head coach Brandon Staley called a timeout. The Raiders came out of that timeout and ran for 10 yards on 3rd down to get into comfortable field goal range. They called a timeout of their own with 2 seconds on the clock in OT, and K Daniel Carlson drilled the game-winning field goal to end the Chargers’ season. *Fun fact: Daniel Carlson (pictured) initially wore #8 when he started his Raiders career but switched to #2 so QB Marcus Mariota could wear #8 when Mariota joined the team.*
To me, that game showed that Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia should not get the full-time head coaching gig after this season. Bisaccia admitted that the Raiders sideline discussed ending the game with a tie, which would’ve made John Madden roll in his grave. Kudos to Chargers coach Brandon Staley. I’m sure calling that timeout was a tough decision with the season on the line, and I’m sure Chargers fans aren’t happy about it, but that was the right thing to do for the integrity of the game.
Well, what has long been talked about in Detroit is finally taking another step toward reality. Longtime Detroit Lions franchise QB Matthew Stafford and the team have mutually agreed to part ways. The team announced they will actively be exploring trade options for the man they took 1st overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Stafford was the Lions’ savior out of the University of Georgia after the 2008 version of the team became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. The Lions have made the playoffs three times in Stafford’s 12 seasons with the team (2011, 2014, and 2016), but they have never gotten past the Wildcard Round. Stafford will leave Detroit as the franchise’s all-time passing leader, throwing for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns with a career completion percentage of 62.6%. Stafford was selected to the Pro Bowl during the Lions’ 2014 playoff season.
Stafford has often been burdened by poor offensive line play and poor defense in the Motor City. Now, it will be interesting to see if new surroundings will give the gifted QB a chance in the playoffs. I’ve seen several possible landing spots for Stafford, including the San Francisco 49ers, the New Orleans Saints, the Chicago Bears, the Washington Football Team, the New England Patriots, and the Indianapolis Colts, among others. The 32-year-old should be a hot commodity on the trade market, as the Lions will likely demand significantly less return than the Houston Texans will for QB Deshaun Watson.
Jones attempted passes at or behind the line of scrimmage at a 34.1% clip this season. That is a higher percentage than any 1st round QB from the last two drafts.
53.5% of Jones’ passing yards this season came from yards after the catch (YAC). That is the second-highest percentage compared to 1st round QBs taken in the last two drafts. Only fellow Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa had a higher YAC percentage; he struggled more in his rookie season last year than many people thought he would–myself included.
Alabama was a perfect environment for Jones because incredible athletes surrounded him. In the NFL, team athleticism is relatively balanced.
Jones does not have great athleticism. He threw 11.3% of his passes outside of the pocket, which is more than 10% lower than fellow 2021 draft classmate, Ohio State QB Justin Fields.
Jones has average arm talent.
After listing all of those flaws, Trapasso claims that Jones will need so much talent around him to succeed that he’s not worth taking in the 1st round. But he thinks Jones will be taken in the 1st round because of his impressive numbers this season. He also believes that, given the right team, coaching staff, and environment, Jones could ultimately become a successful passer. I’m here to talk about which teams those are. The five teams I identified below are picking outside of the Top 10 in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL Draft. I agree with Trapasso that Jones is not in the top tier of QBs taken early in the 1st round. I’m listing the teams in the order of ‘best fit for Mac Jones’-to-‘worst fit for Mac Jones’:
New Orleans Saints– Picking 28th in the 1st round. If you’ve been reading my still-updating first mock draft on my ‘NFL Draft‘ page, you know this is the landing spot I picked for Jones. I don’t think the Saints WILL take Jones here if he’s available because head coach Sean Payton is smitten with QB Taysom Hill for some reason. However, Jones seems like the perfect replacement for the likely-retiring franchise QB Drew Brees. Jones’ flaws are comparable to those Brees has experienced in the latter part of his career. As Brees’ arm strength has waned, he has been able to lean on a great offensive line, sure-handed WR Michael Thomas, big-bodied TE Jared Cook, and electric RB Alvin Kamara to continue to guide the Saints to the playoffs. I’m not saying Mac Jones will have a Hall of Fame career like Brees if he becomes the new franchise QB of the Saints…I’m not not saying that either.
Indianapolis Colts– Picking 21st in the 1st round. I’m listing the Colts here because of the great respect I have for head coach Frank Reich. After seeing how QBs Carson Wentz and Nick Foles have crumbled outside of Reich’s system, if anybody can unlock the best of Mac Jones in the NFL, it’s Frank Reich. The Colts could use some upgrades to the offensive skill positions, but their offensive line is in good shape. So if the Colts decided to replace the retired Philip Rivers with Jones, I think they’ll be ready to roll.
San Francisco 49ers– Picking 12th in the 1st round. I don’t think the 49ers should take him at 12. I also don’t know if he would be much of an upgrade over current QB Jimmy Garoppolo. I know that head coach Kyle Shanahan, like Frank Reich listed above, is an offensive genius. With the continued improvement of the skill position players on the 49ers (see: WRs Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk), and a little bit of a lot less of the injury bug next season, the 49ers should be back in the playoffs. Whether Jimmy G or another QB like Jones conducts the offense remains to be seen.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers– Probably picking 29th in the 1st round because I doubt they’re beating Green Bay at Lambeau tomorrow. When I started this list, I had the Buccaneers listed at #1, but they kept sliding when I was thinking about the teams I listed below them (well, now above them). I’m not sold on the Bucs being a positive environment for QBs. Jameis Winston struggled in the Bucs system, although he had some issues with being too aggressive–which probably won’t be the case for Jones–and he didn’t have WR Antonio Brown, or TE Rob Gronkowski, as Tom Brady does now. While Brown and Gronk will probably leave around when Brady does–which I expect will still be two or three seasons from now–Jones should have WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Also, learning behind the most successful QB to ever play in the NFL is a phenomenal scenario for Jones.
New England Patriots– Picking 15th in the 1st round. It’ll be interesting to see how desperate head coach Bill Belichick is to land a new QB. I think we can all agree Cam Newton was terrible last season. I believe Jones’ arm is much better than Newton’s at this stage of their respective careers, though Jones is less athletic. Many people said Tom Brady was nothing more than a game manager during his last few seasons in Foxborough. Brady proved that was not the case in Tampa Bay this season. But I think Jones can be the game manager people believe they’ve seen recently in New England. The caveat here is that Belichick must fix his defense, which took a big step back this season. It would also be nice to give Jones someone to throw to.
The San Francisco 49ers have reached an agreement with TE George Kittle on a 5-year, $75 million contract extension, according to NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport. The deal makes him the highest-paid TE in the NFL with an average of $15 million per season. That puts him about $4.4 million over the annual average of the next-highest paid TE, Hunter Henry of the Los Angeles Chargers (about $10.6 million playing on the franchise tag, according to Spotrac).
Kittle was drafted by the 49ers in the 5th round of the 2017 NFL draft. The Iowa product has played in 45 of a possible 48 regular-season games (he’s started in 37 of those) over his first 3 seasons, racking up 216 catches for 2,945 yards and 12 TDs. He’s been selected to 2 Pro Bowls, including last season when he was also named First-Team All-Pro en route to leading the 49ers to Super Bowl LIV with 85 catches for 1,053 yards and 5 TDs. (Statistics retrieved from Pro Football Reference.)
18. Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh Steelers)- Patrick Queen, LB, LSU– The Fins grabbed the future leader of their offense in Herbert at #5. Here, they grab the future leader of their defense. While Queen might not be quite as good as fellow LSU alums Devin White and Deion Jones, he’s still a very good player.
19. Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears)- Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU- The Raiders need a CB so bad they tried to sign Eli Apple, but the deal fell through. Gladney is the best corner available and they take him here.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams)- Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama- With both members of the former All-Pro tandem in Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye wearing different uniforms now, the Jags attempt to plug one of the holes left by their departures.
21. San Francisco 49ers (projected trade with Philadelphia Eagles)- Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina- The 49ers use some of the draft capital they acquired from Indianapolis in the DeForest Buckner trade to snag his replacement in Kinlaw, who also happens to be the best available player.
22. Minnesota Vikings (via Buffalo Bills)- Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU- The Vikings use the pick they acquired in the Stefon Diggs trade to draft his replacement in Jefferson.
23. Atlanta Falcons (projected trade with New York Giants via projected trade with New England Patriots)- K’lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU- The Falcons finally gave up on edge rusher Vic Beasley this offseason, so they decide to give Chaisson a chance to be the game-wrecker they wanted Beasley to be.
24. New Orleans Saints- Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin- Current Saints MLB Kiko Alonso is coming back from the third ACL tear of his career. The team adds some insurance with Baun, who may very well just outplay Alonso for the starting gig.
With the NFL Trade deadline just one week away, we’re getting to the point in the season where many roster moves are occurring to either bolster the rosters of contenders, or load up on draft picks for basement-dwellers. Here are some of the notable roster moves that have happened today, and what they mean:
What it means: The Giants defense has been on its heels this year, allowing the 5th most yards per game (388.4), and 6th most points per game (26.7). Bucannon spent much of his rookie contract playing in James Bettcher‘s defense in Arizona, and Bettcher is the Giants’ defensive coordinator now. Bucannon struggled in Tampa Bay before being released by the Bucs a few weeks ago. Now, he’ll try to revive his career while helping Bettcher try to revive the Big Blue defense.
The retirement of TE Rob Gronkowski has been hurting the Patriots all season, as they are getting little production from the TE position. Brady’s other pass catchers include WRs Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon. Gordon has been battling injuries, so this is a very Belichick-ian move to improve the roster without giving up too much in return. A 2nd round pick may seem a little steep, but keep in mind it’s basically an early 3rd rounder with how well the Patriots play every season. This could be the beginning of a max exodus from the Atlanta Falcons, as they will probably be looking to load up on draft picks for the future after starting this season 1-6.
The NFC-leading 6-0 49ers have shown one major offensive weakness so far this season: they don’t have anybody besides TE George Kittle to catch QB Jimmy Garoppolo‘s passes. Sanders has had injury issues of late, but he’s certainly been more reliable throughout his career than WRs Dante Pettis and Marquise Goodwin. Sanders makes sense for a team that is suddenly and unexpectedly a serious contender in one of the toughest divisions in football, and they only gave up two mid-round picks for him (3rd and 4th rounders). As for the Denver Broncos, this is a major blow to an offense that was one of the league’s most stagnant, even with Sanders. But, the Broncos are 2-5 and in the same division as the Chiefs, so selling makes sense for them right now.
This season was supposed to be a breakout for Johnson, but, as with several Lions RBs before him (Ameer Abdullah, Jahvid Best), he has fallen short of expectations. He ranks 23rd in rushing yards per game (51.3) while averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and scoring just 2 rushing TDs (T-27th in the league). The move puts Ty Johnson in the Lions’ starting RB role, and he figures to be a popular fantasy football waiver add this week. Fantasy owners stay tuned though, because there are rumors galore about the Lions adding another RB soon.
This is the 2nd of 4 posts covering the biggest 2019 Pro Bowl snub from each NFL team.
*All stats and rankings are from before Week 16
A complaint many have about the NFL’s Pro Bowl is that it is largely a popularity contest, rather than a true measure of the players playing the best football in the league. So, who are the players playing the best football in the league who did not get voted to the 2019 Pro Bowl? Here is one from each franchise in the AFC and NFC West:
Everyone who watches football knows Harris is one of the best CBs in the NFL, but everyone forgot to vote Pro Football Focus‘ (PFF) 4th-ranked corner into the Pro Bowl this year. Not sure what happened.
This one may surprise a lot of people, but King is the 2nd-ranked CB in the NFL according to PFF. Teammate Casey Hayward is the top CB on the depth chart and is considered one of the better CBs in the league today, but it’s the King on the other side of the field who shares the team crown for most interceptions (3) with Pro Bowl-bound rookie S Derwin James. King is also the only Charger with a pick-six this season.
Jones has 12 sacks on the season, which is tied for 8th most sacks in the NFL. His consistent pressure on opposing QBs certainly helps his team’s 5th-ranked pass defense, including the team’s lone Pro Bowler: CB Patrick Peterson.
File:Rob Havenstein.JPG; Image via Wikimedia Commons
It’s QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley who get the praise and the Pro Bowl nods for leading the league’s most electric offense this season, but they couldn’t do it without their offensive line. 4 of the Rams’ 5 starting offensive linemen are ranked in the top 10 in their position by PFF. Havenstein is the highest ranked of the group, coming in at #5 among all OTs.
I firmly believe there is no player more fun to watch in the National Football League than Russell Wilson. He has kept the Seahawks in the thick of the playoff hunt even with the disbanding of the Legion of Boom over the last couple of seasons.
2009 NFL Black Logo|Michael Tipton; Image from Flickr
Football is back! Well, it was technically back with the Hall of Fame game last week…but, this is the first week back for all 32 NFL teams, 10 of which you can watch live on NFL Network over the next three days:
NFL Network usually picks the preseason games they feel will be most compelling to air live on their network (the rest are still aired, but after the games have already concluded). Here’s a look at why NFL Network chose these five games, aka why you should watch them and what you should look for:
Cleveland Browns @ New York Giants- Thursday, August 9th 7pm ET
Baker Mayfield Training Camp 2018; Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Cleveland Browns
QBs. While Tyrod Taylor is already widely considered the Day 1 starter for the Browns, don’t sleep on Baker Mayfield. It’s not too often that you see #1 overall NFL draft picks sit their entire rookie season. While I believe Taylor is the better player and he has a winning track record (see: 2017 Buffalo Bills playoff run), I don’t think he’ll start the entire season because I don’t think head coach Hue Jackson (1-31 in 2 seasons in Cleveland) can afford that, especially if the Browns come out of the gate slow. Also, tune in for perennial backup Drew Stanton, who is probably one of the best backup QBs in the league, but may not make the final 53 in Cleveland.
Darian Thompson 2017; Photo from Wikimedia Commons
New York Giants
Secondary. The Giants have the usual issues that you’ll want to watch with another ‘retooled’ o-line and linebacking corps (oh, and there’s also a RB by the name of Saquon Barkley that you might be excited about, though he’s not likely to play much tonight), but I’m really interested in seeing the defensive secondary. CB1 and SS are both locked down by Janoris Jenkins and Landon Collins, respectively (you might not see either in this game), but CB2, FS, and Slot Corner are all much more compelling. CB2 is likely to go to Eli Apple, the 10th overall pick in 2016 who is probably in his last year to prove that he belongs. Curtis Riley is getting the start at FS, but I like Boise State alum Darian Thompson who, like Eli Apple, is a member of the 2016 Giants draft class who is probably in his last year to prove himself. If Thompson plays well in the preseason, expect to see him jump Riley come the regular season. Slot Corner is the biggest toss-up with a mix of at least six different players up for the job. My two favorites are veteran signee BW Webb, and fan-favorite Donte Deayon.
Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers- Thursday, August 9th 10pm ET
Dallas Cowboys
WRs. Dez Bryant is gone, Jason Witten is retired. Who’s got next? I don’t really like any of the TEs in Dallas, so I’ll focus on the receivers. There’s hot-and-cold Terrance Williams who has yet to have a true breakthrough season, there’s on again-off again Cole Beasley, there’s first-round bust and physical freak Tavon Austin (who’s actually listed as a RB), and there’s third-round rookie Michael Gallup. One of those guys has to step up. I don’t think Williams, Beasley, or Austin are capable of anything more than what they’ve already shown. If Dallas is going to have a WR1 emerge from this group, it’s going to be Michael Gallup, who is probably my favorite receiver from this draft class. He’s not really a physical standout in terms of speed, agility, etc., but I think he’s got the best hands to come out of the draft since the 2014 class (OBJ, Mike Evans, Brandin Cooks).
San Francisco 49ers
FS. I think the 49ers are in a spot where there is a pretty clear line between most of their starters and their backups, which is pretty unusual and can be a good or a bad thing. The one spot I definitely do not believe that to be the case is FS. The 49ers’ unofficial depth chart lists 2017 7th rounder Adrian Colbert as the starter, followed by rookie 5th rounder DJ Reed. I don’t know much about either player, which usually means most people don’t (that’s not intended as a brag so much as a comment about how I spend WAY too much time analyzing football), so I figure that should be a fun competition to watch. One name I do recognize is backup CB Jimmie Ward, who I believe has played safety in the past and may be a dark horse to win the starting FS job if Colbert and Reed fail to distinguish themselves.
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets- Friday, August 10th 7:30pm ET
Tevin Coleman 2015 2; Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Atlanta Falcons
RG and Tevin Coleman. RG is the biggest starting spot competition for the Falcons this year, so there’s that. But I’m going to be watching Tevin Coleman, who is WAY too good of a RB for the Falcons to keep on their bench (but he’s also not good enough to warrant benching Devonta Freeman). He won’t be in a Falcons uniform next season, so Falcons fans should enjoy having the best backup RB in the league while he’s still a backup.
New York Jets
QBs. Veteran journeyman Josh McCown is listed as the starter and was serviceable for the Jets in a less than stellar 2017 campaign. Free agent acquisition Teddy Bridgewater is listed as QB2 and has reportedly looked quite good in training camp after missing most of the last two seasons with a severe knee injury. Rookie 3rd overall pick Sam Darnold is listed as QB3 and is looking to start making good impressions on his teammates, coaches, and fans following an extended holdout over his rookie contract. One of these three guys will not be a New York Jet by the trade deadline, possibly even by the start of the regular season. Who will be the odd man out?
Detroit Lions @ Oakland Raiders- Friday, August 10th 10:30pm ET
LeGarrette Blount; Photo from Wikimedia Commons
DetroitLions
RBs. Come for the best goal-line back in the league, stay for the hilarious mess that has been the Lions running game basically since Barry Sanders called it quits. I kid you not, the depth chart at detroitlions.com has TWO SEPARATE RB SLOTS, without any sort of ‘power’ or ‘3rd down’ or other distinguishing designation on either! LeGarrette Blount is the veteran free agent signee who has been on two straight Super Bowl Champion teams but is slowing down at 31 years of age. Kerryon Johnson is the 2nd round rookie who the Lions probably could have gotten as late as the 4th round. Then you have Theo Riddick (a pass catcher), Ameer Abdullah (a bust), Dwayne Washington and Zach Zenner who were all on the team last year and if you recognize their names, it’s because they have ALL TAKEN SNAPS FOR THE LIONS AT SOME POINT. Good luck figuring this one out because the Lions sure haven’t.
Jon Gruden Coaches Tour Camp Liberty July 4, 2009; Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Oakland Raiders
COACH. The Raiders’ roster hasn’t changed that much. What has changed is that Jon Gruden will once again be roaming NFL sidelines in black and silver.
Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos- Saturday, August 11th 9:05pm ET
Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos
Why this game is getting televised is beyond me. You’re probably thinking, “because both teams have new starting QBs, and the Broncos’ new QB was the Vikings’ old QB. DUH!” But this is the preseason. Kirk Cousins and Case Keenum MAY get one drive each. Leaving them in any longer than that would be idiotic. This is a dumb game to televise. I guess tune in to watch Broncos QB Paxton Lynch (2016 first rounder) throw away the rest of his NFL career and Vikings QB Trevor Siemian (last season’s Broncos’ starter) show once more why he should never have been a starting QB?
I previously promised a more in-depth look at my plus-minus system; Here it is in my ranking of the draft classes from the 2018 NFL Draft. The plus-minus system reflects the overall value of each teams’ collective drafts. The greater the plus is, the greater a value a team got. The minuses are reaches-players who were drafted earlier than they should have been. The the greater a minus is, the more consistently and/or greatly a team reached throughout the draft.
1. Minnesota Vikings: +207
Best Value Pick: Colby Gossett, OG, Appalachian State (+89)
Worst Value Pick: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF (+4)
The Rest:
Brian O’Neill, OT, Pittsburgh (+10)
Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State (+19)
Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan (+15)
Daniel Carlson, K, Auburn (+70)
Ade Aruna, EDGE, Tulane (N/A)
Devante Downs, LB, California (N/A)
2. Dallas Cowboys: +165
Best Value Pick: Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama (+90)
Worst Value Pick: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State (-5)
The Rest:
Connor Williams, OT, Texas (+19)
Michael Gallup, WR, Colorado State (-3)
Dorance Armstrong, EDGE, Kansas (+28)
Dalton Schultz, TE, Stanford (+27)
Mike White, QB, Western Kentucky (+9)
Chris Covington, OLB, Indiana (N/A)
Cedrick Wilson, WR, Boise State (N/A)
3. Green Bay Packers: +126
Equanimeous St. Brown (Notre Dame WR) vs Nevada; Photo from Youtube
Best Value Pick: Equanimeous St Brown, WR, Notre Dame (+128)
Worst Value Pick: Cole Madison, OG, Washington State (-35)
The Rest:
Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville (-20)
Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa (+26)
Oren Burks, LB, Vanderbilt (-23)
J’Mon Moore, WR, Missouri (+51)
JK Scott, P, Alabama (-1)
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, USF (N/A)
James Looney, DE, California (N/A)
Hunter Bradley, LS, Mississippi State (N/A)
Kendall Donnerson, EDGE, Southeast Missouri (N/A)
4. Jacksonville Jaguars: +100
Best Value Pick: Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama (+49)
Worst Value Pick: DJ Chark, WR, LSU (+10)
The Rest:
Taven Bryan, DT, Florida (+11)
Will Richardson, OT, North Carolina State (+30)
Tanner Lee, QB, Nebraska (N/A)
Leon Jacobs, EDGE, Wisconsin (N/A)
Logan Cooke, P, Mississippi State (N/A)
5. Seattle Seahawks: +75
Best Value Pick: Jamarco Jones, OT, Ohio State (+77)
Worst Value Pick: Will Dissly, TE, Washington (-53)
The Rest:
Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State (-27)
Rasheem Greene, DE, USC (+33)
Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF (+37)
Tre Flowers, S, Oklahoma State (-27)
Michael Dickson, P, Texas (+35)
Jake Martin, EDGE, Temple (N/A)
Alex Mcgough, QB, Florida International (N/A)
6. New York Jets: +71
Best Value Pick: Parry Nickerson, CB, Tulane (+64)
Worst Value Pick: Chris Herndon, TE, Miami (-60)
The Rest:
Sam Darnold, QB, USC (+1)
Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State (+9)
Foley Fatukasi, DT, Connecticut (+57)
Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State (N/A)
7. New York Giants: +38
Best Value Pick: RJ McIntosh, DT, Miami (+17)
Worst Value Pick: BJ Hill, DT, North Carolina State (-17)
The Rest:
Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State (+1)
Will Hernandez, OG, UTEP (+13)
Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia (+16)
Kyle Lauletta, QB, Richmond (+8)
8. Tennessee Titans: +37
Best Value Pick: Luke Falk, QB, Washington State (+34)
Worst Value Pick: Dane Cruikshank, S, Arizona (-21)
The Rest:
Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama (0)
Harold Landry, EDGE, Boston College (+24)
9. Baltimore Ravens: +31
Best Value Pick: Deshon Elliott, S, Texas (+53)
Worst Value Pick: Kenny Young, LB, UCLA (-51)
The Rest:
Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina (-9)
Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (+5)
Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma (+46)
Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma (+10)
Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama (+29)
Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State (-41)
Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA (-11)
Greg Senat, OT, Wagner (N/A)
Bradley Bozeman, C, Alabama (N/A)
Zach Sieler, DE, Ferris State (N/A)
10. Philadelphia Eagles: +25
Best Value Pick: Josh Sweat, EDGE, Florida State (+66)
Worst Value Pick: Avonte Maddox, CB, Pittsburgh (-48)
The Rest:
Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State (+7)
Matt Pryor, OT, TCU (N/A)
Jordan Mailata, OT, Australia (N/A)
11. Carolina Panthers: +16
Best Value Pick: Kendrick Norton, DT, Miami (+71)
Worst Value Pick: Rashaan Gaulden, CB, Tennessee (-53)
The Rest:
DJ Moore, WR, Maryland (-5)
Donte Jackson, CB, LSU (+8)
Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana (+30)
Marquis Haynes, DE, Ole Miss (-23)
Jermaine Carter Jr, LB, Maryland (-12)
Andre Smith, ILB, North Carolina (N/A)
12. Buffalo Bills: +1
Best Value Pick: Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford (+47)
Worst Value Pick: Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State (-52)
The Rest:
Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming (-4)
Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech (+10)
Siran Neal, S, Jacksonville State (-19)
Wyatt Teller, OG, Virginia Tech (+19)
Ray-Ray McCloud, WR, Clemson (N/A)
Austin Proehl, WR, North Carolina (N/A)
13. Indianapolis Colts: -5
Deon Cain official Clemson Career Highlight; Photo from Youtube
Best Value Pick: Deon Cain, WR, Clemson (+118)
Worst Value Pick: Braden Smith, OG, Auburn (-44)
Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame (+2)
Darius Leonard, OLB, South Carolina State (-25)
Kemoko Turay, EDGE, Rutgers (-42)
Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State (-26)
Nyheim Hines, RB, North Carolina State (-30)
Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa (+46)
Jordan Wilkins, RB, Ole Miss (-4)
Matthew Adams, LB, Houston (N/A)
Zaire Franklin, LB, Syracuse (N/A)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -9
Best Value Pick: Jack Cichy, ILB, Wisconsin (+77)
Worst Value Pick: Jordan Whitehead, S, Pittsburgh (-56)
Vita Vea, DT, Washington (+2)
Ronald Jones II, RB, USC (+6)
MJ Stewart, CB, North Carolina (-54)
Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn (+22)
Alex Cappa, OT, Humboldt State (-15)
Justin Watson, WR, Pennsylvania (+9)
15. Cincinnati Bengals: -14
Best Value Pick: Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State (+24)
Worst Value Pick: Mark Walton, RB, Miami (-27)
Billy Price, C, Ohio State (-15)
Jessie Bates III, S Wake Forest (+6)
Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas (-9)
Davontae Harris, CB, Illinois State (+3)
Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia (+7)
Darius Phillips, CB, Western Michigan (-3)
Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo (N/A)
Rod Taylor, OG, Mississippi (N/A)
Auden Tate, WR, Florida State (N/A)
16. Houston Texans: -19
Best Value Pick: Justin Reid, S, Stanford (+40)
Worst Value Pick: Keke Coutee, WR, Texas Tech (-57)
The Rest:
Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State (+18)
Jordan Akins, TE, UCF (-42)
Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest (+22)
Jordan Thomas, TE, Mississippi State (N/A)
Peter Kalambayi, EDGE, Stanford (N/A)
Jermaine Kelly, DB, San Jose State (N/A)
17. Los Angeles Chargers: -23
Best Value Pick: Kyzir White, S, West Virginia (+49)
Worst Value Pick: Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC (-44)
The Rest:
Derwin James, S, Florida State (+9)
Justin Jones, DT, North Carolina State (-19)
Scott Quessenberry, C, UCLA (-18)
Dylan Cantrell, WR, Texas Tech (N/A)
Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern (N/A)
18. Detroit Lions: -25
Best Value Pick: Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon (+96)
Worst Value Pick: Tracy Walker, S, Louisiana (-91)
The Rest:
Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas (-45)
Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn (-25)
Da’Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama (+40)
Nick Bawden, RB, San Diego State (N/A)
19. Washington Redskins: -32
Best Value Pick: Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech (+78)
Worst Value Pick: Geron Christian, OT, Louisville (-87)
The Rest:
Da’Ron Payne, DT, Alabama (-2)
Derrius Guice, RB, LSU (+43)
Troy Apke, S, Penn State (-64)
Shaun dion Hamilton, ILB, Alabama (N/A)
Greg Stroman, CB, Virginia Tech (N/A)
20. Denver Broncos: -43
Best Value Pick: Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin (+40)
Worst Value Pick: Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon (-62)
The Rest:
Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State (+2)
Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU (-3)
Isaac Yiadom, CB, Boston College (-53)
Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa (-2)
DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State (+1)
Sam Jones, C, Arizona State (+34)
Keishawn Bierria, ILB, Washington (N/A)
David Williams, RB, Arkansas (N/A)
21. Los Angeles Rams: -45
Best Value Pick: Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, LB, Oklahoma (+34)
Worst Value Pick: Brian Allen, C, Michigan State (-62)
The Rest:
Joseph Noteboom, OT, TCU (+14)
John Franklin, DE, Stephen F Austin (-38)
Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia (+3)
John Kelly, RB, Tennessee (+4)
Jamil Demby, OG, Maine (N/A)
Sebastian Joseph, DT, Rutgers (N/A)
Trevon Young, EDGE, Louisville (N/A)
Travin Howard, LB, TCU (N/A)
Justin Lawler, DE, SMU (N/A)
22. Oakland Raiders: -49
Maurice Hurst Jr.; Photo from Wikipedia
Best Value Pick: Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan (+117)
Worst Value Pick: Brandon Parker, OT, North Carolina A&T (-108)
Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA (-25)
PJ Hall, DT, Sam Houston State (-44)
Arden Key, LB, LSU (+32)
Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin (-21)
Johnny Townsend, P, Florida (N/A)
Azeem Victor, LB, Washington (N/A)
Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State (N/A)
23. Miami Dolphins: -54
Best Value Pick: Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State (+35)
Worst Value Pick: Durham Smythe, TE, Notre Dame (-40)
The Rest:
Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama (-1)
Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State (-16)
Jerome Baker, LB, Ohio State (-32)
Cornell Armstrong, DB, Southern Mississippi (N/A)
Quentin Poling, LB, Ohio (N/A)
Jason Sanders, K, New Mexico (N/A)
24. Cleveland Browns: -54
Best Value Pick: Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida (+39)
Worst Value Pick: Chad Thomas, DE, Miami (-60)
Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma (-12)
Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State (-5)
Austin Corbett, OG, Nevada (-23)
Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia (-24)
Genard Avery, LB, Memphis (+31)
Damion Ratley, WR, Texas A&M (N/A)
Simeon Thomas, DB, Louisiana-Lafayette (N/A)
25. New England Patriots: -62
Best Value Pick: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia (-4)
Worst Value Pick: Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB, Purdue (-30)
The Rest:
Isaiah Wynn, OT, Georgia (-7)
Duke Dawson, CB, Florida (-21)
Christian Sam, ILB, Arizona State (N/A)
Braxton Berrios, WR, Miami (N/A)
Danny Etling, QB, LSU (N/A)
Keion Crossen, DB, Western Carolina (N/A)
Ryan Izzo, TE, Florida State (N/A)
26. Chicago Bears: -62
Best Value Pick: Bilal Nichols, DT, Delaware (+17)
Worst Value Pick: Joel Iyiebuniwe, LB, Western Kentucky (-58)
The Rest:
Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia (+1)
James Daniels, C, Iowa (0)
Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis (-22)
Kylie Fitts, EDGE, Utah (N/A)
Javon Wims, WR, Georgia (N/A)
27. Pittsburgh Steelers: -71
Best Value Pick: Marcus Allen, S, Penn State (+27)
Worst Value Pick: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech (-65)
The Rest:
James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State (-9)
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State (-4)
Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan (-44)
Jaylen Samuels, RB, North Carolina State (+24)
Joshua Frazier, DT, Alabama (N/A)
28. Atlanta Falcons: -77
Best Value Pick: Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado (+13)
Worst Value Pick: Deadrin Senat, DT, USF (-55)
The Rest:
Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama (+12)
Ito Smith, RB, Southern Mississippi (-47)
Russell Gage, WR, LSU (N/A)
Foye Oluokun, LB, Yale (N/A)
Trey Quinn, WR, SMU
29. Arizona Cardinals: -91
Best Value Pick: Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M (+14)
Worst Value Pick: Mason Cole, C, Michigan (-71)
The Rest:
Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA (+5)
Chase Edmonds, RB, Fordham (-39)
Chris Campbell, CB, Penn State (N/A)
Korey Cunningham, OT, Cincinnati (N/A)
30. New Orleans Saints: -92
Best Value Pick: Natrell Jamerson, S, Wisconsin (-9)
Worst Value Pick: Rick Leonard, OT, Florida State (-46)
The Rest:
Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA (-11)
Tre’Quan Smith, WR, UCF (-26)
Kamrin Moore, CB, Boston College (N/A)
Boston Scott, RB, Louisiana Tech (N/A)
Will Clapp, C, LSU (N/A)
31. Kansas City Chiefs: -137
Breeland Speaks; Photo from Twitter
Best Value Pick: Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M (+26)
Worst Value Pick: Breeland Speaks, DE, Ole Miss (-123)
The Rest:
Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State (+3)
Dorian O’Daniel, LB, Clemson (-43)
Tremon Smith, CB, Central Arkansas (N/A)
Reginald McKenzie, OG, Tennessee (N/A)
32. San Francisco 49ers: -261
Best Value Pick: Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame (-11)
Last time, I covered the best values in undrafted free agent signings. Today, I will be grading the draft classes from the 2018 NFL Draft. I have used a plus-minus system for each team to determine the overall value of each teams’ collective drafts (you will see this in greater depth in my next post, which should be published in the next day or two). For now, here are my letter grades in alphabetical order by team location:
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