So this post took a bit longer than expected for two reasons:
1. I had too much on
2. this article got way longer than expected. But that is for me as well so that I can evaluate the picks better at the end of the season to what I initially saw in them.
Now that it is done I look back on an exciting draft filled with top picks (in my opinion), where I didn’t really miss out on any of my top targets and filled all of the needs I felt were there.
But before I get into the Draft itself I have to go back one step further to the trades.
Trades
I was very happy with my simulated trade downs, because it got me into all layers of the draft, as the Seahawks ended up doing also. It would have been the most interesting if I had done it live – as it happens in real life – to simulate what players are still on the board and thereby see if I would draft or trade down to get a player later. The development of availability of players at different positions is so dynamic, that this element was missing from my draft. It would be interesting to see how I would perform doing everything last minute within the time of the pick.
if I had been watching live and if there were a way to simulate trades during the draft – as it happens – I would have probably traded down 2 more times.
The first is the 30th pick on Day 1. All of my first round level talent had already gone and my day 2 guys were starting to get picked (or had already been picked in Noah Fant and Darnell Savage), but I felt like the pick was a bit high for Dalton Risner. I would have been happier trading down a couple of spots and getting another pick on day 2 – maybe then I could have got Oliver or Okereke who I missed out on.
The 2nd time I would have considered trading down, was my last pick of day 2. I would have perhaps traded into day 3 and picked up a couple more picks to go and get Mack and Minshew. In the end, as far as either of the situations go I got 2 great players so I am happy about that. I would have been gutted if I had missed out on Risner because I decided to trade down. And I am also happy to have picked up Gardner-Johnson, he was a bonus to get so late. If I had missed out on him I would have probably complained that I only got 1 Safety.
Picks
Day 1
1 (15) Brian Burns (DE)
When assessing the roster and then after looking through DEs my article started with the following assessment:
“I am looking for something like Martin [speed and athletic] or between him and the Clark/Green category. Due to the fact that I already have such a great roster of DEs I also don’t want to be selecting someone before the third round, ideally on day 3 though.”
…well I certainly didn’t pick anyone day 2 or 3…in the same article I also said the following about Burns:
“Brian Burns looks absolutely great, but the group of DEs we have now doesn’t warrant taking another so early. If we are talking real life, where we are keeping Wilson and have traded, he becomes one of the most interesting prospects (good length, speed, pass rush moves and plus tackling)”
…well the Seahawks didn’t take him in real life, although I am sure they would have loved to get him. In the end I am am super psyched that I got him for my draft too. This was my projection the night before round 1:
“My number one choice for the 15th overall pick would be: Linebacker Devin Bush. Having elite talent alongside Wagner is a great move going forward with questionmarks around Wright beyond the season.
If he is not available, then the following two would be the next in line for me: DE / EDGE Brian Burns or Rashan Gary. It is such an elite position and at this place in the draft you rarely get such high level talent”
And that is where the “problem” is. As much as I believe in having a firm plan of what you need, in the first round “best available” is not always the worst way to go. He was one of the few DEs who completely matched the profile I had for the position and allowed me to close a premier position early and focus on other things in the draft, rather than trying to find a “value” player at a position where eliteness can’t always be replaced by effort. As I said above, it is rare for such talent to be available in the middle of the first round.
The Spiderman from Florida will make plays in his rookie season and I am super excited to see it. such a cool guy as well when you see him in interviews. Very happy with this pick for so many reasons: Athletic profile, personality, intellect and football intelligence. He has some great players to learn from at the Panthers, among who is former Seahawk Bruce Irvin.
1 (30) Dalton Risner (OL)
I bang on about this all the time and I’m going to say it again for good measure: if in doubt draft OL high. Of course this depends on who is available, but the OL is the foundation of any offense – something that I, as a Seahawks fan, have learnt the hard way the past couple of years. If you add at least 1 or 2 top OL players every year you are setting yourself up for success in the long term. They protect the QB and set up the run game: as a unit, they are literally more involved in every single play than the QB. And they are always a premium, so if you find yourself with too many top talents and need picks you will almost always someone who wants to trade for them.
Here is what I said about him in my OL assessment:
“Risner was a 3 year team captain, offensive lineman of the year 2018 and first team All Big 12. He has a great personality and the intelligence to go with it. Mean finisher and is very consistent in what he does. He just seems to do things right. Not the most athletic but plays with effort. Risner had a good Combine and his rep as the rabbit against Taylor was legendary.”
So Lindstrom went 14th overall to the Falcons and I rated this guy just as highly – even if overall I saw him as a 2nd round talent. Expected to be an instant starter with the versatility to cover for multiple positions. Especially the instant impact is something I expect from a first round pick, so even though I saw him as a 2nd rounder, picking him here doesn’t make me feel like I overdrafted, especially because when I look at him now, I feel like maybe I was a little over-critical and maybe he deserved a higher grade. He ended up going just over 10 picks later. Word is that he is already bring his tough and nasty streak to the Broncos.
Day 2
2 (37) Trysten Hill (DT)
So on Day 2 I started by addressing the biggest position of need on the defense. When analysing the players in the combine he just jumped off the page as someone who I had to have, even if there were red flags concerning about him being an outspoken person who didn’t gel with a set of coaching staff once there was a change. However, especially the Seahawks have plenty of experience with opinionated players and how to get the most out of them.
While analysing him pre draft and during the draft also I realise now that I never really wrote much about him, and that had something to do with the fact that I felt like what he did spoke for itself. here is what I had to say:
“most impressive DT at the combine besides Quinnen Williams […] Movement looked fantastic, explosive and fluid.”
“If I miss out on Simmons in the first round then Hill becomes priority and I take him in the 2nd.”
He is an impact player who can be a terror for OLines if utilized correctly. He really proved what a weapon he can be in the right system and I think that he will be special on the next level. I don’t really feel like much more needs to be said than that. Just one point that I would like to highlight is the following: when I look at Khalen Saunders later in this article I will compare him to other prospects after fans cheered him on as their Aaron Donald. Out of interest I compared Hill to Donald, and where others don’t come close Hill actually beat him in some aspects:
- Hill is taller with longer arms and bigger hands
- Hill got 3 inches more on the vert and only 1 inch less on the broad (115″) – with 23 lbs more to carry than Donald did in his testing
- That weight shows in the 40 and 3 cone where he tested more in the region of the other three which you will see below (so still far from bad)
- But funnily enough he showed his explosiveness again in the 20 yard shuttle where he got a better time than even Donald!
- On the bench press though he got nowhere near Donald again, but instead in the region of the others.
Of course all that isn’t worth much without the technical abilities, but he isn’t weak there either. As Kris Richard has already said, he is a player with “generational-type athleticism” and I am excited to see him in the NFL.
2 (41) Drew Lock (QB)
Let me start this segment on Lock by saying that with hindsight, this pick is the one in my draft that I am least sure about. As I mentioned in my introductory piece about QB prospects, I would never pick a player in round 1 unless they were a clear win. I actually went as far as saying that “I would never pick a QB in round 1”, which – if I am evaluating with a level head – is probably only 95% accurate. I think that there are always extraordinary guys who you just make the exception for but there was no one like that in this draft.
The problem with the QB position is that not only do they have to bring a lot of qualities of their own, but it is also the position most reliant on the talent on the field with them. Then there is the argument of great QBs elevating the talent around them, but that only goes so far. You can’t force elevation of talent if there is no chemistry. And to top it all off the scheme has to fit the skills of the QB. So those are 4 points (own skills, roster talent, chemistry and scheme) that have to come together for a QB to succeed. This makes the floor of even the biggest QB talent very low. Compare that to the second highest paid position on most rosters – DE – and you have a player who is not so affected by everything around him and instead can just be let loose, that gives you a lot less ways to fail.
For me the best example of the QB issue is Josh Rosen last year, who I believe has the natural talent to be an elite QB. Potentially more so than any QB in this year’s class – except maybe Kyler Murray if he is utilized right. But the problem for him was that the scheme and roster talent (specifically on OL) were not right. That meant that he was sacked 45 times in 14 games (good for an average of over 3 per game), which was over 10% of his pass attempts. In total he lost 320 yards off sacks, which is a whole game’s worth (stats thanks to PFR).
So, with all that said about the difficulties of drafting an integrating a QB into a squad I had set myself up to draft a player who adequately matched my criteria in the 3rd round in Will Grier. And in preparing for day 2 I was pretty set on Grier, but when it came to picking and Lock was still on the board it was a gut decision. Worst case he becomes a trade piece down the line I thought. In hindsight I don’t know whether I should have stuck with Grier – who might have been a better scheme fit with less natural talent – (went to the Panthers) but only time will tell, hence why I started the segment by saying that it was the pick I was least sure about.
In terms of where I drafted him, I feel like he is good value, because QBs at his level normally get picked in the top 20. It has been made very clear that he is the no2 in Denver and there to learn behind Flacco. Flacco himself has been very clear that he is not there to teach Lock, but to win games and Lock is all onboard with learning behind a Super Bowl winner. Of course this is a very different position than he would have been in for my squad as an immediate contender for the starting spot, nonetheless it will be exciting to track his progress, even if we probably won’t see much live game time from him after the pre-season unless Flacco gets injured again.
3 (71) Jace Sternberger (TE)
I‘m not going to say that I am not happy about this pick, because he is a top TE and I think that he will do really well in the league. I just wanted a pure passcatcher and while Sternberger has really good hands, I think that Oliver’s are that shade better. Maybe the problem in my assessment was that Sternberger just made everything look too easy, which means it is a little harder to get excited.
Overall I got the more complete TE though, because Sternberger regularly sets up blocks on the 2nd level and can also do an ok job at the line of scrimmage. He is a reliable pass-catcher with soft hands and is good in contested situations. If you throw him the ball well he will come down with it, also in traffic. On top of that he finishes every play with a mean streak.
He is just a very sensible choice and that is probably why the Seahawks also had a visit with him pre-draft. I think he is the type of guy who is going to to everything right and become a really reliable option at the next level, especially catching passes from Rodgers. The Packers clearly think highly of him too because they gave him Jordy Nelson’s number.
3 (77) Ben Burr-Kirven (LB)
I have said a lot about him, not least of all how much I like him and how excited I was to get this pick. At this point I want to add that I feel like he is a mix of the two best LBs in the league: Wagner and Kuechly. Let’s look at that theory by looking at some of the combine stats (green= 1st; orange= 2nd; red=3rd):
| Wagner | Kuechly | BBK | |
| Height | 6’0″ | 6’2″ | 6’0″ |
| Weight | 241 lbs | 242 lbs | 230 lbs |
| Arm Length | 33″ | 31″ | 31 7/8″ |
| Hand size | 9 1/2″ | 9 3/4″ | 8 7/8″ |
| 40 yd dash | 4.46s | 4.58s | 4.56s |
| Vertical | 39 1/2″ | 38″ | 34 1/4″ |
| Broad | 132″ | 123″ | 121″ |
| 3 cone | 7.1s | 6.92s | 6.85s |
| 20 yd shuttle | 4.28s | 4.12s | 4.09s |
| 60 yd shuttle | – | 11.43s | 11.43s |
| Bench press | 24 reps | 27 reps | 21 reps |
In the things that won’t change (height, arm length and hand size) he was at least the same as the others except for the small hands. His weight and bench press (where he was last) will improve in a pro program. That might mean that his 3 cone, 40, 20yd and 60yd would drop slightly putting him right in the mix with the others. The only thing besides the small hands is his poor vert and broad – showing that he is just not quite as explosive as the other two. Another way of thinking would be to let him play to his strengths: speed, tackling and pursuit of the ball. In today’s league which is getting faster and faster, that might be more valuable than a big, strong LB.
As I have mentioned plenty of times before I am super excited about this pick and I still believe he is going to show that a 3rd round pick is not an overdraft. That he ended up with the Seahawks in real life is a bonus, because I will be able to see his development better. How he fell into the 5th round in reality is an absolute mystery to me, and while they didn’t have much luck with DTs they had 2 players fall to them in Metcalf and BBK who have the potential to severely outplay their draft pick.
3 (84) Khalen Saunders (DT)
It is not often that you are happy that you missed out on a player, but if I had not missed out on Andy Isabella at this spot then I would have missed out on Saunders. I was definitely more excited about Khalen and this pick gave me my top 2 (non-1st round) options at DT and allowed me to close the position group for the rest of the draft. He was my favourite player at the Senior Bowl and I think that he brings something special, beyond backflips and TD catches. Yeh, you heard right, I am still talking about the 324 lbs DT.
In College fans playfully compared him to Aaron Donald for his size and his hyper-athleticism. I won’t do him the same disfavor because he is far from that level. However, there is a comp to be made to two players I was a fan of last year, in Maurice Hurst – my top DT of last years class – and Da’ron Payne who had a pretty decent rookie season himself. For a laugh I put the Donald numbers at the end and highlighted those where he was best out of the 4 in purple… it is just not fair to compare him to others. On the other hand, if you take off the 39 lbs which Saunders has on Donald’s combine weight he might have got close.
| Saunders | Hurst | Payne | Donald | |
| Height | 6’0″ | 6’1″ | 6’2″ | 6′ 1″ |
| Weight | 324 lbs | 292 lbs | 311 lbs | 285 lbs |
| Wingspan | 78 3/8″ | 76 7/8″ | 78 3/8″ | – |
| Arm Length | 32 1/4″ | 32″ | 33″ | 32 5/8″ |
| Hand size | 9 1/8″ | 9 1/2″ | 9 3/8″ | 9 7/8″ |
| 40 yd dash | 5.01s | 4.98s | 4.95s | 4.68s |
| Vertical | 30 1/2″ | 31″ | 28 1/2″ | 32″ |
| Broad | 101″ | 104″ | 107″ | 116″ |
| 3 cone | 7.57s | 7.71s | 7.58s | 7.11s |
| 20 yd shuttle | 4.62s | 4.59s | 4.71s | 4.39s |
| Bench press | 27 reps | 29 reps | 27 reps | 35 reps |
When you consider that he has 13 lbs on Payne and 32 lbs on Hurst, his movement becomes even more impressive. So much so that you could probably flip him out to the EDGE on specific plays. Equally good on passing and rushing downs he has the potential to become more than just a rotational piece. He is explosive and knows how to get into the backfield and if he develops right he could become a force in the NFL, because he is also a tackling machine.
But development is where I have to start throwing in some brakes on my gushing. There are big strides for him to be made in the following areas: conditioning and technique (he is too used to winning by force). If he can prove to be coachable, there is no reason to think that he isn’t, then he could have a very high ceiling and bright future.
3 (90) Chauncey Gardner Johnson (S)
When he was still available and I had the option to go best available or one of my day 3 options I just had to go for him. I don’t think that you usually get such a high value guy late in the 3rd round. Here is what I said about him in my evaluation:
“I like him because he is a big alpha personality who can put the fear in people on the back end. He is a big tough tackler who can deliver a hit. On the other hand, sometimes he feels like a strong safety in free safety body, and when you see him play in the slot he doesn’t seem quite fluid enough. I feel like there is a place for him on an NFL roster and that he has the traits and personality to become a starter, but I just can’t place him yet. Projected to be a 2nd round pick.”
In my day 2 projection I had the following to say:
“Gardner-Johnson will be worth taking if he drops to the 3rd round, simply because he has the personality to be great”
Simply from a talent perspective I had a 2nd round grade on him and I don’t think that I was the only one. That he fell to day three was a massive surprise to me and the Saints must have been laughing when they picked him – talk about value. the only reason why I can imagine that he dropped so far is that he is slightly inconsistent and difficult to place in a system, being neither a true strong safety, free safety or nickle. Who he does remind me of is the Seahawks own Bradley McDougald – but far more outspoken. Also McDougald is slightly bigger and stronger while CGJ has the slight advantage on speed. But in terms of how they can play some free safety but are stronger as a SS they have similarities and in my eyes CGJ is going to benefit if a system plays 3 Safety packages of with 5 DBs.
the Saints secondary is starting to get pretty exciting now with Lattimore and Apple at CB as well as CGJ. I can’t wait to see him take on a leadership role there and prove everyone wrong who didn’t pick him. Him dropping so far will put a chip on the shoulder of a guy who is already an alpha and has some great ball skills, in my eyes that would have nailed the Seahawks profile for a DB.
Day 3
4 (115) Sheldrick Redwine (S)
This guy is going to be great. He was my favorite DB at the combine. His media presence was a bit iffy in that he wasn’t the most eloquent, but I don’t think that translates into being a leader on the pitch. From what you see on tape I don’t think it impacts it much. When it comes to his playing tape I had no concerns, especially for a 4th round guy people are going to look back on it in a couple of years and say “wow, great value”.
This is a guy who I feel has talent and is going to work very hard. He just doesn’t quite have the confidence yet and is a bit goofy at times. Maybe that is seen a little in that he has slower processing at times on the field. He also needs to work on his tackling because his arm tackles can be broken too easily.
As a guy with CB and S experience and some real fluidity to his movement, I believe that he would be the ideal slot guy early on, but can also grow into a free safety role. He had some elite testing at the combine:
- 6th best 40 yard dash
- 4th best vertical jump
- 3rd best broad jump
- 6th best 20 yard shuttle
That goes along with a good wingspan and a frame that will be able to carry some more weight. I also like the fact that he is aiming for greatness and I believe that if he keeps working hard, that he has the tools to get there.
4 (124) Phil Haynes (OL)
To get 2 of my favourite OL prospects is huge. I have continually highlighted how important a top OL is in my eyes. That the Seahawks selected him with exactly the same pick is a fun bonus. I think that the reason he dropped so far is that he has to be in a specific scheme to be at his best. The Seahawks happen to be lucky in that it is their scheme.
He is a powerful runblocker who can add more weight to his frame and has the potential to combine his speed (above average 40 and 3 cone), explosiveness (vert and broad jump both in the 80th percentile) and strength (91st percentile bench press) to become a long term starter for the Seahawks. To add to that he also brings a leader’s mentality to the OL room. A great pick by the Seahawks and I am also very happy that I got him.
4 (132) Hunter Renfrow (WR)
You lose a clutch guy in Baldwin and get one in Renfrow. Of course you can’t compare a rookie with a pro-bowl level player, but that is the type of ceiling I think that you are looking at with Renfrow. It seems like every year I get high on at least one guy who was a walk on. This year Renfrow is that guy, last year it was Levi Wallace (CB, Buffalo Bills), and if Renfrow does as well as Wallace I will be very happy.
Renfrow is small, light, not particularly fast and yet he is as cerebral as they get. He will play mind chess with opposition defenders and he will get underestimated by them and then he will get open and leave them scratching their head like “where did that come from”. This is a quote from Renfrow himself on how his game translates:
For those familiar with European football (soccer), he reminds me of a young Thomas Müller (FC Bayern Munich), who has been lauded for his ability to find space and make the plays – more than his physical traits.
Renfrow was picked up by the Raiders, which could be great or terrible for him. On the one hand I do not rate Derrek Carr at all and when you are relying on someone to throw you good passes you have a problem when your QB is weak. On the other hand the Raiders just signed Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams, which means that opposition defenses will pay less attention to Renfrow. Of course it can also mean that your OC pays less attention to you and gets you the ball less, so it’s not a pure win. Current depth charts see him anywhere from 4th-6th WR. I would be so bold as to put him as 3rd. I’m really looking forward to see how he develops.
5 (159) Tyree Jackson (QB)
Linking to what I said about Lock above, the selection of Jackson gives me no headaches…well only a slight one. The fact that he went undrafted means that I could have picked up another player here and why not just stick to the position with QB. I could have picked up Gardner Minshew with this pick and had a five way competition between Geno Smith, Paxton Lynch, Drew Lock, Gardner Minshew and Tyree Jackson (which would have likely been competition for 2-3 spots).
But to get back to Jackson, I think that 2-5 years down the line, he could be a starter or a great trade piece. For now he is a great developmental player alongside Lock and with the backup of „veteran“ Geno Smith who I think will beat out Paxton Lynch. I feel like Jackson has something of a nicer Cam Newton in him, he is also a giant with a massive arm who is not lacking in mobility. That arm is something I want to particularly highlight because he makes excellent deep throws that could stand him in good stead with a Seahawks team. He can also make yards with his legs.
In terms of personality he is a guy who is always smiling – which really stood out compared to the other QBs at the combine – and from how he conducts himself on the pitch and in interviews as well as with his teammates you can tell that he doesn’t see himself above everyone else just because he is the QB. His development in Buffalo behind Josh Allen should be very exciting.
6 (209) Jimmy Moreland (CB)
Undersized, but moves really well and would have the the opportunity to be in the competition for a nickel spot right away. in my opinion he is the prototypical nickel anyway, except for maybe lacking a bit of strength because he has a fairly lean frame. So, since the Seahawks lost Coleman to Free Agency, Moreland could have been an amazing replacement. The Redskins did well to pick him up in the 7th round and I think he could end up being a steal, like my late round CB from last year Levi Wallace.
However, I have to put on the warning lights here. The reason why he went so late is because he is from a small school and the level of competition was not high. It was not as high as in other college leagues and certainly nowhere near NFL level. Transitioning is going to be a lot more difficult for him than for kids from other schools who have faced tougher opposition in their College career week in and out. The reason I believe in him is that he has all of the natural tools to be successful and that can be more important than experience. He will have to learn fast in the pros, but his intelligence and natural tools will help him if he proves to be open and coachable. Also – if he stays in Washington – he has a really good CB to learn from in Josh Norman, so long as he doesn’t pick up the negative personality traits.
7 (255) Alec Ingold (FB)
Alec Ingold is a short yardage weapon (21 TDs on 117 touches – rushing and receiving – in college) who can finish with some nasty. He has soft, natural hands and has been used as receiver out the backfield. You aren’t going to get much burst on the second level from him, but he has the traits to explode into a tight crease and get those short yards or set a block. If he does get into the second level he loses some of that explosiveness and becomes more of a smooth runner than a dynamic cutter.
To complete the package he was a high school wrestling Champ (three time All Conference) and played some high school QB. The complete package of this guy was just too appealing to pass up and let it slip into free agency so I had to pick him. The Seahawks love a fullback and he was the best in the draft in my opinion. He was picked up by the Raiders and I really look forward to seeing how they utilize him.
Biggest Misses in the Draft
I don’t know if any team has ever had a draft where they get all of their no.1 draft choices. While I had a great draft – I am really happy with the outcome – there were also players who I would have liked to have, and who I was not able to get.
Day 1: Devin Bush (LB), Jeffery Simmons (DT), Darnell Savage (S)
I had no chance to get Bush. Although I mentioned may times before the draft that I was not expecting him to fall as far as my 15th overall pick, I was a bit disappointed. As my no.1 option to draft that is probably understandable. When you look at how far the Steelers jumped to get him, you see that I was not the only one who thought highly of him.
I could have got Simmons with my first overall pick, but I felt like after the 20th pick there probably wouldn’t be any top options left at DE. Even though Clark was not traded in my scenario I wanted a weapon across from him and didn’t feel like there would be that guy later in the draft. On the contrary, DT had some really solid depth and I had players that I really liked available on day 2 and 3. That is why I do not regret choosing DE over DT.
Saying that, a twinge of regret remains. And that is because of Darnell Savage. I could have also got him with my first pick. I would have felt like it was an overdraft at 15 though. The thing is that he is cerebral and he will make plays at the next level. I feel in my gut that the will be a pro bowler and a guy who can make the difference. There are flashes of unique talent in his game. I am very happy with the 2 safeties I got, but this guy perhaps deserved a first round grade from me and is my biggest regret of Day 1.
The biggest deciding factor in round one was the drop off in the level of talent at each position group. All of the talents who I missed out on in round one had good options later on in the draft. At DE – which I went with – it is usually hard to find a top tier player out of the top 20 picks. For example, the only other two who went in round one after the 20th pick, were Montez Sweat – who I do not rate highly – and L.J. Collier, where I have to put my hands up and admit that he slipped under my radar. He has the potential to become a real win for the Seahawks, but is a very different player to Burn’s raw athleticism, which I felt was a great piece to put opposite Clark.
Day 2: Josh Oliver (TE), Bobby Okereke (LB)
Out of the players who I missed out on from the offensive side of the ball, Oliver is probably the one I am most gutted about, even if I got an extremely classy alternative. There was just something about Oliver’s tape, the catches and his big hands, that was very appealing at the position. He is a specialist – basically a big receiver – and I got the more complete player.
The Seahawks moved above The Colts pick of Okereke to snag Cody Barton (also LB). So they clearly had a preference for which of the two they liked. Barton definitely seems more pro-ready, but with development I don’t know whether Okereke may have the higher upside. From what I have seen since the draft there were some character concerns that were not on my radar before and might have been the reason why they went for Barton, but in terms of natural athleticism Okereke should have been the guy.
Day 3: Daylon Mack (DT), Gardner Minshew (QB)
If I could go back and rework my draft I could have fitted Mack or Minshew in instead of Tyree Jackson, and got Jackson as an UDFA. Both are players who I believe will outperform their draft position.
Mack is a gap stuffer with excellent speed and penetration, so I am excited to see how he does but at that point in the draft it didn’t make sense to me to pick a 3rd DT. That would have given me Ford and Reed along with draft picks Hill and Saunders, plus Daylon Mack. It seems a bit like overkill, but if I hadn’t got one of the other two it would have been a priority and I have a feeling that in the right system Mack could be a star.
Minshew is an underrated QB who has a special ‘it’ factor and I think that by the time the contract of Foles runs out in Jacksonville, Minshew might be in place to be a QB1.
UDFAs
I have already done an article on these guys, but here is the quick list of the 5 UDFAs I gave myself to complete this draft class:
Jazz Ferguson (WR)
Derrek Thomas (CB)
Alex Barnes (RB)
Kahzin Daniels (EDGE)
Jamal Davis II (EDGE)
Summary
Overall, as you can see by the sickly gushing, I am very happy with the draft although there were even more players I could have picked up because there were so many I liked. If I am honest I could have probably picked a whole team in this draft and been pretty happy sending it into the season.
We will see by the end of the season and in the years to come whether these players developed to be studs or duds.
the notepad 