Buffalo Bills - Positions of Need; OL TE S LB
1(4) – WR Sammy Watkins Clemson
2(44) – OT Cyrus Kouandijo Alabama
3(73) – ILB Preston Brown Louisville
4(109) – CB Ross Cockrell Duke
5(153) – G Cyril Richardson Baylor
7(221) – OLB Randall Johnson Florida Atlantic
7(237) – OT Seantrel Henderson Miami
What we like – You have to love the acquisition of Sammy Watkins. You really do. Sammy is likely going to be a standout in the league from day 1. Picking up Cyril Richardson in Round 5 is a score. I think the Bills are going to like that pick. The Bills took another Lineman with high upside in Round 7 in Seantrel Henderson. We’re not sure he will pan out but he is great value that late in the draft. We don’t love Cyrus but he is good value at pick 44. Buffalo added some bodies with a ton of upside along the O-Line.
What we don’t like – Trading their 2015 1st Round pick. We are very high on Sammy Watkins but we’re not sure he will end up being worth the price. It remains to be seen. If Buffalo makes the playoffs they made a great move. If they go 4-12…well. We’re not high on the 3rd and 4th Round picks of Preston Brown and Ross Cockrell. They may fill a need but we feel there were better options available. Buffalo may have been reaching to fill needs.
Overall – Buffalo’s draft is really going to depend on how they finish this year. You could say Sammy Watkins production has something to do with it. At the end the day if Buffalo has a high pick again next draft, they had a bad draft this year.
Grade C+
Miami Dolphins - Positions of Need; OL, CB, RB, S
1(19) – OT Ja-Wuan James Tennessee
2(63) – WR Jarvis Landry LSU
3(67) – OT Billy Turner North Dakota State
4(125) – CB Walt Aikens Liberty
5(155) – TE Arthur Lynch Georgia
5(171) – OLB Jordan Tripp
6(190) – WR Matt Hazel Coastal Carolina
7(234) – DE Terrence Fede Marist
What we like – The Dolphins filled needs. Their top 3 picks should be able to play right away. They may have gotten the steal of the draft in OT Billy Turner. We like him better than their 1st Round pick James. They took some players who look like they have upside in the later rounds with Atkins, Tripp, Hazel and Fede. There isn’t a lot to love about this draft for Phins fans.
What we don’t like – Ja’Wuan James was one of the bigger reaches in the 1st Round. There were many players rated higher still available, even some lineman. The Dolphins did fill needs with their top 2 picks but we feel there were better options with a lot more upside available. The team seemed to reach at almost every pick.
Overall – If you look at overall value the Dolphins had one of the worst drafts. That’s not to say they don’t know something that we don’t. Teams make picks that are called scheme fits. The Dolphins may have been looking too hard at scheme fit and not enough at value.
Grade C-
New England Patriots - Positions of Need; CB, DL, S, TE, RB
1(29) – DT Dominuque Easley Florida
2(62) – QB Jimmy Garoppolo Eastern Illinois
4(105) – C Bryan Stork Florida St.
4(130) – RB James White Wisconsin
4(140) – Cameron Fleming Stanford
6(179) – OG Jon Halapio Florida
6(198) – DE Zach Moore Concordia
6(206) – CB Jemea Thomas Georgia Tech
7(244) – WR Jeremy Gallon
What we like – Bill Belichick being armed with 9 rookies come training camp. It’s really hard to grade Patriots drafts. You know there are going to be some good players mixed in there. We really like the pick of Garoppolo. Having time to develop him behind one of the best of all-time should be perfect for him and the team. If they found the QB of the future this draft is already a success. Odds are there will also be a Pro Bowler and a couple other starters from this draft as well.
What we don’t like – As in any Patriots draft we don’t like a lot of these picks. It seemed way too high to take Easley. We had a low round grade on him. For every Teddy Burschi and Mike Vrabel there is a Chandler Jones and Ras-I Dowling. There are surely to be some of those in this draft.
Overall – We can’t give the Patriots a bad grade for this draft. With 9 picks you know a few of these guys will stick. Finding Garoppolo late in the 2nd ups their mark quite a bit.
Grade B-
New York Jets - Positions of Need; WR, OL, CB, LB
1(18) – FS Calvin Pryor Louisville
2(49) – TE Jace Amaro Texas Tech
3(80) – CB Dexter McDougle Maryland
4(104) – WR Jalen Saunders Oklahoma
4(115) – WR Shaq Evans UCLA
4(137) – OT Dakota Dozier Furman
5(154) – ILB Jeremiah George Iowa State
6(195) – CB Brandon Dixon Northwest Missouri State
6(209) – WR Quincy Enunwa Nebraska
6(210) – DE IK Enemkpali Louisiana Tech
6(213) – QB Taj Boyd Clemson
7(233) – OLB Trevor Reilly Utah
What we like – 13 picks! The Jets will have a fun training camp with all that youth. New York scored big with their 1st Round pick Calvin Pryor. He will change their defense. The team filled their biggest need in a big way. They needed pass catchers for QB Geno Smith. They did well starting with their 2nd Round pick Jace Amaro and also grabbed WR’s Jalen Sanders and Shaq Evans who were good value picks in Round 4. The Jets had 4 picks in the 6th Round and picked potential late round sleepers; IK Enemkpali, Tajh Boyd, Quincy Enunwa and Brandon Dixon.
What we don’t like – With 13 picks we would have liked to have seen them do a better job addressing the offensive line. The 3rd Round was probably too high to pick Dexter McDougle. The Jets had a good draft but with 13 picks in a draft this deep it could have been great.
Overall – Solid but slightly unspectacular draft for New York. The Jets had a lot of holes to fill and did well. The passing game should be vastly improved next season. It was smart to get Geno a pass catching TE. The team made some great picks in the later rounds and scored a game changer. They had a good draft. If Dexter McDougle is the answer for them at CB they’ve had a great draft.
Grade B
