2015 Draft Thread

[SD]

on a funny but super racist note, one of the white girls with me saw a bunch of large black men and was like, shtein riots are here too?

She say that as a joke or is she just a ditz? Either way that's awesome.

My buddy flew to Chicago with no ticket to the draft just to be there.

[phattymatty]

i'm not sure but leaning towards just being very stupid.

chicago really did the draft right, i went down to NFL Draft Town, this huge event they set up in Grant park. I would guess ten or twenty thousand people. beer everywhere. all kinds of stores and food. each nfl team had their own tent. giant amphitheater filled with games and shtein. all the networks were broadcasting from there, jay glazier, nfl network guys.

pretty cool event.

[MDS]

i actually like how they took the draft away from nyc

it should def. be a thing that goes from city to city every year

[QB Eagles]

Lo'l?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2015/story/_/id/12801680/lael-collins-lsu-tigers-says-re-enter-2016-draft-not-selected-friday

[ice grillin you]

i'm not sure but leaning towards just being very stupid.

chicago really did the draft right, i went down to NFL Draft Town, this huge event they set up in Grant park. I would guess ten or twenty thousand people. beer everywhere. all kinds of stores and food. each nfl team had their own tent. giant amphitheater filled with games and shtein. all the networks were broadcasting from there, jay glazier, nfl network guys.

pretty cool event.

i guess thats why no one was actually in the draft....there were so many empty seats it was ridiculous and the atmosphere sucked compared to nyc

[phattymatty]

i didn't get to see any of it on tv. but outside was ridiculous.

funny and sad part (for us philly fans) was that i was at o'hare trying to get back and couldn't find it on a tv anywhere. then i realized the blackhawks and bulls both had playoff games going on. eventually found a few other football fans and we got it on one.

flight was delayed and i was streaming on my phone for a bit, was probably a few thousand feet in the air when my service stopped at pick 20.

[MDS]

i guess thats why no one was actually in the draft....there were so many empty seats it was ridiculous and the atmosphere sucked compared to nyc

thats because the draft is boring

being around the draft seems fun though

[phattymatty]

That building that keep showing that says draft town is my Chicago office. I have a desk there. Somehow.

[ice grillin you]

Best Value Pick Round 1: Rams: RB Todd Gurley and Patriots: DT Malcom Brown

I allow myself one tie in the rewards each year, and this year, I couldn't pick between Gurley and Brown. Gurley was my second-rated player in the 2015 NFL Draft, and if it weren't for his ACL injury, he would have been a top-five pick. The Rams got a player at the 10th pick who is a once-in-a-decade talent and the best running back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson.

The big "if" with Gurley is health, but if he can stay healthy, I think he has the potential to be a legendary running back. Peterson fell to the seventh pick of because of a knee injury, and I see history repeating itself with Gurley. The Rams are the rare team to snag a true value pick with rare size and speed talent in the top 10 of an NFL Draft.

The Patriots also got a tremendous value in Brown. He could easily have gone in the top 20 and fell all the way to No. 32. Brown has pass-rush ability and also is a big, strong defender in the ground game. He is versatile to play any interior defensive line spot in a 4-3 defense while also being able to play the nose or end in a 3-4. New England likes to vary its fronts, and Brown could make a quick impact as one of the replacements for Vince Wilfork.

Brown is a better player than some who were drafted ahead of him. At the end of the first round, he could end up being a huge steal for New England.

Best Value Pick Day 2: Houston Texans: WR Jaelen Strong

This pick came down to Strong, Minnesota's Eric Kendricks and Dallas' Randy Gregory. I ruled out Gregory because the off-the-field issues could derail his career, and franchises were very uncomfortable with that. A lot of teams had Kendricks graded in the second round even though I felt he was a top-25 talent for the 2015 NFL Draft draft. Strong, on the other hand, received some first-round grades, and the Texans were able to land him in the third round.

Sources tell me that the Rams and Steelers were two of the teams that had a first-round grade on Strong. Leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft, Strong was consistently projected to go late in the first round, and nobody would have been critical if a team took Strong late in Round 1. The 6-foot-2, 217-pounder has excellent hands with the ability to make big catches downfield over defensive backs. Strong showed speed at the Combine, and the past two seasons, he has improved with his game via a noteworthy work ethic. Strong also was effective against good cornerback prospects, including getting the better of Kansas City's first-rounder Marcus Peters.

Strong has the potential to be a No. 1 in the NFL, but at very least, should be a very good No. 2 receiver. The Texans landing Strong in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft was a tremendous steal and the best value pick on the second day this year.


Best Value Pick Day 3: Miami Dolphins: RB Jay Ajayi

This one almost came down to Jacksonville's selection of Michael Bennett in the sixth round, but Bennett was graded in the fourth round by many teams. Therefore, him going on the third day wasn't as big of a value to teams as a second-day prospect. Throughout the lead up to the 2015 NFL Draft, Ajayi was in the discussion as the third-rated running back, so it was a real shock when he fell to the fifth round.

One of the main reasons for Ajayi to fall were concerns about how his knees will hold up in the NFL. Some teams also questioned whether Ajayi could be an every-down back, and they felt he could be better as part of a running back-by-committee approach. While there were doubts, it doesn't sound like there were any concrete reasons for Ajayi to slip in the 2015 NFL Draft.

At Boise State, Ajayi showed a well-rounded skill set with power, speed, balance and versatility. He had the speed to rip off yards in chunks and also was strong enough to run through tackles. The 6-foot, 221-pounder Ajayi is a tough runner who can also contribute as a receiver. I think he's going to be a quality running back for the Dolphins, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if he is a good starter in the NFL.

Best Trade: Baltimore Ravens: TE Maxx Williams

All the Ravens gave to move up in the second round and land the draft's best tight end prospect was a fifth-rounder. Baltimore had a huge hole at the position, and coming away with the 2015 NFL Draft's best tight end in the second round is a huge steal for Ozzie Newsome and company. The trade also kept Williams from landing with the Steelers as the Ravens jumped to one spot in front of Pittsburgh. Williams is a great fit in Marc Trestman's offense, plus the Ravens needed to upgrade their receiving weapons this offseason. This was a great trade for Baltimore.

Biggest Reach Round 1: New Orleans Saints: ILB Stephone Anthony

It looks clear that the Saints did not get the better of their trade with the Seahawks. Trading Jimmy Graham for Stephone Anthony and Max Unger looks bad for New Orleans. A big reason why the trade looks bad right now is the Saints' reaching on Anthony in the first round. In speaking with multiple teams, they had Anthony graded as a third-round pick. Teams also had Anthony as the fourth inside linebacker prospect, behind Bernardrick McKinney, Eric Kendricks and Denzel Perryman.

Anthony (6-2, 243) was impressive at the Senior Bowl and showed more skills in the passing game than he displayed at college. While at Clemson, Anthony never had a big season of production, and scouts say that his instincts aren't anything special. In the lead up to the 2015 NFL Draft, Anthony's stock rose because he was a workout warrior with size, strength and a fast 40 time. However, Anthony never played up to that skill set.

The Saints needed help at linebacker, but they took Anthony over those three previously listed linebackers who were far more productive in college, plus all three of them showed more instincts than Anthony. With Anthony grading out as a third-rounder, this was a huge reach pick for New Orleans.

Biggest Reach Day 2: New England Patriots: S Jordan Richards

This was an easy choice. Richards had no business being drafted on Day 2. Despite a terrible safety class, he was projected to go deep on the third day of the 2015 NFL Draft, and WalterFootball.com knows multiple teams that had him graded well into Day 3.

Sources said that the Patriots only had 15-20 players in their draft pool for all seven rounds. By the time of New England's second-round pick, all of them were gone and Bill Belichick started to "wing it." That explains why the Patriots picks on Day 2 were huge reaches and surprises.

In 2014, Richards was bad for Stanford. He was not a good pass-defender and really didn't make an impact in the ground game. Richards was beaten a number of times by receivers downfield. He had no business going on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, and this pick could easily go bust for New England.

Best Undrafted Free Agent Signing: New York Giants: RB Akeem Hunt

This was a hard choice, but I think the Giants landed a potential play-maker at running back with Hunt. He is extremely fast and is put together well to run the ball between the tackles. Hunt also has the ability to function as a receiver with superb route-running and soft hands. The Giants have some thumper running backs and were in need of a speed element. It wouldn't surprise me if Hunt is able to take some carries away from Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams.

Teams had Hunt graded out in the middle of Day 3, but every year, some quality players just slip out of the draft. It also didn't help Hunt that Purdue's program has declined severely and isn't getting the attention it used to from NFL evaluators. Hunt could end up being a nice change-of-pace back and receiver out of the backfield for New York.

Honorable mentions: Texans outside linebacker Lynden Trail, Buccaneers running back Dominique Brown, Tennessee Titans guard Josue Matias, Steelers center B.J. Finney, Texans safety Kurtis Drummond, Falcons cornerback Kevin White, Vikings cornerback Justin Coleman and Vikings safety Anthony Harris.

Best Draft Class: Jacksonville Jaguars

Teams picking high have an advantage, but the Jaguars did an excellent job. I like what the Texans and Ravens did more on the second day of the 2015 NFL Draft, but considering all three days, I think Jacksonville came away with the best draft class in the NFL. In the previous two years, I was hard on general manager David Caldwell as I didn't like what he did in the draft in 2013 or 2014, but his third year looks like an excellent job with potentially quality starters from all three days.

In the first round, the Jaguars landed the edge rusher they've been needing in Florida's Dante Fowler Jr. He is a great scheme fit with the size and speed to be a impact pass-rusher.

Jacksonville went on to land an difference-maker at running back in T.J. Yeldon on Day 2. The Jaguars badly needed a starting running back, and the explosive Yeldon could have a huge impact in helping quarterback Blake Bortles to progress in Year 2. Later on the second day, Jacksonville upgraded its offensive line with A.J. Cann. He could quickly replace Zane Beadles or Brandon Linder.

On the third day of the draft, the Jaguars filled their safety need with a good value in the fourth round via Louisville safety James Sample. He is a well-rounded defender who should be the long-term partner with Jonathan Cyprien.

Jacksonville later grabbed three other players with the skill set to contribute. Wide receiver Rashad Greene was projected by many to go on the second day and was a tremendous college receiver. He should be a good slot receiver for the Jaguars. Defensive tackle Michael Bennett was an absolute steal in the sixth round, and at the very least, he could be a good situational pass-rusher. Ben Koyack, who was taken in the seventh round, could be a good blocking Y tight end. There isn't much difference between Koyack and some of the tight ends who went in the third round.

Jacksonville's draft class could produce four starters and three or four more role players. The Jaguars having a strong draft isn't just my opinion. I asked around to sources at other teams and all of them mentioned Jacksonville as having a good draft. A few more of these and the Jaguars could finally start making some strides.

Honorable mentions: Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Tennessee Titans.

Worst Draft Class: Carolina Panthers

I didn't really like what the Rams and Patriots did after the first round, but at least both teams' first-rounders were great values and potentially elite players. I think that Carolina reached on its first two selections, unnecessarily gave away its third-round pick and then didn't do enough on Day 3. This could be a lost draft class for the Panthers.

In the first round, Carolina took Shaq Thompson, and he could be a solid linebacker, but I don't think he will be a great one. Thompson never had a big season as a linebacker in college. I asked several teams where they had Thompson, and all of them had a second-day grade on him.

The next pick was one of the worst in the entire 2015 Draft as Carolina traded up for Devin Funchess. The team gave away its third-round pick for a wide receiver who struggles to get separation. It seems doubtful that the Panthers had to move up for Funchess at all considering that no receivers were selected between were the Panthers were slotted and when they took Funchess. In fact, other more highly rated receivers like Jaelen Strong and Tyler Lockett fell to the third round.

Funchess doesn't win 50-50 balls and drops too many passes. He is a tweener tight end and wide receiver. Funchess isn't big, strong or physical enough to play tight end. I think he could easily be a bust because I don't think he will separate from NFL cornerbacks and can't just live on out-jumping every defender.

Right tackle Daryl Williams was a nice fourth-round pick. But another linebacker in David Mayo didn't make a lot of sense in the fifth round. Sixth-round running back Cameron Artis-Payne is a backup at best.

This draft didn't do enough to address Carolina's weak offensive line that allowed way too many hits on Cam Newton last year. The secondary need was neglected, too, as was the defensive line.

This looks like a very questionable draft class for Carolina filled with a lot of reaches and overdrafting players ahead of where they should have gone. I think general manager Dave Gettleman did a really good job in his first two drafts in 2013 and 2014, but I think this could be a lost draft class for the Panthers.

[Rome]

I'm sure the Partiots rumor is totally accurate.

[BigEd76]

Fowler Jr tore his ACL at rookie minicamp today and is done for the season already

[hbionic]

Fowler Jr tore his ACL at rookie minicamp today and is done for the season already

That's just farged up. Sucks for everyone Jaguars all around. And here I thought the Eagles were the only snake-bitten team.