The NFL draft as it's supposed to be! Outdoors, full of vaccinated, inebriated fans, booing the Commish. Granted, it was in Cleveland which supposedly rocks but it beats going virtual. Next year it will be in a much better venue – Vegas Baby! Going to the draft has long been on my bucket list. Maybe it’s time to scratch it off.
Every draft has one. That rumor that threatens to derail everyones draft board. This year it was bigger than most - Aaron Rodgers was going to get traded. Wow! Granted, Rodgers has been frustrated with the Packers draft for several years. They never draft him some weapons. Last year they even drafted his replacement. He’s not a happy camper. But would they really trade a HOF and next level GOAT after Brady? Talk about pissing off your shareholders!
There were contacts made, likely San Francisco and Denver but nothing has happened yet, just good fodder for the talking heads.
Prior to the draft, I sent my picks to my bookie only to find out that Michigan wouldn't allow bets on the draft starting the day of the draft. Crap! I blamed the governor but Woz was correct. It was The Man keeping us down. I would have made an 80% profit too. I hate The Man!
I did like the draft though.
Every draft has one. That rumor that threatens to derail everyones draft board. This year it was bigger than most - Aaron Rodgers was going to get traded. Wow! Granted, Rodgers has been frustrated with the Packers draft for several years. They never draft him some weapons. Last year they even drafted his replacement. He’s not a happy camper. But would they really trade a HOF and next level GOAT after Brady? Talk about pissing off your shareholders!
There were contacts made, likely San Francisco and Denver but nothing has happened yet, just good fodder for the talking heads.
Prior to the draft, I sent my picks to my bookie only to find out that Michigan wouldn't allow bets on the draft starting the day of the draft. Crap! I blamed the governor but Woz was correct. It was The Man keeping us down. I would have made an 80% profit too. I hate The Man!
I did like the draft though.
 | Trevor Lawrence – QB – Clemson This one was three years in the making. He would’ve been picked No. 1 over Joe Burrow last year, and he would’ve been picked first over Kyler Murray in 2018. This was the biggest no brainer pick since Peyton Manning back in 1998. That one worked out pretty well. This one will too. Urban came out of retirement with the opportunity to make this pick. Lawrence is an immediate upgrade over a perennial pathetic Jaguar offense. Jacksonville was last in points scored and ranked 30th or worst in QB completion percentage, Total QBR, passer rating and passing yards in the league from 2011 to 2020. The QB roster featured phenoms such as Blaine Gabbert, Chad Henne, Blake Bortles, Nick Foles, Jake Luton, Mike Glennon and Mr Mustache, Gardner Minshew. A real Murders Row. The QB position is set for years to come. Now they Jags need to get some weapons for him. |
 | Zach Wilson – QB – BYU The Jets blew it here. Not the pick but they fact they were picking second. After starting out 0-13 they won two of their last three games and lost the chance to take Trevor. Zach is no Trevor. The pressure will be on. Not only is he first runner up to Trevor, but the Jets took him ahead of Fields, Lance and Jones. Not only that, but the Jets tossed away Sam Darnold for him. He should be up to it. He’s got the moxie. He has the all the tools too with tremendous accuracy. Still, he is a one year wonder and a tad on the small size. |
 | Trey Lance – QB – North Dakota State – The Niners blew a lot of smoke up a lot of people’s butts, making it look like they wanted Mac Jones. Niner fans were nervous they might actually take Jones. They didn't. When the smoke cleared they made the right choice and took Lance. He’s perhaps the most intriguing choice in the draft. He’s being compared to Mahomes with his play making ability. It’s a huge gamble. The Niners traded two first rounders and a third round pick for the chance to develop Lance. He’ll need that development. He’s raw and sat out last year and has only one year of playing in Div 1A under his belt. |
 | Kyle Pitts – TE – Florida That was easy. No, the Falcons weren’t going to take Matt Ryan’s replacement. What they did do was take the 2nd best player after Lawrence. He’s listed as a TE but he can play WR and the slot too. He’s a mismatch all over the field. He’s also the earliest a TE has ever been drafted and will be playing for a HC (Arthur Smith) who made his name as a TE coach. With Julio and Calvin on the roster, the Falcon offense just went from good to lethal. |
 | Ja’Marr Chase – WR – LSU The Bengals decided to draft Joe Burrow’s favorite WR from LSU. As good as Justin Jefferson has been for the Vikings, Chase was better back in the Bayou. He was the best WR in 2019, it wasn’t even close then sat out 2020. He creates separation off the line of scrimmage and he can also find another gear when the ball is in the air.The chemistry is already there with Burrow. Chase will make an immediate impact. |
 | Jaylen Waddle – WR – Alabama If Cincinnati can reunite LSU teammates the Miami can too. Former Tide teammates Tua and Waddle are back together. A bit undersized, Waddle has elite acceleration and can has a second and even third gear when the ball is airborne. Not only that, he’s also one of the best kickoff and punt returners to enter the NFL in years. He’s not quite Tyreek Hill but it’s awful close. Tua struggled throwing downfield, now he has someone to throw to. Someone he's thrown to before. |
 | Penei Sewell – OT – Oregon No matter who the Lions would have taken, Lion fans would have groaned. Nick wondered which WR would have his career ruined by the Lions. The Big Flippy said “how exciting, another lineman” when the selection was made. Actually the pick was pretty much made for them. They were going to take whoever Miami didn’t take. When the Fins nabbed Waddle, the Lions called Sewell. It was the right choice. Yeah, he’s “another lineman” but the Lions have actually done pretty good taking linemen lately. Tyler Decker has been solid while Frank Ragnow is the 2nd best center in the league and an All Pro. Sewell won the Outland trohy in 2019, becoming the first sophomore to win the award. He can uproot defenders over his nose and he is explosive as a puller. He also has the foot quickness to kick out and cover up speed rushers in the passing game. The Lions OL is now a strength for the team. Goff likes the pick, He struggles when pressured. And the running game should make huge strides now that Swift will be getting the ball rather than the decrepit Adrian Peterson. |
 | Jaycee Horn – CB – South Carolina Of course, Carolina takes the first defensive player of the draft. HC Matt Rhule has yet to draft an offensive player. His entire 2020 draft was all defense. Horn is a feisty CB with good short area quickness for a big CB and he doesn’t shy from run support. He's better on press coverage than off coverage and he can be a bit handsy which could lead to him getting flagged at the next level. Horn has a tremendous upside and can follow in the footsteps of fellow Gamecock Stephon Gilmore and his dad Pro Bowler Joe Horn. |
 | Patrick Surtain II – CB – Alabama The Rodgers trade rumors were reaching a fever pitch here but quickly died when the Broncos went defense. Justin Fields would have been better trade bait for the Pack. He’s similar to Horn, big CB willing to support the run, better at press coverage than off coverage. He doesn’t quite have the short area quickness though. That said, he’s not as handsy as Horn and more polished. |
 | Devonta Smith – WR – Alabama The Eagles just snaked the Giants big time. Knowing the Giants were about to take Smith, the traded up with fellow NFC East Dallas and jumped ahead of the Giants. Jerry Jones is still laughing. It’s another Tide reunion with Smith joining his former teammate, Jalen Hurts. Smith is excellent at getting separation and has superb acceleration. He runs through the ball and is very good at high pointing the ball. He will make an impact on day one. |
 | Justin Fields – QB – Ohio State With their targeted player gone, the Giants took their ball, went home and traded back. The Bears were more than willing to trade up to get Trubisky’s replacement and someone to excite the fans. Andy Dalton draws more yawns than an 8:00 am calculus lecture. Fields is a superb athlete with an excellent arm. He is accurate and can make throws at all three levels. He thrived in the Buckeye spread system with his ability to take off. But he struggles with making his read progressions leading to too many sacks. Bear fans better get used to untimely picks as defenders bait him. |
 | Micah Parsons – LB – Penn State Parsons has a big, athletic frame and possesses excellent speed. He has the speed to make plays sideline to sideline, although he can overran the ball at times. He's gifted in coverage versus tight ends and running backs and has timing and burst as a blitzer off the edge. He gets dinged since he doesn’t play with enough physicality though. |
 | Rashawn Slater – OT – Northwestern The Chargers needed to upgrade the OL to protect Justin Herbert. With Sewell gone, Slater is the next best thing. In the run game, he plays with quickness and urgency and gets the second level in a hurry. He takes great angles and is one of the best at cutting off linebackers. He doesn't have elite power to knock back defenders nor does he the length you would like which may drop him inside to guard where he has the ability to be a Pro Bowler. |
| | Alijah Vera-Tucker – OL – Southern Cal Um, no. No you don’t trade up to take a guard. Yeah, strengthening the OL for a young QB in Zach Wilson makes sense but you can wait for guards to drop to you. That said, he plays with strength, balance and awareness in pass protection. In the run game, he creates movement and takes excellent angles to the second level. He isn't the most dynamic athlete, but he's always under control and rarely in bad position. |
 | Mac Jones – QB – Alabama – Forget the hype. Jones is overrated. He’s Andy Dalton with some DUIs. He’s average in size and athleticism for a QB with no upside. Like Dalton, he’s right between being an average starter and a career clipboard holder. |
 | Zaven Collins - LB - Tulsa Collins is just what the Cardinals needed to stop all of the powerhouse offenses in the NFC West. He is outstanding in pass coverage, using his instincts to clog throwing lanes. He is more than capable of covering tight ends all over the field. He is a versatile LB who can plug holes in he run and rush off the edge and get to the quarterback. |
 | Alex Leatherwood – OT – Alabama This is great fit. The Raiders were desperate for an offensive lineman after losing not one, not two, but three blockers in free agency. He handled SEC pass rushers with ease, it makes sense for Leatherwood to be the fourth offensive lineman off the board. He’s getting ripped as was pegged as a 2nd round pick but he’ll be fine. |
| | Jaleen Phillips – DE – Miami (FL) This is a high risk pick. Phillips is a tall, explosive, devastating edge rusher. He split his time between playing with his hand on the ground and standing up on the edge. He could be a star for the Dolphins. But, he has a long medical history, and one or two concussions could knock him out for a long time. Phillips could easily be a star and just as easily a huge bust. |
 | Jamin Davis – LB – Kentucky Davis was one of the fastest risers in the draft process and has all the physical tools to be a star in the league. He has stopping power as a tackler in the hole, and he really excels against the pass. He has shown the ability to carry TEs down the seam as well as mirror RBs on wheel routes. Davis lacks some strength to bang versus blockers, but his speed and playmaking ability jump off the screen. He’s still more prospect than proven player but he has a high celling. |
 | Kadarius Toney – WR – Florida The Giants missed out on Davonta so they did the right thing and traded back and got the next best WR and some extra picks to boot. Toney runs a sub 4.4, and he’s got the size to be interesting. He’s a versatile, explosive playmaker playing in the slot and does a lot of damage on fly sweeps and seam routes. But he’s still a bit of a reach. He really only had one year of huge plays after three years of mediocre production. |
 | Kwity Paye – DE – scUM – He fills a need. The Colts lost two DL to free agency but this was a risky pick. Paty has all the tools you would want in a DE, ideal frame, explosiveness, violent hands. But when he got on the field – pfffft, nothing (sound familiar Nick). It could pay off with some maturity and coaching or he could be the latest scUM overrated player. Let me see, I’ll go with door number 2. |
 | Tennessee – Caleb Farley – CB – Virginia Tech This could be the riskiest pick of the draft. Farley is considered as good or better than Surtain and Horn. Farley has outstanding size, length and speed. He is able to reroute WRs and shows exceptional speed when driving for the ball. The problem is that he’s had not one but two back surgeries. He’s passed the medical exams but bad backs have a way of reemerging. |
 | Christian Darrisaw – OT – Virginia Tech The Vikings traded back nine spots and still got the guy they wanted. He's long and athletic, which is exactly what Minnesota looks for from its offensive linemen. He has a sharp two-hand punch and keeps defenders away from his chest. He plays with excellent awareness and uses his upper-body strength to torque and turn defenders in the run game. But several teams said there was something missing with Darrishaw, that something was likely toughness. |
 | Najee Harris – RB – Alabama Some camps say you never take a RB in the first round. “They grow on trees” The Steelers are not in that camp. They have been looking for a bell cow RB ever since they let LeVeon go. Harris is a top ten overall talent, he’s a true NFL franchise running back, and he’s an instant fit for a Steeler offense that desperately needed a back to work around Harris is a complete back who can run between the tackles 25 times, catch a dozen passes out of the backfield and produce one jaw-dropping highlight every single game. There are really only a handful of backs worth that first-round pick and this is one of them. |
| | Travis Etienne - RB – Clemson Not one but two RBs go in the first round. And it’s another class reunion with Travis joining Trevor. Etienne is a home-run back with great receiving skills. He rarely loses a foot race once he gets into the open field. The problem is that the Jags already have James Robinson. They have bigger needs and could have taken Etienne in the second round. |
 | Greg Newsome II – CB – Northwestern For the first time ever, Northwestern has two first round draft picks. Bruce is still celebrating. The Browns are desperate for help in the back seven and Newsome fills a need. Newsome is a tall, agile cornerback. He played a lot of off coverage in Northwestern's scheme. He has excellent instincts versus the run and pass. He figures to be a solid No. 2 cornerback across from Denzel Ward. Newsome has had extensive injuries though. He has yet to complete a full season at Northwestern, how is he going to survive a 17+ game NFL season |
 | Baltimore – Rashod Bateman – WR – Minnesota Baltimore must have been enamored with Bateman’s 4.39. Rashod Bateman runs routes well and possesses great size, but he has poor hands and likely won't be able to separate from NFL defensive backs. This is similar to the Patriots selecting N'Keal Harry. He belonged in the second round, just like Bateman. |
 | New Orleans – Payton Turner – DE – Houston Turner was a high-riser through the draft process with his 4.5 40, great workouts, and with the potential to be one of the better pass rushers who could come out of this. He’s a hulking edge rusher who runs through OTs. The Saints pulled the trigger with the loss of Trey Hendrickson and because Greg Newsome was already snatched off the board. However, the Saints probably could've moved down about a dozen spots and still gotten Turner or someone of his caliber. |
 | Green Bay – Eric Stokes – CB – Georgia Hellooo, Is anyone home? Hey, think Mcfly, think! If you are going to at least try and keep Rodgers, get him some weapons that he has been begging for, for years. Or, since the good weapons are already gone, get some OL help for a line that lost three players to free agency. Nope, the Packer brain trust goes defense. Stokes is a fine player. He has a nice combination of size and speed and effective in blitzing the QB. Though he lacks smoothness/fluidity. The defense needs help but the Pack needs to keep Rodgers more. And if Green Bay trades Rodgers, they can get better experienced defensive help as part of the package. |
 | Buffalo – Gregory Rousseau – DE - Miami (FL) The Bills need to beat Patrick Mahomes, and they can do that by placing as much pressure on him as possible. Last year at this time Rousseau seemed like a possible top ten overall pick after a massive 2019, before opting out of 2020. He might not be the speed rusher that others on the board are, but he’s a 6-7, 266-pounder who’s going to bring the effort and fight on every play. Give him a little time, it will work. There are concerns with Rousseau's lack of explosion, and many believed that he would go in the second round. He’s a bit of a stretch but he has a high ceiling and fills a need. |
| | Jayson Oweh – DE – Penn State A huge roll of the dice by the Ravnes. Jayson Oweh didn't have Gregory Rousseau's collegiate production, but he has way more upside and potential. He has speed to burn. He’s a 4.36 40 runner who can jump out of the stadium. He’s a freakish athlete who can live in the backfield, but no sacks! He didn’t come up with a sack last year for Penn State. While Rousseau could just be a solid player, Oweh has the ceiling to be a perennial Pro Bowler. Or a complete bust. He could have easily gone much earlier than this, and he'll fill a huge need for a Baltimore team that lost multiple edge rushers this offseason |
 | Joe Tryon – DE – Washington Ahh to have the roster of the Bucs (all 22 starters are under contract for 2021) and the opportunity to sit around and nab one of the best players available. Tryon ticks all the boxes physically in somebody rushing the quarterback. He plays with force and effort and can make an impact on all three downs But still has plenty to learn about the craft. Joe Tryon has immense upside, but he's raw and inexperienced. He'll get a grad level course in Tampa given all the vets in the building and should be a weapon in third down and sub-packages early as a rookie. |
Remeber the 2021 GO JUMBO trip is November 13, 2021 at the Westgate SuperBook!
