With a completely different fabric
in preparing for the NFL Draft, teams continue finalize their boards for the
big day that will go ahead amidst extreme circumstances. With many key free
agent signings over the past several weeks, the landscape of team requirements
has changed for what each team will covet in the draft. Let’s start the
speculation process for what each team will be looking for.
NFL Draft Round 1:
Pick 1: Cincinnati Bengals (2-14)
| Top Needs – QB, OL, LB, DB
Clearly in the onset, the rebuild
in Cincinnati has already been established, but the primary need for this club
is that true franchise quarterback. Holding the first pick in this year’s
draft, the Bengals will have their choice to select either Joe Burrow or Tua
Tagovailoa. Both passers have received a great deal of positive press to trust
they will provide that spark to lift a struggling organization. While Burrow
proved he could be a beast at the next level coming off that national
championship victory, Tagovailoa was diligently working his way back from a
devastating hip injury. Regardless of how the Bengals view each player,
Cincinnati will have a new youthful passer on board with ample amounts of
talent to take over as the new face of the city.
While we have seen a good level of
attention directed toward retooling the defensive side via the open market, the
goal was to provide more talent for this team to be competitive while
supporting a rookie passer. The notion will rise as we get closer to the draft
that we could see the Bengals flirt with choosing Chase Young first overall –
don’t be fooled, it will be a quarterback selected with pick one. Filling out
other needs for the offensive line while adding more talent to the defense will
be found in the rest of this draft class. Things are surely looking up for this
Bengals squad.
Pick 2: Washington Redskins (3-13)
| Top Needs – OL, TE, WR, DB
Hearing rumor that the Redskins
would be willing to trade down a few spots in this draft to accelerate the
roster rebuild; we wouldn’t be shocked whatsoever if that comes to fruition.
Holding a lot of strength from picking second overall, dropping down to fifth
or sixth in a trade with the Dolphins or the Chargers (while stacking picks) is
feasible.
Most want to believe that Chase
Young is the unquestioned choice and we’ll find it difficult to argue. Adding a
player of his ability to an already stout defensive front would give the
Redskins a clear advantage in stopping divisional rivals from pounding on them
consistently. If Young is the choice, he would create a rushing tandem with
Ryan Kerrigan that could be virtually unstoppable at finding the quarterback.
With that said, we always will
look at expediting the process in finding more ways in securing talent to any roster.
If the Dolphins are the team that will come calling, Washington would
undoubtedly fetch two of the Fins three first round picks in this year’s draft.
If a trade does come to pass, the Skins would have their pick of the best
offensive lineman while having more choices at positions they covet. Finding a
replacement for Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis will be a top priority with adding
more receiving talent to aid their young quarterback in his progression. While
Young will bring the best overall talent in the draft to the club, trading down
could be the best scenario for the long haul for this roster.
Pick 3: Detroit Lions (3-12-1) |
Top Needs – DL, OL, S, DB, RB
Entering this year’s draft,
Detroit Lions fans are starving for this front office to finally get things
right. In our eyes, so long as Matthew Stafford can remain on the field – they
have a team that could do damage if the rest of this build is done properly.
While some will ascertain the greatest need is in the defensive backfield, there
is no question that getting players to rush the passer is the greater issue.
For the Lions, this pick will be determent on which way the Redskins move. If
the Skins do trade down, Chase Young will fall into their lap and subsequently
appear like they hit the jackpot.
If Washington stays put and
removes Young from the board, many prognosticators have mocked corner back Jeff
Okudah as the next plausible choice. While again we don’t hate this pick, we
would love to see an offensive lineman’s name be called to help protect
Stafford while creating running lanes for their backs. Signing Desmond Trufant
to replace Darius Slay should allow the Lions to move toward fixing the other
great need – the offensive line!
In terms of bringing on another
electric talent, Isaiah Simmons would be a fabulous consolation prize and
should warrant consideration as well. Either way, Detroit fans should be
excited as a top end talent is coming to town very soon.
Pick 4: New York Giants (4-12) |
Top Needs – OL, EDGE, LB, S, DB
The New York Giants find
themselves in a situation where they simply aren’t good enough just yet to make
waves. Having a young quarterback who was able to find a good amount of
progression, we see no other option for the big blue but to continue to add to
this offensive line. Jones struggled with turnovers as he found himself running
for his life on multiple occasions this past season. Adding to that, leaning on
the strength that is Saquon Barkley – he too would be appreciative of seeing
more big men added to the line.
While arguments have been made to
suggest adding more firepower to the pass rushing group would do this unit a
world of help, we can’t envision that being the case at four overall. Even as
we believe offensive line is the only option here, filling out the rest of this
draft class with positional needs will undoubtedly transpire. There could be a
situation where Okudah or Simmons will be sitting on the board ripe for the
picking, which would make this pick drastically harder for the front office.
Pick 5: Miami Dolphins (5-11) |
Top Needs – QB, OL, RB, S, EDGE
Much like the Cincinnati Bengals,
the Miami Dolphins require a long-term answer at the quarterback position and
will absolutely be in the conversation for the top two passers in the class.
Hearing that Miami has investigated any attempt to trade up with the Bengals,
the likely situation is moving up to pick two while supplying the Redskins with
future picks.
The advantageous position the
Dolphins find themselves in is that they currently hold a league high 14 picks
in this year’s draft. With all that ammunition, there is no question they could
find a way to move up to pick number two if the Skins were willing to trade.
With many believing that Joe Burrow is the sure-fire selection at number one
overall – Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert will be donning Miami colors in
2020.
Outside of that, the Dolphins
roster is truly a work in progress and general manager Chris Grier can move in
many directions. If by chance they remain at pick five and still get
Tagovailoa, they would follow that up with picks 18 and 26.
Pick 6: Los Angeles Chargers
(5-11) | Top Needs – QB, OL, RB, WR, LB
Moving down the board and finding
the Chargers sitting at pick six and also vying for a future franchise
quarterback, all signs point to Justin Herbert at their current placement. This
could change however, if L.A. chooses to get into the mix of moving up ahead of
the Dolphins. While this likely won’t happen as the Chargers can’t compete with
an asking price the Dolphins could provide, finding themselves with the third
best passer isn’t and shouldn’t be considered a fail.
Adding to that, could we see Miami
error on the side of caution to take Herbert ahead of Tagovailoa based on
injury history? Either way, Tua or Herbert will be the pick here for the
Chargers.
Pick 7: Carolina Panthers (5-11) |
Top Needs – DL, DB, OL, EDGE
The Panthers will sit back and
wait to see what will fall their way at seven overall. Seeing many things
transpire already this off-season, several roster needs are now at the
forefront. While we could make the suggestion that offensive line could be snagged
here, we might see a plethora of all-star talent sitting here ripe for the
picking.
First and foremost, recreating the
defensive front will be a top priority as free agency wasn’t kind to the
Panthers this off-season. Securing a player like Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw
would instantly place a top end player on the club while not reaching to fill a
clear need. We should see a situation where quarterbacks and offensive line
dictate the first six picks (with exception of Chase Young) leaving multiple high-end
players on the board. Jeff Okudah and Isaiah Simmons could also make a great
deal of sense to help reload this defense.
Everything will be dependent on
how the board falls, but we can’t see any situation were the Panthers move away
from adding to the defensive side in round one.
Pick 8: Arizona Cardinals (5-10-1)
| Top Needs – OL, DL, TE, LB
Heading back before the free agent
period began, we had Ceedee Lamb a front runner to be added to this offense to
help the progression of Kyler Murray. Now with a blockbuster trade in the books
which has brought in DeAndre Hopkins to take over from the great Larry
Fitzgerald for the future, we see offensive line being the target and the
selection for Arizona.
Far too often we have seen clubs
draft a talented quarterback to only neglect providing adequate protection.
With how Kliff Kingsbury likes to operate with a schematic offensive approach,
he will need all help he can get on this line. The Cardinals will have ample
opportunity to help the defensive side throughout this draft class, but if we
see anything other than an offensive lineman – we’ll chalk that up as a miss.
Pick 9: Jacksonville Jaguars (6-10)
| Top Needs – DL, DB, OL, S
Long gone are the glory days of
the Jaguars defense which was so dominating and powerful. Basically, all
members of that unit have been shipped out leaving Jacksonville with a mammoth
amount of draft capital to begin a rebuild. With Yannick Ngakoue likely on his
way out of town as well, the Jags could move in many directions with this first
round pick.
The notion of picking best
on-board talent over need should be the appropriate move in this case.
Depending on how the board falls, we should see either defensive back,
defensive line or offensive line to help Gardner Minshew stay upright. With how
dominate the Jags were in the past – defensive line is how they made opposing
offenses struggle.
Adding to that, don’t be surprised
to see the Jags trade down from pick nine to secure more draft capital to help
round out this roster.
Pick 10: Cleveland Browns (6-10) |
Top Needs – LB, OL, WR
When the Cleveland Browns went
shopping last off season, expectations were supremely high for them to gain
success. Falling flat on their face with terrible execution, another change at
head coach and general manager came to pass. The Browns haven’t given any
apologies to their fans but have continued down the path of making this team
better.
Once again, the Browns added via
the open market and should make this draft a lot easier on their front office.
Literally on paper, there aren’t many holes on this roster outside of the
linebacker position, and offensive line. Clearly, the linebacker position in
this year’s class is somewhat underwhelming in terms top ten talent – so that
would leave the Browns to add to protecting Baker Mayfield.
As the draft moves forward, we
would like to see additions to the receiving core as this group looks very thin
in terms of depth behind Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham. Positivity should
come from this class on a club that should finally find their stride – again we
say should.
Picks 11 to 21 to follow – Stay
Tuned…
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