Great Day 1 for the 2022 Rookie Draft, with nine trades including two veteran Wide Receivers (AJ Brown, Marquis Brown) traded to new teams. Hard to make a wrong pick in the first round, but there are always a few head scratchers (see my New England Patriots! LOL). I don't like to use the the terms Winners and Losers with regards to players in the draft since you won't know their impact for years. I prefer UP and DOWN for the Team with either better than expected drafting results or missed an opportunity. Here are my 3 UP teams and 3 DOWN teams for the draft so far.
UP:
New York Jets:
It kills me to say the Jets won the day 1 draft. Two great picks with CB Sauce Gardner (Cincinnati) at pick 4, and Ohio State WR Garrett Wilson (Ohio State) at pick 10. That was expected though. Moving back into the first round to get Edge Rusher Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State) at pick 26 was a great move and a steal (which the Patriots should have made at pick 21).
Philadelphia Eagles:
Two good moves on day 1: First trading up to get DT Jordan Davis (Georgia) at pick 13 and then turning their second first-round pick (18) into former Titans receiver A.J. Brown. We won't mention the cost his new contract extension!
Pittsburgh Steelers:
You can't go wrong with standing pat at pick 20 and having your pick of all the rookie Quarterbacks in the draft. Glad the pick is Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh), closest think to a home town pick. Pickett was a steal for the Steelers and a great story, staying in Pittsburgh after winning ACC Player of the Year for the Panthers last fall.
Honorable Mentions: Detroit Lions (moving up to 12 Alabama WR Jameson Williams), Baltimore Ravens (great players drafted, moved WR Marquis Brown to Arizona), Jacksonville Jaguars (moved back into round 1 for Utah LB Devin Lloyd)
DOWN:
Indianapolis Colts:
No pick for the Colts due to them giving up their first-round pick to Philadelphia for Carson Wentz, who now plays for the Washington Commanders. Swing and a MISS.
New England Patriots:
What a STRANGE pick for the Patriots. The Patriots top 3 needs felt like CB, LB, and ED. With rookies LB Devin Lloyd (Utah), LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia), CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), CB Trent McDuffie (Washington), and ED Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State) all still on the board, you had to feel good about pick 21.
No one was probably shocked though when the Patriots moved back from pick 21 to 29 for a 3rd and 4th round pick from the Chiefs.
At the 29th pick though you still had LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia) and CB Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson) still available. The Patriots went with G Cole Strange (Chattanooga). Not a bad player but had a 3rd to 5th round grade depending who you ask (Ranked 15th Offensive linemen and 5th overall Guard on the rankings I was using). Typical Patriots draft move (see Logan Mankins, Nate Solder). Patriots should have drafted the CB or LB and still gotten Strange in the 2nd round (pick 54) or should have traded back again in the draft.
Greenbay Packers:
The Packers got two quality players with LB Quay Walker (Georgia) at pick 22 and DT Devonte Wyatt (Georgia) at pick 28. Many felt the Packers needed a Wide Receiver in the first round but with the top 6 off the board though by pick 18, the value was not there. You could say the same thing for the Kansas City Chiefs. There are still five Wide Receivers they can target in Day 2 for good value:
John Metchie III (Alabama)
Christian Watson (North Dakota State)
Skyy Moore (Western Michigan)
Jalen Tolbert (South Alabama)
George Pickens (Georgia)
Honorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys (Tulsa OT Tyler Smith, most penalized player to go to the most penalized team), Tennessee Titans (AJ Brown to the Eagles, unproven commodity in Arkansas WR Treylon Burks)
No comments:
Post a Comment