Three years.
This is the time required to fully evaluate the NFL Draft. And yet I am here two days after the completion of a project for 2022, handing out ratings that will infuriate fans and even some teams.
Oh, good.
We live in a society we want now, so we do it. But at least I go back and reevaluate the draft and myself three years late. This is accountability.
The highest score for this year is Baltimore Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta. He killed him. Aside from not choosing a successor after exchanging the Marquis Brown with the Cardinals – they really like James Proc – DeCosta hits a pickaxe after a selection in my book.
He started with two in the first round, taking the safety of Notre Dame Kyle Hamilton, and then followed by taking Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum. I didn’t like Hamilton’s tape as much, but he’s a good player who will dominate near the line of battle.
The Ravens followed suit, choosing a bunch of talented players who will push for the weather and add to the depth. This leads to them receiving the only A + grade from me this year. Yes, I would probably hit at least one receiver with one of my six choices in the fourth round, but they chose another. However, the Ravens had the weekend.
So they get the only perfect grade this year. Check back in three years to see if it works.
Now for the other ratings:
Arizona Cardinals: C-
Best Choice: The third round of the Myjai Sanders third round is a long, athletic pass, but you need to gain weight. This will happen and he will be a nice rotating player.
Worst choice: I didn’t like swapping their choice in the first round to land the Marquis Brown. I know they needed the receiver’s help, but they could wait to get one later in the draft. They had other urgent needs, such as a quick pass and an offensive line.
The Skinny: They chose to trade their choice in the first round with Brown, which I didn’t like. His superiors, Cam Thomas and Sandra in the second, are in dire need. Follow the guard of the sixth round of Lecithus Smith. He has talent.
Best choice: Third round quarterback Desmond Reeder will finish as their long-term starter. They waited to get a quarterback and got a good one. Ridder has all the tools to be a quality NFL starter.
Worst choice: Midfielder Troy Andersen is a good player, but he went a little higher than I would have taken. He develops as a midfielder, but can be a solid starter over time.
The Skinny: They took Drake London with their first choice, which will pay off, and wisely waited to take a quarterback to Ridder. He will be good and will be their man in the end.
Baltimore Ravens: A +
Best choice: Taking center Tyler Linderbaum with their second choice from the first round of exchange was a smart move. He will anchor their line for a long time.
Worst Choice: Fighting in the fourth round Daniel Faalele is a massive man, but does he have the speed of a leg to withstand the NFL? It is difficult to argue with what they have done in producing offensive line players.
The Skinny: Although I didn’t like their first choice of safety Kyle Hamilton, they killed the rest of the draft. Their first four elections were mentioned as possible elections in the first round. They added a bunch of talented players on the third day, including tight-end Charlie Collar. Eric DeCosta managed to make this draft.
Best choice: Corner of the first round Cairo Elam meets the needs and will ultimately be an outstanding player on the cover. He has the length and talent to be a blocking player.
Worst choice: I like James Cook in the second round, but is he much different from Devin Singlets? Why not a bigger back that can run between the borfs?
The Skinny: This team doesn’t have many holes, but they filled a big one with Elam. Cook was a bit of a surprise, but I liked the fifth-round receiver Khalil Shakir. This is the AFC winning team.
Best choice: This was their choice in the first round, the fight with Ikem Ekwonu. He is a nasty robber who satisfies a great need. He needs to improve the defense of his pass, but will be a longtime starter.
Worst Choice: I didn’t like Matt Coral’s choice of Sam Howell. Howell will be a better player. Coral will take some time to enter the field.
The Skinny: Ekwonu is doing this project, but the rest was like that largely because they didn’t have many choices. Coral is a risky choice. Sixth round striker Cade Mace is a good player who will play in the league for a while.
Best choice: Kyler Gordon from the second round from the corner will be a starter above average and maybe much more. I think he has the tools to play inside or outside and is ready to hang.
Worst choice: Velus Jones can fly, but he’s 25, which should be a concern. It is not a polished receiver, but the speed is attractive.
The Skinny: They had no choice in the first round after exchanging it to receive quarterback Justin Fields last year. They chose defensive backs with the first two spades they need, but why not an offensive line at some point before the fifth round when they took Braxton Jones? I like Gordon, but they better hope Jones plays.
Best choice: Security in the first round of Daxton Hill may not look like a person in need, but contracts are a safety game for Jesse Bates and Vaughn Bell. Hill has a range to play in deep environments.
Worst choice: the corner second round Cam Taylor-Britt went a little higher than I ranked. He has talent, but he needs to be more consistent. It fills a need.
The Skinny: This team has really improved in the off-season and can once again insist on the Super Bowl. They needed help in the secondary and landed him with three picks there. Defending match in the third round Zack Carter is a player you have to watch.
Best choice: Defensive match in the fourth round Perion Winfrey is a good player that many thought would go earlier than him. The talent is to be a field player in their defense.
Worst choice: I love Jerome Ford as a running back. But does Brown need him? It’s just a strange choice with such an overcrowded backfield.
The Skinny: They didn’t pick until the third round because they swapped their first to land Deshaun Watson, so it wasn’t a great draw. Winfrey’s landing was a good choice, and Martin Emerson in the second round is a long player with cover skills.
Best Choice: Second-round pass raster Sam Williams is an impressive edge roster. If it wasn’t for the character’s concern, he would have been a better choice. He meets a great need.
Worst choice: Jake Ferguson’s Tight End in the fourth round has probably improved because of his skills. They really need it there, so it makes sense to take a risk, but there were better options.
The Skinny: I like what the Cowboys did. I was higher in the selection in the first round Tyler Smith, offensive lineman from Tulsa, than most. He will be a good player, probably as a guard he will start. I also liked Williams and third-round receiver Jalen Tolbert.
Best Choice: Fourth Corner Round Damarri Mathis is a fast-paced player who can enter and compete immediately. He can fly which corners will be needed in AFC West.
Worst choice: I know they needed a secret ending, but I didn’t like Greg Dulcic’s choice in the third. He is a one-dimensional player, as he is not a great blocker.
The Skinny: They exchanged their first to get quarterback Russell Wilson, who is making this draft. It changes the dynamics of this team. Nick Bonito is an explosive player who will revive the defense.
Best choice: I liked the bold move to switch to Alabama successor Jameson Williams. He is a man who can change the game with one big game. Even if it’s not ready for a while, it’s a smart move.
Worst choice: I didn’t like the choice of the fifth round of tight-end James Mitchell. They had too many other fill needs and it came out of a torn ACL.
The Skinny: They had an outstanding draft. Aiden Hutchinson’s second landing gives them a big advantage, and I love Williams. An advantage in the second round Josh Pascal gives them another player to pair with Hutchinson.
Best choice: First round midfielder Quay Walker is a playmaker who will really add speed to his defense. I know the fans probably wanted a successor, but Walker is a great player who pays off in a big way.
Worst choice: I didn’t like the exchange of successor Christian Watson. I know they need help, but I think there were better options.
The Skinny: They achieved great success with their first two choices in Walker and the defensive game of Devonte Wyatt. Most wanted at least one receiver there, but kept it on board. They swapped to take Watson, but I think there were better options. I love the match in the fourth round Zack Tom.
Best choice: Jalen Pitre’s safety choice in the second round will pay off handsomely. He will be a star. He is very much like Tyrant Mathieu. Consider Honey Badger 2.0.
Worst Choice: The swap to take on successor John Mechi in the second round was aggressive for a player with an ACL injury who is not as explosive as teammate Jameson Williams.
The Skinny: I really liked what you did. Corner in the first round Derek Stingley Jr. will be an excluded player, while offensive lineman Kenyon Green is a nasty punch that will help the front. I love Peter and quarterback Dameon Pierce.
Best choice: I love the second round receiver Alec Pierce. He can run, which the Colts desperately need. He is one of those guys who will get better by learning the tricks of the craft. Matt Ryan will love it.
Worst choice: No choice in the first round. They trade him for Carson Wentz. oh
The Skinny: The Colts got good players in Pierce and tight-end Gelani Woods, but is the third-round pick Bernhard Reiman ready to start with a left-handed match? He better be. Losing the choice in the first round was a bad move.
Best choice: The exchange to receive Devin Lloyd in the first round was …
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