Instant grades for Rounds 2-3 of NFL draft
2019 NFL draft: Second-round selections
Arizona Cardinals: CB Byron Murphy, Washington – Our top-rated corner, so this feels like a home run at the top of Round 2. They missed out on N’Keal Harry – the reported apple of their eye – by one pick. But landing a great zone corner who could be special feels like a big win for a team that needs talent all over the place. Grade: A.
Indianapolis Colts: CB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple – A player who earned some first-round buzz, Ya-Sin is a physically and mentally tough defender and fits exactly what Colts GM Chris Ballard has been seeking to bolster his roster. Talent-wise, Ya-Sin isn’t rare, but he has a great makeup for an emerging defense. Grade: B-
Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida – The Jaguars traded into this spot and got a player they were rumored to be considering at No. 7 overall. Taylor has concerns over the health of his knee, which arose late in the draft process. But if healthy, he gives Jacksonville a starting right tackle candidate who can anchor the run game. Grade: A-
San Francisco 49ers: WR Deebo Samuel, South Carolina – One of the worst-kept secrets after the Senior Bowl was that the 49ers loved working with him down there, so this is one of the least-surprising picks of the draft to this point. The 49ers now have a slew of smaller slot-type receivers, so it’s going to be interesting to see how they divvy up reps. But Samuel is a do-it-all threat who can step right into the mix. Grade: B+
Carolina Panthers: OT Greg Little, Ole Miss – The Panthers jumped up 10 selections to grab a very talented blocker who has flashed first-round ability in his three years of starting in the SEC, but also some wild variance in his play. But in Carolina, he’s likely a Day 1 starter – at either right tackle or left tackle, depending on the health of Daryl Williams. Kyler Murray’s former high school teammate now will be protecting Cam Newton, who needs the help. Grade: B-
Buffalo Bills: G/T Cody Ford, Oklahoma – Buffalo leapfrogs the Buccaneers and grabs a Round 1-caliber blocker in Ford. He’s played guard and tackle and is a great addition to a Bills O-line that has added a ton of new faces this offseason. Ford is a massive mauler with good feet and some nice protection for Josh Allen in Year 2. WE think he plays outside in Buffalo and starts early on. Grade: A-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Sean Bunting, Central Michigan – His workouts stood out, and it sent scouts back to the tape where they saw a feisty and productive cover man who also contributed heavily on special teams. Most teams had Bunting rated in the second-to-third-round range, so the value is fine, but it’s another smaller corner who lands in Tampa. Grade: C+
Buffalo Bills: CB Trayvon Mullen, Clemson – Trading down twice, Oakland goes to a position we suspected but not the player we thought. Greedy Williams was a corner the Raiders supposedly liked a lot, but they apparently liked Mullen better. We did not. He adds some needed length to the secondary there, but Mullen’s playmaking ability is sub-par and his instincts might be unrefined. Grade: C-
Denver Broncos: OL Dalton Risner, Kansas State – Guard? Center? We can see it. The Broncos added help on the line but still have questions on the interior, and though Risner spent last season at tackle, he has been projected to be an ideal fit inside at either guard or center. He’s got some nasty to his game and is a mature player who has not allowed a sack since the 2016 season. Grade: B+
Denver Broncos: QB Drew Lock, Missouri – John Elway maneuvers into back-to-back picks, and he lands the player many thought he might be considering at one point at No. 10 overall. Lock has some warts to work out, but he’s a great fit in what this new offense should look like. If he can learn to take checkdowns and throw the ball away when needed, Lock could be Joe Flacco’s eventual replacement. This was well-executed by Denver. Grade: B+
Detroit Lions: ILB Jahlani Tavai, Hawaii – Had he not been hurt, Tavai might have gone higher. He’s a big-hitting, thick-framed throwback linebacker – just what Matt Patricia seeks at the position. Although Tavai has seemingly regressed since an incredible 2016 season, he could be back on the rise with good health and the proper time to develop. A fascinating pick. Grade: C+
Green Bay Packers: C Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State – A really nice player with center-guard versatility, although he was announced as a center – perhaps insurance for Corey Linsley if they move on after this season. Jenkins’ reliability is attractive. He turns 24 this year and started four years in the SEC, so he’s ready to contribute now if needed. Grade: B-
New England Patriots: CB Joejuan Williams, Vanderbilt – New England moves up to land a player Bill Belichick personally worked out in Nashville this offseason. That’s always a sign he likes a player, and Williams’ length and skills reminds us of Brandon Browner. The Patriots might play a lot more press-man, and that’s Williams’ forte. He can also check tight ends, and some believe he could play safety, too, so there’s some versatility in his game. Grade: B
Cleveland Browns: CB Greedy Williams, LSU – Welcome to the draft, Cleveland! The Browns lost a first-round pick in the Odell Beckham trade but land another LSU player with first-round talent. Williams made some poor choices late last season, appearing to preserve his body for the draft with poor efforts against Georgia and Texas A&M, as well as skipping the Tigers’ bowl game. But this is a win for Cleveland, which wanted size in the secondary. This is great value, and we expect Williams to play with more purpose now that he’s been knocked down a peg or two. Grade: A-
Seattle Seahawks: S Marquise Blair, Utah – My 12th-rated safety, Blair fits the Seahawks’ mold with his high-energy play. But he can be out of control and might have a short career as a 195-pound enforcer if he’s not careful. It’s hard not to like Blair’s style of play, but he has a history of injuries and not a lot of production in 1.5 years of starting. A decent player, but this feels high – with some much more solid safety prospects on the board. Grade: C-
New Orleans Saints: C Erik McCoy, Texas A&M – With the sudden retirement of Max Unger, the Saints had a giant hole at center. Consider it filled. We thought McCoy could slide into the back end of Round 1, so getting him midway through Round 2 – with New Orleans moving up to get him – feels like excellent value. He’s tough and experienced, having brawled with SEC heavyweights the past few years. A really nice addition. Grade: A-
Indianapolis Colts: OLB Ben Banogu, TCU – Not as enamored with Banogu as others were, but GM Chris Ballard made a killing last year taking players in this range who other teams had ranked lower. Banogu adds to the pressure package up front in what could be a decent, deep rotation with few individual standouts. He could be a decent third-down rusher, but this selection felt too high. Grade: C
Minnesota Vikings: TE Irv Smith Jr., Alabama – What a nice value pick here. The Vikings could be trying to diversify their passing game and adding a more dynamic option at this position instead of Kyle Rudolph, whose best work is done in the red zone. Smith isn’t big, and his blocking needs refinement, but he’s a young, developing talent with YAC potential. Grade: B+
Tennessee Titans: WR A.J. Brown, Ole Miss – This is a nice addition to a passing game that needs all the options it can find. Brown is a “big slot” who can win off the snap and was the Rebels’ best receiver (not D.K. Metcalf) the past two seasons. Although he won’t add much-needed speed to the group, Brown can help give Marcus Mariota another good-sized target who has great body control and field awareness. Grade: B+
Cincinnati Bengals: TE Drew Sample, Washington – You can understand why the Bengals might want to lighten the blocking load for Tyler Eifert and bring in a player such as Sample, who specializes in this. But with such underdeveloped receiving skills, Sample felt more like a fourth- or fifth-round pick. This helps a blocking-deprived team, along with first-rounder Jonah Williams, but this range is just too rich. Grade: D+
Philadelphia Eagles: RB Miles Sanders, Penn State – A former five-star prospect who sat behind Saquon Barkley for two years, Sanders had immense upside and ability. He sometimes tried too hard to run like Barkley and isn’t that type of physical specimen. However, as a piece alongside Jordan Howard and the rest of the Eagles’ backs, Sanders can be a big-play addition to a unit that had very little of it last season. Grade: B
Houston Texans: CB Lonnie Johnson Jr., Kentucky – His physical skills suggest this is about where Johnson should go off the board. However, we’re a little bearish on his learning curve and wonder how good his football instincts are. Johnson is a height-weight-speed prospect, and we knew the Texans were interested in adding a big corner, but the value wasn’t superb. Grade: C
Houston Texans: OT Max Scharping, Northern Illinois – Turn on the Florida State tape and you can’t help but be impressed with Scharping’s toughness and smarts, as he handled first-rounder Brian Burns very well in that game. Scharping has limitations and is more of a controller than a dominator, but he has left and right tackle flexibility and should handle the mental rigors of Bill O’Brien’s offense. Don’t be shocked if he’s more ready for action right away than first-rounder Tytus Howard, although Howard has much more athletic upside. Grade: C+
Kansas City Chiefs: WR Mecole Hardman Jr., Georgia – This is a telling pick with the future of Tyreek Hill in the NFL very much up in the air. Hardman has a lot of the same electric ability and is a blur with the ball in his hands. He’s new to the position, having switched over from defense early in his Bulldogs career, and will be more raw from the outset. But his yards-after-catch and return ability are intriguing. In time, he could be Hill’s replacement and fits what Andy Reid loves in quick playmakers. Grade: B-
Philadelphia Eagles: WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford – A jump-ball specialist who has high-end WR2 potential and could be a perfect target for Carson Wentz. Arcega-Whiteside wasn’t able to work out at the combine because of injury, but he’s got springy, big-play potential and won’t have to be a star right away. Nice pick. Grade: B+
Dallas Cowboys: DT Trysten Hill, UCF – After butting heads with the new coaching staff, Hill was a disappointment last season and was made a reserve after starting for two seasons. Ability-wise, he appears to be a nice fit in a Rod Marinelli system as a one-gap penetrator. He shoots off the snap but must fight inconsistencies and buy into the scheme to be a good fit. Grade: C+
Indianapolis Colts: WR Parris Campbell, Ohio State – The modus operandi for the Colts was to find great YAC receivers in this draft, and they accomplished that. Campbell is lightning fast, but he’s not a deep receiver – at least, the Buckeyes almost never asked him to do that in their offense. He played the Percy Harvin role in college and might be best-suited for something similar early on until he can show better hands, route-running and ball-tracking ability. But this is another toy for Andrew Luck to hit on short stuff to turn into long gains. Grade: B+
Los Angeles Chargers: S Nasir Adderley, Delaware – Pairing up with Derwin James, Adderley falls into a perfect spot. The Chargers did a lot of work on the offspring of Hall of Famer Herb Adderley who was a big-play machine at the FCS level. He’s overly aggressive at times and can be fooled, but Adderley has very nice upside as a middle-of-the-field patroller or even as a slot-cover guy. Grade: A-
Los Angeles Rams: S Taylor Rapp, Washington – Our 28th rated player, Rapp is a ball of energy and a feisty playmaker who can take over for Mark Barron in a box-safety/undersized linebacker role. With Eric Weddle patrolling the deep part of the field, the Rams now have a playmaker closer to the line of scrimmage in Rapp, who could be a star in Wade Phillips’ system. We love this pick and think Rapp will be fine after a hip flexor injury hurt his 40-yard dash at his pro day and knocked him down to this range. Grade: A-
Arizona Cardinals: WR Andy Isabella, UMass – The undersized, thin-framed blazer was a huge playmaker for the Minutemen, and his 200-yard game against Georgia showed he can hang with the big boys. Isabella was too much of a body-catcher for our taste, and he’s likely restricted to the inside and used as a motion/gadget weapon. But he’s a perfect fit in an “Air Raid” offense with quick-hitting, horizontal passes and on jet sweeps. He and Kyler Murray are two of the smaller players in this draft, but they have cranked up the electricity in a jiffy. Grade: C+
Kansas City Chiefs: S Juan Thornhill, Virginia – A productive, three-year starter, Thornhill was an interesting study as a prospect. He looked like the type of player who could step in early in his career on tape, but some NFL coaches told us that he might need time to adapt to NFL-caliber defensive concepts. New coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is fond of using three-safety alignments, and Thornhill has nickel cover ability, so expect the Chiefs to throw him right into the fire and see how he fares. Grade: B
Seattle Seahawks: WR D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss – Has the Seattle front office had time for a bathroom break? The Seahawks have been maybe the most active team in this year’s draft to this point, pinballing up and down the board, and they land here to draft perhaps this year’s most surprising tumbler. Metcalf could be a perfect fit in this system as a vertical threat for Russell Wilson and also a good run blocker in a ground-heavy scheme. Perhaps the health concerns pushed Metcalf to this point, as we had him as the No. 17 overall prospect. It feels like this pick is either a home run or a strikeout, but we’re willing to bet on the talent. Grade: A-
Third-round selections
Arizona Cardinals: DE Zach Allen, Boston College – Allen is a high-motor, versatile defender who can win from the inside or outside as a rusher. He might not ever be a 10-sack player in the NFL, but he will be a fan favorite for his tackles for loss, relentless effort and long arms to swat down passes. He’s not J.J. Watt, but Allen tries to play with that same level of zest and impact. A solid choice here for the rebuilding Cardinals. Grade: B
Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Diontae Johnson, Toledo – Fascinating. The pick the Steelers got for Antonio Brown is used on an undersized big-play receiver and returner from the MAC. You can’t make this stuff up. Johnson enters the NFL with the same questions Brown had when he got to the league: a smallish stature, route-running concerns and good but not great testing numbers. But Johnson has great speed and return ability that should make him an interesting fit on a team that needs weapons. Grade: C+
San Francisco 49ers: WR Jalen Hurd, Baylor – An intriguing prospect who was a massive power runner at Tennessee before he reinvented himself as a big slot receiver in one year with the Bears. Like Deebo Samuel, the 49ers’ second-rounder, Hurd can be a multi-position contributor. But we wonder if the 49ers are spending too many assets on pass catchers who are best lining up inside. There’s also the question of Hurd’s readiness to run precise routes in an offense such as the one Kyle Shanahan runs. We like Hurd a bit, but the fit is a little confusing right now. Grade: C
New York Jets: OLB Jachai Polite, Florida – Turn on the tape and you see an electric edge rusher with a knack for knocking the ball loose. Polite was one of only two FBS players last season with 10-plus sacks and five-plus fumbles, so his talent isn’t a question. But his off-field concerns are considerable. He interviewed extremely poorly and turned teams off after a sometimes-rocky career in Gainesville. Can he stay focused and driven? If so, Gregg Williams’ defense has now added two special talents in Quinnen Williams and Polite. Grade: B-
Jacksonville Jaguars: TE Josh Oliver, San Jose State – Oliver wasn’t universally beloved in the scouting community, and he was just a one-year contributor as a receiver (despite starting 3.5 years) at a lower-rung program. But he offers nice athleticism and can be a big, detached receiving option, especially in the red zone. With better quarterbacking, Oliver’s profile should rise. He might never be special, but this is a solid value here. There are other tight ends still available whom we liked better, however. Grade: C+
Los Angeles Rams (via trade with Buccaneers): – RB Darrell Henderson, Memphis – They drafted preseason standout John Brown in Round 5 last year, re-signed Malcolm Brown and just took Henderson high in Round 3. So feel free to assume Todd Gurley is fully healthy if you want, but we can see how many layers of insurance they now have quite clearly. Henderson is a big-play threat who is a perfect fit in the Rams’ inside and outside zone scheme, and he even affords Sean McVay some “Wildcat” options. Grade: C+
No pick
Denver Broncos: DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State – Really interesting. We figured Jones might land in a different type of system, but we can see how Vic Fangio would employ Jones’ gap-shooting ability, even if he’s not a great fit in a true 3-4 front. His tape is better than his production, with tantalizing flashes, and in time Jones could be very effective. It will be notable where he lines up. Grade: B-
Cincinnati Bengals: ILB Germaine Pratt, N.C. State – A converted safety who has packed on a ton of weight and maintained most of his good athleticism. He looked fast and fluid at the Senior Bowl and caught our eye a few times. Pratt will have a chance to get on the field immediately for a team in dire need of new blood at linebacker, so that boosts the grade a bit. Grade: B
Chicago Bears (via trade): RB David Montgomery, Iowa St. – GM Ryan Pace has never met an aggressive trade up he hasn’t liked. When he has conviction on a prospect, Pace does not wait – and Montgomery is worth vaulting up for. He was a top-50 player for us and should be a featured back, even in an offense with Tarik Cohen and Mike Davis. Montgomery has great elusiveness and balance and will be a fan favorite for his on- and off-field presence. A mature person and a very productive player. Grade: A-
Buffalo Bills: RB Devin Singletary, Florida Atlanta – An undersized tackle breaker, Singletary is a fascinating study. His skill set is a tricky projection to the NFL, given Singletary’s lack of size and testing speed. But if there’s ever a good model for him to follow, it’s LeSean McCoy, who is a slightly bigger, more athletic runner with nearly the same style with the ball in his hands. Interesting pick, but we’re just a little hesitant. Grade: C
Green Bay Packers: TE Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M – A one-year starter for the Aggies, he opened eyes with 10 TDs and great seam-splitting ability. We thought the Packers might take a tight end a bit higher, but the value here is good. Sternberger might take a year to show what he really can do, but he has upside as a mismatch piece and red-zone weapon for Aaron Rodgers in time. Grade: B
Washington Redskins: WR Terry McLaurin, Ohio State – The Redskins keep making smart picks. McLaurin will be 23 years old and likely doesn’t have a high ceiling. But he’s an exceptional special teamer who also managed to stand out last season in a loaded Buckeyes receiver corps with 11 touchdowns. He also had a banner week at the Senior Bowl practices, where he stood out with his maturity, body control and competitiveness. A smart, high-character addition in Washington who clearly has the trust of Dwayne Haskins already. Grade: A-
New England Patriots (via trade): OLB Chase Winovich, Michigan – A very Patriots pick. Winovich is a relentless edge rusher who plays with his hair on fire and overcomes his lack of length and bulk. Bill Belichick always says, “Don’t tell me what a guy can’t do; tell me what he can do.” In this case, Winovich immediately adds backside pursuit ability to a thin front seven and will instantly be a fan favorite for his effort and production. Grade: B+
Miami Dolphins: OG Michael Deiter, Wisconsin – The Dolphins did not draft an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman a year ago, and you just knew that was not going to happen again. Deiter is a blue-collar addition to an offensive line that needs help in multiple spots, but we project him to be a guard in the NFL. New head coach Brian Flores just added a tough, road-grading run blocker to help add a layer of toughness. Grade: C+
Los Angeles Rams: CB David Long, Michigan – A prospect that really grew on us throughout the process, Long is a man-cover corner who takes on every assignment like it’s his last. Receivers just couldn’t find separation against him, even without Long possessing ideal length or blazing speed. His change-of-direction ability and man-cover skills are top notch, and we think this could be a steal in time. Grade: A-
Cleveland Browns: ILB Sione Takitaki, BYU – An undersized pass rusher earlier in his Cougars career, Takitaki converted to an off-the-ball position and translated his high-energy style pretty well to that spot. But we forecast him more as a special-teams demon and sub-package defender than an every-down player, and his character raised a few concerns after a bumpy road in college. Grade: C-
Detroit Lions (via trade): S Will Harris, Boston College – Classic Matt Patricia/Bob Quinn pick here, as Harris’ impact goes way beyond his modest production in college. He’s a smart, keenly attuned player who loves to deliver big hits, and there should be a role in the Lions’ secondary for him immediately. Even so, Harris might be more of a glue guy and less of a ballhawk. Grade: C+
Tennessee Titans: G Nate Davis, Charlotte – The Titans have an open guard spot on their offensive line, and don’t rule out Davis wedging his way into the mix at some point. He’s a stocky but athletic blocker who quietly had a nice Senior Bowl week and might turn into a Shaq Mason type of blocker. Davis could use some work, but he’s a sneaky good pick at this point. Grade: B
Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Justin Layne, Michigan State – Rumored to be in play late in Round 1, Layne’s draft fall might be surprising to some. But we saw him as more of a late-second/early-third prospect, so this is not that far off. He’s a converted receiver who is still a bit raw but has the length and ball skills you want to see at the position. In time, Layne could be really interesting if the Steelers use him in press-man. Grade: B+
Kansas City Chiefs: DT Khalen Saunders, Western Illinois – A Missouri-bred prospect (across the state in St. Louis) and one of our favorite players to watch in this year’s class, Saunders was a big fish in a small pond who was used up and down the line – and even standing up on occasion, as well as being used as a moonlight offensive weapon. He’s a sawed-off defensive lineman with eye-opening athleticism, a better prospect than Raiders 2018 second-rounder P.J. Hall, who has similar dimensions. Grade: B+
Baltimore Ravens: DE Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech – Ozzie Newsome might not be making the picks anymore, but his philosophies remain in the Ravens’ draft room clearly. New GM Eric DeCosta is leaning on an organizational theory that sacks translate from college to the NFL, despite what the athletic testing numbers say, and no player in FBS history had more than Ferguson’s 45. The man he beat? Terrell Suggs, coincidentally, who is a former Raven now. Ferguson can’t be counted on for that level of production, but he could be a nice value pick here. Grade: B
Houston Texans: TE Kahale Warring, San Diego State – An inexperienced (five starts) pass catcher with intriguing potential, Warring is a basketball player who has translated that skill into going up and getting the ball. He played in a run-heavy offense and wasn’t featured much, but there are enough high-end flashes in his game to think Warring has a chance to fill a long-term need in Houston. We expect him to be more detached than he was in college, as his blocking needs work, but he’s got some raw skill to develop. Grade: B-
New England Patriots (via trade): RB Damien Harris, Alabama – Patriots fans can’t gripe about this draft class so far. Harris is not flashy, but he was Nick Saban’s most trusted runner in key situations the past few years and squeezes every last ounce out of his talent. He’s not a “juice” runner, but Harris is highly productive and hard-working and just adds to an already good New England run game. Grade: B
Seattle Seahawks (via trade): LB Cody Barton, Utah – Another Utah player for the Seahawks and another high-energy defender to bolster their draft class. Barton only started one season for the Utes and has a concerning injury history, but he’s a fast, fiery player who fits what Seattle seeks on that side of the ball. We figured he might go closer to Round 5 than Round 3, but the Seahawks don’t care what other teams’ grades are on players. They have a type and they go find it.
Grade: C-
Indianapolis Colts: ILB Bobby Okereke, Stanford – With very long arms but a small frame, Okereke is an unusual archetype. But he has three-down ability and really good football intelligence. If he’s protected up front, Okereke could be a playmaker who can cover and run and hit. But once linemen get their hands on him, he fails to unglue. Still, Okereke is a high-character fit for the Colts, who are showing us what they seek most in prospects. Grade: C+
Dallas Cowboys: OG Connor McGovern, Penn State – With center-guard versatility, McGovern could project to either inside spot and give Dallas nice insurance for injured center Travis Frederick. McGovern has good athleticism and flashes some nastiness in his game but is still growing into the high-talent template he possesses. He is naturally smart, athletic and competitiveness and will be a good addition here. Grade: B-
Los Angeles Chargers: OT Trey Pipkins, Sioux Falls – A Division-II project with ideal dimensions and really good athletic ability, Pipkins only lacks experience against high-end competition. He could also stand to add core strength, but scouts were impressed with his zeal for the game and character in meetings and believe he has eventual starter potential if given the time to incubate properly. It’s a bit of a reach, and he won’t provide immediate returns, but Pipkins is fascinating. Grade: C+
New York Jets (via trade): OT Chuma Edoga, USC – With very good talent and football-character questions, Edoga is the offensive equivalent of their second-rounder, Jachai Polite. Edoga was not known as a grinder in the Trojans program, but he makes up for his lack of height with great arm length and has good athletic skills. If he can be pushed by a demanding staff, Edoga could be a hit. But there are enough concerns here, that we’re skeptical. Grade: C
Baltimore Raves (via trade): WR Miles Boykin, Notre Dame – A highly athletic long strider, Boykin is a different type of receiver than Hollywood Brown. With a wide catch radius, Boykin is a good fit for the occasionally inaccurate Lamar Jackson at QB, and his athleticism trumps his production as a one-year starter. Once Boykin worked out tremendously well at the combine, it was clear he would be a Day 2 pick. Grade: B-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Jamel Dean, Auburn – An injury-prone talent, Dean ran a scalding 4.3 40-yard dash and offers nice size at the position. We’re worried about his durability, but Dean has a good skill set for the position and will drop his shoulder and lay out receivers and backs on the perimeter. If he can stay healthy – most of his injuries came a few years back – Dean could be a sneaky good pick here. But there’s risk involved. Grade: C+
New York Giants: OLB Oshane Ximines, Old Dominion – In the Giants’ system, he likely will have to play on his feet, which is interesting. Although Ximinies is a speed rusher who put up good numbers the past three seasons, it’s clear his positional instincts might not be fully developed yet. Misdirection seemed to get him thinking and not reacting, and we’re not sure if he can be a three-down defender until Year 2. Right now, he’ll be counted on to hunt quarterbacks on passing downs. Grade: C+
COMPSENSATION PICKS
Buffalo Bills (via trade): TE Dawson Knox, Mississippi – A favorite of ours, Knox had poor production in a stacked Rebels passing game but has outstanding athletic skill and projectable traits to be a better pro than a college player. He’s a converted quarterback who never caught a TD pass for Ole Miss, but Knox has clear seam receiving ability and is one to watch at a position of need for them. Grade: B+
Los Angeles Rams (via Trade): OT Bobby Evans, Oklahoma – A human wall, Evans fills a need on the offensive line that could see some new blood this season. Evans handled the left tackle spot at OU last season but could be tried at the right tackle spot as well (he played there the previous two years). Evans also has been projected inside to guard by some teams, so he gives the Rams a project whose future position is unclear. His experience and power are attractive. Grade: B-
Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Quincy Williams, Murray State – We’ll be honest: We have not scouted a single play of Williams, the brother of Jets No. 3 overall pick Quinnen Williams. But we did receive a text from a team scout who described him as “tough, smart” and praised his leadership and work ethic with an ability to hit. Williams was among the FCS leaders in tackles the past few years. But the scout also told us that Williams received an undrafted grade from their team and was in the “camp invite” realm in their eyes. This feels like a reach, and maybe a huge one, but we’re willing to keep a slightly open mind. Grade: D+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (via trade): S Mike Edwards, Kentucky – Another favorite of ours, Edwards flew a bit under the radar in a loaded Wildcats secondary and he served as the heady leader of it. Edwards is more of a jack of all trades and might lack any one special quality. But his ability to play deep and over the slot receiver makes him a valuable piece to a Bucs secondary that suddenly has added a lot of new faces and talent. Grade: B-
Carolina Panthers: QB Will Grier, West Virginia – Well, isn’t this interesting? Grier was firmly on the Panthers’ radar throughout the draft process, and he hails originally from the Charlotte area. They had been looking at QBs with Cam Newton’s shoulder health in some question, and Grier has the confidence and operational skill and arm talent to work in this system should Newton suffer a setback. Grade: B
New England Patriots: OT Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia – A run on Mountaineers! Cajuste was our final cut from out top 100 list, so the value here is right about where we thought he’d get drafted – and deserved to get picked. The Patriots needed tackle depth, and he has the length and talent to help give them insurance for projected starter Isaiah Wynn. Cajuste has been chronically hurt and he suffers from some maddening inconsistency, but when he’s out there he has displayed good athletic skills and flashed dominant traits. A nice project for Dante Scarnecchia. Grade: C+
Baltimore Ravens: RB Alexander Mattison, Boise State – Creative, productive runner who just gets the job done. He lacks special athletic numbers, but so does the back he’ll back up in Dalvin Cook. The Vikings needed some RB depth, and Mattison has a chance to be a solid, reliable No. 2. Was he the most talented back left after a run at the position? We still say no. But he catches the ball pretty well and should be a contributor. Grade: C
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