Heading into the 2017 season, the Chicago Bears were desperate to make changes. The team had only won nine games in two seasons and was coming off a season of complete chaos. The Chicago Bears only won three games. Ryan Pace decided to move on from Jay Cutler and start moving the Bears into a new direction.

Pace had already started a youth movement for the team and 2017 marked some big changes. Cutler was out the door. Mike Glennon was overpaid to be a stopgap quarterback, and Alshon Jeffrey took his talents to Philly. Pace clearly needed to draft a quarterback in the 2017 NFL Draft but the question was who?

Original Grade

FanSided: D-

“When people talk about the 2017 NFL Draft many years from now, the Chicago Bears will be one of those teams that arm chair general managers would love to pick apart with scathing hindsight. Chicago ended making only five selections in this draft. The only pick that originally belonged to them was the No. 147 pick they made in the fifth round.”

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 2)

Mitchell Trubisky

QB, Tar Heels

CURRENT TEAM: Chicago Bears

Ryan Pace shocked the world when news broke that he traded the third-overall pick to the San Fransico 49ers to move up one spot. The deal included the Nos. 67 and 111 picks as well as a 2018 third-round pick that ended up being 70th overall. Most fans thought Pace was moving up to draft a quarterback, however, nearly everyone was shocked by who that quarterback ended up being – Mitch Trubisky

After three seasons, it seems that Pace made the wrong decision. Patrick Mahomes who went 10th overall to the Kansas City Chiefs had an MVP season in his sophomore year. He is currently getting ready to play in the 2019 Super Bowl. Deshaun Watson too has shown more success from a statistical standpoint over Mitch Trubisky, and these three will continue to be debated for years. Right now, Trubisky is clearly losing.

Round 2 (No. 45)

Adam Shaheen

TE, Eagles

CURRENT TEAM: Chicago Bears

If fans were not shocked enough by Pace’s first move in the 2017 NFL Draft, many were more upset by his second pick. Pace drafted Adam Shaheen, a D2 tight end out of Ashland.

Shaheen has struggled to see consistent playing time due to an abundance of injuries since moving up to the NFL. He is a big target that found his most success his rookie season when he caught 12 passes for 127 yards and three touchdowns.

His performance since 2017 has been a major disappointment. Shaheen was placed on injured reserve again this year after playing in 13 games. He only caught nine passes for 74 yards. Many wonder if he was placed on injured reserve as a way of benching him but also opening up a roster spot.

Round 4 (No. 112)

Eddie Jackson

S, Crimson Tide

CURRENT TEAM: Chicago Bears

Eddie Jackson might be the best young safety in the NFL. If not the best, he is clearly top five. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 and was selected as a First-Team All-Pro. In three seasons, Jackson has 10 interceptions and returned three of them for touchdowns.

His 2019 season saw less high-impact plays, but he also played out of position as a strong safety more often in Chuck Pagano’s defense next to Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. He received a massive extension that made him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.

Round 4 (No. 119)

Tarik Cohen

RB, Aggies

Current Team: Chicago Bears

Tarik Cohen has been fantastic catching the ball out of the backfield and returning kicks. He is a small running back though who cannot carry the load as a lead back. Cohen was underutilized by John Fox in his rookies season, but still found a way to score three touchdowns. In 2018, cohen really shined by scoring three touchdowns on the ground and five more through the air.

Last year, Cohen took a step back from an efficiency standpoint. He never found the end zone from the ground but was able to score three through the air. He took a step back in overall yardage in 2019 too. After gaining over 1,000 all-purpose yards in 2018, Cohen only gained a little over 600 all-purpose yards last season. The difference in production could be due to Cohen running side-to-side more than forward most of the year.

Round 5 (No. 147) 

Jordan Morgan

OL, Golden Bears

Current Team: None

He selected Jordan Morgan, an offensive lineman out of Kutztown University. Morgan was the second D2 player Pace took in this draft after picking Shaheen in the second round.

Morgan was named D2 Lineman of the Year in 2016. He played in the Senior Bowl too and apparently made an impression on Pace and other scouts. Morgan was supposed to be a depth move who could hopefully push to start, but he did not last long on the Bears roster.

Bottom Line

Whether you like Trubisky or not, finding a player like Eddie Jackson makes this draft class a positive one. Honestly, I am close to giving the draft class a B- because of how good Jackson is as a player. As already alluded to, many say three years are needed to grade a draft class.

For the Bears, a few guys will need year four. If Trubisky fails in 2020, this grade will be slightly lower. If he succeeds it could jump up at least a full letter grade. If he shines the draft class is clearly an A. It will be interesting to see how the offense changes in 2020 compared to 2019, but one thing is clear, Pace will need a better backup plan to his second-overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The post Chicago Bears 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The Seattle Seahawks came into the 2017 NFL Draft on quite a run. Head coach Pete Carroll had taken his team to the playoffs five straight years, including two trips to the Super Bowl. The defense was still in top Legion of Boom mode and had five Pro Bowlers on defense alone. Somehow neither Earl Thomas nor Kam Chancellor was in that group. So of course, the ‘Hawks focused on defense in the draft, using four of their first five picks on that side of the ball.

The Seahawks originally held the 26th pick in the draft. If Carroll and GM John Schneider were normal human beings, they would have stayed there in the first three rounds. But Pete and John are far from the ordinary NFL execs. As we’ve seen so often, the Seahawks moved up and down faster than the Space Needle elevators. When they were done, Seattle had turned six picks into 11. They could get all the players they needed to go even further in the playoffs. Things were looking very good in the Emerald City. At least, that’s what we thought immediately after the draft.

Original Grade

FanSided: B

“The Seahawks traded back twice and likely still wound up with the guy that they wanted. On tape, McDowell is a stud and easy first round pick. However, he is a freelance player and has admitted to playing away from the game plan and doing whatever he wanted to do. It plummeted the stock of the big time defender. However, the Seahawks clearly trust their infrastructure and a player such as Michael Bennett is exactly what is needed for McDowell.” — Parker Hurley

Draft Class

Round 2 (No. 35)

Malik McDowell

DT, Spartans

CURRENT TEAM: N/A

When this pick was announced, there was much rejoicing. Virtually everyone gave this pick a grade of A. But before he reported to training camp in July, McDowell was reportedly involved in an ATV accident. According to several media accounts, no accident report was ever filed, although the ATV that McDowell purchased was reported as a total loss within a week of the incident. The Seahawks placed him on the PUP list, then eventually was waived a year later.

It was a complete waste of the ‘Hawks’ first selection in the draft, a forfeit of draft capital that still impacts the team today. Seattle saw a great future for the immensely gifted McDowell and its defensive line. Much worse than the wasted draft pick is the waste of McDowell’s own potential. He’s been arrested four times since the accident and was recently sentenced to 11 months in jail for the series of altercations — mostly a series of DUI-related incidents. He’ll never do a thing for the Seahawks, but we certainly hope he does something for himself.

Round 2 (No. 58)

Ethan Pocic

C, Tigers

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

Pocic was drafted largely because of his versatility. Although he was drafted as a center, he had played both tackle and guard as well in Baton Rouge. Justin Britt had just completed his first year at center for the Hawks, and a good one at that. We anticipated Pocic would probably find a home at guard, moving Germain Ifedi out to tackle. That’s exactly how it played out in his rookie year, but things didn’t go according to plan after that.

After he played in every game and made 11 starts as a rookie, Pocic ran into injury trouble in 2018. He missed six games with an ankle injury and found his left guard position filled by J.R. Sweezy when he was able to return. After showing a lot of promise in 2017, he only made four starts in his sophomore season. 2019 was even worse, as he only got one start and just four game appearances between stints on injured reserve. Much like Britt before him, his ability to play multiple positions on the line has actually held his development back. Hopefully, he can get healthy in 2020 and the Seahawks will give him a more defined role.

Round 3 (No. 90)

Shaquill Griffin

DB, Knights

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

Consider this: The Seahawks have seen a grand total of 16 starts in 48 games out of their first two selections. They were due for a win, and they certainly got one in Griffin. Fast, strong and rangy, the 6’0” 198-pound rookie fit the profile of a Pete Carroll cornerback to a tee. He had the great fortune to start across the field from future Hall-of-Famer Richard Sherman. Opposing quarterbacks completed just 57 percent of their passes when going against the third-year corner. He cracked the top 10 of Pro Football Focus cornerback rankings and made it to the Pro Bowl. Shaquill was a third-round steal.

Round 3 (No. 95)

Delano Hill

S, Wolverines

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

As a rookie, Hill was strictly an understudy to Thomas and Chancellor. He had just 32 snaps on defense but was second to only Neiko Thorpe in special teams plays. Hill continued to develop in his second season but was far better as a strong safety, and Bradley McDougald had that spot on lockdown. Hill finally earned his place in the starting lineup in the last two games of 2018, and things were looking up, but 2019 proved to be challenging for him. He made four starts, but battled injuries all season. If he could play the role of super-sub that McDougald played for the ‘Hawks in his first season, Hill would prove to be a solid pick. 2020 is the year he needs to come through.

Round 3 (No. 102)

Nazair Jones

DT, Tar Heels

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

The 6’2” 292-pound Jones showed quite a bit of promise as a rookie for the Seahawks. He got into 11 games and made two starts, and showed up all over the stat sheet with two sacks, three tackles for a loss, four quarterback hits, a recovered fumble and even a 24-yard interception return. He wasn’t able to build on his success in 2018, though. Like Hill and Pocic, he missed several games due to injury. His snap count dropped from 284 to 132, and he didn’t make a single start despite the departure of starting tackle Sheldon Richardson. 2019 was a total loss for Jones, as he was placed on injured reserve due to a recurring knee injury.

Round 3 (No. 106)

Amara Darboh

WR, Wolverines

CURRENT TEAM: Pittsburgh Steelers

The 6’2” 214-pound Darboh gave Seattle a bit of that size it had been craving for so long. He hauled in 151 passes for 2,062 yards and 14 scores in college. Russell Wilson had his third option to go with Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett. Unfortunately, after McDowell, Darboh has to be considered the biggest disappointment of Seattle’s 2017 draft. Despite getting into all 16 games, he saw just 13 targets and caught eight balls. The following season, he was waived by the ‘Hawks just before the start of the season. After a failed physical with the New England Patriots, he returned to the Seahawks but was placed on injured reserve for the year, then waived him in August of 2019.

Round 4 (No. 111)

Tedric Thompson

S, Buffaloes

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

T2 is a strange case. He saw just a few snaps on defense as a rookie, and barely over 100 on special teams. With McDougald taking Chancellor’s role at strong safety in 2018, Thompson took over at free safety after Thomas went down in the fourth game. T2 played relatively well for a guy with hardly any game experience, meaning he got burned on deep routes too often. In 2019, those times Thompson got torched turned into an inordinately huge bonfire. Just when he appeared to finally be healthy, the ‘Hawks put him on injured reserve. His future in Seattle is anything but bright.

Round 6 (No. 187)

Michael Tyson

S, Bearcats

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

Now we’ve entered the realm of the low-risk, and almost always low-reward picks. The Seahawks moved Tyson to cornerback, but he spent his entire rookie season on the practice squad. Seattle waived him in September of 2018. He caught on with the Texans just days later, eventually playing in 10 games and even making a couple of starts. He went on injured reserve in January 2019, then was waived in May. The Packers signed him three days later and put him on injured reserve in August before waiving him in September. Tyson remains a free agent at this time.

Round 6 (No. 210)

Justin Senior

OT, Bulldogs

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

At 6’5” and 329 pounds, Senior started at right tackle for three seasons in the SEC West, another indication that he’s pretty good at the sport. He was also drafted by the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL, but Seattle won out. The ‘Hawks placed him on injured reserve in August, and an injury settlement in December of that year ended his Seahawks career. Senior managed to make it back from his injury last season, though. He signed with the Chiefs in February, but was eventually cut in June. He’s never played a down of professional football.

Round 7 (No. 226)

David Moore

WR, Tigers

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

It took a while, but the Seahawks struck gold again. Moore didn’t make the active roster, but Seattle did sign him to the practice squad for the entire season. 2018 was his breakout year. He played in every game, starting in seven contests, but was maddeningly inconsistent. He was much more consistent in 2019. Of his 17 catches, 14 were for first downs and two went for touchdowns. Moore made just one catch that didn’t move the chains or light the scoreboard. That’s a heck of a player for a seventh-round pick.

Round 7 (No. 249)

Chris Carson

RB, Cowboys

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

As a rookie, Carson forced his way into a running back rotation that totaled 105 games in the NFL compared to his zero. Sadly, he would only play four games in 2017, as he missed the rest of the season with a broken ankle. Carson was a workhorse in 2018, finish fifth in the league in rushing yards. 2019 was a replay of 2018, as he again totaled well over 1,00 yards rushing and finished fifth in rushing overall. He nearly doubled his receptions, from 20 in 2018 to 37 last season — not bad for the guy who was just two picks away from being Mr. Irrelevant.

Retrospective Grade

2017 was a bit of a strange draft class for the Seahawks. In some ways, it was a class that will set Seattle back for a bit. Missing on McDowell (or rather, McDowell missing on himself) was a big loss. Then drafting Ethan Pocic with the next pick hurt too. Pocic simply looks like he will never have the muscle to succeed in the NFL.

None of the linemen, whether offensive or defensive, will pan out long-term. Only one of the defensive backs taken will ever seem to matter in Seattle’s future plans and neither receiver is a truly viable option. But then there are two players that are great for Seattle now and should be difference-makers in the future as well: Shaquill Griffin and Chris Carson.

Bottom Line: The 2017 NFL Draft class for the Seahawks has produced just one Pro Bowler (Griffin) and another that could have made the Pro Bowl in 2019 if he had not had a late injury (Carson). But getting two out of 11 picks right is not a good thing for any NFL franchise. The Seahawks have had better draft classes since, but the 2017 class will be remembered as one of their worst of the 2010s.

The post Seattle Seahawks 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

In 2017 free agency, the Minnesota Vikings made moves to address needs at both offensive tackle spots (Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers) and added Latavius Murry to a running back mix that was without Adrian Peterson. One seemingly inconsequential signing wound up paying off nicely, as quarterback Case Keenum was pressed into action and had a career year up until the NFC Championship Game.

But heading into the draft, the offensive line still stood as a need and the team was without its first-round pick. That pick was sent it to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Sam Bradford late in the 2016 preseason after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a career-altering knee injury. The Eagles would take defensive end Derek Barnett with that 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Here’s a look at the Vikings’ 2017 draft class.

Original Grade

FanSided: B+

The Vikings lost their first round pick in the Sam Bradford trade, and still wound up with the player that many would have mocked to the team in the first round. Granted, they did have to trade up in order to secure the selection of Cook. Still, the got quite possibly the top running back in the class and they got him 37 picks after the first running back fell off of the board.

Draft Class

Round 2 (No. 41)

Dalvin Cook

RB, Seminoles

CURRENT TEAM: Minnesota Vikings

Off-field concerns took a first-round talent in Dalvin Cook and dropped him into the second round. He added a diverse skill set to the backfield that included Jerick McKinnon along with free agent signing Murray.

A torn ACL cost Cook all but four games of his rookie season, and a lingering hamstring issue cost him five full games while limiting him in others during the 2018 campaign.

But the Gary Kubiak influenced offensive schemed proved to be a great fit for Cook last season. He finished with 1,135 rushing yards (10th in the league) and 13 touchdowns along with 53 catches for 519 yards. But he also missed two games at the end of the regular season with a shoulder injury, and a chest injury clearly diminished him in a few games before that.

Cook is in line for a contract extension this offseason, and the Vikings have a big decision to make on one of the best running backs in the NFL

Round 3 (No. 70)

Pat Elflein

OL, Buckeyes

CURRENT TEAM: Minnesota Vikings

Pat Elflein brought the ability to play guard with him from college, but he stepped right in as the Vikings’ starting center as a rookie and acquitted himself nicely.

An ankle injury in that year’s NFC Championship Game ended things on a sour note though, and along with offseason shoulder surgery Elflein struggled to the tune of Pro Football Focus grading him out as the league’s worst starting center for the 2018 season. Then, with the drafting of Garret Bradbury in the first round last year, Elflein was shifted to left guard to ideally fortify that spot.

But he was not good at that position either, as the interior of Minnesota’s offensive line was regularly overmatched against good opposing defensive lines.

It’s worth wondering if Elflein somehow still isn’t fully healthy, but a position switch probably didn’t do him any favors either. For better or worse, he’s unlikely to be supplanted at left guard next season.

Round 4 (No. 109)

Jaleel Johnson

DT, Hawkeyes

CURRENT TEAM: Minnesota Vikings

With Shariff Floyd’s future in doubt, the Vikings needed to add some depth along the defensive line in the 2017 draft and picking Johnson made sense.

Jaleel Johnson has played all 16 games in each of the last two seasons, starting a total of four, and in 2019 he set a career-high with 3.5 sacks while playing 37 percent of the Vikings’ defensive snaps. He also plays some on special teams.

Potential is still a prominent word when speaking of Johnson, but the time for him to reach it fully may have passed.

Round 4 (No. 120)

Ben Gedeon

LB, Wolverines

CURRENT TEAM: Minnesota Vikings

With Chad Greenway’s retirement and Audie Cole leaving in free agency, the Vikings needed depth at linebacker and took one in the fourth round of the 2017 draft.

Gedeon is a limited athlete and as such is strictly a base defense player. But he was a core special teamer over his first two seasons — playing 82 and 75 percent of Minnesota’s special team snaps respectively — before a concussion limited him to eight games last season.

Gedeon is a quintessential JAG (Just A Guy). But those type of players can find a place on an NFL roster, and the Vikings may keep him past the end of his rookie contract

Round 5 (No. 170) 

Rodney Adams

WR, Bulls

CURRENT TEAM: Retired

Rodney Adams was drafted, cut and added back to the Vikings’ practice squad during his rookie season, appearing in one regular-season game along the way during his lone season in Minnesota.

He signed a futures contract with the Indianapolis Colts in February of 2018, but he suddenly retired in April of that year, with some indication he was going to pursue a modeling career.

Expectations for a fifth-round pick are never high. But the Vikings surely wanted more than one meaningful game with no stats, and Adams retiring from football at 23 years old somehow felt appropriate.

Round 5 (No. 180)

Danny Isidora

OL, Hurricanes

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

In theory, with a need at one or both guard spots, Danny Isidora had an opportunity in front of him when he was drafted by the Vikings. Even a fairly raw prospect, the competition was not all that stiff.

Isidora played in 21 games over his two seasons for the Vikings, starting three. He was traded last August to the Miami Dolphins for a conditional seventh-round pick in this year’s draft and started three games at right guard this season before landing on IR with a foot injury.

The Vikings have continually failed to invest proper draft capital in the offensive line, and any reliance on Isidora to develop into a starter is a symptom of that. It’s not too surprising he’s already on his second team.

Round 6 (No. 201)

Bucky Hodges

TE, Hokies

CURRENT TEAM: None

An intriguing athlete (6-foot-6, 257 pounds), and a converted quarterback who was still learning the tight end position, Bucky Hodges was a worthy sixth-round flier for the Vikings. He wore #84, as a sure sign of his overconfidence in personal comparison to Randy Moss.

Pro Football Reference’s transaction log filled up quickly for Hodges. He was waived, placed on IR, waived again and cut before mid-September of 2017, and he then landed on the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad until Halloween.

The New York Jets signed Hodges in April of 2018, but they cut him near the start of training camp. He eventually landed on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad and went back to them on a futures contract in January of 2019. But Pittsburgh cut him in April, and the Jets picked him back up and cut him by early October.

Hodges has yet to play a regular-season NFL snap, and it looks like he never will. Maybe he’ll land in the XFL.

Round 6 (No. 219)

Stacy Coley

WR, Hurricanes

CURRENT TEAM: Tampa Bay Vipers (XFL)

Stacy Coley ran a 4.45-second 40 at the NFL Combine, so he brought that speed with him as an early candidate to replace Cordarrelle Patterson as Minnesota’s primary kickoff returner.

Coley played seven games for the Vikings before being waived in September of 2018. He played three more games that season for the New York Giants after they picked him up, then the New York Jets signed him a reserve/futures contract in January of 2019 before waiving him in May.

Coley was taken by the Dallas Renegades in the XFL Draft, and he’s now on the roster of the Tampa Bay Vipers in the rebooted spring league. Maybe he’ll play well and will gain interest from the NFL.

Round 7 (No. 220)

Ifeadi Odenigbo

DE, Wildcats

CURRENT TEAM: Minnesota Vikings

Ifeadi Odenigbo did not crack the Vikings’ roster as a rookie or second-year man, and he spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Arizona Cardinals (one regular-season game) during the 2018 season.

The Vikings signed Odenigbo back to the practice squad in October of 2018 and kept him on a futures contract. To say it paid off this season is an understatement.

Odenigbo made the team and played in all 16 games this season, with seven sacks and 13 quarterbacks while playing 34 percent of the defensive snaps. With Everson Griffen likely gone this offseason, Odenigno is in line for a bigger role next season.

General manager Rick Spielman’s laughable propensity to trade down and accumulate more draft picks rarely bears fruit. Getting Odenigbo with a seventh-round pick and now being able to see if he has more in him, even if it became a circuitous route to having him, can be marked as a win for a 2017 draft class that needs them desperately.

Round 7 (No. 232)

Elijah Lee

LB, Wildcats

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

An undersized but speedy linebacker, Elijah Lee didn’t make it to Week 1 of 2017 with the Vikings. The 49ers signed him, he immediately became a prominent special teamer for them and he made five starts at middle linebacker in 2018. He didn’t play as much this past season, but he was on the team representing the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Getting anything of note from a seventh-round pick is a bonus. But the Vikings were not the team that has gotten what Lee had to offer.

Round 7 (No. 240)

Jack Tocho

CB, Wolfpack

CURRENT TEAM: None

Jack Tocho did the back-and-forth on-and-off the practice squad dance with the Vikings for a season-plus, before being signed by Washington, cut by them and then signed and cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers last spring.

The Vikings’ 2017 rookie class is somewhat salvaged by finding linebacker Eric Wilson as an undrafted free agent. He has become a contributor, usurping Gedeon in the linebacker pecking order.

Retrospective Grade

Bottom Line:

Outside of Dalvin Cook, the Vikings’ 2017 rookie class is somewhat salvaged by finding linebacker Eric Wilson as an undrafted free agent. He has become a contributor, usurping Gedeon in the linebacker pecking order.

The post Minnesota Vikings 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers needed an upgrade at running back, as well as weapons at wide receiver. Special teams were not absent from this conversation either. They also needed a reliable kicker. The defense wasn’t a major issue, but they certainly needed depth. They certainly took care of the running back spot, adding a tremendous playmaker from Stanford by the name of Christian McCaffrey. They also addressed their need for a fast wide receiver, drafting Curtis Samuel out of Ohio State.

Taylor Moton came by way of Western Michigan, and the goal was to add depth to the offensive line. Daeshon Hall and Corn Elder added depth to the defense, with one serving the edge position while the other aimed to help the secondary.

A fullback by the name of Alex Armah was taken with the next pick after Elder, as the Panthers continued to focus on adding strength and grit to the running game. Finally, Harrison Butker showed tremendous promise as a kicker at the collegiate level, and he was slated to help the Carolina Panthers in the special-teams department.

Original Grade

FanSided: B

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 8)

Christian McCaffrey

Running back, Cardinal

Entering the 2017 NFL Draft, expectations were general manager Dave Gettleman would target a skilled player despite his well-known affection for a lineman. With veteran running back Jonathan Stewart aging, the team desperately needed a back who could immediately contribute and Stanford product Christian McCaffrey was the perfect answer.

In a limited role during his rookie season, McCaffrey displayed his brilliance and ability to impact football games. Just a few years later, his pass-catching abilities combined with being able to literally carry the workload week in and week out have proven doubters wrong. McCaffrey played at an MVP level in 2019 and should continue contributing to the Panthers offense well into the future.

Grade: A+

Round 2 (No. 40)

Curtis Samuel

Wide receiver, Buckeyes

In an attempt to surround quarterback Cam Newton with offensive weapons, the Panthers turned to Ohio State hybrid contributor Curtis Samuel. Making an impact as both a pass catcher and out of the backfield, Gettleman’s commitment to adding offensive production seemed legitimate.

However, a slow start and injuries limited Samuel’s production as he played in only nine games during his rookie season and never found the end zone. His resiliency boosted expectations as Samuel appears to be developing into a more consistent threat with career highs in receiving touchdowns (6), total receptions (54), yards (627) and nearly double the number of targets from his sophomore season last year.

Grade: B

Round 2 (No. 64)

Taylor Moton

Offensive tackle, Broncos

After questions about the health of offensive lineman Michael Oher, who played just three games in the season prior, Gettleman finally pulled the trigger on a lineman. Initially viewed as an option to play at either the tackle or guard position, Western Michigan lineman Taylor Moton was tabbed to compete for a starting job.

Working his way permanently into a right tackle position, Moton has become one of the more consistent linemen up front for the Panthers. Starting all but a single game at his position over the past two seasons, Moton enters the final year of his rookie deal with Carolina in 2020, looking for a big future payday.

Grade: A

Round 3 (No. 77)

Daeshon Hall

Defensive end, Aggies

The other half of a prominent Texas A&M pass rush, Daeshon Hall lined up opposite 2017 first-overall pick Myles Garrett in college. Projected to be a new cog in the Panthers revitalized defense, Hall played in just a single game during his rookie campaign before injuries derailed his professional career.

After being placed on injured reserve in early October (2017), Hall was waived prior to regular season play a year later. He bounced around between practice squads for San Francisco, Houston, and Philadelphia before suffering a torn ACL in Week 17 of the regular season.

Grade: C-

Round 5 (No. 152)

Corn Elder

Cornerback, Hurricanes

Corn Elder was a controversial selection, being viewed as an undersized and underdeveloped corner but one with a huge upside. Unfortunately, a knee injury kept him off the playing field as a rookie but Elder responded by seeing action in 13 games during his second season.

Eventually, he was released but then re-signed nearly two-months later in an effort to shore up the Carolina secondary. Elder, already in his second stint with the Panthers within two-years, may receive an opportunity depending on what James Bradberry and others decide this offseason.

Grade: C

Round 6 (No.192)

Alex Armah

Fullback, Wolves

Alex Armah, Fullback, West Georgia

When not rescuing his personal vehicle parked in a garage from would-be car thieves, Alex Armah serves as a prototypical fullback and special teams guru for the Panthers. The West Georgia product replaced former fullback Mike Tolbert and he may well surpass the Carolina backfield trailblazer if given a few more opportunities.

Armah played multiple positions on both sides of the football before joining Carolina. His versatility makes designing offensive plays even more enjoyable but how he’ll be used under new coach Matt Rhule remains to be seen.

Grade: B

Round 7 (No. 233)

Harrison Butker

Kicker, Yellow Jackets

The Panthers faced a difficult decision between electing to continue with veteran kicker Graham Gano or allowing Georgia Tech rookie Harrison Butker an opportunity. Initially, both were kept on the roster but Butker was quickly poached off the Panthers practice squad and is now a Super Bowl champion.

Developing into a prominent special teams option for the Chiefs, Carolina nailed their final pick but ultimately made the wrong choice when selecting their primary kicker. The trajectories of both Gano and Butker have been complete opposites since the Panthers parted ways with the latter.

Grade: A+

McCaffrey has undoubtedly become the most important piece of that class. He has put the Panthers run game on his back, amassing 2,920 yards and 24 touchdowns in three seasons of play. He has also proven to be an effective receiving back. Catching 300 receptions for 2,523 yards, he has definitely fit the bill of a multi-purpose back to this point. In what has been a couple of rough seasons for the Panthers, he has been one of the few bright spots.

Samuel has shown flashes of potential, but health has always been an issue for him. He has caught 108 passes for 1,236 yards in a three-year career to this point. Last year was the best season of his career. He caught 54 passes for 627 yards and six touchdowns. This was the year that we began to see him truly find his form. He has been another huge piece of the 2017 draft class. It’s just tough because McCaffrey is ahead of everybody else.

Moton has been an unsung hero for the Panthers on the line. Mouton has played in all 16 games in each season throughout his three-year career. He has started all 16 games the last two seasons. The offensive line has been a weakness for the Panthers. He has helped fill the void.

Now, Hall, Armah, and Butker weaken the class. Both Hall and Butker are no longer with the team. That is what keeps this class from being in the B- to A- range. This class is very top-heavy. Thankfully for the Panthers, the top of the class has produced.

McCaffrey and Samuel have been the crown jewels of the class, while Moton has been a steady presence on the line. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the Panthers 2017 class progresses.

The post Carolina Panthers 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Entering the 2017 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins had several needs across the board. With holes along the offensive line, receiver, quarterback, and almost every position on defense, the Dolphins could have done anything.

Miami was entering the second year of the Adam Gase era and there were concerns about Ryan Tannehill’s knee injury that kept him out of the playoffs the year before. His knee was re-injured in the first week of training camp and the wheels for the team fell off immediately.

Unfortunately for the Dolphins, the seven draft picks made little or no immediate impact but five players remain on the team.

Original Grade

FanSided: A

The Dolphins continued to think defense and their front seven with Raekwon McMillan. The Dolphins went out and signed Lawrence Timmons from the Steelers, and while that is a good fit, Timmons is older. He is now 30, and when a team like the Steelers lets a long time player like that slip away, you have to look at it with the side eye.

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 22)

1

Charles Harris

DE Missouri

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

Harris was supposed to be the next great Dolphins defensive end. However, after three seasons in Miami and ample opportunity to take on a starting role, Harris has remained a backup and will not likely be a member of the Dolphins to start the 2020 season.

Round 2 (No. 54)

2

Raekwon McMillan

LB Ohio State

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

McMillan’s career in Miami started on fire with a strong training camp that ended with a season-ending injury on the first play of the first preseason game. He came back in 2018 but clearly was not playing with the same speed and confidence. As a result, his season was lackluster and many wondered if he would make Brian Flores’ roster. Luckily, McMillian turned his game around, becoming one of the most consistent and productive linebackers on the Dolphins defense.

Round 3 (No. 97)

3

Cordrea Tankersley

CB Clemson

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

Tankersley’s days in Miami may be numbered. He spent the 2019 season on the PUP list and has not shown the qualities that coaches look for in cornerbacks. His first season was promising but his second season was really bad.

Round 5  (No.164)

4

Isaac Asiata

OG Utah

CURRENT TEAM: Retired

The only offensive lineman drafted by the Dolphins in 2017, Asiata was billed as a mean and physical offensive lineman but in his three years with the Dolphins he appeared in only two games. Unable to beat out street free agents when injuries began to pile up, the Dolphins eventually released him in 2019. After a short stint with the Bills, Asiata announced his retirement from the NFL in 2019.

Round 5 (No. 178)

5

Davon Godchaux

DT LSU

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

Davon Godchaux has turned out to be a steal for the Dolphins in this draft. He has been a consistent starter and rotation defensive lineman since his arrival and is emerging as one of the team’s defensive leaders. He has been a very big surprise and this year was the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.

Round 6 (No. 194)

6

Vincent Taylor

DT Oklahoma State

CURRENT TEAM: Buffalo Bills

After a solid rookie season with Taylor showing signs of his potential, he started to slide with his ability to get on the field and be productive. Taylor got caught in the numbers game and Miami wanted more production at the position. He spent two years with the Dolphins before being released.

Round 7 (No. 237)

7

Isaiah Ford

WR Virginia Tech

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

Ford looked good for the Dolphins but an injury ended his rookie season in training camp. He couldn’t get past the practice squad in 2018 and started 2019 bouncing between being released by Miami and being re-signed to the practice squad. Injuries to the receivers forced the Dolphins to re-sign and activate him. Down the stretch, Ford looked good when given the chance. While his future with Miami is uncertain, he should get a real shot to compete.

Bottom Line

The wasted pick on Harris is not wiped clean by the play of McMillan and Godchaux, or the potential of Ford. The Dolphins really only hit on two players and while McMillan looked good in 2019, there are still questions about how long he will be a part of the Dolphins rebuilding plans. The 2017 draft was far from the team’s worse but it was still not one of the better ones either.

The post Miami Dolphins 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

2017 was a watershed year for the San Francisco 49ers. The franchise, which had gone through a tumultuous downfall since the days of former head coach Jim Harbaugh, inked Kyle Shanahan as its new head coach along with a new general manager, John Lynch. Lynch and Shanahan embarked on a massive roster overhaul, which would see nearly 70 percent of the 2-14 2016 squad removed. Paired with a flurry of moves in free agency that offseason, the Niners were looking to add key cornerstone pieces in the 2017 NFL Draft too.

One of the biggest needs was at quarterback. San Francisco would address that in the draft, albeit not where many expected. Instead, the 49ers would trade down from the No. 2 overall spot to No. 3 overall, grabbing former Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas. The Niners then traded back into Round 1 to grab linebacker Reuben Foster out of Alabama who, despite some major red flags, was at times viewed as a bona fide top-10 talent on the field.

Original Grade

FanSided: A

“Thomas is a great fit in the 49ers new 4-3 defense. New defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was in Seattle when the team traded for Michael Bennett and Thomas is almost exactly like Bennett….The 49ers fleeced the Bears to move down from three to two and used their now excess of resources to get back into the first round this year. They add Reuben Foster who has the potential to be one of the best players in this draft.” — Parker Hurley

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 3)

Solomon Thomas

DE, Cardinal

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

Thomas was widely viewed as one of the safest picks in the draft, who was seen as a prolific outside pass-rushing end in San Francisco’s new 4-3 scheme. The swarm of picks the 49ers received from trading back one spot with the Chicago Bears, who moved into the No. 2 spot, made this first selection even sweeter.

But Thomas struggled his rookie season, recording just three sacks and falling well short of expectations. Many blamed his struggles on him being played out of position that year, and his 2018 campaign was hindered by the premature death of his sister, Ella. In 2019, the 49ers grabbed Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa after trading for former Kansas City Chiefs EDGE Dee Ford, all but relegating Thomas to a reserve role. San Francisco netting those extra picks sure helped. But Thomas never coming close to reaching top-five potential made this pick hurt a lot in retrospect.

Round 1 (No. 31)

Reuben Foster

LB, Crimson Tide

CURRENT TEAM: Washington Redskins

Foster’s draft stock tumbled after incidents at the 2017 NFL Combine, along with suggestions he was injury-prone. But the 49ers, desperate for impact talent, took the gamble. Early on, it looked as if it was justified.

Foster dealt with injuries his rookie year, yes. But when he was on the field, he was a force and signaled what was looking like a revamped Niners defense in the works. However, off-field troubles and arrests early in 2018 cast doubts. A final incident in November of that year ultimately resulted in the Niners parting ways with the talented-yet-troubled linebacker.

Round 3 (No. 66)

Ahkello Witherspoon

CB, Buffaloes

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

Ahkello Witherspoon wasn’t active his first four games as a rookie, but after that he began to outplay one of the corners the 49ers inherited in 2017, Rashard Robinson, which eventually led to Witherspoon starting and Robinson’s trade to the New York Jets. Witherspoon struggled in training camp in 2018, but he bounced back nicely in 2019 before suffering an elongated foot injury. Upon his return, the cornerback struggled again and was relegated to reserve duties in the postseason, being replaced by the undrafted free-agent cornerback, Emmanuel Moseley.

Round 3 (No. 104)

C.J. Beathard

QB, Hawkeyes

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers passed on top-name quarterbacks early — players like Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson — to grab C.J. Beathard at the tail end of Round 3, trading up to get him before day two of the draft was done. Beathard was thrust into a starting role midway through 2017, but despite flashing a tough reputation, he also struggled and was soon an afterthought after the Niners made the now-famous trade for Jimmy Garoppolo. His career 1-9 record as a starter says pretty much what needs to be said about his on-field efforts.

Round 4 (No. 121)

Joe Williams

RB, Utes

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

Shanahan has long had a knack for identifying and developing hidden-gem talent at running back, and Utah’s Joe Williams was supposed to be the next example. Lynch initially wasn’t interested in Williams, although the general manager eventually changed his mind. But Williams’ rookie season was marked by placement on injured reserve, and he failed to make the 53-man roster in 2018, all but making this Round 4 selection a busted chance taken.

Round 5 (No. 146)

George Kittle

TE, Hawkeyes

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

Just think, 31 other teams could’ve had the 2019 first-team All-Pro tight end, George Kittle. Instead, the 49ers landed arguably the biggest steal of the 2017 draft in Round 5.

Kittle flashed his brilliance his rookie season, setting a new modern NFL record for most receiving yards (515) and catches (43) by a tight end drafted in the fifth round or later. The following year, Kittle then set a new single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end (1,377). And in 2019, This season, he surpassed Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka for the most receiving yards by a tight end over the first three years of his professional career.

Round 5 (No. 177)

Trent Taylor

WR, Bulldogs

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

In 2017, it looked as if the 49ers landed gold in Round 5. Trent Taylor flashed plenty of promise to suggest he’d be a major threat out of the slot. The 5-foot-8 pass-catcher turned into quite the third-down weapon for San Francisco, recording 19 third-down catches for a first down, which was ninth-best among all pass catchers that season. In 2018, however, a back injury relegated Taylor to just 26 catches and 215 before missing all of 2019 with a foot injury.

Round 6 (No. 198)

D.J. Jones

DT, Rebels

CURRENT TEAM: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers inked veteran nose tackle Earl Mitchell to be a primary base-down run stopper in 2017 and beyond. But by the end of that year, D.J. Jones was flashing enough to suggest he’d be the younger and cheaper replacement. By 2019, that was the case. Mitchell was released and Jones was the shoo-in starter before suffering a season-ending ankle injury late in the year. Still, Jones looks like a gem of a find for San Francisco.

Round 6 (No. 202)

Pita Taumoepenu

EDGE, Utes

CURRENT TEAM: Seattle Seahawks

It’s okay for teams to take chances with fifth-, sixth- or seventh-round picks, and Pita Taumoepenu was certainly an example of this. Boasting some pass-rushing potential, Taumoepenu was awfully raw coming out of Utah and would need refinement. He ultimately never made much of an impact, though, shifting between the weekly inactive list and practice squad before ultimately being waived early in 2019.

Round 7 (No. 229)

Adrian Colbert

DB, Hurricanes

CURRENT TEAM: Miami Dolphins

Like Taylor, Adrian Colbert looked to be another major steal for Lynch and Shanahan, as he ended up securing the starting free safety role over the latter half of 2017, making some notable pass breakups and tackles along the way. His work against the Houston Texans that year was notable.

In 2018, signs pointed to Colbert being a key piece. But he struggled early that season amid some major defensive lapses, eventually landing on season-ending injured reserve with a sprained ankle. Following some regression entering 2019 training camp, the 49ers waived Colbert despite his prowess shown in 2017, ultimately going back to their incumbent veteran, Jimmie Ward, which worked out well.

Retrospective Grade

Many a good draft land at least two key pieces, plus another handful of depth players here and there. In this regard, the 49ers accomplished this with Kittle and Jones. The former is one of the NFL’s biggest stars, while Jones has shown all the signs of being an important blue-collar piece.

Bottom Line: While the proverbial jury is still out on Witherspoon and Taylor, the early whiffs on Thomas, Foster, and Beathard drop San Francisco’s 2017 draft class down significantly. It’s too much a waste for the early selections on draft day. At the time, it appeared as if Lynch and Shanahan hit home runs with nearly every selection. While the initial returns looked phenomenal, the eventual results after three years left a lot to be desired, further forcing the Niners to dig deeper into other drafts to rebuild the squad.

Regardless, the 49ers being in Super Bowl LIV suggests Lynch and Shanahan were more than capable of making up for any early mistakes.

The post San Francisco 49ers 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The Atlanta Falcons were riding pretty high coming into the 2017 NFL draft. They were coming off of a Super Bowl run with a roster full of young upstart players and looked like the Falcons simply needed to add a few pieces in order to bolster their chances at not only returning to the Super Bowl but winning the franchise’s first-ever Lombardi Trophy.

Coming into the 2017 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons really needed to address their pass rush area and draft a guy that could work opposite of NFL sack leader Vic Beasley. They also needed to address the offensive line, specifically left guard as Chris Chester announced his retirement. They also needed to look at adding talent on the back-end of the defense at free safety as they had just converted Ricardo Allen but needed a true free safety to solidify the defense.

The 2017 Atlanta Falcons draft had picks 31, 75, 136, 149, 156, and 174. They would end up drafting Takk McKinley, Duke Riley, Sean Harlow, Damontae Kazee, Brian Hill and Eric Saubert with those picks.

Original Grade

FanSided: B

“Atlanta didn’t need to make any huge splash moves in the draft. The Falcons were very methodical in how they approached the draft, opting to trade up in the first round with the Seattle Seahawks while moving out of the second round to gain more picks from the Buffalo Bills.”

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 26) 

Takk McKinley

defensive end, Bruins

The Atlanta Falcons would move up from 31st overall to 26th in order to select defensive end, Takk McKinley, out of UCLA. Thomas Dimitroff saw McKinley as the perfect running mate for Vic Beasley and had visions of those two wrecking the NFC South for years to come.

McKinley is entering his fourth year with the Falcons and one that is very important to his future. The Falcons have not yet picked up his fifth-year option and do not seem in a hurry to do so. McKinley and Beasley didn’t record a sack in the same game until the 2019 season and only accomplished that feat twice.

McKinley has become more known for his Twitter antics than his on the field performance which is never good for any player, let alone one that the franchise traded up to select.

Grade: D

Round 3 (No. 75) 

Duke Riley

linebacker, Tigers

Duke Riley was an absolute mess, but one that everyone saw coming a mile away. The Falcons reached on Riley because of the success that his former LSU teammate Deion Jones was experiencing in Atlanta.

Up to this point in 2017, Thomas Dimitroff has selected five players from LSU during his time as Atlanta Falcons general manager – Keith Zinger, Chevis Jackson, Jalen Collins, Deion Jones and Duke Riley. Only Jones brought anything tangible to the organization.

Duke Riley was a workout warrior, not a football player. He looked lost and slow during his time with Atlanta and added no value outside of his limited role on special teams. Riley was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2019 NFL season.

Grade: F

Round 4 (No. 136) 

Sean Harlow

Guard, Ducks

This pick was doomed from the beginning. No NFL general manager is worse at identifying offensive line talent than Thomas Dimitroff. It is a real talent to be as bad as he is in this area. Harlow was selected by the Atlanta Falcons at 136th overall out of Oregon State.

Harlow made one appearance for the Atlanta Falcons and that was in 2019 against the Carolina Panthers. He officially took just one snap and was inactive or on the practice squad for the rest of his time with the Falcons.

Grade: F

Round 5 (No. 149) 

Damontae Kazee

Safety, Toreros

Coming out of San Diego State in 2017, Kazee was the player in the Falcons draft that seemed to have the most upside. He played both safety and corner in college and was seen as versatile. At 5’11 and 190 pounds, he had the size to play both at the NFL level as well.

As a junior, Kazee was number two in the country with eight interceptions and as a senior was third in the country with seven. He had shown that he was a ball hawk and could make plays whether in a zone or in man.

Kazee has played a few different roles with the Atlanta Falcons over his first few seasons and will be counted on a lot in 2020.

Grade: B

Round 5 (No. 156) 

Brian Hill

Running back, Cowboys

A surprising pick given the fact that the Atlanta Falcons already have Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman on the roster and all the other needs that the team has.

Hill averaged more than five yards per carry in college and 6’1 220 pounds was a big bruising running back and the Falcons thought his running style would actually complement the running backs already on the roster. As a junior in 2016, Hill led the NCAA in rushing attempts with 349.

Not only did he run the ball well in college, but he also averaged more than 9 yards per receptions as well. Because of injuries to Freeman and Coleman no longer with the Falcons, Hill has carried a large portion of the load for the Falcons and more than likely will as we head into 2020.

Grade: C

Round 5 (No. 174) 

Eric Saubert

Tight end, Bulldogs

Another surprising pick for the Falcons, but this late in the draft, not many are going to complain about it. Saubert would play in just 32 games for the Falcons and record seven catches for 69 total yards. He never looked like he belonged in the NFL and the Falcons kept him hanging around until they traded him to the Patriots for a seventh-round pick.

The Patriots would cut him at the end of the 2019 preseason and the Bears would pick him up. He made two appearances in Chicago in 2019 and ended the year with two catches and 21 yards.

Grade: F

Retrospective Grade

The initial grade of this class was average. None of the Atlanta Falcons picks were all that great and none jumped out at you as a game-changing pick. Every NFL team should aim to pick up three starters in a draft and the Falcons picked up one for the 2017 season and a couple more got starting time due to attrition.

Looking back, this draft class earned an F, if for no other reason, Thomas Dimitroff and the Falcons passed on TJ Watt in favor of Takk McKinley and they traded up to do that. Takk McKinley and Vic Beasley never formed a feared pass-rushing duo, while Watt has gone on to play a lot like his older brother, JJ.

The Falcons also took Brian Hill over Aaron Jones who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2019 and was a huge part of Packer’s success. As far as tight ends, George Kittle went nine picks after the Falcons took Eric Saubert.

The Duke Riley pick may go down as one of the three worst picks the Atlanta Falcons have made under Thomas Dimitroff. Kareem Hunt, Eddie Jackson, John Johnson, James Conner, and Tarik Cohen all went in the third round after Riley and all of them have been elected to at least one Pro-Bowl. All of them could have helped the Falcons a lot more than Riley ever did.

The 2017 Atlanta Falcons draft class was an unmitigated disaster. The one thing that the Falcons could not do in 2017 was a miss on half of their draft picks and instead, that is exactly what they did.

To be as bad at identifying talent ass Dimitroff is, it takes a level of ridiculousness that most of us will never comprehend. To pass on numerous Pro-Bowl talent and pick guys that never played or spent more time on the practice squad than the regular roster should in itself be a fire-able offense, instead three years, Dimitroff was given another year to try and right a ship he is steering head-on into an iceberg.

Year four is going to be a big year for Takk McKinley, Brian Hill and Demontae Kazee. Takk wants the Falcons to pick up his fifth-year option and the other two are hoping to show their value in order to pick up a second and more lucrative NFL contract.

The post Atlanta Falcons 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

Entering the 2017 offseason, the Cleveland Browns were in the midst of their dramatic rebuild, led by Executive Vice President of Football Operations Sashi Brown. The Browns were clearing their roster of veterans and focusing on cheaper, younger talent. The emphasis of adding young players made Brown’s front office focus on building through the draft.

After tearing down their roster, the Browns were looking to add the best talent available. They were aggressive during free agency, signing offensive guard Kevin Zeitler, center J.C. Tretter, and wide receiver Kenny Britt. After those additions, the Browns were keyed on building up the rest of their roster before finding their franchise quarterback.

Sashi Brown and his front office bet on athletic ability and potential with their first draft class in 2016. That approach did not change for the 2017 NFL Draft, as they once again were keyed in on athletic stars who had the potential to be good in the NFL if the organization would be patient with their development.

Original grade

FanSided: B+

Not only did Cleveland land arguably the top defensive stud from this year’s draft class, but they hope the addition of DeShone Kizer later in the second round will help solve their issues at quarterback in the long run, even if he still has plenty of areas in need of improvement.

Draft class

Round 1 (No. 1)

Myles Garrett

EDGE, Aggies

CURRENT TEAM: Cleveland Browns

It was widely assumed Garrett would be the first-overall pick, unless the Browns were going to desperately reach for a quarterback with the first selection. However, the Browns were smart and landed themselves a dominant edge rusher.

Since being drafted by the Browns, Garrett has been a weapon off the edge for the Browns. In 37 games, Garrett has 30.5 total sacks and 32 tackles for loss. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018 and appears ready to compete for the Defensive Player of the Year award for years to come.

Round 1 (No. 25)

Jabrill Peppers

S, Wolverines

CURRENT TEAM: New York Giants

The Browns used Peppers as a pure free safety his rookie season and it was clear he was playing out of position. He struggled in coverage and was unable to be a solid tackler playing away from the line of scrimmage. Cleveland made an adjustment in his second season and played Peppers close to the line of scrimmage. It turned out to be a success as Peppers became a playmaker for Cleveland’s defense.

Peppers seemed to be coming into his own as a box safety for the Browns. He was making an impact in the run game and played well covering the slot. However, the Browns traded Peppers during the 2019 offseason to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants.

Round 1 (No. 29)

David Njoku

TE, Hurricanes

CURRENT TEAM: Cleveland Browns

Three years after being drafted, Njoku has struggled to develop into a top-notch tight end. He is a solid red zone threat and can make plays as an underneath receiver. However, he continues to struggle as a blocker and has had issues with dropping passes. Njoku remains with the Browns but will have a lot to prove in his fourth season with the team.

Round 2 (No. 52)

DeShone Kizer

QB, Fighting Irish

CURRENT TEAM: Green Bay Packers

The Browns threw Kizer into the fire as a rookie starter, a job that he was clearly not ready for. Kizer struggled with his accuracy and decision making, finishing the 2017 season with the most interceptions thrown. In 15 starts, Kizer did not lead the Browns to one win. Cleveland traded Kizer the next offseason, acquiring Damarious Randall in the deal.

Round 3 (No. 65)

Larry Ogunjobi

OT, 49ers

CURRENT TEAM: Cleveland Browns

Ogunjobi played well in his first year as a starter, but struggled in 2019. He remains a key player for the Browns defense and a player the organization hopes can turn it around as they attempt to improve their defensive front.

Round 4 (No. 126)

Howard Wilson

CB, Cougars

CURRENT TEAM: Free agent

Wilson never played in a regular-season game for the Browns after suffering multiple injuries, including a major knee injury during offseason workouts in 2017. The Browns released Wilson in April 2019 and the cornerback remains out of football.

Round 5 (No. 160)

Roderick Johnson

OT, Seminoles

CURRENT TEAM: Houston Texans

Johnson was placed on injured reserve during his rookie season and was waived by the Browns the next offseason, never playing in a game for Cleveland. He was claimed on waivers by the Houston Texans and appeared in all 16 games for Houston in 2019.

Round 6 (No. 185)

Caleb Brantley

DT, Gators

CURRENT TEAM: Washington Redskins

Brantley played in 12 games for the Browns during his rookie season as a role player, compiling 18 total tackles and two sacks. However, when the Browns made a regime change the next offseason, Brantley was waived during the cutdown to 53 players.

Round 7 (No. 224)

Zane Gonzalez

K, Sun Devils

Despite being the most prolific field goal kicker in FBS history, Gonzalez struggled to adjust to the tough kicking dynamics in Cleveland. In 18 games with the Browns, Gonzalez made only 68 percent of his field goal attempts. He was cut during the 2018 season but has landed on his feet with the Arizona Cardinals and has excelled as their kicker.

Round 7 (No. 252)

Matthew Dayes

RB, Wolfpack

Dayes’ lack of athletic traits showed in the NFL, as he struggled to make much of an impact with the Browns. Dayes played in all 16 games his rookie season mostly as a special teams player and the team’s kick returner. He was cut when the Browns trimmed their roster down to 53 players in 2018. He has bounced around the league, but is currently a free agent.

Bottom line

The Browns were willing to bet on potential with this class, but the draftees did not develop into the NFL players the front office hoped they would become. The lack of impact from the rookie class played a part in the Browns going winless during the 2017 season.

With the amount of draft ammunition the Browns had in this draft class, they failed to land many players who made impacts on the field. Cleveland drafted only three long-term starters from this class. The lack of production from the 2017 NFL Draft played a big role in the Sashi Brown regime being fired by the Browns before the end of that season.

The post Cleveland Browns 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The Oakland Raiders went into the 2017 NFL Draft with a ton of momentum, as they were coming off one of the better seasons the team had put together in years. Making the playoffs for the first time since 2002, the Raiders seemed only a few pieces away from being a perennial playoff contender in the AFC, especially with how well quarterback Derek Carr played in 2016.

Carr led the Raiders to a 12-win season in 2016, leading late-game comebacks, while showing incredible poise in the pocket. With the most important position in sports thought to be taken care of, the Raiders entered the draft ready to fill the remaining holes on the roster, most importantly at cornerback, safety, and offensive tackle.

Unfortunately, the draft class proved to be one of the worst in team history, and only a few short years later, only two players even remain with the team.

Original Grade

FanSided: B+

“Oakland came into the 2017 NFL Draft looking to get better in their defensive backfield, and they did just that. They spent their first and second round picks on defensive backs, and it actually make be an area of strength for the first time in a long time this season.”

Draft Class

Round 1 (No. 24)

Gareon Conley

CB, Buckeyes

CURRENT TEAM: Houston Texans

Needing a true CB1 on the roster, the Oakland Raiders made Gareon Conley their first round pick back in 2017, and many felt he was the best overall cornerback in the draft class. Conley fell to the Raiders at No. 24 due to a sexual assault claim, but after running a polygraph test on him, the Raiders decided he was telling the truth, and selected him.

Unfortunately for the Raiders, Conley was bitten by the injury bug during his rookie season with the Silver and Black, and he ended his first year on injured reserve playing in only two games. In 2018, he became a starter for new head coach Jon Gruden, appearing in 15 games, and showing flashes of the kind of potential the organization saw in him when they made him a first round pick.

This past season, Conley was injured in Week 1, but ended up coming back to the lineup the following week, and was a full-time starter for the Raiders. However, Gruden and the staff grew tired of his inconsistent play, and being that he was not a pick of the current staff, they decided it was best to try and get some draft capital for him.

Conley was traded after the Raiders Week 7 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, as the Raiders shipped him to the Houston Texans. In a twist of fate, Conley’s first game with the Texans was against the Raiders, and he helped lead them to a victory over his former team down in Mexico.

Round 2 (No. 56)

Obi Melifonwu

S, Huskies

CURRENT TEAM: New England Patriots

Like Conley, Obi Melifonwu was brought in to bring not only youth to the Raiders secondary, but talent as well, as they also struggled at safety in 2016. That season, rookie Karl Joseph played in 12 games for the Raiders, and showed he could be a player at the NFL level, but there was not much talent behind him on the depth chart.

One of the bigger swing-and-misses of the Reggie McKenzie Era, Melifonwu would eventually latch on with the New England Patriots after being released by Oakland, and won a Super Bowl ring with the team. However, he was waived by the team, and then brought back on a futures contract, so the story is still to be told in terms of what he becomes at the NFL level.

Round 3 (No. 88)

Eddie Vanderdoes

DT, Bruins

CURRENT TEAM: Houston Texans

If you are starting to see a trend here, it is because there is one, as the Raiders third round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft would also see his career with the team end due to being injury-prone. Eddie Vanderdoes, a big defensive tackle from UCLA, would become a starter for the Raiders during his rookie season, and played well before an injury in Week 17 derailed his Raiders career.

Vanderdoes was signed by the Houston Texans and made his debut for them in December of this past season. He is a talented enough guy to stick around at the NFL level, and now that he is fully healed from his torn ACL, we will get to see how good of a player he can be.

Round 4 (No. 129)

David Sharpe

OT, Gators

CURRENT TEAM: Las Vegas Raiders

With an aging Donald Penn at left tackle, and playing at a very high level heading into 2017, the Raiders knew they had to do something in terms of depth behind him. Offensive tackle was one of the bigger needs on this roster moving forward, and that continued in 2018, when they drafted UCLA’s Kolton Miller with the No. 15 overall selection.

In 2017, it was David Sharpe from Florida who was brought in to provide depth behind Penn, and he would appear in five games, and take over for an injured Penn late in the season. However, the team did not see enough in him to keep him around, and he was waived by the team in September of 2018, before landing with the Houston Texans.

Round 5 (No. 168)

Marquel Lee

LB, Demon Deacons

CURRENT TEAM: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders fifth round pick in 2017 was a good-looking middle linebacker from Wake Forest, a guy with a reputation of being a hard-hitting, athletic player. Marquel Lee was given the chance to earn a starting job with the team as a rookie, which he in fact earned, beating out veterans like Ben Heeney and Cory James.

Lee appeared in 13 games as a rookie, starting six, and looked to be someone this Raiders defense would be built around. In 2018, he played in all 16 games, making 10 starts, and the expectation was he would continue to mature in Year 3 this past season. Unfortunately, Lee was also bitten by the injury bug, and played in a career-low five games.

Round 7 (No. 221)

Shalom Luani

S, Cougars

CURRENT TEAM: Houston Texans

It is not often that a seventh-round pick makes the kind of impact Shalom Luani did in 2017, but the Raiders second safety selected in this draft class outplayed the one they took in the second round. The Raiders first drafted American Samoa-born player, Luani played in all 16 games as a rookie, making one start, and played a big role for the team on special teams.

The Raiders would end up trading Luani to the Seattle Seahawks for a seventh-round draft pick prior to the 2018 season, ending his tenure with the team for good. He spent 2018 with Seattle, and 2019 with the Los Angeles Chargers, before being released by the team and signed to the Houston Texans practice squad in December.

Round 6 (No. 203)

Jylan Ware

OT, Hornets

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

Ware was supposed to bring depth to the Raiders offensive line alongside fellow 2017 draftee David Sharpe, but he was cut by Gruden in Sept. 2018.

Round 7 (No. 253)

Elijah Hood

RB, Tar Heels

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Wildcats (XFL)

Like Jylan Ware, running back Elijah Hood appeared in only one game for the Raiders during his rookie season in 2017, and never appeared in another NFL game. The Raiders waived and re-signed Hood multiple times during his rookie season, before signing him to a future’s contract after the 2017 campaign.

However, Hood would be claimed by the Carolina Panthers one day after being waived by the Raiders in May of 2018, and that would end his time with the team. Currently, Hood is playing for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL.

Round 7 (No. 253)

Treyvon Hester

DT, Rockets

CURRENT TEAM: Washington Redskins

Hester was released by Gruden prior to the 2018 NFL season, as the team brought in Brian Price from the Dallas Cowboys to take his roster spot. He is still hanging on at the NFL level, spending the 2018 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, before landing in Washington with the Redskins this past season and appearing in a career-high 15 games.

Bottom Line

Only Marquel Lee and David Sharpe remain as current members of the now-Las Vegas Raiders, and neither of them are starting-caliber players at this point. Both provide depth at their respective positions, and while they are solid members of the roster, having only those two remaining from this entire draft class shows just how poor a job the franchise did that April.

The post Las Vegas Raiders 2017 NFL Draft retrospective appeared first on Bet Sunday.

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2017 NFL Draft buoyed with high hopes of turning the corner. The team had drafted its franchise quarterback Jared Goff, parted ways with head coach Jeff Fisher, and hired young head coach Sean McVay. They needed help at offensive tackle, pass rusher and cornerback. They signed veteran Andrew Whitworth to start at left tackle and planned to add players who fit the new schemes of head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. McVay wanted more weapons, while Phillips wanted to run a 3-4 defense.

The Rams were active traders with their draft picks. The highlight occurred when the Rams packaged their second- and fifth-round picks (Nos. 37 and 149) to the Buffalo Bills for their second- and third-round picks (Nos. 44 and 91). The Rams used the Bills picks to add tight end Everett and safety John Johnson, both of whom have contributed to the team.

Original Grade

FanSided: B+

“Overall, this was not a sexy draft for the Rams, but it yielded a good deal of productive players. It’s obvious that a new coaching staff is in town, as almost none of these players would have been selected by Jeff Fisher’s group. Everett, Kupp and Reynolds make the Rams passing game better. Despite not having a first-round pick, Los Angeles came out the draft better than most teams.” — John Buhler

Draft Class

Round 2 (No. 44)

Gerald Everett

TE, Jaguars

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

Fans had hoped for a sexy selection with the Rams’ first selection of the 2017 NFL Draft, but had to settle for a well respected tight end here. The Rams traded back from pick No. 37 to land here, and picked up a key piece to McVay’s offensive philosophy. McVay used tight ends in the passing game extensively during his time at the Washington Redskins, so Everett was a solid fit in his new offensive scheme.

Since arriving on the team, Everett has been slowly improving his production. In 2019, teammate TE Tyler Higbee had a breakout year, which could limit Everett’s playing time going forward. Still, Everett fit the niche of McVay’s offense, a pass-catching tight end who delivered modest production. Of course, the Rams missed an opportunity to draft TE George Kittle, who was still on the board.

Round 3 (No. 69)

Cooper Kupp

WR, Eagles

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

While fans remained hopeful for a bookend tackle, the Rams once more aimed at an offensive skill player, this time choosing an undervalued WR in Cooper Kupp. Kupp played at Eastern Washington, but competed regularly against Pac-12 schools where he continued to put on a clinic. Despite a season-ending ACL injury that cut his 2018 season short, Kupp has averaged nearly 900 yards and 7 TDs per year in his three-year career.

Cooper Kupp is definitely the poster child for the Rams’ 2017 NFL Draft class. Fans loved the pick then and love it even more now. He was well known and respected throughout the Pacific time zone, and has not disappointed in the least. Kupp was the offensive leader in 2019 with 1,161 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns, and his upside promises better things to come. He was the perfect receiver for McVay’s scheme and remains so today.

Round 3 (No. 91)

John Johnson

S, Eagles

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams needed help in the defensive backfield in 2017 and found it in the most unusual way. Despite a cornerback-rich draft, the Rams selected a solid safety in John Johnson. He assumed a very versatile role for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Playing near the line of scrimmage, he fills the role of a linebacker, free safety or strong safety. Much like Kupp, his play was interrupted with an untimely injury in 2019. However, he is projected to return to full health in 2020, and will likely resume a starting role for the team at safety.

Round 4 (No. 117)

Josh Reynolds

WR, Aggies

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

Reynolds became the second receiver added in the draft, and he brought a new set of skills to the team. Standing 6-foot-3 and blessed with speed, Reynolds was projected to be a “stretch-the-field” receiver whose height would give Goff a large target downfield. While he has been a consistent contributor on offense, but the Rams’ trade for Brandin Cooks stunted Reynolds’ development in the offense somewhat. Still, Cooks’ health calls his future with the Rams into question, and Reynolds is still capable of fulfilling the role of a starting receiver on this offense.

Round 4 (No. 125)

Samson Ebukam

OLB, Eagles

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams needed help on pass-rushing, and Samson Ebukam filled that need for a development depth player. So far, Ebukam has played behind the likes of Connor Barwin and Dante Fowler Jr. Each year he has grown more and more into a role as a solid pass rusher for the team, as he was fourth on the team’s sack list. With Fowler slated for free agency this offseason, Ebukam is the heir apparent to assume the starting role for the team. Of course, he is not a standout of the NFL just yet, but if the Rams do not sign a free agent rusher to replace Fowler, the job is Ebukam’s to lose.

Round 6 (No. 189)

Tanzel Smart

DT, Green Wave

CURRENT TEAM: Los Angeles Rams

Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips needed defensive linemen for his rotation, and Tanzel Smart was a good pick late in the draft to fill that need. When the Rams added Ndamukong Suh to the roster, Smart was demoted to the practice squad in 2018. As a result, he learned to adapt to new roles on the defensive line, and in 2019 returned as the backup to standout DT Donald. With a new defensive coordinator in Brandon Staley, Smart has a new opportunity to impress the coaching staff and earn more snaps this season.

Round 6 (No. 206)

Sam Rogers

FB, Hokies

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

The LA Rams drafted fullback Sam Rogers with the expectation of adding his versatility to the team’s offense. While he was just one of two fullbacks drafted in 2017, he projected to block for feature back Todd Gurley as well as be a check-down receiver. Rogers was unable to earn a spot on the Rams’ 53-man roster. He did land on the practice squad for 2017 but was finally released in 2018.

Round 7 (No. 234)

Ejuan Price

OLB, Panthers

CURRENT TEAM: Free Agent

The Rams doubled up on their search for an edge rusher by choosing an outside linebacker Ejuan Price at pick No. 234. Price was injured twice but finished his NCAA career strong. He landed on the practice squad for 2017 and was finally released in 2018.

Retrospective Grade

Bottom Line: Few truly understood what the Rams had planned for the 2017 season, as the team had brought on a brand new coaching staff under head coach Sean McVay. Despite no first-round pick, the Rams converted eight day-two and three picks into two good starters, two role players and two depth players who may earn starting roles this season.

The Rams’ top pick of this class is wide receiver Cooper Kupp, who is a standout in the NFL entering just his fourth season. But they may be even more grateful for Samson Ebukam and Tanzel Smart, as both may be called into starting roles if the team is unable to re-sign Dante Fowler Jr. and Michael Brockers this offseason. The 2017 NFL Draft added immediate starters, but also young players who have developed over the past two seasons and are now poised to compete for starting roles.

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