04-29-2017, 11:38 PM
My draft grades for the 2017 NFL draft
#9 John Ross WR (B-)
Ross has insane speed and will be a high ceiling talent if he can remain healthy. That is a huge if given his past history and his size. I am rooting for the guy to be a game changer but I feel like at pick 9 and with what the board looked like that this was a huge gamble. I hope it pays off.
#48 Joe Mixon RB (B+)
This was the guy they were most likely targeting at pick 41. The Bengals traded back and still got their guy. I felt like the Bengals took it a bit easy on the Vikings in the trade as the Vikings got the better end of the swap. With that said, football wise they got 2 first round talents in the their first 2 picks. If Mixon, minds himself properly (which is another huge if), the Bengals did very well here.
#73 Jordan Willis DE (A+)
Best talent on the board in my opinion and at a position of need. Could have easily went in the late 1st round or early 2nd. Just strictly on value this is an A+.
#116 Carl Lawson DE/OLB (B)
Right about the range one would expect him to be picked. I know he has had some injuries ACL and hip but was mostly healthy last season. I think he can develop into a good rotational player but I don’t know how well he will translate in terms of being an above average rusher of the passer given his technique, bend, and shorter arms .
With all that said, I would have like to seen the Bengals trade up and taken Dorian Johnson with this pick.
#128 Josh Malone WR (A-)
I like this pick a lot given the fact is was obtained via a trade down and they likely got who that wanted anyway. This kid can stretch the field and is a larger target. Insurance for the Ross pick in some ways.
#138 Ryan Glasgow DT (F)
Not a fan of this pick for several reasons. The first one is I don’t see him as being talented enough to garner this high of a selection. He is a 6th round pick to me. Secondly, the list of players that were better values, prospects and better for team needs was long. Jake Butt and Jordan Leggett were available, Kazee and King were available, OT’s Holden and Roderick Johnson were available. Asiata was available.
Thirdly, he isn’t as talented as Qualls or Jones at the same position in my opinion.
#153 Jake Elliott K ©
I am glad the Bengals added some kicking competition but I think it was a round too early or at minimum a pick too early. Holden, Roderick Johnson, and Asiata were all still on the board in a draft that the Bengals had yet to address their biggest need of offensive line.
#177 J.J. Dielman OC (F)
Um, projected to be a udfa or at best a 7th rounder with Toth and Orlosky both on the board if they actually wanted to draft a center. I do not understand this pick. Seems to be a poor man’s Bodine.
#193 Jordan Evans LB (A)
Best pick they made in the later rounds. A coverage linebacker that could possibly be a help against TEs is something the Bengals really need.
#207 Brandon Wilson CB/HB/ST (B)
Interesting prospect with superb speed and explosion. Will likely be a practice squad guy until the Bengals figure out where is best to develop him.
#251 Mason Schreck TE (D)
Chad Kelly seemed too obvious here as the Bengals may have trouble finding
keeping 11 picks on the roster. Stash him on IR and move on. Other players available OT Aviante Collins and Collin Buchanon, S David Jones, LB Devonte Fields and Connor Harris among others.
The back end of the draft could have looked like this.
#138 Jake Butt TE Michigan
#153 Will Holden OT Vanderbilt/Roderick Johnson OT FSU
#177 Jake Elliott K Memphis
#193 Jordan Evans LB Oklahoma
#207 Jon Toth C Kentucky
#251 Chad Kelly QB Ole Miss
This draft has a chance to be a really boom draft if Ross and Mixon work out. I fear the lack of addressing the offensive line may cause this draft to overall not be a difference maker for next season as much as most feel like it can be.
Draft grade overall is C in my opinion. The Bengals added some dynamic play makers but did not address the offensive line and some of the picks in the 4th-7th round that I feel were missed opportunities for value.
#9 John Ross WR (B-)
Ross has insane speed and will be a high ceiling talent if he can remain healthy. That is a huge if given his past history and his size. I am rooting for the guy to be a game changer but I feel like at pick 9 and with what the board looked like that this was a huge gamble. I hope it pays off.
#48 Joe Mixon RB (B+)
This was the guy they were most likely targeting at pick 41. The Bengals traded back and still got their guy. I felt like the Bengals took it a bit easy on the Vikings in the trade as the Vikings got the better end of the swap. With that said, football wise they got 2 first round talents in the their first 2 picks. If Mixon, minds himself properly (which is another huge if), the Bengals did very well here.
#73 Jordan Willis DE (A+)
Best talent on the board in my opinion and at a position of need. Could have easily went in the late 1st round or early 2nd. Just strictly on value this is an A+.
#116 Carl Lawson DE/OLB (B)
Right about the range one would expect him to be picked. I know he has had some injuries ACL and hip but was mostly healthy last season. I think he can develop into a good rotational player but I don’t know how well he will translate in terms of being an above average rusher of the passer given his technique, bend, and shorter arms .
With all that said, I would have like to seen the Bengals trade up and taken Dorian Johnson with this pick.
#128 Josh Malone WR (A-)
I like this pick a lot given the fact is was obtained via a trade down and they likely got who that wanted anyway. This kid can stretch the field and is a larger target. Insurance for the Ross pick in some ways.
#138 Ryan Glasgow DT (F)
Not a fan of this pick for several reasons. The first one is I don’t see him as being talented enough to garner this high of a selection. He is a 6th round pick to me. Secondly, the list of players that were better values, prospects and better for team needs was long. Jake Butt and Jordan Leggett were available, Kazee and King were available, OT’s Holden and Roderick Johnson were available. Asiata was available.
Thirdly, he isn’t as talented as Qualls or Jones at the same position in my opinion.
#153 Jake Elliott K ©
I am glad the Bengals added some kicking competition but I think it was a round too early or at minimum a pick too early. Holden, Roderick Johnson, and Asiata were all still on the board in a draft that the Bengals had yet to address their biggest need of offensive line.
#177 J.J. Dielman OC (F)
Um, projected to be a udfa or at best a 7th rounder with Toth and Orlosky both on the board if they actually wanted to draft a center. I do not understand this pick. Seems to be a poor man’s Bodine.
#193 Jordan Evans LB (A)
Best pick they made in the later rounds. A coverage linebacker that could possibly be a help against TEs is something the Bengals really need.
#207 Brandon Wilson CB/HB/ST (B)
Interesting prospect with superb speed and explosion. Will likely be a practice squad guy until the Bengals figure out where is best to develop him.
#251 Mason Schreck TE (D)
Chad Kelly seemed too obvious here as the Bengals may have trouble finding
keeping 11 picks on the roster. Stash him on IR and move on. Other players available OT Aviante Collins and Collin Buchanon, S David Jones, LB Devonte Fields and Connor Harris among others.
The back end of the draft could have looked like this.
#138 Jake Butt TE Michigan
#153 Will Holden OT Vanderbilt/Roderick Johnson OT FSU
#177 Jake Elliott K Memphis
#193 Jordan Evans LB Oklahoma
#207 Jon Toth C Kentucky
#251 Chad Kelly QB Ole Miss
This draft has a chance to be a really boom draft if Ross and Mixon work out. I fear the lack of addressing the offensive line may cause this draft to overall not be a difference maker for next season as much as most feel like it can be.
Draft grade overall is C in my opinion. The Bengals added some dynamic play makers but did not address the offensive line and some of the picks in the 4th-7th round that I feel were missed opportunities for value.
![[Image: 4CV0TeR.png]](https://i.imgur.com/4CV0TeR.png)
