Goldfish's Way Too Early Draft Rankings 2020 (All up)

[MrOaktown_56]

5 hours ago, onejayhawk said:

The Cowboys had one of the top offenses in the NFL before they landed CeeDee Lamb. Now only the Kansas City compares.

They go as far as the defense takes them. That sounds a bit like the Chiefs last year, doesn't it? There is no reason to count the Cowboys out this season. 

J

LOL we will revisit this statement at a later date

[goldfishwars]

7 hours ago, Calvert28 said:

Exactly, I don't agree they being 3rd on this list. Most of the picks the Bronco's and Ravens made when into the round most thought they would go, I would even say some of them were reaches like Albert O in semi early 4th as well as Hamler which was a surprise pick considering they still needed help on the OLine and in the secondary. I would have definitely ranked the Bronco's much lower closer to 10 then Top 3. 

I smell a thread coming, can't wait to hear more

[goldfishwars]

2. Baltimore Ravens 

This Class In One Sentence:
They are just boringly good at this

Pre-Draft Needs 
LB, EDGE, OL, WR

Selections
1. 28. Patrick Queen  | LB | LSU
2. 55. J. K. Dobbins  | RB | Ohio State
3. 71. Justin Madubuike  | DT | Texas A&M
3. 92. Devin Duvernay  | WR | Texas
3. 98. Malik Harrison  | ILB | Ohio State
3. 106. Tyre Phillips  | G | Mississippi State
4. 143. Ben Bredeson  | G | Michigan
5. 170. Broderick Washington  | DT | Texas Tech
6. 201. James Proche  | WR | SMU
7. 219. Geno Stone  | SS | Iowa

Picks Heading In
1. 28.
2. 47.
2. 60.
3. 92.
3. 106.
4. 129.
4. 143.
5. 157.
7. 225.

Favorite Pick
Geno Stone – I know it’s extremely weird to pick a 7th round pick as a favorite in a class I really like, because not a lot of those guys get to hang around. But I saw Stone late on and I just think he’s a really good player. At 5’10, he’s obviously not the biggest or the most physically gifted, but he’s so physical and relentless it’s hard to not notice him back there. He’s really smart too and that high playing IQ covers up a lot of his deficiencies elsewhere. 

Most Questionable Pick
The Ravens were expected to invest in edge help at some point in the draft with Judon coming back on the franchise tag and other options being maybes to break through. They do have a more explosive front this year and have added a couple of good second-level blitzers, so I wouldn't be too downhearted about their prospects in generating pressure with one of the best DCs in the biz. 

Overview
It’s weird how over the years that the Patriots have got the reputation for hoovering up all the good players at the end of each round, when in fact the Ravens have been better at that for years now. They’ve done it again here, amassing another haul of talent and showing the league how you replenish a roster through the draft even though most of the league will pay absolutely no attention. That started at pick 28, with Patrick Queen at off-ball linebacker which was 100% not a focus or need of this football team according to Ravens fans. Queen has rare closing speed and explodes into gaps to shut down runners before plays can develop. He’s got easy movements in space which indicates he could match up regularly on tight ends if needed. 

JK Dobbins at 55 wasn’t the running back matched to the Ravens particularly often in the draft process. This pick feels like DeCosta trusting his scouting department's evaluations and at that spot he was the only one of the big five still left on the board and he's a decent fit for what Roman likes his backs to do. Dobbins is an easy accelerator and beats opponents to the edge with his burst. He runs with patience with vision and has good hands and can operate as a receiver. Justin Madubuike is definitely more of a Ravens pick and has an exciting blend of speed of power in his arsenal. His motor isn’t always on, but could be a rotational player in an exciting Ravens defensive line next year. 

Devin Duvernay and Malik Harrison rounded out a really intriguing day two where the Ravens had a number of selections. Duvernay does his best work as a vertical receiver from the slot, he’s kind of linear but will give the Ravens more options down the field and he’s an excellent ball tracker. Harrison is an old-school thumper at 6’3 and close to 250 pounds and generates a real pop on contact. I can imagine him being a nice compliment to the more finesse game of Queen’s. Tyre Phillips in the 3rd was okay and the Ravens don’t tend to make bad decisions with draft picks on offensive line picks. He’s an enormous guy at 330 pounds and over 35 inch arms and strong as an ox. He just lacks fundamental movement skills, which might show up more on other teams than in Baltimore. He does some versatility to play guard or tackle, which I suppose is something the team needed. 

Ben Bredeson I liked quite a bit, he's kind of the anti Tyre Phillips - doesn't have archetypal length, but he is smart and technical. I would not be surprised to see him starting soon. Broderick Washington was a little off my radar, I know he played in a weird alignment at Texas Tech – almost on the edge at over 300 pounds. He’s probably one to groom for the future. James Proche in the 6th just has exceptional ball skills, has so many highlight reel plays. A smaller receiver without wow measurables or athleticism, but he’s a technician who probably needs that to be that at an exceptional level to find a starting role in the NFL. 

[BroncoBruin]

Can’t wait to read your Broncos write-up. I think Baltimore would have been #1 for me. You’re right, they are just so predictably good at this and I like every guy they took. Clearly the best front office in the business IMO. 

[goldfishwars]

1. Denver Broncos

This Class In One Sentence:
What happened to Elway and why is he good at his job now? 

Pre-Draft Needs 
WR, OL, CB, DL

Selections
1. 15. Jerry Jeudy  | WR | Alabama
2. 46. K. J. Hamler  | WR | Penn State
3. 77. Michael Ojemudia  | CB | Iowa
3. 83. Lloyd Cushenberry  | C | LSU
3. 95. McTelvin Agim  | DT | Arkansas
4. 118. Albert Okwuegbunam  | TE | Missouri
5. 178. Justin Strnad  | LB | Wake Forest
6. 181. Netane Muti  | G | Fresno State
7. 252. Tyrie Cleveland  | WR | Florida
7. 254. Derrek Tuszka  | DE | North Dakota State

Picks Heading In
1. 15.
2. 46.
3. 77.
3. 83.
3. 95.
4. 118. 
5. 178.
6. 181.
7. 252.
7. 254.

Favorite Pick
Netane Muti – I know he’s had a litany of non-connecting injuries at Fresno State, but getting him in the 6th is still fantastic value. He would have been a top-tier interior prospect in this class, if it wasn’t for a spate of unrelated injuries at Fresno. When he did hit the field, he played with rarely matched strength inside and bulldozed interior defenders for fun. 

Most Questionable Pick
Some won’t like the Hamler pick at 46, but I really like it given the general theme Denver were going for. 

Overview
What a difference a year makes. People were calling for Elway to lose his job not that long ago (which always felt unlikely), but some promising performances from their 2nd round quarterback last season followed by a very handsome looking free agent class and now a sparkling draft class, things are looking a lot rosier in the garden. GM of the Year could be on the cards for this turnaround. Obviously that's all if they can transform that re-built roster into on-field success and there’s good reason to think they are a credible threat in the AFC West again. 

Things got off to an explosive start with the Jeudy pick at 15. Denver had been linked closely to Ruggs throughout the process, but Jeudy is more than a decent compromise here and people seem to have forgotten just how good he is. He has rare quickness in out of breaks and phenomenal route speed. He’s devastating on quick slants with his ability to find space as a runner and prolific at finding the end-zone which is an underrated skill for a receiver. Hamler in the 2nd was slightly indulgent, but when your team needs explosive weapons to compete in the AFC West, then why not go all out. Hamler is only 20 years old and has some immediate growth to do, but he’s got ridiculous lateral agility and acceleration. He reaches top speed in no time at all and is a blur with the ball in his hands. His hands have been a concern and clearly that needs to improve, but he has the tools to change the way a defense operates. 

Denver were set-up well with the picks to have a good day two and they took advantage of that. Michael Ojemudia kicked things off at 78 and he was probably in a third tier of corner in this class. He ticks both size and speed boxes, but needs a little technique work. But he does have excellent ball-skills, which is too often overlooked. I really liked the Lloyd Cushenberry selection, who could have gone much earlier than at 83. Beloved at LSU, where he was a real leader of that offensive line. Competitive and powerful enough inside, he should find work early at center or guard.

McTelvin Agim is a former five-star recruit and whilst he didn’t live up to that tag at Arkansas, he had a good week at the Senior Bowl where he showcased a bit of burst to go with good size and length on the interior. He needs to work on his run defense to become a full-time contributor, but could really add something as a third-down interior rusher. Albert Okwuegbunam caught a lot of attention at the Combine with the fast forty time and whilst you don’t always see that speed on tape, you do see some impressive flashes of athleticism as a pass catcher. He’s still raw right now, but he’s a nice developmental project to work in. I also really liked the move to select Justin Strnad in the 5th round who really seemed to come on at the end of the season, doing his best work in space and he compliments the harder-edged skill set on the roster currently. 

Tyrie Cleveland is yet another athletic specimen whose production didn’t match the profile in Florida. He's returned kicks and was an ace gunner on special teams there and that might be his way onto the active roster in the first instance. The pass-rusher Derrek Tuszka was very productive at a lower competition level,  but has a very transferable athletic profile for the NFL – so could be one to hang onto and see if he develops. I have a feeling there's something with him that's quite interesting. 
 

[onejayhawk]

4 hours ago, MrOaktown_56 said:

LOL we will revisit this statement at a later date

Perhaps, but not with the Raiders. Baltimore may make a case, or the other (only) bay team.

J

[onejayhawk]

As a Chiefs fan, I have mixed emotions seeing Denver haul in a catch like this, not that I liked everything. For example, I had Jeudy third, behind Lamb and Ruggs. I agree that taking Hamler was a luxury. It's round three and day three that makes this draft special. If you leave off Jeudy and Hamler, this is still in the top half of the league.

Maybe it's me, but they kept picking up players I wanted in KC--Cushenberry, Agim, Okwuegbunam, Strnad, Cleveland. The theme is upfield. The Chiefs have built a very fast, athletic team. These guys can compete with that. 

The division is going to get interesting once this draft class is up to speed. Denver had a huge draft and a developing QB. The Chargers and Raiders had decent-to-good classes and added a bunch of speed. They both have serious questions behind center. The Chiefs had a decent draft and absolutely rocked UDFA. Their QB has been pretty good. 

J

Edited May 8, 2020 by onejayhawk

[FinSting]

5 hours ago, Matts4313 said:

Goldfish destroyed his entire list when he dropped us from #1 to #3. Shame Shame

Still the #1 draft made via boat though

[thebestever6]

As a Broncos fan I'm really excited for this season And I'm interested to see how fast this young offense gets up to speed with a virtual off-season

[Matts4313]

30 minutes ago, FinSting said:

Still the #1 draft made via boat though

[MWil23]

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

10. Cleveland Browns

First of all, hats off to you as always! I love reading these every year, and you clearly have done your homework down to little details, which I appreciate!

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

This Class In One Sentence:
Absolutely none of the fireworks seen in previous drafts, just unexpectedly sensible 

It's freaking about time!

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Pre-Draft Needs 
OT, S, LB, DL

Selections
1. 10. Jedrick Wills  | OT | Alabama
2. 44. Grant Delpit  | S | LSU
3. 88. Jordan Elliott  | DT | Missouri
3. 97. Jacob Phillips  | ILB | LSU
4. 115. Harrison Bryant  | TE | Florida Atlantic
5. 160. Nick Harris  | C | Washington
6. 187. Donovan Peoples-Jones  | WR | Michigan

Picks Heading In
1. 10.
2. 41.
3. 74.
3. 97.
4. 115.
6. 187.
7. 244.

Favorite Pick
Jedrick Wills – My top ranked offensive lineman, I really like this pick at 10. He’s an explosive bully who gets after opponents straight off the snap. Prototypical sized, can open-up his hips and bend, times his punches well, has plenty of nasty to his game. Played mostly on the right side, so there might be a transition period heading over to the left assuming Conklin will slip into his familiar role. 

I had Wills/Thomas ranked almost equally. I have the floor edge/scheme fit for the Browns (ZBS) going to Wills because of his fantastic techniqe/pro readiness, but I love(d) Thomas's long term potential and strength. His ceiling is super high, but I said going in I'd be ecstatic with either of these two.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Most Questionable Pick
Jacob Phillips – Kind of a left-field selection in the third round at 97 with the likes of Malik Harrison and Davis-Gather going later and few analysts placing him in that range prior to the draft. I got to admit, I didn’t particularly like him and thought he looked a little stiff and hesitant. He certainly looks the part and seems to be a high-effort player and clearly the Browns see something in him to spend a relatively high pick on him at a spot that needed players. 

Absolutely atrocious pick. Almost all of us in the forum hated this pick. We preferred Harrison or Dye here. I guess the FO loved his tackling ability, as he was a PFF guy/sure tackler. That said, Harrison (granted I love OSU and have seen him play for 3 years) is a true MIKE LB, which we desperately need after losing Schobert in free agency. He's got tremendous size at 6'3 and 245, is a great A/B plug backer, and he's extremely valuable as a blitzer too, and an above average coverage LB. Watching him go to Baltimore with the next pick added fuel to the hatred too.

That said, for once I loved every single pick that they made and if I hate their fourth pick (late third) and loved every other, I won't complain.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Overview
Whoever was pulling the strings in this draft, be it Paul DePodesta or new GM Andrew Barry, those were some pretty light tugs with most of the picks heading in obvious positions of need and on players they got good value for in the most part. The Browns also landed some decent ‘falling’ talent on day three and should generally be pretty happy with what they put together. It definitely feels weird to talk about a Browns draft where they weren’t front and center of the coverage, probably refreshing for their fans too.  

PREACH

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

The back to back selections on Grant Delpit and Jordan Elliott represented good value and they are good scheme fits for the roles they will slide into. Delpit took knocks throughout the process for his weird tackling technique, but few can doubt his physical potential and he has some versatility to play either safety spot which makes him a versatile weapon in this scheme.

This pick divided our fanbase the most, with many of us preferring Winfield as a "safer" pick. Delpit many of us see as "boom or bust", but his athleticism and upside is hard to deny. Hopefully some of his tackling/weird angles (mostly present this past year as opposed to 2018) were due to his leg injuries that he played through. If we get 2018 Delpit, we got a projected Top 10 guy in Round 2. Throw in the fact that we traded 41 to move back 3 spots and picked up a 4th rounder for free, while still getting our guy, and I love that.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Elliott had some admirers in the media and was a top 50 player on Daniel Jeremiah’s and PFF’s draft rankings. He’s got some prototypical dimensions and an explosive first step and is an ascending talent after a strong 2019.  If he plays up to that billing, then the Browns got a good player at a  relatively cheap price here. 

He won't be asked to do much this year either, aside from being a rotational guy. We have Richardson, Ogunjobi, and Billings on the interior, so hopefully Elliott can come in and push the pocket on the inside and develop into a starter next year/the year after, with major upside.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Bryant, Harris and Peoples-Jones were good value for where they were selected. I don’t know what the latest is with the Njoku situation, I expect he might be traded now with Harrison potentially taking TE2 duties behind Austin Hooper.

The Browns JUST picked up his 5th year option last week after making this selection, telling us that they're going to use a LOT of 2 TE packages that Stefanski loves/is a staple of his offense and probably move Njoku/Harrison in and out of the slot and utilize them in the Red Zone to go with OBJ, Landry, and maybe Hunt/Chubb as well (12 personnel). Harrison isn't quite physically ready to be a good inline blocker, and Njoku is still only 23.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

Bryant is solid, he’s got good size and does everything decently well. Nick Harris has the ability to outplay that draft position too and if he does, perhaps JC Tretter might be moved out to guard to accommodate him. He’s notably not got a great anchor, but he’s dynamic on the move and climbing to the second level where he does his best work.

Harris was a ZBS guy too, which makes him a good scheme fit. I think that Harris is a pure backup type for a year or two, and hopefully then by year 3 sliding into Tretter's spot at C. RG is still the biggest/only real question mark on that offensive line.

On 5/5/2020 at 10:34 AM, goldfishwars said:

People-Jones was a real enigma at Michigan, rumored to be a real top level athlete for a long time but either through poor QB play or ability, never fulfilled his potential there. He does have some enticing size and speed to work and was expected to go higher than the 6th round where he ended up. 

I was hoping that we'd get him in Round 4, so getting him in Round 6 made me excited. You saw him at the combine and what he can do and why in such a loaded WR class, he was the #1 WR recruit coming out of HS. Hopefully you put him into a situation where he will be our #4 WR (OBJ, Landry, Higgins, then him/Ratley can fight for that spot) and immediately be a Red Zone guy, big slot, and learn from the veterans. If not, they're really out nothing with him.

[Johnny Nix]

Good work @goldfishwars 

proud of you

[goldfishwars]

3 minutes ago, johndeere1707 said:

Good work @goldfishwars 

proud of you

Thanks man

[Ozzy]

On 5/7/2020 at 2:27 AM, goldfishwars said:

5. Jacksonville Jaguars 

This Class In One Sentence:
The Dave Caldwell is back from the dead draft

Pre-Draft Needs 
CB, OL, EDGE, LB, WR

Selections
1. 9. C. J. Henderson  | CB | Florida
1. 20. K'Lavon Chaisson  | EDGE | LSU
2. 42. Laviska Shenault  | WR | Colorado
3. 73. DaVon Hamilton  | DT | Ohio State
4. 116. Ben Bartch  | OT | St. John's (MN)
4. 137. Josiah Scott  | CB | Michigan State
4. 140. Shaquille Quarterman  | LB | Miami (FL)
5. 157. Daniel Thomas  | S | Auburn
5. 165. Collin Johnson  | WR | Texas
6. 189. Jake Luton  | QB | Oregon State
6. 206. Tyler Davis  | TE | Georgia Tech
7. 223. Chris Claybrooks  | CB | Memphis

Picks Heading In
1. 9.
1. 20.
2. 42.
3. 73.
4. 116.
4. 118.
4. 137.
4. 140.
5. 165.
5. 170.
6. 189.
6. 206.
7. 223.

Favorite Pick
K'Lavon Chaisson  - I was surprised to see him there at 20 to be honest, this is a huge get for the Jaguars and real position of need too. He’s still only 20 years old and just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Chaisson is an explosive athlete who refined his pass-rushing techniques as the college football season progressed. He also looks natural dropping into coverage and moves well in space.

Most Questionable Pick
I don’t think there’s particularly much to question. I suppose some may have been hoping for an offensive tackle who can start now with doubts around Cam Robinson's ability to hold up, which might not be Ben Bartch. 

Overview
Wow, kudos to Caldwell who somehow emerged from the debacle of the last year with seemingly more power than he did previously. It's amazing he still has a job quite frankly, but he's a survivor who has the ear of that front office. It was impressive to see them building up draft capital prior to this draft and I really feel like the selections made could turn around the fortunes of a team that has lost key players. Probably the biggest winner is Gardner Minshew who emerges as the clear starter at QB and gets a real shot to make that his own. If he fails and the Jaguars are picking low again next year, then at least they have some good players and a new QB to look forward to. 

I like the Henderson pick at 9, that seemed to be the most likely pick as the process wore on. He’s got rare easy movements and silky smooth in his back pedal and effortless when match and mirroring. Has the requisite size to man-up on bigger receivers and he's a rare athlete too, who tested off the charts at the combine. Hopefully his tackling will pick-up. I also really like the Shenault pick at 42, I think that injury effected forty time did too much to hurt his stock. He was a one-man offense at times in Colorado where the quarterback play was so sub-par, his versatility was the only thing keeping it moving at times. His route-running needs work, but his underneath skill set should be a nice compliment to the vertical strengths of DJ Chark.

Davon Hamilton in the 3rd and Ben Bartch in the 4th give the team some depth in the trenches where it was needed. Hamilton offers a little as a pass-rusher, but is hugely powerful and collapsed pockets for fun at Ohio State which is something Jacksonville needed. Bartch comes out of a tiny school and is a little short-limbed, but should offer some flexibility at guard or tackle when he's ready. Josiah Scott is a talented slot corner the media seemed to catch up to as the process went on. He’s got good speed and instincts and looks ready to play some snaps early on. 

There were six more selections made on day three, making this a really large haul for Jacksonville. Shaquille Quarterman is a physical two down MIKE with some concerns in space. Daniel Thomas is a squatty safety who works well in and around the box and probably has some special teams upside. Collin Johnson was a frustrating watch because he’s so big and decently quick for his size, but he just doesn’t seem to know that he's bigger than the guy facing him at times. There is physical potential for him to grow is there. Jake Luton gives them some prototypical tools at back-up QB, he had a few admirers in the draft process. The last two picks were just off my radar, I suspect both will be competing for special teams spots. 

Impressive work overall and a lot of stuff to go through no doubt.

I agree with most of your rankings, agree with the top 3 but have them in a different order.  I think you overrated Jacksonville a lot.  On paper it looks solid but Laviska has a injury history and so does K'Lavon.  Not to mention Bartch who could not perform at the combine because of injury.  Quarterman is a good value there, Scott I like in terms of toughness, he might be able to teach CJ how to tackle.  Daniel Thomas I thought was overrated and never really stood out during the season for Auburn but athletically stood out at the combine, Johnson on Texas is big time but honestly he greatly disappointed this past season but maybe could turn it around in the NFL.  Hamilton is a nice pickup at DT no question and is good value, and Luton can spin it and has a lot of upside so was a nice pickup later.  

 

CJ Henderson is the biggest problem I have with that Jacksonville draft.  If Chaisson and him were flipped it might be different but would have been too high for Chaisson as well.  But honestly CJ Henderson disappointed big time this past year.  Watch the tape, he is late on multiple throws, get beat more than once, reacts with the wrong hand in the air when the ball arrives multiple times on pass plays.  Is a tick late in coverage, he just did not play well not to mention his lack of physical play which sure might be good in the NFL because how the pass interference rules are enforced, but he really is not very physical at all.  Teams overrated him because he is 6-1 and ran a sub 4.4 40 time.  Good corner but is not nearly as great as some are making him out to be, especially after what he showed last year but like Delpit, maybe it was injury related, who knows.  Simply put kid got beat a lot for being this all world shut down coverage corner.  The difference between him at Okudah is massive, Okudah will tackle and is tough/physical, Henderson is not and not sure how much he wants to stick his nose in there and fight for the football or to get the tackle.  

 

Also the Bills and Colts have underrated classes, just because they did not have high picks they still did a wonderful job overall getting great value when players dropped.  I love Carolina's draft as well but with how they did not address the OL that will become an issue I feel.  They needed to address some offensive issues and they did not.  But did get Chris Orr as a UDFA and he could start for them sooner rather than later.  

Edited May 8, 2020 by Ozzy

[TENINCH]

19 hours ago, Calvert28 said:

Yea but 15 picks is still 15 picks. I mean if we could trade away day 3 picks to get back into the 3rd round to get Ashtyn Davis I most certainly would have and taken my chances with the bribes of those other UDFA to get them to come to minny.

12 more picks next year already!