6Everything you wanted to know about football but were afraid to ask. Ask about any and all things college football here. There are no dumb questions, only plays you don’t know yet. Serious questions only, please! Joke posts will be removed. Please do not downvote honest questions. Got a more specific question or idea? Check out the weekly thread schedule for more:
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
Monday
MS Paint Monday
Varies
Theme varies week to week.
The Monday Morning Playoff Committee
12:00 PM
A place for you to share playoff hypotheticals.
Betting Discussion Thread
1:00 PM
Discuss spreads, oveunders, and prop bets for this week's games.
Everything you wanted to know about football but were afraid to ask. Ask about any and all things college football here. There are no dumb questions, only plays you don’t know yet. Serious questions only, please! Joke posts will be removed. Please do not downvote honest questions. Got a more specific question or idea? Check out the weekly thread schedule for more:
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
Monday
MS Paint Monday
Varies
Theme varies week to week.
The Monday Morning Playoff Committee
12:00 PM
A place for you to share playoff hypotheticals.
Betting Discussion Thread
1:00 PM
Discuss spreads, oveunders, and prop bets for this week's games.
Everything you wanted to know about football but were afraid to ask. Ask about any and all things college football here. There are no dumb questions, only plays you don’t know yet. Serious questions only, please! Joke posts will be removed. Please do not downvote honest questions. Got a more specific question or idea? Check out the weekly thread schedule for more:
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
Monday
MS Paint Monday
Varies
Theme varies week to week.
The Monday Morning Playoff Committee
12:00 PM
A place for you to share playoff hypotheticals.
Betting Discussion Thread
1:00 PM
Discuss spreads, oveunders, and prop bets for this week's games.
/CFB Ball We would like to welcome you to the internet's tailgate, /CFB! We are a community of over 900,000 college football fans from all over the globe. There is just something about college football that grabs you and makes you want to scream at a TV, a ref, or - let's be real here - COVID-19 or 2020 in general. Dumpster Fire But even with all the bad in the world, there are countless CFB teams for you to root for - in the US and around the world. We guarantee you've got a college football team nearby. We do our best to cover them all. MontmorencyIPNMonashUFPRKITUppsalaUmojaESME-ESGLagos MarinesCanterbury (NZ)NidarosZlín富山大学 (Toyama)天津大学 (Tianjin)동의대학교 (Eui)Sakarya Once you have found a team to support you should consider picking up a flair to show your fandom and pride. /CFB has over 2,300 unique flairs to choose from. Make sure you choose a flair on a browser and not any reddit apps. /CFB currently has the ability for dual flairs. This allows you to show your fandom for two teams or your team and its conference, or even show your support for the Duke's Mayonnaise Bowl and wear a flair for your favorite bowl game! So, yeah, things are weird this year. We're working with this as best we can. Game Threads Because things are so up in the air, for the moment we're going to have CFB_Referee post all of the game threads and post game threads. If things stabilize, we may revisit that later in the season, but for the moment that will help us ensure that everything stays accurate. Useful Information Here are some links you should visit...
We recommend you take a moment to read the rules and the post rules before posting so you don't violate one by accident. Look for threads already happening on a topic to add your take. Look for weekly threads (see below) to ask questions or share specific ideas. If you're not sure? Send us a modmail to ask! How to View /CFB There are many ways to view Reddit, and the one that we recommend and maintain the most is Old Reddit. If you're viewing from mobile web, Reddit Apps, or New Reddit, you'll still get all of the comments and posts, but it may not be as visually up to date.
Rule Refresher
Here at /CFB we have some pretty simple rules - you can read all of them here. We know we're seeing a lot of new faces around here, so this is especially important right now. For a refresher, here is a TL;DR of some of the important ones to keep in mind. No racism, homophobia, sexism, rape jokes, victim blaming, or other bigotry. Just no. Seriously. Discussing college football should never lead to this. Remember, this is a place to talk about football, that's it. One of the great things about /CFB is that it isn't the ESPN or AL.com comment sections. This also means no jokes about rape AND it means no using rape or rape scandals as flamebait. No unrelated politics and keep related politics civil. Yes, we know this is hard with everything going on right now and how politics are intersecting with college football more and more openly. Still, keep it on topic, related to college football, and keep it civil. No content that seeks to deceive, misinform, or otherwise harm others, or to entertain the notion of such. Please also avoid giving medical advice, even if you're a medical professional in real life. No flair based downvoting. The downvote button does not exist to put down teams you don't like, people you don't like, or opinions you don't like. Instead, use it to get rid of trolls or bad content. Downvoting just because of flair makes Coach Snyder sad. Don't make Coach Snyder sad. No flamebait, personal attacks or harassment. Have a good time on /CFB and be nice. No argument is worth getting into on the internet. We encourage strong debates and good discussion but if it ultimately comes down to "You are wrong, I am right" and name calling you will be banned. Examples, while not comprehensive, include instances like you calling someone an idiot, telling them you hope they die, claim all fans of X team are Y horrible thing... these are just a few examples of Rule 2 violations. Tweets must be made as self-posts. To cut down on Tweet-spam, all direct Twitter links will be removed. No word-for-word pasting of paywall content. We can't allow users to repost content from paid sites. There is a reason the paywall exists and writers deserve the money. Feel free to quickly summarize an article, though, or include a very brief quote. This also includes things like posting screenshots of the content or linking to sites that deliberately redirect around paywalls. No stream links. Reddit as a whole is cracking down on this. Do not link to illegal stream sites or to subreddits aggregating those links. Discussion about options like Hulu Live, You Tube TV, etc. are allowed, but keep in mind that generic requests for cord cutter options may be removed. No which team/fanbase is X threads. Threads designed to put down other teams or fanbases will be removed. We want posts that encourage positive discussion and debate, not collective hate. Example thread titles include "Which fanbase is most delusional?" and "Which team do you irrationally hate?" No Buy, Sell, or Trade Posts/Comments We just have no way to verify that people posting these classifieds aredoing or will do what they claim, so we're going to be removing any such threads. Reporting While this isn't a rule, it does help us make sure the rules get applied consistently. We can't be everywhere, so that means we need you to help out by reporting posts or comments that break the rules. You may have noticed the new options for reporting comments and submissions - hopefully this will make things easier! PLUS if you respond and break the rules yourself, you risk a ban. Just hit report and let us handle it. Tweets DON'T TWEET AT CROOTS.
Weekly Threads
Now that the season is beginning, weekly threads will be back up. We have at least one thread each day. Use them! Other threads that cover this information will be removed. Please note, this may change depending on how things go.
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
Monday
MS Paint Monday
Varies
Theme varies week to week.
The Monday Morning Playoff Committee
11:00 AM
A place for you to share playoff hypotheticals and your proposals to change the College Football Playoff.
Betting Discussion Thread
1:00 PM
Discuss spreads, oveunders, and prop bets for this week's games.
The Monday Afternoon Conference Realignment Committee
2:30 PM
Discuss your hypothetical Conference realignment scenarios and how they might play out!
A thread with reminders about that week's upcoming threads, when weekly threads are, etc.
Due to volume of submissions, the threads for the AP Poll, and CFP Rankings will be posted automatically by CFB_Referee. The Coaches Poll however is open to being posted as links. Whoever posts first wins. Please be sure to link to the official websites for each poll. Duplicates will be removed.
Pre-Season Threads
Please note, this schedule is subject to change.
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
8/24
Homegrown Media
1:00 PM
Share your own writing, podcasts, etc.
8/25
Dear CFB: Going to or Watching a Game Advice Thread
2:00 PM
Ask for advice about going to a game or where to watch one for any games this season.
8/26
College Fantasy Football
10:55 AM
Discuss your college fantasy football threads. Note that any comments that relate to financial transactions may be removed.
8/27
Complain About Your Team
1:00 PM
For the whole season.
8/28
Bold Predictions
11:00 AM
For the whole season.
This year, we'll be doing pre-season threads on a conference by conference basis 1 week before they start play, so they'll be staggered across the next month or so.
Day
Time
Conference
Thread
8/26
10:00 AM
FCS
Season Discussion
1:00 PM
C-USA
Season Discussion
3:00 PM
Sun Belt
Season Discussion
8/28
10:00 AM
FCS
Season Predictions
1:00 PM
C-USA
Season Predictions
3:00 PM
Sun Belt
Season Predictions
9/9
1:00 PM
ACC
Season Discussion
9/11
1:00 PM
ACC
Season Predictions
9/16
1:00 PM
American
Season Discussion
9/18
1:00 PM
American
Season Predictions
9/23
11:00 AM
Big 12
Season Discussion
1:00 PM
SEC
Season Discussion
9/25
11:00 AM
Big 12
Season Predictions
1:00 PM
SEC
Season Predictions
Final Thoughts
This season will be the weirdest in /CFB's history. A Hungry Cougar in the Rain We've jumped to over 900,000 football fans with more joining every day. We continue to grow and push our outreach even farther, adding more CFB media coverage and outreach, new AMAs, and new options for our users. We're getting more and more new people being brought in by discussions of a much wider range of issues. Stay safe. Touchdown Order Ball Stay well. Wash your hands. Houston Nutt Nick Saban Watch your sources.
Everything you wanted to know about football but were afraid to ask. Ask about any and all things college football here. There are no dumb questions, only plays you don’t know yet. Serious questions only, please! Joke posts will be removed. Please do not downvote honest questions. Got a more specific question or idea? Check out the weekly thread schedule for more:
Day
Thread
Time (ET)
Additional Information
Monday
The Monday Morning Playoff Committee
12:00 PM
A place for you to share playoff hypotheticals.
Betting Discussion Thread
1:00 PM
Discuss spreads, oveunders, and prop bets for this week's games.
We won't see who is unavailable today until a few minutes before the game starts.
THE LIGHTNING WON THE STANLEY CUP!!! Rays beat the Blue Jays in the wild card round of the Playoff and will be facing the Yankees in the next round starting Monday #TeamTampaBay
With the return of College Football (possibly) right around the corner, here are some of the best websites/apps I've found over the years to be great resources. What are your favorites?
Updated list for 2020! First and foremost, /CFB of course. No explanation needed, we're all here. CFB Discord Server - The sub also has a Discord server! NCAA Scores - No clutter, live scoreboard, search by top 25/conference/all games. Game Viewing Guide - Great website to quickly see what games are playing on what channel and when with a nice visual guide. lsufootball.net - Lists all games, what channels they're on and has links to stream games through the official network's website (FSGo, WatchESPN, CBSSN, etc.). All games are in central time. Vegas Insider - Spreads/betting lines. CFB Poll - Direct link to the /CFB poll. CFB inline flair - Quickly access all the inline flair on /CFB. 506 Sports - Viewing guide which includes the commentators for each game (recommended by mergaam). My Team is Better Than Your Team - A site fully devoted to the transitive property. Nothing important will be learned but fun to play with. (recommended by bullmoose_atx) CFB Sports Reference - My favorite resource for all stats CFB. CFB Stats - Another CFB stats website (recommended by Ron_Cherry) College Poll Tracker - In depth look at each week's polls. Can see individual pollster's ballots (recommended by BeatNavyAgain). FB Schedules - "Great resource to quickly see who is playing what game when, especially future year's announced games" (recommended by Mr_Stitches). College Logos - "Useful if you ever need a quick and dirty image of a school's logo, plus they have a huge archive of most schools logos/history, as well as alternate logos etc." (recommended by Mr_Stitches). Winsipedia - Great website for comparing two teams all time record against one another (recommended by capcity614). FBS College Football Live Scores, Plays, Schedule - (Android App Link), (iOS App Link) - I haven't tried the iOS version, but this is hands down the best CFB scores app I've found on Android. Live scores, spreads, says what channel the game is on, on the fly notifications for things like 'notify if game is close late in 4th' etc. It even has a dark mode. Free with ads or pay to remove ads. Podcast Recommendations - /CFB/wiki/podcasts Link to last year's thread What sites/apps do you guys use/have bookmarked for College Football? Edit: typo!
NCAA Football Week 5 - Analysis, Predictions and Odds
NCAA Football Week 5 - MAC's Analysis, Predictions and Odds 2021 College Football National Championship Odds + Pick Clemson +200 Alabama +400 Georgia +2000 LSU +10000 Notre Dame +4000 Florida +1200 Oklahoma +2800 Texas +4000 Auburn +6600 Texas A&M +5000 (MAC's Power Pick) Miami (FL) +8000 Oklahoma State +10000 MAC's NCAAF Red Alert Action - 10/03 - No. 13 Texas A&M (1-0) at No. 2 Alabama (1-0) When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 at 3:30 PM ET Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL TV: CBS Spread: Alabama -17 Money Lines: Texas A&M +605 / Alabama -855 Total: 51.5 Texas A&M Team Leaders - Touchdowns: Ainias Smith 1 Rushing: Isaiah Spiller 117 Passing: Kellen Mond 189 Receiving: Caleb Chapman 40 Sacks: Micheal Clemons 1.5 Interceptions: Leon O'Neal Jr. 1 Alabama Team Leaders - Touchdowns: Najee Harris 3 Rushing Najee: Harris 98 Passing: Mac Jones 249 Receiving: Jaylen Waddle 134 Sacks: Labryan Ray 1.0 Interceptions: Thomas Fletcher 0 Quick Trends: Aggies are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Aggies are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game. Aggies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games. Aggies are 17-8 ATS in their last 25 games on grass. Crimson Tide are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 conference games. Crimson Tide are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game. Texas A&M busted up Vanderbilt 17-12 last weekend as quarterback Kellen Mond aired it out for the small 189 yards and got himself a touchdown. A&M running back Isaiah Spiller grabbed himself the small 117 rushing yards in the unwatchable low scoring game. Alabama smacked up Missouri 28-19 Bama quarterback Mac Jones passed for 249 yards and put 2 in the end zone, while running back Najee Harris put in his 98 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. This week both teams meet up for a good ol boys SEC game in Tuscaloosa. The Aggies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 conference games, but on the flipside 1-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record. Alabama has gone 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in October, but just 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games following a straight up win, 3-7 ATS in their last 10 conference games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 home games against a team with a winning road record. The Tide can go get it done but reports coming in from our affiliates are ambivalent to give all those points away on the road at best, our consensus is going with Texas A&M to cover the chalk mainly because of the edge at quarterback. MAC's Game Prediction: Alabama 31 Texas A&M 27 Play: Texas A&M +17 10/03 - No. 18 Oklahoma (1-1) at Iowa State (1-1) When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 at 7:30 PM ET Where: MidAmerican Energy Field at Jack Trice Stadium, Ames, IA TV: ABC Spread: Oklahoma -7.5 Money Lines: Iowa State +210 / Oklahoma -260 Total: 62.5 Quick Trends: Cyclones are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game. Cyclones are 7-1-2 ATS in their last 10 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. Cyclones are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home underdog. Sooners are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game. Sooners are 3-7 ATS vs. a team with a losing record. Sooners are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points. Sooners Team Leaders: Touchdowns Seth McGowan 2 Rushing Seth McGowan 134 Passing Spencer Rattler 677 Receiving Marvin Mims 111 Sacks DaShaun White 2.5 Interceptions Delarrin Turner-Yell 1 Cyclones Team Leaders: Touchdowns Breece Hall 4 Rushing Breece Hall 257 Passing Brock Purdy 356 Receiving Xavier Hutchinson 69 Sacks JaQuan Bailey 3.5 Interceptions Mike Rose 1 Oklahoma ran through Missouri State 48-0 in their opener, then hit a wall on Saturday with a depressing 38-35 loss against K-State as a insanely obnoxious 28-point favorite. Quarterback Spencer Rattler some how passed for 387 yards with four touchdowns even with 3 costly interceptions. Iowa State laid down against Louisiana Lafayette in their opener, and bumbled a cover against a suspect TCU team, final 37-34 as 3.5-point road favorite they should have had no problem with a soft line like that. Quarterback Brock Purdy got off 211 yards 1 touchdown, running back Breece Hall got 154 yards and 38 attempts and 3 trips to the end zone. The Sooners are paying the books at 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite, 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall has Vegas building skyscrapers with bettors money, 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games and 1-6 ATS in their last 7 conference games, I mean these guys are a bunch of bums when it comes to getting the money. Now if you've been putting your action on Iowa State as a underdog you've made some cash, 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a home dog, 19-7-1 ATS in their last 27 games as an underdog and 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games following a straight up loss, I mean these guys are a golden egg if you play the line right. MAC is setting the standard and putting the business on the table, sharps and early money aren't making a dent in the line because oddsmakers made a tight one this week. MAC's looking at Spencer Rattle as the x factor, if he steps up this could very well be a easy win + cover for the Sooners, Iowa State is getting the 7.5 and MAC smells something fishy about the hook, play the over set at 62.5 up from 61.5 and don't be scared to give the points because Rattler will look like a stud this week against a mediocre Cyclone D. watch "Brock Purdy Lips" gets manhandled by DaShaun White. Iowa State Injury Report - T. Milton WR - Ques Sat - Milton was unavailable for the previous game due to a lower-body injury and it is unknown if he will line up versus Oklahoma on Saturday. R. Hudson OL - Ques Sat - Undisclosed T. Downing OL - Ques Sat - Downing missed the last game with an ankle injury and his status for Saturday's contest against Oklahoma remains up in the air. MAC's Game Prediction: Oklahoma 45 Iowa State 24 Play: Over 62.5 Play: Oklahoma -7.5 No. 7 Auburn (1-0) at No. 4 Georgia (1-0) Auburn made bacon out of the boys down in Kentucky 29-13 last weekend to cash in as a 6.5-point home favorite, big Bo Nix passed for 233 yards with 3 touchdowns, no interceptions, and looking like a god damn stud averaging 6.8 rushing yards a game, MAC would let his daughter and mother date a guy like this, and they got wide receiver Seth Williams coming in catching six passes for 112 yards 2 TDs. Georgia looked like decent, getting through Arkansas 37-10 last weekend was impressive but not really, QB Stetson Bennett threw for 211 yards with 2 touchdowns and surprisingly no picks. Georgia scored 22 third quarter points to take control after going into the half down 7-5, now that could be good football but MAC is saying fluke and calling shenanigan's. When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 at 7:30 PM ET Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA TV: ESPN Spread: Georgia -6.5 Money Lines: Auburn +200 / Georgia -250 Total: 45 Auburn Team Leaders - Touchdowns D.J. Williams 1 Rushing Bo Nix 34 Passing Bo Nix 233 Receiving Seth Williams 112 Sacks Daquan Newkirk 1.0 Interceptions Roger McCreary 1 Georgia Team Leaders - Touchdowns Zamir White 1 (MAC's #BumAlert Prospect) Rushing Zamir White 71 Passing Stetson Bennett 211 Receiving Kearis Jackson 62 Sacks Nolan Smith 1.5 Interceptions Richard Lecounte 2 Auburn gets the money early in the season and has gone 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games overall, 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 October games, but be cautious because Bulldogs are money makers too, 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS loss and 10-4 ATS in their last 14 home games against a team with a winning road record. The Tigers just can't get through Georgia and have sucked against the spread going 0-6 ATS in their last 6 meetings in Georgia and 1-6 ATS in the last 7 meetings. Now MAC would normally stay away from a game like this but it's hard to bet against big Bo Nixon and that up tempo offense. Georgia -6.5 is a suckers bet, take those points and ride Bo's back like the rest of the Tigers! MAC's Game Prediction: Georgia 17 Auburn 27 Play: Auburn +6.5 Play: Under 45.5 (Get That Hook)
Division: NFC West Record: 9-7 (3rd in Division, 7th in Conference) After a wildly successful 2019 season, the Los Angeles Rams had high hopes for 2020. It was truly Super Bowl or bust for the team, and unfortunately as high as the expectations were the end result was disappointment almost as high. Despite the shortcomings (and media doubt), the team is still in great shape to have another great year and playoff hopes are completely within shooting distance. Here's a brief summary of some of the positives and negatives on the 2019 season. Positives
Over half of our draft class showed real signs of being potential starters for 2020. Bobby Evans and David Edwards stepped in due to injuries and had success. Taylor Rapp was one of the leagues best rookie defenders, and will definitely start in 2020. David Long Jr filled in due to injury occasionally through the year and showed a glimpse of the player he could be after some development.
Cooper Kupp emerging as a potential top 10 WR. I'm just going to lean into the joke, because the dude is honestly the scrappiest WR we've had in a long time, and he puts in serious work. He can make a decent argument for being in the conversation as the best route runner in the NFL.
Despite the season being a disappointment as mentioned above, the fact that as a Rams fan I can look at a year where we went 9-7 and narrowly missed the playoffs as a disappointment has to be viewed as a positive. I've been a fan for my entire life, and wallowing in the years from 2006-2016 has been pretty rough. To have expectations again is nice.
Negatives
Jared Goff, the most frustrating QB next to Jameis Winston. His rookie year can hardly be counted against him, so after seeing him have a pretty successful 2017 and then a flat out great 2018 was tremendous, and really set the bar high in 2019. To be frank, Jared Goff managed to disappoint in many games this year. Almost off of this disappointment can be attributed to overconfidence rather than bad decisions. Goff doesn't have an issue reading defenses consistently rather he has an issue with thinking he can fit throws in tight windows that he can't consistently place. Taking what the defense gives him has been a problem for Goff throughout his career and in 2019 it was on full display.
We had one of the most predictable defenses in 2019, and having star players like Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey would rightfully make fans think some level of razzle dazzle could be drawn up. We never really saw that in 2019 and teams took advantage.
Our run game never could be consistently established. Our offense starts with the OL and the zone blocking scheme, and with the decline of Todd Gurley, and many injuries sustained on the OL, the run game could hardly ever get established.
2020 Coaching Staff/Changes
Position
Name (* indicates new coach)
Notes
Sean McVay
Head Coach
Total babe
Joe Berry
Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach
Thad Bogardus
Assistant Defensive Line Coach/Defensive Quality Control
Dope name
John Bonamego
Special Teams Coordinator*
Previously with the Detroit Lions
Thomas Brown
Running Backs Coach*
Previously with the South Carolina Gamecocks
Liam Coen
Assistant Quarterbacks Coach
Previously WRs coach
John Cooley
Defensive Quality Control*
Previously Akron CBs Coach
Andy Dickerson
Assistant Offensive Line Coach
Ejiro Evero
Safeties Coach
Dope name
Eric Henderson
Defensive Line Coach
Aaron Kromer
Run Game CoordinatoOffensive Line Coach
Zak Kromer
Offensive Quality Control
lol nepotism
Bill Nayes
Assistant to the Head Coach
insert The Office joke here
Kevin O'Connell
Offensive Coordinator*
Previously with the Washington REDACTED
Wes Phillips
Tight Ends Coach
Aubrey Pleasant
Cornerbacks Coach
Zac Robinson
Assistant Wide Receivers Coach
Was Assistant QB coach in 2019
Chris Shula
Outside Linebackers Coach
Brandon Staley
Defensive Coordinator*
Previously with the Denver Broncos as OLB Coach
Shane Waldron
Pass Game Coordinator
Eric Yarbor
Wide Receivers Coach
Key Changes
The loss of Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips is a bummer, but something that was absolutely needed. This series I believe was the nail in the coffin for Wade's tenure with the Rams. And while the man has a historic legacy as a coach, ultimately he has a noticeable trend of running the same schemes and without much adjusting throughout the season, and opposing teams inevitably catch on to what he's doing and they counter. This same trend seemed to happen Denver as well. There is no doubt that the son of Bum will be missed, but ultimately I think Wade's hire was primarily to serve as a mentor for McVay while he figured out what it was like to be a head coach in the NFL. Now that McVay has three full seasons under his belt, that need is no longer there. Brandon Staley can be the energy the Rams defense desperately needs, and he could provide a similar spark that McVay set off when he first arrived.
The bigger bummer is the loss of Special Teams Coordinator John "Bones" Fassell. I know what you're thinking, how can a STC possible be more valuable than the legendary Wade Phillips? Coach Bones had been our STC since 2012, as well as serving as interim head coach in 2016 after the firing of Jeff Fisher. Bones was a true leader of men, and is in the conversation of the best STC in the league. In memorandum of this loss, I want to share my all time favorite Coach Bones moment
Free Agent Signings and Departures
Key Signings
Player
Position
Former Team
Contract Details
Michael Brockers
Defensive Tackle
LA Rams
3 y31.5 million
Andrew Whitworth
Offensive Tackle
LA Rams
3 y30 million
Austin Blythe
Offensive Guard/C
LA Rams
1 y3.9 million
A'shawn Robinson
Defensive Tackle
Detroit Lions
2 y17 million
Leonard Floyd
OLB/Defensive End
Chicago Bears
1 y10 million
Key Departures
Player
Position
New Team
Contract Details
Greg Zuerline
Kicker
Dallas Cowboys
3 y7.5 million
Todd Gurley
Running Back
Atlanta Falcons
1 y5.5 million
Dante Fowler Jr
OLB/Defensive End
Atlanta Falcons
3 y30 million
Cory Littleton
Linebacker
Las Vegas Raiders
3 y36 million
Marquis Christian
Safety
New York Jets
1 y2 million
Jojo Natson
PKR
Cleveland Browns
1 y1 million
Clay Matthews
OLB/Defensive End
Free Agent
n/a
Eric Weddle
Safety
Free Agent
n/a
Nickell Robey-Coleman
Cornerback
Philadelphia Eagles
1 y1.35 million
Lets start our discussion with the departures, because we lost a lot of key starters. Dante Fowler, Cory Littleton, Clay Mathew, and Eric Weddle were four starters on our defense, with NRC being our primary slot DB. Weddle was more of a leader than an anchor on defense, and did a remarkable job mentoring his replacement in rookie Taylor Rapp. Clay Mathews had a nice season but at his age is certainly replaceable. What isn't going to be replaceable is Cory Littleton, who might be one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL. His coverage ability is going to be sorely missed and leaves the linebacker room, which was already weak, almost defunct. The strategy regarding our free agent signings is a little mysterious. In early free agency we signed Floyd and Robinson, which filled two holes left by Fowler and Brockers, who had originally signed with the Baltimore Ravens. A few weeks afterwards Brockers offer was rescinded by the Ravens, and he resigned at a lofty amount. This effectively leaves the team with a log jam at defensive tackle, with two DTs that do virtually the same thing to be paired with Aaron Donald. I'll explain later in this post how I think our defense might look, but it's certainly a puzzling signing. Resigning Whitworth, in what should be his final contract, is a nice bonus even if it was for another larger than anticipated deal. It gives our numerous young OL talent a wonderful vet to learn from, and despite media reports our offensive line room actually isn't bad. It's just incredibly young, and we have many sophomores who look to make jumps this year.
2020 Draft Class/Undrafted Free Agents
Round
Pick
Player
Position
College Team
2
52
Cam Akers
Running Back
Florida State
2
57
Van Jefferson
Wide Receiver
Florida
3
84
Terrell Lewis
OLB/DE
Alabama
3
104
Terrell Burgess
Safety
Utah
4
136
Brycen Hopkins
Tight End
Purdue
6
199
Jordan Fuller
Safety
Ohio State
7
234
Clay Johnston
Linebacker
Baylor
7
248
Sam Sloman
Kicker
Miami (OH)
7
250
Tremayne Anchrum
Offensive Line
Clemson
Cam Akers and Van Jefferson are the only players on offensive who should make an immediate impact. Akers could battle for the starting position with Gurley out, and Jefferson could battle Josh Reynolds for WR3. The intriguing pick is Terrell Lewis, who could have been a 1st rounder if healthy. He fills a major need at EDGE for the team, and if he works out will be a massive value pick. Brycen Hopkins will battle with Johnny Mundt for the final TE spot, which may be a tall order given Mundt's proficiency on special teams. But he's a good prospect to replace Gerald Everett, who will demand a larger contract next year. Tremayne Anchrum is probably a longshot to make the team, especially with no preseason games considering we have a logjam of OL prospects with Bobby Evans, David Edwards, Joe Notebloom, among others. For more information on the UDFA list, check out this link. The interesting choices are Easop Winston, Josh Love, and Bryce Perkins. Easop I think may have a decent shot at making the roster, while Josh Love and Bryce Perkins may be able to battle it out for the backup position. The Rams will look to shed future salary cap space where ever possible, and both players have decent ceilings and could be a cheap backup alternative for Goff, but both will have to usurp AAF legend John Wolford who is the leader in the clubhouse.
Projected Depth Chart/Scheme Changes
Offense (* indicates rookie)
Position
1st
2nd
3rd
QB
Jared Goff
John Wolford
RB
Malcom Brown
Cam Akers*
Darrell Henderson
WR
Cooper Kupp
Van Jefferson*
WR
Robert Woods
Nsimba Webster
WR
Josh Reynolds
Easop Winston*
Trishton Jackson*
TE
Tyler Higbee
Gerald Everett
Brycen Hopkins*
LT
Andrew Whitworth
Bobby Evans
Tremayne Anchrum
LG
Joe Notebloom
David Edwards
C
Austin Blythe
Brian Allen
RG
Austin Corbett
Coleman Shelton
RT
Rob Havenstein
Jamil Demby
The first thing that I envision changing for this Rams offensive is to break out of our traditional 11 personnel into more 11 or 22 based packages. Sean McVay has made no secret about our change to a running back by committee team, which makes sense given the different types of backs we have on the roster. Malcom Brown probably gets the start due to his veteran presence, and because he's a traditional runner of the football. But Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson are both Alvin Kamara-like backs and can open things up for McVay to get more creative. An interesting camp battle will be to see who makes it at wide receiver. Kupp, Woods, Reynolds, Jefferson, and Webster are all locks to make the team, but we will probably carry 6-7 on the roster. I'm partial to Easop Winston and Trishton Jackson to fill those voids but other guys like JJ Koski could also impress and camp and make an impact. As the season goes on, the Rams are going to hope that at least one of these rookies can manage to impress enough to replace Josh Reynolds, as both him and Cooper Kupp are in contract years and we probably won't be able to afford to resign both. On the offensive line front, I'm really excited to see the development that Bobby Evans, Joe Notebloom, and David Edwards show. Make no mistake, if our team is to have flexibility moving forward it is absolutely vital that one, if not all three, of these guys pan out. Luckily, due to injury Bobby Evans and David Edwards were given starting jobs and performed really well all things considered. Evans in particular was given the task to block Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack and really held those guys to minimal impact. As a quick update, the only member of the team to opt out of the 2020 season is OL Chandler Brewer, who was probably a good bet to make the team as a backup OL. In his place I slot Jamil Demby who's been a prospect on the team for what seems like a decade. In any other year, I'd slot a rookie to take over that slot but given the lack of a structured offseason I think the team stays with someone familiar for another year. Defense (* indicates rookie)
Position
1st
2nd
3rd
DE
Leonard Floyd
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
DT
Aaron Donald
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Greg Gaines
DT
Michael Brockers
A'shawn Robinson
DE
Samson Ebukam
Justin Lawler
LB
Micah Kiser
Kenny Young
Travin Howard
LB
Terrell Lewis
Clay Johnston*
CB
Jalen Ramsey
Darious Williams
CB
Troy Hill
Donte Deayon
CB
David Long Jr
Adonis Alexander
S
John Johnson III
Jordan Fuller*
S
Taylor Rapp
Terrell Burgess*
Our biggest change in identity is going to come from the defensive side of the ball. Losing Wade Phillips is a huge blow to the leadership of the team, but newcomer Brandon Staley may be able to provide a McVay-like spark in ingenuity that provides results. The way that the Rams targeted safeties in the draft, and avoided a massive need in linebacker, makes me believe that we are transitioning to a DB let system similar our neighbors in the LA Chargers. If you do film study on the Chargers, you can see them run a package that consists of 7 DBs occasionally, which works well when you have physical safeties like Derwin James. Luckily for us, we have two incredibly physical guys in Johnson and Rapp, and with the team clearly focusing on DBs I think its in the cards for us to roll this package out in 2020. One area that might be a struggle for us is going to be our defensive line, and generating pressure via the pass rush. Luckily again, we have the greatest defensive player in the NFL and the greatest defensive tackle of all time on our team. Another fortunate circumstance is that we no longer will be marred by Wade Phillips conservative play calling, and in fact may be able to use DC Brandon Staley's expertise as an OLB coach to get improvement out of guys like Okoronkwo and Ebukam, In free agency we signed A'Shawn Robinson, who paired with Michael Brockers can be a force against the run, but neither player is a threat to rush the passer. Leonard Floyd, another free agent signing, is another guy who is strong against the run but struggles in pass rush. This area of defense will be key to the success of the team, and these guys are gonna have to find ways outside of relying on Aaron Donald to generate pressure. Special Teams (* indicates rookie)
Position
1st
K
Sam Sloman*
P
Johnny Hekker
LS
Jake McQuaide
PR
Trishton Jackson*
PR
Nsimba Webster*
Losing Greg Zuerline is going to hurt, and he will always have a place in Rams history for making clutch kicks in the 2018 NFC Championship game. But he grew inconsistent especially inside the 40 yard line, and struggled with injuries since 2017. We drafted Sam Sloman in 2020 but also have two decent UDFA that will compete for the starting job..
Projected Game Results
Week 1: Win (1-0) Dallas Cowboys @ Rams - NBC Sunday Night Football Opening the season at the new SoFi stadium, with potentially no fans is going to be an odd experience. The last time the Rams beat dem boyz was in the 2018 Divisional round of the playoffs. Both teams will struggle early to find continuity, and I'd expect a relatively low scoring, run heavy game. In the end I think the Rams will get the season off to a good start with a win. Rams 24 Cowboys 17 Week 2: Win (2-0) Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles - FOX 10am PST We should finally get to see Goff vs Wentz healthy in full game for the first time. The Eagles have beat the Rams both times they've played Sean McVay, and I think they get things back on track in 2020. I believe our strength at the DL and DBs will be able to effectively manage the weaknesses of the Eagles WRs and aging OL, though the key will probably be Zach Ertz. Rams 30 Eagles 28 Week 3: Loss (2-1) Rams @ Buffalo Bills - FOX 10am PST Our first stumble will come against an underrated team in the Bills. I think having two close games in a row to open the season will leave the team waiting for a crash, and how else to crash than by facing what might be the best defense in the NFL. I expect Tre White and the rest of the secondary to handle Goff and company in a convincing loss. Bills 23 Rams 10 Week 4: Win (3-1) New York Giants @ Rams - FOX 1:05PST Home sweet home, the Rams get back on track with a convincing win over a struggling Giants team. I'll predict an offensive explosion from Goff, somewhere around 400 yds and 4 TDs in a blow out win. Sorry Giants fans, nothing personal. I'm expecting an early struggle for this Giants team as it adjusts to new coach, young QB, with little prep time.Rams 42 Giants 16 Week 5: Win (4-1) Rams @ Washington [REDACTED] - FOX 10amPST I think this gsme is much closer than most might expect. The [REDACTED] are my surprise pick of the year, I have them winning the NFC East. An already tenacious defense led by Ron Rivera and gaining a bona-fide star in Chase Young is going to be fun to watch. I think the key to this game will be quick passes to avoid that ferocious defensive line as much as possible. Rams 24 [REDACTED] 21 Week 6: Loss (4-2) Rams @ San Fransisco 49ers - NBC Sunday Night Football As much as I want to win this game, I think Shanny and those fucks take this one from us. Divisional games tend to be unpredictable and chaotic, and while I do think we split the series with them, being on the road for this one isn't going to favor us. Its going to be interesting to see how DC Brandon Staley chooses to defend Kittle. I dont think shadowing him with Ramsey is the best play, perhaps it's a combination of jamming him at the LOS and covering him in zone. Either way, its a tall order for whoever gets that assignment. 49ers 31 Rams 25 Week 7: Win (5-2) Chicago Bears @ Rams - ESPN Monday Night Football As it stands, McVay will be 1-1 on the year in prime time games. His record as a coach is , which leads me to believe he'll have an edge in winning this one. Of course the Ram fucker Foles might be in at QB, which could spell disaster for our team. I think that our offensive prowess will shine during this long week, and we win in convincing fashion. Rams 36 Bears 20 Week 8: Win (6-2) Rams @ Miami Dolphins - FOX 10am PST We continue this offensive success against a team that will probably be pretty good defensively. HC Tom Flores is a Bill Belichek disciple who learned something important from his former mentor; acquire as many great DBs as you can. The improved secondary will make things tough for Goff and gang, but ultimately working with a rookie QB is going to be hard against a defense with all pros scattered around it. Rams 17 Dolphins 0 ' Week 9: BYE Week 10: Win (7-2) Seattle Seahawks @ Rams - FOX 1:25PST And entering the second half of the season we have our first three game winning streak. Coming off a bye week will give McBae ample time to prepare for a Seahawks team thay frankly will have a struggling offensive line and holes on its defense. Even with Jamal Adams, I expect this team to take a step back in 2020. Rams 31 Seahawks 17 Week 11: Loss (7-3) Rams @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers - ESPN Monday Night Football Facing the best offensive weapons in the league is going to be a tough order for any team this season. Now that they have a QB that will make effective, eccifient decisions this Bucs team should take off. I dont think its particularly close, this is a complete team on both sides of the ball. Bucs 28 Rams 10 Week 12: Win (8-3) San Fransisco 49ers @ Rams - FOX 1:05PST The winning continues as the team really clicks into high gear. A brutal NFC West game will likely be a repeat of Week 6, but with a few more bounces going our way. Being at home will be a helpful factor. Rams 26 49ers 24 Week 13: Win (9-3) Rams @ Arizona Cardinals - FOX 1:05PST If there is any team in the league that McVay can be relied on to spank, its the Cardinals. McVay has yet to be beat by the team in his tenure with the Rams and I expect that to continue at least through this week. Despite a huge game from future MVP Kyler Murray, the Rams prevail, improving to 9-3 Week 14: Loss (9-4) New England Patriots @ Rams - FOX/NFLN/Amazon Thursday Night Football A short week against Belichek spells doom for almost every team, and McVay will continue his struggles against the GOAT. The Pats defense was able to throw Goff off his game on the Super Bowl a few years ago, I expect we see more of this on Thursday. Week 15: Loss (9-5) New York Jets @ Rams - TBD Every team had one puzzling loss, and this matchup with the Jets is ours for the year. I dont expect the Jets to have a grest year but I do think Sam Darnold is universally underappreciated and will have a great game against us. Week 16: Loss (9-6) Rams @ Seattle Seahawks - CBS 1:05PST And we are really ending the year on a slump. Losing to the Seahawks this late in the year isn't great for our playoff hopes, but its always a tall order to go into Seattle and leave with a W. This game may he one of the most important games going into the playoffs and I wont be surprised to see it get flexed. Week 17: Win (10-6) Arizona Cardinals @ Rams - FOX 1:25PST Luckily for us we end the season against our little cousins, and use this opportunity to get our chakras realigned. This game will move us into the 6th seed and bounce Arizona into the 7th seed, becoming the first division in history to have every team make the playoffs.
Conclusion
I think people have forgotten that the Rams were a mkssed field goal away from making the playoffs last year, and thats with playing very sloppy through most games. The only thing holding this team back is the fact that they play in the toughest division in football. I think that Goff has a bounce back year and ends up a top 10 QB for the season. This season will be critical for McVay to really show the new coaches and players that he's capable of not only calling proficient offense but leading an entire team of players. It will be an interesting season, so make sure to wear your damn mask so it actually happens. Thank you for reading, and bless all the knees and keep them healthy!! Thanks for reading!! Bless all the knees and keep them healthy. Link to hub
2020 NFL Draft Review - Analysis and Career Predictions for Each Team's Draft Class - AFC North
If you missed the first installment of this series, you can read the NFC North review here. Every year after the draft, I write a way-too-long review of each team’s draft. The purpose of this draft review is to give predictions for the careers of each team’s drafted players. I’ve watched film of each player I’m commenting on. Draft grades are overly optimistic and unrealistic. Unlike the majority of post-draft coverage out there, I will pick busts. Keep in mind that 23.4% of all first-round picks bust. Let me preface this by saying: predicting the career of an NFL draft pick is a ridiculous exercise. There is so much unknown that goes into whether a player succeeds or fails at the next level. I can make educated guesses based on team situation, supporting cast, and research about the prospect’s character and work ethic, but there’s a reason teams make so many mistakes every year. You simply don’t know for sure how a player will react to being a pro. Injuries are also a huge factor in the fate of a player and impossible to predict accurately. I still write this long prediction article for three reasons: 1 - No one else does it. 2 - It’s more interesting than draft grades. 3 - It’s fun to try to get things right.
Overview
Like NFL teams, I’m going to get things wrong. The greatest football mind in history drafted Ryan Mallett and Chad Jackson. I also like to argue against the consensus when my evaluations allow me to. That has gotten me in trouble with some unpopular predictions that turned out to be hilariously wrong. On the flip side, I don’t think anyone else predicted Lamar Jackson would be the best quarterback of his draft class. All of my picks are rooted in comprehensive film study and a mathematical understanding of what drafts typically produce (spoiler: draft grades are unrealistically generous). Before we start, here are some of my general thoughts on the 2020 NFL Draft. Quickly on the broadcast - they did a great job given the circumstances. The production quality was great and they did more actual analysis than usual. My main gripe with draft coverage every year is that they don’t show incredible highlights (they somehow didn’t show the Aaron Dobson catch in 2013). This year, they showed more footage of actual football and I appreciated that. The only two negatives for me were the constant tragic stories and Booger McFarland. Oh, and if any poor soul bet on Justin Jefferson Under 21.5 draft position, ESPN should apologize to you. They showed him on the phone celebrating right before cutting to Goodell announcing the 21st pick - Jalen Reagor to the Eagles. Jefferson was of course on the phone with the Vikings, who took him at 22. Brutal beat. As for the draft, remember this tweet about mock drafts being “wronger” than ever? Funny, this was probably the chalkiest first-round ever in the internet age. Nothing was truly shocking to me, including the Packers trading up for Jordan Love (more on that here). I had Damon Arnette in the first round in my first mock draft this draft season. I wrote an article lauding Jordyn Brooks as an undervalued commodity. Noah Ibinoghene going in the first was surprising, I suppose. But there was no Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 or Tyson Alualu at No. 10. It speaks to how the media and internet scouts might be catching up to, or God forbid actually influencing the teams. So here is the first installment of my annual draft review. Each player will receive their career prediction in parentheses following their name. For example: Joe Burrow (5). Here's how the picks break down: 5 – All-Pro: Starter who has performed at an elite level at his position. 4 – Above-Average: Starter who has been among the best at his position. 3 – Solid: Starter or valuable back-up with significant positive production. 2 – Replacement Level: Below-average starter or back-up who made minor contributions. 1 – Bust: Player who didn’t amount to anything positive. Next up, the AFC North.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have historically been pretty good at drafting despite having the smallest scouting staff in the league. With the first pick in each round, they would have had to try to mess this up. Instead, they had the single best draft in the entire league, drafting the No. 1, No. 14, No. 52, and No. 69 (nice) players on my board. Joe Burrow lacks the ideal competitiveness after transfer- just kidding. The Tiger King just had the greatest season in the history of college football, capped off by a dismantling of a Clemson defense with multiple day-one picks. Joe Burrow (5) is going to be a franchise quarterback and Zac Taylor is a lucky man. Joe Exotic is being praised everywhere for his poise, accuracy, touch, and athleticism. What stood out to me on film was his ability to create outside the structure of the offense. He is dynamic in that he can scramble to run or throw - a defensive coordinator’s nightmare. LSU even ran him on designed quarterback draws, an indication they were comfortable with his durability. Burrow’s 2018 obviously wasn’t great (57.8% comp., 16/5 TD/INT), but it’s not smart to question his ball placement after his 2019 film. His offensive supporting cast was amazing, but it was overwhelmingly obvious that the game moved extremely slowly for him at the highest level of college football. When the NFL bullets start flying even faster, Burrow will have an easier time adjusting than most quarterbacks. Tee Higgins (4) may have been the best value in the entire draft. Higgins’ perceived draft status on the internet was just odd. From WRU with 28 career touchdowns and undeniably impressive film, Higgins was widely accepted as the 5th-8th best receiver in this class. Why? I don’t care much about his lack of timed speed (4.54) as he played fast enough and has other dominant traits. The only legitimate reason for the lack of respect is his thin body as it relates to durability. He came up lame a lot on film, and NFL teams are spooked by medical issues. I am not going to be shy about endorsing this pick. Tee Higgins has unbelievable hands, body control, and ball-tracking ability in a 6-4, 216-pound frame. He didn’t look great against Jeff Okudah and Ohio State but was clearly banged up. There’s also no shame in struggling against Okudah, who’s probably a top-five NFL corner right now. Joe Burrow to Tee Higgins will be the premiere QB-WR connection in the league by 2023. Logan Wilson (3) was one of “my guys” and Akeem Davis-Gaither was close (No. 69 on my board). Wilson was arguably the best coverage linebacker in the draft and is probably not terrible at tackling, considering he tallied 409 (!) of them at Wyoming. His film was fun to watch, as an off-ball linebacker with ten career picks. As for Akeem Davis-Gaither (3), he’s light but lightning fast. His floor is a contributor on specials, but in a pass-happy league with Lamar Jackson running around, his speed plays on defense as well. He’s not going to take on blocks in a phone booth but he made some wow plays at Appalachian State, constantly finding the ball and getting tackles-for-loss on the edge from his Sam position. Doubling up on linebacker with two talented prospects was a great strategy. The Bengals aced this draft. Loading up on defense will be the priority for the next few years, as they have one of the best young offensive cores in all of football.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens always draft well and this year was no different. They selected my No. 11 overall player at 28, my top-ranked running back at 55, and four other players in my top-100. The legacy of Ozzie Newsome lives on. Patrick Queen (4) showed some inconsistencies on tape in terms of missing tackles and angles and possibly even taking plays off. However, his highs on film are as impressive as any player in this class, and in the Ravens organization, they feel confident in coaching him up to play at that level consistently. Put on the National Championship game and Queen looks like the best defensive player on the field. Put on Texas and watch the goal-line sequence where he almost scores a 99-yard touchdown on third down and then fits up for a 4th-down stuff. His Auburn tape isn’t as impressive, getting beat by their running back (No. 3) and blocked in space on screen passes. In Baltimore, he’ll be kept clean and asked to fly around and hit people. He could not have gone to a better situation. J.K. Dobbins (3) was my No. 1 running back in this class. He is a tougher (love a back not wearing gloves) runner than Jonathan Taylor and plays with great contact balance and low pad level. He has a stiff-arm, ideal burst, and necessary physicality and creativity. He’ll be a hammer learning from Mark Ingram in Baltimore. Again, a perfect fit for the Ravens in real football, but probably not the best landing spot for fantasy, at least in the short term. As for their other picks, the only one I’m not excited about it is Justin Madubuike (2). He screams Reverse Planet Theory to me, taking advantage of bad guards with splash plays that don’t translate. Devin Duvernay (3) can be an actually-explosive version of Willie Snead. Malik Harrison (3) is a thumper who can call the defense and make plays. Ben Bredeson (3) was one of my favorite mid-round guard prospects. I’m very happy Lamar Jackson won MVP last year, and this class will help keep the Ravens among the elite teams in the NFL.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns were easy to mock for going into the draft, with two huge needs at left tackle and safety and a fairly stacked roster everywhere else. They unsurprisingly filled those needs with their first two picks, grabbing arguably the best prospect at both positions. Jedrick Wills Jr. (3) was not exactly my favorite tackle. I noted balance issues, which scare me more than anything else for an offensive lineman. I saw his head snap back too many times, noted some off-target punches, and really scary attempted shoulder blocks. His traits are all top-notch, including his uncommon lateral agility for his size. There are winning reps that highlight his strength (grabbing and throwing guys down on speed rushes), but don’t inspire in the way of translatable technique. He’s a better prospect than Ereck Flowers, but some of his mis-timed and off-balance punches remind me of the Giant bust. There’s more risk here than people realize, but coaching can take care of the sloppy technique. Grant Delpit (4) was my favorite safety. His 2018 film was tremendous, and his 2019 film showed a clearly banged-up player toughing it out to help lead his team to a championship. Delpit has tremendous change-of-direction skills and great instincts as a center field player. He is a little sloppy and all-over-the-place, but again not at 100%. Bottom line is that he gets it done, and the game is slower for him than most. He’ll start for years to come and make multiple pro bowls. As for the rest, I didn’t think Jordan Elliot (2) was big enough to be as not-really-that-quick as he was. Jacob Phillips (2) called the LSU defense and fills a need, but strikes me as more of a special teamer at the pro level. Harrison Bryant (1) profiles as a possible TE2 but according to my notes “might just be a college dude.” He had two touchdowns versus Utah’s exclusively NFL-player secondary though. Finally, Donovan Peoples-Jones (3) falling to 187 made no sense talent-wise so there must be off-field or medical concerns. He’s raw and the game didn’t come easy to him, but I liked his activity as a blocker and he ran solid routes (comebacks especially). He showed good hands and has a ton of potential, perhaps even slotting in as the WR3 this season. I don’t think Shea Patterson is good. I was never high on Baker Mayfield, but it's easy to be excited about this Browns roster going forward. There is no real personnel weakness anywhere. If Mayfield can be coachable and tone down the turnovers, the Browns have enough talent to compete for one of the for-some-reason seven AFC playoff spots.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers essentially used their first-round pick on Minkah Fitzpatrick, who would have easily been the best safety in the draft. They came into the draft needing a quarterback, tackle, and cornerback, but somehow didn’t select any of those positions. I wasn’t a huge fan of their haul, which was headlined by one of the most overrated receivers in the draft. After being burned by Limas Sweed and Sammie Coates, the Steelers went back to the big-and-fast archetype at wide receiver with Chase Claypool (1). I ultimately labeled him as an “average pro if that” after noting his below-average ankle flexion, tight hips, and general clumsiness. Claypool’s large hands are fantastic, and he’s obviously very fast, but I wasn’t feeling his film as translatable to the next level. I love that he was still on the punt unit but I don’t see a high ceiling as an outside receiver against quicker corners. There were better receivers on the board. Alex Highsmith (1) was the first of two Charlotte… uh… Bobcats?... selected this year. Highsmith attempted to tackle Travis Etienne versus Clemson and was run through like a middle-schooler. Throughout that film, he was quite easily neutralized by the Tigers' left tackle. He tries really hard, has a decent first step, and can bend just a little. I’m a big 3-cone guy for edge rushers, and his 7.32 in addition to poor film against Clemson doesn’t help his case. 📷 Every single Anthony McFarland (2) mention starts with his legendary performance against Ohio State in 2018. Unfortunately looking closer at the film, they simply missed some fits and he exploded on the edge. He did show some one-cut ability in the open field, but his tape shows someone who is clearly comfortable on the edge, which doesn’t really fit the NFL at all. McFarland has traits, but the game is difficult for him, getting stuffed on the goal line by Temple, showing bad ball security, and rarely pushing the pile. He’s a satellite speed guy, which if schemed right can be valuable. I'm sorry Steelers fans, but this year could be the last dance for Ben Roethlisberger. Minkah Fitzpatrick is really, really good at least. Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more divisions in the coming days. Link to this article: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-afc-north/735564?src=cat_feat_9954 Link to NFC North article: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-and-team-grades-nfc-north/734932
2020 NFL Draft Review - Analysis and Career Predictions for Each Team's Draft Class - NFC North
Every year after the draft, I write a way-too-long review of each team’s draft. The purpose of this draft review is to give predictions for the careers of each team’s drafted players. I’ve watched film of each player I’m commenting on. Draft grades are overly optimistic and unrealistic. Unlike the majority of post-draft coverage out there, I will pick busts. Keep in mind that 23.4% of all first-round picks bust. Let me preface this by saying: predicting the career of an NFL draft pick is a ridiculous exercise. There is so much unknown that goes into whether a player succeeds or fails at the next level. I can make educated guesses based on team situation, supporting cast, and research about the prospect’s character and work ethic, but there’s a reason teams make so many mistakes every year. You simply don’t know for sure how a player will react to being a pro. Injuries are also a huge factor in the fate of a player and impossible to predict accurately. I still write this long prediction article for three reasons: 1 - No one else does it. 2 - It’s more interesting than draft grades. 3 - It’s fun to try to get things right. Overview Like NFL teams, I’m going to get things wrong. The greatest football mind in history drafted Ryan Mallett and Chad Jackson. I also like to argue against the consensus when my evaluations allow me to. That has gotten me in trouble with some unpopular predictions that turned out to be hilariously wrong. On the flip side, I don’t think anyone else predicted Lamar Jackson would be the best quarterback of his draft class. All of my picks are rooted in comprehensive film study and a mathematical understanding of what drafts typically produce (spoiler: draft grades are unrealistically generous). Before we start, here are some of my general thoughts on the 2020 NFL Draft. Quickly on the broadcast - they did a great job given the circumstances. The production quality was great and they did more actual analysis than usual. My main gripe with draft coverage every year is that they don’t show incredible highlights (they somehow didn’t show the Aaron Dobson catch in 2013). This year, they showed more footage of actual football and I appreciated that. The only two negatives for me were the constant tragic stories and Booger McFarland. Oh, and if any poor soul bet on Justin Jefferson Under 21.5 draft position, ESPN should apologize to you. They showed him on the phone celebrating right before cutting to Goodell announcing the 21st pick - Jalen Reagor to the Eagles. Jefferson was of course on the phone with the Vikings, who took him at 22. Brutal beat. As for the draft, remember this tweet about mock drafts being “wronger” than ever? Funny, this was probably the chalkiest first-round ever in the internet age. Nothing was truly shocking to me, including the Packers trading up for Jordan Love (more on that later). I had Damon Arnette in the first round in my first mock draft this draft season. I wrote an article lauding Jordyn Brooks as an undervalued commodity. Noah Ibinoghene going in the first was surprising, I suppose. But there was no Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 or Tyson Alualu at No. 10. It speaks to how the media and internet scouts might be catching up to, or God forbid actually influencing the teams. So here is the first installment of my annual draft review. Each player will receive their career prediction in parentheses following their name. For example: Joe Burrow (5). Here's how the picks break down: 5 – All-Pro: Starter who has performed at an elite level at his position. 4 – Above-Average: Starter who has been among the best at his position. 3 – Solid: Starter or valuable back-up with significant positive production. 2 – Replacement Level: Below-average starter or back-up who made minor contributions. 1 – Bust: Player who didn’t amount to anything positive. First up, the NFC North.
Green Bay Packers
Everyone is talking about the Packers, and rightfully so. They traded up for a quarterback and with a need at receiver, didn’t select any in arguably the best receiver class of all time. They are being widely mocked by football fans everywhere for bungling the draft and quite probably infuriating Aaron Rodgers. The Packers went to the NFC Championship game last year and Rodgers is 36 years old, so they are as win-now as it gets. So how can anyone defend them trading up for a quarterback? Very easily, actually. If your stance is “I don’t believe Jordan Love will become a franchise quarterback” then you have every right to make fun of the pick. What I find humorous is how many people seem so sure Love will fail. Surely each person meme-ing and gif-ing on twitter has studied Love's film, right? Because to be clear - if Jordan Love develops into a franchise quarterback at any point for the Packers, then this pick will have been one of the best in the entire draft. It’s only fair to criticize the pick because of conviction about the player. It makes no sense to argue they don’t need a quarterback. There is nothing more valuable than a franchise quarterback, and again, Rodgers is 36. So I don’t believe the Packers should be the laughingstock of the league for picking Love. It is fascinating that the overwhelming sentiment is that they screwed this up, which is funny considering how difficult and unpredictable the draft is. Jordan Love has tremendous potential, and the Packers took a shot that could result in 10+ years of being set at the most important position. Having actually done the work on him, I begrudgingly have to agree with the negative feedback because I do not believe Jordan Love (2) will develop into a franchise quarterback. Love has Mahomes-ish arm talent and athleticism. He has a smooth delivery, good pocket awareness, and throws well on the move. The physical traits are there, as few human beings in the world can deliver missiles with a flick-of-the-wrist like Love. He also processes information quickly enough and shows flashes of progressing through reads quite well. It is reasonable for a team to watch his film and project that he can make NFL-level reads and decisions. When you mix that with his arm talent, all it takes is an interview that sells his intelligence (27 on the Wonderlic) and football character for a team to fall in love. However, there is one glaring issue in his game that I just can’t get over - his ball placement. He too frequently misplaces easy throws - flats, bubbles, slants, stick routes - including a bad pick on a corner route against Wake Forest. He also ended that game with a pick, unable to place the ball over a linebacker. These missed placements re-occur frequently on his 2019 tape. His accuracy (think a pitcher’s control) isn’t poor, especially when his feet are right. But his placement (think a pitcher’s command) is substandard. For what it’s worth, I had similar concerns with Patrick Mahomes’ inconsistent ball placement coming out. I just didn’t know he was a football savant. I don’t think Love is Mahomes but his traits-profile and style are similar. Any discussion about Love should include the disparity between his 2018 performance (64% comp. 9.4 YPA, 32/6 TD/INT) and 2019 performance (61.9% comp., 6.4 YPA, 20/17 TD/INT). Losing coaches and talent around him is the explanation, but the contrast is quite jarring. If I loved Love, I’d be happily defending this pick on all corners of the internet. I just don’t love Love. I wonder how fans would have reacted if this pick was Tua instead.... In the second round, the Packers passed on a myriad of talented receivers for a bruising two-down workhorse back. This pick is less defensible than taking a quarterback, but I try to understand what teams are thinking. Clearly, they believe A.J. Dillon can be an impact player. I had Dillon ranked 93rd overall, but I do recognize his skillset as valuable. He's a 97th percentile SPARQ athlete with home run speed (4.53 40) at 247 pounds. He has excellent vision and can be punishing in a four-minute offense. Fantasy players want Aaron Jones to play most snaps and get 25 touches a game, but it makes sense to keep him fresher, use him on passing downs, and sit the plodding Jamaal Williams on the bench. This picks further fortifies a strong position group, an underrated strategy in the draft. The arguments against this pick are valid - positional value, lack of passing-game help, other Green Bay needs. However, it’s also fair to recognize A.J. Dillon (3) as an impact back. It wasn’t my favorite pick, but to me, the draft is more about player than position, and Dillon will be a solid pro. I’m also not fully on board with the vocal analytics folks who think running backs aren’t valuable at all. In the third, the Packers again surprised by adding an H-back/tight end in Josiah Deguara (1) from Cincinnati. After investing a top-75 pick in Jace Sternberger last year, the Packers again looked towards the future. Deguara likely won’t do much in 2020, but this pick sets up their 12-personnel for the Jordan Love era. Deguara can block a bit and catches the ball well, but he wasn’t even in my top 200 players in a poor tight end class. Draft slot has me thinking a bit, but I’m going to pick him to be one of many non-factors in this draft. The Packers did nothing to help Aaron Rodgers at wide receiver in a loaded receiver class. They also failed to improve a run defense that was shredded in the NFC Championship game by San Francisco. Instead, they chose to address their 2022 offense. I agree with the overall sentiment that this was a poor draft, but only because I predict Jordan Love will fail. If he lives up to his potential, then this draft class will go down as one of the best.
Minnesota Vikings
Manipulating the draft to make 16 picks was brilliant. There is so much uncertainty for the upcoming season so the Vikings opted to secure who they wanted rather than relying on the rat-race of remote undrafted free agency. Depending on when the season begins, adding veteran free agents and having try-outs may be more challenging this year. Minnesota made the smart move in adding 16 rookies that they can bring up to speed on their terms through potential virtual practices and meetings. Making 16 picks is also great work because of statistics. The vast majority of draft picks end up being worthless. Simply, the more you make, the better your chances of finding contributors. I ranked Justin Jefferson (2) lower than most (9th-ranked receiver in this class), so I don’t view this pick as some outrageous value. I had Jefferson ranked as the 32nd-best player in this class, so I wouldn’t even call it a great pick. Jefferson has the traits of a very good pro receiver, but I fear he may be more Jordan Matthews than people realize. I consistently ranked Jalen Reagor over Jefferson, and knowing the Eagles did as well leads me to believe I may have been on to something. Jefferson’s film was dominating at times, but scouting players is about projecting what translates rather than evaluating college performance. LSU put Jefferson in the slot and let him work the middle of the field on RPOs and embarrass less-athletic safeties, linebackers, and nickels on “be-better” routes like slot fades. He has good hands and athletic traits, but I don’t see his film translating into a dominant pro. His route-running needs work, reaching too much on breaks, and there’s little evidence of him beating press on the outside. 50% of all picks from 21-32 result in a replacement-level player or bust. I’ll go out on a limb and predict a guy I wasn’t super high on underperforms at the next level. Jeff Gladney (3) was my third-ranked corner and 30th-ranked player overall. He’s feisty with quick feet and plays with tremendous competitiveness and physicality. I wrote “Jalen Ramsey” in my notes before looking up his measurables (5-10, 191). I obviously think he plays much bigger than his size. Or I need new glasses. I went back for a second look on Gladney and wasn’t nearly as impressed. He’s a little clumsy and not much of a technician. He has success just being a twitchy athlete and aggressive, which isn’t a great sign as he’ll lose that advantage in the NFL. He also dropped the ball before the end zone after a pick-six a la DeSean Jackson. Still, I believe he’ll be a solid starter and go to exactly two pro bowls. Ezra Cleveland (3) was a steal. He’s glorious in pass protection and has unreal athleticism for his size. His ability to mirror is unmatched in this class. Cleveland’s biggest weakness is his lack of strength, but with the right strength program he can improve there. One of my favorite plays was watching him chase down and tackle a defender after an interception. Cameron Dantzler (2) was my 8th-ranked corner. He ran a 4.64 at just 188 pounds and has messy hands, but I liked his film otherwise. He’s competitive and makes plays, including sacking both Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa for some reason. He’s thin but doesn’t care. I just don’t know if he has the recovery speed to start and there were too many missed tackles on film. James Lynch (3) was a legitimate steal in the fourth round. He dominated overmatched Big 12 tackles but has the type of strength and power that plays in the league. He can contribute at five-technique as he puts on more weight. He’s obviously not a 10-plus sack-a-year type at the pro level. Troy Dye (2) wore a club in the Pac-12 championship game and is physical. He’s just not that explosive and is more try-hard than traits-rich. The Vikings deserve a lot of credit for this haul. It will be extremely interesting to go back and look at how many of their 16 picks are still there in two years.
Chicago Bears
The biggest Bears news of the weekend was the report that they won't pick up Mitch Trubisky's fifth-year option. Chicago made two franchise-defining moves that used up a ton of draft capital over a four-year span - trading up for Trubisky and trading for Khalil Mack. Mack came back down to earth after a ferocious first year in Chicago, but should be a force for a couple more seasons. Trubisky, on the other hand, has regressed and given the team very little confidence. He'll compete with the enigmatic Nick Foles, who is as bipolar as players get. The NFL Draft is the most important roster-building day on the NFL calendar, but this Bears class is probably the least consequential of all 32 teams. If they nailed it, so what? They get a starting tight end, starting corner, rotational edge player, and rotational deep threat? And if they bombed it, so what? What matters is their quarterback competition and head coach performance. I used to believe prospects were destined to fail or succeed. I thought how lucky the Steelers were for having players like Big Ben and Heath Miller "fall" to them every year. The reality is that some programs develop players better. The Bears are at a crossroads with Matt Nagy, who last season saw his offense regress and defense unable to overcome the loss of Vic Fangio. Point is, these draft picks may be walking into a lame-duck situation, which isn't good for anyone. To further annoy Bears fans, I have to be honest that I was much lower on their first three selections than the consensus. I thought Cole Kmet (2) was the single most overrated prospect in the entire draft. My notes include the words "weak" and "soft." He showed poorly as a blocker against Virginia with no pop in his hands, struggled to get off second-level collisions, and lacked great balance - arguably the most important trait for any player. Kmet is big with good hands but I really don't see his game translating to anything more than an average player. There's a reason this tight end class was universally knocked as weak. In the second they went with Jaylon Johnson (1), who I had as my 10th-ranked cornerback. Johnson gained some steam as a potential first-round pick, but I just didn't like his film. He pretty much lost Utah the game against USC, giving up an early TD because he lost his balance and getting flagged for a game-sealing defensive pass interference because he couldn't get his head around. His film showed poor balance, late reactions, missed tackles, and worst of all - questionable effort, especially against BYU. He has the feet and length to stay with receivers, but I want him in cover three and that's it. Late eyes and questionable balance are deal-breakers for defensive backs. As for their other picks, I will give Darnell Mooney (3) a shot to be a deep threat. He can't block and is probably too weak to do anything right now, but his speed absolutely plays. All he did at Tulane was run slants and go routes so it will take some time. Trevis Gipson (2) jars the ball loose frequently but everything just looks too difficult versus Oklahoma State and Texas. Hustle sacks are great in terms of college performance but provide no confidence in terms of translatable traits. A few years ago, I correctly predicted the Bears would be a surprise playoff team. You'll be shocked to read that this year I won't.
Detroit Lions
The Lions draft class makes it pretty obvious Matt Patricia is fighting for his job this year. Their first two picks are ready to challenge for rookie of the year from day one, they added a 22-year old edge-rusher and two guards who can play right away. Help is here and Matthew Stafford is healthy - Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn will not survive another bottom-10 finish. Jeff Okudah (5) is an NFL shutdown corner right now. He has it all, including the necessary swagger. What will separate him at the next level is his physicality and aggressiveness. He can "motor" (align pressed and stay with his man without making contact with his hands) or shoot his inside hand at the line to throw off timing. With his traits and instincts, I expect him to be a top-five corner in the league in his rookie year. D'Andre Swift (3) is as fun as it gets. My favorite note is that he makes the game look easy. Certain players are able to be so comfortable at the college level that it is evident on film how slow the game is moving for them. Swift does some things with the ball that prove that point, like spin out of tackles for loss and cross up safeties in the open field like Allen Iverson. He's also awesome in the passing game as a receiver and blocker. The Lions haven't found a foundation back since Barry Sanders and they are hoping D'Andre Swift can be just that. I think he has that upside, but his film concerns me as well. Swift is more comfortable in space, taking advantage of huge holes and perimeter stuff that simply won't be there in the NFL. He's more Sony Michel than Nick Chubb, and didn't show much creativity or tackle-breaking inside. He'll have no issue being a complementary back, but runners who are comfortable in space often struggle to transition to the pro game where there is none. No outcome would surprise me but I think a Reggie Bush-like pro career is where he settles in. I did not love Julian Okwara (2) on film. He looked good against frumpy tackles, but my notes read "yikes vs UGA." He was frequently driven back in that game, including by a wide receiver. His pass-rushing wins were with pure athleticism rather than translatable moves. Jonah Jackson (3) was good in pass protection and showed ideal aggressiveness. I didn't see him get enough movement in the run game for me to be excited but he's a possible starter. Logan Stenberg (4) on the other hand was one of my LINK five favorite prospects in the entire draft. He has an ugly body and below-average athleticism but his film is fun to watch. He'll struggle with quickness sometimes but he's tough and strong and showed well against Georgia on film. He's a huge reason Benny Snell and Lynn Bowden had so much success. I project him as a quality starter. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the other divisions in the coming days. Link for the article: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-and-team-grades-nfc-north/734932?src=cat_feat_9954
It’s not a big secret that Ryan Pace has a fascination with the Georgia Bulldogs, so with an estimated 7 Bulldogs being drafted in the first 200 picks, let’s take a look at the possible Chicago Bears for next season and their estimated draft positions: Bears Draft Picks Here’s where the Bears will be picking in the 2020 NFL Draft barring any further trades Friday, April 24 Round 2 – Pick 11, 43rd overall (from Raiders) Round 2 – Pick 18, 50th overall Saturday, April 25 5th Round – Pick 18, 163rd overall 6th Round – Pick 17, 196th overall 6th Round – Pick 21, 200th overall (from the Eagles) So with these picks in mind, let’s review the Georgia Bulldogs, their estimated Draft Spots and the likelihood that the Bears draft them: Unlikely to be Bears No. 4 overall, OT Andrew Thomas No. 10 overall, QB Jake Fromm While OT Andrew Thomas and QB Jake Fromm (State Farm) are talented players, the Bears first pick is no where near their estimated draft spots. Possible Bears No. 57 overall, OG Solomon Kindley Solomon Kindley is an interesting prospect, he is talented, fills a need, and most importantly is within our draft spots. One interesting thing to note is that it’s been said that teams this year are seeing the later rounds as full of talent for the O Line. Solomon Kindley will be drafted barring anything crazy happening, but it might be a stretch for the Bears to pick him up. No. 61 overall, SS J.R. Reed J.R. Reed is possibly my favorite SS prospect, and certainly the most talented SS available in the late 2nd round. If I were a betting man, I would say J.R. Reed is the most likely Bulldog to become a Chicago Bear. Looking at his Stats from college, he certainly fits the mold for a Strong Safety. At 6’1, 194 pounds and with a 4.54 40 time, he closely resembles Adrian Amos Combine performance. While not having a great combine grade (5.94), I think he’s better then he gets credit for. No. 66 overall RB D’Andre Swift Chicago Bear D’Andre Swift? It’s not likely, the RB position is definitely not the one of greatest need this year. For my money, though, he would be a great Fantasy pick up in the later rounds depending on the team that he goes to. No. 131 overall OG Ben Cleveland If there is a player to hope to fall to the 163(or a classic Pace trade up) Ben Cleveland is one of those possibly start able late round Line prospects that I mentioned Earlier. Definitely talented in college, at 6’6 and 335 pounds he could certainly make a jump. One area of concern was that he was unable to play this year due to academic issues and that doesn’t really fit the Ryan Pace model. No. 138 overall DT Tyler Clark Finally we come to DT Tyler Clark. Stats wise for a college DT, his Numbers aren’t going to blow you away. He would represent the depth that is traditionally found at this stage on the draft, if we were to draft him. In conclusion, I think it’s likely the Bears draft J.R. Reed, he’s talented, a Bulldog, could play opposite Eddie Jackson at a position of need, and his draft price is right (if not a bit of an over reach). That being said, there mercifully aren’t any Georgia WR declared for the draft, so we at least don’t have to worry about that.
2020 NFL Draft Review - Analysis and Career Predictions for Each Team's Draft Class - NFC East
If you missed the first two installments of this series, you can read the AFC North review here and the NFC North review here. Every year after the draft, I write a way-too-long review of each team’s draft. The purpose of this draft review is to give predictions for the careers of each team’s drafted players. I’ve watched film of each player I’m commenting on. Draft grades are overly optimistic and unrealistic. Unlike the majority of post-draft coverage out there, I will pick busts. Keep in mind that 23.4% of all first-round picks bust. Let me preface this by saying: predicting the career of an NFL draft pick is a ridiculous exercise. There is so much unknown that goes into whether a player succeeds or fails at the next level. I can make educated guesses based on team situation, supporting cast, and research about the prospect’s character and work ethic, but there’s a reason teams make so many mistakes every year. You simply don’t know for sure how a player will react to being a pro. Injuries are also a huge factor in the fate of a player and impossible to predict accurately. I still write this long prediction article for three reasons: 1 - No one else does it. 2 - It’s more interesting than draft grades. 3 - It’s fun to try to get things right.
Overview
Like NFL teams, I’m going to get things wrong. The greatest football mind in history drafted Ryan Mallett and Chad Jackson. I also like to argue against the consensus when my evaluations allow me to. That has gotten me in trouble with some unpopular predictions that turned out to be hilariously wrong. On the flip side, I don’t think anyone else predicted Lamar Jackson would be the best quarterback of his draft class. All of my picks are rooted in comprehensive film study and a mathematical understanding of what drafts typically produce (spoiler: draft grades are unrealistically generous). Before we start, here are some of my general thoughts on the 2020 NFL Draft. Quickly on the broadcast - they did a great job given the circumstances. The production quality was great and they did more actual analysis than usual. My main gripe with draft coverage every year is that they don’t show incredible highlights (they somehow didn’t show the Aaron Dobson catch in 2013). This year, they showed more footage of actual football and I appreciated that. The only two negatives for me were the constant tragic stories and Booger McFarland. Oh, and if any poor soul bet on Justin Jefferson Under 21.5 draft position, ESPN should apologize to you. They showed him on the phone celebrating right before cutting to Goodell announcing the 21st pick - Jalen Reagor to the Eagles. Jefferson was of course on the phone with the Vikings, who took him at 22. Brutal beat. As for the draft, remember this tweet about mock drafts being “wronger” than ever? Funny, this was probably the chalkiest first-round ever in the internet age. Nothing was truly shocking to me, including the Packers trading up for Jordan Love (more on that here). I had Damon Arnette in the first round in my first mock draft this draft season. I wrote an article lauding Jordyn Brooks as an undervalued commodity. Noah Ibinoghene going in the first was surprising, I suppose. But there was no Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 or Tyson Alualu at No. 10. It speaks to how the media and internet scouts might be catching up to, or God forbid actually influencing the teams. So here is the first installment of my annual draft review. Each player will receive their career prediction in parentheses following their name. For example: Joe Burrow (5). Here's how the picks break down: 5 – All-Pro: Starter who has performed at an elite level at his position. 4 – Above-Average: Starter who has been among the best at his position. 3 – Solid: Starter or valuable back-up with significant positive production. 2 – Replacement Level: Below-average starter or back-up who made minor contributions. 1 – Bust: Player who didn’t amount to anything positive. Next up, the NFC East.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles came into the draft with primary needs at wide receiver and inside linebacker. In a loaded wide receiver class with some really solid day two inside linebacker prospects, they would have to try to mess it up. According to some, they did just that. Jalen Reagor (3) was ranked 20th overall on my board and over Justin Jefferson. I obviously don't think this pick was a mistake. Reagor's play style is reminiscent of Antonio Brown because of his twitch and ability to make contested catches at his smaller stature. Reagor struggled with drops a bit, but also had one of the worst quarterback situations of all the receiver prospects. His play speed looks closer to the sub-4.3 from his make-believe pro day than the turtle-like 4.47 at the combine. If you knocked him for that "slow" time, it pretty much proves you didn't watch his film. He's faster than 4.47 and the red flag is that he didn't prepare enough to execute his 40 at the highest level technique-wise. Back to actual football, Reagor will make a ton of plays as a pro, but continue to drop passes. In the second round, the Eagles made one of the more shocking picks in recent memory, selecting Alabama back-up - I mean Oklahoma Heisman finalist - Jalen Hurts (2). I disagree with this pick for one reason - I do not endorse Hurts as a franchise quarterback. However, under the assumption that the Eagles view him with that potential, it was a wise choice. Carson Wentz is always banged up, and there's nothing more valuable than a quality quarterback in the NFL. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere - THE EAGLES LITERALLY WON THE SUPER BOWL BECAUSE OF THIS POSITION. It's insurance with upside at the most valuable position in sports on a team with a constantly injured starter. As for the actual player, Hurts lacks ideal decision-making, tucking as a runner too quickly and showing almost no ability to go through reads at a pro level. On the "did Manziel make Mike Evans or the other way around" spectrum I lean towards CeeDee Lamb (watch Texas). His arm strength also isn't ideal, as a lot of his throws outside the numbers, including simple hitches, take an hour to get there. He has decent touch and accuracy, but his game is based on rushing ability and improvisation. I knew he would go fairly high in part due to Lamar Jackson's success. However, I was incredibly high on Jackson because he was an UNREAL runner. Hurts doesn't have that type of wiggle, speed, or elusiveness. He can run the heck out of power read though - expect that to be the staple of his rookie year package. Philadelphia was one of few teams that actually took advantage of the wide receiver depth in this draft. There is a very low chance they didn't add a quality deep threat after selecting John Hightower (2) and Quez Watkins (3) in addition to Reagor. Watkins was one of my favorite speedsters after a highly productive career at Southern Miss. He fights the ball a bit, but his blazing 4.35 speed with that production plays in the NFL. Hightower was similar on the smurf turf and has upside. Jack Driscoll (1) did not impress on film. He's heavy-legged, gets beat by good handwork, and doesn't show particularly good functional strength. I would give Prince Tega Wanogho (2), a lump of clay who doesn't know how to play yet, more of a chance to be a decent pro. Despite getting laughed at by many, the Eagles' reasoning in taking Jalen Hurts in the second makes sense. I'm a proponent of Reagor over Jefferson and loved what they did in the later rounds, including the tripling up on deep speed at receiver. This class has the potential to pay huge dividends down the line.
New York Giants
It's time to admit that Dave Gettleman is a good drafter. His schtick is easy to make fun of, but I was in favor of the Beckham trade and the decision to draft Saquon Barkley at 2. I had mixed reactions to last year's picks but Daniel Jones had a promising rookie year. The Giants came in with a need at tackle, and Gettleman took the most polished offensive lineman in the draft at 4. Andrew Thomas (4) fell down media draft boards due to over analyzation. Looking back, we were silly to believe any other of the technically-developing younger tackles would jump him on the Giants draft board. I had Thomas ranked as my No. 2 tackle (I love the upside of Becton), but this is one where his ultimate draft spot makes me question my ranking. Thomas was a stalwart on the Georgia offensive line, and generally performed at an extremely high level. He mostly won the battle with K'Lavon Chaisson, and showed probably the best awareness picking up stunts in this class. I noted him as a mauler, and highlighted his length as a positive. He recovers after an initial punch in pass pro and overall shows better technique than the other tackles. He plays a little high and shows some waist-bending tendencies, but will likely usurp Nate Solder at left tackle and become a solid starter for many years in New Yor- Jersey. Xavier McKinney's (3) evaluation boils down to one question: does he have the range to play deep? His 4.65 is a concern, and the film suggests he's more of a strong safety. The bottom line is that he projects as a quality player who excels most in the box. The head-scratching part is where they choose to play Jabril Peppers, because he's more comfortable in the box as well. A sound gameplan can have them both on the field at once in sub-packages, but McKinney's development as a deep safety is a situation to monitor. As for the rest of their draft, I wasn't particularly high on Matt Peart (2), Darnay Holmes (1), or Shane Lemieux (1). Peart isn't strong yet but has good athleticism. I thought he was more of a guard. There's upside though. Holmes projects as a slot corner but has slow reaction time, isn't good in off coverage, and gets tossed around because he's so weak. Lemieux looks powerful against smaller defensive linemen and on double teams but he doesn't have pro traits in terms of his size-power ratio translating. The Giants got their top-ranked offensive lineman and top-ranked safety. This is a huge litmus test for their scouting department because it's not very often you get your top pick at two positions. There will be some chatter about a sneaky Giants team contending in the NFC East, and it will come down to Danny Dimes. But don't forget that Saquon Barkley has an MVP-caliber year in him. With their pedestrian defense, it probably won't matter much.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are getting a ton of praise for following the consensus internet big board to make almost all of their picks. I used to think teams were so much smarter than media and internet scouts. However, after studying the draft for the past 15 years, it has become clear that teams that make "weird" picks usually end up being wrong and teams that simply take the consensus higher rated players usually end up doing better. CeeDee Lamb (5) was ranked 5th overall on my board. I like Jerry Jeudy, and I see Ruggs' potential, but Lamb is a dog. He's the quintessential WR1 and probably the best run-after-catch receiver I've ever scouted. Lamb isn't a freak athlete, but neither is Michael Thomas and neither is DeAndre Hopkins. The Cowboys needed a slot receiver and lucked out in a big way. Lamb will relegate Amari Cooper to a WR2 in the near future. Trevon Diggs (3) is an interesting prospect. He's the brother of Stefon and a gifted football player in the general sense, having actually earned snaps at wide receiver and punt returner at Alabama. He surely graded out well as a college corner, but the translatable traits don't pop out as positive on film. There's an awkward mistimed jump to play the ball, struggling to stay in-phase along the boundary, and an overall theme of probably being more comfortable facing forward than backward. He plays high and I envision him getting beat a lot early in press, but there's upside there and he'll develop nicely in a zone-heavy scheme. I wasn't huge on Neville Gallimore (2) (notes read: jag-ish, jolted back too much, spin gets home but that doesn't translate), but based on everyone else's board it's a good value at 82. I also think Bradlee Anae's (1) ultimate draft slot is telling in a bad way. His sacks don't translate in terms of athletic traits or technique, and he's not big enough for strength to be his best skill. I did, however, love the Reggie Robinson (3) pick. He showed out against Michigan State and Oklahoma State with a "sick" pick (goes back to YouTube), great feet, "sticking to the MSU receiver's hip," and "nice play vs the run." The Michigan State quarterback stopped looking at him after some great breaks on the ball. It wouldn't surprise me if he ended up being better than Diggs. Finally, Tyler Biadasz (3) is a badass. Injuries made him fall, but I liked him better than Cushenberry. Just a tough Wisconsin center. 📷 The Cowboys killed it, and they needed to. Cheap young players on rookie contracts will be all they'll be able to afford after they extend Dak Prescott.
Washington Redskins
I was not a big Dwayne Haskins fan last year, so I would have strongly considered a quarterback at 2. In the end, the deciding factor probably had little to do with Haskins and a lot to do with the absolute monster they chose instead. Here's some hard-hitting in-depth analysis: Chase Young (5) is going to be good. He doesn't play with the power of some other elite edge rushers, but his twitchiness is just absurd. Play recognition, hands, inside moves, ability to run the arc, ability to anchor against the run - he has the makings of a hall-of-famer. The most underrated trait that can be evaluated on college film is balance. Chase Young has other-worldly balance for his size. Rumor has it the Wisconsin coaches burned their film against Ohio State. To say Young wrecked that game would be an understatement. You know how Derrick Henry was just largely responsible for a deep playoff run? Chase Young is the Derrick Henry of defensive ends and will do the same for the Redskins in 2025. In the third round, the Skins took offensive playmaker Antonio Gibson (3) of Memphis. Gibson played mostly slot receiver for the Tigers and wasn't exactly comfortable running routes. He still managed to score 14 touchdowns on just 77 career touches, including an absurd touchdown run versus SMU (gif below). He's a little tight and struggled against better competition like Penn State, but the SMU tape shows off his 4.39 speed and playmaking ability. I was surprised how seamlessly Tony Pollard made the transition to running back last year. I don't know if Gibson has that in him, but as a gadget guy and specials contributor early it's worth it to see if you can develop him. 📷 Other picks included Saahdiq Charles (2) who has character issues but pretty good film, and Antonio Gandy-Golden (3), who was a steal at 142 for his size/production mix. He'll be a surprise contributor this year on the fantasy scene. The Redskins can thank Daniel Jones for beating them in overtime last year, as that loss locked up the second overall pick. They'll go through the motions with Dwayne Haskins, but ultimately Ron Rivera will get his own young quarterback to develop during Chase Young's prime. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more divisions in the coming days. Full article with Gifs: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-and-team-grades-nfc-east/735919 NFC North: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-and-team-grades-nfc-north/734932 AFC North: https://www.rotoballer.com/2020-nfl-draft-review-afc-north/735564?src=cat_feat_9954
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