- Green Bay Packers: Kevin King, CB, Washington
This is an interesting pick. Green Bay needs help at corner and King provides an intriguing option at 6’3. With teams wanting taller receivers it makes sense teams want taller corners as well.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Cam Robinson, T/G, Alabama
I was somewhat surprised he fell this far, not because I think he should have been drafted earlier, but because I thought he would be overdrafted. Robinson could make for an adequate starting tackle in the NFL and if that does not work, he will succeed as a guard.
- Seattle Seahawks: Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
I thought this was an excellent value pick and worth trading up in the second round for. McDowell has a good anchor and has played up and down the line at Michigan State. His motor is the reason he fell out of the first round.
- Arizona Cardinals: Budda Baker, FS, Washington
This is the right spot for Budda Baker as he is a highly instinctual player. I think his versatility as a potential slot corner gives Arizona some versatility in their secondary.
- Buffalo Bills: Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
Zay Jones is going to be a receiver in this league because he has all the tools to succeed. His height, jumping ability and production in the FBS say he can do it in the NFL.
- Los Angeles Chargers: Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky
Forrest Lamp may be the best lineman in this draft. The two reasons he dropped out of the first round were that he played at a small school and the fact that he is a guard. Guards are just not valued as high as tackles.
- New York Jets: Marcus Maye, S, Florida
The Jets clearly were looking to upgrade at safety in this draft taking two in the first two rounds. Maye will probably be more the free safety although he has the traits to play in the box too. Some would say he was over drafted, but I think he deserved to go this high.
- Carolina Panthers: Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State
You can clearly see that the Carolina Panthers offense is going to look different in 2017. They have added two playmakers who can trive off the short pass. This is only going to make Carolina’s offense more dynamic.
- Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cook may have a troubled past, but his on-the-field value is undeniable. I think he is an elite running back prospect that will replace Adrian Peterson.
- New Orleans Saints: Marcus Williams, S, Utah
You can tell the Saints were on a mission to upgrade their secondary and now they have the top corner and a free safety to add to their secondary. Williams is a playmaker that could increase the Saints interception total in 2017.
- Philadelphia Eagles: Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
Many projected Gareon Conley to go to the Eagles in round one, but his off the field problems made corner a tough position to go in the first round. Here the Eagles take the best press corner in this draft with their only long-term risk being that Jones’ Achilles does not heal right.
- Los Angeles Rams: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama
Giving up a lot to get Jared Goff in last year’s draft, the Rams use their first pick in this draft to help out Goff with a tight end with high upside. His downfall is that he played at South Alabama, but Everett would not be the first to succeed at that level of football in the NFL.
- Chicago Bears: Adam Shaheen, TE, Ashland
The Bears go tight end after Everett and also get a small school standout. Shaheen started as a basketball player and moved to football in college. His athletic traits as a move tight end make this a high upside pick.
- Indianapolis Colts: Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
With Vontae Davis not having a good year, it became a need for the Colts to pick a cornerback early. Wilson rose up draft boards after the combine and injury to Sidney Jones.
- Baltimore Ravens: Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
This was a good pick for the Ravens as they continue their legacy of excellent outside linebackers. Bower shows traits that suggest he can rush the passer with athleticism and at least he will be able to be good in coverage and against the run.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
Here was a very controversial pick as Mixon has been caught on tape beating a female student at Oklahoma. This image is terrifying as Mixon knocked the woman out. From a football perspective, Mixon is a star running back, but personally I am horrified.
- Washington Redskins: Ryan Anderson, OLB, Alabama
Some will say Anderson was overshadowed at Alabama by the likes of Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster. I have to say this is a good pick as he was a good player on a very good college defense.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Evans, S, Texas A&M
Tampa got a weapon in the secondary as Evans will make highlight reels as a big hitter and will be a playmaker will ballhawking skills. His biggest hole is tackling and that could be a liability.
- Denver Broncos: DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Denver added another 3-tech to their front seven and that was really the biggest hole left by Malik Jackson in the Broncos defense. Walker will provide interior rush to add to the outside pass rush provided by Von Miller. The Broncos defense looks to be elite again.
- Cleveland Browns: DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
I respect that Cleveland waited to take a quarterback for as long as they did, but wonder if this pick will work out? Kizer did not fight Brian Kelly’s assertion that he should have spent another year in college. We will see if Hugh Jackson can fix Kizer’s erratic play. Kizer does have the upside the Browns need to have the franchise QB they have lacked for so long.
- Detriot Lions: Teez Tabor, CB, Florida
Tabor was a better player on tape than his combine numbers suggest. His coverage ability is better than his natural speed. We will see if Tabor can be the number #2 corner for Detriot.
- Miami Dolphins: Raekwon McMillan, ILB, Ohio State
Miami continued rebuilding their linebacking core by taking McMillan. After signing Lawrence Timmons and drafting Raekwon McMillan, you wonder if Miami is not that high on Kiko Alonso anymore?
- New York Giants: Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama
Another Alabama player was taken with the 55th pick and they complete their stout defensive line. Now the Giants have Jason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Dalvin Tomlinson on their defensive line.
- Oakland Raiders: Obi Melifonwu, S, Washington
The Raiders further upgrade their secondary with a good value pick in Obi Melifonwu. Melifonwu got some consideration in mock drafts as a first rounder because of his performance at the combine. At 56 this a good value pick and another step toward an improved Raiders secondary.
- Houston Texans: Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
Houston takes an athlete with their second round pick and the hope is he can develop into a good linebacker. My first impression is that Cunningham will start as a special teamer and the hope is he will live up to his measurables as a linebacker.
- Seattle Seahawks: Ethan Pocic, C, LSU
I understand going offensive line here, but wonder why Pocic was the pick? I would have thought they would have went with someone who had played tackle in college. Maybe they have plans to play Pocic at tackle?
- Kansas City Chiefs: Tanoh Kompasagnon, DE, Villanova
Kansas City beefs up their defensive line with this pick. I see him as a high risk, high reward pick. My guess is he will get a chance early to win a starting spot.
- Dallas Cowboys: Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
Dallas tried to replace Morris Claiborne with Chidobe Awuzie. Although Awuzie may not be as good as Morris Claiborne right away, the pick is good value at #60. Awuzie will be able to contribute in the slot and on the outside and is a good cover corner.
- Green Bay Packers: Josh Jones, S, NC State
With the run on safeties in this round, it was surprising that Jones was not taken higher. Jones is a big hitter who can play deep safety. There is some concern about his angles when tackling.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, Southern California
The wide receiver room is already crowded with Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Justin Hunter, Eli Rogers, Darius Heyward-Bey and Sammie Coates under contract. However, Smith-Schuster does provide good value early in the slot as someone who can challenge vertically and improve the Steelers passing in the red zone. They will need him to play special teams and that is probably where his early value comes from.
- Buffalo Bills: Dion Dawkins, G, Temple
It will be interesting to see how Dawkins is used early in his career. The Jets have a big need at right tackle, but could also use some stability at guard. Most people project him to be a guard in the NFL.
- Carolina Panthers: Taylor Moton, T, Western Michigan
Moton may have been over drafted, but tackle was a need for the Panthers. Many project Moton as a guard, but there is a bigger need on the outside. Moton’s weakness is his footwork and mobility. If that can improve, he will be a monster of a tackle.
