2019 Legacy NFL: Grading The Draft As We Go

3.01 - Bills select Oshane Ximines, DE, NYG, B+, Raw, small school End with enough markers to be interesting. Probably a 20/21 story if he does hit but there's 2 or 3 DE I'd prefer to get at this point

3.02 - Green Bay grabs Mack Wilson, LB, CLE, B+, Well he fell from being named alongside the Devins in terms of draftable talent to falling to the fifth on draft day. Alabama backer so you have to respect that but something caused the slide. I prefer the other backer Cleveland took but the value is ok here

3.03 - Dolphins take Jeffrey Simmons, DT, TEN, A, - I love the tape but it looks like he'll sit out the season due to the injury while training for the combine. Shame we didn't get the metrics but looking at the tape he could be a top 3 fantasy producer from the interior when he does actually get on the field

3.04 - Bills take Kahale Wearing, TE, HOU, A-, - Very nice draft and stash TE, a bit raw and likely to start 3/4 on the depth chart but all the talent in the world. I'm a big fan

3.05 - Bills take Mike Edwards, S, TBB, B, - Flat B from me here, bit of a cop out as I just didn't do any scouting on him. Apologies. Did get drafted well 

3.06 - Chargers take Allen Dakota, LB, LAR, C, - Skipped quickly past Dakota, I think he could make a living on special teams but that maybe his ceiling. 

3.07 - Bengals grab Gary Jennings, WR, SEA, A - Nice get here, top technical WR with very good hands and ability to get open at will. The fly in the ointment is Seattle still hold back RWs passing attempts preferring to pound the opposition to death,  also Lockett is good and Metcalf got drafted high. Jennings feels like the Baldwin replacement though so you never know

3.08 - Niners select Ryquell Armstead, RB, JAX, A+, This far down and that's top value for a decent grinder with really only the sullen, oft injured, offered for trade Leonard Fournette ahead of him. I've seen him go bottom of the first and while I don't think he's a franchise RB, he'll be a capable stand in should the lead back go down

3.09 - Bears take Renfrew Hunter, WR, OAK, A-, Possible starting WR in the slot for Oakland this season is great value here. There's some competition but  like his chances to grab that position sometime this season. 

3.10 - Panthers pick up Tony Pollard, RB, DAL, A, - I'm very high on Pollard as a talent, bit of a gadget player who should see plenty of special teams work. Won't see many touches unless EE goes down/gets suspended again but if he can grab 5-8 per game including returns and maybe lining up in the slot that should reward his owner well. 

3.11 - Rams take Taylor Rapp, S, LAR, A-, Constantly surprised to see Taylor always go around here, he's probably worth a mid second at his draft position alone. Could be this seasons Jesse Bates  

3.12 - Rams take Terry McLaurin, WR, WAS, A+, How did a player of this quality fall through the cracks, some have tipped him to lead all rookie WR in fantasy points this season and while that's a stretch I agree the fact he made that list at all should see him drafted by the end of the second and he would have been a steal there. If Haskins starts McLaurin has an instant rapport with his QB too. He was on my list of two at 2.12. 

3.13 - Cowboys take Jahlani Tevai, LB, DET, A-, Again great value here for a solid backer who Detroit grabbed high and I'd say to start. An good instincts backer with only average metrics, the antithesis of Devin White for a quarter of the price.  

3.14 - Jaguars select Byron Murphy, CB, ARI, B+, Murphy has a great chance to be the best corner in the draft, was my number 1 heading into it. Mid third is about where you want to start taking corners but I feel the value still comes later

3.15 - Rams grab Blake Cashman, LB, NYJ, A- Rams are just nailing it this round aren't they. Cashman draws favourable reviews from both draft analysts and fantasy gurus, the tape shows a lot of promise. High effort good instincts guy with solid metrics, with the Jets ditching Darren Lee I feel the path is clearing toward some starting time for Blake this season

3.16 - Saints select Quincy Williams, LB JAX, A+, For all I said above this is the guy I would have personally taken at 3.15. He's raw in terms of instincts but he's the top technique tackle guy with outstanding closing speed, a smaller backer but Telvin Smith is too and he will  walk away for at least a season. A door opens for Williams and I think JAX drafted Smiths replacement in the second round, the fit seems almost too perfect. I'm actually jealous

3.17 - The Jets select Jarrett Stidham, QB, NEP, A-, - I like Stidham a lot he looks an NFL QB to me from the tape but the analyst seemed to very cool on him pre draft. I think he's probably the best pure pocket passer in the draft and I certainly had him rated higher than Jones/Grier/Lock etc. I've not looked to see if he's been drafted here to handcuff Brady or just as a stash for a couple of seasons, Brady has to retire at some point doesn't he? 

3.18 - Colts select Devine Ozigbo, RB, NOS, B - There's upside here but it doesn't look like he'll see much playing time and that means this is a little high for me. Could be headed for the Saints practice squad and if he gets stolen by another team when he gets waived then this narrative could change. I like him as a running back just not the landing spot

3.19 - Redskins select Amani Hooker, S, TEN, B, Another player I've not done any due diligence on, I've no notes here at all. 

3.20 - Saints take Deionte Thompson, S, ARI, A-, - The pre draft consensus number one safety for a long time before his last couple of games and then news of lingering injury issues. I think this is worth the gamble because if those issues contributed to the late season loss of form and they can be overcome then the Saints get a blue chip safety with a high ceiling.

3.21 - Eagles take Greedy Williams, CB, CLE, A-, I like Williams here, I feel like he will be a good fantasy player opposite Denzel Ward, Cleveland had issues all last year at corner across from Ward and Williams has been drafted to fix that. Williams has good enough ball skills to take advantage of teams avoiding the shut down corner

3.22 - Falcons select Jachai Polite, LB, NYJ, B+, - Ahh Mr Polite, the oft raved about edge defender who screwed up the combine. He gets the backer designation which isn't great and he's a rotational pass rusher atm. This years Arden Key maybe but with a lot less snaps. If the talent is still there a good coach maybe able to overcome the apathy he plays with on downs he can't get to the QB on. I think the talent is there to especially as a speed rusher but I think Greg Williams is a very poor defensive coach. I don't think his brand of swearing at a player louder and louder is going to wash with Jachai ...

3.23 - Patriots take Foster Moreau, TE, OAK, B+, - Raiders bought Moreau in as a blocking TE (they waived Smith almost immediately) but with half an eye they could turn him into a chain mover at TE I guess. He's capable as a move TE tbf and the Raiders roster really has nothing much ahead of him as Waller has proved nothing so far. I think he has upside as a bye week player and depth on a fantasy roster with power to add

3.24 - Buccs grab Treyveon Williams, RB, CIN, A-, - Tough to grade Treyveon, on tape he was one of my favourite pre draft running backs, certainly top 3 maybe top 3. But the metrics were a little underwhelming, awful 3 cone for a 200lb back. (Just note the 40 was far superior to Josh Jacobs and we have no 3 cone there) He lands in Cincy well behind Joe Mixon and alongside highly talented oft injured Rodney Anderson. I think Treyveon gets first crack if Mixon goes down and there maybe a case that this is Mixons replacement when he wants to be paid. Anyway whatever I think this is cracking value here and well worth a stash for a couple of seasons

3.25 - Texans take Greg Gains, DT, HOU, B - Flat B, Feels like a roster filler to me, low ceiling DT, bye week fill in. Though to be fair not looked too closely but I'd guess a space eater not a penetrator from the interior from the little I just looked at

3.26 - Bears take Ryan Finley, QB, CIN, C+, - Yeah I've seen the Cincinnati drafted Finley to replace Dalton soon ish, I'm not buying it. Think he has career back up written large and he's looked out of his depth (I'm told) in camp so far, which the way young QB's come in from college and look good from day one in padless practices, isn't great news. Unsure if Bears owns Dalton which would kick this up a grade but if not then there were much better prospects, including a couple of possible starters, still on the board

3.27  - Houston select Charles Omenihu, DE, HOU, A-, - What's not to like. high ceiling pass rush, who I'd guess may get kicked inside to reek havoc from the interior, that should eventually start and hold down a full time job on the Houston D line, Add in good against the run and the future is golden. Especially if the coaches can fix the pad level issue. If you can get double digit sacks by year 3 from a bottom of the third you'd have to be happy with that. 

3.28 - Rams take Will Grier, QB, CAR - A, - Much earlier than this and I've probably assigned a B- grade, I think the gamble just fine here. Upside QB with fixable issues, poor senior bowl week and work outs don't inspire confidence but there is a good body of college work to hang a hat on. That tells me there could be a starting QB down the line. Cam needs to deliver or I can see him trying pastures new in maybe 1/2 seasons. Great value here and again haven't looked to see if this is a handcuff which would bump the rank to A+...It's all about the value for me

3.29 - Steelers select Rodney Anderson, RB, CIN, A-, - And here's the other CIN rookie RB, when one goes the other usually follows. I love the talent, stays fit through college he's probably the 1.1 in most drafts and playing for the Raiders, but those injuries are a big red flag and now he gets Mixon and Williams plus Bernard who's no slouch himself..at 3.29 all that talent has to be worth a punt here though

3.30 - Saints take Darrius Slayton, WR, NYG, B-, Bad hands WR but exciting with ball in hand, a true burner who'd probably do most of his damage close to the line of scrimmage. I'd probably pass here even if I wanted to add a WR at this point there are better still out there. I guess NY's shallow depth chart may have a say in this pick

3.31 - Broncos grab Sione Takitaki, LB, CLE, ?? - again I'll leave this ungraded but here is that "other" Cleveland LB I spoke of earlier and I got him...I'd forgotten that. A non scheme dependant fast, instinctive backer who could play anywhere in the linebacker corps though one suspects he'll start a weakside rather than in the middle. Reminds me a lot of Leighton Vander Esch and that cannot be bad and that's why I drafted him cheaply I thought bottom of the third

3.32 - Ravens take Jaylon Ferguson, LB, BAL, B - Solid edge defender, Don't see him as a stud on any ones roster but could be a decent contributor at times. Would have much preferred the DE designation as he won't or shouldn't threaten to start in a teams backer corps.

Yeah not a Jones truther I'm afraid...9th on my QB draft board as far as QB are concerned and I don't think he shifts Manning this season. I had a 3rd round grade on him.