Even if the Minnesota Vikings have managed to win the NFC North two of the last three seasons, most of us still feel like this division belongs to the Green Bay Packers. That’s in spite of the horrid coaching that has cost them multiple chances at a Super Bowl title in the Aaron Rodgers era.
With two new coaching regimes in Chicago and Detroit, this could be a turning point draft for the division. Or, just another chance for us to forget the Vikings are the defending champs.
Chicago Bears
The haul: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia (Round 1, Pick 8), James Daniels, OL, Iowa (Round 2, Pick 39), Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis (Round 2, Pick 51), Joel Iyieqbuniwe, LB, Western Kentucky (Round 4, Pick 115), Bilal Nichols, DL, Delaware (Round 5, Pick 145), Kylie Fitts, DE, Utah (Round 6, Pick 181), Javon Williams, WR, Georgia (Round 7, Pick 224)
Grade: B-
James Daniels in the second round feels like a need pick, but one where the Bears could have gotten better value out of by taking a guy like Courtland Sutton or, if they wanted to stay on the offensive line, Connor Williams or Orlando Brown. Daniels may not see the field as a rookie.
Miller is a nice selection with their second pick in the second round, which keeps them out of C+ territory. Don’t be surprised to see Miller on the field a lot, especially if Kevin white has any injury issues again.
Detroit Lions
The haul: Frank Ragnow, Center, Arkansas (Round 1, Pick 20), Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn (Round 2, Pick 43), Tracy Walker, Safety, Louisiana-Lafayette (Round 3, Pick 82), Da’Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama (Round 4, Pick 114), Tyrell Crosby, OG, Oregon (Round 5, Pick 153), Nick Bawden, RB, San Diego State (Round 7, Pick 237)
Grade: B-
Was center that big a need for the Lions that they had to reach on Ragnow? I say that, even now a week and a half later, looking at the run on centers. Ragnow is a solid pick and should eventually start, so at least they got that value from their first rounder. Kerryon Johnson in the second is another story. Auburn doesn’t run a pro system and while Johnson is a talented running back, the nuances of the pro game, especially in pass protection, has kept Auburn backs on the bench as rookies. I don’t see anything from him that will put him ahead of the curve. Da’Shawn Hand in the fourth is a solid value pick and boosts the Lions’ grade up to B- territory. He should push Anthony Zettel back inside before the first month of the season’s out.
Green Bay Packers
The haul: Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville (Round 1, Pick 18), Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa (Round 2, Pick 45), Oren Burks, LB, Vanderbilt (Round 3, Pick 88), J’Mon Moore, WR, Missouri (Round 4, Pick 133), J.K. Scott, Punter, Alabama (Round 5, Pick 175), Marquez Valdez-Scantling, WR, South Florida (Round 5, Pick 174), Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame (Round 6, Pick 207), James Looney, DE, California (Round 7, Pick 232), Hunter Bradley, LS, Mississippi State (Round 7, Pick 239), Kendall Donnerson, DE, Southeast Missouri (Round 7, Pick 248)
Grade: A+
The Packers added starters with their first three picks in this draft, drafting one of the most physically gifted corners in the first and the most dominant corner in college football in the second. Considering Green Bay already had a couple of solid corners in Kevin King and Tramon Williams, they’ve added strength to strength. Burks, in the third, should immediately push for playing time at inside linebacker. The Pack weren’t desperate for wide receiver help, but still added it with J’Mon Moore and the underrated Equanimeous St. Brown. Both should find their way onto the field sooner than later.
Minnesota Vikings
The haul: Mike Hughes, CB, UCF (Round 1, Pick 30), Brian O’Neill, OT, Pittsburgh (Round 2, Pick 62), Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State (Round 4, Pick 102), Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan (Round 5, Pick 157), Daniel Carlson, Kicker, Auburn (Round 5, Pick 167), Colby Gossett, OG, Appalachian State (Round 6, Pick 213), Ade Aruna, DE, Tulane (Round 6, Pick 218), Devante Downs, LB, California (Round 7, Pick 225)
Grade: C-
The Vikings came into this draft as the second best team in the NFC so they didn’t have a lot of holes to fill. And that’s a good thing since they didn’t do a damn thing to improve their team. Hughes has to beat out Terrence Newman and Mackenzie Alexander just to take the field as a nickle or dime corner. O’Neill will be a back up on the offensive line unless somebody gets hurt and no other pick stands out a serious contributor.
