Acing the draft is as simple as not making a stupid mistake. There are some simple rules to follow and teams that do are usually consistently in the playoffs or heading that way. First, don’t reach. Don’t draft for need early unless you know you’re getting a star. Don’t think you’re smarter than everybody else until Round 3, then you can start showing off your scouting department. If an elite player falls into your lap, you take them and worry about your depth chart later.
This is why the Texans took Jadaveon Clowney last season even though they already had J.J. Watt. This is why the Chargers had to jump the Texans this year to get Melvin Gordon even though Houston already had Arian Foster. This is why the Packers took Aaron Rodgers back in 2005 even though they had Hall of Famer Brett Favre. Don’t outsmart yourself.
Let’s look at the teams that did the best
Atlanta Falcons
The haul: Vic Beasley (OLB/DE, Clemson, round one), Jalen Collins (CB, LSU, round two), Tevin Coleman (RB, Indiana, round three), Justin Hardy (WR, East Carolina, round four), Grady Jarrett (NT, Clemson, round five), Jake Rodgers (OT, Eastern Washington, round seven) and Akeem King (CB, San Jose State, round seven)
Beasley fell right into their lap and while as an outside linebacker he doesn’t fit Dan Quinn’s scheme, guess who didn’t care? That’s right, Dan Quinn. Beasley is going to rush the passer for the Falcons and Quinn doesn’t give a damn if he does it with his hand on the ground or standing up. His job will be to get into the backfield so call him whatever you want. Collins and Coleman would have both been first rounders in any other draft, especially Coleman who will compete for a starting spot immediately.
New York Jets
The haul: Leonard Williams (DE/DT, USC, round one), Devin Smith (WR, Ohio State, round two), Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB, Louisville, round three), Bryce Petty (QB, Baylor, round four), Jarvis Harrison (OG, Texas A&M, round five) and Deon Simon (NT, Northwestern State, round seven)
The Jets could have just stopped drafting after landing Leonard Williams at No. 6 and still got an “A,” but they didn’t stop there. Smith is an instant deep threat at wide receiver to go with Mike Wallace and Erik Decker and to wait around like they did and get Bryce Petty, who will unquestionably start for them by season’s end in the fourth round? Just outstanding. Add to that trading a seventh rounder to the Rams for running back Zac Stacy who nearly ran for 1,000 yards two years ago? This was a game-changing draft for the Jets.
St. Louis Rams
The haul: Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia, round one), Rob Havenstein (OT, Wisconsin, round two), Jamon Brown (OT, Louisville, round three), Sean Mannion (QB, Oregon State, round three), Andrew Donnal (OT, Iowa, round four), Bud Sasser (WR, Missouri, Round six), Cody Wichmann (OG, Fresno State, round six), Bryce Hager (ILB, Baylor, round seven) and Martin Ifedi (DE, Memphis, round seven)
The Rams didn’t come into the day needed a running back, with Tre Mason and Zac Stacy already on the roster and both showing that they’re legitimate NFL starters over the last two seasons. But Todd Gurley fell to them at No. 10, and when we look at our rules above, you know what had to happen. Gurley is the best running back to come into the NFL since Adrian Peterson. He’s the perfect multi-purpose offensive weapon who can run power or speed, catch the ball out of the backfield and even return kicks (though he’ll never do that for the Rams). If you followed my “Perfect Drafts” over the last few weeks, then you’ve seen plenty of these other names show up. The Rams needed offensive line help so they drafted four of them. If even one turns into an NFL starter, the Rams are set, but I think they’ll get two out of this group (Havenstein and Brown are my bet). Drafting Bud Sasser probably spells the end of Chris Givens and Bryce Hager is one of my favorite players in this draft, period.
Dallas Cowboys
The haul: Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut, round one), Randy Gregory (DE, Nebraska, round two), Chaz Green (OT, Florida, round three), Damien Wilson (ILB, Minnesota, round four), Ryan Russell (DE, Purdue, round five), Mark Nzeocha (OLB, Wyoming, round seven), Laurence Gibson (OT, Virginia Tech, round seven) and Geoff Swaim (TE, Texas, round seven)
Jones gives the Cowboys the guy who I think may end up being the best corner in the draft and thanks to some off-the-field and punctuality issues, they got one of the best pass rushers too in Randy Gregory. Both Jones and Gregory will start this season and when Greg Hardy comes back (supposedly after 10 games, but I think he gets it down to four), the Cowboys front seven will be one of the best in football. Green is a solid offensive lineman that can develop into a starter and Damien Wilson will be an immediate help on special teams.
Houston Texans
The haul: Kevin Johnson (CB, Wake Forest, round one), Bernardrick McKinney (ILB, Mississippi State, round two), Jaelen Strong (WR, Arizona State, round three), Keith Mumphery (WR, Michigan State, round five), Reshard Cliett (OLB, South Florida, round six), Christian Covington (DT, Rice, round six), Kenny Hilliard (RB, LSU, round seven)
And here they are, the team I think had easily the best draft of anybody in the NFL. Just look at those first three picks and know that I had first-round grades on all of them and I’m not the only one. To let the draft come to you so perfectly, not only filling needs, but taking the best player available to land three starters in the first three rounds is a thing of beauty. Not only that, but I think Keith Mumphery is going to be a hell of a pro receiver and has excelled in a pro-style offense with a pro-style quarterback at Michigan State.
