[2022] NFL Draft - 1st Round Grades

[SageBow]

Not going to do full grades, but here’s my quick reactions, along with Tsweezy and MasonAsher for the players selected in the first round.

 

1. :bengals: Cincinnati Bengals - OT Elijhaa Rader - A+ overall, A- potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: Thought he was the best player in the class. Looks to be a long time starter at offensive tackle. Can’t fault the Bengals for taking the #1 talent at #1 overall.

Tsweezy - Grade A-: As a player, Elijhaa Rader is an A+ selection. Highest rated overall, best combine / pro day / drill performance, great potential, good stamina. Phenomenal player. The only qualm I would have is that Cincinnati already has a pair of OTs who are 25 and 26, A potential, 72 and 75 overalls. Who of these 3 players gets benched? They can kick one of them inside to OG, but on the whole I think Cincinnati as a team would’ve been better served getting any kind of defensive help.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: Rader was the best player in the draft in my opinion. It was kind of a strange decision to pick him at the top of the draft with two young tackles already but I can’t fault them for taking the best player in the draft #1.

1. :jets: New York Jets - FB Danny Kipnis - A- overall, B+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: Headscratcher here. I liked Kipnis but not more than Ryan Johnson. Thought Johnson was the superior player all around, but Kipnis is one of the 3 elite backs in this draft and worth the selection in the top 10.

Tsweezy - Grade C: second pick in a row where the player is good, but why? The Jets already have a superstar rushing FB who can slide in at RB, taking another one seems like a mis-allocation of resources. As a player, Danny Kipnis is very very good, and much better at rushing than his “receiving” tag would have you expect. I would have thought he’d be the 4th or 5th back taken, so a reach here at #2 overall.

MasonAsher - Grade C+: This was a bit of a strange pick. It wasn’t a super overdraft but still I felt like the Jets had other needs to address and instead just created a logjam at a position where they were solid at.

1. :colts: Indianapolis Colts - QB Rashaan Lyons - B+ overall, B- potential
   

SageBow - Grade B+: Personal preference, I had Dakoda Link as my QB1 in this class. Lyons is right up there though, and I know the Colts organization couldn’t be happier.

Tsweezy - Grade A-: I had Dekoda ahead by a hair in my QB rankings, but absolutely understand the argument for Rashaan as the #1 QB prospect. Man dominated in college and had phenomenal drills as well. With the B- potential I think he’ll do a great job in Indianapolis. Pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade to move up to number 3, it’s going to be up to the front office to get creative and find enough defensive pieces to turn what should be a good offense into wins.

MasonAsher - Grade A: I can’t fault the Colts for trading up to get Lyons. I really like him and I think he will be a stud at the next level. He wins everywhere he goes and should be able to carry the offense. I really like this pick.

1. :bears: Chicago Bears - ILB Jehu Ginn - A overall, B+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: The best defensive player in the class, Bears got a great pick here. Jehu Ginn will be an impactful player on this defense and looks to be a focal point the Bears can build around for a long time.

Tsweezy - Grade A: Chicago didn’t have a ton of holes which makes this a spot they could mostly go BPA and look for an impact player. I think Ginn fits that bill as he was phenomenal in every sense of the word and headlined a LB class that was extremely shallow this year.

MasonAsher - Grade A: I had Ginn high on my board and far above any other ILB in the class. He’s a guy who you can stick on the field and not have to worry about. This Bears defense is going to be good for a long time with Ginn in the middle of the field.

1. :broncos: Denver Broncos - QB Dakoda Link - A- overall, C+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: My QB1 goes off the board at 5. Great selection for the Broncos. Link has the best arm in the class and should be a force in the league.

Tsweezy - Grade B-: Another conflicted reaction. I thought Dekoda was the number 1 QB on the board, and definitely the most pro-ready now as opposed to the best development prospect. However, Denver already has a 26 year old QB with both better overall (75) and better potential (B-) than Dekoda. He’s also owed 32 million over the next two years, so did Denver snap up QB1 to sit him on the bench for 2 seasons instead of getting Peter London some better protection or improving the defense?

MasonAsher - Grade B+: I liked Lyons just a bit more than Link and I think Link was one of the top players in the draft. However, I don’t understand the pick here as the Broncos already had a QB who I think is going to be really good. Now they do have some capital to use as tradebait as I don’t see them keeping both on the roster for the next few years. I can see this both ways as it does give them some flexibility asset wise.

1. :rams: Los Angeles Rams - RB Bruce Dawson - A overall, C+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: The best running back comes off the board at 6, behind Kipnis, who I had as the 3rd best back in the class. Bruce was the focal point, do it all guy for a championship winning Tulsa team and looks to be an offensive weapon for the Rams.

Tsweezy - Grade A: great pick. The Rams had a hole at RB, and sat pat and had the number 1 RB available at 6. Bruce caps off a heisman winning, national champion run last season and showed out in every drill he participated in. Literally the only reservation I would have is his F injury rating, but if he stays healthy I’d expect him to be in contention for ROTY this season.

MasonAsher - Grade A+: My favorite pick in the draft and it’s pretty simple as to why. Dawson has HOF potential if he stays healthy and the Rams needed a running back. They picked up the best back and immediately made their offense better. If he stays healthy this could look like a huge steal, even at #6.

1. :vikings: Minnesota Vikings - WR Alex Williams III - A- overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade A-: Williams is an awesome prospect, lightning quick on a big frame. Impeccable hands and a polished route runner. A true monster and top 10 talent.

Tsweezy - Grade C+: The consensus best WR prospect in the draft, Alex led the country in receiving yards last year and had As across the board in every facet you could judge a WR by. Again, as seems to be the theme though, who are you benching for Alex? Minnesota has a trio of 79+ overall WRs on the roster, and with a top-10 RB, QB Christian Sinnock will helm what should be the highest powered offense in the league. I do have to ding Minnesota here for getting a luxury WR4 instead of investing in a pretty barren defense though.

MasonAsher - Grade B: I thought that the vikings could have really used some help at other spots but you can’t knock getting one of the best wideouts in the draft. You can’t have enough wide receivers and Williams III is one of the very best. He has the potential to be an impact guy early on but he will need to play.

1. :browns: Cleveland Browns - CB Kolton Hayes - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: Didn’t love the pick, didn’t hate it either. Hayes was high on my board, higher than Ramon Newton who the Browns have publicly said they tried to select here. Still, thought he wasn’t the CB1 of the class and that’s what docks the grade here.

Tsweezy - Grade B: To me, I thought this draft class had ~5 corners that were all relatively close at the top of the board. Kolton was not my number one in that group, but he’s still an elite corner prospect who can helm that room for the Browns and develop very well over the years. Hopefully the public snafu over his “mistaken” selection just drives him rather than demoralize.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: I actually like this pick a lot and I think Hayes is going to be really solid for the Browns. Regardless of “who” should have gone here, they filled a need and filled it with a really solid CB in a group that didn’t have much separation.

1. :ravens: Baltimore Ravens - FS Matt Perez - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: Had him as a top 20 player and not shocked he came off the board here. Even though Perez is a great player, I had Puello as the better safety, but the Ravens are happy regardless.

Tsweezy - Grade C+: I actually thought Matt was the 2nd best free safety behind Bruce, who just slightly outshines him in every single category. Furthermore, I’m not sure that FS was the position with the biggest impact for Baltimore either. I think he’ll wind up being a great player at his position for sure, but just not sure that this was the most impactful selection out there in my view.

MasonAsher - Grade B-: I don’t love this pick and don’t hate this pick. The Ravens probably could have looked elsewhere but the did need to shore up their secondary. However, with the talent at the cornerback spot still around, I would have selected one of them to give the Ravens two stud corners.

1. :lions: Detroit Lions - CB Mike Pressly - B- overall, B+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade C+: Head scratching pick. Just didn’t like it. Pressly was a second rounder in my book, and taking him top 10 just didn’t make any sense to me, especially not with Rodriguez and Newton still available. Still, Pressly is the best zone corner in the class, and the Lions hope he’ll lock down his side of the field for years to come.

Tsweezy - Grade C: Another guy in that mix of 3rd/4th/5th best corner to me. I wouldn’t call Mike the total package, but I would call him the best at zone coverage in this class. Detroit has a pair of aging ball hawks at CB currently, so the hope is that they help round out his other skill sets. It does feel like a luxury pick though when DET has a few other holes on their roster.

MasonAsher - Grade C-: I see why the Lions took a corner here but I don’t know why it was this corner. They are old at the position but now kind of locks them into a zone coverage scheme going forward, which isn’t a bad thing. I just thought they would look elsewhere at this spot.

1. :eagles: Philadelphia Eagles - OLB Mark Soto - B+ overall, A- potential
   

Tsweezy - Grade B: The best OLB prospect in the draft, Mark Soto brings an extremely high level of athleticism and pass rushing ability to pair with Emory Hightower on the other side. Good pick by Philly to bolster the middle of their defense with one of the better players available. Only hesitation is that for a pass rushing OLB, to have no sacks and only 13 TFLs is eyebrow raising. Can chalk it up to UNLV having a poor defensive scheme, but we’ll look for the production to match his ratings when he sees the field.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: I like this pick a lot as they now have a book end at the OLB spot for years to come. He was easily my favorite LB prospect in the draft and he gives good value just outside the top 10. Soto will be a disrupter for years to come.

1. :cardinals: Arizona Cardinals - OG Angel Loe - A- overall, B- potential
   

SageBow - Grade B+: A monster on the offensive line, Angel Loe is a guy that can contribute Day 1. He’ll be a lynchpin for years to come. Cardinals ecstatic with their 1st round selection.

Tsweezy - A-: Solid pick from Arizona! Last position of need to fortify an extremely good offense, Angel has the highest overall remaining (besides Ryan Johnson), and will be a mauler at OG for a long career imo. Strong as an ox, he excels at keeping a clean pocket.

MasonAsher - Grade A: Love this pick for the Cardinals. Plain and simple it gives them their last OL starter at the RG spot and gives them one of the best, if not the best, offensive line in the league. For a team like the Cardinals in win-now mode, this is what you are looking for.

1. :team: Washington Commanders - OT Steven Humphries - B overall, A+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade A+: The Commanders just keep crushing the offseason. Humphries is an elite talent, standing at 6-3, 300 lbs and was my OT2. Getting him at 13 was just picking BPA at a position of need, outstanding job.

MasonAsher - Grade A: Just like the Cardinals a pick prior, the Commanders pick up a very good offensive tackle who could have easily been a Top 10 pick. Great value and they just drafted a stud on the line.

1. :texans: Houston Texans - FB Ryan Johnson - A+ Overall - B- potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: A top 10 talent and arguably a better running back than some of the players selected ahead of him. Johnson will be a weapon for this Texan’s offense for years to come, making the drive down from Denton to H-town.

 

Tsweezy - B+: Basically Bo Jackson, Ryan Johnson should not be pigeonholed as a FB. He is a weapon capable of playing all over the field, and ran roughshod over college football last season. Pairs extremely well with the speedy receiver in the Texans backfield already, and this will be a combo that will be extremely difficult to gameplan against.

1. :cowboys: Dallas Cowboys - CB Amara Rodriguez - B+ Overall, A+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade A+: A top 5 talent in my big board, Amara Rodriguez falling this far is a travesty. Cowboys get an elite talent at 15 and didn’t have to shuffle resources for him. Outstanding.

Tsweezy - A+: Amara is probably my number 1 CB prospect in a deep class. A major position of need for Dallas and they scoop up the number one option without needing to trade up, very good pick.

MasonAsher - A+: I am with the consensus here as Amara was really high on my board and the Cowboys grabbed him with ease. Love the pick here and I think he is going to be a stud for a long time in the league.

1. :falcons: Atlanta Falcons - OT Ulrick Phillips - B- overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: Ulrick was my OT3, but didn’t love the value here. Had him later in the first round instead of being a mid-round selection. Still, the big man moves well and the Falcons are happy with this pick up.

Tsweezy - C-: For my money, Ulrick was maybe the 5th best OT in this draft, I had both Allens ahead of him, and Ulrick is a bit of a liability in the run game (the main offensive weapon ATL has). Very strong, and good potential, he will likely turn into a good NFL starter at OT, but at this point in time at 16 in the first round this was a big reach.

MasonAsher - Grade C+: I don’t think this was a terrible pick but it certainly wasn’t the best. It was an overdraft for sure and he is not really a scheme fit for what the Falcons are looking to do. I thought that they could have filled another hole at this spot and waited until their next few picks to grab a value guy.

1. :patriots: New England Patriots - FS Bruce Puello - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade A-: Big Puello fan. Thought this was the right spot for him to go. Patriots got an excellent player at deep safety, look for him to be a force in this secondary for a long time.

Tsweezy - Grade B: Top-3 FS in Bruce, NE was really only looking to shore up its defense, and Bruce does that. Not totally sold on the draft slot value, and he didn’t record any INTs last season, but he’s a very good zone coverage player who should be a long-term starter.

MasonAsher - Grade B+: A lot can be said about having a very good secondary and Puello will certainly help the Patriots achieve that goal. I don’t love the idea of drafting a safety this high, especially with how close they were on my board. However, I think Bruce will be fine and provide them value throughout his career.

1. :dolphins: Miami Dolphins - CB Ramon Newton - B+ overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: Newton’s a ready made player. Coming out of Arkansas, Newton was a force on the field, and his agility tested off the charts at the combine. He’s a 1 on 1 shadow guy that will be pressed into action quickly.

Tsweezy - Grade B-: back to the CB well here. Miami came into the draft with maybe 4 spots of need, and CB was one of them. Ramon could absolutely wind up as the best corner in this class, and has a spectacularly high skill in man, absolutely locking down his side of the field this year. The downside? Their other corner is a zone guy which Ramon absolutely is not accustomed to. We’ll see how the Dolphins reconcile this mismatch.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: I actually liked this pick here. It was a position of need and I thought that Newton had a really high floor. This is going to be interesting just due to how he fits alongside others in the secondary but I think that Newton will be just fine as he is NFL ready.

1. :jaguars: Jacksonville Jaguars - OG Quincy Wile - B+ overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade A: I loved Quincy Wile. Had him as one of the top offensive line players in this class. The Jaguars already have one of the best teams in the league, and Wile makes them better.

Tsweezy - Grade A: The jaguars came into this draft as one of the most complete teams in the league. With that security, they were looking to bolster their roster instead of needing a playmaker. Quincy was OG2 on my board, just a hair below Angel in both overall and lackluster stamina. He’s very well-balanced and helps complete a good OL for the Jags.

MasonAsher - Grade A: Love this pick. It is a position for them that you need some depth and he will give you another body. One of the top players in the draft if you look at the numbers and he fell all the way to #19.

1. :team: Washington Commanders - WR Ray-Ray Thompson - B overall, A- potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: Didn’t love this one. Thought Carlos Ramos was the superior “burner” wide receiver prospect in everyway. Thompson does bring in elite route running with his speed, and will be another potent weapon in the Commander’s arsenal.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: This is a guy who I think will need to be tinkered with a little to figure out his fit. Once that happens, I think he is going to have a great career. His ability to play at a high level will come down to coaching more than anything as the Commanders will need to figure out how to best use him. If they figure it out, this is a steal at this point.

1. :steelers: Pittsburgh Steelers - TE Devontae McKinney - B- overall, A+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade B+: A freak of nature and possibly the most prolific tight end the college game will ever see. McKinney was a beast down the middle of the field for Purdue and looks to be just as dominant in the league.

Tsweezy - Grade B: Great pickup by Pittsburgh. They needed some pass-catching talent and McKinney is certainly that. With incredibly high potential and great pass-catching skills, McKinney set college football world on fire last year as a mismatch at every level. The only minor knock on him is a lack of top-end speed, but as a TE instead of WR this is something that can be worked around. Good player in my eyes.

MasonAsher - Grade A: I may be biased here but I think McKinney is going to be great in the league. He’s a reliable pass catcher who put Purdue on his back last year. If utilized correctly, McKinney will be unstoppable.

1. :chargers: Los Angeles Chargers - ILB Nathan Burke - B- overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: The only other inside linebacker besides Jehu Ginn that I had a first round grade on, the Chargers have the quarterback of their defense. He thumps like a MIKE linebacker should but also brings the ability to lead and strategize.

Tsweezy - Grade B: The ILB class is pretty sparse at the top, and LAC gets the 2nd best of the bunch to anchor the middle of the field. Extremely smart with a 40 on the wonderlic, Burke will be a pivotal piece for the chargers on D.

MasonAsher - Grade A-: I liked Burke a lot, but not enough to pick him at #14. I think he’s a really smart guy who will be a leader in the middle of the defense for years to come. Really liked him around this point in the draft and should shine in the Chargers defense.

1. :giants: New York Giants - SS Matt Bass - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: After two deep safeties go, Matt Bass is the first box safety to be taken. He’s a combine beast, and will be useful in tracking down tight ends and running backs in man coverage. I liked Reininger more, but its close enough to give the Giants a solid grade.

Tsweezy - Grade C: Did the Giants think Ryan Reininger was off the board already? I had Matt Bass in the mix as SS 2,3, or 4, and think this was a bit of a reach. I don’t think SS was an impact position that not a lot of teams were lining up to draft this early. He is definitely going to be an upgrade at the position and play well for them, but I thought they could have had him with their 2nd rounder and used this to get one of the Allens at OT or a defensive lineman.

MasonAsher - Grade C-: This was probably my least favorite pick in the first round. I had him as a 3rd round grade and could have grabbed him with their next pick. I like him a lot and think he’ll be useful but this was a big reach in my opinion.

1. :bills: Buffalo Bills - OT Marquez Allen - B- overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: Thought the Bills should’ve done better here. Liked Bruce Allen more if they needed a tackle body, and thought Diego Johnson was the best lineman left. Marquez Allen is a well rounded swing tackle that should provide competition to either tackle spot this first year.

Tsweezy - Grade C: Similarly, I thought Bruce Allen was a better player by just about every metric, so I’m curious what Buffalo saw in Marquez. Maybe they had him there for a good team workout? In any case, Buffalo has two guards on their roster, and while this would be an ok time to start looking for their replacement, the first round of the first draft they had some bigger holes to fill.

MasonAsher - Grade C: Kind of a weird pick here with not a ton of upside. I think they’ll be okay with it and they gain some depth but I probably would have ventured to a different position of need. If they loved Allen they probably could have grabbed him in the next round.

1. :seahawks: Seattle Seahawks - ILB Christian Carter - C+ overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade C-: Yikes, just yikes. One of my least favorite picks here. Had him as a mid-round pick, but lets start with the good. Talented player and the ILB3 on my list, Carter projects to be an excellent MIKE for years to come. However, he’s just so raw right now that I have issues with the pick used to get him.

Tsweezy - Grade C-: A cover ILB, Carter actually tested very well and was the clear 3rd best ILB in this class. I’m not as down on his abilities as a player, but Seattle had a lot of holes that could have been filled with higher impact players at this spot.

MasonAsher - Grade C: Again, not a great pick here but I don’t think it is a disaster. Carter is a high potential guy who will need some work but can develop into a solid player. Probably could have grabbed him later but if this is who you love, I think you just take him.

1. :49ers: San Francisco 49ers - WR Carlos Ramos - B+ overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade A-: Awesome pick. Love Ramos’s measurables and thought this was incredible value. I personally had him as the WR2 in this class behind Williams. Great size and speed combination, I think he’ll be a problem in the NFCW for years to come.

Tsweezy - Grade B-: I think Ramos was a great WR, we had him as the 3rd best in this class, and it definitely helps SF get another pass catching threat. I will say though, that their current QBs are mediocre scramblers with sub-par throw power. I don’t really think they can utilize Carlos’s deep speed at the moment, so I honestly would have liked to see them go QB here, especially with Yusei still on the board.

MasonAsher - Grade B+: I like the pick a lot here. High floor and high ceiling guy who can make an impact. I think he’ll be a very nice wideout for them for years

1. :packers: Green Bay Packers - WR Junior Ogbah - B overall, A+ potential
   

SageBow - Grade B: Two solid wide receivers in a row. Ogbah is big, he’s fast, but he didn’t attend the combine. The Packers must have had an excellent scout on him to take Ogbah this high, but I don’t fault this pick at all.

Tsweezy - Grade C+: I didn’t see GB inviting Junior for a team workout, but we did, so we do have a little more insight into him. It was… ok. I think the A+ potential is the big draw here, as he does have a LOT of room to grow. Testing wise he was a bit slow with a 4.53, the F stamina, and only a 6.4 catching. He did have the 9.15 route running though so he’s a capable player, just one who will likely be a late bloomer in the NFL and need some development time. Picked maybe half a round early but not bad, even if I think GB had some bigger needs elsewhere.

MasonAsher - Grade B+: I loved Ogbah’s intangibles as a short to medium option. I think he’s going to be one of those guys who just have a tremendous career that everyone is overlooking. One of the best route runners in the draft and with some of the poor secondaries this season he could have a huge year.

1. :cowboys: Dallas Cowboys - DE Michael Dyson - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade A-: Thought it was close between Dyson and Marimon for the best defensive end edge rusher in this class, and the Cowboys took Dyson late in the first round. Thought this was great value for a boom or bust pick. If Dyson reaches the ceiling he could get, this is the best edge rusher in the class.

Tsweezy - Grade B-: There were at least 8 DEs with B or B- overall and A- and above potential, making this an extremely deep draft class here. Of that group, I think most will be successful, but Dyson was certainly not at the top of the list for us. As a speed rusher, he had the fastest 40 time (4.49) of that group which is a great look, but he was just so-so in drills. With that said, just about all 8 of them are draftable, and considering none had yet been taken I think they could have made another selection here, maybe a running back or someone in the back 7 and grabbed Dyson in the 2nd.

MasonAsher - Grade B: I assume that Dyson was the top DE on the Cowboys board here and that’s why they snagged him but I don’t know why they couldn’t fill something else and grab one of the DE’s early in the next round. The Cowboys went for defense this year in the first round and I thik they came out just fine with their two picks.

1. :bills: Buffalo Bills - QB Yusei Asencio - B overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade B+: This is a Yusei Asencio fan account. The clear QB3 on my board, Asencio lit it up in the MAC and now has the reigns for the Buffalo Bills. Will be very curious if they throw Asencio into the deep end and start him right away or if they let him simmer in the training dungeon. Excellent value at this selection.

Tsweezy - Grade A: Also a huge Yusei stan. I’m very high on him, and Buffalo getting him at the end of the 1st is a terrific pick for them with their need at QB. I think he’s in the mix immediately depending on what they think is best for his development, and he should be slinging it for years to come

MasonAsher - Grade A-: No pressing need here other than QB and the Bills went with a QB to solve their need. I don’t love the pick as I wasn’t extremely high on Asencio and I think he would have fallen a bit but this is very good value and the right pick for them to secure him.

1. :buccaneers: Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Luis Wong - B overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: I had Wong with a high 2nd round grade, so different evaluations have him being taken at this selection. The good, I think he’s the best mid-range man cover guy in this class. The bad, Trey McMillan was still available here, and I think he would’ve been the better talent. Just scheme fit differences.

Tsweezy - Grade C: There was a huge run on corners early, and with teams trying to make sure they don’t have half the field vulnerable you want to have 2 solid starters. I had Luis Wong in my 2nd tier of corners. He’s very fast, and a near split between man and zone skills. However, considering their other CB plays man I would’ve gone for a player with better Man coverage skills. Time will tell if they made the right choice.

MasonAsher - Grade C+: This is a weird pick as Wong isn’t that great but he isn’t that bad and he isn’t going to likely develop a ton through his career. I thought that the Bucs could have gone a different direction here and grabbed a better fit.

 

 

1. :raiders: Las Vegas Raiders - WR Anthony Richards - B overall, A potential
   

SageBow - Grade B-: Is this guy a diamond in the rough? Maybe. Richards barely played last season with the Sooners, but tested off the charts. 6-3, runs like the wind. The Raiders took a gamble here, and they’re hoping he’ll pay them back.

Tsweezy - Grade F or A: One of the biggest mystery boxes, there have been a lot of questions about why Richards only played 16 snaps last year with no targets. A lot of fingers were pointed at the Oklahoma coaching staff and I think that’s true. He tested extremely well, and if you had no production stats to go off of for anyone, he’d be in the mix for WR 2 or 3. The F stamina gives big pause when combined with the lack of snaps, and this is a true boom or bust pick.

MasonAsher - Grade C: Don’t love it and I don’t hate it. I just don’t think you take risks like this in the first round. He could be really good and he could be really bad but there had to be a reason that Oklahoma didn’t play him a ton.

1. :saints: New Orleans - RB Stacy Moton - B+ overall, B potential
   

SageBow - Grade B+: Insane value here at the backend of the draft. I think there was a small drop off after the triumvirate of Johnson/Dawson/Kipnis, but Moton was highly productive for a potent Illinois team and should be a force for New Orleans for years to come.

Tsweezy - Grade B-: Interestingly, Denver already has a good back, but at 31 they may have seen him start to physically decline and are looking for his replacement. I’ve already said that philosophically when teams have so many holes to fill, getting replacements and backups feels like a luxury. In addition, with 2 back to back picks, I feel like they could have swapped the order so they only paid their RB 2nd round money and the comparatively scarcer DT 1st round money, but that’s a small quibble by someone bad at GM’ing. As for Stacy himself? Great back. A step down from the top-3 backs, but he had blazing speed, great college production, and very very good drill numbers. I think he’ll shine early on with limited touches and grow into a feature role over time.

MasonAsher - Grade C - I didn’t love Moton in college and I’m not sure he’s a guy that you want to sit for a bit and develop. If utilized correctly I think Moton can be very good I just didn’t have him as a R1 back.

[Minnow]

In response to Marquez vs Bruce Allen. I literally was deciding between both with that pick. My assumption was that Marquez although had a worse combine, had better stamina and injury grades than Bruce.

[rabidsnowman]

In hindsight, I'm kinda glad I wasn't there to have to make that pick. Loe I had as a top 5 talent, Ryan Johnson just outside the top 5, and I was desperately hoping Amara Rodriguez would fall to us at our pick. Having all 3 on the board would have had me sweating bullets. But I'm ecstatic with who we got.