Nice Drafts Through Two Days

Through two days, here are a few drafts of teams that I like. They aren't necessarily the best drafts. They are simply drafts that I like. After all, how can one really judge the quality of a draft when not a single drafted player has taken an NFL snap?

Jacksonville Jaguars
1. Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State
2. Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
3. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Matyland

It just doesn't seem possible that a team could come out of this draft with Jalen Ramsey AND Myles Jack. That was before all the terrible news that Jack's knee injury was a little more serious than expected. The feeling here is that the Jaguars were wise to gamble on Jack. Great player. Great kid. Ramsey is no gamble. Ngakoue is a nice pass rusher. The Jaguars have added some promising offensive talent in recent years. This draft brought some talent to the defensive side of the ball. Plus they get last year's top pick Dante Fowler back from a knee injury.

Dallas Cowboys
1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
2. Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
3. Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska

I like this draft for pretty much the same reason that I like the Jaguars draft. They are giving a chance to a great player with an injury concern. Barring some sort of miracle Jaylon Smith won't play in 2016 due to the knee injury that he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl. In 2017, it's hoped that he'll regain the brilliant form that he showed throughout his college days. He's an explosive, explosive football player. Like the Jaguars, the Cowboys landed two top-5 players in a single draft. Collins is a pretty darn good player too.

Cleveland Browns
1. Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
2. Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
3. Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
3. Shon Coleman, T, Auburn
3. Cody Kessler, QB, USC

For more than a decade the Browns have been a dumpster fire on the field and in the draft room. They are doing things a bit differently these days and the whole league is likely watching. The early returns are promising. The Browns have done far more trading than picking. When they finally did get to picking they did some good picking. Coleman, Ogbah, Nassib, and Coleman should all make early and significant impacts. That's a lot but they needed a lot. Kessler is the only pick that's getting some criticism. New head coach Hue Jackson says that we should trust him. I say that we should. Jackson knows quite a bit about the quarterback position and Kessler did have some nice moments at USC. Hell, he had more nice moments at USC than Mark Sanchez did. And Sanchez was the fifth pick in his draft.

Tennessee Titans
1. Jack Conklin, T, Michigan State
2. Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
2. Austin Johnson, DT, Penn State
2. Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
3. Kevin Byard, S, Middle Tennessee State

Former Titans pass-rushing freak Jevon Kearse announced his former team's picks in the second round. He seemed like he was racing to the podium so much that he should have just stayed there. It felt like 10 picks rather than 3. I really like all of the picks. I might even like the Byard pick best.

New Orleans Saints
1. Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
2. Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
3. Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State

Those are three solid picks. The Saints needed a lot of help on defense. Rankins and Bell will help a lot. Quarterback Drew Brees has had a fantastic career in New Orleans. He's thrown a bunch passes for a lot of yards and a loads of touchdowns. Thomas and 2014 top pick Brandin Cooks might be the most talented pass catchers that Brees has ever had.

Baltimore Ravens
1. Ronnie Stanley, T, Notre Dame
2. Kamalei Correa, LB, Boise State
3. Bronson Kaufusi, DE, BYU

I can't recall the last time that I didn't like a Ravens draft. The offensive line got stronger with Stanley. The front seven got a lot better with Kaufusi and Correa. Kaufusi might have been my favorite defensive end in this draft.

Denver Broncos
1. Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
2. Adam Gotsis, DT, Georgia Tech
3. Justin Simmons, S, Boston College

This draft will ultimately be judged by how Lynch performs when he gets his chance. That's how it is when a quarterback is selected in the first round. All three players have terrific potential. That's pretty good returns for a Super Bowl champ picking at the end of each round.

Seattle Seahawks
1. Germain Ifedi, T, Texas A&M
2. Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
3. C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame
3. Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State
3. Rees Odhiambo, G, Boise State

I hate it when I like the Seahawks draft. The less than stellar recent play of their line has forced Russell Wilson to scramble/run far more often than is advisable. The line had to improve and Ifedi and Odhiambo should improve it. Those two linemen are the main reasons that I like this draft. The other three players are very good too. Reed should be a nice replacement for Brandon Mebane.

Minnesota Vikings 
1. Laquon Treadwell, WR, Mississippi
2. Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson

In the coming days I will spend far too much time on this draft. Treadwell and Alexander were a terrific start. Both are top-15 talents that the Vikings were able to land at #23 and #54. Treadwell should be a day one starter. Alexander joins Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes to form a talented young corner core in Minnesota. The Vikings traded their third round pick to Miami. They received the Dolphins 6th this year and next year's 3rd and 4th. I don't like this trade this year but I'm going to love it next year. They'll need the picks more next year as a lot of players are in the final year of their contracts.

Day 3 is up.