Favorite Drafts

Instead of a knee-jerk grade of each team's draft here are five that I liked. (In no particular order)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 (12). Vita Vea, DT, Washington
2 (6)    Ronald Jones, RB, USC
2 (21)  M.J. Stewart, CB, North Carolina
2 (31)  Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn
3 (30)  Alex Cappa, OT, Humboldt State
4 (17)  Jordan Whitehead, S, Pittsburgh
5 (7)    Justin Watson, Pennsylvania
6 (28)  Jack Cichy, LB, Wisconsin

The Buccaneers clearly prioritized improving their defense this offseason. At least on paper, the change is remarkable. They added veteran pass rushers Jason Pierre-Paul and Vinny Curry before the draft. They added gigantic, athletic Vita Vea to anchor the middle of the line in the first round. They added solid corners M.J. Stewart and Carlton Davis in the second. Jordan Whitehead should compete for a spot at the back of the defense. If injuries hadn't hit Jack Cichy he probably would've been a second day pick. The offense wasn't ignored. Ronald Jones, Alex Cappa, and Justin Watson were nice additions on that side of the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals
1 (21)  Billy Price, C, Ohio State
2 (22)  Jessie Bates III, S, Wake Forest
3 (13)  Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State
2 (14)  Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas
4 (12)  Mark Walton, RB, Miami
5 (14)  Davontae Harris, CB, Illinois State
5 (21)  Andrew Brown, DT, Virginia
5 (33)  Darius Phillips, CB, Western Michigan
7 (31)  Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo
7 (34)  Rod Taylor, G, Mississippi
7 (34)  Auden Tate, WR, Florida State

It feels like the Bengals annually come out of the draft looking good. Unfortunately those solid-looking picks don't always play like solid picks. Their 2018 picks look great. Billy Price and Jessie Bates should start as rookies. Sam Hubbard and Malik Jefferson should contend for starting spots or at least make strong contributions on defense as part of a rotation or in particular situations. Davontae Harris has starter potential. Darius Phillips should make an early impact as a returner. The Bengals also added a starting left tackle Cordy Glenn in a pre-draft draft trade with the Buffalo Bills.

Chicago Bears
1 (8)    Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
2 (7)    James Daniels, C, Iowa
2 (19)  Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis
4 (15)  Joel Iyiegbuniwe, LB, Western Kentucky
5 (8)    Bilal Nichols, DL, Deleware
6 (7)    Kylie Fitts, Edge, Utah
7 (6)    Javon Wims, WR, Georgia

Roquan Smith was one of the best football players in the draft. James Daniels should be a Day 1 starter and help give the Bears one of the better interior offensive lines in the league. The Bears have spent the offseason getting weapons for second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. Anthony Miller and Javon Wims are two more. Miller has the talent to make a significant early impact. Kylie Fitts and Bilal Nichols have nice upsides.

New York Giants
1 (2)    Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
2 (2)    Will Hernandez, G, Texas-El Paso
3 (2)    Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia
3 (5)    B.J. Hill, DT, North Carolina State
4 (8)    Kyle Lauletta, QB. Richmond
5 (2)    R.J. McIntosh, DT, Miami

This was an easy draft to like. Saquon Barkley, Will Hernandez, and Lorenzo Carter were three of my favorite players in the draft. B. J. Hill is a nice addition to the middle of the defensive line. Kyle Lauletta was considered by many to be the best quarterback outside of those selected in the first round. If his college days were at a bigger school rather than itty-bitty Richmond maybe he would've been one of those first round quarterbacks. He's a nice quarterback to develop while Eli Manning plays.

Baltimore Ravens
1 (25)  Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina
1 (32)  Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
3 (19)  Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma
3 (22)  Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma
4 (18)  Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama
4 (22)  Kenny Young, LB, UCLA
4 (32)  Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State
5 (25)  Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA
6 (16)  DeShon Elliott, S, Texas
6 (38)  Greg Senat, OT, Wagner
6 (41)  Bradley Bozeman, C, Alabama
7 (20)  Zach Sieler, DE, Ferris State

It's only right to recognize the final draft of Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome. He's been the architect of some excellent Ravens teams. Two Super Bowl titles. He set the Ravens up nicely with this draft. He moved around in the first (and back into the first) to get targeted. He selected the quarterback of the future in Lamar Jackson and and the best tight end in the draft in Hayden Hurst. He added another talented tight end in Mark Andrews. Anthony Averett and Jordan Lasley could make early significant contributions. He drafted Orlando Brown. Newsome was part of the personnel group of the original Cleveland Browns that signed Brown's late father as an undrafted free agent in 1993.