Winners:
New York Jets (Zach Wilson, Alijah Vera-Tucker):
Joe Douglas has been with the Jets since 2019, and he appears to have heard the criticism of the fan base on building an offense that can help a young quarterback thrive. Sure, Sam Darnold deserves his fair share of the blame, but it’s hard to argue that the Jets provided him with the supporting cast to develop into a top quarterback.
With him off to Carolina, you just know fans will be keeping an eye on how he progresses with a much better cast of talent around him than what he saw in New York. Still, Douglas wasn’t going to let that narrative continue with Zach Wilson. I love the aggression to get up and take Vera-Tucker who can be a star next to Mekhi Becton. This offense still needs playmakers, but I love the idea of rebuilding this offense from the inside out, and Douglas wasn’t just going to sit on his hands and wait.
Chicago Bears (Justin Fields):
I honestly thought the Bears would have to spend a fortune to get up high enough to grab a quarterback, and I assumed Mac Jones would be the only one they’d have a realistic chance of obtaining. So, when I saw they only gave up a 2022 first, 2022 fourth and 2021 fifth-round selection, while swapping places with the Giants in the first-round, I considered it a win over many of the scenarios that were drawn up leading up to the draft.
On top of that, I was shocked to see Fields fall out of the top ten. He’s a strong-armed, well-built quarterback that has proven he can withstand the cold winters the north has to offer. Matt Nagy can groom this guy into the kind of star his potential suggests he can be, and his ability to make plays with his feet is an added bonus. The Bears have two more picks on day two, and don’t be shocked if they add more pieces to help Fields succeed in this offense.
Minnesota Vikings (Christian Darrisaw):
It shouldn’t be surprising that my three winners all took offensive players. This class was stacked with offensive talent at the top, and when we saw some early teams force defensive picks, it was sure to make for some steals down the line. I honestly didn’t believe Darrisaw would make it to the Vikings at 14. He’s a big, physical blocker who has gotten better every year at Virginia Tech.
I think Darrisaw can be one of the better run-blocking tackles in the league, and it just so happens Minnesota loves to run the football. Whether they want to play Darrisaw on the left, or shuffle Brain O’Neill to the blindside and put the former-Hokie on the right, I think they will be thrilled with what he brings to this offense.
Losers:
Las Vegas (Alex Leatherwood):
The Raiders continued to defy conventional wisdom, which has been the theme over the last several years for Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock. I said it last year, and I’ll say it again. I have no problem with thinking outside the box, but you have to get the best value out of your picks.
If they wanted Leatherwood above anyone else, that’s fine. Trade back and pick up some extra draft capital. There’s no way he was the 17th best player or higher on their board. If he was, then the problem’s run much deeper than just the final decision. I said the same thing about Henry Ruggs, Damon Arnette and Clelin Ferrell. Move back, and take advantage of the value of the pick.
New Orleans (Payton Turner):
I really do like Turner as a player, but this was too rich for me. Also, the position that Turner would play best is the one that Cameron Jordan fills. I do not expect Turner to come in and push Marcus Davenport as a pure edge-rusher. That’s just not what his skill set is meant for him to be. I wouldn’t be shocked if Turner’s NFL career lives up to this draft slot, but I really think that would involve shifting Jordan to another position or moving on for him to create cap space. Not sure that will be a popular option in the Big Easy.
Green Bay Packers (Eric Stokes):
The day starter with news of Aaron Rodgers wanting out of Green Bay, despite two-straight trips to the NFC Championship Game. We heard there may be a deal in place with Denver, but that didn’t happen. On top of that, drafting him (or Jordan Love) a talented pass-catcher would have made sense because no matter who is at quarterback, this team needs to improve on the cast they trot out beyond Devante Adams.
Instead, they made a giant reach on a player that I think is a better athlete than football player at this stage in his development. Stokes is just not very technically sound, which can result in a lot of penalties for young corners. Even if he does live up to this draft slot, it’s not going to happen overnight. I don’t think this makes Green Bay better in 2021, which should have been the goal considering how close this team has come to Super Bowl Sunday in back-to-back seasons.
