The first round of the drag is in the books and the expected spectacle has begun. Four quarterbacks have been off the board with the first ten picks. The biggest surprise in the top 10 came from Cleveland, but not with the first pick. SPOX ranks Thursday night’s events.
The Browns had a choice of four realistic options for their franchise quarterback and chose one that was not among the favorites for the first pick in the draft. So it should be Baker Mayfield and end the quarterback carousel in Ohio. In the former Heisman Trophy winner, the Browns have seen everything a player needs to finally lead the franchise back into a successful era.
Mayfield’s tape shows how constant and accurate he can lead an offense. His passing game convinces with accuracy and few mistakes. A characteristic that the Browns already attached importance to when Tyrod Taylor was hired. Mayfield puts a lot on his legs and feels comfortable outside his pocket. His register skills do not suffer if he is forced to throw from movement. An important part in the game of the Oklahoma product, which with its 1.85 meters is not exactly ideal size.
However, there are doubts as to whether all of the people who spoke in Brown’s War Room were and are in agreement with the decision in favor of Mayfield. Managing Director John Dorsey and Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley are said to have been clearly in the Mayfield camp. However, they were apparently not sure until the end whether Head Coach Jackson would eventually write his name on the draft card.
Now it’s up to everyone involved to prepare Mayfield ideally for the next level and the new Browns Offense. How long the adjustment period behind a Taylor still in full swing, who just led a team unexpectedly into the playoffs, will last, is of course speculation. Just as the question of whether a small quarterback who relies on mobility but is not particularly fast (4.8 seconds in the 40-yard dash) and attracts a lot of attention next to the football field can justify a number one pick value.
Eli Manning will have slept well that night. The Giants have decided against the variant with the future perspective and signed the outstanding Skilled Player prospect in draft in Running Back Saquon Barkley. An expensive investment that makes a clear statement. The Giants believe in Eli. And they believe that the team under him can start another playoff run.
It’s hard to argue against his athletic abilities. Barkley left Scouts open-mouthed in the draft combine as he completed the 40 yard dash in 4.40 seconds, showed a 1.04 meter vertical jump and pressed the 100-kilo bench 29 times. Same goes for the 3,843 yards he unwound in his Penn State career. And yet Barkley remains a running back. A player in the position where statistically most matches are missed due to injury and the longest average abstinence per injury was recorded.
Barkley will immediately make the Giants better and finally give them a running back that takes the pressure off Manning. But a running back can only do as much as the offensive line allows. It was weak last year and has so far only been upgraded by Nate Solder. If she still has problems like last year, Eli continues to dismantle or the defense does not manage to compensate for her numerous departures, Dave Gettlemen will probably wish she had made another choice with the second pick.
When the jets traded their sixth pick for the third pick of the colts, they probably didn’t expect Darnold to fall to them. Accordingly, Gang Green will be overjoyed that Darnold, considered by many to be the best quarterback in the class, was not bred by the Browns and Giants.
The jets are now entering the new season with three potential starters in quarterback position, but they clearly have their man for the future in Darnold. A physically well-built athlete with a strong arm and good football IQ. A quarterback with excellent field vision and a quick grasp, who has already asserted himself through numerous snaps under centers. And a leader that coaches want and whose work attitude should carry his team along.
However, Darnold made far more mistakes in 2017 than in the previous year at USC. Accordingly, there are still some question marks as to how long it will take for him to be ready to start. Behind Josh McCown and in a quarterback-friendly system with the jets Darnold should find ideal adaptation possibilities. The green part of New York should run through the streets with a broad grin. In Darnold, a lucky move was made in third place.
Also in fourth place the Browns knew how to surprise. Where Edge-Rusher Bradley Chubb was expected to form a frightening pass rush duo with Myles Garrett, the Browns fill another need instead: the cornerback position.
Denzel Ward is by far the best corner in its class. The man-coverage skills are outstanding. His physical size deficiency is compensated for by his enormous physical playing style. Ward is a so-called Shut-Down-Corner and can give the Bronws-Secondary a face. Where he played more on the piano with the Buckeyes, Ward will probably often be in the slot role with the Browns. Meanwhile, the edge role in the line can still be filled by Emmanuel Ogbah instead of Chubb. Cleveland made no mistake whatsoever here.
The Broncos couldn’t do much with the fifth pick before the draft. Time and again there has been speculation about a down-trade or about signing a quarterback. However, this was also due to the fact that in almost every mock draft the outstanding Rusher pass of this class had already been awarded in fifth place.
However, Cleveland’s unexpected ward-pick got things mixed up. Denver suddenly had the opportunity to rejoin the team that won the Super Bowl not so long ago. And this team had a special strength – no O-Line could stop their pass rush.
With Bradley Chubb the Broncos get a technically mature Edge-Rusher, which together with Von Miller is a frightening pass rush tandem. Chubb brings along a variety of moves and knows how to use his hands quickly and effectively. Despite the obvious weaknesses in the offense, the Broncos have made the right decision to bet on Chubb and a possibly dominant defense.
Page 1: Cleveland’s risk pick, Giants rely on Quon
Page 2: Colts and Cardinals thank you