Since a large portion of this blog has been dedicated to the draft and team building it feels only right that I create a wrap-up series of the draft and team building that has happened in 2021. Taking a look at where teams stand today and how I viewed each teams draft.
I will be including the following information for each team: Each 2021 Draft Pick/Trade, an Opinionated Summary from Yours Truly, a Grade for the 1st Two Days of the Draft (since I don't know all of the players taken on Day 3), the Remaining Upgradeable spots on the roster, and a few Superlatives.
I want to try to be thorough yet concise with this series, which I know I normally fail to do. So let me know how I do. I am starting with the West Divisions first because they had the least draft capital but also because I feel like most people care about the Eastern/Southern/Northern teams more so I can get ya'll to read an extra article. 😉
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Denver Broncos
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 10
1st Round: 9. Patrick Surtain II, CB Alabama
2nd Round: 35. Javonte Williams, RB North Carolina
3rd Round: 98. Quinn Meinerz, iOL Wisconsin-Whitewater; 105. Baron Browning, LB Ohio St
4th Round: None
5th Round: 152. Caden Sterns, S Texas; 164. Jamar Johnson, S Indiana
6th Round: 219. Seth Williams, WR Auburn
7th Round: 237. Kary Vincent Jr, CB LSU; 239. Jonathan Cooper, EDGE Ohio St; 253. Marquiss Spencer, EDGE Mississippi St
Draft Day Trades:
DEN traded Picks 40 and 114 to ATL for Picks 35 and 219.
DEN traded Pick 71 to NYG for Picks 76 and 164.
DEN traded Pick 76 to NO for Picks 98 and 105.
Draft Summary: Denver basically drafted all of "my" guys. Javonte Williams, Meinerz, Browning, Cooper... all of them were guys I was banging the table for. Part of that is because I saw their potential in what they could do for Miami but Denver is building a similar brand of football. The big word I come back to when I think of this class is: Safe. Surtain, Williams, Johnson. All very safe players. I don't know if we know their ceilings but we know they won't be terrible players. Browning was a versatile player for Ohio St but he projected as a 4-3 OLB in the NFL. I don't think he fits at all in Denver's defense as a LB or an EDGE so I'm not sure what to do with him. I really wish they took Fields at 9 because I think this team is ready to compete.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: B+
Remaining Team Needs: QB, ILB, RT; Team Upgrades: ILB
The biggest needs were at LB and QB and I don't think they addressed either spot. They did get a lot of nice depth pieces at other positions, but they also didn't address RT (a previous want) which is now a need because of the injury to their starting RT. This is a team firmly in the Rodgers trade conversation which would vault them into Super Bowl contention.
Most Likely to Succeed: Javonte Williams
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Baron Browning
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Los Angeles Chargers
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 9
1st Round: 13. Rashawn Slater, OT Northwestern
2nd Round: 47. Asante Samuel Jr, CB Florida St
3rd Round: 77. Josh Palmer, WR Tennesee; 97. Tre McKitty, TE Georgia
4th Round: 118. Chris Rumph II, EDGE Duke
5th Round: 159. Brendan Jaimes, OT Nebraska
6th Round: 185. Nick Niemann, LB Iowa; 198. Larry Rountree III, RB Missouri
7th Round: 241. Mark Webb, DB Georgia
Draft Day Trades: None
Draft Summary: The Chargers let the draft come to them and it worked out great. Slater at 13 was very unexpected and then Samuel at 47 without them having to move. Palmer and McKitty probably could have been taken a little later. The big FOMO was that TE Hunter Long was available at 77 but gone by 97. Hunter's comp was Hunter Henry so that could be a big miss. Their HC really liked the addition of Rountree and if you read Wednesday's fantasy article, you know I do too.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: A
Remaining Team Needs: OG, EDGE; Team Upgrades: None
The team really cleaned up positions of worry in the draft prioritizing the OT and CB positions. Depth at the WR/TE positions were also important additions. However, Rumph doesn't fit the size prototype the Chargers normally go after so I won't cross EDGE off the list.
Most Likely to Succeed: Asante Samuel Jr
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Chris Rumph II
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Las Vegas Raiders
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 7
1st Round: 17. Alex Leatherwood, OT Alabama
2nd Round: 43. Trevon Moehrig, S TCU
3rd Round: 79. Malcolm Koonce, EDGE Buffalo; 80. Divine Deablo, S Virginia Tech
4th Round: 143. Tyree Gillespie, S Missouri
5th Round: 167. Nate Hobbs, CB Illinois
6th Round: None
7th Round: 230. Jimmy Morrissey, C Pittsburgh
Draft Day Trades:
LV traded Picks 48 and 121 to SF for Picks 43 and 230.
LV traded Picks 162 and 200 to NYJ for Pick 143.
Draft Summary: If you flipped when Moehrig and Leatherwood were drafted most people wouldn't hate this draft as much. My issue is that they seem to have a draft board that is just so different from every other team and then when their draftees fail they look dumb. Drafting 3 safeties? Are you giving up on 2019 1st rounder Abram? I know the secondary was an issue but maybe grabbing a corner in there would have been helpful too. And no selections to help the linebacker spot is a big misstep because that group really struggled. Koonce had a wide array of views on him but a few people saw his comp as Maxx Crosby who is on the Raiders. Why do you want 2 of the exact same type of guy but Koonce has work to do to reach that ceiling?
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: C+
Remaining Team Needs: OG; Team Upgrades: WR, OLB
The Raiders attacked their defensive, and specifically secondary, issues by adding 3 different safeties. I expect one of them will be more of a slot (Deablo) to fill that need. Leatherwood is apparently their Day 1 RT, which is a bit surprising to me. I do think he could play better at guard though, which is a point of emphasis unless they like Denzelle Good or John Simpson.
Most Likely to Succeed: Trevon Moehrig
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Malcolm Koonce
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Kansas City Chiefs
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 6
1st Round: None
2nd Round: 58. Nick Bolton, LB Missouri; 63. Creed Humphrey, C Oklahoma
3rd Round: None
4th Round: 144. Joshua Kaindoh, EDGE Florida St
5th Round: 162. Noah Gray, TE Duke; 181. Cornell Powell, WR Clemson
6th Round: 226. Trey Smith, OG Tennessee
7th Round: None
Draft Day Trades:
KC trades Picks 175 and 207 to NYJ for Picks 162 and 226.
Draft Summary: If you count Orlando Brown Jr as part of their draft class you can count this as a grand slam. The trade for him cost a 1st, 3rd, and 4th this year but they got a 2nd back. Getting a starting LT and MIKE LB in the same trade makes this a huge win. Humphrey was a total splurge pick but that's why I love it. They signed Austin Blythe later on in free agency to be their starter but Humphrey honestly could beat him out in camp. Those were two top 50 players on my board that they got after pick 50. I also think Powell is going to get a decent amount of snaps early on and Gray gets to learn from one of the best TEs in the business. Finally, Trey Smith was thought of as a Day 1 pick going into Tennessee. His concerns are medical based and then some poor play followed. With some good coaching that could be a 6th round steal.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: A
Remaining Team Needs: EDGE; Team Upgrades: OLB
The biggest needs on the team were linebacker and pass catchers in my opinion. They got the perfect MIKE LB for their system with their first pick and got two underrated pass catchers in the 5th round. They continued to bolster their interior OL with Humphrey and Smith which makes me curious if Duvernay-Tardif will be back with KC in 2021. The biggest remaining holes reside on defense with more EDGE rush help needed. Kaindoh could provide some relief but a more direct approach is likely needed.
Most Likely to Succeed: Nick Bolton
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Joshua Kaindoh
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San Francisco 49ers
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 8
1st Round: 3. Trey Lance, QB North Dakota St
2nd Round: 48. Aaron Banks, OG Notre Dame
3rd Round: 88. Trey Sermon, RB Ohio St; 102. Ambry Thomas, CB Michigan
4th Round: None
5th Round: 155. Jaylon Moore, OT Western Michigan, 172. Deommodore Lenoir, CB Oregon; 180. Talanoa Hufanga, S USC
6th Round: 194. Elijah Mitchell, RB Louisana
7th Round: None
Draft Day Trades:
SF traded Picks 43 and 230 to LV for Picks 48 and 121.
SF traded Picks 117 and 121 to LAR for Pick 88.
Draft Summary: Thank goodness they took Lance. This is the perfect kid for this system and a perfect situation for him where he either can learn under Jimmy, or if he is good enough just beat him out now and get some game reps. Banks is going to be a starter sooner rather than later, so I loved that pick. I thought it was really interesting they doubled up at RB and with 2 bigger backs as well. Sermon projects very favorably to the system and SF needs the depth will all the injuries they have had there. Thomas and Lenoir are 2 corners that are a little smaller in stature and thus could be limited to the nickel and special teams.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: A-
Remaining Team Needs: CB; Team Upgrades: EDGE
San Fran made the huge trade up to get their future QB which was one of the big missing pieces for this team. CB depth was a big concern with them having most of their CBs as FAs in 2021. Drafting 2 players at the position was necessary, but they are still banking on Verrett as their top guy. Banks is a really good fit on the interior for SF and he should make a good transition, especially if he is playing next to former Notre Dame alum Mike McGlinchey.
Most Likely to Succeed: Aaron Banks
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Ambry Thomas
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Arizona Cardinals
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 7
1st Round: 16. Zaven Collins, LB Tulsa
2nd Round: 49. Rondale Moore, WR Purdue
3rd Round: None
4th Round: 136. Marco Wilson, CB Florida
5th Round: None
6th Round: 210. Victor Dimukeje, EDGE Duke; 223. Tay Gowan, CB UCF
7th Round: 243. James Wiggins, S Cincinnati; 247. Michael Menet, C Penn St
Draft Day Trades:
ARI traded Picks 160 and a 2022 4th rounder to BAL for Picks 136 and 210
Draft Summary: I struggle with the Cardinals draft. I really like some of the players they got like Collins, Moore and Wiggins. But at the same time, these are all similar types of players to some guys that Arizona hasn't done a good job of developing in the past. Versatile LBers and speed demon WRs have really struggled to produce in AZ the last 4 years or so. Moore needs to be schemed up touches and Collins should really be kept just to the ILB role in the 3-4, instead of the OLB like Watt and Chandler Jones. I do like the dart throws on a couple of CBs though. They needed the depth.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: B-
Remaining Team Needs: OG, TE; Team Upgrades: SS, OG
They really didn't do much to address any holes on their roster with this draft. The WR position could've used another playmaker, which they added, but Moore is very similar to the type of WR they already have with Isabella and Kirk. Collins goes into a pretty crowded LB room with Simmons and Hicks as starters, unless they move Simmons to safety/nickel. The OL wasn't addressed at all besides their final pick at 247.
Most Likely to Succeed: Zaven Collins
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Rondale Moore
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Seattle Seahawks
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 3
1st Round: None
2nd Round: 56. Dewayne Eskridge, WR Western Michigan
3rd Round: None
4th Round: 137. Tre Brown, CB Oklahoma
5th Round: None
6th Round: 208. Stone Forsythe, OT Florida
7th Round: None
Draft Day Trades:
SEA traded Pick 129 to TB for Picks 137 and 217.
SEA traded Picks 217 and 250 to CHI for Pick 208.
Draft Summary: They started with 3 draft picks and ended with 3 draft picks. Normally the Seahawks are very 'trade happy' and they did make 2 moves, but this is not enough of an influx of young talent. Even with the small quantity of players, I thought each of them were of good quality players. Eskridge and Brown both proved at the Senior Bowl that despite their deficiencies (small school/new position/height) they were able to play well amongst the best. Stone has the capability of being a "rock wall" at the RT spot with his behemoth 6-8 size but he is very raw.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: C
Remaining Team Needs: DT; Team Upgrades: OLB, OT
The Seahawks had 3 draft picks and selected a position of need with each pick. That is what I like to call efficient. The team could still use some depth at OT, LB, and DL. I don't expect Forsythe will make a big impact in year 1 but he is the type of tackle who could eventually solve the woes of the RT position.
Most Likely to Succeed: Dewayne Eskridge
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Tre Brown
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Los Angeles Rams
2021 Draft Capital: Total Picks: 9
1st Round: None
2nd Round: 57. Tutu Atwell, WR Louisville
3rd Round: 103. Ernest Jones, LB South Carolina
4th Round: 117. Bobby Brown III, DT Texas A&M; 130. Robert Rochell, CB Central Arkansas; 141. Jacob Harris, TE UCF
5th Round: 174. Earnest Brown IV, DL Northwestern
6th Round: None
7th Round: 233. Jake Funk, RB Maryland; 249. Ben Skowronek, WR Notre Dame; 252. Chris Garrett, LB Concordia-St. Paul
Draft Day Trades:
LAR traded Pick 88 to SF for Picks 117 and 121.
LAR traded Picks 121 and 209 to JAX for Picks 130, 170, and 249.
LAR traded Pick 170 to HOU for Picks 174 and 233.
Draft Summary: The best part about this draft was that they turned 6 swings of the bat into 9. Their 3 trades were all really good value for them. I just don't think they got much contact when they did swing the bat. Starting at the top, Tutu is going to be the lightest player in the NFL at under 150 lbs. Could he "bulk up" a little bit? Maybe, but a big deal was made about Marquise Brown getting up to 170 and he still was not effective. Both of their Day 2 picks were reaches in my opinion. Jones was a Day 3 guy. Rochell was the best pick of their draft by a wide margin but he is going to be making a big jump from a small school in Arkansas to the bright lights of the NFC West.
Day 1 and Day 2 Grade: D
Remaining Team Needs: NCB, iOL; Team Upgrades: LT
The Rams did a very poor job, in my estimation. Not only did they not address their 'need positions' but they barely touched their "wants/upgrades". The Rochell pick could be a versatile move where they have him at nickel first, but I am unsure at the moment because they could use depth at the boundary CB position as well. Ernest Jones and Jacob Harris crossed "wants" off the list, but both are projections in my eyes.
Most Likely to Succeed: Robert Rochell
Most Likely to Ride the Struggle Bus: Tutu Atwell
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