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FOOTBALL · SCOUTING · NEWS
Houston Texans
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(68) Justin Reid, S, Stanford
(80) Martinas Rankin, OG, Mississippi St
(98) Jordan Akins, TE, UCF
(103) Keke Coutee, WR, Texas Tech
(177) Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest
(211) Jordan Thomas, TE, Mississippi St
(214) Peter Kalambayi, LB, Stanford
(222) Jermaine Kelly, S, San Jose St
UDFA
Terry Swanson, RB, Toledo
Shawn Boone, S, NC State
Lavon Coleman, RB, Washington
Anthony Coyle, OT, Fordham
Mason Gentry, DE, SMU
KJ Malone, OT, LSU
Kingsley Opara, DL, Maryland
Drew VanMaanen, LS, Wyoming
Jalen Wilkerson, DE, Florida State
Kiante Anderson, DE, East Carolina
Texans effectively hit their needs in this draft. Safety was a need and Reid was one of the better DB prospects. He's a CB/S tweener tha lacks physicality but he's instinctive and athletic. Rankin fits the scheme and should contribute straight away. I'm high on Akins. He was a dynamic WR at UCF before injuries wiped out a couple of seasons. He reemerged as a TE last year and should be a dynamic option if he's healthy moving forward. Coutee is a speedster with sticky hands that simply needs route running precision.
Ejiofor is a decent later round pick. He was a productive try hard guy that lacks athletic ability. Thomas is a good late round gamble. Kalambayi and Kelly are special teams guys that are longshots to make the 53. I was a fan of UDFA Georgia DE/OLB Bellamy and thought he was an underrated guy. He sets the edge and can turn the corner. Weah is a freak size/speed guy that flashed but needs precision in all aspects of his game.
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Indianapolis Colts
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(6) Quenton Nelson, OG, Notre Dame
(36) Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina St
(37) Braden Smith, OG, Auburn
(52) Kemoko Turay, DE, Rutgers
(64) Tyquan Lewis, DT, Ohio St
(104) Nyheim Hines, RB, N.C. State
(159) Daurice Fountain, WR, Northern Iowa
(169) Jordan Wilkins, RB, Ole Miss
(185) Deon Cain, WR, Clemson
(221) Matt Adams, LB, Houston
(235) Zaire Franklin, LB, Syracuse
UDFA
Skai Moore, LB, South Carolina
Michael Badgley, K, Miami
Steve Ishmael, WR, Syracuse
Chris Cooper, S, Stony Brook
Lashard Durr, CB, Mississippi State
Robert Jackson, CB, UNLV
Tomasi Laulile, DT, BYU
George Odum, S, Central Arkansas
William Ossai, LB, San Jose State
Henre’ Toliver, CB, Arkansas
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Chris Ballard doubled down on DBs high last year and this year choose interior offensive lineman to stack. Nelson and Smith along with Kelly at OC should be one of the most reliable interior OL's in the league for the next few years. The LB class this year was thin and they reached to fill a glaring need with Leonard. The SC St LB is scheme versatile and can run but wasn't necessarily a plug and play guy. Turay is a bit of an enigma. He burst on the national scene as a freshman at Rutgers then disappeared until his senior year because of multiple shoulder injuries. He looked healthy and productive at post season evals and salvaged his draft stock. If he stays on the field he'll be a productive player. Lewis is a typical OSU prospect. Strong and ready to contribute but not the impact guy some expect. I think he's a handful as an interior guy more than on the edge.
Hines is one of the fastest guys in this class and some draft guys had him much higher. He's a high energy change of pace runner that'll need to prove he's strong enough for more reps. Fountain dramatically improved his draft stock in the post season practices. The Colts have a hole at WR and Fountain could work his way into the starting lineup whether deserved or not. He and Cain shouldn't have too much trouble sticking and earning reps. Wilkins is a training camp body that could stick if he shows a complete game.
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I'm a big fan of UDFA LB Skai Moore. Lacking size/speed but he's fluid and instinctive with big time ball skills. He's solid bet to stick and earn a role. Miami K Badgley has talent and could earn a spot.
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Jacksonville Jaguars
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(29) Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
(61) D.J. Chark, WR, LSU
(93) Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama
(129) Will Richardson, OT, NC State
(203) Tanner Lee, QB, Nebraska
(230) Leon Jacobs, LB, Wisconsin
(247) Logan Cooke, P, Mississippi St
UDFA
Quenton Meeks, CB, Stanford
Allen Lazard, TE, Iowa State
Tony Adams, G, NC State
Dee Delaney, CB, Miami
Tre Herndon, CB, Vanderbilt
Mike Hughes, DT, UNLV
Reggie Hunter, LB, North Carolina Central
Darius Jackson, EDGE, Jacksonville State
Lyndon Johnson, DT, Cincinnati
K.C. McDermott, OL, Miami
Dorren Miller, WR, Carson-Newman
Andrew Motuapuaka, LB, Virginia Tech
C.J. Reavis, S, Marshall
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The Jaguars ignored their interior OL need in a historically good class in order to dial up the pressure on the runner throwers in their division. It's a questionably philosophy but there's not denying DT Bryant's upside and fit into the scheme. He's a devastating interior rusher that consistently beats guys off the snap. But he's raw and a little straightline so that upfield quickness can often be nullified.
Fournette alum Chark was one of the best of not the best downfield receivers in this class. He's long, fast and can make dramatic catches. He's an ideal fit in the Jags smash mouth change up offense and their likely new #1 WR. Harrsion is a project with great tools. He's another strong fit and gets to learn how to play behind great veterans. Richarson hits a need and gets to learn behind vets as well. QB Lee has an NFL arm but didn't show enough consistency in college to be counted on as a pro. Jacobs is a solid late round project with great athletic skills.
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Most draft guys including this writer were shocked that Stanford CB Meeks wasn't selected. He was productive and has prototype size and athletic ability. Lazard was more expected. He's too slow for WR and likely needs to transition to TE but his ball skills are exceptional. As are DB Delaney's out of Miami. He's a long shot but he has the talent to stick as a pro.
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Tennessee Titans
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(22) Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
(41) Harold Landry, OLB, Boston College
(152) Dane Cruikshank, S, Arizona
(199) Luke Falk, QB, Washington St
UDFA
Cameron Batson, WR, Texas Tech
Matt Dickerson, DE, UCLA
Sharif Finch, LB, Temple
Rico Gafford, CB, Wyoming
Tejan Koroma, C, BYU
J.T. Luper, WR, UCO
Ryan McKinley, CB, Montana
Elijah Nkansah, T, Toledo
Larry Rose, RB, New Mexico State
Devin Ross, WR, Colorado
Aaron Stinnie, OT, JMU
Jordan Veasy, WR, Cal
The Titans traded up for Evans, filling a need and selecting one of the few highly talented players at the position in this class. He's a plug and play guy but not quite as talented as previous 1st round LBs from Bama. The Titans also jumped at the in explicable fall of BC rusher Harold Landry and traded a 2nd and 3rd to move up for him. They probably considered him with their 1st rounder. Landry's an explosive edge guy who was worth it. With the remaining picks the Titans still manged to get solid talents. The S from Arizona was a sleeper and will contribute early. He's versatile and a playmaker. Falk is a good long term back up prospect with some Kurt Cousins in him.
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The titans then landed a murderers' row of UDFA's in RB Wadley, WR Burnett, DT Ramsey, LB DeLuca, DB Webb and TE Wolf. I thought all six were draftable talents.
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