TALKDRAFT
FOOTBALL · SCOUTING · NEWS
Kansas City Chiefs
(46) Breeland Speaks, DE, Ole Miss
(75) Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida St
(100) Dorian O'Daniel, LB, Clemson
(124) Armani Watts, S, Texas A&M
(196) Tremon Smith, CB, Central Arkansas
(198) Kahil McKenzie, DT, Tennessee
UDFA
CB D’Montre Wade, Murray State
WR Byron Pringle, Kansas State
CB Byron Fields, Duke
OT Ryan Hunter, Bowling Green
DT Davion Liner, Arkansas State
QB Chase Litton, Marshall
WR Elijah Marks, Northern Arizona
OG Jimmy Murray, Holy Cross
LB Ben Niemann, Iowa
DE Dante Sawyer, South Carolina
Speaks and Nnadi are dirty work types that should contribute early but are unlikely to become standouts. The secondary was a need and the Chiefs looked at S Watts in the 4th and small school CB Smith in the 6th. Both have upside to become starters but are far from locks to even contribute. They're solid depth straight away but would probably struggle with a greater role too soon.
They doubled down on the interior with their last pick, Tenn junior McKenzie. Taken as a whole the three interior defenders certainly add quality depth and at least one should become a starter. O'Daniel is a wild card. He's a safety/LB tweener who flashed but was overshadowed by better talent at Clemson. Not a pressing need position for KC but UDFA RB Williams was talented enough to be drafted. WR Pringle is faster and quicker than most WRs but fights passes and has a checkered past. He'll leave everything on the field, however. Wade is a solid UD pick up and could stick as well.
​--------------------------------------------------
Oakland Raiders
(15) Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
(57) P.J. Hall, DT, Sam Houston St
(65) Brandon Parker, OT, North Carolina A&T
(187) Arden Key, DE, LSU
(110) Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin
(140) Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan
(173) Johnny Townsend, P, Florida
(216) Azeem Victor, LB, Washington
(228) Marcell Ateman, WR, Oklahoma St
UDFA
CB Jamarcus King, South Carolina
FB Nick Sharga, Temple
OG Brandon Hodges,Pitt
S Kishawn McClain, North Texas
OG Alex Officer, Pitt
S Nick Washington, Florida
WR Saeed Blacknall, Penn State
Gruden's return philosophy for the draft actually echoes McKenzie's early philosophy with Derek Carr...invest in the OL to avoid at all cost a repeat of Carr's brother's career. Kolton Miller had his critics but I thought he could be the best OT in this class. He's tall, high cut and inexperienced, but he fires off the ball with impressive power and quickness. His issues are mechanical, not physical and can be corrected. That said, it's pretty clear Gruden zeroed in on taking an OT this draft and needed one of the premere ones given such a thin class. Hall was a sleeper who showed out at his pro day with elite mobility and explosion for an interior guy. Playing to that athletic ability is another thing but that's what coaches are paid for. OT Parker is a solid project LT and should be a starter eventually.
Arden Key's a shot in the dark. Before his last season and his off field issues he was a lock top 2o pick that showed elite explosion off the edge. He was a ghost of his former self last year though and still carries the same off field concerns. Nick Nelson likely declared too soon but he has the size and ability of a starting NFL DB. If he dials in and grinds he'll be a steal. Hurst slid not only due to the medical concern for his heart but also his lack of measurables for the position. He's a Kyle Johnson clone who'll have to work and grind more than the next man to sustain success. A new punter was obvious to be drafted but Bama's heralded JK Scott was taken just before Oakland's pick. The Gruden expletive must have been glorious. Townsend is a solid punter though and was also expected to be drafted. I doubted LB Victor was going to be drafted. Ateman is a solid try in the 7th.
​
UDFA K Pinireo should be the starting kicker and I like the signing of LB Cabinda off the street. I had him rated much higher and I'll be shocked if he doesn't carve a role with the team.
​​-------------------------------------------
Denver Broncos
(5) Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
(40) Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU
(71) Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon
(99) Issac Yiadom, CB, Boston College
(106) Josey Jewell, LB, Iowa
(156) Troy Fumagalli, TE, Wisconsin
(183) Sam Jones, OG, Arizona St
(217) Keishawn Bierria, LB, Washington
(226) David Williams, RB, Arkansas
​
UDFA
LB Jeff Holland, Auburn
OT Leon Johnson, Temple
RB Phillip Linsday, Colorado
DT Lowell Lotulelei, Utah
S Trey Marshall, Florida State
OC Austin Schlottman, TCU
WR Jimmy Williams, East Carolina
Broncos are shifting gears after a down season transitioning into something of a mini-rebuild. They hope Keenum can repeat his one year wonder success and bypassed this year's QBs after Mayfield and Darnold came off the board. Chubb became the pick rather than a trade out. He's another rusher to add to the mix of Ray, Miller and Barrett but it's not a lock, at least to this writer, that he's head and shoulders the 2nd best pass rusher on the team. Nevertheless he adds to an already potent defense.
WR Sutton would do well to learn as much as he can from veteran Thomas, who shares a similar skill set. Sutton has all the tools but needs to utlize them more consistently. Freeman was a solid pick and should be the leading candidate to start as a rookie. He's not explosive but he's a solid all around back. Yiadom has size and long speed and just needs to learn the subtleties to be a solid starter. Jewell was one of my favorite prospects in this class and should earn a role early on. Fumagalli is another solid mid rounder who should fit well in the system as a pass catcher.
Jones out of ASU became the only OL addition, which could come back to bite them as their line is thin at the OT spots. I also felt interior DL was a significant need that wasn't addressed. UDFA Lotulelei has the talent to be productive but was inconsistent in college and could just as easily wash out. OLB/DE Holland has some talent but it'll be a crowded camp in Englewood.
​​​​
--------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Chargers
(17) Derwin James, S, Florida St
(48) Uchenna Nwosu, LB, USC
(84) Justin Jones, DE, NC State
(119) Kyzir White, S, West Virginia
(155) Scott Quessenberry, OC, UCLA
(191) Dylan Cantrell, WR, Texas Tech
(251) Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern
UDFA
CB Brandon Facyson, Virginia Tech
DT Steven Richardson, Minnesota
CB Tony Brown, Alabama
LB D’Juan Hines, Houston
QB Nic Shimonek, Texas Tech
DT Bijhon Jackson, Arkansas
FB Anthony Manzo-Lewis, Albany
OT Zachary Crabtree, Oklahoma State
OT Chris Durant, William & Mary
CB Marcus Edmond, Clemson
OG Zach Golditch, Colorado State
DE Albert Havili, Eastern Washington
CB BJ Clay, Georgia State
TE Cole Hunt, TCU
TE Ben Johnson, Kansas
WR JJ Jones, West Georgia
DE Tevin Lawson, Nicholls State
RB Detrez Newsome, Western Carolina
OG Trent Scott, Grambling
WR Kent Shelby, McNeese State
P Shane Tripucka, Texas A&M
Chargers created an uneccessary opening at safety by not resigning Tre Boston but filled it in a big way with James. He's an elite size/speed athlete who blows up opponents and carries a big motor but lacks polish. Nwosu is a versatile LB that can rush and cover and is ideal for Bradley's leo but also could line up inside. NC State's Jones is a DT/DE tweener that can inside rush. White could be a steal. He's LB sized and comfortable in the box but also man covered effectively. He dropped some due to so so speed but he could be a big contributer at DB or LB.
Quessenberry was one of the better centers senior week and should help make the Chargers inteior group one of the league's best. Cantrell's a red zone 5o/5o winner that can make clutch grabs and move the chains. RB Jackson is smaller but a great complement runner that shifts gears and plays stronger than he looks. He's another bet at at later round steal. UDFA's Facyson and DT Richardson flashed some to me last season and might stick.
​
--------------------------------------------
