NFL: 2020 Draft Review

[Big Poppa Puck]

Like I said in the 2019 thread. Options are starting to be decided on on this class now and they say it takes 3 years to evaluate a draft class so here we are.

The Vikings had a 15(!) player class that produced a bonafide superstar, a huge bust and a whole lot of meh. Rick (and the Vikings organization) should be sending Howie Roseman yearly Christmas cards for selecting Jalen Reagor (who ironically is now sucking for the Vikings).

with 15 picks, *deep breath* here goes...:

1.22 Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
- Superstar. Stud. Maybe the best WR in the league. No brainer run up to the podium pick as seen in that draft video of the Vikings laughing that he was still available. The knock on him was that he's "only a slot guy" which was completely wrong. That's just how LSU used him. You can't ignore the production. Unfathomable that Mike Zimmer's staff started Bisi Johnson over him for the first 2 weeks. The Stefon Diggs pick. Arguably the most win-win trade in NFL history (Vikings also got starting Safety Cam Bynum with 2021 4th from this trade). A++++

1.30 Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
- 2 years after whiffing on Mike Hughes in RD1 the Vikings whiff again on a CB. Gladney had a meh rookie season and then was cut before year two after a domestic violence incident. Was cleared of charges and signed with Arizona in 2022, but was tragically killed in a car crash around this time last year. F.

2.58 Ezra Cleveland, OL, Boise St.
- Was drafted to play tackle but eventually moved to G out of necessity where he's been meh. FA next year and not sure if he gets brought back. Not a bust, so passing grade here.

3.89 Cameron Danztler, CB, Miss. St.
- This guy flashed so much potential, but seems a bit bone headed. Fell out of favor with 2 coaching staffs and on a team dearth of talent at the CB position too. Was waived as one of many cap clearing moves before FA and was claimed by WAS.

4.117 DJ Wonnum, DE, South Carolina
- he's a good backup who always leaving you wanting more. Has 15 sacks in 3 years as mostly a rotational guy. There have been worse 4th rounders.

4.130 James Lynch, DT, Baylor
- backup/rotational DL. Again nothing to write home about but a NFL player at pick 130 is always good.

4.132 Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
- Core special teamer. Hasn't played much on defense, but has been barely average when he has. Ditto Lynch. Seems like there's a trend with the last 5 picks.

5.169 Harrison Hand, CB, Temple
- played mostly special teams for 2 years with some snaps on defense. Was released on cutdown day last year and spent the season with the Bears.

5.176 KJ Osborn, WR, Miami
- was drafted to specifically be a returner, but he sucked at it. Turned himself into a pretty good WR3 the last two years after not playing an offensive snap his rookie year. Probably the best pick in this class other than Jefferson.

6.203 Blake Brandel, OL, Oregon St.
- backup lineman, hasn't been completely awful when forced to play. For pick 203 can't ask for much more.

6.205 Josh Metellus, S, Michigan
- core special teamer and then I can pretty much copy/paste what I said about Brandel.

7.225 Kenny Willekes, DE, Michigan St.
- spent all of 2020 and last year on IR. Played a few games in '21 and I remember him having a good game against the Chargers. Probably has an uphill battle to make the team this year.

7.244 Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
- Like seeing guys you heard of picked in round 7. But never expected much here. 2 years on the practice squad then out of the league.

7.249 Brian Cole, S, Miss. St.
- I think this guy was cut in the first wave of cuts and then never heard from again.

7.253 Kyle Hinton, G, Washburn
- 3 years on the PS. Signed with Atlanta this offseason.


Way too many picks here. No need for it. I think Jefferson alone gets you an A and teams do need backups/special teamers and you have a bunch of them here. Gladney busted hard, but Cleveland is a starter too and Osborn was a good pick. I guess you can say that 12 of these guys are still in the league as well.

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[Pestilence]

Jaguars:

Suprisingly it seems like all of the guys drafted are still in the league, with a few being on practice squads. As for the Jaguars whiffing on the high picks makes this a bad draft, only got one starter from the 11 picks here.

9th overall, CB C. J. Henderson, Florida
- Was traded for peanuts in his second season. Is still playing and starting some of the games for Carolina, but for 9th overall pick you wan't a great cornerback, and Henderson isn't that.

20th overall, OLB K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
- Has turned into a rotational player and not a starter. Is still with the team but will probably play his rookie contract and get a one year second contract unless somehow lights it up next year.

42nd overall, WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado
- Got 600 yards first two seasons and got traded for peanuts after Jaguars signed tons of receivers in the free agency.

73rd overall, DT DaVon Hamilton, Ohio State
- Turned into a good starting defensive tackle for the team, just signed his extension today, three-year deal of $34.5 million with $23 million guaranteed. One of the key pieces moving forward, so the best pick of this draft.

116th overall, OT Ben Bartch, Saint John's (MN)
- Got a starting guard last season from a 5th round pick so that's nice, though suffered an injury and only played 5 games.

137th overall, CB Josiah Scott, Michigan State
- Rotational player who got traded to Philadelphia for a 6th and XFL player, but he is still playing in the league as backup (37% of defensive snaps for a Super Bowl team) and special teams guy, so that's nice for him.

140th overall, ILB Shaquille Quarterman, Miami (FL)
- Rotational player + special teams mostly, still with the team.

157th overall, S Daniel Thomas, Auburn
- Special teams player, still with the team.

165th overall, WR Collin Johnson, Texas
- Was waived a year after his trade, is still in the league with the Giants though, though in August 2022 tore his achilles and didn't play at all last season.

189th overall, QB Jake Luton, Oregon State
- Been hopping on a few teams and practice squads and is currently in New Orleans.

206th overall, TE Tyler Davis, Georgia Tech
- Waived a few times but actually stuck out in Green Bay and got a contract from there, so that's nice for him. Seems to be mostly a special teams guy.

223rd overall, CB Chris Claybrooks, Memphis
- Special teams player, still with the team.

 

[The Note]

Chiefs:

32nd overall - Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB
Bad the moment it happened, has looked worse ever since. Tee Higgins being taken by the Bengals with the very next pick is some extra salt in the wound. CEH wasn't even at the SB parade this past year and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded in training camp. A complete waste of a first round pick at a time when they have more value than ever for the Chiefs.

63rd overall - Willie Gay Jr. LB
Good player but again at a non-premium position. Brings some much needed athleticism to the LB group and is their best coverage LB by some distance. Can certainly quibble with taking an RB and LB with your first two picks, but Gay is a nice player and brings something Bolton doesn't at LB.

96th overall - Lucas Niang RT
Somewhat tough to grade this one. Drafted as depth/tackle of the future but due to injury hasn't gotten much run. He was playing well in 2021 but ruptured his patella tendon late in the year and didn't play at all last season. Presumably part of the mix - especially with the gaping hole at RT currently - for this upcoming year. I think if he can stay healthy he's someone you feel ok about, but the health is a valid concern.

138th overall - L'Jarius Sneed CB
Great pick and really good player. Pretty quickly became the Chiefs best corner who plays primarily in the slot but has started moving all over, especially in blitz packages Spags dials up. He would have been an excellent pick in the first round but to get a player like Sneed in the 4th is excellent. I really hope he gets a nice extension from the Chiefs.

177th overall - Mike Danna DE
Rotational edge rusher. Had a decent year for himself last year. Probably not much more there to be tapped into, but if he can simply be a viable rotational rusher who spells Emenihu/Karlaftis/early round pick this year then that is more than enough. About all you can hope for this late in the draft.

237th overall - Thakarius (BoPete) Keyes CB
Aside from him going by BoPete, not much to report here. Seems to be bouncing around a bit.

In all this was a mixed bag. Walked out with some good players, particularly Sneed, and this turned out to be quite a boost for the defense. Jury is still out on Niang though I'd be somewhat surprised if he ever fully establishes himself as a reliable RT. But, this draft will always be the draft they lit their first rounder on fire for an average, oft-injured RB, and that really is tough to overlook.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

I maybe jumped the gun on this a year early, but bumping after thinking about what a great season Josh Metellus had this year. He was a swiss army knife in Brian Flores defense as a S/LB and got rewarded with a contract extension even before the season. Still a great special teamer as well. I said Osborn was probably the best pick after JJ but it might be him. Wonnum had 8 sacks and solid year too before getting hurt.

What I said about everyone else pretty much remains the same though.

*Other notes:
-Cleveland was traded at the deadline to JAX for a 6th
-Lynch blew out his knee in camp so we'll see what that means for his career.
-Dantzler is now out of the league. (As are Hand and Willekes)