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Mike Honcho

Grade Your Teams Draft - 2016

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All right it's that time of the year again, Grade the 2016 draft. Did your team improve, tread water or go backwards? You are the professor, grade the team how ever you like.

2016 NFL Draft

 

Found this chart/article that details the chance a player sticks with a team by round. How long does the average draft pick stick around(Charted by round)?

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Green Bay Packers

1.27 -  DL, Kenny Clark, UCLA: Has been the best player on the Packers defense the last two years.   Has always been solid against the run, nearly impossible to displace and has gotten better and better in the passing game.  Rates as one of the best interior linemen in the game and one of Thompson's last really good picks. Grade A+

2.17 -  OL, Jason Spriggs, Indiana: Was drafted as an athletic, quick-footed tackle who needed to develop his strength.   First two years in the league IF he played, he got absolutely steam-rolled.  Bulked up for his third year in the league and lost a step, and was constantly beat by speed rushers.   Thompson traded up to get him for a return you would expect from a 6th rounder. Grade F

3.25 - LB, Kyler Fackrell, Utah State: Older player(turned 25 as a rookie) drafted for his athleticism and potential as a pass rusher.   Was expected to go higher in the draft, so appeared to be excellent value in round 3.  Barely saw the field his first two season, started 7 games in his third and led the Packers in sacks.  Sack totals are great, but odd in that when he doesn't get a sack, he rarely generates pressure. In the run game he misses way too many tackles.  At this point, he looks to be rotational player on passing downs.  Grade C-

4.33 - LB, Blake Martinez, Stanford: Was drafted as a capable inside LB, and he's a capable inside LB.   Grades strongly against the run, pass rush, play recognition, but his speed makes him a liability in when asked to cover.   He's a starting ILB drafted at the end of the 4th round.  Grade B

4.39 - DL, Dean Lowry, Northwestern: Added to the squad to as a five technique with great size and upside.   Has played in every game since he was drafted and really stepped up last season.   Stout run defender, who can generate pressure in the pass game.  Ideally, he's the 4th DL, the guy who comes in and gives a breather, part-time starter behind the Clarks, Daniels and  ???  Look for the team to try and find ??? in this draft and Lowry to be good rotational player.  Grade B

5.26 - WR, Trevor Davis, California: He was drafted to be a returner and that looks to be his ceiling. Has done next to nothing as a WR, but has some good moments as a punt returner.   Couldn't stay healthy in year three and only saw 2 games.  Could be back for a 4th year for his ST abilities and rookie contract. Grade D+

6.25 - OL, Kyle Murphy, Stanford:  Inactive most of year 1, started at both tackle spots in first 3 games of year two before foot injury ended his season. Placed on IR at the start of the 2018 season before being released after the last game. Just not strong enough and injury prone.  Grade D-

This draft provided one pro-bowl player at the end of round 1, Clark and starter Martinez(41 starts out of 48).   In addition you got two rotational guys who are above average for backups.  Despite seeming like they stole Fackrell in the third, he's about a 4th round talent.   The big misses hurt as they both were on the O'line and the team just keeps getting older and older without adequately replacing the departures.   On other teams, 4 capable players from one draft would be a pretty good haul, but this was still under the Ted Thompson regime so this is the entirety of new contributors from the 2016 year---so basically the team was just treading water.  

Overall C+

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Tennessee Titans

1st round - jack Conklin, RT

Played very well in 2017 until blowing out his knee in the divisional round. Probably came back too soon, and didn't play as well last season. Have high hopes he bounces back strong. B+

 

2nd round - Kevin dodd, edge

Bust. Sucked. Never did sh!t. Off the team. F

Derrick Henry, RB

Looked like an unstoppable Force late last season. Shoring up the interior ol should help that continue. Will be a run heavy team and hes gonna get the shot at being the bell cow. B-

Austin johnson, DL

Mediocre. Likely to be replaced in this draft, but has been a decent rotational guy. C-

3rd round -

Kevin Byard, FS

Steal of the draft. An all pro caliber guy in the third. A+

Overall... B-

 

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Steelers selected in the 25th spot in 2016.

Round 1  Corner Artie Burns.  Can't cover and a poor tackler.  Lacks heart.  Competing with Jarvis Jones as GM Kevin Colbert''s worst first round pick in 19 years.  The next DB taken in the 2016 draft was 13 picks later Miami selecting pro bowl Xavien Howard.  After week 6 last season Burns played only 15 snaps the rest of the way and not due to injury.  Highly unlikely the Steelers pick up his 5th year option.  Grade F-

 Round 2  Safety Sean Davis.  Led team in tackles the past two seasons.  Improved last season after switching from strong safety to free safety which was his natural position at Maryland.  Far from elite, but above average.  Grade C+

Round 3  DT Jevon Hargrave.  The best pick of a crappy draft for the Steelers.  Played in every game last season, starting 14.  He has improved each season.  Steelers are solid in the interior of the defense with Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, and Hargrave.  Grade B

Round 4  OT Jerald Hawkins.  Injured for 2/3 of career.  Missed all of 2018 with a torn quad.  I doubt he sees the field much even if healthy in 2019 if he even makes the final roster.  Grade F 

Round 6  LB Travis Freeney.  Released in 2016 and signed to the practice squad.  Saints claimed him but he never played for them.  Last seen playing in the AAF.  Grade F  

Round 7  WR  Demaracus Ayers.  Cut before the 2017 season.  Last seen playing in the AAF  Grade F 

Round 7   LB Tyler Matakevich.  Played just 133 snaps in 3 years.  Decent special teamer, good locker room guy.  Lacks athleticism to compete at this level.  Grade D 

Steelers would of been better off auto drafting in 2016.

Final Grade F

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Packers.....Im fine with your grades.  C+ sounds about right.  Clark is an animal and will be one of thr best interior linemen in the game.  So that sort of makes the draft for me.  Pull that kind of guy at the end of round 1 when most people said..who?  Blake has been a quality starter and really Dean Lowey is very solid.  Id maybe bump Trevor Davis up a tad fot no reason other than he gave them a couple solid years at returner.  For a 5th he did something.  They have no returner right now if they dont keep Davis on.  Tramon Williams is the punt returner.  Says Jamaal Williams is the kick returner.  They have to be looking for a guy to do it in the draft.  Jaire cant be exposed and put on return.  They tried J'mon Moore once last year and he wasnt good.

Spriggs was the dumbest pick.  They dont tradtionally draft the uber athletes at WR or RB.  But then they try to do it at tackle with spriggs.  Who is lacking oh ya know...thr ability to block.  Classic Raw talent who didnt pan out.  Didnt come close to panning out.  

Now they will draft a OL with one of their first and ill b itch

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6 hours ago, listen2me 23 said:

Packers.....Im fine with your grades.  C+ sounds about right.  Clark is an animal and will be one of thr best interior linemen in the game.  So that sort of makes the draft for me.  Pull that kind of guy at the end of round 1 when most people said..who?  Blake has been a quality starter and really Dean Lowey is very solid.  Id maybe bump Trevor Davis up a tad fot no reason other than he gave them a couple solid years at returner.  For a 5th he did something.  They have no returner right now if they dont keep Davis on.  Tramon Williams is the punt returner.  Says Jamaal Williams is the kick returner.  They have to be looking for a guy to do it in the draft.  Jaire cant be exposed and put on return.  They tried J'mon Moore once last year and he wasnt good.

Spriggs was the dumbest pick.  They dont tradtionally draft the uber athletes at WR or RB.  But then they try to do it at tackle with spriggs.  Who is lacking oh ya know...thr ability to block.  Classic Raw talent who didnt pan out.  Didnt come close to panning out.  

Now they will draft a OL with one of their first and ill b itch

You are right, I graded Davis too low thinking he would contribute as a WR also.   He's a returner and i should have graded him accordingly, so bump him to the C to C- range.   Got to ding him for not staying healthy which is a big chunk of the grade for a returner. 

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San Francisco 49ers:

 

1.07 – DeForest Buckner, DE:  Arguably the best player on the team, by far the best of the THREE first-round picks used on the D-line in the last three years. Grade A

 

1.28 – Joshua Garnett, OG:  Showed promise as a rookie, but has been beset by injuries since.  Will be battling for a spot on the line this year.  Grade D

 

3.05 – Will Redmond, DB:  Rehabbing from a torn ACL (a Baalke draft staple), he was released a year later. Grade F

 

4.35 – Rashard Robinson, DB:  CB depth, ended up a starter in 2017 before being traded to the Jets for a 5th round pick.  Grade C (including trade value)

 

5.03 – Ronald Blair, DE:  Depth at DE, nothing special but at least he’s still on the roster.  Grade C

 

5.06 – 7.28, John Theus, Fahn Cooper, Jeff Driskel, Kelvin Taylor, Aaron Burbridge, Prince Charles Iworah:  I’m lumping these all in because I don’t even remember most of these names and they didn’t contribute anyway, none are on the roster anymore.  Grade F

 

Overall: They got one stud player which carries the draft, the rest was quite literally nothing.  Grade B-

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Dallas Cowboys - grade A+

2016 Dallas Cowboys draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 4 Ezekiel Elliott *  RB Ohio State  
2 34 Jaylon Smith  OLB Notre Dame  
3 67 Maliek Collins  DT Nebraska  
4 101 Charles Tapper  DE Oklahoma  
4 135 Dak Prescott *  QB Mississippi State Compensatory
6 189 Anthony Brown  CB Purdue From Oakland[55]
6 212 Kavon Frazier  S Central Michigan Compensatory
6 216 Darius Jackson  RB Eastern Michigan Compensatory
6 217 Rico Gathers  TE Baylor Compensatory
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Ugh

1.23 Laquon Treadwell: F. Bust bust bust bust bust.

2.23 Mackensie Alexander: B+. Solid nickleback, done fairly well when forced into a starting role.

4.23 Willie Beavers: F. Bust.

5.23 Kentrell Brothers: B-. Solid special teamer.

6.05 Moritz Boehringer: F. Feel good, pick, never did anything.

6.13 David Morgan: B+. Gets a fair amount of snaps as a blocking TE.

7.06 Stephen Weatherly: A-. Rotational pass rusher, got the starts when Everson Griffen went off the deep end.

7.23 Jayron Kearse: B. Another solid special teamer, gets some snaps on defenses

 

Total: D+ You want more than a nickleback and backups/special teamers out of a draft. Some solid contributors late save the draft from being an F, but a pretty bad draft.

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