Alex Kielar | April 26th, 2020
Well, folks, the NFL Draft is now behind us, and it was quite the interesting three days. There were quite a few surprises and players fell way farther than anyone expected. Given that, let’s go over the best steals of all three rounds. Time to get into it.
Denver Broncos: WR Jerry Jeudy (Round 1, Pick 15)
I never expected Jeudy to fall outside the top 12 or Henry Ruggs to be the first receiver off the board. Jeudy gives Drew Lock an insanely good weapon right off the bat. A lot of people had Jeudy as WR1 and definitely at least WR2, and not having to trade up for him is huge. For more on Jeudy, click here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v11LKCUXm3U&w=560&h=315]
Dallas Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb (Round 1, Pick 17)
Just like Jeudy, I have no idea how Lamb fell this far down. He was my WR1 going into the draft and was the third receiver off the board all the way at 17. There wasn’t a need for receiver for the Cowboys, but Jerry Jones couldn’t pass on adding another offensive weapon opposite Amari Cooper when he fell into their laps. For more on Lamb, click here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1571Ihhk65Q&w=560&h=315]
Cleveland Browns: S Grant Delpit (Round 2, Pick 44)
I had Delpit pegged as an early second, even late first-round selection. The Browns traded back from 41 and still managed to land the high upside safety from LSU. They not only get vastly improved secondary with this addition but also picked up a fifth-round pick in the trade back, which they used on C Nick Harris. For more on Delpit, click here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCiNZTSk_XE&w=560&h=315]
Buffalo Bills: DE A.J. Epenesa (Round 2, Pick 54)
Epenesa should have been drafted early on in the second but falls to the Bills who are a perfect fit for him, using their first pick on him. Epenesa’s power, technique, and especially versatility fits the Bills coverage-based defense. The Bills ranked 20th in pressure percentage when sending less than five rushers last year and they can create interior matchups for Epenesa who can rush off the edge or slide inside.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGWO7s8pJGE&w=560&h=315]
New York Jets: WR Denzel Mims (Round 2, Pick 59)
Mims fell way farther than I expected, as I had an early second-round grade on him. The Jets were 29th in the league in passing yards and lost Robby Anderson in free agency. Getting a guy like Mims who has a great combination of size, length, and top-end speed is huge for the Jets that late in the third round. He also has impressive YAC ability and is a big threat in the red zone.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWM6x4kPO9o&w=560&h=315]
Arizona Cardinals: OT Josh Jones (Round 3, Pick 72)
I thought the Cardinals would have definitely used their number eight pick on an offensive tackle. But then Isiah Simmons fell to them, who was in the top three of best players coming into the draft. Even then, I thought the pick was kind of questionable at the time. But that’s why I’m not a GM. Jones should have been picked way sooner (like early second sooner) and the Cardinals get a starting-level tackle while still getting Simmons. They read the board and they read it well. For more on Jones, click here.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX0N98Qaeus&w=560&h=315]
Las Vegas Raiders: CB Amik Robertson (Round 4, Pick 139)
The Raiders used their last pick of the draft extremely well. The only real reason Robertson even fell as far as he did was because of concerns with his hips. He is small at 5’8″ and 187 pounds, but he has tremendous balls skills and an outstanding slot corner. Robertson had a conference call with the Raiders and he said he was 120 percent ready to go.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXUwrGYfWgA&w=560&h=315]
Dallas Cowboys: C Tyler Biadasz (Round 4, Pick 146)
The Cowboys hacked into the Eagles zoom meeting and traded up with them for the last pick in the fourth round to grab their replacement for recently retired Travis Frederick. The last time the Eagles and Cowboys made a draft-day trade? The Cowboys took linebacker Sean Lee in the second round in 2010. Biadasz was the fourth center off the board and probably fell because of his injury concerns and an inability for teams to have a firsthand look.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQfSBd8a21w&w=560&h=315]
Dallas Cowboys: DE Bradlee Anae (Round 5, Pick 179)
I mean come on, it’s clear at this point that the Cowboys were hacking into the draft to get these guys to fall to them. It’s just unfair at this point, almost all their picks they had someone fall directly into their laps. The Cowboys addressed their DE need and drafted a guy with third-round potential with the last pick of the fifth round. Anae was one of the most productive defenders in the country last season and was a unanimous All-American.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qheZcDopk0&w=560&h=315]
Philadelphia Eagles: OT Prince Tega Wanogho (Round 6, Pick 210)
The Eagles traded back in the sixth round in the trade that got them, Marquise Goodwin, from the San Francisco 49ers. With the later pick, the Eagles got the offensive line depth that they needed in a guy that should have been gone in the third to the fourth round. He was the 21st OT off the board, which was also second to last. Wanogho probably fits better as a guard and has below-average length which might’ve been why he fell so far. With development, he should be a long-time starter, and for now a great depth move.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSu8LzrtitE&w=560&h=315]
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