Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are one of the more disappointing teams in the NFC. With a roster loaded with talent from front to back, they are vastly underachieving while wasting years of their talented young players' career. Matt Ryan needs to lead his offense in the right direction, but had little help from his running game last season. The defense needs to vastly improve if they want to be back on top of the division again.
Best Pick- Tevin Coleman (RB, Indiana)
The Falcons finished last season ranked 24th in rushing, and since then parted ways with their leading rusher Steven Jackson. DeVonta Freeman likely wasn't the answer to their running woes, so they selected Coleman in the third round. Coleman does a lot of things very well, he excels at creating his own lanes, has quick feet and can lose defenders with his jukes, but also possesses the power to run through players and can carry the ball between the tackles. It is very likely that her will open the season splitting carries with Freeman, but should eventually surpass him as the primary runner with Freeman coming in to spell him and be a third-down receiving back.
Underrated Pick- Grady Jarrett (NT, Clemson)
I have spoken a lot about players slipping due to the lack of defensive tackles not being drafted early, and Jarrett was one of them. He doesn't have the ideal size for a pro nose tackle (6'1", 304 lbs.) but he is a great football player. He is very quick for an interior lineman, and uses his body well when engaging blockers. He has a high motor and doesn't give up on plays, which should help him compensate for his lack of size. I think Jarrett comes in and makes an immediate impact, if not as a starter, as a pass rushing nose for Atlanta.
Final Thoughts
The Falcons had one of my favorite drafts in the entire league. They addressed their need for an outside pass-rusher in the first round, selecting Vic Beasley from Clemson. He will be an immediate starter, and brings a relentless style of play with him into the league. Second round pick Jalen Collins has a chance to play right away, potentially as either the second corner or nickel back. Coleman and Jarrett will both have more then a fair share of opportunities to make an impact as well. Receiver Justin Hardy could play himself into Harry Douglas' old spot as the third receiver behind Julio Jones and Roddy White, but I think he needs to progress at a fast rate during mini-camp and OTAs. The Falcons knew they needed to upgrade specific spots in the draft, and did just that while bringing in players that should be on the field come week one.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There was little question about how the Bucs would use their first overall pick, especially since they had such a glaring hole at quarterback. The thing I had questioned the most about Tampa Bay, is what they would do in the draft to support Jameis Winston. They have a barrage of weapons for the rookie, but also own one of the leagues worst offensive lines. The Bucs went all-in on offense in the 2015 Draft, and assured themselves they were doing everything they could to help Winston succeed from day one.
Best Pick- Jameis Winston (QB, FSU)
Aside from a few good starts out of Josh Freeman, you have to turn the dial all the way back to the 2003 season to find an above average starter at quarterback in Tampa Bay. The Josh McCown/Mike Glennon project failed miserably, and the team let both players walk. Winston inherits a potentially lethal offense led by big targets Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins. The receiving corps could bail Winston out while he learns the offense. He will definitely take his share of bumps, but if the Bucs continue to help him by putting good players around him, he could be their answer at quarterback for a long time.
Underrated Pick- Ali Marpet (OL, Hobart)
The big knock on Marpet is that he played at such a small school that he's never seen anything close to NFL talent while in college. He has the perfect frame for an NFL lineman, and showed that he is versatile enough to play guard or center in the NFL. He will likely be a project player while he adapts to the talent difference in the NFL, but if worked correctly could be a valuable asset for the Bucs.
Final Thoughts
Tampa did exactly what they needed to after taking Winston first overall. They added Donavan Smith who should immediately start for the struggling offensive line, and Marpet who will probably take a year or two to get on the field. Receivers Kenny Bell and Kaelin Clay will likely be competing against each other for a roster spot, but are both talented players. The lone defensive player drafted by Tampa Bay was Kwon Alexander, an outside linebacker with speed and range on the field, that could play in coverage as well as pass-rushing situations. He will likely be a backup and special teams player. This may not be a flashy draft, but they seem to have set themselves up well for the future.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints were another one of the disappointing teams from the NFC South. With a team that included Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham, as well as an improving defense, they found themselves sitting out of the playoffs. That led to an offseason where they shipped Graham to Seattle for center Max Unger and a first-round draft pick. They also moved speedy receiver Kenny Stills to Miami. They brought in running back CJ Spiller to compliment the punishing running style of Mark Ingram, and signed highly coveted cornerback Brandon Browner. With two first-round selections, the Saints could have made a real splash, and instead left me scratching my head.
Best Pick- PJ Williams (CB, Florida State)
Williams had his share of off-field issues before being selected in the third round. From a performance standpoint, Williams is a ball player. He has the size to play in the secondary at either position in the NFL, and has speed to go with it. He can play man or zone coverage, and isn't afraid to make a play or stick his helmet to a ball carrier. Williams should contribute right away in New Orleans, wether it be at nickel back or nickel linebacker.
Underrated Pick- Garrett Grayson (QB, Colorado State)
Drew Brees is 36 years old and you can see his play slowly declining. It was time for the Saints to start tailoring a quarterback to succeed Brees. What Grayson lacks in terms of decision making and ability to read a defense, he makes up with pure athletic ability. He throws a good deep ball with good power and exceptional accuracy. He shows all the proper mechanics and footwork that you'd want out of a pro-ready quarterback. Working with Sean Payton will help him immensely, and he could wind up being one of the best quarterbacks to come out of the 2015 class.
Final Thoughts
New Orleans did not by any means "nail" the draft. I feel that adding offensive tackle Andrus Peat in the first round was a luxury pick they couldn't necessarily afford, and they followed that up by adding linebacker Stephone Anthony, a player that I gave a 2nd-3rd round grade. Peat could potentially start at guard for the Saints, and Anthony will compete for snaps at inside linebacker, while contributing on special teams. Linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha has a chance to contribute to the pass-rush as a rotational player, and will likely see most of his time on the field with Anthony on special teams. To me, it seems like the Saints didn't want to reach for a player early in the first, and took the best player available, even if it didn't fit a need. They followed that up by reaching entirely too much for a linebacker. Whatever their game plan was, it either fell apart on them or failed miserably.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers wound up winning the division with a sub .500 record, and were just the second team in NFL history to enter the playoffs with such a record. They were the first team ever in the AFC South to win back-to-back division titles, and actually beat the Cardinals in the wild-card round. After running into the brick wall that is the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers came into the offseason knowing a few things. The offensive line was, and has been awful during the Cam Newton era. They needed to add talented players to the line to keep Newton healthy and happy. They also wanted to give Cam more weapons on offense. While they only had five picks in the draft, I do believe the Panthers made the most of every single pick, and did as much as they could to stay competitive.
Best Pick- Shaq Thompson (LB, Washington)
Thompson is a unique player. He played running back, linebacker, and safety at Washington. He is a very athletic player, with the skill and knowledge to succeed as a defensive player in the NFL. He can rush the passer and has a high motor when stopping the run, but is able to play in pass coverage as well. His versatility is key for Carolina, who have missed the presence of a dominating linebacker in recent years. Carolina will love the idea of being able to use Thompson as a dime linebacker that they can keep on the field during any situation, even special teams.
Underrated Pick- Cameron Artis-Payne (RB, Auburn)
It wouldn't have hurt the Panthers to take a running back earlier in the draft, but they may have found a hidden gem in Artis-Payne. He'll likely serve as a 3rd running back in the change of pace role behind Jonathan Stewart, and Jordan Toddman. While Payne doesn't have elite speed by any means, he makes up for it with his relentlessness and willingness to run between the tackles, and lower his shoulder to deliver hits. While he might only pan out as a backup in the NFL, his skill set should be complimentary to Stewart.
Final Thought
Carolina might not have done what you thought they would have in the draft, but i like what they did with minimal selections. Thompson should be a cornerstone and valuable piece to their defense, and could play multiple positions if they ask him to. Receiver Devin Funchess is a big bodied player, who can line up and create mismatches all over the defense. He will likely be the number two receiver and an excellent compliment to Kelvin Benjamin. Offensive lineman Daryl Williams will compete for a starting spot at either guard or right tackle. While Artis-Payne may be a third or fourth running back, I do see some characteristics that make him an interesting prospect for Carolina. I would have liked to see them add some lineman, and although they didn't address the line as hard as we all thought they would, they had themselves a pretty successful draft.
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