Draft Recap: AFC East

The NFL Draft has come and go, and now we can break down the biggest winners and losers from each division. Some may not be as clear cut, and may take two to three years before we can make a true judgement, but it is never too early to analyze anything. Here is my takeaway from the AFC East.

New York Jets

The Jets are the biggest winners in the division, and maybe the whole draft. They allowed the Draft to come to them and didn't panic. Doing this allowed them to add some of the best prospects while addressing the teams needs for most of their picks. The Jets not only solidified the best defensive line one the NFL, they added a speedy receiver, a developmental quarterback, and an edge rusher as well.

Best Pick- Leonard Williams (DL, USC)

Nobody thought Williams would be on the board for the Jets. Surely a team with one of the best defensive lines in the NFL wouldn't draft another lineman. They did. And, by doing so, allowed themselves to get the best prospect in the draft. It also gave the team flexibility and a bargaining chip when they start to negotiate with DL Mohammad Wilkerson. Drafting Williams could potentially mean Wilkerson walks, or that when they do re-negoatiate that one of the other lineman won't return. The Jets sat back in the draft, didn't sell their farm to move up and select a quarterback, and it wound up paying off in a big way.

Underrated Pick- Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB, Louisville)

The Jets were in need of an outside pass rusher and got one in Mauldin. It was a bargain to get a player that should have an immediate impact for them in the third round. Even if Mauldin doesn't produce double-didget sacks, he would still be a considerable upgrade compared to the linebackers they've had in recent years.

Final Thoughts-

Aside from adding Williams and Mauldin, the Jets added some nice pieces. The offense got a boost with the additions of Devin Smith (WR, Ohio State) and Bryce Petty (QB, Baylor). Petty should be watching from the sidelines for a year or two until his coaches feel like his game is NFL ready. Smith should instantly inject some sparks into the offense. He is a burner that tracks the ball very well in the air. All in all, the Jets came out of the 2015 Draft as huge winners.

Miami Dolphins

Miami needed to add some parts in the Draft to help them compete in the always tough AFC East, and did just that. They got a true number one receiver, and a very good nose tackle to pair with Ndamukong Suh. They added a body to take some of the load off of Lamar Miller, and got tougher along the offensive line as well.

Best Pick- Jordan Phillips (NT, Oklahoma)

Miami wanted to add a big body to pair with Suh, and Phillips is exactly that. Phillips will excel in run stopping, and should be able to create enough of a problem to give Suh some help. He has the desired body size for a run-stuffing defensive tackle, and given his situation he should flourish in Miami.

Underrated Pick- Tony Lippett (CB/WR, Michigan State)

Lippett is a unique player, with the determination and heart to be a pro. He doesn't do anything that makes him jump out to you on film, but was very consistent at MSU. The fact that he played both sides of the ball shows how physical and tough of a player he is, and also shows his willingness to want to play. Lippett is the kind of guy a coach loves, and if he keeps up the hard work ethic, he will find himself on the field for Maimi.

Final Thoughts-

Miami addressed the holes in the roster and added some depth. They didn't do anything too flashy which is sometimes the best way to have a successful draft. Parker has been over-shadowed by Kevin White and Amari Cooper, but is definitely a top prospect, and may be the most pro-ready. The addition of Jay Ajayi gives the 'Fins another hard working running back, and was a steal for Miami in the fifth round. There may only be a player or two from this draft that don't immediately impact the team.

New England Patriots

The defending Super Bowl champions came into the Draft with very few holes to fill. It's worth noting that DT Vince Wilfork, Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner are definitely huge losses, but the Pats did a great job filling those holes either through free-agency or the draft. Like the Dolphins, there wasn't anything flashy about their draft, but they surely made some good picks.

Best Pick- Tre Jackson (OL, Florida State)

The Patriots are very good at finding undervalued players in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft. Jackson was a three-year starter for Florida State and comes with a port of experience under his belt. He is a good run and pass blocker that uses his leverage well. His football intelligence is probably what caught the eye of the Pats' scouts. If given a year to develop and learn the scheme, Jackson could be an impact starter in New England.

Underrated Pick- Xzavier Dickson (LB/DE, Alabama)

Dickson looks like he'll primarily be a passing situation linebacker. He has pretty good edge rushing skills, but lacks most of the tools that he'll need to produce in the run game. He should get some reps early on third down, while the Pats work on the other facets of his game. Think of him as the type of player Bruce Irvin was earlier in his career with Seattle, but with less polish to his all-around skill set.

Final Thoughts-

The Patriots rarely ever put themselves in a bad position heading into a new season. They replaced Vince Wilfork with first round pick Malcolm Brown. Brown was a steal at pick 32, and should be an immediate starter. Defensive Lineman Geno Grissom and Trey Flowers could develop into nice pieces for the defense, along with strong safety Jordan Richards. I would have imagined that the Pats would have drafted a cornerback a little higher; But then again, it always seems like Bill Belichick and the staff in New England always seem to know something that we don't.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills headed into the 2015 NFL offseason with a new Head Coach in Rex Ryan and for the most part, a new front office. They made a lot of noise in free-agency. In more recent years, they've always been active during the draft, but lacked a first round pick (They traded their 2015 first round pick to obtain Sammy Watkins) to really make any moves this year. With that said, I did like the Bills' approach this year. They facilitated exactly how they wanted things to happen, and didn't waste any picks.

Best Pick- Nick O'Leary (TE, Florida State)

The Bills lost Scott Chandler in free-agency, and added Charles Clay. Clay is the type of player that could potentially line up all over the offense, and is a great pass catcher. O'Leary has very similar traits, and could potentially be a developmental project if Clay doesn't pan out for Buffalo. I could see O'Leary being more of an H-Back earlier in his career and eventually shape his game to include being used as an off-line tight end.

Underrated Pick- Karlos Williams (RB, Florida State)

Williams didn't play up to his full potential last season at FSU, but still has a huge upside. He has a smash-mouth style of running and can punish defenses with his physical play. If he puts in the effort during the teams mini-camp, he could find himself as the third running back on the depth chart.

Final Thoughts-

Without holding a first-round pick, the Bills found a way to get some value out of their draft. Adding Ronald Darby was a good move in the second round. They needed help in their secondary and Darby could be a good value pick. Offensive lineman Nick Miller should fit well with Rex Ryan's system and could find his way as a starter in the NFL. I would say the Draft was a small part to a much bigger picture in the Bills' offseason.