NFC East Draft Recap

Continuing with my 2015 NFL Draft recap series, I dive into the NFC. Home to some of the toughest divisions in football, the NFC could be shaken up by a number of teams, especially if teams are able to nail their draft process. The NFC East is up first, and the division is always a competitive one. Over the last 10 years, no team has won the division in back to backs seasons. After huge shakeups in Dallas and Philadelphia, all four teams will be looking to their draft class to make an impact and assist them in landing atop the tough division.

Dallas Cowboys

After finally getting over a playoff drought, the Dallas Cowboys exited the Super Bowl race early with a loss to the Green Bay Packers. The offseason was filled with speculation on wether or not Jerry Jones would pursue a trade for All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson, and when those talks died down, the Cowboys had to sit and watch as their own prized back DeMarco Murray left town for the rival Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas was able to put the franchise tag on receiver Dez Bryant, which gives them flexibility to work on a deal with him. Many of the Cowboys' needs going into the draft were on defense, and while they did a good job filling some of those holes, the defense might not shape up until later in their season.


Best Pick- Randy Gregory (EDGE, Nebraska)

Coming into the 2015 Draft, Gregory was seen as a potential top-5 pick, but after an arrest for possession of marijuana, it was likely that he'd slide down draft boards. I don't believe anyone saw him dropping all the way to the end of the second round, but the Cowboys jumped on the opportunity to draft a first-round talent. It is likely that Gregory will be suspended to start the year, but when he does rejoin the team, he should make an immediate impact. Gregory was considered by many, including myself, as the best pass-rusher in the class. Adding a player of his talent along with veteran edge-rusher Greg Hardy (who is suspended for 10 games) should make for a scary pass-rush that has been missing in Dallas for some time. Gregory can be a special player if he keeps himself in line off the field.


Underrated Pick- La'el Collins- (OL, LSU)

The news surrounding Collins that broke the day before the draft may have scared teams away from selecting him. After his name was cleared from a murder investigation, Collins informed teams that if he was not selected by the third round, that he would not sign any contract and re-enter his name in the 2016 NFL Draft. Realizing that after he went unsigned he could sign anywhere he'd like, he chose to play in Dallas. The Cowboys gave him the max-deal allowed for an undrafted player, and rightfully so. With this signing, the Cowboys hauled in three players with first-round talent. Collins will likely have a role as a backup or potentially right tackle. Adding Collins solidifies the best offensive line in the NFL.


Final Thoughts

Dallas hit a home run in the 2015 draft. The additions of Collins and Gregory will be talked about more because of the news surrounding their names, but do not sleep on first-round pick Byron Jones. Jones was a combine hero, posting highs in every drill for cornerbacks, and his on field skills are a great fit for the Cowboys' scheme. Chaz Green is a solid offensive lineman that could eventually see some time as a goal-line lineman, and in a backup role. The Cowboys also added a number of guys in the last day of the draft that should be on the roster come opening day, and should help on special teams immediately. The only thing I would have liked to see Dallas do was bring in a running back to compete with the stable of backs they have in place. While I believe anyone could run behind their offensive line, it would have been nice to see them bring in the new face of their running game.

New York Giants

The Giants had a less than impressive year, and were riddled by injuries, most notably receiver Victor Cruz, and running back Rashad Jennings. While the injuries may have been a key factor in a disappointing season, rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. emerged as a superstar, and earned himself OROTY honors. Most of the needs for New York were on the defensive side of the ball, and they hit those holes hard. They also bulked up their offensive line.


Best Pick- Ereck Flowers (OL, Miami)

Landon Collins was arguably the best pick the Giants made, but after the news that Will Beatty will be missing a lot of time, the Flowers pick becomes even more important. Flowers would have been plugged at right tackle, but now slides over to the left side to replace the aforementioned Beatty. While it may be a downgrade, Flowers is no slouch. He is a mammoth human (6'6" 320+ lbs.) and is a monster in the running game. He also has some finesse to his game which should help him excel while protecting Eli Manning's blind side. There will be a lot of pressure on Flowers to live up to his first-round selection from day one.


Underrated Pick- Owamagbe Odighizuwa AKA Double O (DE, UCLA)

I will be calling this man "Double O" just so I never have to spell his name again. Double O is an excellent run stopper, and shows little remorse when attacking the line of scrimmage. The Giants were terrible against the run last season, so he will be a welcoming addition. The drawback to his game, is that he has little pass-rushing ability. He will have to work on that part of his game to become a reliable three-down player, but I do believe he could be an opening day starter.


Final Thoughts

The Giants did a great job addressing the teams' needs going into the draft. Flowers will be a huge asset especially with Beatty missing time. Double O will surely have an impact on the defense. Safety Landon Collins will immediately be a starter, and could wind up being the biggest steal of this years draft. With a lot of players already on the roster getting healthy, and an impressive draft class, expect the Giants to jump right back into contention in 2015.

Philadelphia Eagles

In typical Chip Kelly fashion, the Eagles jumped head first into the offseason, following a season in which they missed the playoffs. Knowing they needed to address some large holes in their roster, they immediately made some huge moves. They traded away superstar running back LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso,  and also traded underperforming quarterback Nick Foles to the Rams for an injury prone Sam Bradford. They then sured up their secondary by signing cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond. They filled the gap left by McCpoy by signing veteran running backs DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews. With such a busy offseason, the draft would be a crucial point to help with a roster overhaul. Many speculations seemed to be more and more likely, as the Eagles were rumored to be heavily involved in trade talks with the Tennessee Titans to acquire the second overall pick, which they would've used to select Chip Kelly pupil, Marcus Mariota. When those talks fell through, the Eagles still came out of the draft with a number of players that should be impactful when the season starts.


Best Pick- Nelson Agholor (WR, USC)

During the offseason overhaul, the Eagles were not able to retain receiver Jeremy Maclin. His spot should be filled by the improving Jordan Matthews. Philly needed to add another receiver to pair with Matthews and grabbed Agholor in the first round. He will have to work hard to make sure his career doesn't fare like many of the USC receivers have. Agholor has impressive route-runnning skills and is very quick on his feet in and out of breaks. He may not be the fastest receiver, but he has good ability to separate and has explosion after catching the ball. His role will be crucial in Philly, especially with uncertainty at quarterback.


Underrated Pick- Jordan Hicks- (LB, Texas)

Hicks could be a steal for the Eagles if he can adapt to the pro game early in his career. He has exemplary size and athleticism for an NFL linebacker. The major drawback is he really sticks to paper when running a play. He rarely uses his instincts to break off from his assignment and make a play away from what he is assigned to do. He is very blind-sighted in that he rarely sees anything other than what is in front of him. If Hicks can learn to use his instincts and take educated chances he can be a great pro player. His work ethic and game preparation are unmatched which will likely help him stay in the NFL for a long time, and hopefully Philly can get the most out of him.


Final Thoughts

Philly knew what they needed coming into the draft and didn't stray away from their game plan. Agholor is a good receiver that will definitely be a key part in the offense immediately. Second round cornerback Eric Rowe will likely be in play to start as a nickel corner, and is a great man-to-man defender, and a scheme fit for the Eagles. Hicks could see the field, with work and help from the coaching staff. Corners JaCory Shepherd and Randall Evans will likely be developmental players that make the roster as special teams players. With such a huge haul of players in free-agency, the Eagles were able to draft the way they wanted to, and it paid off with two potential starters, and a number of talented developmental projects.

Washington Redskins

The football club in Washington had another less then impressive season. With a new general manager in place, they came into the draft wanting to let everyone know their new identity. It is very clear they are choosing to steer their team towards being a hard-nosed gritty smash mouth team. With a roster that was mediocre at best, it was important for the 'Skins to draft well, and while they seem to be emerging with a new identity, they nailed the 2015 NFL Draft.


Best Pick- Preston Smith (DE, Mississippi State)

Washington has a stacked defensive line, but needed to address their outside rush. It is very possible that Smith will be moved to linebacker and come from the edge as a pass-rusher. He didn't have very impressive tape at Mississippi, but there is a lot of potential and rawness to his game. This could be the perfect match if he can learn the linebacker spot, or come to fruition at defensive end.


Underrated Pick- Matt Jones (RB, Florida)

Jones is a huge bruiser that has speed you wouldn't expect from a player his size. The question that the 'Skins will need to figure out is if he is a more dynamic playmaker than Alfred Morris. If he Jones doesn't work on his vision and playmaking, he will likely just fall into a running back by committee type of role. Expect to see Jones on the field a decent amount for Washington, since they're clearly moving into a run first and run often type of offense. Jones is a guy that will definitely move the sticks, but will need to improve some other focal points of his game if he'd like to jump Morris on the depth chart.

Final Thoughts

As i said earlier, it was important for Washington to help solidify their identity as a smash-mouth football team during the draft. With the additions of Brandon Scherff and Arie Kouandjio on the offense line, and Matt Jones at running back, they used three of their first five picks to help give them the identity they were looking for. Scherff was considered by many the best offensive lineman in the class, and a can't miss prospect. Defensively, the addition of Preston Smith gives them a player they can tailor to fit their scheme. The additions of safety Kyshoen Martin and corner Tevin Mitchell gives them some depth in an improving secondary. All these pieces made for a pretty solid draft class, and while it doesn't jump out at you on paper, the Skins are a better team then they were before the draft.