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Musings on the 2018 NFL Draft

1.  Cleveland Brown - Baker Mayfield

I don’t see it.  Too many red flags.  Don’t think he will be a complete disaster, but not the one I would hang my franchise hopes upon.  He will be given time to develop with the capable Tyrod Taylor in town.  Look for the Browns franchise and city to rally around the magnetism of Mayfield.  In the end though these magnets may prove to be like charges that end up repelling against each other.  Weak long ball thrower.

2.  New York Giants - Saquon Barkley

As a Penn State fan I’m thrilled for Barkley.  As an Eagles fan I’m not looking forward to dealing with him minimally twice a year.  Hard to see how he isn’t a day one success.  Picking a RB this high is questionable, but Gettleman clearly has a vision and plan.  I respect his unwavering assuredness.  The only thin, very thin argument that can be made against Barkley is that he failed to even crack the top-25 in average yards per carry in his final season at PSU.  One possible, albeit long-shot, benefit from this pick is that Odell Beckham is no longer on a stage of his own in terms of talent in that locker room.  It would be naive to think ODB will ever be a company man, but can Barkley possibly show him that you can be a superstar without all the antics?  

3.  New York Jets - Sam Darnold

In the world of 50/50 success rates for first round QBs, I lean toward Darnold being one of the successes.  Although he is certainly no sure thing.  Improvises well, but seems to lose his California mind sometimes which leads to poor decisions which leads to the football finding its way into the hands of the defense.  This can be a correctable flaw.  Darnolds has shown tremendous ability to scramble and make plays on the run.

4.  Cleveland Browns - Denzel Ward

Many questioned the pick, but personally I loved it.  He shows up and does his job week in and week out.  Plug him in and let him perform.  There’s a fair argument to be made for Bradley Chubb, but if the Browns had Ward rated higher along with being more of a need they wisely stuck to their board.  Ward possesses both great speed and instinct.  Cleveland appears to finally have a sense of direction and purpose under John Dorsey.

5.  Denver Broncos - Bradley Chubb

Even GM John Elway couldn’t figure out a way to outsmart himself here.  There was no getting cute or creative.  Chubb not only was the right pick, he is the right fit for the Broncos defense.  Von Miller was somewhere in Von Miller’s world thrilled to get a fresh reinforcement to take some of the pressure off of him.

6.  Indianapolis Colts - Quenton Nelson

Argument can be made that Nelson is the best player in the draft.  Check the tape.  There’s a reason the Bears hired offensive line coach Harry Hiestand away from Notre Dame.  He takes talent and molds them into technically sound, fundamentally disciplined football players.  Strong is an understatement when describing Nelson.  Plug and play for the Colts with Nelson.  Colts finally seem to realize that for Andrew Luck to be Andrew Luck they need to keep him on the field and upright (that is as long as it’s not too late).  

7.  Buffalo Bills - Josh Allen

Going back to the 50/50 success rate for first round QBs - count on Allen being a part of the fifty percent fail group.  His unGodly arm strength seemed to play snake charmer on GMs - including Brandon Beane.  Allen will be one of the QBs we look back at and see the obvious reasons he failed.  I don’t think he would complete sixty percent of his passes participating in the Dr. Pepper halftime challenge.  Seriously.

8. Chicago Bears - Roquan Smith

Chicago had to be hoping Nelson fell in their laps.  That being said, Smith is certainly no consolation prize.  Instincts for days, Smith has a knack for making plays.  He must use these instincts to overcome his lack of size.  He may disappear for small stretches, but count on him to reappear when a play needs to be made.  

9. San Francisco 49’ers - Mike McGlinchey

McGlinchey better send coach Hiestand quite the thank you gift, as the fact that he was a Notre Dame offensive lineman had to help get him selected this high.  While he is overall a massive human being; he lacks great overall strength .  This was too high for someone who may turn out to be a player down the road.  49’ers look like they will expect him to start day one.  

10. Arizona Cardinals - Josh Rosen

A player that can’t get out of his own head and can’t seem to stay healthy.  Concussions were an underplayed storyline for Rosen going in to this draft.  As is his short arms.  Rosen may just prove to be a great tease as his throwing mechanics are pretty and he will make an occasional play once he gets on the field.  This won’t take long as Sam Bradford will Sam Bradford his way to being out of action any day now.

11. Miami Dolphins - Minkah Fitzpatrick

I want to like Fitzpatrick, but once Miami took him I could no longer see him being successful.  Miami should be thankful for Cleveland because they have hid in the shadows of ineptitude for far too long.  From owner to GM to head coach - it’s a cluster bomb of mediocrity (at best).  Fitzpatrick somehow regresses once he puts on that Dolphin uniform.  Best case scenario, the Dolphins put him at safety from the start and let him make plays.  

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Vita Vea

Good pick that specifically fits a Bucs need in defensive line beef and bulk.  Tampa has plenty of holes to fill; including eventually replacing an overmatched head coach, but Vea will do his job well.  I’m not the biggest fan of combine numbers, but doing 41 reps on the bench is cool - and ridiculously impressive.  

13. Washington - Da’Ron Payne

Strong as all get-out, Payne to me looks too often to be moving in quicksand.  Doesn’t explode.  Plodding is the word that comes to mind.  Limited skillset.  Did I mention, like Vea, he is ridiculously strong (seriously, Youtube him benching in high school).  Would have gone Derwin James here.

14. New Orleans Saints - Marcus Davenport

I’m torn on Davenport.  Clearly, the Saints are not.  They gave up some serious future stock to get him.  The Saints are most certainly all in on trying to win one more Lombardi Trophy with Drew Brees.  You can fairly make the argument that Davenport has equal chance to be a star and a bust.  Questionable football instincts.  Davenport will also, fairly or not, be compared to the whoever the Packers select with this Saints pick next year.  The most curious part of this move is that they gave up a piece of their future for the present, but drafted a player who seemingly will need time to develop?

15. Los Angeles Raiders - Kolton Miller

Jon Gruden likes to think he’s the smartest guy in the room.  He better be with this pick.  What an Inspector Gadget reach with Miller.  Yes. he is talented.  To me this was way too high for the talent.  Miller must strengthen his waist down foundation or he can expect to be bullied which will make a physically vulnerable Derek Carr very uncomfortable in the pocket.  Not sure what GM Reggie McKenzie; I mean GM Jon Gruden was doing with nearly all of his picks.  

16. Buffalo Bills - Tremaine Edmunds

Good bloodlines here being the son of Ferrell Edmunds, Tremaine is still a puppy at 19.  Reasonable to think he will be overwhelmed at times on the field as he tries to adjust to the pace and play of the NFL game.  Being only 19 he certainly has room to grow.  Bills hope his athleticism gets him through early on.  Buffalo needs to give Edmunds the space and freedom to make plays.  

17. Los Angeles Chargers - Derwin James

At first I thought this was a mistake.  That the Chargers took a player that had to be previously selected.  James lasting to pick seventeen was an early gift under the palm tree for Los Angeles.  James has the ability to make an impact on the field in so many facets of the game.  Some injury history.  Will be a defensive leader the day he walks through the door.  

18. Green Bay Packers - Jaire Alexander

Combine superstar who spent more time off of the field injured than on it.  His 2017 season was underwhelming at best.  Even when he did find his way onto the field, he remained limited due to said injuries.  Plenty of confidence and personality.  Will he have the game to match?  Likely to do the punt returning for a team in need of one.  Looks to be a nickel corner at best.  

19. Dallas Cowboys - Leighton Vander Esch

Late bloomer and incredibly athletic even in the world of elite NFL athletes; Vander Esch will need time to develop.  Injury risk as well.  Not afraid to muck it up and stick his nose in to make plays.  Tough.  Will this toughness excelerate his fragility ala Sean Lee.  Questions exist as to how high of a ceiling he has.  Dallas did attempt to address an overall defensive side of the ball need.

20. Detroit Lions - Frank Ragnow

A center drafted in the top twenty of the first round.  Times are a changing.  He’s not necessarily exciting, but he does his job well.  Great size who plays the position physically more than athletically.  Room to grow.  Thinks the position.  Will need to improve technique to counter the strength of NFL interior lineman.  This was a solid, albeit not exactly exactly exciting, pick by the Lions.  

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Billy Price

A second center drafted in the top twenty-one picks of the first round.  The universe is being flipped on its head.  In reality, Price has the makeup to play both center and guard which is appealing to NFL teams.  Used his strength to dominate on the college level.  Won’t get away with this at the next level.  A lack of discipline and efficiency in his play may lead to Price seriously struggling no matter the position he plays.  Needs to focus on other aspects of his position beyond just brute strength.

22. Tennessee Titans - Rashaan Evans

Evans can play some football.  Attacks the line and aggressively pursues ball carriers and quarterbacks alike.  High motor.  Speed.  Agility.  Susceptible to over pursuing and being caught out of position.  Patriots had to hope he lasted just one more pick.  Smart choice by the Titans.

23. New England Patriots - Isaiah Wynn

Depending on your opinion of Wynn he can play either guard, tackle, both or neither.  He displays great agility and speed for a player his size.  Day one, first snap starter.  The Patriots did themselves a favor is selecting someone who will excel at the next level while figuring out which position he will excel later.  With Bill Belichick he may just be asked to play multiple positions.  Equally effective at run blocking and pass protecting.  Real value here.  As an Eagles fan, Wynn was one of the players I’d hoped fell.      

24. Carolina Panthers - D.J. Moore

Maryland found ways to get Moore the ball in space and let his athleticism take over.  Moore is physically gifted, but remains unpolished.  If he expects to find success in the NFL he will need to drastically improve his route running and ability to go up and get the football (especially with Cam Newton throwing him said football).  Opportunities for Moore should be plentiful as Carolina is very thin at wide receiver.  If used properly, Christian McCaffrey and Moore could create real headaches for opposing defensive units.

25. Baltimore Ravens - Hayden Hurst

Has the look and attitude.  The fact that hall-of-fame tight end Ozzie Newsome selected him is a high compliment in itself.  The Ravens need a lot.  A rebuild appears to be on the horizon.  They could have selected a quarterback here (wait for it), but instead gave Joe Flacco a weapon he surely needs.  I liked other tight ends more than Hurst.  Given his age (24), he better produce from the jump.  Could be an effective safety valve for a young quarterback Baltimore may try to develop in the near future (wait for it).   

26. Atlanta Falcons - Calvin Ridley

Have to love the storylines with Ridley joining fellow Tide receiver Julio Jones in Atlanta after closing out a terrific Alabama career with a BCS championship.  Slipped a bit due to size and a concern he could get pushed around due to his slight build.  Look for corners to try to bump Ridley at the line.  Drops could also be a concern.  Scary with the ball in his hands.  Can be an elite route runner.  Walks into a great situation with the Falcons.  Plenty of talent to take the pressure off of him to immediately perform.  

27. Seattle Seahawks - Rashaad Penny

Feels time for Pete Carroll to jump ship and return to the college ranks where his rah, rah attitude can once again prove effective to a new crop of players.  His message has become white noise in Seattle.  Penny is talented, but good luck trying to run behind an offensive line that couldn’t keep an elementary school child from breaking through in a game of Red Rover.    

28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Terrell Edmunds

Good story with Terrell and his brother both being selected in the first round.  Pittsburgh will have wished they had Terrell’s brother.  Good bloodlines, but not as gifted physically as Tremaine.  Seemed to be better options for the Steelers here.  Hope is Terrell is able to mature into a poor man’s version of Troy Polamalu.  His speed will put him in position to make plays.  Problem is he tends to both miss tackles and get run over by stronger ball carriers.  Needs time.  

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Taven Bryan

Lacks what all great golf putters have - feel.  Athletically he clearly belongs in the NFL although he could benefit from increasing his waist down strength.  What he lacks is the game action to learn situational instincts.  Right place to go in Jacksonville as they are loaded up front.  Bryan will likely be placed in specific defensive packages, backing up the uber talented starting defensive line.  The Jaguars have a Super Bowl caliber defensive unit.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Mike Hughes

Physical, tough, in-you-face corner.  Will look to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.  His weaknesses arise when a receiver gets past the jam.  His lack of height will hurt him in 50/50 situations while his lack of game experience leads to him being susceptible to getting caught out of position.  Going to Minnesota will allow Hughes to start in nickel packages as the Vikings appear to be set with starters Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes.  Look for him to handle the punt returning.      

31. New England Patriots - Sony Michel

Dion Lewis 2.0.  Not known as a great pass catcher, but New England will look to get him the ball on short passes out of the backfield.  Potential injury risk.  Expect the Patriots to limit his use and exposure as Josh McDaniels has a bevy of backfield options to work with.  High character.  Very intelligent.  Will fit right in with the Belichick way.  

32.  Baltimore Raven - Lamar Jackson

The Eagles did well getting a 2019 second round pick from Baltimore.  Newsome couldn’t resist putting an exclamation point on his GM legacy as he drafts what the Ravens hope is Joe Flacco’s replacement.  Flacco has been getting by on reputation alone for several years now.  He’s simply not a good quarterback.  Jackson may just have an opportunity in year one to play.  Despite the freak athleticism I don’t see a complete package in Jackson.  Can Greg Roman work the same magic he did with Colin Kaepernick?  Thin base ala RG3.  This will not bode well if he looks to run on a regular basis.  Has shown a lack of accuracy on short ball passes.

    Top QBs

Kyle Lauletta - New York Giants

If he had worn a different jersey during his college years, Lauletta would have been a top pick in this draft.  Calm in the pocket with surprising mobility.  Great pocket sense which will give his receivers time to get open and make plays.  Questionable arm strength.  Can play from under center and in the shotgun.  Giants finally showed their hand with Davis Webb.  Lauletta is now their future.

Mason Rudolph - Pittsburgh Steelers

Big and strong.  Sound like another Steeler quarterback?  Willing to stand in and take a hit.  Has not proven the ability to throw on the run.  Smart.  A leader in all facets of the game.  May need some time to adjust to the pace of the NFL.  Great opportunity to continue the Steelers success for the next decade.  Uncanny ability to make big plays with his arm and by giving his receivers the time to get open.  

Sam Darnold (see above comments)

Has a Chance (see above comments)

Baker Mayfield

Bust Alert (see above comments)

Josh Rosen

Josh Allen

Lamar Jackson

High Value, High Reward Selections

Braxton Berrios - New England Patriots

Could there be a more New England player.  Belichick must be salivating at what he will be able to do with Berrios.

Kerryon Johnson - Detroit Lions

The Lions have put together a talented group of backs with the addition of LaGarrette Blount and now Johnson.  Ameer Abdullah being cut is fast becoming a real possibility.  

Dallas Goedert - Philadelphia Eagles

Fits one of the few Eagles needs.  In losing Trey Burton and Brent Celek Philadelphia was very thin at the tight end position.  Goedert will allow Philadelphia to play more of their twelve package (which they played about 40% of the time last season).  If he can stay healthy, also like the pick of Josh Sweat by the Eagles.

Justin Reid - Houston Texans

Physically and mentally Reid’s game is on point.  NFL starter.  Size, speed and instincts.  Teams will look back and wonder why they passed on him.  Highly versatile.  Did I mention his football IQ.  Can get beat by quicker receivers.  Also, to compensate for his lack of elite level speed Reid looks to jump routes which can make him vulnerable to big plays and double moves.

Armani Watts - Kansas City Chiefs

Four-year starter who has all the tools to be a NFL starter.  Question is can he play in and play out be consistent enough to remain on the field.  Must improve his tackling.  Looks to make plays rather than wait for a play to come to him.   

Michael Gallup - Dallas Cowboys

Ability to go over, around and through defenders.  Smooth yet at the same time plays with an attitude.  Needs to become a better route runner.  Given my complete distaste for the Cowboys I lack the desire to continue to compliment this pick.  Gallup projects to be a solid starter in the league.

Mike Gesicki - Miami Dolphins

I like him, I really do, but my dislike of Ryan Tannehill runs so deep I think Gesicki will just need to buy time until he gets to play with a quality NFL quarterback.  When he gets that chance, look for Gesicki to excel.

[bbodick-blog]

Musings on the 2018 NFL Draft

1.  Cleveland Brown - Baker Mayfield

I don’t see it.  Too many red flags.  Don’t think he will be a complete disaster, but not the one I would hang my franchise hopes upon.  He will be given time to develop with the capable Tyrod Taylor in town.  Look for the Browns franchise and city to rally around the magnetism of Mayfield.  In the end though these magnets may prove to be like charges that end up repelling against each other.  Weak long ball thrower.

2.  New York Giants - Saquon Barkley

As a Penn State fan I’m thrilled for Barkley.  As an Eagles fan I’m not looking forward to dealing with him minimally twice a year.  Hard to see how he isn’t a day one success.  Picking a RB this high is questionable, but Gettleman clearly has a vision and plan.  I respect his unwavering assuredness.  The only thin, very thin argument that can be made against Barkley is that he failed to even crack the top-25 in average yards per carry in his final season at PSU.  One possible, albeit long-shot, benefit from this pick is that Odell Beckham is no longer on a stage of his own in terms of talent in that locker room.  It would be naive to think ODB will ever be a company man, but can Barkley possibly show him that you can be a superstar without all the antics?  

3.  New York Jets - Sam Darnold

In the world of 50/50 success rates for first round QBs, I lean toward Darnold being one of the successes.  Although he is certainly no sure thing.  Improvises well, but seems to lose his California mind sometimes which leads to poor decisions which leads to the football finding its way into the hands of the defense.  This can be a correctable flaw.  Darnold has shown tremendous ability to scramble and make plays on the run.

4.  Cleveland Browns - Denzel Ward

Many questioned the pick, but personally I loved it.  He shows up and does his job week in and week out.  Plug him in and let him perform.  There’s a fair argument to be made for Bradley Chubb, but if the Browns had Ward rated higher along with being more of a need they wisely stuck to their board.  Ward possesses both great speed and instinct.  Cleveland appears to finally have a sense of direction and purpose under John Dorsey.

5.  Denver Broncos - Bradley Chubb

Even GM John Elway couldn’t figure out a way to outsmart himself here.  There was no getting cute or creative.  Chubb not only was the right pick, he is the right fit for the Broncos defense.  Von Miller was somewhere in Von Miller’s world thrilled to get a fresh reinforcement to take some of the pressure off of him.

6.  Indianapolis Colts - Quenton Nelson

Argument can be made that Nelson is the best player in the draft.  Check the tape.  There’s a reason the Bears hired offensive line coach Harry Hiestand away from Notre Dame.  He takes talent and molds them into technically sound, fundamentally disciplined football players.  Strong is an understatement when describing Nelson.  Plug and play for the Colts with Nelson.  Colts finally seem to realize that for Andrew Luck to be Andrew Luck they need to keep him on the field and upright (that is as long as it’s not too late).  

7.  Buffalo Bills - Josh Allen

Going back to the 50/50 success rate for first round QBs - count on Allen being a part of the fifty percent fail group.  His unGodly arm strength seemed to play snake charmer on GMs - including Brandon Beane.  Allen will be one of the QBs we look back at and see the obvious reasons he failed.  I don’t think he would complete sixty percent of his passes participating in the Dr. Pepper halftime challenge.  Seriously.

8. Chicago Bears - Roquan Smith

Chicago had to be hoping Nelson fell in their laps.  That being said, Smith is certainly no consolation prize.  Instincts for days, Smith has a knack for making plays.  He must use these instincts to overcome his lack of size.  He may disappear for small stretches, but count on him to reappear when a play needs to be made.  

9. San Francisco 49’ers - Mike McGlinchey

McGlinchey better send coach Hiestand quite the thank you gift, as the fact that he was a Notre Dame offensive lineman had to help get him selected this high.  While he is overall a massive human being; he lacks great overall strength .  This was too high for someone who may turn out to be a player down the road.  49’ers look like they will expect him to start day one.  

10. Arizona Cardinals - Josh Rosen

A player that can’t get out of his own head and can’t seem to stay healthy.  Concussions were an underplayed storyline for Rosen going in to this draft.  As is his short arms.  Rosen may just prove to be a great tease as his throwing mechanics are pretty and he will make an occasional play once he gets on the field.  This won’t take long as Sam Bradford will Sam Bradford his way to being out of action any day now.

11. Miami Dolphins - Minkah Fitzpatrick

I want to like Fitzpatrick, but once Miami took him I could no longer see him being successful.  Miami should be thankful for Cleveland because they have hid in the shadows of ineptitude for far too long.  From owner to GM to head coach - it’s a cluster bomb of mediocrity (at best).  Fitzpatrick somehow regresses once he puts on that Dolphin uniform.  Best case scenario, the Dolphins put him at safety from the start and let him make plays.  

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Vita Vea

Good pick that specifically fits a Bucs need in defensive line beef and bulk.  Tampa has plenty of holes to fill; including eventually replacing an overmatched head coach, but Vea will do his job well.  I’m not the biggest fan of combine numbers, but doing 41 reps on the bench is cool - and ridiculously impressive.  

13. Washington - Da’Ron Payne

Strong as all get-out, Payne to me looks too often to be moving in quicksand.  Doesn’t explode.  Plodding is the word that comes to mind.  Limited skill set.  Did I mention, like Vea, he is ridiculously strong (seriously, YouTube him benching in high school).  Would have gone Derwin James here.

14. New Orleans Saints - Marcus Davenport

I’m torn on Davenport.  Clearly, the Saints are not.  They gave up some serious future stock to get him.  The Saints are most certainly all in on trying to win one more Lombardi Trophy with Drew Brees.  You can fairly make the argument that Davenport has equal chance to be a star and a bust.  Questionable football instincts.  Davenport will also, fairly or not, be compared to the whoever the Packers select with this Saints pick next year.  The most curious part of this move is that they gave up a piece of their future for the present, but drafted a player who seemingly will need time to develop?

15. Los Angeles Raiders - Kolton Miller

Jon Gruden likes to think he’s the smartest guy in the room.  He better be with this pick.  What an Inspector Gadget reach with Miller.  Yes. he is talented.  To me this was way too high for the talent.  Miller must strengthen his waist down foundation or he can expect to be bullied which will make a physically vulnerable Derek Carr very uncomfortable in the pocket.  Not sure what GM Reggie McKenzie; I mean GM Jon Gruden was doing with nearly all of his picks.  

16. Buffalo Bills - Tremaine Edmunds

Good bloodlines here being the son of Ferrell Edmunds, Tremaine is still a puppy at 19.  Reasonable to think he will be overwhelmed at times on the field as he tries to adjust to the pace and play of the NFL game.  Being only 19 he certainly has room to grow.  Bills hope his athleticism gets him through early on.  Buffalo needs to give Edmunds the space and freedom to make plays.  

17. Los Angeles Chargers - Derwin James

At first I thought this was a mistake.  That the Chargers took a player that had to be previously selected.  James lasting to pick seventeen was an early gift under the palm tree for Los Angeles.  James has the ability to make an impact on the field in so many facets of the game.  Some injury history.  Will be a defensive leader the day he walks through the door.  

18. Green Bay Packers - Jaire Alexander

Combine superstar who spent more time off of the field injured than on it.  His 2017 season was underwhelming at best.  Even when he did find his way onto the field, he remained limited due to said injuries.  Plenty of confidence and personality.  Will he have the game to match?  Likely to do the punt returning for a team in need of one.  Looks to be a nickel corner at best.  

19. Dallas Cowboys - Leighton Vander Esch

Late bloomer and incredibly athletic even in the world of elite NFL athletes; Vander Esch will need time to develop.  Injury risk as well.  Not afraid to muck it up and stick his nose in to make plays.  Tough.  Will this toughness accelerate his fragility ala Sean Lee.  Questions exist as to how high of a ceiling he has.  Dallas did attempt to address an overall defensive side of the ball need.

20. Detroit Lions - Frank Ragnow

A center drafted in the top twenty of the first round.  Times are a changing.  He’s not necessarily exciting, but he does his job well.  Great size who plays the position physically more than athletically.  Room to grow.  Thinks the position.  Will need to improve technique to counter the strength of NFL interior lineman.  This was a solid, albeit not exactly exactly exciting, pick by the Lions.  

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Billy Price

A second center drafted in the top twenty-one picks of the first round.  The universe is being flipped on its head.  In reality, Price has the makeup to play both center and guard which is appealing to NFL teams.  Used his strength to dominate on the college level.  Won’t get away with this at the next level.  A lack of discipline and efficiency in his play may lead to Price seriously struggling no matter the position he plays.  Needs to focus on other aspects of his position beyond just brute strength.

22. Tennessee Titans - Rashaan Evans

Evans can play some football.  Attacks the line and aggressively pursues ball carriers and quarterbacks alike.  High motor.  Speed.  Agility.  Susceptible to over pursuing and being caught out of position.  Patriots had to hope he lasted just one more pick.  Smart choice by the Titans.

23. New England Patriots - Isaiah Wynn

Depending on your opinion of Wynn he can play either guard, tackle, both or neither.  He displays great agility and speed for a player his size.  Day one, first snap starter.  The Patriots did themselves a favor is selecting someone who will excel at the next level while figuring out which position he will excel later.  With Bill Belichick he may just be asked to play multiple positions.  Equally effective at run blocking and pass protecting.  Real value here.  As an Eagles fan, Wynn was one of the players I’d hoped fell.      

24. Carolina Panthers - D.J. Moore

Maryland found ways to get Moore the ball in space and let his athleticism take over.  Moore is physically gifted, but remains unpolished.  If he expects to find success in the NFL he will need to drastically improve his route running and ability to go up and get the football (especially with Cam Newton throwing him said football).  Opportunities for Moore should be plentiful as Carolina is very thin at wide receiver.  If used properly, Christian McCaffrey and Moore could create real headaches for opposing defensive units.

25. Baltimore Ravens - Hayden Hurst

Has the look and attitude.  The fact that hall-of-fame tight end Ozzie Newsome selected him is a high compliment in itself.  The Ravens need a lot.  A rebuild appears to be on the horizon.  They could have selected a quarterback here (wait for it), but instead gave Joe Flacco a weapon he surely needs.  I liked other tight ends more than Hurst.  Given his age (24), he better produce from the jump.  Could be an effective safety valve for a young quarterback Baltimore may try to develop in the near future (wait for it).   

26. Atlanta Falcons - Calvin Ridley

Have to love the storylines with Ridley joining fellow Tide receiver Julio Jones in Atlanta after closing out a terrific Alabama career with a BCS championship.  Slipped a bit due to size and a concern he could get pushed around due to his slight build.  Look for corners to try to bump Ridley at the line.  Drops could also be a concern.  Scary with the ball in his hands.  Can be an elite route runner.  Walks into a great situation with the Falcons.  Plenty of talent to take the pressure off of him to immediately perform.  

27. Seattle Seahawks - Rashaad Penny

Feels time for Pete Carroll to jump ship and return to the college ranks where his rah, rah attitude can once again prove effective to a new crop of players.  His message has become white noise in Seattle.  Penny is talented, but good luck trying to run behind an offensive line that couldn’t keep an elementary school child from breaking through in a game of Red Rover.    

28. Pittsburgh Steelers - Terrell Edmunds

Good story with Terrell and his brother both being selected in the first round.  Pittsburgh will have wished they had Terrell’s brother.  Good bloodlines, but not as gifted physically as Tremaine.  Seemed to be better options for the Steelers here.  Hope is Terrell is able to mature into a poor man’s version of Troy Polamalu.  His speed will put him in position to make plays.  Problem is he tends to both miss tackles and get run over by stronger ball carriers.  Needs time.  

29. Jacksonville Jaguars - Taven Bryan

Lacks what all great golf putters have - feel.  Athletically he clearly belongs in the NFL although he could benefit from increasing his waist down strength.  What he lacks is the game action to learn situational instincts.  Right place to go in Jacksonville as they are loaded up front.  Bryan will likely be placed in specific defensive packages, backing up the uber talented starting defensive line.  The Jaguars have a Super Bowl caliber defensive unit.

30. Minnesota Vikings - Mike Hughes

Physical, tough, in-you-face corner.  Will look to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.  His weaknesses arise when a receiver gets past the jam.  His lack of height will hurt him in 50/50 situations while his lack of game experience leads to him being susceptible to getting caught out of position.  Going to Minnesota will allow Hughes to start in nickel packages as the Vikings appear to be set with starters Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes.  Look for him to handle the punt returning.      

31. New England Patriots - Sony Michel

Dion Lewis 2.0.  Not known as a great pass catcher, but New England will look to get him the ball on short passes out of the backfield.  Potential injury risk.  Expect the Patriots to limit his use and exposure as Josh McDaniels has a bevy of backfield options to work with.  High character.  Very intelligent.  Will fit right in with the Belichick way.  

32.  Baltimore Raven - Lamar Jackson

The Eagles did well getting a 2019 second round pick from Baltimore.  Newsome couldn’t resist putting an exclamation point on his GM legacy as he drafts what the Ravens hope is Joe Flacco’s replacement.  Flacco has been getting by on reputation alone for several years now.  He’s simply not a good quarterback.  Jackson may just have an opportunity in year one to play.  Despite the freak athleticism I don’t see a complete package in Jackson.  Can Greg Roman work the same magic he did with Colin Kaepernick?  Thin base.  This will not bode well if he looks to run on a regular basis.  Has shown a lack of accuracy on short ball passes.

    Top QBs

Kyle Lauletta - New York Giants

If he had worn a different jersey during his college years, Lauletta would have been a top pick in this draft.  Calm in the pocket with surprising mobility.  Great pocket sense which will give his receivers time to get open and make plays.  Questionable arm strength.  Can play from under center and in the shotgun.  Giants finally showed their hand with Davis Webb.  Lauletta is now their future.

Mason Rudolph - Pittsburgh Steelers

Big and strong.  Sound like another Steeler quarterback?  Willing to stand in and take a hit.  Has not proven the ability to throw on the run.  Smart.  A leader in all facets of the game.  May need some time to adjust to the pace of the NFL.  Great opportunity to continue the Steelers success for the next decade.  Uncanny ability to make big plays with his arm and by giving his receivers the time to get open.  

Sam Darnold (see above comments)

Has a Chance (see above comments)

Baker Mayfield

Bust Alert (see above comments)

Josh Rosen

Josh Allen

Lamar Jackson

High Value, High Reward Selections

Braxton Berrios - New England Patriots

Could there be a more New England player.  Belichick must be salivating at what he will be able to do with Berrios.

Kerryon Johnson - Detroit Lions

The Lions have put together a talented group of backs with the addition of LaGarrette Blount and now Johnson.  Ameer Abdullah being cut is fast becoming a real possibility.  

Dallas Goedert - Philadelphia Eagles

Fits one of the few Eagles needs.  In losing Trey Burton and Brent Celek Philadelphia was very thin at the tight end position.  Goedert will allow Philadelphia to play more of their twelve package (which they played about 40% of the time last season).  If he can stay healthy, also like the pick of Josh Sweat by the Eagles.

Justin Reid - Houston Texans

Physically and mentally Reid’s game is on point.  NFL starter.  Size, speed and instincts.  Teams will look back and wonder why they passed on him.  Highly versatile.  Did I mention his football IQ.  Can get beat by quicker receivers.  Also, to compensate for his lack of elite level speed Reid looks to jump routes which can make him vulnerable to big plays and double moves.

Armani Watts - Kansas City Chiefs

Four-year starter who has all the tools to be a NFL starter.  Question is can he play in and play out be consistent enough to remain on the field.  Must improve his tackling.  Looks to make plays rather than wait for a play to come to him.   

Michael Gallup - Dallas Cowboys

Ability to go over, around and through defenders.  Smooth yet at the same time plays with an attitude.  Needs to become a better route runner.  Given my complete distaste for the Cowboys I lack the desire to continue to compliment this pick.  Gallup projects to be a solid starter in the league.

Mike Gesicki - Miami Dolphins

I like him, I really do, but my dislike of Ryan Tannehill runs so deep I think Gesicki will just need to buy time until he gets to play with a quality NFL quarterback.  When he gets that chance, look for Gesicki to excel.

[bbodick-blog]

2016 Philadelphia Eagles Midseason Awards

The Eagles have stumbled their way to the midway point of their season looking like a team that continues to take steps backward as the rest of the division continues to improve around them. Fans have been on quite a rollercoaster ride with great highs in wins over Pittsburgh and Minnesota (although both wins are starting to look less impressive as both teams continue to falter a bit); combined with gut-wrenching lows in losses to Detroit and division-foe Dallas.  The once promising 3-0 start has digressed into a deflating 4-4 record.  With this in mind, it’s time to hand out some mid-season awards.  Let’s face it, mid-season awards have been done a thousand times over, so we decided to have some fun with it (or at least we tried to).

The Philip Morris Award – Dorial Green-Beckham

Philip Morris is known to produce a product that will do nothing but cause a person problems both mentally and physically. It’s plastered on every pack of cigarettes that they sell. There are commercials about the harmful effects of smoking on every channel we watch. The warnings are out there; yet people still light up. The warning signs for Dorial Green-Beckham were out there as well. Watch the commercials (game film) and read the warning labels (scouting reports). Tennessee finally woke up to the harmful effects of Green-Beckham and slapped that patch on their arm by trading him to the Eagles. Philadelphia knew what they were getting in a receiver that has bad hands, is a poor route runner and has the toughness of Mr. Burns. Yet, they still gave the older kid money (they did actually give Tennessee a draft pick when the Titans were going to release him) to buy them that first pack. Now they’re stuck with their addiction; hoping it will get better, but knowing it's bound to only get worse. It’s time for Philly to realize the harmful effects of DGB as well and slap on a patch of their own before it's too late.

The Mike Wazowski Award – Zach Ertz

Mike Wazowski is the green guy from the Monsters Inc. franchise who has a big body (yes, I know it’s basically just an eye) with these super skinny legs. At this point, I am assuming that Zach Ertz is built the same way. How else can you explain him averaging less than three yards after catches?  Less than three! If he just fell forward and extended the football after each catch I believe he could average more. Skinny legs – I blame it on skinny legs.

 The Neil Diamond Award – Jason Kelce

Neil Diamond sings a song called “In Better Days” which is apropos for Jason Kelce. In better days, Kelce was an athletically mobile center that managed to be effective despite his smaller frame. Time has caught up to him though. He still has the mental acumen to play the position, but physically he’s a shell of himself. It’s a bit sad to see for a player that has been rock steady for the Eagles. This will likely be his final year; at least in Philadelphia.  "In Better Days" Kelce was an anchor for the line, but in the first half of this season this anchor has been raised and his ship seems to be sailing away.

The Jenga Award – Nigel Bradham

Jenga is the block-stacking game where players continue to pull wood pieces until the tower collapses.  Most of the pieces you can safely remove without causing any harm, but when that one certain piece is pulled – boom!  As for the Eagles, certain pieces you can pull without any harm.  Removing Nelson Aguilar from the field would be like removing one of the wood pieces from the top of the tower.   When Nigel Bradham sat the first half of the Detroit game you saw a defense that basically collapsed without him. Bradham has been rock solid for Philadelphia throughout the year. While not the defensive MVP (see below), Bradham has certainly proven to be that one certain piece and worth every dollar of his contract.

The one caveat of Jenga is that if you play it long enough you will eventually get to a point where you just want to wipe out the tower with one slap in frustration. This mirrors the emotions Bradham will provoke from time to time with his life decisions like bringing a gun to the airport. You just want to slap him in frustration.    

 The George Costanza Award – Brandon Graham

While Jerry got the headlines on Seinfeld (which isn’t completely unfair given the show was named after him!); fans of the show know that the true stars ended up being George, Elaine and Kramer.  This was especially true as the show moved forward.  For my money George was the best of the bunch. His star grew to eventually outshine Jerry’s.  While they still needed Jerry to be a headliner, George became worthy of the marquee as well. 

When it comes to the Eagles while Fletcher Cox is the Seinfeld of the defense, Brandon Graham has morphed in to the George Costanza role. Cox has been a beast in the middle of the line. He grabbed headlines for the massive contract he signed prior to training camp. While his game up to this point in the season has suffered from some obvious shrinkage, Graham has quietly out-shined not only Cox, but the entire defensive unit. He has been a top-ten defensive player in the entire NFL.  The marquee is no longer reserved for just Cox.

LVP – the Eagles secondary (other than Malcolm Jenkins)

It’s not worth my time or yours to break this down. Watch the game film, any game film and just let it speak for itself – brutal!

MVP – Lane Johnson

The MVP for the Eagles is a player that is currently in the middle of a ten game suspension. Think what you want about how dumb Johnson was to cheat (or at least get caught) his play on the field was far superior to any other Eagles player this season.  He was the most dominant right tackle in football. Look what his suspension has done to both the offensive line and the development of Carson Wentz. There was talk in Philly of voiding his contract as a result of the suspension. If I’m Ken Sarnoff, Johnson’s agent, I’m praying that the Eagles do just that.  If not, I’m advocating to my client that he flip the script and hold out once the suspension is up. Johnson’s value has only increased since he has been away from the field. What is most likely to happen though is fans seeing Carson Wentz doing cartwheels week 16 in MetLife Stadium when the best right tackle in football returns from his suspension.  

[bbodick-blog]

Come On Chipotle

Let me start off by saying that if you’re trying to bury your company for tax reasons or some other nefarious reason that’s above my pay grade I totally understand why you operate your locations the way you do.  At this point, you can also probably stop reading because frankly I’m sure you don’t care.  That being said, if you are actually trying to run clean, productive restaurants than the results you show the public on a daily basis are frankly embarrassing.  I kindly suggest you go back to the drawing board in terms of hiring, proper staffing, store cleanliness, food preparation and customer perception.  Or rather than make decisions from a drawing board in a board room maybe you should get into your locations more often to see what the hell is going on.

Your stores central to me, particularly the one in Exton, PA, have become living, breathing examples of how to take a great concept and destroy it.  The staff at the Exton location is always friendly to me, so this is no slight on them in any way.  As a matter of fact they are a big reason why I’m still a customer.  My words are entirely directed at the corporate level suits who somehow hold leadership positions with the company.  I’m sure there are good people at corporate who work hard each day.  These same people probably roll their eyes at the incompetence of the higher ups.

Your locations I visit are often cluttered and frankly dirty.  Lines are consistently long and consistently move at the pace of a turtle parade.  It may be tempting for you to think that a long line shows you are doing well; but trust me what the long line really means is: improper staffing, improper training, loss of customers who see the line through the window and leave, low productivity numbers and an overwhelmed staff.  If any of this sounds like characteristics you want for your company than keep up the hard work.  All this hard work has led me to walk into your restaurants expecting to be disappointed.  Think about that.   Sadly, I’m not exaggerating.

Since from outward appearances you seem to be totally incompetent in running your stores, I think I should try to help you in how to handle this feedback.  First, although you may be tempted to, do not just dismiss it.  Or ignore it.  Yes, it may be “easier”, but you don’t want to do this.  You seem to be ignoring issues at the store level and it is certainly not doing you any favors.   How many unsatisfied customers do think actually sit down to write a company.  The answer is not many in case you’re scratching your head for the answer.  Most just don’t come back. 

While I was at your Exton location tonight there was a woman who was at the check-out area clearly unhappy with something (the line was so long I was too far away to actually hear what it was she was unhappy about!) who left shaking her head and mumbling under her breath.  Whatever it was she was mumbling I can assure you it wasn’t how happy she was with Chipotle.  It probably was more like I should have went to Taco Maya just up the road (they consistently run a much better operation than you).  Do you think she took the time to write or call you about her experience?  The answer is likely no.  Do you think she will be back as a customer?  The answer is likely maybe.  If she does come back, I can tell you with certainty it will be much less frequently (which is what has happened with me).  And forget about her becoming a “brand ambassador” for you.  You know what a “brand ambassador” is I’m sure since it’s a slick, boardroom-type label suits like to come up with, but fail to provide store level staffers the tools and training to actually create these ambassadors.   Instead of leaving your restaurants promoting your company, customers like this woman tonight leave riding the high seas of discontent; surely letting her family and friends know of her experience. 

Back to how to handle this message from me.  First, realize you have a customer who cares enough to write.  Game three of the Dodgers & Cubs game is on and I’m here writing you (and I’m a big baseball fan!).  I’m a customer who still goes to Chipotle on a semi-regular basis.  You also have someone who isn’t coming at you with emotionally charged rhetoric.  Rather I’m writing to you in what I would describe as balanced tones with rational, constructive criticisms.  Another words, I’m not just writing that you suck (although you do right now).  I’m a customer that wants better for you because I want better for me.  Better experiences when I decide to spend my money at Chipotle.

Start with re-engaging with your core customers with honest, simple messages of promises you can actually keep.  Tell them what they can expect from their Chipotle experience and over deliver. 

“Every day, every customer, every time.” 

 Brian Bodick

@thebrianbodick