Houston Texans: C+
1.) Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama St.
2.) Lonnie Johnson Jr., CB, Kentucky
2b.) Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois
3.) Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego St.
5.) Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas
6.) Xavier Crawford, CB, Central Michigan
7.) Cullen Gillaspia, RB, Texas A&M
The Houston Texans draft class is a perplexing one, because of the amount of potential versus production. Now, the Texans would probably argue that production is production at any level, but that is quite the optimist’s perspective.
Howard, is a massive man who flashed dominance during the draft process, but he still needs work to carry that into the league. Scharping, a four-year starter, shows the nastiness to excel in the trenches and can anchor. The key to his game is versatility with experience at both tackle positions and at guard, as well.
Johnson, took the JUCO route before winding up at Kentucky, and in his two years amassed nine pass breakups and one interception. He has tremendous size, and the hope is that he will continue to develop. Omenihu, is an interesting addition. He seems a bit undersized for the Texans 3-4, does he get moved to linebacker?
Indianapolis Colts: B+
2.) Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple
2b.) Ben Banogu, DE, TCU
2c.) Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio St.
3.) Bobby Okereke, LB, Stanford
4.) Khari Willis, S, Michigan St.
5.) Marvell Tell, S, USC
5b.) E.J. Speed, LB, Tarleton St.
6.) Gerri Green, DE, Mississippi St.
7.) Jackson Barton, OT, Utah
7b.) Javon Patterson, C, Ole Miss
The Colts and GM Chris Ballard were very wise in this draft, a burgeoning hallmark of the young general manager’s work. The Colts decided to trade down from the first-round in order to take more bites in the second, and they brought in a haul.
The Colts clearly identified their pass defense as the weak link of their team and addressed it early by picking Ya-Sin. He should be a Day One starter and has the toughness that Ballard likes in his players. He followed that up with Banogu and Campbell. An explosive edge rusher and an explosive slot receiver.
Back-to-back safety selections in Khari Willis and Marvell Tell is intriguing. Potential star safety Malik Hooker can’t stay healthy and veteran Clayton Geathers can’t play consistent. Building depth, while providing competition is always a great strategy. Okereke and Speed, provide a similar injection to the linebacking corps. Okereke, is a player worth watching. He was super productive at Stanford and is a contemporary ‘backer who could wind up starting sooner than later.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-
1.) Josh Allen, DE, Kentucky
2.) Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
3.) Josh Oliver, TE, San Jose St.
3b.) Quincy Williams, S, Murray St.
5.) Ryquell Armstead, RB, Temple
6.) Gardner Menshaw, QB, Washington St.
7.) Dontavius Russell, DT, Auburn
The top of this draft saves the grade from receiving a “C”. The pair of Allen and Taylor is absolutely stellar. Allen, by the graciousness of Oakland, dropped right into their laps. Allen’s production and intangibles are everything you would want in a Top 10 player, and he keeps the Jacksonville defense firing at an elite level.
I had Taylor going to the Jaguars in the Top 10 of the first-round, a premonition that would eventually come true on Day Two of the NFL Draft after the Jags traded up to take Taylor. Taylor, is a starter for the next ten years and gives Jacksonville a young and dynamic pair of tackles.
The rest of the draft is confusing. Oliver, in Round 3, is a fine addition. He’s an emerging talent that could evolve into something. But how did the Jaguars fail to address their wide receiver corps? They have the quarterback and the tackles, but virtually no targets to throw to. That is a big miss.
Armstead and Menshaw, are a pair of depth and develop players who have great upside. It will be interesting to see what Menshaw can become at the pro level. Armstead, is a bulldozer with shoulder pads. He will spell and help preserve franchise running back Leonard Fournette, who has dealt with injuries since entering the league.
Tennessee Titans: B
1.) Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi St.
2.) A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
3.) Nate Davis, OG, Charlotte
4.) Amani Hooker, S, Iowa
5.) Deandre Walker, OLB, Georgia
6.) David Long, LB, West Virginia
If Tennessee’s goal was to create depth, they succeeded. Davis, Hooker, Walker, and Long are all valuable and necessary depth pieces. The key draft picks here are Simmons and Brown, and for different reasons.
Brown, was a stellar pick. You don’t get value much better than that. The Titans have failed to provide quarterback Marcus Mariota with reliable targets. Brown, in two years as starter, amassed 160 receptions for 2,572 yards and 17 touchdowns. That is production you can lean on.
Simmons addition is needed, as they have run thin along the defensive, but Simmons tore his ACL early in the draft process. In addition to the injury, Simmons has serious character red flags. It was surprising to see head coach Mike Vrabel gamble on a player of that nature, but if he was convinced perhaps that is telling in itself.
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