New Orleans — Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
In complete honesty, there’s a good chance that in five years from now, we’ll be saying Marcus Davenport was one of the best picks in this draft. But there’s also just as good a chance that we’ll look back in five years and realize that Davenport was a physical specimen that dominated an inferior level of competition in college, and lacked the technique and instincts to become a premier pass rusher in the NFL.
From either perspective, Davenport still has a lot of developing to do, but the New Orleans Saints traded away a first-round pick in 2019 to move up and grab him anyway. The Saints needed pass rush help immediately, which Davenport probably won’t provide. So why make that move?
Cleveland — Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
After years of taking (purposely or inadvertently), and benefitting from the misfortune of a team (the Houston Texans) that traded away their first round pick in 2018 to them, the Cleveland Browns had the first and fourth overall picks in this past draft. Taking Baker Mayfield at #1 overall was already a shocking selection, but everyone assumed they’d walk out with another stud prospect with the 4th overall pick.
Yet instead, Cleveland reached on cornerback Denzel Ward from Ohio State. Ward was certainly a coveted prospect in this year’s draft, but why didn’t Cleveland take someone like Bradley Chubb, who would’ve made potentially their pass rush absolutely lethal, or bolster their offensive line with a super stud prospect like Quenton Nelson?
Buffalo — Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
The Bills Mafia won’t like hearing this, but there’s a reason it’s called “the bitter truth:” Josh Allen could just as easily become the next Kyle Boller as he could become the next Cam Newton. The ability to throw the football a country mile, with enough velocity that there’s smoke coming off the ball, is well and good, but none of that means anything if he can’t deliver the football anywhere near his receivers.
That’s what Allen consistently did at the University of Wyoming, evidenced by his sub-57% completion percentage in college. Allen was absolutely air-mailing passes during the Senior Bowl, so we can’t blame everything on the lack of talent surrounding him at Wyoming.
NY Giants — Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
Here’s a hot take that’s sure to ruffle some feathers, especially in the tri-state area: the New York Giants paid a premium price in the 2018 NFL Draft for a very replaceable commodity. Saquon Barkley might be a generationally talented running back, but is any running back worth the #2 pick in the NFL Draft?
New York would’ve been better off using this pick on an elite pass rusher like Bradley Chubb, a premier lineman in Quenton Nelson, or possibly a long-term answer at quarterback for Eli Manning. Plus, what happens in a few years, when Barkley is on the final year of his rookie deal, and the Giants are forced to pay the premium price, which could be close to $20 million? Was that pick still worth it then?