What a great draft so far this year! Day 2 continued the excitement of this years draft with lots of trading, and some very interesting picks.
Winners
- How did the Patriots get Derek Rivers? He’s a 6’5″ pass rushing machine who had talk of late 1st/high 2nd potential. Patriots traded up and got him at #83? Silly.
- Running backs Alvin Kamara and D’onta Foreman fit into perfect spots for the Saints and Texans.
- I like the Cardinals getting Budda Baker. He is a pure football player and I think if he were a few inches taller, he would have been selected in the top of the 1st. He fits in well with their flexible scheme.
- The Chargers, who have struggled at offensive line, got the best TWO guards in the draft. And both of them fell. I think the Chargers offense is going to be very good next year.
Losers
- Da Bears! They are losers…AGAIN! TE Adam Shaheen isn’t bad… he’s a risk. He is from a small school and is usually ranked as a late 3rd to 4th round pick. Taking him 13 picks into the 2nd round is a reach. This is a team that gave away their future picks so this specific pick was especially important. This is WAY too risky of a move for me.
- Everyone knows that Joe Mixon made a massive mistake. However, he seems like he’s been on a path to genuinely atone for that mistake. I would like to see him do it. Then he goes to the WORST POSSIBLE destination. The Bengals allow the putrid human being of Vontaze Burfict to continue his despicable ways. Add Pacman Jones in too and you have a team culture that doesn’t care what-so-ever about character or integrity. It’s terrible. To make matters worse for Mixon, they already have 2 capable starting running backs on the team. I really don’t think he could have gone anywhere worse.
- Pat Elflein/Me – I dislike the Vikings and their fans. Pat Elflein was one of my favorite players in the draft and I’m very upset that Minnesota took him. As an interior lineman, he will quietly plug away helping the teams for years. I wish he could do that for just about anyone else. Also, I’m not happy that Dalvin Cook went there either. I think it’s a good fit for both parties, and I didn’t want to see it happen. Color me unhappy.
What about the Packers picks?
I was still interested in trading down, and from I understand, they tried. They picked all defensive players, and I’m OK with that focus. It was clearly a problem last year, especially in the last game. They addressed it by adding size, speed, and versatility. They did all of this without having to trade up. It was a great day for them.
CB Kevin King (NFL Pre-Draft Interview / NFL Post-Draft Interview)
He has 6’3″ size and 4.43 speed. He has long 32″ arms and huge 9.5″ hands. Knowing how much the Packers seem to have a preference with 3-cone players, he was also the #1 player this year. Actually he’s #2 overall in the last 3 years! (Devon Cajuste that was #1 and has been on the Packers practice squad for the last season.) An interesting not about King is that he has played safety, slot, and outside corner. He feels this allows him to see the field better and understand different responsibilities better. He is also the only player to not be selected on day 1 that came back for day 2. He came back after going back to the hotel and doing treadmill and hitting the weights. I like it.
S Josh Jones (Packers Primer / Post-Draft Packers Phone Interview)
He was the best size/speed ratio safety in the entire draft. Like King, he is versatile and experienced. He played 2 years at strong safety, and 1 at free safety. He also lined up at cornerback and linebacker. He is physical, has good ball skills, is a good tackler, and can blitz. Think about this: He’s 20 lbs heavier than Kevin King, and is faster (4.41). Perhaps safety didn’t seem like a huge priority in this draft, but Burnett and HaHa are in the last years of their contracts. Maybe the Packers are going to re-sign them, maybe not. Either way, the Packers didn’t want to pass up a chance at this skill set. He’s also an outspoken Christian, and that seems to nudge you a little higher on the Packers draft board.
DT Montravius Adams (Combine / Packers Primer)
A five-star recruit with amazing athleticism for his size. He was the 3rd fastest d-lineman in the draft, and he’s doing it at 304 lbs. His burst is great, as his is agility, he has a good chase, and even blocked 2 kicks. He also played in every game in his 4 seasons in college. On the weakness side, he is more reactive than anticipatory, and had containment issues when he lined up outside. The Packers needed help inside, and the keeping those big guys rotated his key. I think it’s a great addition. FYI: He had his first child born on the day he was drafted.
Enjoy day 3!