Flipping the NFL Draft
Instead of teams forcefully picking players, we’re taking a handful of aspiring NFL players and picking their best available home.
I hate the NFL draft.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the draft is not important; it is. It’s the entryway for a few hundred of NCAA football’s best talents to go from being unpaid amateurs to a career where they can make millions of dollars — a handful of whom will do that in their first year.
For teams, the draft is little more than a guessing game. For every once-in-a-generation talent that proves himself, there’s a once-in-a-generation talent that falls flat. Players with speed and skills that make them superstars in college may get injured or their skills may not translate to the next level where every player is faster and smarter than in college. Other players who may not have been in the right system in college or were still learning their position may turn into veritable superstars under the right tutelage.
But with little for football writers and fans to do between the Super Bowl and the beginning of summer training camps — other than guessing cage-match outcomes for Arian Foster — the draft gets endlessly dissected. Given the endless variables of draft day, mock drafts projecting much more than a couple picks are pretty meaningless.
So I’d like to do something different. The 2017 edition of the NFL draft features some exciting talents, from a national championship-winning quarterback to some defensive linemen who have the potential to be the next Reggie White or Julius Peppers. So instead of a mock draft let’s look at five of the most exciting new players (as determined by me) at five different positions entering the NFL and choose their best fit (also determined by me). Given the insanity of draft day, we may even get to see one of these pan out.
Let’s get started.
Myles Garrett, Defensive End, Texas A&M
Where he could go: 1st overall, Cleveland Browns
Garrett is the consensus top talent in the draft. No one expects the Browns to pass on him.
Where I want him to go: Detroit Lions (21st pick), Indianapolis Colts (15th pick)
Garrett has no chance of falling to either the Lions or the Colts, but both teams could desperately use him. The Lions finished 9–7 last year and exited the playoffs quietly with a lousy team performance in Seattle, while the Colts finished the season 8–8.
Both teams had horrific passing defense numbers, largely due to their lack of a pass rush. Opposing quarterbacks often had time to make a sandwich before picking out an open receiver against these teams last year. Garrett would be an instant star and starter on either defensive line and help both teams make the leap necessary to contend with the best teams in the league.
Disclaimer: I am an avowed Detroit Lions homer, and yes, this likely influenced my choice here.
Jonathan Allen, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Where he could go: 2nd overall, San Francisco 49ers
Another top talent and another team that needs defensive help; Allen could easily go to the Browns with the first overall pick.
Where I want him to go: San Francisco 49ers (2nd pick), Cleveland (1st pick)
Allen was a monster in the center of the Alabama defensive line last year, an anchor of a defensive side that delighted in crushing souls and squeezing the life out of opposing offenses. Though it feels mean to drop Allen on one of the worst teams in the league, he spent four years playing for noted hardass and possible robot Nick Saban; anything he could possibly be subjected to by the Browns’ or 49ers’ coaching staffs will pale in comparison to the tongue lashings he likely received.
The two worst teams in the league, both the 49ers and the Browns were exceptionally atrocious against running plays last year. Any rebuilding effort, on either side of the ball, begins with good linemen. Putting Allen at the center of a rebuilt defensive line would be a good start for either team. For Allen (and defensive tackles generally), being on a bad team won’t harm him much; he will do his thing blowing up blockers and disrupting plays no matter where he ends up.
Leonard Fournette, Running Back, Louisiana State University
Where he could go: 4th overall, Jacksonville Jaguars
Fournette’s LSU career was a tale of two seasons. He spent 2015 as the consummate internet meme, running over unfortunate defensive backs that had the temerity to try to stop him from turning the corner and scampering up the sideline. The 2016 season, unfortunately, was full of injuries and lackluster performances, such as the one against Allen’s Alabama where he was stifled to just 35 yards on 17 attempts.
Still, the tools are all there from that electrifying 2015 season, and it’s why he’s a common top 10 selection in mock drafts.
Where I want him to go: Carolina Panthers (8th pick), Oakland Raiders (24th pick)
The talk around Cam Newton’s Panthers seems to revolve around giving Newton options at wide receiver, but having backfield options is just as important, and Carolina seems to be suited to spend 2017 biting their fingernails and relying on the perennially injured Jonathan Stewart at running back. Adding Fournette would give the Panthers a scary weapon which may help the offense regain the potency which led them to Super Bowl 50.
Deshaun Watson, Quarterback, Clemson
Where he could go: 6th overall, New York Jets
The Jets currently have Josh McCown as the only viable option at the helm, so it seems like a safe bet that they are shopping for a quarterback.
Where I want him to go: New Orleans Saints (11th pick), Miami Dolphins (22nd pick)
Watson was one of the most exciting players in college football last year, running Clemson’s high octane offense. His accuracy issues have caused his stock to drop among some teams. It seems natural, then, that he would flourish in an offense similar to the one he ran at Clemson. Little in the NFL comes closer to that than Sean Payton’s scheme in New Orleans. With the Drew Brees era feeling like its days are numbered, Watson would be an excellent understudy to perhaps even bring the Saints back to playoff relevancy in the near future.
Malik Hooker, Safety, Ohio State
Where he could go: 7th overall, Los Angeles Chargers
Malik Hooker is inexperienced at the position, having only played one year. He could go to the Chargers who are looking for defensive back cover, especially if the other highly touted safety, Jamal Adams, is already off the board.
Where I want him to go: Seattle Seahawks (26th pick), Pittsburgh Steelers (30th pick)
Though Hooker may ultimately lack the speed to cover deep threat receivers, he has all the makings of a hard-hitting, high-impact strong safety. Though he likely won’t, it seems only fitting that he end up on a defense with a reputation for that style of play. Of the two noted, Pittsburgh would be an excellent fit as their defensive efficiency has fallen in recent years and the defensive backfield is a particular point of weakness.
The first round of the draft takes place on Thursday, April 27, and continues into the weekend. Until these players above get selected by bad teams who need talent or roster depth, enjoy thinking about where they could end up.
After all, you never know — on draft day, one pick can change everything.
