NFL Draft 2021 Team Grades

[JerseyShore99]

How do we feel about the immediate grades around the league? CAR, CLE, DEN, JAX, KC, LAC, and NYJ stood out to me

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I’m only grading based on the value of the QB position and trade value. I don’t claim to know which players will pan out, but I can say with confidence that a successful QB is exponentially more valuable than any other position.

CAR - F
Carolina went into the draft with a pig in lipstick situation with Sam Darnold and 1000% should have taken the best QB available with their first pick. This pick would not only provide competition but the resale value of a QB like that is high if for some miracle Darnold works out. You’re rebuilding. You don’t get many freebie picks to draft a blue chip QB without having to trade up for an insane amount of draft capital.

DEN - F
See: Carolina. Exact same situation applies here. If it’s true they want Aaron Rodgers, who cares? They could have landed a blue chip QB prospect and then used that player to sweeten a Rodgers deal or involve a third team. And if Rodgers doesn’t wind up there? Teddy Bridgewater obviously isn’t the answer. Another team who decided to take player whose best case scenario gives them +1 wins per season instead of +4.

SF - D
This one is based on reading the multiple reports about the team trading two future first round picks to trade up for a Mac Jones, then deciding Jones and Lance were roughly even, then deciding it was Lance by a hair. They could have Jones for sure and possibly Lance at #12. The 49ers were a contending team with Jimmy G but he got hurt. They essentially got a bonus pick here with a great roster and lottery pick...and yet, if Lance isn’t all that (and he is the #3/4 QB in this class by consensus draft standing), they’ll have managed to ruin their franchise by taking a pretty insane risk. Will he even be as good as Jimmy G? I wouldn’t be so sure.

NYJ - F
The Jets went from being a few games away from landing the best rated QB of the last 20 years and instead drafted a guy who clearly and obviously bust, while also tripping over their feet to allow the Patriots to draft Mac Jones. Based in Pats-Jets history, there’s about a 0.00001% chance Wilson becomes a better pro than Jones. This will be funny...the Jets bungled their future in the most Jetsy ways possible, setting new standards for futility.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

I’m only grading based on the value of the QB position and trade value. I don’t claim to know which players will pan out, but I can say with confidence that a successful QB is exponentially more valuable than any other position.

CAR - F
Carolina went into the draft with pig in lipstick situation with Sam Darnold and 1000% should have taken the best QB available with their first pick. This pick would not only provide competition but the resale value of a QB like that is high if. some miracle Darnold works out. You’re rebuilding. You don’t get many freebie picks to draft a blue chip QB without having to trade up for an insane amount of draft capital.

DEN - F
See: Carolina. Exact same situation applies here. If it’s true they want Aaron Rodgers, who cares? They could have landed a blue chip QB prospect and then used that player to sweeten a Rodgers deal or involve a third team. And id Rodgers doesn’t wind io there? Teddy Bridgewater obviously isn’t the answer. Another team who decided to take player whose best case scenario gives them +1 wins per season instead of +4.

What if Denver and Carolina weren't high on Fields and Jones and did not view them as possible QBOTF? I think Carolina nailed the draft. Deonte Brown, Shi Smith in the 6th round, Marshall in the second, Christensen and Tremble should be contributors/rotational dudes in the 3 and Horn is an immediate starter at CB. I think the Broncos had some solid Picks either. Some think Surtain can be a future Pro Bowl CB and they did improve their strength after already signign several DB via FA. They need to face Mahomes, Raiders and Chargers with several Weapons twice a year. I may have picked Rashawn Slater but i get the surtain Pick.

SF - D
This one is based on reading the multiple reports about the team trading two future first round picks to trade up for a Mac Jones, then deciding Jones and Lance were roughly even, then deciding it was Lance by a hair. They could have Jones for sure and possibly Lance at #12. The 49ers were a contending team with Jimmy G but he got hurt. They essentially got a bonus pick here with a great roster and lottery pick...and yet, if Lance isn’t all that (and he is the #3/4 QB in this class by consensus draft standing), they’ll have managed to ruin their franchise by taking a pretty insane risk. Will he even be as good as Jimmy G? I wouldn’t be so sure.

NYJ - F
The Jets went from being a few games away from landing the best rated QB of the last 20 years and instead drafted a guy who clearly and obviously bust, while also tripping over their feet to allow the Patriots to draft Mac Jones. Based in Pats-Jets history, there’s about a 0.00001% chance Wilson becomes a better pro than Jones. This will be funny...the Jets bungled their future in the most Jetsy ways possible, setting new standards for futility.

Agree but I like the rest of the jets Picks...at least they try now to provide their rookie qb with weapons...Moore is a great pick at early second, AVT to improve their O-Line and got a RB

Edit: Agreed if Fields or Jones turn out to be great that Carolina and Denver should have picked them bc i don't think as it stands rn that Darnold or Lock are QBOTF

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Detroit, Giants, pats and Browns were good imo.
Pittsburg, Arizona and Eagles questionable at least for me.
Buffalo, Cincy and Miami had solid picks.
i expected better from JAX imo with that draft capital.
I also don't like the 49ers picks at the spots besides Lance

 

[captain stone]

The J-E-T-E, LOLphins & Murderer-Worshippers ALL had Excellent drafts, unfortunately.

 

[JerseyShore99]

I’m only grading based on the value of the QB position and trade value. I don’t claim to know which players will pan out, but I can say with confidence that a successful QB is exponentially more valuable than any other position.

CAR - F
Carolina went into the draft with a pig in lipstick situation with Sam Darnold and 1000% should have taken the best QB available with their first pick. This pick would not only provide competition but the resale value of a QB like that is high if for some miracle Darnold works out. You’re rebuilding. You don’t get many freebie picks to draft a blue chip QB without having to trade up for an insane amount of draft capital.

DEN - F
See: Carolina. Exact same situation applies here. If it’s true they want Aaron Rodgers, who cares? They could have landed a blue chip QB prospect and then used that player to sweeten a Rodgers deal or involve a third team. And if Rodgers doesn’t wind up there? Teddy Bridgewater obviously isn’t the answer. Another team who decided to take player whose best case scenario gives them +1 wins per season instead of +4.

SF - D
This one is based on reading the multiple reports about the team trading two future first round picks to trade up for a Mac Jones, then deciding Jones and Lance were roughly even, then deciding it was Lance by a hair. They could have Jones for sure and possibly Lance at #12. The 49ers were a contending team with Jimmy G but he got hurt. They essentially got a bonus pick here with a great roster and lottery pick...and yet, if Lance isn’t all that (and he is the #3/4 QB in this class by consensus draft standing), they’ll have managed to ruin their franchise by taking a pretty insane risk. Will he even be as good as Jimmy G? I wouldn’t be so sure.

NYJ - F
The Jets went from being a few games away from landing the best rated QB of the last 20 years and instead drafted a guy who clearly and obviously bust, while also tripping over their feet to allow the Patriots to draft Mac Jones. Based in Pats-Jets history, there’s about a 0.00001% chance Wilson becomes a better pro than Jones. This will be funny...the Jets bungled their future in the most Jetsy ways possible, setting new standards for futility.

Love what CAR did, but absolutely see the disappointment at QB

Curious why you don't like Wilson, I don't either

 

[captain stone]

I’m only grading based on the value of the QB position and trade value. I don’t claim to know which players will pan out, but I can say with confidence that a successful QB is exponentially more valuable than any other position.

CAR - F
Carolina went into the draft with a pig in lipstick situation with Sam Darnold and 1000% should have taken the best QB available with their first pick. This pick would not only provide competition but the resale value of a QB like that is high if for some miracle Darnold works out. You’re rebuilding. You don’t get many freebie picks to draft a blue chip QB without having to trade up for an insane amount of draft capital.

DEN - F
See: Carolina. Exact same situation applies here. If it’s true they want Aaron Rodgers, who cares? They could have landed a blue chip QB prospect and then used that player to sweeten a Rodgers deal or involve a third team. And if Rodgers doesn’t wind up there? Teddy Bridgewater obviously isn’t the answer. Another team who decided to take player whose best case scenario gives them +1 wins per season instead of +4.

SF - D
This one is based on reading the multiple reports about the team trading two future first round picks to trade up for a Mac Jones, then deciding Jones and Lance were roughly even, then deciding it was Lance by a hair. They could have Jones for sure and possibly Lance at #12. The 49ers were a contending team with Jimmy G but he got hurt. They essentially got a bonus pick here with a great roster and lottery pick...and yet, if Lance isn’t all that (and he is the #3/4 QB in this class by consensus draft standing), they’ll have managed to ruin their franchise by taking a pretty insane risk. Will he even be as good as Jimmy G? I wouldn’t be so sure.

NYJ - F
The Jets went from being a few games away from landing the best rated QB of the last 20 years and instead drafted a guy who clearly and obviously bust, while also tripping over their feet to allow the Patriots to draft Mac Jones. Based in Pats-Jets history, there’s about a 0.00001% chance Wilson becomes a better pro than Jones. This will be funny...the Jets bungled their future in the most Jetsy ways possible, setting new standards for futility.

What grade would you give da Bears?

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

What grade would you give da Bears?

A grade for their trade up to draft Fields. Worth the risk.

F grade for trading for Khalil Mack in 2017 and handcuffing themselves with no first round picks in 2018 and 2019 and being stuck with Trubisky. No team should ever trade that much for a pass rusher, especially if they don’t have certainty that they have their franchise QB.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

What grade would you give da Bears?

In two years or so, we should be able to able this question.

They risked a ton on a move up for a one read qb. Hopefully it works out for them!

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

What if Denver and Carolina weren't high on Fields and Jones and did not view them as possible QBOTF?

Then it's time for them to "get high" on Fields and Jones. These are teams who just brought in Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold; sounds like an arrogant bunch who think they're going make these guys better because of their 4D chess gameplans. Both of them will fail miserably, you know how I know? Because every team that tries to do this fails miserably unless they have some kind of truly outlier supporting cast.

If a QB is clearly one of the best prospects - whether you love them or not - you're an idiot not to still make the pick there. It's a freebie pick. How many times have we heard about how teams didn't like so-and-so as a quarterback, pass on him, and then look foolish in hindsight? Sometimes they're right...sometimes they're wrong. The fact is that most all-time great QBs and even most good QBs playing today were passed over by at least a handful of teams - and often every team - who thought they were too smart to draft them as a top pick.

Again, it's all about the potential payoff...you draft a cornerback and you get a scratch ticket that can potentially earn you $10. You draft a quarterback and you get a scratch ticket that can potentially earn you $100. I cannot imagine the scouting on Jones and Fields is so horribly low, and far below consensus, that the $100 ticket is no longer preferable.

Honestly, I wonder if this the way the Patriots see it too, and I suspect that they do. Mac Jones is a first round talent; whether they have some concerns about him is irrelevant if he's sitting there at #15 and they don't have to give up anything to get him. Scouts are not infallilbe. There's a lot of luck and unforseseen outcomes from the drafts. But getting lucky on a quarterback makes you a Super Bowl contender; getting lucky elsewhere makes you...nothing.

 

[captain stone]

Besides the aforementioned Jete, LOLphins & Murderer-Worshippers, ALL of whom had a better draft after the 1st round than Little Billy & the New Minions - hell who didn't? - here are some thoughts on some other AFC teams' drafts:

Barfalo had a decent draft - Boogie Basham & Spencer Brown should've been Patriots if Billy had been smart and traded DOWN instead of paying an unprecedented price to trade UP...I thought the Doyle pick at 161 however was at least a full round too early...And Damar Hamlin will have a MUCH more productive career than the ****ing Garbage pick at Safety made EARLIER by Little Billy & the New Minions...

Cleveland had a decent one also...No reaches anywhere, and they received great value for JOK at #52...I wonder if they would've been willing to trade #s 59 & 89 (plus a 2022 5th/6th) to us for #s 46 & 122/139...We could've therefore been in position to draft LT of the Future Spencer Brown at #89...

Besides passing on a QB, the Donkeys had a decent draft also, especially Quinn Meinerz at #98...Taking two Safeties 12 picks apart in the 5th round made no sense however, though Jamar Johnson at #164 was terrific value...Never heard of Marquise Spencer at #253...

I thought the Indy Clots had one of the worst overall drafts...Besides DE Kwity Paye, the rest of them were reaches...Never heard of their TE, and their two 7th-rounders are low-priority UDFA talents...

The KC Queefs had only 6 picks, but they took good players with almost all of them...GB was ****ing stupid to take Josh Meyers ahead of Creed Humphrey...WR Cornell Powell would've been a better pick at #177 than Cant McGroan, as would have G/T Trey Smith at #197 - obviously; what a ****ing STEAL - instead of Billie Shermie...

And finally, I liked Sh!tsDirt's first 4 picks, plus DE Quincy Roche in the 6th...The two picks in between them however were major reaches...

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

Then it's time for them to "get high" on Fields and Jones. These are teams who just brought in Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold; sounds like an arrogant bunch who think they're going make these guys better because of their 4D chess gameplans. Both of them will fail miserably, you know how I know? Because every team that tries to do this fails miserably unless they have some kind of truly outlier supporting cast.

If a QB is clearly one of the best prospects - whether you love them or not - you're an idiot not to still make the pick there. It's a freebie pick. How many times have we heard about how teams didn't like so-and-so as a quarterback, pass on him, and then look foolish in hindsight? Sometimes they're right...sometimes they're wrong. The fact is that most all-time great QBs and even most good QBs playing today were passed over by at least a handful of teams - and often every team - who thought they were too smart to draft them as a top pick.

I agree, I would have picked Fields as well if I'm Carolina or Denver. Neither Bridgewater nor Darnold have showed anything to be a QBOTF. Carolina clearly felt the same way after they moved on from TB. The jury is still out on Darnold bc he is still young and has played for the Jets so it's hard to value this and Carolina has a better offense. Lock doesn't look like the answer.

Again, it's all about the potential payoff...you draft a cornerback and you get a scratch ticket that can potentially earn you $10. You draft a quarterback and you get a scratch ticket that can potentially earn you $100. I cannot imagine the scouting on Jones and Fields is so horribly low, and far below consensus, that the $100 ticket is no longer preferable.

Honestly, I wonder if this the way the Patriots see it too, and I suspect that they do. Mac Jones is a first round talent; whether they have some concerns about him is irrelevant if he's sitting there at #15 and they don't have to give up anything to get him.

I agree. If Fields for example falls into your Lap at spot 8/9 and you lack good QB play with some really solid weapons, you gotta take him. If he turns out as the QBOTF you had an insane value with that pick...if he turns out to be a bust you need to do it again. I think without a really solid QB, it's really tough to achieve anything. You can surround your QB with weapons, a good defense but it's rare if they get you a shot at the SB win.

Scouts are not infallilbe. There's a lot of luck and unforseseen outcomes from the drafts. But getting lucky on a quarterback makes you a Super Bowl contender; getting lucky elsewhere makes you...nothing.

It can make you a contender but not enough for a SB imo. You can find pieces you can built around but QB is the biggest value.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

In two years or so, we should be able to able this question.

They risked a ton on a move up for a one read qb. Hopefully it works out for them!

Not sure if this was sarcastic but Fields can read defenses, and the "can't read or throw accurately after 1st read" claims are only perpetuated by total draft frauds who don't know anything. Fields and Mac can play.


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