Elite vs Above Average
All 32 NFL team's 2018 NFL Draft grades | NFL Analysis | Pro Football Focus
1 (3) Sam Darnold, QB, USC, 83.6
3 (72) Nathan Shepherd, DI, Fort Hays State, n/a
4 (107) Christopher Herndon IV, TE, Miami (Fla.), 81.8
6 (179) Parry Nickerson, CB, Tulane, 85.1
6 (180) Folorunso Fatukasi, Edge, Connecticut, 83.2
6 (204) Trenton Cannon, RB, Virginia State, n/a
Day 1: The Jets should be ecstatic that Darnold was still on the board at No. 3 overall. Our No. 2 player on the PFF Draft Board, Darnold has shown exceptional high-end play, throwing with the accuracy and anticipation desired from an NFL quarterback. He has two strong years of grading under his belt, and while last year was not as good as anticipated, Darnold
was still the No. 3-graded quarterback in the nation outside of his four poor games. He must cut back on the bad decisions and fumbles that marred that four-game stretch, as he finished with the fifth-highest percentage of turnover-worthy plays in the draft class last season, but it’s the big-time throws that make him a potentially special prospect as he ranked second. Darnold has
shown well in crunch time, whether at the end of the half or with the game on the line, and his ability to make plays both inside and outside the pocket will lead to memorable moments for Jets fans.
Day 2: With only a third-round selection on Day 2, the Jets add athletic defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd to the mix, a small-school player who looked strong during his limited reps at the Senior Bowl. He has outstanding size and athleticism, and he could develop into a good all-around player given his measurables.
Day 3: Christopher Herndon showed strong big-play ability last season, forcing nine missed tackles on only 40 receptions and averaging 9.3 yards after the catch per reception. Parry Nickerson could become a steal in the sixth round as he has three outstanding years of production to go with 4.32 speed. He allowed a passer rating of only 41.7 in 2017 and 32.5 when targeted in 2016. Folorunso Fatukasi is an outstanding run defender, grading between 82.8 and 86.1 in all four years at UConn, though he provided little as a pass-rusher, including a 3.1 pass-rush productivity last year that ranked 131st in the draft class.
Overall grade: Elite
1 (23) Isaiah Wynn, OT, Georgia, 88.1
1 (31) Sony Michel, RB, Georgia, 83.3
2 (56) Duke Dawson, CB, Florida, 81.1
5 (143) Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB, Purdue, 91.2
6 (178) Christian Sam, LB, Arizona State, 69.7
6 (210) Braxton Berrios, WR, Miami (Fla.), 80.6
7 (219) Danny Etling, QB, LSU, 78.2
7 (243) Keion Crossen, CB, Western Carolina, n/a
7 (250) Ryan Izzo, TE, Florida State, 73.8
Day 1: The Patriots kicked off the night with Isaiah Wynn who played left tackle exceptionally well at Georgia last season and may stick at tackle for the Patriots despite being undersized and looking more like a guard. He allowed only five pressures on 330 attempts in pass protection and he finished with the No. 3 grade in the nation as a run blocker at 91.0. Wynn has three years of strong grading, both at guard and tackle, and he adds positional flexibility to the New England offensive line. They went back to Georgia to take Wynn’s teammate, Sony Michel, who adds a quick-cutting back with receiving potential to the offense. He ranked sixth in the draft class with an elusive rating of 95.1 last season, and despite seeing only 80 targets in the passing game in his career, Michel’s quickness should be a nice fit for New England’s scheme.
Day 2: The Patriots spent most of Day 2 trading down, but they did make one selection as they traded back up to get Duke Dawson. He allowed a passer rating of only 41.0 when lined up in the slot last year, eighth-best in the nation, after allowing a rating of only 64.6 (38th) in 2016. Given the
value of slot defenders in today’s NFL, Dawson fills an important need for the Patriots’ defense.
Day 3: Ja’Whaun Bentley is a downhill thumper who posted the nation’s top grade against the run at 95.0 while ranking fourth in the draft class with a run-stop percentage of 13.3. He has work to do in coverage, and may be limited to early downs at the next level. Braxton Berrios ranked eighth among receivers in the draft class with 680 yards gained from the slot. Danny Etling posted a career-high 78.9 overall grade in 2017.
Overall grade: Above average
