“It does not matter where we pick them; it matters how they play.” — Bill Walsh.
There is no quote more appropriate than the one above after last night’s first round of the NFL draft. When the Raiders shocked everyone and picked Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 overall, and the Giants finally selected a quarterback by taking Duke’s Daniel Jones at No. 6, my first thought was Coach Walsh’s fundamental belief that the draft was all about “the playing” not the “location” of the pick. We all evaluate players differently, which makes the draft process so unique and fascinating. If there’s criticism toward the Raiders and Giants, it should not be about the talent, but about how they managed the draft.
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While knowing that what really mattered was how each selection played on the field, Walsh also understood the value of each pick and never wanted to overdraft a player (see the 1986 draft as a prime example) —which is exactly what the Raiders and Giants both did. The Raiders spent the fourth overall pick on a defensive lineman who weighed just 263 pounds at his pro day and many in the NFL question his overall speed, both timed and playing. What heightens that concern is that he did not run a forty at the combine or his pro day, which is almost unheard of for non-quarterbacks who have been selected in the top five.
Can you imagine Al Davis drafting a defensive lineman with the fourth overall pick and not knowing his forty time? Can you imagine Al drafting an end with under 33-inch length? My how things have changed in Oakland.
My concern with Ferrell is that as a player he plays hard and competes, but as an athlete, he lacks excellent talent. To play defensive end successfully in the NFL you must have ability and speed — how else can you track down Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes when he the breaks the pocket? Oakland’s other picks in the first round, running back Josh Jacobs and Johnathan Abram — are solid and will become starters for their team from day one. Will they impact the team? Only time will tell. I don’t hate Ferrell; I hate how the Raiders managed the top of their draft.
As for the Giants, how can they feel that QB Sam Darnold was not worthy of the second pick last year and yet believe that Daniel Jones is the sixth-best player in this draft? It makes no sense to me. All the Giants loyalists will scream that the difference was that Saquon Barkley was available last year, and they got the rookie of the year by taking him in that No. 2 spot. Yes, Barkley is a good player and a difference-maker, but Darnold is better than Jones, and I would always rather have the better quarterback. I do applaud the Giants for finally realizing Eli Manning needs a replacement and I do like Jones. But I also wonder if Jones did not have the blessing of Duke Head Coach David Cutcliffe, a close friend of the Mannings, if they would have made this selection?
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Other Round 1 Thoughts…
—The Steelers made a great pick and improved their defense immediately with their selection of Devin Bush at No. 10 (after trading with the Broncos to move up). Because of the loss of Ryan Shazier, the Steelers have been slow on defense and now with Bush, they will be fast on all three levels. He’s the perfect player for their scheme.
—The Eagles jumped in front of the Texans to pick offensive tackle Andre Dillard, which gives them their left tackle of the future. It’s surprising that he slipped this far, and the Eagles seized the moment.
—Tytus Howard of Alabama State, who the Texans took at No. 23, was one of the most popular and beloved offensive linemen in this draft. He might not have been in anyone’s first-round mock, but every team in the NFL had him high on their board. He took over 20 visits to NFL cities and worked out for most NFL offensive line coaches. I loved the pick.
—The market for Josh Rosen keeps getting smaller. With the Cards selecting QB Kyler Murray at No. 1, Rosen, their 10th overall pick just last year, is the odd man out. And with Missouri’s Drew Lock still on the board, the list of teams interested in Rosen keeps getting smaller. Either Cards GM Steve Keim trades him today to Miami, or he will need to hold on to him. Expect Rosen’s agent to demand a trade today. Denver has two seconds, do they trade up to get Lock? My feeling is yes.
—I don’t see how Washington plays quarterback Dwayne Haskins this year. Haskins is not a west coast passer, he does not throw the ball with rhythm and timing. In fact he would be better in the old Joe Gibbs offense, not the one Jay Gruden is currently running.
—If you listen to my podcast The GM Shuffle you know I love Arizona State wide receiver, N’Keal Harry, who New England grabbed at No. 32. Harry was my number one wide receiver and will excel in the Patriots’ offense. He is a playmaker with the ball, can run all the routes quarterback Tom Brady loves to throw and will win all the 50-50 balls in the air. He is smart, can learn quickly and will be given every opportunity to prove he can start in their offense at the X receiver from day one.
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—I hear that all is not well in New York Jets land about their scouting operation. General Manager Mike Maccagnan is on the hot seat internally, and many in the league expect changes in the Jets’ front office after the draft. Stay tuned.
—A final, non-draft-specific thought: I cannot see how the Chiefs keep wide receiver Tyreek Hill on their team, nor do I see how the NFL can allow him to play in 2019 after hearing the audio tape of him and his fiancee Crystal Espinal talking about their three-year-old son. The Chiefs responded last night as their GM Brett Veach talked to the media: “Earlier this evening we were made aware of the audio between Tyreek and Crystal [Espinal],” Veach affirmed in a team statement. “We were deeply disturbed by what we heard and are deeply concerned. Our main focus and our main concern is with the young child.” The league cannot allow this behavior to continue and must make a strong statement. Enough is enough.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)