We've talked about it some in the NFL Draft threads throughout the weekend, and I just posted all of this in the bottom of the Day 3 thread. But I thought it would be interesting to kind of open a conversation on it.
Fantastic to see a record-tying 14 draftees from LSU this weekend to begin with. But there are also a lot of positive takeaways on each of the Tigers' new destinations, the franchises, the staffs, etc.
Heck, for starters, we don't have to watch any of these 14 play for the Falcons, Panthers or Bucs and face the Saints twice a year ... which has become a rarity.
Anyway, here were some of my reactions to the fits throughout the draft.
What do y'all think?
First Round...
Second day....
Aaaaaand the third day....
Fantastic to see a record-tying 14 draftees from LSU this weekend to begin with. But there are also a lot of positive takeaways on each of the Tigers' new destinations, the franchises, the staffs, etc.
Heck, for starters, we don't have to watch any of these 14 play for the Falcons, Panthers or Bucs and face the Saints twice a year ... which has become a rarity.
Anyway, here were some of my reactions to the fits throughout the draft.
What do y'all think?
First Round...
- Joe Burrow is the face of a franchise from close to home, and one that 1) hasn't been nearly as bad historically as many others often drafting No. 1 overall and 2) is led by a young coach who is a former QB and QB coach. Some pieces already in place, with record hurt further last year by a lot of injuries. OK veteran QB already there for a year and seemingly comfortable with the roles. Potentially great WR there in AJ Green, or trade bait for more assets if it's time to part ways. And I thought they did a nice job of drafting other pieces around him some this week, too.
- K'Lavon Chaisson heads to a defensive-minded organization that was in the AFC Championship just three years ago. Other LSU guys there, even if they do move Leonard. This is probably my least favorite fit of the first two days, but some positives there.
- Justin Jefferson heads to a playoff team looking to replace one of the league's better wide receivers. Opportunity there for him right off the bat, but a lot of pieces already in place, including a good young RB, another really good WR and two good TEs (one veteran and one younger who is also a Louisiana guy). Other LSU and other Louisiana guys there to welcome him.
- Patrick Queen becomes the third inside linebacker drafted by Baltimore in the first round, following Ray Lewis and C.J. Moseley, and becomes an immediate starter for a team that was a league-best 14-2 last year with an MVP QB and has been historically focused on and successful on defense and at the LB position.
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire becomes a versatile weapon at RB for the reigning Super Bowl champions with an exceptional young quarterback and high-powered offense. And you know Tyrann is going to welcome another LSU guys with big open arms.
- Grant Delpit probably ends up being a second-round steal for what has officially become "LSU North" in the football world. Rejoins Greedy. Practices against Odell and Jarvis every day. Brings Jacob Phillips with him. Team was a circus last year and still won six games. Much needed organizational changes and optimism to build from there.
- Kristian Fulton heads to a team with whom he had had a good relationship throughout the pre-draft process. Several mocks had sent him to Tennessee with the Titans' first-round pick. Instead, the CB board got a little crazy and they steal him in the second. The team led in the AFC Championship this past year, bring most of the roster back and added some nice pieces in the draft.
- Damien Lewis heads to a successful franchise in Seattle where he will compete for a starting spot right away.
- Lloyd Cushenberry III goes to well-run and typically successful franchise that was 7-9 last season amid a bit of a rebuild that should be boosted by what is being widely considered one of the league's best drafts this year. The Broncos have historically been pretty dedicated to building strong offensive lines. They just signed a free-agent center that graded out pretty well, as well as some other young-veteran guys across the line, but some flexibility at one of the guard spots to potentially move one of those guys there depending on how the position battles progress.
- Jacob Phillips joins Delpit and company heading up to Cleveland. (See above) Think both these guys taking starting roles early. Certainly the opportunity to compete for them, if nothing else.
Aaaaaand the third day....
- Saahdiq Charles heads into a team rebuilding in a bad division. Washington just shipped its star veteran tackle to San Francisco. If he's ready to focus, follow the right people and work, there should be an opportunity for him to crack the lineup early in his career and be blocking for Derrius Guice soon enough.
- Rashard Lawrence, as I wrote yesterday, gets to go eat Mexican food in Phoenix haha... But, seriously, he's heading to a building team that was 5-10-1 last season with a rookie QB and rookie coach and appears poised for continued growth. Draft had a little bit more of a defensive focus, including one of the most highly regarded difference makers in the entire draft in Isaiah Simmons calling all the way down to them at No. 8, and got a RB in the seventh round that should be a steal and work out well for that roster.
- Blake Ferguson gets to go live in Miami — relatively close to his Georgia-based family — and play for a team that played well enough later last year that they finished 5-11 despite being the youngest team in the league and allegedly trying to "tank for Tua." The Dolphins have a well-respected young coach, got Tua despite being down at No. 5 and did a good job adding linemen to protect him, etc. He'll play his older brother Reid's Buffalo Bills twice a year in a division that Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski just left for the NFC.
- Stephen Sullivan joins Damien Lewis up in Seattle playing for Coach O's buddy Pete Carroll, with star quarterback Russell Wilson in an offense that has really utilized its tight ends through the years. The biggest problem for Steph (fit-wise) is that there are a lot of TEs there at the moment, but he's a little bit of a different player/fit and they traded into that spot to make sure they got him before he could sign elsewhere, so they clearly want him. They may go ahead and move on from Luke Willson (30) now, and Greg Olsen (35) and Jacob Hollister (26) are free agents next summer, with Will Dissly (23) the summer after that. So there may be 1) a year or two to really develop, as you'd expect for most seventh-round guys, 2) the opportunity there for him to contribute by the time he's more ready to do so, and 3) the interest in his potential to be patient for that payoff.
