2014 NFL Draft Day Two Grades
New York Giants D+
I can’t sing the Giants praises enough for their decision to pull high-impact wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. with the 12th overall pick, and he will be an amazing weapon for bounce-back QB Eli Manning. The Giants work yesterday, though, wasn’t as strong. The Weston Richburg pick is a very good one, and I would be shocked if he doesn’t beat out former Denver Broncos C for the starting gig. Richburg was my top-ranked center in this class, and he should forge a solid career in the NFL. Jerry Reese rocks at identifying college talent, but I think Jay Bromley was a reach pick (refer to the first paragraph, though, about a key caveat).
Philadelphia Eagles B
The Philadelphia Eagles top two wide receivers left on the board were Marqise Lee and Jordan Matthews, and they were never expected to land the former WR. Lee was snapped up by the WR-hungry Jacksonville Jaguars, and he was an absolute steal. The Eagles decided to trade up in the second round in order to snatch Matthews, as they felt compelled to secure “their guy”. Matthews is a solid WR prospect with some question marks, but he has plenty of work ethic and an underrated size/speed combo. I wish the Eagles didn’t trade up for him, but it’s a solid pick nonetheless. He looks like a great fit for Chip Kelly’s offense and should make a solid impact as the team’s slot receiver next year. The Josh Huff pick was an excellent value for the Eagles in the third round, and it goes beyond his familiarity with Chip. Huff is a versatile wide receiver who can make an impact in many different facets of the game, and I’m sure Kelly loves his hands and elite run blocking at the WR position.
Dallas Cowboys C
While I wish the Dallas Cowboys didn’t trade up and kept their picks in order to fill more needs on defense, drafting Demarcus Lawrence at the top of the second round is a move that will greatly help the Cowboys pass rush. After adding a solid offensive line prospect in the first round, the Cowboys got the help they needed up front. It will be interesting to see if the Cowboy pursue anymore upgrades on the defensive line, but it will be more interesting to see if the Cowboys can snag a top safety. Is Dion Bailey in the cards for the Cowboys? Anyway, the Cowboys defensive line looks much better now with Lawrence, George Selvie, Jeremy Mincey, and Anthony Spencer, and Lawrence is someone the Cowboys have been high on for quite some time. But if they knew they didn’t have to trade up for Kony Ealy, I wonder if they would have done things differently. Lawrence, however, is the better prospect and received much more buzz, so the Cowboys had to trade up in order to secure him.
Washington Redskins D
The Washington Redskins seem obsessed with adding offensive linemen, even though their most pressing needs are on defense. There was plenty of smoke that the Redskins would draft Cyrus Kouandjio at 35, but I wasn’t surprised when they decided to go with Moses, who played his college ball at Virginia and doesn’t have major injury concerns. While I liked that pick, I wasn’t a fan of the team’s decision to draft Spencer Long or Trent Murphy. I never liked Murphy’s tape, and Taylor Hart would have been a better pick for the Redskins at edge rusher. Plus, the team needs secondary help much more than an OLB, even if Brian Orakpo hasn’t been locked up long-term yet (I’m sure both sides will get something done). In all honesty, I like the Long pick more than the team’s decision to select Murphy, even if the Stanford pass rusher is the bigger name.