Winners and Losers of the 2015 NFL Draft

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The 2015 National Football League (NFL) Draft has concluded and was surely exciting for both the teams and viewers. With the draft totaling 256 selections, there are of course winners and losers of the draft process.

Winners

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New York Jets: Following the Jets’ free agency frenzy, they were in a prime position to add on to their acquisitions. Selecting sixth overall, the Jets managed to grab defensive end Leonard Williams, perhaps the best prospect in the entirety of the draft.

The second-round selection, in my eyes, is wary. Wide receiver Devin Smith is a solid pick, but with a receiver such as Dorial Green-Beckham still on the board, it would have been a viable selection, even with his off-field issues.

As the quarterback position has been under scrutiny for years in New York, the Jets have, potentially, addressed their needs with the selection of Bryce Petty in the fourth round. Petty will likely have no impact for the first couple years, but with the education and learning process, we could see Petty impacting Gang Green in a positive manner in the near future.

Although this may not be a draft selection, the Jets used their seventh round pick, acquired from the Brandon Marshall trade, to acquire runningback Zac Stacy from the St. Louis Rams. The Jets’ backfield is crowded, but all have proven, at one point in their career, to be effective.

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Minnesota Vikings: While the Vikings have been swirled in the media due to the Adrian Peterson dilemma, they certainly addressed their necessities through the draft.

By being in the NFC North, the Vikings face top tier wide receiver talent; for example, Green Bay’s Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, Jr., and, now, Chicago’s Kevin White. By selecting cornerback Trae Waynes from Michigan State, they have eased the reliance on the secondary.

The Vikings took advantage in the second-round by selecting linebacker Eric Kendricks out of UCLA. Combining Kendricks and Anthony Barr will create havoc in the linebacker corps in Minnesota.

As the fourth round came by, the Vikings were on the clock again. The selection of T.J. Clemmings seemed as if it were bound to happen, after the New England Patriots passed on him with the second pick in the fourth round. Clemmings, at one point speculated to be a first round talent, dropped to the fourth round due to concerns with his foot. At this value, Clemmings, if healthy, would be considered a steal.

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New England Patriots: It’s almost as if you have to have the Patriots here year in and year out. Typically, you have the Patriots make a few quality consensus picks, but then the irrational picks that the Patriots do annually follow. Either the Patriots know something we don’t, or are constantly correct on gambling.

Holding the last pick of the first round (32), the Patriots seemed inclined to trade down to acquire more picks, but with defensive tackle Malcom Brown falling to the 32 pick, it seemed a pure fit for the Patriots. Replacing Vince Wilfork is not an easy task, but with Brown joining the defensive line unit that consists of Chandler Jones, Dominique Easley, and Rob Ninkovich, it could prove to be effective.

In addition to drafting Brown, the Patriots went on to select Trey Flowers out of Arkansas and Geneo Grissom from Oklahoma. These are the type of players you would expect Belichick to shift and use periodically throughout the defense with their versatility.

Here comes the questionable pick; Belichick and company decided to use their second round pick, 64 overall, on safety Jordan Richards, a player projected to be selected in the fifth-round. In addition to Richards, the Patriots also selected long snapper Joe Cardona in the fifth-round. According to many, these players are typical Belichick players, knowledgeable of the game and leaders around the locker room.

In the third and fourth round, the Patriots seemed to do what many would assume they would have done earlier. Selecting Tre’ Jackson and Shaq Mason would ultimately create a more stable situation at the offensive line, in comparison to earlier years.

Losers

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New York Giants: The Giants selected ninth overall in the draft, but didn’t seem to capitalize on the value at the pick. Selecting offensive tackle Ereck Flowers from Miami was questionable, due to value. After seeing the Washington Redskins select Brandon Scherff, the intent in my mind was for the Giants to trade down immediately for a stock value of picks.

Fortunately, the Giants made up for their mistake in the second round. By trading for the first pick in the second round, the team selected Landon Collins, a hard hitting safety.

Collins will provide coverage to a depleted Giants’ secondary. In addition to Collins, the Giants also took UCLA pass-rusher Owamagbe Odighizuwa; Odighizuwa could prove to be one of the highlights of the draft at the value he was initially selected at.

The overvalue of Flowers is enough to say that the Giants are one of the ‘losers’ in the 2015 NFL draft.

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Indianapolis Colts: Holding the 29 overall pick in the draft, the Colts went on to select wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, from Miami. The priority of the Colts have been put aside to benefit their passing attack, yet again. Although their offensive weapons are now stacked, with Andre Johnson, T.Y. Hilton, Donte Montcrief, Coby Fleener, and Dwayne Allen, their offensive line and defensive unit remain questionable.

The defensive selections that followed could prove to be effective. Cornerback D’Joun Smith, out of Florida Atlantic, and Stanford’s Henry Anderson were both third round selections. In addition, the Colts picked nose tackle David Perry, from Stanford, a player familiar with Anderson.

Regardless, the Colts took the best available player in the first round in Dorsett, but shifted their priorities from defense back to their offensive unit.

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Buffalo Bills: Not having a first-round selection certainly does not help the fact that you want to succeed in the draft. In case you missed it, the Bills did not have a first round selection in the 2015 Draft due to them trading up to acquire wide receiver Sammy Watkins in 2014.

Selecting FSU’s Ronald Darby was most likely their safest selection, but the remainder of their picks can be considered questionable. The Bills’ depth at guard is slim, but the selection of John Miller can help establish certainty in the offensive line unit.

The Bills have created a statement through free agency, but through the draft, they have taken the force and turned it into uncertainty.