With the top 50 players having been announced, it’s time to recap this past season’s draft and see if teams really got the most value out of their rookies. In total, there are 6 S2 rookies who made the top 50 this season, and they proved to be the cream of the crop of their draft class. While they may not have been the highest drafted prospects at some points, they all were able to prove their value to the league and make a name for themselves early on in their careers.
Of the 6 S2 players to appear on the list this season, there are 5 offensive players and only 1 defensive player. The S2 draft seems to have been an offensive heavy draft, but do not let it fool you, there are plenty of stellar defensive players that came from the draft. When I first saw this number, I was honestly a bit surprised, and there are a few players who got snubbed that should be on the list, such as Luke Luechly, Torque Lewith, and even Dermot Lavelle. These are just a few of the standout defensive players who were snubbed this season, but they will be on the list soon if they keep up the way they play.
On the offensive side of the S2 spectrum, there are 3 offensive linemen, 1 running back, and 1 wide receiver on the list. This isn’t a surprising number, as the S2 draft was heavy on the offensive trenches, and the list reflects the strong offensive linemen class of S2. These were 3 standout lineman who made the list, and there are some worthy linemen who will make the list in due time. The RB and WR are considered the best of their class, and as such were 2 of the highest rated S2 players on the list.
Now, for the actual list.
48th Overall: Dieter Kock, OL, Baltimore Hawks. Starting off the list is Dieter Kock, a standout tackle for the Hawks in his first season. He amassed 53 pancakes, and 5 sacks allowed for the Hawks. He was 6th in the league for pancakes, starting off strong, and while he allowed a few more sacks than one would like, it’s a number that can be improved as he was inexperienced and was a rookie. It’s a strong start to the list, and a worthy fringe candidate for the top 50.
42nd Overall: Micah Hendrix, OL, Philadelphia Liberty. The 2nd offensive lineman on the list, Hendrix had a great season for an otherwise bad offensive line in Philadelphia. Don’t let some of his numbers fool you, he was stuck in what ended up being a bad situation for any offensive lineman. He was 5th in pancakes, with 54 total, just edging out Koch. He also allowed 6 sacks, which is only 1 more than Koch allowed, and what ended up being a much worse line. Hendrix was able to anchor an otherwise bad line, and with some help his stats should get much better over S3.
26th Overall: Fox North, WR, Philadelphia Liberty. Another standout rookie here, and the top WR to come out of the S2 draft class. He helped carry the Liberty’s otherwise lackluster offense, where they had subpar QB play, and subpar line play. He was the 2nd best WR in the league in terms of yards, with only Robert Phelps having more yards. He had 1302 yards, and 4 touchdowns, on 76 receptions. He was easily the leader of the rookie WRs, and could have easily won the offensive rookie of the year trophy had it not been for another stellar rookie season.
22nd Overall: Tyler Oles, CB, Philadelphia Liberty. Next up is the only rookie defender to make the list, and the man who won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Oles started off his rookie season struggling to adapt to the NSFL, but as time progressed he quickly racked up interceptions and passes defended. Oles ended the season with 63 tackles, 6 interceptions and 12 PDs. The interception number was tied for the most among CBs, and 2nd among DBs, with only standout Lincoln Jefferson having more interceptions.
19th Overall: Darlane Farlane, RB, Baltimore Hawks. Here we have the Offensive Rookie of the Year winner, and the man who was the best RB in S2. Farlane had a great rookie year, amassing 1267 yards on 376 carries, along with 5 touchdowns. He had almost 200 yards more than the next closest RB, and while the rest of his stats were nothing to really write home about, he proved that he could be a reliable workhorse back. He needs to work on his fumbling problems however, this was his biggest problem in S2.
12th Overall: Tim Pest, OL, Arizona Outlaws. The highest rated rookie, the standout OL proved his worth and cemented his name as one of the top OL in the league. He was by far the best anchor of any line this past season, as he had 60 pancakes and did not allow a single sack. He helped give Bronko all the time in the world and Bronko never had to worry about a defender coming from Pest, as Pest was able to stop them in their tracks.
Now that we’ve seen where each of the 6 rookies are ranked, next we need to look at their draft position and see which team got the most value from their picks, and which team has the most rookies on the list. With 3 rookies, the Liberty had the best impact from their rookies, which would make sense due to the large number of picks they had and that they were an expansion team. When you have as many picks as the Liberty did, you’re bound to hit a few right, and they did more than that, as they hit their first 3 picks in the draft right. The Hawks had 2 rookies on the list, providing some young talent to a team that struggled in S1. These rookies are what propelled them to a playoff berth in S2, as Farlane and company helped add new life to a team that otherwise looked like they were not going to do well. And finally, the Outlaws had 1 rookie on the top 50, but when your rookie is as good as Pest was, in a position that every team needs, I’m sure the best team in the league is fine with only having 1 guy on the top 50.
Now for their draft positions.
Tim Pest, 3rd Overall. Tim Pest was taken 3rd in the S2 draft, and proved he was worth the Outlaws first selection in the S2 draft. He was the first OL selected and was the best OL selected in the S2 draft.
Fox North, 7th Overall. The first of the Liberty 3 top 50 picks, North was the first WR and the best WR to be taken in the S2 draft. He provided the Liberty with a top tier target for their shaky QB situation.
Micah Hendrix, 8th Overall. The Liberty with their next pick took Micah Hendrix, who was the 4th OL taken in the S2 draft. He probably could have gone a little bit higher, but the Liberty are able to get some value out of a pick you want to succeed.
Tyler Oles, 12th Overall. The 3rd CB selected in the draft, he quickly rose through the ranks and put himself in the conversation of best corners in the league, not just among rookies. He was the top rookie CB, and the DROY.
Dieter Koch, 27th Overall. One of the many OL taken by the Hawks in the draft, he proved to be the best value for the Hawks. At 27th overall, he was a steal of a pick, and he made teams pay for overlooking his talent and staying on the board as long as he did.
Darlane Farlane, 36th Overall. The Hawks had their top players come from the middle rounds of the draft, as Koch was a 4th round pick, and Farlane was a 5th round pick. Farlane wouldn’t have made it out of the first round if we knew how good he was going to be. He made every team pay for not taking him, and made the Hawks look like the best team to draft, getting an absolute steal of a pick at 36th overall. The OROY was the biggest steal of the S2 draft, and would never last if the draft were to happen again.
Now, how would the draft go down if they were to do it again. I’m not going to look at every pick, as I doubt any of these players will make it past the 2nd round in a redraft.
1st Overall, Dermot Lavelle, Yellowknife Wraiths. All that talk of Oles being the best CB, yet they stick with Dermot. It’s clear they wanted Dermot, and that was why they jumped up to the first pick in the draft. They knew his talents and would do it again if they had the chance.
2nd Overall, Tim Pest, Colorado Yeti. The Yeti have a lot of problems with their OL, and Pest immediately solves some of those problems for the Yeti. He would join the Yeti and immediately be their top OL, and would immediately make that line a lot better.
3rd Overall, Tyler Oles, Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws defense has one problem, and that is their secondary, with Rashad quickly being outplayed by WRs, they need a good CB, and with Pest off the board they go with the DROY. Oles would immediately turn the teams only weakness into somewhat of a strength.
4th Overall, Vincent Sharpei, San Jose SaberCats. Cats stick with Sharpei here, they knew who they wanted and will take him as many times as they need to. He provides help at a position of need, and that is what a struggling team needs at this point.
5th Overall, Bork Bjornsson, Yellowknife Wraiths. Another pick that stays the same, the team won’t deviate from their plan, even if it means leaving Blaster Blade on the board at 5. They keep their guys in their sights, and bring both of them to Yellowknife.
6th Overall, Gregor Clegane, Orange County Otters. We all remember the story, Clegane would only go to the Otters, which basically forced the team to take him at 6th. As a good OL the team doesn’t really mind though, and will do it again.
7th Overall, Fox North, Philadelphia Liberty. We all remember this as well, North has to be taken by the Liberty due to ties to one of the GMs. Know just like Clegane, the Liberty have no problem taking the top WR again.
8th Overall, Micah Hendrix, Philadelphia Liberty. Liberty stick with their guy here, and are still able to get 2 of their 3 top 50 rookies. Hendrix is an anchor for a bad OL, and they stick with that plan again.
9th Overall, Darlane Farlane, Baltimore Hawks. Hawks get their RB, but they take him a lot higher this time around. They have to take him a lot higher, as he wouldn’t stay on the board much longer.
10th Overall, Dieter Koch, Baltimore Hawks. Again, the Hawks take one of their guys a lot earlier than they did the first time around, and while they are fine with the results, they miss out on 2 guys they would like to have.
11th Overall, Jordan Yates, San Jose SaberCats. Cats will stick to their OL heavy draft plan, and gladly take Yates a 2nd time around.
12th Overall, Blaster Blade, Philadelphia Liberty. Blade stops his slide here, with the Liberty unable to take Oles here, they take another standout defensive player instead, and someone who probably shouldn’t have stayed on the board as long as he did.
13th Overall, Luke Luechly, Yellowknife Wraiths. Wraiths stick will a LB with this pick, however they take Luechly this time around. Luechly is the biggest beneficiary of the redraft, jumping 27 spots, as he was the best LB in the draft in S2.
14th Overall, Ardie Savea, Orange County Otters. They stick with Ardie here, as they would still trade him to the Legion. A simple pick for the team to make, and one they will probably do every time.
15th Overall, Avon Blocksdale, Colorado Yeti. Another player to jump, Blocksdale helps the Yeti line and paired with Pest the line becomes a strength, not a weakness as it once was.
16th Overall, Dustin Evans, Arizona Outlaws. They stick with Evans here, another pick that the team would gladly make again. Evans provides a reliable target for Bronko, and will eventually be their top target.
And that is how I think the first two rounds of the draft plays out with these new developments. We see Luechly, who makes the highest jump of anyone, go 13th overall to the Wraiths. Luechly had a legitimate claim to the DROY award, and was one of the best value picks in the S2 draft. We also saw Farlane, Koch, and Blocksdale with significant jumps, and 2 of those 3 stay with the Hawks, only Blocksdale going to the Yeti as his new team. There are a few players who stay in the same spot, as the teams stick with the positions they need and the players they like. Blaster Blade saw the biggest drop of any player, falling 10 spots in the redraft.
So it looks like the Liberty had the best draft, while the Hawks were able to get the most out of their mid round picks. The Outlaws hit on their first pick, with the player who was the top rookie on the top 50. The Yeti, Otters, SaberCats, Legion, and Wraiths all had 0 rookies on the top 50, whether this was due to some players barely missing the cut or just poor drafting we won’t be able to tell after only 1 season. There are a few deserving players who could have been on this list, and a few that are trending in the right direction and look to make the list next season. In the first article, one that was a recap of S1 and their top rookies, someone brought up as to whether or not a rookie in S2 would make the top 10. Now that we have the results, we can see that the answer is no, while Pest was close he could not crack the top 10 of the top 50. It’ll be interesting to see how many S3 rookies will make the list, and my prediction is that there will be 5 rookies on the top 50 after S3.
(2453 words, ready to be graded)
GRADED
Of the 6 S2 players to appear on the list this season, there are 5 offensive players and only 1 defensive player. The S2 draft seems to have been an offensive heavy draft, but do not let it fool you, there are plenty of stellar defensive players that came from the draft. When I first saw this number, I was honestly a bit surprised, and there are a few players who got snubbed that should be on the list, such as Luke Luechly, Torque Lewith, and even Dermot Lavelle. These are just a few of the standout defensive players who were snubbed this season, but they will be on the list soon if they keep up the way they play.
On the offensive side of the S2 spectrum, there are 3 offensive linemen, 1 running back, and 1 wide receiver on the list. This isn’t a surprising number, as the S2 draft was heavy on the offensive trenches, and the list reflects the strong offensive linemen class of S2. These were 3 standout lineman who made the list, and there are some worthy linemen who will make the list in due time. The RB and WR are considered the best of their class, and as such were 2 of the highest rated S2 players on the list.
Now, for the actual list.
48th Overall: Dieter Kock, OL, Baltimore Hawks. Starting off the list is Dieter Kock, a standout tackle for the Hawks in his first season. He amassed 53 pancakes, and 5 sacks allowed for the Hawks. He was 6th in the league for pancakes, starting off strong, and while he allowed a few more sacks than one would like, it’s a number that can be improved as he was inexperienced and was a rookie. It’s a strong start to the list, and a worthy fringe candidate for the top 50.
42nd Overall: Micah Hendrix, OL, Philadelphia Liberty. The 2nd offensive lineman on the list, Hendrix had a great season for an otherwise bad offensive line in Philadelphia. Don’t let some of his numbers fool you, he was stuck in what ended up being a bad situation for any offensive lineman. He was 5th in pancakes, with 54 total, just edging out Koch. He also allowed 6 sacks, which is only 1 more than Koch allowed, and what ended up being a much worse line. Hendrix was able to anchor an otherwise bad line, and with some help his stats should get much better over S3.
26th Overall: Fox North, WR, Philadelphia Liberty. Another standout rookie here, and the top WR to come out of the S2 draft class. He helped carry the Liberty’s otherwise lackluster offense, where they had subpar QB play, and subpar line play. He was the 2nd best WR in the league in terms of yards, with only Robert Phelps having more yards. He had 1302 yards, and 4 touchdowns, on 76 receptions. He was easily the leader of the rookie WRs, and could have easily won the offensive rookie of the year trophy had it not been for another stellar rookie season.
22nd Overall: Tyler Oles, CB, Philadelphia Liberty. Next up is the only rookie defender to make the list, and the man who won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Oles started off his rookie season struggling to adapt to the NSFL, but as time progressed he quickly racked up interceptions and passes defended. Oles ended the season with 63 tackles, 6 interceptions and 12 PDs. The interception number was tied for the most among CBs, and 2nd among DBs, with only standout Lincoln Jefferson having more interceptions.
19th Overall: Darlane Farlane, RB, Baltimore Hawks. Here we have the Offensive Rookie of the Year winner, and the man who was the best RB in S2. Farlane had a great rookie year, amassing 1267 yards on 376 carries, along with 5 touchdowns. He had almost 200 yards more than the next closest RB, and while the rest of his stats were nothing to really write home about, he proved that he could be a reliable workhorse back. He needs to work on his fumbling problems however, this was his biggest problem in S2.
12th Overall: Tim Pest, OL, Arizona Outlaws. The highest rated rookie, the standout OL proved his worth and cemented his name as one of the top OL in the league. He was by far the best anchor of any line this past season, as he had 60 pancakes and did not allow a single sack. He helped give Bronko all the time in the world and Bronko never had to worry about a defender coming from Pest, as Pest was able to stop them in their tracks.
Now that we’ve seen where each of the 6 rookies are ranked, next we need to look at their draft position and see which team got the most value from their picks, and which team has the most rookies on the list. With 3 rookies, the Liberty had the best impact from their rookies, which would make sense due to the large number of picks they had and that they were an expansion team. When you have as many picks as the Liberty did, you’re bound to hit a few right, and they did more than that, as they hit their first 3 picks in the draft right. The Hawks had 2 rookies on the list, providing some young talent to a team that struggled in S1. These rookies are what propelled them to a playoff berth in S2, as Farlane and company helped add new life to a team that otherwise looked like they were not going to do well. And finally, the Outlaws had 1 rookie on the top 50, but when your rookie is as good as Pest was, in a position that every team needs, I’m sure the best team in the league is fine with only having 1 guy on the top 50.
Now for their draft positions.
Tim Pest, 3rd Overall. Tim Pest was taken 3rd in the S2 draft, and proved he was worth the Outlaws first selection in the S2 draft. He was the first OL selected and was the best OL selected in the S2 draft.
Fox North, 7th Overall. The first of the Liberty 3 top 50 picks, North was the first WR and the best WR to be taken in the S2 draft. He provided the Liberty with a top tier target for their shaky QB situation.
Micah Hendrix, 8th Overall. The Liberty with their next pick took Micah Hendrix, who was the 4th OL taken in the S2 draft. He probably could have gone a little bit higher, but the Liberty are able to get some value out of a pick you want to succeed.
Tyler Oles, 12th Overall. The 3rd CB selected in the draft, he quickly rose through the ranks and put himself in the conversation of best corners in the league, not just among rookies. He was the top rookie CB, and the DROY.
Dieter Koch, 27th Overall. One of the many OL taken by the Hawks in the draft, he proved to be the best value for the Hawks. At 27th overall, he was a steal of a pick, and he made teams pay for overlooking his talent and staying on the board as long as he did.
Darlane Farlane, 36th Overall. The Hawks had their top players come from the middle rounds of the draft, as Koch was a 4th round pick, and Farlane was a 5th round pick. Farlane wouldn’t have made it out of the first round if we knew how good he was going to be. He made every team pay for not taking him, and made the Hawks look like the best team to draft, getting an absolute steal of a pick at 36th overall. The OROY was the biggest steal of the S2 draft, and would never last if the draft were to happen again.
Now, how would the draft go down if they were to do it again. I’m not going to look at every pick, as I doubt any of these players will make it past the 2nd round in a redraft.
1st Overall, Dermot Lavelle, Yellowknife Wraiths. All that talk of Oles being the best CB, yet they stick with Dermot. It’s clear they wanted Dermot, and that was why they jumped up to the first pick in the draft. They knew his talents and would do it again if they had the chance.
2nd Overall, Tim Pest, Colorado Yeti. The Yeti have a lot of problems with their OL, and Pest immediately solves some of those problems for the Yeti. He would join the Yeti and immediately be their top OL, and would immediately make that line a lot better.
3rd Overall, Tyler Oles, Arizona Outlaws. The Outlaws defense has one problem, and that is their secondary, with Rashad quickly being outplayed by WRs, they need a good CB, and with Pest off the board they go with the DROY. Oles would immediately turn the teams only weakness into somewhat of a strength.
4th Overall, Vincent Sharpei, San Jose SaberCats. Cats stick with Sharpei here, they knew who they wanted and will take him as many times as they need to. He provides help at a position of need, and that is what a struggling team needs at this point.
5th Overall, Bork Bjornsson, Yellowknife Wraiths. Another pick that stays the same, the team won’t deviate from their plan, even if it means leaving Blaster Blade on the board at 5. They keep their guys in their sights, and bring both of them to Yellowknife.
6th Overall, Gregor Clegane, Orange County Otters. We all remember the story, Clegane would only go to the Otters, which basically forced the team to take him at 6th. As a good OL the team doesn’t really mind though, and will do it again.
7th Overall, Fox North, Philadelphia Liberty. We all remember this as well, North has to be taken by the Liberty due to ties to one of the GMs. Know just like Clegane, the Liberty have no problem taking the top WR again.
8th Overall, Micah Hendrix, Philadelphia Liberty. Liberty stick with their guy here, and are still able to get 2 of their 3 top 50 rookies. Hendrix is an anchor for a bad OL, and they stick with that plan again.
9th Overall, Darlane Farlane, Baltimore Hawks. Hawks get their RB, but they take him a lot higher this time around. They have to take him a lot higher, as he wouldn’t stay on the board much longer.
10th Overall, Dieter Koch, Baltimore Hawks. Again, the Hawks take one of their guys a lot earlier than they did the first time around, and while they are fine with the results, they miss out on 2 guys they would like to have.
11th Overall, Jordan Yates, San Jose SaberCats. Cats will stick to their OL heavy draft plan, and gladly take Yates a 2nd time around.
12th Overall, Blaster Blade, Philadelphia Liberty. Blade stops his slide here, with the Liberty unable to take Oles here, they take another standout defensive player instead, and someone who probably shouldn’t have stayed on the board as long as he did.
13th Overall, Luke Luechly, Yellowknife Wraiths. Wraiths stick will a LB with this pick, however they take Luechly this time around. Luechly is the biggest beneficiary of the redraft, jumping 27 spots, as he was the best LB in the draft in S2.
14th Overall, Ardie Savea, Orange County Otters. They stick with Ardie here, as they would still trade him to the Legion. A simple pick for the team to make, and one they will probably do every time.
15th Overall, Avon Blocksdale, Colorado Yeti. Another player to jump, Blocksdale helps the Yeti line and paired with Pest the line becomes a strength, not a weakness as it once was.
16th Overall, Dustin Evans, Arizona Outlaws. They stick with Evans here, another pick that the team would gladly make again. Evans provides a reliable target for Bronko, and will eventually be their top target.
And that is how I think the first two rounds of the draft plays out with these new developments. We see Luechly, who makes the highest jump of anyone, go 13th overall to the Wraiths. Luechly had a legitimate claim to the DROY award, and was one of the best value picks in the S2 draft. We also saw Farlane, Koch, and Blocksdale with significant jumps, and 2 of those 3 stay with the Hawks, only Blocksdale going to the Yeti as his new team. There are a few players who stay in the same spot, as the teams stick with the positions they need and the players they like. Blaster Blade saw the biggest drop of any player, falling 10 spots in the redraft.
So it looks like the Liberty had the best draft, while the Hawks were able to get the most out of their mid round picks. The Outlaws hit on their first pick, with the player who was the top rookie on the top 50. The Yeti, Otters, SaberCats, Legion, and Wraiths all had 0 rookies on the top 50, whether this was due to some players barely missing the cut or just poor drafting we won’t be able to tell after only 1 season. There are a few deserving players who could have been on this list, and a few that are trending in the right direction and look to make the list next season. In the first article, one that was a recap of S1 and their top rookies, someone brought up as to whether or not a rookie in S2 would make the top 10. Now that we have the results, we can see that the answer is no, while Pest was close he could not crack the top 10 of the top 50. It’ll be interesting to see how many S3 rookies will make the list, and my prediction is that there will be 5 rookies on the top 50 after S3.
(2453 words, ready to be graded)
GRADED
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