[div align=\\\"center\\\"]S2 Draft Review/Grades
[/div]
On this night, the S2 NSFL draft was completed. In was the deepest non-inaugural draft I have ever seen, all teams came out believing that they had improved their chances of winning. These are my takes on the drafts of each team after an intense and tiring draft.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Yellowknife Wraiths[/div]
Picks: Dermot Lavelle, Bork Bjornsson, Kevin Cushing, Marcus Kane, Tyron Smith, Darren Smallwood, Luke Chunk, Jazzy J, Domantas Sabonis, Rafael Reyes, Eric Kennedy, Jason Jerek
This draft was an interesting one for the Wraiths. They had an amazing first four picks. Lavelle was the best CB, Bjornsson the best DL, and Cushing the best LB. Lavelle returns home, while Bjornsson will be asked to fill the big shoes of Mark Ramrio. There isn't much argument to these, the only potential flaw is that Cushing could end up rubbing people the wrong way. Hopefully he won't for the sake of the team and their draft class. Kane has a chance to be the best safety but started a bit behind everybody else training wise. After that, I feel like there was a drop off. Tyron Smith was a good pick on paper and can end up being very good, but I do have questions as to his dedication to actually trying to get better. For Darren Smallwood, he just started recently but has been rather active. I think he will be a decent wide receiver and I think if he passes Shaloiko this year, it will be an excellent pick. I am not as high on Chunk as many other, as I feel like he will not end up working very hard to reach maximum potential. Jazzy J is extremely new, so I have no say on what he will do. Sabonis has a chance to be active, but do they really need a RB behind Nuck? I would say no, but there is a chance he could get into the rotation. I don't think that any of their last three picks will end up making the roster as I fail to see where any of them can make an impact for the team.
Grade: B+
The only thing really missing for me in this draft is that the Wraiths failed to get more DL help, which could be attributed to them having no picks in the 5th and 6th rounds. They missed a lot of great D-Line prospects and though they improved their defense some for the future, their line will be pourous once again, as they failed to get a dominant pass rusher.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Colorado Yeti
[/div]Picks: Blaster Blade, Roman Thomas, Big Bot, John Ross, Rich Gucci, Gadget Tech, Steve Austin, Torque Lewith, Santana Moss
The Yeti's draft was definitely not my personal favorite. Blaster Blade was a good pick based on current production, but I have major questions about how his activity will hold up when he goes back to school and he told me he is 5 million in debt. And knowing Blade, I know he hates writing. He will be a great DE for a few years, but I don't know how long he will hold up production wise. Roman Thomas is an underwhelming pick to me because he has been around a while but has not progressed as much as I think he should have, I would've liked to have seen Kronen or Kane picked here as I think they are long term better picks. Big Bot was a great addition. As an Outlaw I know we wanted him as a late round pick and if he lives up to his reputation, he will be a great defensive end or defensive tackle. John Ross is an intriguing prospect as he has recently picked up activity. He has also missed a few weeks of training, so it will be interesting to see what he does to build up a bank account for training. I have no idea if Gadget Tech will be active, but Yeti needs all the OLine help they can get, especially after the championship. Steve Austin is a player the team is ecstatic about after the draft, I am not sure if he will live up to how they are billing him, but he will slide in just fine as a 4th LB for them. Torque Lewith was an activity pick, in my opinion. He told us he refused to play anything but QB, so if he still refuses it is kind of a waste behind Noble. An intriguing pick, nonetheless. Santana Moss is a throwaway pick in my opinion, he hasn't been on in a while.
Grade: C+
I have major questions about Blade, Thomas, Ross, and Gucci. I think short term they will be solid, but long term they will be let downs. I think the team failed to address a major need, which was their OLine. Though it is not awful by any means, I feel like after the championship game it would be something they saw as a necessity to upgrade. Not a terrible draft, but not an exceptional one either.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Arizona Outlaws
[/div]Picks: Tim Pest, Dustin Evans, Scotty Timlin, CA Chess, Luke Luechly, Christiano Ronaldo, Connor MacManus, Buster Brownce, Hingle McCringleberry, Gui Worthy, Teez Tobin, Jack Vanderjagt
I will probably be called biased for my evaluation of this one so let's just get that out of the way. Tim Pest was the second best lineman available and though he is quiet, anybody who watched his last full week of sims and the playoffs realizes he is quickly developing into one of the best OL in the league. Dustin Evans was the number seven player on my board, as well as the number one wide receiver. He is also one of those players that has a season of experience under his belt, while filling a huge need for the Outlaws. Scotty Timlin is a player who played for the Outlaws last season and was productive. I do think Dieter Koch might have been a better pick, but Timlin is a guy who works decently hard and will be a welcomed back addition. CA Chess is one of the best value picks in the draft to me. Bronko needs playmakers around him and CA Chess was the #13 prospect on our board. He is a great player and locker room personality, and many were surprised he fell so far. Luke Luechly was our #1 LB as he is very familiar with the sim engine. Even though he is not currently the most active, he is a great mind who we hope can bring us experience. The Ronaldo made some people scratch their head, but we needed a player, who even if he will only punt, can help us flip the field and Ronaldo does that for us. Connor MacManus and Buster Brownce are two inactive OL's with great build, who we believe we can get back to at least get activity checks. Hingle McCringleberry is an active LB who we were surprised fell so far, but were lucky to scoop up. Gui Worthy is a throwaway pick. Tobin was a stud in prospect games and is semi-active, so he can provide us with some punch behind Reg. Vanderjagt is honestly inactive, but a better kicker than Nugent. And we had to pick a Mr. Irrelevant.
Grade: A-
I think the only real blunder was Timlin over Koch. Pest, Evans, Chess, Timlin, Davis, Luechly, and Ronaldo are all day 1 starters who are constantly improving. We had holes all over the place as we were hit worst by expansion draft, but we added players to fill almost every hole. I truly think we had the best draft as we got 4 of our top 20 players on our big board and 3 of the top at their respective positions. We may not compete again, but we have filled glaring needs to prepare us to battle all season long.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]San Jose Sabercats
[/div]Picks: Vincent Sharpei, Jordan Yates, Enchilada Charlton, Xavier Newman, Chidubem Okonkwo, Christian Adams, Denzel Diaz, Noah Parker, Braden Sharp, Manny Paz, John Goose, Mac Donald
A very big draft for the Sabercats. Literally. A lot of their picks came to beef up their porous lines. I think that Vincent Sharpei was a bad pick. Here's why: Micah Hendrix was available. I know Sharpei has a slight lead in his TPE, but I think that Hendrix has a more effective build and has proven that his activity is through the roof. I personally had Hendrix above Sharpei on my big board and think he would have been the better pick. Jordan Yates was an exceptional pick as he and Sharpei will form a dynamic one-two punch on the line. Charlton was a questionable pick to me just because I think they could have gotten a guy like Kronen or Kane to help their secondary and still gotten Enchilada at their next pick. I think that Xavier Newman has a bit of an odd build, but will earn enough TPE to be a slot or maybe one day a #2 CB. I'm not sure I would want him in my secondary from the start. I think that Okonkwo was one of the most overrated prospects in the draft, but for a team who needed a defensive lineman, he was the best available in a thin draft at the position. Christian Adams was the second best QB, but he will suffice. Denzel Diaz will turn into a great running back and should form a dynamic one two punch with Durden, as he will eventually be the head of the punch. Noah Parker is a prospect who started off hot, but has not been around in a long time. I think they missed here and would've been better with Chunk or Austin. Braden Sharp is a decent filler for the OL, though he was not very productive with Arizona last year. Manny Paz is a decent filler, but his dedication is weak. John Goose could be a big steal, as he was around on draft night and could be a sleeper pick. Mac Donald is not very good and I'll leave it at that.
Grade: B
I think this draft was extremely top heavy as they landed two good players in the first round and potentially another in the third. I think Xavier Newman will be an average player and Diaz will develop into a good RB. Other than that, Adams is a flight risk, but could be a good QB. This is a risky draft and it is very boom or bust. I could see this developing into the best or the worst drafts.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Orange County Otters
[/div]Picks: Gregor Clegane, Ardie Savea, Ragner Kronen, Marc Spector, Ben Green, Isaiah McGinn, Joey Langdon, Shjom Finkenlarkin
The Orange County Otters did one thing that was exceptionally stupid, they stopped picking after 8 rounds. No matter what else I talk about in regards to the draft, that was one of the dumbest choices I've seen in a while. As for their picks, Clegane was a good pick, but I will never respect the way they went about getting him and the way they play it off innocently. I really have nothing to say about the pick except that it realistically should not have happened. I think Ardea Savea was a terrible pick since they already have Bowers Jr. and Jenkins. They want to move him to LB, I assume, but he stated to GMs before the draft that he wanted to stay on offense. Unfortunately for OCO, they don't really have space there right now. Kronen was a good pick for the back of their defense as he will be an adequate safety and could surpass his draft position. Marc Spector is a prospect who came on late and should develop into a solid corner, he has a good build and will likely perform well. I think that Ben Green is being overhyped as a prospect. He is not a high TPE earner and is average in most attributes when it comes to defensive tackles. A solid pick in the position, though I would have gone with Big Bot and shifted around my defensive line if they were set on DL. If not, I would have picked a high level active like Damien Kroetch and tried to get him to move around positions or put him as an elite third receiver. McGinn is a decent pick, but gives them a third safety. Interesting pick who could potentially move to linebacker. Langdon is a hit or miss kicker, and likely miss if nobody from SHL is here to hold him accountable. Finkenlarkin is a filler offensive lineman who may become active. I know he said he would only play for certain teams so maybe the Otters are one he tried to force his way to.
Grade: B-
I think that the Otters cost themselves at potential players by just throwing away 4 picks at the end of the draft. They could've added a solid LB prospect like Austin at a position they needed. I think Savea was a terrible pick because he doesn't fit into what they need. Kronen and Spector are solid, but other than that I think they passed on better options at almost every pick. I think their BPA approach may hurt them more than they expect. Luckily they don't need much to be title favorite, so retaining Clegane and gaining a solid safety may prove to be a big help for them.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Las Vegas Legion
[/div]Picks: Kyle Cobb, Johnny Rocket, Thaddeus Bullard, Leon Morgan, Ryan Lecavelier, Typical Newenglander
The Legion's approach of trading all of their draft picks for players who are stunting in growth was an approach critiqued by many and approved of by a minority. They went the opposite direction of the Liberty and the difference in number of picks will show the disparity in their drafts. I think that Cobb needs to be making more money and was overrated coming into the draft, but I also think he fell enough to where he became a great pick. Johnny Rocket is a polarizing prospect as he already had a solid running back, but retired to get a fresh start. He could turn into a flight risk, but is currently on pace to be a steal and could develop into some type of player for the team. Thaddeus Bullard was a great pick, but would not have been for most other teams. He already had a player who he retired, but is a decent prospect. Bullard rubs a lot of people the wrong way with his antics in the discord and has proven to not be the most committed. He is good friends with his GM which will prove to be a mutually beneficial relationship. Leon Morgan was a late bloomer as he very recently became active. He will end up being a boom or bust, but this could very well be an exceptional late round pick for the Legion. But realistically, I don't think it will turn into anything. The last two picks of Lecavelier and Newenglander are throwaway picks to me, just filling voids.
Draft Grade: D based on haul from draft as whole, B based on picks they had
I think that the Legion got good value for their picks, but I think they threw away too many picks for inactive players, especially in this loaded draft class. Based on the picks they had, it was solid. I think taking Kroetch then Diaz would've been a better approach, but they still got solid players. Bullard should be a workhorse if he actually focuses and tries for once.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Philadelphia Liberty
[/div]Picks: Fox North, Micah Hendrix, Tyler Oles, Drew Davidson, Perry Tucker, Paul Dimirio, Kristoffer Sullivan, Ottokar Von Gerhardt, Luke Washington, Matt James, Brett Dodggy, Shawn Brady, Damien Kroetch, Donovan Maric, Bradley T. MadLad, Hunter Mason
Wow that is a lot of players and a lot of potential. To start it off, I think the Liberty drafted the second best wide receiver in the draft in Fox North. He will develop into a talented player especially in a leadership role. Micah Hendrix was a major sleeper to me when he joined, but shot up rankings late. He has a great build and superstar activity, he will develop into a star. Oles is a player who just joined but is an exceptional athlete and will provide the Liberty with a great cornerback prospect. Drew Davidson was one of my favorite DE prospects and I am certain he will become a great player off of the edge. Tucker and Dimirio are great picks as they are like Gronk and Hernandez. Tucker is much more of an inline tight end while Dimirio is a guy you can split out wide. Sullivan is a risky pick, but one that had to be made late. With a chance to repair an iffy reputation, they could become a great player. I didn't like Gerhardt as much as some, but he was one of the best DL on the board and should be better than the bots presented. Luke Washington is a decent pick, but I think Luechly was a much better LB available, based on my scouting. James will develop into a solid offensive lineman and Dodggy will be an average filler, in my opinion. I think Hendrix and James could form a very strong 1-2 on the OLine. Brady was the best QB available and becomes the QB of the future for the Liberty. Kroetch falls in as an exceptional wideout who is well worth the late pick. Maric has a solid build and could end up being the linebacker steal of the draft. MadLad has a chance to be the best of the late OL picks, but somebody will have to hold him accountable. Mason is brand new and we have not really seen anything out of him as a player, a good late round pick to get another WR.
Grade: A+
I think the Liberty knocked this out of the park. I think they will start to be competitive this year and will be among some elite ranks in season 3. They got a lot of the top positional talents in this draft and I think they are loaded with future Pro Bowl players. North, Hendrix, Oles, Davidson, Tucker, Dimirio, Sullivan, and Gerhardt is easily the best headline of any draft class in S2. They will be a lethal team if all of their players live up to their projections. I love this draft.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Baltimore Hawks
[/div]Picks: Darnell Turner, Brokk Lee, Owen Taylor, Jorge Masdival, Alonzo Charles, Dieter Koch, Avon Blocksdale, Darlane Farlane, James Wright, Matthew Vincent, Carmel Gibson, John Baker, Pat Pancake, James Lillico, Jesse Sanderson, Frederick Smith
Another team with a ton of picks in this draft after some solid maneuvering. I think they landed the second best DB in this draft with the pick of Turner. Brokk Lee is a player that fits a huge need, but part of me thinks Jordan Yates would have been a better pick. Taylor will be a good player to provide pressure of the edge to help out that defense. Masdival is amongst the fastest players in the draft, but I question his dedication to the league as his activity has slowed down. Knowing Alonzo Charles, I think he will be active for about 2 moths and then burn out. He will still progress decently for the team. Dieter Koch is a relatively new player, but I am a big fan of his game and activity. I don't know much about Blocksdale, but he needs to get his run blocking up. Extremely new with relatively good activity. I think Darlane Farlane was a steal, I had him rated as the second best RB and getting that in the fifth round is big time. James right is a meh LB prospect. Matthew Vincent is a quiet guy who will be good if he starts dedicating time and trying to improve. Carmel Gibson is relatively inactive. I think John Baker will be a solid WR steal. Pat Pancake is pretty inactive as is James Lillico. Sanderson is a contingency for Gibson and Smith is just a filler I guess. The last picks really served this team no value.
Grade: B+
I think taking Yates would have been a smarter choice for this team and I think Kronen is a far superior prospect to Masdival. I also think that their OL picks will be solid, but not greatness. Farlane was a fantastic pick and Vincent and Baker could help solidify this as an incredibly deep draft for the Hawks. Their fate will fall on if their first 4 picks can stay fully active and if these OL prospects can come together to finally give this team some beef in the trenches. The Hawks did a good job of filling their needs, now the players must progress.
words: 3,491
GRADED
[/div]
On this night, the S2 NSFL draft was completed. In was the deepest non-inaugural draft I have ever seen, all teams came out believing that they had improved their chances of winning. These are my takes on the drafts of each team after an intense and tiring draft.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]
Yellowknife Wraiths[/div]
Picks: Dermot Lavelle, Bork Bjornsson, Kevin Cushing, Marcus Kane, Tyron Smith, Darren Smallwood, Luke Chunk, Jazzy J, Domantas Sabonis, Rafael Reyes, Eric Kennedy, Jason Jerek
This draft was an interesting one for the Wraiths. They had an amazing first four picks. Lavelle was the best CB, Bjornsson the best DL, and Cushing the best LB. Lavelle returns home, while Bjornsson will be asked to fill the big shoes of Mark Ramrio. There isn't much argument to these, the only potential flaw is that Cushing could end up rubbing people the wrong way. Hopefully he won't for the sake of the team and their draft class. Kane has a chance to be the best safety but started a bit behind everybody else training wise. After that, I feel like there was a drop off. Tyron Smith was a good pick on paper and can end up being very good, but I do have questions as to his dedication to actually trying to get better. For Darren Smallwood, he just started recently but has been rather active. I think he will be a decent wide receiver and I think if he passes Shaloiko this year, it will be an excellent pick. I am not as high on Chunk as many other, as I feel like he will not end up working very hard to reach maximum potential. Jazzy J is extremely new, so I have no say on what he will do. Sabonis has a chance to be active, but do they really need a RB behind Nuck? I would say no, but there is a chance he could get into the rotation. I don't think that any of their last three picks will end up making the roster as I fail to see where any of them can make an impact for the team.
Grade: B+
The only thing really missing for me in this draft is that the Wraiths failed to get more DL help, which could be attributed to them having no picks in the 5th and 6th rounds. They missed a lot of great D-Line prospects and though they improved their defense some for the future, their line will be pourous once again, as they failed to get a dominant pass rusher.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Colorado Yeti
[/div]Picks: Blaster Blade, Roman Thomas, Big Bot, John Ross, Rich Gucci, Gadget Tech, Steve Austin, Torque Lewith, Santana Moss
The Yeti's draft was definitely not my personal favorite. Blaster Blade was a good pick based on current production, but I have major questions about how his activity will hold up when he goes back to school and he told me he is 5 million in debt. And knowing Blade, I know he hates writing. He will be a great DE for a few years, but I don't know how long he will hold up production wise. Roman Thomas is an underwhelming pick to me because he has been around a while but has not progressed as much as I think he should have, I would've liked to have seen Kronen or Kane picked here as I think they are long term better picks. Big Bot was a great addition. As an Outlaw I know we wanted him as a late round pick and if he lives up to his reputation, he will be a great defensive end or defensive tackle. John Ross is an intriguing prospect as he has recently picked up activity. He has also missed a few weeks of training, so it will be interesting to see what he does to build up a bank account for training. I have no idea if Gadget Tech will be active, but Yeti needs all the OLine help they can get, especially after the championship. Steve Austin is a player the team is ecstatic about after the draft, I am not sure if he will live up to how they are billing him, but he will slide in just fine as a 4th LB for them. Torque Lewith was an activity pick, in my opinion. He told us he refused to play anything but QB, so if he still refuses it is kind of a waste behind Noble. An intriguing pick, nonetheless. Santana Moss is a throwaway pick in my opinion, he hasn't been on in a while.
Grade: C+
I have major questions about Blade, Thomas, Ross, and Gucci. I think short term they will be solid, but long term they will be let downs. I think the team failed to address a major need, which was their OLine. Though it is not awful by any means, I feel like after the championship game it would be something they saw as a necessity to upgrade. Not a terrible draft, but not an exceptional one either.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Arizona Outlaws
[/div]Picks: Tim Pest, Dustin Evans, Scotty Timlin, CA Chess, Luke Luechly, Christiano Ronaldo, Connor MacManus, Buster Brownce, Hingle McCringleberry, Gui Worthy, Teez Tobin, Jack Vanderjagt
I will probably be called biased for my evaluation of this one so let's just get that out of the way. Tim Pest was the second best lineman available and though he is quiet, anybody who watched his last full week of sims and the playoffs realizes he is quickly developing into one of the best OL in the league. Dustin Evans was the number seven player on my board, as well as the number one wide receiver. He is also one of those players that has a season of experience under his belt, while filling a huge need for the Outlaws. Scotty Timlin is a player who played for the Outlaws last season and was productive. I do think Dieter Koch might have been a better pick, but Timlin is a guy who works decently hard and will be a welcomed back addition. CA Chess is one of the best value picks in the draft to me. Bronko needs playmakers around him and CA Chess was the #13 prospect on our board. He is a great player and locker room personality, and many were surprised he fell so far. Luke Luechly was our #1 LB as he is very familiar with the sim engine. Even though he is not currently the most active, he is a great mind who we hope can bring us experience. The Ronaldo made some people scratch their head, but we needed a player, who even if he will only punt, can help us flip the field and Ronaldo does that for us. Connor MacManus and Buster Brownce are two inactive OL's with great build, who we believe we can get back to at least get activity checks. Hingle McCringleberry is an active LB who we were surprised fell so far, but were lucky to scoop up. Gui Worthy is a throwaway pick. Tobin was a stud in prospect games and is semi-active, so he can provide us with some punch behind Reg. Vanderjagt is honestly inactive, but a better kicker than Nugent. And we had to pick a Mr. Irrelevant.
Grade: A-
I think the only real blunder was Timlin over Koch. Pest, Evans, Chess, Timlin, Davis, Luechly, and Ronaldo are all day 1 starters who are constantly improving. We had holes all over the place as we were hit worst by expansion draft, but we added players to fill almost every hole. I truly think we had the best draft as we got 4 of our top 20 players on our big board and 3 of the top at their respective positions. We may not compete again, but we have filled glaring needs to prepare us to battle all season long.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]San Jose Sabercats
[/div]Picks: Vincent Sharpei, Jordan Yates, Enchilada Charlton, Xavier Newman, Chidubem Okonkwo, Christian Adams, Denzel Diaz, Noah Parker, Braden Sharp, Manny Paz, John Goose, Mac Donald
A very big draft for the Sabercats. Literally. A lot of their picks came to beef up their porous lines. I think that Vincent Sharpei was a bad pick. Here's why: Micah Hendrix was available. I know Sharpei has a slight lead in his TPE, but I think that Hendrix has a more effective build and has proven that his activity is through the roof. I personally had Hendrix above Sharpei on my big board and think he would have been the better pick. Jordan Yates was an exceptional pick as he and Sharpei will form a dynamic one-two punch on the line. Charlton was a questionable pick to me just because I think they could have gotten a guy like Kronen or Kane to help their secondary and still gotten Enchilada at their next pick. I think that Xavier Newman has a bit of an odd build, but will earn enough TPE to be a slot or maybe one day a #2 CB. I'm not sure I would want him in my secondary from the start. I think that Okonkwo was one of the most overrated prospects in the draft, but for a team who needed a defensive lineman, he was the best available in a thin draft at the position. Christian Adams was the second best QB, but he will suffice. Denzel Diaz will turn into a great running back and should form a dynamic one two punch with Durden, as he will eventually be the head of the punch. Noah Parker is a prospect who started off hot, but has not been around in a long time. I think they missed here and would've been better with Chunk or Austin. Braden Sharp is a decent filler for the OL, though he was not very productive with Arizona last year. Manny Paz is a decent filler, but his dedication is weak. John Goose could be a big steal, as he was around on draft night and could be a sleeper pick. Mac Donald is not very good and I'll leave it at that.
Grade: B
I think this draft was extremely top heavy as they landed two good players in the first round and potentially another in the third. I think Xavier Newman will be an average player and Diaz will develop into a good RB. Other than that, Adams is a flight risk, but could be a good QB. This is a risky draft and it is very boom or bust. I could see this developing into the best or the worst drafts.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Orange County Otters
[/div]Picks: Gregor Clegane, Ardie Savea, Ragner Kronen, Marc Spector, Ben Green, Isaiah McGinn, Joey Langdon, Shjom Finkenlarkin
The Orange County Otters did one thing that was exceptionally stupid, they stopped picking after 8 rounds. No matter what else I talk about in regards to the draft, that was one of the dumbest choices I've seen in a while. As for their picks, Clegane was a good pick, but I will never respect the way they went about getting him and the way they play it off innocently. I really have nothing to say about the pick except that it realistically should not have happened. I think Ardea Savea was a terrible pick since they already have Bowers Jr. and Jenkins. They want to move him to LB, I assume, but he stated to GMs before the draft that he wanted to stay on offense. Unfortunately for OCO, they don't really have space there right now. Kronen was a good pick for the back of their defense as he will be an adequate safety and could surpass his draft position. Marc Spector is a prospect who came on late and should develop into a solid corner, he has a good build and will likely perform well. I think that Ben Green is being overhyped as a prospect. He is not a high TPE earner and is average in most attributes when it comes to defensive tackles. A solid pick in the position, though I would have gone with Big Bot and shifted around my defensive line if they were set on DL. If not, I would have picked a high level active like Damien Kroetch and tried to get him to move around positions or put him as an elite third receiver. McGinn is a decent pick, but gives them a third safety. Interesting pick who could potentially move to linebacker. Langdon is a hit or miss kicker, and likely miss if nobody from SHL is here to hold him accountable. Finkenlarkin is a filler offensive lineman who may become active. I know he said he would only play for certain teams so maybe the Otters are one he tried to force his way to.
Grade: B-
I think that the Otters cost themselves at potential players by just throwing away 4 picks at the end of the draft. They could've added a solid LB prospect like Austin at a position they needed. I think Savea was a terrible pick because he doesn't fit into what they need. Kronen and Spector are solid, but other than that I think they passed on better options at almost every pick. I think their BPA approach may hurt them more than they expect. Luckily they don't need much to be title favorite, so retaining Clegane and gaining a solid safety may prove to be a big help for them.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Las Vegas Legion
[/div]Picks: Kyle Cobb, Johnny Rocket, Thaddeus Bullard, Leon Morgan, Ryan Lecavelier, Typical Newenglander
The Legion's approach of trading all of their draft picks for players who are stunting in growth was an approach critiqued by many and approved of by a minority. They went the opposite direction of the Liberty and the difference in number of picks will show the disparity in their drafts. I think that Cobb needs to be making more money and was overrated coming into the draft, but I also think he fell enough to where he became a great pick. Johnny Rocket is a polarizing prospect as he already had a solid running back, but retired to get a fresh start. He could turn into a flight risk, but is currently on pace to be a steal and could develop into some type of player for the team. Thaddeus Bullard was a great pick, but would not have been for most other teams. He already had a player who he retired, but is a decent prospect. Bullard rubs a lot of people the wrong way with his antics in the discord and has proven to not be the most committed. He is good friends with his GM which will prove to be a mutually beneficial relationship. Leon Morgan was a late bloomer as he very recently became active. He will end up being a boom or bust, but this could very well be an exceptional late round pick for the Legion. But realistically, I don't think it will turn into anything. The last two picks of Lecavelier and Newenglander are throwaway picks to me, just filling voids.
Draft Grade: D based on haul from draft as whole, B based on picks they had
I think that the Legion got good value for their picks, but I think they threw away too many picks for inactive players, especially in this loaded draft class. Based on the picks they had, it was solid. I think taking Kroetch then Diaz would've been a better approach, but they still got solid players. Bullard should be a workhorse if he actually focuses and tries for once.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Philadelphia Liberty
[/div]Picks: Fox North, Micah Hendrix, Tyler Oles, Drew Davidson, Perry Tucker, Paul Dimirio, Kristoffer Sullivan, Ottokar Von Gerhardt, Luke Washington, Matt James, Brett Dodggy, Shawn Brady, Damien Kroetch, Donovan Maric, Bradley T. MadLad, Hunter Mason
Wow that is a lot of players and a lot of potential. To start it off, I think the Liberty drafted the second best wide receiver in the draft in Fox North. He will develop into a talented player especially in a leadership role. Micah Hendrix was a major sleeper to me when he joined, but shot up rankings late. He has a great build and superstar activity, he will develop into a star. Oles is a player who just joined but is an exceptional athlete and will provide the Liberty with a great cornerback prospect. Drew Davidson was one of my favorite DE prospects and I am certain he will become a great player off of the edge. Tucker and Dimirio are great picks as they are like Gronk and Hernandez. Tucker is much more of an inline tight end while Dimirio is a guy you can split out wide. Sullivan is a risky pick, but one that had to be made late. With a chance to repair an iffy reputation, they could become a great player. I didn't like Gerhardt as much as some, but he was one of the best DL on the board and should be better than the bots presented. Luke Washington is a decent pick, but I think Luechly was a much better LB available, based on my scouting. James will develop into a solid offensive lineman and Dodggy will be an average filler, in my opinion. I think Hendrix and James could form a very strong 1-2 on the OLine. Brady was the best QB available and becomes the QB of the future for the Liberty. Kroetch falls in as an exceptional wideout who is well worth the late pick. Maric has a solid build and could end up being the linebacker steal of the draft. MadLad has a chance to be the best of the late OL picks, but somebody will have to hold him accountable. Mason is brand new and we have not really seen anything out of him as a player, a good late round pick to get another WR.
Grade: A+
I think the Liberty knocked this out of the park. I think they will start to be competitive this year and will be among some elite ranks in season 3. They got a lot of the top positional talents in this draft and I think they are loaded with future Pro Bowl players. North, Hendrix, Oles, Davidson, Tucker, Dimirio, Sullivan, and Gerhardt is easily the best headline of any draft class in S2. They will be a lethal team if all of their players live up to their projections. I love this draft.
[div align=\\\"center\\\"]Baltimore Hawks
[/div]Picks: Darnell Turner, Brokk Lee, Owen Taylor, Jorge Masdival, Alonzo Charles, Dieter Koch, Avon Blocksdale, Darlane Farlane, James Wright, Matthew Vincent, Carmel Gibson, John Baker, Pat Pancake, James Lillico, Jesse Sanderson, Frederick Smith
Another team with a ton of picks in this draft after some solid maneuvering. I think they landed the second best DB in this draft with the pick of Turner. Brokk Lee is a player that fits a huge need, but part of me thinks Jordan Yates would have been a better pick. Taylor will be a good player to provide pressure of the edge to help out that defense. Masdival is amongst the fastest players in the draft, but I question his dedication to the league as his activity has slowed down. Knowing Alonzo Charles, I think he will be active for about 2 moths and then burn out. He will still progress decently for the team. Dieter Koch is a relatively new player, but I am a big fan of his game and activity. I don't know much about Blocksdale, but he needs to get his run blocking up. Extremely new with relatively good activity. I think Darlane Farlane was a steal, I had him rated as the second best RB and getting that in the fifth round is big time. James right is a meh LB prospect. Matthew Vincent is a quiet guy who will be good if he starts dedicating time and trying to improve. Carmel Gibson is relatively inactive. I think John Baker will be a solid WR steal. Pat Pancake is pretty inactive as is James Lillico. Sanderson is a contingency for Gibson and Smith is just a filler I guess. The last picks really served this team no value.
Grade: B+
I think taking Yates would have been a smarter choice for this team and I think Kronen is a far superior prospect to Masdival. I also think that their OL picks will be solid, but not greatness. Farlane was a fantastic pick and Vincent and Baker could help solidify this as an incredibly deep draft for the Hawks. Their fate will fall on if their first 4 picks can stay fully active and if these OL prospects can come together to finally give this team some beef in the trenches. The Hawks did a good job of filling their needs, now the players must progress.
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GRADED