04-10-2023, 03:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-11-2023, 01:19 PM by dude_man. Edited 2 times in total.)
While I’m bitter that I wasn't aware of the current 2x media when I posted a rather large article about 16 hours before the announcement, I still wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to make some bank. Since the ISFL draft was just recently presented, I figured analyzing it was a good way to write an article that will be long enough to make the money roll in. Instead of looking at each player, I’ll be looking at a teams’ draft as a whole. I wanted to take into consideration the needs, selections, and any trades that were made and will be giving each team a grade. I’ll be using the ISFL team needs articles that were expertly written by @Memento Mori, even though I know they’re slightly out of date considering some free agency moves and trades, but still felt like it’s pretty relevant. I’m also using @somecoach’s TPE based draft analysis to also help with a broad analysis of each pick to help give some context to the analysis.
While I’m shouting out some users, I figure I’ll get to the sappy part. As I’ve said in all my scouting conversations, the community is by far the best part about the ISFL experience. From the early days (2 months ago, lol) to now, there’s always someone willing to help answer any questions and to also shoot the shit at any time. I have to give a big shoutout to @Kotasa as he’s been my biggest advocate since our first conversation. He was the reason I was drafted to Tijuana (after looking back at the scouting discussions!) and likely the reason I was taken in the first round by the defending champions, Arizona Outlaws. He understood my pain of being a Vikings fan since he is also one, so we had a quick bond from the get go. Always a positive presence in the locker rooms, Kotasa is definitely a user that has made this experience so much fun. The former Tijuana GM’s, @Jason and @PBS, have also been amazing resources in the locker room as well as made my rookie season a blast. New Tijuana GM’s, @wizard_literal and @baz1757, have brought so much fun as we experience this league together. I know they’ll crush the DSFL and eventually the ISFL as both players and GM’s, I’m sure.
I also wouldn’t be where I’m at without making fun of @dude_man for not getting a rug for @dude_woman (but don’t worry, she finally got one!). He’s been a positive person during every interactions and is giving me a shot in a casino job. So now I’ll have some real responsibilities in this league! Speaking of the casino, I have to shoutout my boy @IceBear32 as he’s been great during all of our betting convos and is just such a fun person to interact with. The Honolulu LR is such a blast to be in and even though they should :FireIceBear: since they didn’t draft me, I’ve enjoyed and will continue to enjoy my time in the locker room. Some day he’ll quit donating to the casino, but I’m sure that will only happen when he retires for good.
I definitely want to make sure I shoutout some members from my S41 class that have also made this stupid game so much fun. @18situaseans is like a little brother to me, as we possession receivers have to stick together! Good luck in New York, dude! Definitely have to mention the PHP hosts @toofpete and @TheRake (I only listed Toofpete first since he was drafted first, I don’t make the rules). I am looking forward to more guest appearances for some upcoming Thunderdomes. You guys are always cookin’ something up in the chats. Lastly, this class wouldn’t be what it is without @aeonsjenni and her snarky attitude and amazing insights. She’s plugged in like Adam Schefter it seems. There’s so many more of you that I could hit the 2500 word threshold just by listing everyone who has made this fun for me, so I apologize if you aren’t listed here. But know that this community has been and will continue to be amazing as long as all of you are in it.
Alright, let’s get to the real part of this article, the draft analysis! Definite disclaimer that I do not know all of the position swaps and traded players and free agency moves, so take these subjective grades with a large grain of salt. Feel free to @me with any differing viewpoints. I’ll be going in order of appearance in the draft. So first up, we have the New York Silverbacks!
New York
Picks entering the draft: NY R1 (1.1), NY R2 (2.1), NOLA R3 (3.6), NY R4 (4.1), NY R6 (6.1), NY R7 (7.1)
Needs: DL, WR, S, CB, LB, RB
1.1 – Dub Redd - DT
2.1 – Loose Cannon - LB
3.6 – Sean Robinson - WR
3.10 – The Riddler - WR
6.1 – Bradley Welch Jr - CB
6.4 – Saveour Piethons - CB
7.1 – Slim Reaper - WR
Trades: Send 4.1 + R2 (S42) for 3.10 + 6.4
Grade: A
New York had an amazing draft, partially with some luck but they also created some value for themselves. While there is a lot of discussion about this class being incredibly deep and teams able to get 1st round talent late into the 2nd or 3rd rounds, they came out with 2 of the top users in this class. Wizard_Literal is the new Tijuana GM, made amazing media on his own and alongside aeonsjenni, as well as gobbling up some of the most TPE of anyone in this class. If that wasn’t enough, they were able to get the often mocked at 1oa player in Loose Cannon. Jumbo is an amazing user and I’m shocked, like many others, that he fell to the 2nd round, but New York made sure he didn’t slide any further. Using NOLA’s 3rd round pick, they were able to snag Sean Robinson, a user who had a bit of a slow start in terms of TPE accrual but has always been active and will surely be steal in this deep wide receiver class.
New York then swung a trade, moving up 5 spots and gaining a 6th for the cost of their 2nd rounder next year to make sure they could get The Riddler. Back to back wide receivers is certainly interesting but those 2 were the highest remaining TPE earners on the board at that point and it helps fill one of their bigger needs. The two 6th round picks netted them corners that far exceeded the average TPE’s of the players left (not including any suspended users), so that trade was a net gain in my opinion. I think the value they got was worth the cost in this deep class as they expect to be at the end of round 2 in the next draft.
Overall, I think New York nailed this one so I gave them an A.
Colorado
Picks entering the draft: BAL R1 (1.2), COL R1 (1.7), OCO R1 (1.11), BAL R3 (3.2), COL R5 (5.7), COL R6 (6.7), COL R7 (7.7)
Needs: WR, DL, LB, CB, RB
1.2 - Mary Marie - S
1.7 – Craig Brand - LB
1.11 – Wolfie McDummy Jr - QB
3.2 – Synystyr Gates - CB
5.7 – Banjo O’Kudah - CB
6.7 – Spooky Diddler III - LB
7.7 – Quarl Walkins III - RB
Trades: None
Grade: A-
Colorado came in with 3 first round picks and no doubt wanted to make a splash. They opted to ignore most of their positional needs this draft, but I don’t think they’ll hurt because of it. Taking Mary Marie with their first selection seemed like a no-brainer for anyone paying any attention at all. Safety is a strong position for Colorado currently but she’ll continue that trend by the time the current starters regress far enough. Craig Brand does fill a need at linebacker and is an awesome user to boot, so excellent choice. Getting Wolfie McDummy Jr, a Yeti legend, at 11 seemed to fit the need of wide receiver, but a position switch has me scratching my head a bit. Wolfie will be moving to quarterback, where they already had young S39 draftee NCADV RAINN waiting in the wings. I’m sure there is a plan but it would have been nice if they found out a way to add more offensive firepower to this team. Synystyr Gates, a fellow Luchadore, is a great pick to start the 3rd round, but with the depth of this wide receiver class, if they knew Wolfie was switching, they could have traded down to add more depth.
Overall, I really liked their draft but felt like it could have been improved upon a bit to make it even better by making some trades to give them a bit of depth to this draft. But their top 3 picks are sure to make a big impact so I can’t fault them for sticking with what they had. So they get an A- from me.
Honolulu
Picks entering the draft: HON R1 (1.3), HON R2 (2.3), HON R4 (4.3), HON R5 (5.3), ARI R5 (5.14), HON R6 (6.3), HON R7 (7.3)
Needs: S, LB, OL, WR, K
1.3 – Billy Jor-El - DT
2.3 – Ray Baker – GOAT (K)
3.8 – Liath Squirrel - LB
4.3 – Trent Silverback - OL
6.3 – Offe Panic - DT
7.3 – John Smith - DE
Trades:
Send 5.3 + R2 (S42) for 3.8
Send 5.14 for CTC R3 (S42)
Grade: A
Honolulu reloads their young defensive group with some great users. Taking Bill Jor-El at number 3 was a fantastic pick and not a big surprise given the user and the defensive talent in the top of this draft. Getting the GOAT in the 2nd round when kicker is a big position of need for Hon is fantastic. Baker will be called up immediately and will help round out the high powered offense. Getting Liath in the 3rd round should likely be considered one of the steals of this draft. Listening to the Liath and Nicky V podcast gave a bit of insight as to why that may have happened, but it sounds like Liath is here to stay. Adding offensive line with Trent Silverback was an interesting pick, as Great Khali, whom was picked over a round later, has more TPE but there may be a reason that I don’t know of. Either way, they need offensive line so smart to go with that position either way.
Their trades were what set them apart for me. They essentially traded both 5th round picks to move up to the middle of the 3rd, while only moving down 1 round in the season 42 draft. Obviously this could hurt if they finish near the bottom again and CTC finishes near the top, but it’s worth the gamble to move up in this class (and got the steal of the draft). So overall, I like their draft and will give them an A.
Orange County
Picks entering the draft: SJS R1 (1.4), OCO R3 (3.11), COL R4 (4.7), OCO R4 (4.11), ARI R4 (4.14), OCO R5 (5.11), OCO R6 (6.11)
Needs: S, LB, WR, CB
1.4 - John Stark VIII - LB
3.11 – Lloyd Bannings - QB
4.7 – Leo Stud - LB
5.6 - Joshua Mabry - OL
6.11 – Akele Kekela - RB
Trades:
Sends 4.11 + 4.14 for 5.10 + CTC R2 (S42)
Sends 5.10 + 5.11 for 5.6
Grade: C+
I’m not quite sure what OCO was aiming for with this class, but I’m hoping it just didn’t work out like they hoped. I bet they wished they would have been able to trade their top pick to move back a bit and gain a 2nd or 3rd, but I’m sure no team wanted to pay the cost with how deep this class is. That being said, they got one of the best users in this class in UptownCord, aka John Stark VIII. He fills one of their biggest needs and also brings some GM and war room experience. Their next pick wasn’t until close to the end of the 3rd round, and while I love the user/player, I am shocked they took another quarterback when they have S37 QB St. Christmas as their starter and have a S40 QB in the DSFL already in Mathias Mayhem. Maybe there’s going to be a switch at some point but this seemed like an extreme luxury pick when there are other needs for this team. Leo Stud continued to help fill the need at LB but with their previous pick of Stark, this again felt like a luxury pick for this squad.
I did give them the + after their grade due to their trades. I think they are smart for dropping 10-13 spots while gaining a 2nd rounder from Cape Town, while also consolidating 2 late round picks to get the user they wanted. I was not a fan of their draft but I’m thinking they have a plan in place that no one outside their locker room knows at the moment. But until then, I have to give them a C+ for this one.
New Orleans
Picks entering the draft: BER R1 (1.5), NOLA R1 (1.6), NOLA R2 (2.6), NOLA R4 (4.6), NY R5 (5.1), NOLA R6 (6.6), NOLA R7 (7.6)
Needs: RB, TE, LB, CB, S, DL, QB
1.5 – Ezra Azazel - CB
1.6 – Bruce White - DE
2.6 – Kyle Crane - RB
4.6 – Malik Brooks - RB
5.1 – Rodney Rosadino - LB
6.6 – William Barkley - TE
7.6 – Nwoye Musa - DT
Trades: None
Grade: A-
I’ll get to the latest news in the moment, but I think NOLA did a great job with their first 5 picks. Obviously have 2 early first round picks in a draft like this is great, so getting the top cornerback and the top defensive end (which were positions of need) is going to be a boon for any team. Ezra and Bruce will be foundational pieces on this defense for seasons to come. NOLA’s running back scarcity was no secret, so being able to get arguably the 2 top running backs in this draft on top of their 1st round selections should propel them to the best draft grade. But, as many may have heard, NOLA ended up trading Malik Brooks to Colorado for a S42 4th round pick. Not many people are sure as to what happened, but it was an unfortunate situation for all parties involved. That being said, their 5th round pick in Rosadino seems like a smash pick as it fills a priority position and they are one of the highest TPE earners available at that point.
I probably shouldn’t knock them down a bit for the Malik Brooks situation, but I can’t help that it shades my outlook of this draft for New Orleans. They had an outstanding draft otherwise but I can’t shake the feeling that they had to essentially punt their 4th round pick from this year into a 4th rounder next year, which likely won’t be as deep of a class. I still really liked their draft so they get an A- from me.
Sarasota
Picks entering the draft: SAR R1 (1.8), SAR R2 (2.8), SAR R3 (3.8), BAL R4 (4.2), SAR R4 (4.8), SAR R5 (5.8), SAR R6 (6.8)
Needs: WR, LB, S, RB, DL, CB
1.8 – Max Honestly - LB
2.7 – Artemis Entereri - WR
4.2 – Damarcus Cole - DT
5.3 – Eilliot Berry - RB
5.8 – King Dedede - LB
6.8 – Mr. Robb - S
Trades:
Send 2.8 + 4.8 for 2.7
Send 3.8 for 5.3 + HON R2 (S42)
Grade: B
Overall, I think this was a solid draft for Sarasota. They were able to snag 2 amazing players that are both in positions of need in linebacker Max Honestly and wide receiver Artemis Entereri. These 2 picks did the heavy lifting for this grade, to be honest. Cole was an excellent but unexciting pick in the 4th but should help anchor the defensive line for seasons to come. Eilliot Berry was one of the top running backs in S40 of the DSFL, so getting him in the 5th round is a great value for a team that will need a backup to spell starter Pete Zuh and take over in a couple of seasons.
However, I think the trades this team made were not working in their favor. Giving up a mid-4th rounder in this class to move up 1 spot in the 2nd round seemed like it wasn’t very good value. Then, they dropped almost 2 full rounds to gain a 2nd round pick in next seasons draft. While it will be looking good next year, there was still a ton of value left on the board at that point that I think they missed out on by trading down so far. I don’t think Sarasota will be regretting this draft as they got some solid users, but there may have been a couple misfires. So for that, I give them a solid B grade.
Austin
Picks entering the draft: AUS R1 (1.9), AUS R2 (2.9), AUS R4 (4.9), AUS R5 (5.9), AUS R6 (6.9)
Needs: WR, LB, S, CB, DL, K
1.9 – Oliver Tolliver - WR
4.5 – Ryan Knock - LB
4.9 – LeAnthony LeDavis - WR
5.9 – Great Khali - OL
6.9 – Albert Eintstein - LB
Trades:
Send 2.9 for 4.5 + CTC R1 (S42)
Grade: B
With only 1 pick in the first 3 rounds (due to trading out), they still did ok in this draft. They got Oliver Tolliver, considered the top WR of the class, in the first round which will be perfect for when the top 2 receivers start to regress, ensuring a smooth transition for this offense. Ryan Knock is a solid linebacker (also a Luchadore teammate) that should be ready to contribute when the older linebackers have retired. In terms of pure TPE, I think they made a mistake going LeDavis over the next pick of Duanei, but shoring up the wide receiver corps is still a good move. Khali was a homerun in the 5th round as user offensive lineman are great and he has a +73 TPE differential compared to the 11 pick average at that spot.
The Tolliver and Khali picks really helped this team for the analysis, but for me, the LeDavis pick and the trade down really hurt. I didn’t tank their grade due to the trade because they DID get a 1st round pick, but they lost out on some good players by trading down. But overall, I thought this was a solid draft for Austin so they ultimately get a B.
Cape Town
Picks entering the draft: CTC R1 (1.10), SJS R2 (2.4), CTC R2 (2.10), BER R4 (4.5), CTC R5 (5.10), CTC R6 (6.10)
Needs: LB, CB, OL, DL
1.10 – Legs McMillion - CB
2.4 – Rolud Onyxgut - DE
2.9 – Justin Willis - OL
2.10 – Jason Steele - DT
4.11 – Bob Kickerson - K
4.14 – Sticky Hands - RB
5.14 – Bigton Hammer - LB
6.10 – Donny Doofenshmirtz - TE
Trades:
Send 4.5 + R1 (S42) for 2.9
Send 5.10 + R2 (S42) for 4.11 + 4.14
Send R3 (S42) for 5.14
Grade: A+
Man, it feels weird giving negs the highest possible grade, but I think he nailed THIS draft. Legs, unfortunately, switched to the dark side and became a cornerback, which was one of Cape Town’s biggest needs. They managed to hit all of their needed positions, taking another study in Rolud Onyxgut to anchor their defensive line, Willis to help their offensive line, the 2nd best kicker in the draft in Kickerson, and one of the bigger steals in this draft in Sticky Hands. According to somecoach’s TPE evaluation, they lost TPE value with their first 4 picks but they got great users in positions of need, so I think they did an excellent job there. Cape Town hit on all of their picks through this entire draft and made some big moves via trades to get the top players they needed and the depth that they’ll eventually need.
Speaking of trades, this team made the biggest moves in the entire draft. They definitely went with the LA Rams strategy of ‘f them picks’ by trading away their top 3 picks in the season 42 draft. I think they got good value moving around within this draft, so it will be interesting to see the ripple effect of trading those future picks away. But looking at initial draft classes, if you were to short yourself between the season 41 class or the season 42 class, it appears to be wiser to stack the season 41 class if possible. So I think Cape Town did a great job of using available resources and will take a smaller hit next season than they would have if they hadn’t traded up. So ultimately, Cape Town came away with the best draft this year in my opinion, getting an A+.
Chicago
Picks entering the draft: CHI R1 (1.12), CHI R2 (2.12), CHI R3 (3.12), SJS R4 (4.4), CHI R4 (4.12), CHI R6 (6.12)
Needs: LB, CB, S, RB, OL
1.12 – Rico Savage - S
2.12 – Bill Cravy - CB
3.12 – Jake Jefferson - QB
4.4 – Faust Leercor - DE
4.12 – Amanda HugAndKiss - S
6.12 – Icepick O’Hullihan - S
Trades: None
Grade: B+
I thought this was a good, solid draft for Chicago that has one glaring selection that I’ll get to in a moment. They obviously need defensive backfield help, so taking Rico as the 2nd safety off the board was a no brainer for this team. He’ll likely step in right away as a starting safety for Chicago. Bill Cravy was an outstanding pick in the 2nd round and will likely start as a nickel corner soon. That secondary went from a liability to a strength real quick. Faust Leercor is a solid 200+ TPE defensive end which will likely see playing time right away, as well. I was a bit surprised by taking Jake Jefferson in the 3rd as they will be starting a new QB this season, S38 draftee Painted Penguin. Seemed a bit early season wise to take another QB so unless there is a position switch I don’t know about, this pick seemed odd (but I love the user, so issue with that part of it!). Chicago is collecting safeties like Thanos with their last 2 picks also being safeties. As mentioned before, the glaring selection is none other than Icepick O’Houlihan, which the user was suspended for 8 weeks due to some Discord comments made during the DSFL season. The risk should be worth it if the user learned their lesson and can come back to continue their excellent career. If not, then they’re only out a late 6th round pick.
Overall, I think they did a good job addressing their needs and took some risks that could pan out and make this class of theirs even better, so I’m rolling with a B+ for this one.
Yellowknife
Picks entering the draft: YKW R1 (1.13), YKW R2 (2.13), YKW R3 (3.13), YKW R4 (4.13), YKW R5 (5.13), YKW R6 (6.13)
Needs: LB, CB, S, WR, DL
1.13 – Kadarius Claypool II - CB
2.13 – Terry Johnson - LB
3.13 – Orga Panda - WR
4.13 – Andrija Divac - TE
5.13 – Garth Silver - S
6.13 – Wade Right - K
Trades: None
Grade: B-
This was another not-so-flashy draft, as the Wraiths management seems to be playing the long game. They hit a homerun with taking Claypool in the 1st as Weaves is one of my favorite users (and has an excellent podcast, you should check it out!). Corner is soon going to be a big position of need as their current starters are getting older and regression is coming at them like a wraith in the night. Johnson should be a good addition in a couple of seasons, as user gumbaman is a current DSFL GM, so is likely fine staying down until the current group of linebackers age out. Panda is building a pure returner archetype, so it would have been nice if Yellowknife went after a more prototypical wide receiver due to the nature of the return game in the sim. They also don’t use the tight end very much, so it might have been more beneficial to take another corner there, as Ivan Baldwin was still available at that pick. Wade Right, an absolute bitchin’ name for a kicker, should replace Double Doink in a season or 2 after regression hits home there.
I think this was a solid yet unspectacular draft for Yellowknife. Their current starters are starting to get a bit long in the tooth so it’s time to reload to ensure a smooth transition into the next wave of players, so it will be interesting to see if they did just that with this draft. With no trades and a solid draft, I think a B- is about right.
Arizona
Picks entering the draft: AZ R1 (1.14), COL R2 (2.7), AZ R2 (2.14), COL R3 (3.7), AZ R3 (3.14), AZ R6 (6.14)
Needs: S, BPA
1.14 – Benji Aguilera - WR
2.8 – Logjammed McBobface - LB
2.14 – Benjamin Duvernay - CB
3.7 – Brian Vincent-Vega - S
3.14 – Beeg Beeg Yoshi Jr - OL
4.8 – Scruffy the Janitor - DT
6.14 – Cheeky Lad - OL
Trades:
Send 2.7 for 2.8 + 4.8
Grade: A-
The reigning Ultimus champs are in a great position in this draft, as Mori pointed out in his article that Arizona can ultimately select the best player available since they don’t have any major weaknesses. I was still surprised when Zona took me with the last pick in the 1st round as they have a loaded wide receiver room already. While watching the draft, I was sure they would take Loose Cannon (and they probably should have!) so they got dinged on their draft grade for that one. Taking another Luchadore in the 2nd round was a smart move and Logjammed is ultimately moving to linebacker. Reloading the defensive backfield with the next 2 picks were great choices as Duvernay is a fantastic user and Vincent-Vega is another high earning TPE player. Following those picks with another user offensive lineman in Beeg Beeg Yoshi was an excellent choice as he’s almost to 200 TPE already. Using the pick from their trade to take DT who is also almost at 200 TPE in the 4th round is a great value there.
The best move of the night might be their trade with Sarasota. They dropped only 1 spot, got the player they were going to draft anyway, and picked up the 50th overall pick, which was the sweet spot of the draft before the TPE totals dropped drastically. That was a very smart move, reminiscent of the Vikings draft when they moved down one spot from 3 to 4 and took the player they were going to take anyways. While Zona had the luxury of selecting BPA, they were able to select players that will help them in a season or two in positions that will be needs. So overall, this group gets an A- for this draft.
San Jose
Picks entering the draft: BAL R2 (2.2), OCO R2 (2.11), SJS R3 (3.4), AUS R3 (3.9), CTC R3 (3.10), SJS R5 (5.4), SJS R6 (6.4), SJS R7 (7.4)
Needs: WR, LB, S, CB, TE, DL
2.2 – Jumbo Edward - DT
2.11 – DJ Maclean - LB
3.4 – Diego Lopez Alonso - WR
3.9 – Modest Mussorgsky - OL
4.1 – Otto the Orange - TE
5.4 – Kenny Szymborski - TE
7.4 - Samuel Nelson - DE
Trades:
Send 3.10 + 6.4 for 4.1 + NYS R2 (S42)
Grade: A-
Even with no 1st round pick coming into this draft, they still had 5 picks in the first 3 rounds. San Jose put those picks to good use, taking Jumbo Edward, a disgraced former future-GM user FuriousPanda, with their first selection. Jumbo will be a staple on that defensive line for seasons to come. Following that pick up with DJ Maclean was a home run as LB is a big position of need and Urq is a great user to boot. With the Sconnie McSix trade happening before the deadline, WR wasn’t as big of a need as listed, so they were able to wait and take advantage of this deep wide receiver class to take Alonso in the 3rd round. Snagging that kind of value is what every team hopes to find in the draft. Getting a moderate earning user lineman in the 3rd is also a homerun. Then they were able to fill out their hole at tight end by taking back to back tight ends, both of whom should see playing time relatively soon. Lastly, taking a 100+ TPE player in the last round is a fantastic choice in case that user returns to continue earning.
I also thought the one trade they made was a great use of their resources. They only dropped down 5 picks, but picked up a 2nd round next year to replace the one they had already traded for McCormick, which means he essentially only cost the 6th round pick that was included in this trade. San Jose made great use of their plethora of early round picks and along with an excellent trade, they got an A- from me despite not having a 1st round pick.
Berlin
Picks entering the draft: BER R2 (2.5), NY R3 (3.1), HON R3 (3.3), BER R3 (3.5), CTC R4 (4.10), BER R5 (5.5), CHI R5 (5.12), BER R6 (6.5), BER R7 (7.5)
Needs: LB, WR, OL, RB, TE
2.5 – Emile Charles - WR
3.1 – Burnt Toast - TE
3.3 – Nick Williams - TE
3.5 – Lukas Van Ness - DE
4.10 – Forozka Duanei - WR
5.5 – Ivan Baldwin - CB
5.12 – Pierce Hawthorne - TE
6.5 – Atlas Kirkby - DT
7.5 – Aleksander Reznikov - LB
Trades: None
Grade: B
No first round pick, but they had the most picks coming in to this draft with 9 total. This was an up-and-down draft from what I can tell, even with all of that firepower. I think they got some great players but also had some head scratchers in there. They won’t be unhappy with Emile Charles by any stretch, but I was a little surprised that Berlin didn’t go with Entreri there. Charles is no slouch so it’s not a bad pick at all, though. Having 3 early 3rd round picks looked very enticing, and tight end was a huge need for this team, but taking the first 2 tight ends with back to back picks seemed like an interesting approach. They were able to get an absolute stud in Van Ness with their other 3rd round pick, but I would have liked to see them take a linebacker there, like Liath Squirrel, instead of one of the tight ends. Forozka and Baldwin were excellent picks at those positions, but then they seemed to mail it in with their last 3 picks, taking yet another tight end, a defensive tackle which they likely won’t need, and a well below average TPE linebacker.
Berlin made no trades despite having the most picks coming into the draft. I don’t think they failed in any way and won’t regret their picks, but I think they had a lot of room for improvement in terms of positional needs. I would have liked to see them move up in a couple of rounds, using those extra picks to go up and get some more talent. It’s possible they tried but no one was buying, so not much you can do there. But a decent draft with room for improvement gets a B from me.
Baltimore
Picks entering the draft: BAL R5 (5.2), NOLA R5 (5.6), BAL R6 (6.2), BAL R7 (7.2)
Needs: WR, CB, S, RB
5.2 – Frederick Carlson - DE
5.10 – Bubba Chubb - OL
5.11 – Myrtle Beach Tolliver - LB
6.2 – Garrett Cheetahman - WR
7.2 – Luca Rossi - DT
Trades:
Send 5.6 for 5.10 + 5.11
Grade: C
If Baltimore wins an Ultimus in the next season or 2, I don’t think they’ll be worried about missing out on this draft. After trading away their top 4 picks previously, they were left with only 4 picks coming in and their earliest was the 2nd pick in the 5th round. For such a deep class, they might regret not being able to use this one to reload their talent. And as can be seen in the graph in somecoach’s analysis, the 5th round is where TPE really dropped off from the rest of the class. Their first pick, Carlson, is a below average earning defensive end. They then traded their next pick for 2 slightly later picks, which sounded good in theory but I felt didn’t work out in their favor ultimately. They ended up taking a WELL below average offensive lineman but at least got a decent linebacker in Tolliver. However, they could have taken a much better offensive lineman in Khali if they held at 5.6, which I think would have been preferable in this case.
I think Baltimore did the best they could with their limited draft selections, so hopefully they’re young enough currently that missing out on players from the season 41 class doesn’t come back to bite them. As mentioned, I thought the trade itself was a good idea but with the resulting selections and who they could have taken if they had stayed, I think it would have been better to stay. So with all of those combinations, I would have to give this draft class a C for Baltimore.
Cape Town: A+
New York: A
Honolulu: A
Colorado: A-
New Orleans: A-
Arizona: A-
San Jose: A-
Chicago: B+
Sarasota: B
Austin: B
Berlin: B
Yellowknife: B-
Orange County: C+
Baltimore: C
Well, this was my unscientific breakdown of each teams season 41 draft. I thought most teams did pretty well for themselves and the draft itself was fun to watch! I hope no one takes this personally or seriously as I don’t know shit about fuck. Like mentioned before, I’m sure there are plenty of position switches that I don’t know about that would definitely impact grades/impressions of each teams draft. I just went based on an outdated team needs article series and a TPE based analysis article, but I thought it would still be fun to look how each team drafted and traded. Good luck to everyone that was picked and I hope you all have a fun in season 41!
While I’m shouting out some users, I figure I’ll get to the sappy part. As I’ve said in all my scouting conversations, the community is by far the best part about the ISFL experience. From the early days (2 months ago, lol) to now, there’s always someone willing to help answer any questions and to also shoot the shit at any time. I have to give a big shoutout to @Kotasa as he’s been my biggest advocate since our first conversation. He was the reason I was drafted to Tijuana (after looking back at the scouting discussions!) and likely the reason I was taken in the first round by the defending champions, Arizona Outlaws. He understood my pain of being a Vikings fan since he is also one, so we had a quick bond from the get go. Always a positive presence in the locker rooms, Kotasa is definitely a user that has made this experience so much fun. The former Tijuana GM’s, @Jason and @PBS, have also been amazing resources in the locker room as well as made my rookie season a blast. New Tijuana GM’s, @wizard_literal and @baz1757, have brought so much fun as we experience this league together. I know they’ll crush the DSFL and eventually the ISFL as both players and GM’s, I’m sure.
I also wouldn’t be where I’m at without making fun of @dude_man for not getting a rug for @dude_woman (but don’t worry, she finally got one!). He’s been a positive person during every interactions and is giving me a shot in a casino job. So now I’ll have some real responsibilities in this league! Speaking of the casino, I have to shoutout my boy @IceBear32 as he’s been great during all of our betting convos and is just such a fun person to interact with. The Honolulu LR is such a blast to be in and even though they should :FireIceBear: since they didn’t draft me, I’ve enjoyed and will continue to enjoy my time in the locker room. Some day he’ll quit donating to the casino, but I’m sure that will only happen when he retires for good.
I definitely want to make sure I shoutout some members from my S41 class that have also made this stupid game so much fun. @18situaseans is like a little brother to me, as we possession receivers have to stick together! Good luck in New York, dude! Definitely have to mention the PHP hosts @toofpete and @TheRake (I only listed Toofpete first since he was drafted first, I don’t make the rules). I am looking forward to more guest appearances for some upcoming Thunderdomes. You guys are always cookin’ something up in the chats. Lastly, this class wouldn’t be what it is without @aeonsjenni and her snarky attitude and amazing insights. She’s plugged in like Adam Schefter it seems. There’s so many more of you that I could hit the 2500 word threshold just by listing everyone who has made this fun for me, so I apologize if you aren’t listed here. But know that this community has been and will continue to be amazing as long as all of you are in it.
Alright, let’s get to the real part of this article, the draft analysis! Definite disclaimer that I do not know all of the position swaps and traded players and free agency moves, so take these subjective grades with a large grain of salt. Feel free to @me with any differing viewpoints. I’ll be going in order of appearance in the draft. So first up, we have the New York Silverbacks!
New York Needs: DL, WR, S, CB, LB, RB
1.1 – Dub Redd - DT
2.1 – Loose Cannon - LB
3.6 – Sean Robinson - WR
3.10 – The Riddler - WR
6.1 – Bradley Welch Jr - CB
6.4 – Saveour Piethons - CB
7.1 – Slim Reaper - WR
Trades: Send 4.1 + R2 (S42) for 3.10 + 6.4
Grade: A
New York had an amazing draft, partially with some luck but they also created some value for themselves. While there is a lot of discussion about this class being incredibly deep and teams able to get 1st round talent late into the 2nd or 3rd rounds, they came out with 2 of the top users in this class. Wizard_Literal is the new Tijuana GM, made amazing media on his own and alongside aeonsjenni, as well as gobbling up some of the most TPE of anyone in this class. If that wasn’t enough, they were able to get the often mocked at 1oa player in Loose Cannon. Jumbo is an amazing user and I’m shocked, like many others, that he fell to the 2nd round, but New York made sure he didn’t slide any further. Using NOLA’s 3rd round pick, they were able to snag Sean Robinson, a user who had a bit of a slow start in terms of TPE accrual but has always been active and will surely be steal in this deep wide receiver class.
New York then swung a trade, moving up 5 spots and gaining a 6th for the cost of their 2nd rounder next year to make sure they could get The Riddler. Back to back wide receivers is certainly interesting but those 2 were the highest remaining TPE earners on the board at that point and it helps fill one of their bigger needs. The two 6th round picks netted them corners that far exceeded the average TPE’s of the players left (not including any suspended users), so that trade was a net gain in my opinion. I think the value they got was worth the cost in this deep class as they expect to be at the end of round 2 in the next draft.
Overall, I think New York nailed this one so I gave them an A.
Colorado Needs: WR, DL, LB, CB, RB
1.2 - Mary Marie - S
1.7 – Craig Brand - LB
1.11 – Wolfie McDummy Jr - QB
3.2 – Synystyr Gates - CB
5.7 – Banjo O’Kudah - CB
6.7 – Spooky Diddler III - LB
7.7 – Quarl Walkins III - RB
Trades: None
Grade: A-
Colorado came in with 3 first round picks and no doubt wanted to make a splash. They opted to ignore most of their positional needs this draft, but I don’t think they’ll hurt because of it. Taking Mary Marie with their first selection seemed like a no-brainer for anyone paying any attention at all. Safety is a strong position for Colorado currently but she’ll continue that trend by the time the current starters regress far enough. Craig Brand does fill a need at linebacker and is an awesome user to boot, so excellent choice. Getting Wolfie McDummy Jr, a Yeti legend, at 11 seemed to fit the need of wide receiver, but a position switch has me scratching my head a bit. Wolfie will be moving to quarterback, where they already had young S39 draftee NCADV RAINN waiting in the wings. I’m sure there is a plan but it would have been nice if they found out a way to add more offensive firepower to this team. Synystyr Gates, a fellow Luchadore, is a great pick to start the 3rd round, but with the depth of this wide receiver class, if they knew Wolfie was switching, they could have traded down to add more depth.
Overall, I really liked their draft but felt like it could have been improved upon a bit to make it even better by making some trades to give them a bit of depth to this draft. But their top 3 picks are sure to make a big impact so I can’t fault them for sticking with what they had. So they get an A- from me.
Honolulu Needs: S, LB, OL, WR, K
1.3 – Billy Jor-El - DT
2.3 – Ray Baker – GOAT (K)
3.8 – Liath Squirrel - LB
4.3 – Trent Silverback - OL
6.3 – Offe Panic - DT
7.3 – John Smith - DE
Trades:
Send 5.3 + R2 (S42) for 3.8
Send 5.14 for CTC R3 (S42)
Grade: A
Honolulu reloads their young defensive group with some great users. Taking Bill Jor-El at number 3 was a fantastic pick and not a big surprise given the user and the defensive talent in the top of this draft. Getting the GOAT in the 2nd round when kicker is a big position of need for Hon is fantastic. Baker will be called up immediately and will help round out the high powered offense. Getting Liath in the 3rd round should likely be considered one of the steals of this draft. Listening to the Liath and Nicky V podcast gave a bit of insight as to why that may have happened, but it sounds like Liath is here to stay. Adding offensive line with Trent Silverback was an interesting pick, as Great Khali, whom was picked over a round later, has more TPE but there may be a reason that I don’t know of. Either way, they need offensive line so smart to go with that position either way.
Their trades were what set them apart for me. They essentially traded both 5th round picks to move up to the middle of the 3rd, while only moving down 1 round in the season 42 draft. Obviously this could hurt if they finish near the bottom again and CTC finishes near the top, but it’s worth the gamble to move up in this class (and got the steal of the draft). So overall, I like their draft and will give them an A.
Orange County Needs: S, LB, WR, CB
1.4 - John Stark VIII - LB
3.11 – Lloyd Bannings - QB
4.7 – Leo Stud - LB
5.6 - Joshua Mabry - OL
6.11 – Akele Kekela - RB
Trades:
Sends 4.11 + 4.14 for 5.10 + CTC R2 (S42)
Sends 5.10 + 5.11 for 5.6
Grade: C+
I’m not quite sure what OCO was aiming for with this class, but I’m hoping it just didn’t work out like they hoped. I bet they wished they would have been able to trade their top pick to move back a bit and gain a 2nd or 3rd, but I’m sure no team wanted to pay the cost with how deep this class is. That being said, they got one of the best users in this class in UptownCord, aka John Stark VIII. He fills one of their biggest needs and also brings some GM and war room experience. Their next pick wasn’t until close to the end of the 3rd round, and while I love the user/player, I am shocked they took another quarterback when they have S37 QB St. Christmas as their starter and have a S40 QB in the DSFL already in Mathias Mayhem. Maybe there’s going to be a switch at some point but this seemed like an extreme luxury pick when there are other needs for this team. Leo Stud continued to help fill the need at LB but with their previous pick of Stark, this again felt like a luxury pick for this squad.
I did give them the + after their grade due to their trades. I think they are smart for dropping 10-13 spots while gaining a 2nd rounder from Cape Town, while also consolidating 2 late round picks to get the user they wanted. I was not a fan of their draft but I’m thinking they have a plan in place that no one outside their locker room knows at the moment. But until then, I have to give them a C+ for this one.
New Orleans Needs: RB, TE, LB, CB, S, DL, QB
1.5 – Ezra Azazel - CB
1.6 – Bruce White - DE
2.6 – Kyle Crane - RB
4.6 – Malik Brooks - RB
5.1 – Rodney Rosadino - LB
6.6 – William Barkley - TE
7.6 – Nwoye Musa - DT
Trades: None
Grade: A-
I’ll get to the latest news in the moment, but I think NOLA did a great job with their first 5 picks. Obviously have 2 early first round picks in a draft like this is great, so getting the top cornerback and the top defensive end (which were positions of need) is going to be a boon for any team. Ezra and Bruce will be foundational pieces on this defense for seasons to come. NOLA’s running back scarcity was no secret, so being able to get arguably the 2 top running backs in this draft on top of their 1st round selections should propel them to the best draft grade. But, as many may have heard, NOLA ended up trading Malik Brooks to Colorado for a S42 4th round pick. Not many people are sure as to what happened, but it was an unfortunate situation for all parties involved. That being said, their 5th round pick in Rosadino seems like a smash pick as it fills a priority position and they are one of the highest TPE earners available at that point.
I probably shouldn’t knock them down a bit for the Malik Brooks situation, but I can’t help that it shades my outlook of this draft for New Orleans. They had an outstanding draft otherwise but I can’t shake the feeling that they had to essentially punt their 4th round pick from this year into a 4th rounder next year, which likely won’t be as deep of a class. I still really liked their draft so they get an A- from me.
Sarasota Needs: WR, LB, S, RB, DL, CB
1.8 – Max Honestly - LB
2.7 – Artemis Entereri - WR
4.2 – Damarcus Cole - DT
5.3 – Eilliot Berry - RB
5.8 – King Dedede - LB
6.8 – Mr. Robb - S
Trades:
Send 2.8 + 4.8 for 2.7
Send 3.8 for 5.3 + HON R2 (S42)
Grade: B
Overall, I think this was a solid draft for Sarasota. They were able to snag 2 amazing players that are both in positions of need in linebacker Max Honestly and wide receiver Artemis Entereri. These 2 picks did the heavy lifting for this grade, to be honest. Cole was an excellent but unexciting pick in the 4th but should help anchor the defensive line for seasons to come. Eilliot Berry was one of the top running backs in S40 of the DSFL, so getting him in the 5th round is a great value for a team that will need a backup to spell starter Pete Zuh and take over in a couple of seasons.
However, I think the trades this team made were not working in their favor. Giving up a mid-4th rounder in this class to move up 1 spot in the 2nd round seemed like it wasn’t very good value. Then, they dropped almost 2 full rounds to gain a 2nd round pick in next seasons draft. While it will be looking good next year, there was still a ton of value left on the board at that point that I think they missed out on by trading down so far. I don’t think Sarasota will be regretting this draft as they got some solid users, but there may have been a couple misfires. So for that, I give them a solid B grade.
Austin Needs: WR, LB, S, CB, DL, K
1.9 – Oliver Tolliver - WR
4.5 – Ryan Knock - LB
4.9 – LeAnthony LeDavis - WR
5.9 – Great Khali - OL
6.9 – Albert Eintstein - LB
Trades:
Send 2.9 for 4.5 + CTC R1 (S42)
Grade: B
With only 1 pick in the first 3 rounds (due to trading out), they still did ok in this draft. They got Oliver Tolliver, considered the top WR of the class, in the first round which will be perfect for when the top 2 receivers start to regress, ensuring a smooth transition for this offense. Ryan Knock is a solid linebacker (also a Luchadore teammate) that should be ready to contribute when the older linebackers have retired. In terms of pure TPE, I think they made a mistake going LeDavis over the next pick of Duanei, but shoring up the wide receiver corps is still a good move. Khali was a homerun in the 5th round as user offensive lineman are great and he has a +73 TPE differential compared to the 11 pick average at that spot.
The Tolliver and Khali picks really helped this team for the analysis, but for me, the LeDavis pick and the trade down really hurt. I didn’t tank their grade due to the trade because they DID get a 1st round pick, but they lost out on some good players by trading down. But overall, I thought this was a solid draft for Austin so they ultimately get a B.
Cape Town Needs: LB, CB, OL, DL
1.10 – Legs McMillion - CB
2.4 – Rolud Onyxgut - DE
2.9 – Justin Willis - OL
2.10 – Jason Steele - DT
4.11 – Bob Kickerson - K
4.14 – Sticky Hands - RB
5.14 – Bigton Hammer - LB
6.10 – Donny Doofenshmirtz - TE
Trades:
Send 4.5 + R1 (S42) for 2.9
Send 5.10 + R2 (S42) for 4.11 + 4.14
Send R3 (S42) for 5.14
Grade: A+
Man, it feels weird giving negs the highest possible grade, but I think he nailed THIS draft. Legs, unfortunately, switched to the dark side and became a cornerback, which was one of Cape Town’s biggest needs. They managed to hit all of their needed positions, taking another study in Rolud Onyxgut to anchor their defensive line, Willis to help their offensive line, the 2nd best kicker in the draft in Kickerson, and one of the bigger steals in this draft in Sticky Hands. According to somecoach’s TPE evaluation, they lost TPE value with their first 4 picks but they got great users in positions of need, so I think they did an excellent job there. Cape Town hit on all of their picks through this entire draft and made some big moves via trades to get the top players they needed and the depth that they’ll eventually need.
Speaking of trades, this team made the biggest moves in the entire draft. They definitely went with the LA Rams strategy of ‘f them picks’ by trading away their top 3 picks in the season 42 draft. I think they got good value moving around within this draft, so it will be interesting to see the ripple effect of trading those future picks away. But looking at initial draft classes, if you were to short yourself between the season 41 class or the season 42 class, it appears to be wiser to stack the season 41 class if possible. So I think Cape Town did a great job of using available resources and will take a smaller hit next season than they would have if they hadn’t traded up. So ultimately, Cape Town came away with the best draft this year in my opinion, getting an A+.
Chicago Needs: LB, CB, S, RB, OL
1.12 – Rico Savage - S
2.12 – Bill Cravy - CB
3.12 – Jake Jefferson - QB
4.4 – Faust Leercor - DE
4.12 – Amanda HugAndKiss - S
6.12 – Icepick O’Hullihan - S
Trades: None
Grade: B+
I thought this was a good, solid draft for Chicago that has one glaring selection that I’ll get to in a moment. They obviously need defensive backfield help, so taking Rico as the 2nd safety off the board was a no brainer for this team. He’ll likely step in right away as a starting safety for Chicago. Bill Cravy was an outstanding pick in the 2nd round and will likely start as a nickel corner soon. That secondary went from a liability to a strength real quick. Faust Leercor is a solid 200+ TPE defensive end which will likely see playing time right away, as well. I was a bit surprised by taking Jake Jefferson in the 3rd as they will be starting a new QB this season, S38 draftee Painted Penguin. Seemed a bit early season wise to take another QB so unless there is a position switch I don’t know about, this pick seemed odd (but I love the user, so issue with that part of it!). Chicago is collecting safeties like Thanos with their last 2 picks also being safeties. As mentioned before, the glaring selection is none other than Icepick O’Houlihan, which the user was suspended for 8 weeks due to some Discord comments made during the DSFL season. The risk should be worth it if the user learned their lesson and can come back to continue their excellent career. If not, then they’re only out a late 6th round pick.
Overall, I think they did a good job addressing their needs and took some risks that could pan out and make this class of theirs even better, so I’m rolling with a B+ for this one.
Yellowknife Needs: LB, CB, S, WR, DL
1.13 – Kadarius Claypool II - CB
2.13 – Terry Johnson - LB
3.13 – Orga Panda - WR
4.13 – Andrija Divac - TE
5.13 – Garth Silver - S
6.13 – Wade Right - K
Trades: None
Grade: B-
This was another not-so-flashy draft, as the Wraiths management seems to be playing the long game. They hit a homerun with taking Claypool in the 1st as Weaves is one of my favorite users (and has an excellent podcast, you should check it out!). Corner is soon going to be a big position of need as their current starters are getting older and regression is coming at them like a wraith in the night. Johnson should be a good addition in a couple of seasons, as user gumbaman is a current DSFL GM, so is likely fine staying down until the current group of linebackers age out. Panda is building a pure returner archetype, so it would have been nice if Yellowknife went after a more prototypical wide receiver due to the nature of the return game in the sim. They also don’t use the tight end very much, so it might have been more beneficial to take another corner there, as Ivan Baldwin was still available at that pick. Wade Right, an absolute bitchin’ name for a kicker, should replace Double Doink in a season or 2 after regression hits home there.
I think this was a solid yet unspectacular draft for Yellowknife. Their current starters are starting to get a bit long in the tooth so it’s time to reload to ensure a smooth transition into the next wave of players, so it will be interesting to see if they did just that with this draft. With no trades and a solid draft, I think a B- is about right.
Arizona Needs: S, BPA
1.14 – Benji Aguilera - WR
2.8 – Logjammed McBobface - LB
2.14 – Benjamin Duvernay - CB
3.7 – Brian Vincent-Vega - S
3.14 – Beeg Beeg Yoshi Jr - OL
4.8 – Scruffy the Janitor - DT
6.14 – Cheeky Lad - OL
Trades:
Send 2.7 for 2.8 + 4.8
Grade: A-
The reigning Ultimus champs are in a great position in this draft, as Mori pointed out in his article that Arizona can ultimately select the best player available since they don’t have any major weaknesses. I was still surprised when Zona took me with the last pick in the 1st round as they have a loaded wide receiver room already. While watching the draft, I was sure they would take Loose Cannon (and they probably should have!) so they got dinged on their draft grade for that one. Taking another Luchadore in the 2nd round was a smart move and Logjammed is ultimately moving to linebacker. Reloading the defensive backfield with the next 2 picks were great choices as Duvernay is a fantastic user and Vincent-Vega is another high earning TPE player. Following those picks with another user offensive lineman in Beeg Beeg Yoshi was an excellent choice as he’s almost to 200 TPE already. Using the pick from their trade to take DT who is also almost at 200 TPE in the 4th round is a great value there.
The best move of the night might be their trade with Sarasota. They dropped only 1 spot, got the player they were going to draft anyway, and picked up the 50th overall pick, which was the sweet spot of the draft before the TPE totals dropped drastically. That was a very smart move, reminiscent of the Vikings draft when they moved down one spot from 3 to 4 and took the player they were going to take anyways. While Zona had the luxury of selecting BPA, they were able to select players that will help them in a season or two in positions that will be needs. So overall, this group gets an A- for this draft.
San Jose Needs: WR, LB, S, CB, TE, DL
2.2 – Jumbo Edward - DT
2.11 – DJ Maclean - LB
3.4 – Diego Lopez Alonso - WR
3.9 – Modest Mussorgsky - OL
4.1 – Otto the Orange - TE
5.4 – Kenny Szymborski - TE
7.4 - Samuel Nelson - DE
Trades:
Send 3.10 + 6.4 for 4.1 + NYS R2 (S42)
Grade: A-
Even with no 1st round pick coming into this draft, they still had 5 picks in the first 3 rounds. San Jose put those picks to good use, taking Jumbo Edward, a disgraced former future-GM user FuriousPanda, with their first selection. Jumbo will be a staple on that defensive line for seasons to come. Following that pick up with DJ Maclean was a home run as LB is a big position of need and Urq is a great user to boot. With the Sconnie McSix trade happening before the deadline, WR wasn’t as big of a need as listed, so they were able to wait and take advantage of this deep wide receiver class to take Alonso in the 3rd round. Snagging that kind of value is what every team hopes to find in the draft. Getting a moderate earning user lineman in the 3rd is also a homerun. Then they were able to fill out their hole at tight end by taking back to back tight ends, both of whom should see playing time relatively soon. Lastly, taking a 100+ TPE player in the last round is a fantastic choice in case that user returns to continue earning.
I also thought the one trade they made was a great use of their resources. They only dropped down 5 picks, but picked up a 2nd round next year to replace the one they had already traded for McCormick, which means he essentially only cost the 6th round pick that was included in this trade. San Jose made great use of their plethora of early round picks and along with an excellent trade, they got an A- from me despite not having a 1st round pick.
Berlin Needs: LB, WR, OL, RB, TE
2.5 – Emile Charles - WR
3.1 – Burnt Toast - TE
3.3 – Nick Williams - TE
3.5 – Lukas Van Ness - DE
4.10 – Forozka Duanei - WR
5.5 – Ivan Baldwin - CB
5.12 – Pierce Hawthorne - TE
6.5 – Atlas Kirkby - DT
7.5 – Aleksander Reznikov - LB
Trades: None
Grade: B
No first round pick, but they had the most picks coming in to this draft with 9 total. This was an up-and-down draft from what I can tell, even with all of that firepower. I think they got some great players but also had some head scratchers in there. They won’t be unhappy with Emile Charles by any stretch, but I was a little surprised that Berlin didn’t go with Entreri there. Charles is no slouch so it’s not a bad pick at all, though. Having 3 early 3rd round picks looked very enticing, and tight end was a huge need for this team, but taking the first 2 tight ends with back to back picks seemed like an interesting approach. They were able to get an absolute stud in Van Ness with their other 3rd round pick, but I would have liked to see them take a linebacker there, like Liath Squirrel, instead of one of the tight ends. Forozka and Baldwin were excellent picks at those positions, but then they seemed to mail it in with their last 3 picks, taking yet another tight end, a defensive tackle which they likely won’t need, and a well below average TPE linebacker.
Berlin made no trades despite having the most picks coming into the draft. I don’t think they failed in any way and won’t regret their picks, but I think they had a lot of room for improvement in terms of positional needs. I would have liked to see them move up in a couple of rounds, using those extra picks to go up and get some more talent. It’s possible they tried but no one was buying, so not much you can do there. But a decent draft with room for improvement gets a B from me.
Baltimore Needs: WR, CB, S, RB
5.2 – Frederick Carlson - DE
5.10 – Bubba Chubb - OL
5.11 – Myrtle Beach Tolliver - LB
6.2 – Garrett Cheetahman - WR
7.2 – Luca Rossi - DT
Trades:
Send 5.6 for 5.10 + 5.11
Grade: C
If Baltimore wins an Ultimus in the next season or 2, I don’t think they’ll be worried about missing out on this draft. After trading away their top 4 picks previously, they were left with only 4 picks coming in and their earliest was the 2nd pick in the 5th round. For such a deep class, they might regret not being able to use this one to reload their talent. And as can be seen in the graph in somecoach’s analysis, the 5th round is where TPE really dropped off from the rest of the class. Their first pick, Carlson, is a below average earning defensive end. They then traded their next pick for 2 slightly later picks, which sounded good in theory but I felt didn’t work out in their favor ultimately. They ended up taking a WELL below average offensive lineman but at least got a decent linebacker in Tolliver. However, they could have taken a much better offensive lineman in Khali if they held at 5.6, which I think would have been preferable in this case.
I think Baltimore did the best they could with their limited draft selections, so hopefully they’re young enough currently that missing out on players from the season 41 class doesn’t come back to bite them. As mentioned, I thought the trade itself was a good idea but with the resulting selections and who they could have taken if they had stayed, I think it would have been better to stay. So with all of those combinations, I would have to give this draft class a C for Baltimore.
Final Grades by Team (Best to Worst)
Cape Town: A+ New York: A Honolulu: A Colorado: A- New Orleans: A- Arizona: A- San Jose: A- Chicago: B+ Sarasota: B Austin: B Berlin: B Yellowknife: B- Orange County: C+ Baltimore: CWell, this was my unscientific breakdown of each teams season 41 draft. I thought most teams did pretty well for themselves and the draft itself was fun to watch! I hope no one takes this personally or seriously as I don’t know shit about fuck. Like mentioned before, I’m sure there are plenty of position switches that I don’t know about that would definitely impact grades/impressions of each teams draft. I just went based on an outdated team needs article series and a TPE based analysis article, but I thought it would still be fun to look how each team drafted and traded. Good luck to everyone that was picked and I hope you all have a fun in season 41!
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"...and has what is honestly the most bizarre attachment to ISFL fantasy football and user bets..." - aeonsjenni
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