True NFL Draft Grades: 2015 Draft, Three Years Later
A few weeks back, my esteemed colleague Andy Benoit regraded the 2014 NFL draft, leading with a thorough introduction of the concept—which I’ll follow as well. One small note: I may differ from Andy a bit in my grading style because I tend to overvalue production in later rounds. While some of you may only consider finding Richard Sherman in the fifth round a success, I think of “success” as finding someone who was even a steady contributor, core special-teamer or solid one-season wonder after the fifth round. It’s remarkably difficult to do so.
This was a fascinating, two-quarterback draft with tons of value throughout the first round, even if some teams are just realizing it now. Because of a quickly shifting NFL, it’s easy to follow the line from success in the 2015 draft directly to the 2017 postseason, where almost all of the best teams cleaned up.
Without further ado, here are the true 2015 grades, given hindsight:
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Arizona Cardinals
Round 1 (No. 24 overall) D.J. Humphries, T, Florida
2 (58) Markus Golden, DE, Missouri
3 (86) David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa
4 (116) Rodney Gunter, DT, Delaware State
5 (158) Shaquille Riddick, DE, West Virginia
5 (159) J.J. Nelson, WR, UAB
7 (256) Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville
This was a phenomenal draft for Arizona if you really think about it. Humphries is a suitable starting left tackle in the NFL, Golden had 12.5 sacks in his last full NFL season, and Johnson is a star at the running back position. To think the Cardinals were obsessed with Ameer Abdullah and angry when the Lions picked him right ahead of them. Life has a way of working out.
GRADE: A-
Atlanta Falcons
1 (8) Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson
2 (42) Jalen Collins, DB, LSU
3 (73) Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana
4 (107) Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina
5 (137) Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson
7 (225) Jake Rodgers, OT, Eastern Washington
7 (249) Akeem King, DB, San Jose State
Any time you can come out with a formidable, elite pass rusher, a complementary (but potentially lead) running back and a dominant inside force like Grady Jarrett, that’s not a half-bad takeaway. This draft helped form the bedrock of a would-be Super Bowl championship roster.
GRADE: B
Baltimore Ravens
1 (26) Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF
2 (55) Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
3 (90) Carl Davis, DT, Iowa
4 (122) Za’Darius Smith, DE, Kentucky
4 (125) Buck Allen, RB, USC
4 (136) Tray Walker, DB, Texas Southern
5 (171) Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware
6 (176) Robert Myers, G, Tennessee State
6 (203) Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech
Some promising picks dotted the middle rounds here, but this draft was emblematic of the struggles Ozzie Newsome faced toward the end of his career to supplement a championship defense. Perriman has struggled, as has Williams, to be the true offensive weapons this system has craved since 2012.
GRADE: C+
Buffalo Bills
2 (50) Ronald Darby, DB, Florida State
3 (81) John Miller, G, Louisville
5 (155) Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State
6 (188) Tony Steward, OLB, Clemson
6 (194) Nick O’Leary, TE, Florida State
7 (234) Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas
The best player in this group (Darby) ended up helping the Eagles win a Super Bowl in 2017. Otherwise, this is a fairly standard Rex Ryan draft—high in swings on the defensive front and attempts at selecting offensive players from schools he likes but who ultimately end up not contributing much.
GRADE: C-
Carolina Panthers
1 (25) Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington
2 (41) Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan
4 (102) Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma
5 (169) David Mayo, LB, Texas State
5 (174) Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn
Thompson has been in the mix since Day One, and while his swiss army knife potential has not been fully realized, it was a forward-thinking move by Dave Gettleman at the time. Linebackers with the versatility of Thompson are mandatory now. Funchess is still developing, but the pick made sense at the time as the Panthers tried to surround Cam Newton with a group of overthrow-resistant wideouts.
GRADE: C+
Chicago Bears
1 (7) Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
2 (39) Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
3 (71) Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
4 (106) Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State
5 (142) Adrian Amos, S, Penn State
6 (183) Tayo Fabuluje, OT, TCU
Hard to punish the Bears for White’s injury issues, especially when the remainder of the class rounded out quite nicely. Goldman and especially Amos have turned out to be important players defensively, and Langford posted more than 800 scrimmage yards during his first season.
GRADE: B-
Cincinnati Bengals
1 (21) Cedric Ogbuehi, T, Texas A&M
2 (53) Jake Fisher, T, Oregon
3 (85) Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers
3 (99) Paul Dawson, LB, TCU
4 (120) Josh Shaw, S, USC
4 (135) Marcus Hardison, DE, Arizona State
5 (157) C.J. Uzomah, TE, Auburn
6 (197) Derron Smith, S, Fresno State
7 (238) Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia
Despite some mid- to late-round hits at tight end, this was a massive swing at securing both tackle spots for the Bengals long-term, and as of now it looks like a miss. Ogbuehi won’t have his fifth-year option picked up, and the Bengals swung a trade to patch up the left tackle position.
GRADE: C
Cleveland Browns
1 (12) Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
1 (19) Cameron Erving, G, Florida State
2 (51) Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
3 (77) Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
3 (96) Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State
4 (115) Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern
4 (123) Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State
6 (189) Charles Gaines, DB, Louisville
6 (195) Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi State
6 (198) Randall Telfer, TE, USC
7 (219) Hayes Pullard, ILB, USC
7 (241) Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, DB, Oregon
Another lost Browns draft. Had it not been for Duke Johnson, this may get a resounding ‘F.’ Oddly enough, Danny Shelton came on later in his career and could be a productive member of the Patriots. Cam Erving, too, did not have the infrastructure to develop. This was, in theory, a smart draft for the Browns at the time given how many needs it pecked away at. However, when all your owner does is fire general managers, none of the pieces will fit in the puzzle.
GRADE: C-
Dallas Cowboys
1 (27) Byron Jones, DB, Connecticut
2 (60) Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
3 (91) Chaz Green, OT, Florida
4 (127) Damien Wilson, ILB, Minnesota
5 (163) Ryan Russell, DE, Purdue
7 (236) Mark Nzeocha, OLB, Wyoming
7 (243) Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech
7 (246) Geoff Swaim, TE, Texas
Byron Jones has been above average and flexible in Dallas’s defense, with starting-caliber performances at both cornerback and safety—not an easy thing to find when picking so late in the first round. Jerry Jones, the consummate risk taker, did not heed warnings on Randy Gregory and drafted him, only to watch the linebacker fizzle out of the NFL. (Gregory is now trying to get reinstated after multiple suspensions.) Green has yet to crack the starting lineup in Dallas despite multiple opportunities. Swaim, on the other hand, has a chance to make his mark as a seventh-round pick, and will battle Rico Gathers this spring for reps at the now vacant starting spot.
GRADE: C+
Denver Broncos
1 (23) Shane Ray, LB, Missouri
2 (59) Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State
3 (92) Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State
4 (133) Max Garcia, C, Florida
5 (164) Lorenzo Doss, DB, Tulane
6 (203) Darius Kilgo, NT, Maryland
7 (250) Trevor Siemian, QB, Northwestern
7 (251) Taurean Nixon, DB, Tulane
7 (252) Josh Furman, S, Oklahoma State
While the Broncos declined Shane Ray’s fifth year option, there were still some worthwhile picks here. Max Garcia has started 16 games each of the last two years, while Trevor Siemian emerged as one of the best late-round quarterback finds in recent history. It’s funny to see John Elway flex some of his biggest strengths and weaknesses in the draft all at once.
GRADE: C+
Detroit Lions
1 (28) Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke
2 (54) Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
3 (80) Alex Carter, DB, Stanford
4 (113) Gabe Wright, DT, Auburn
5 (168) Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers
6 (200) Quandre Diggs, DB, Texas
7 (240) Corey Robinson, OT, South Carolina
Tough draft toward the end of the Jim Caldwell era. The Lions needed help across the board but couldn’t seem to find any foundational help outside of Quandre Diggs, who started all 16 games last year and picked off three passes.
GRADE: C-
Green Bay Packers
1 (30) Damarious Randall, cornerback, Arizona State
2 (62) Quinten Rollins, DB, Miami (OH)
3 (94) Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford
4 (129) Jake Ryan, LB, Michigan
5 (147) Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
6 (206) Aaron Ripkowski, FB, Oklahoma
6 (210) Christian Ringo DE, Louisiana Lafayette
6 (213) Kennard Backman, TE, Alabama Birmingham
The typically insular Packers hold on to their draft picks, but for good reason. Randall was just dealt to the Cleveland Browns after three productive years, but Rollins, Montgomery and Ryan have all been more than valuable given their salary range. Through the lens that the draft is a massive crapshoot, it is remarkable to see how many Ted Thompson picks hang on and have above-average careers.
GRADE: B+
Houston Texans
1 (16 ) Kevin Johnson, DB, Wake Forest
2 (43) Bendarick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State
3 (70) Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State
5 (175) Keith Mumphery, WR, Michigan State
6 (211) Reshard Cliett, OLB, USF
6 (216) Christian Covington, DT, Rice
7 (235) Kenny Hilliard, RB, LSU
Only two remaining players, but both Johnson and McKinney have been stalwarts on a very good Texans defense. Johnson has been a noteworthy corner both in the slot and outside, and while the entire Houston defense regressed a year ago, his performances leading up to 2017 were consistent with that of a high performing first-rounder. McKinney has started his last 32 regular season games in Houston.
GRADE: B-
Indianapolis Colts
1 (29) Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver, Miami
3 (65) D’Joun Smith, cornerback, Florida Atlantic
3 (93) Henry Anderson, defensive end, Stanford
4 (109) Clayton Gaethers, safety, Central Florida
5 (151) David Parry, nosetackle, Stanford
6 (205) Josh Robinson, running back, Mississippi State
6 (207) Amarlo Herrera, inside linebacker, Georgia
7 (255) Denzelle Good, tackle, Mars Hill
Only two players, Good and Gaethers, remain on the roster, though I think this draft says more about the profound disconnect between Indianapolis’s management and coaching staff than anything. Former general manager Ryan Grigson did not see many of his selections—especially offensive linemen—developed at the NFL level, and his Dorsett pick never materialized because of a passing game that remained suited to Luck’s comfort level and not for practical life in the NFL.
GRADE: D-
Jacksonville Jaguars
1 (3) Dante Fowler, defensive end, Florida
2 (36) T.J. Yeldon, running back, Alabama
3 (67) A.J. Cann, guard, South Carolina
4 (104) James Sample, safety, Louisville
5 (139) Rashad Greene, wide receiver, Florida State
6 (180) Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
7 (220) Neal Sterling, WR, Monmouth
7 (229) Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame
GM Dave Caldwell was able to find key offensive line pieces in the third round of the 2014 and ’15 drafts (Brandon Linder the year before). Looking back, this was attempted and failed by many other teams along the same stretch. Fowler doubled his sack total in 2017 after missing his 2015 rookie season with a torn ACL. Many deep in Jacksonville’s 2015 class are still roster contributors three years later.
GRADE: B+
Kansas City Chiefs
1 (18) Marcus Peters, DB, Washington
2 (49) Mitch Morse, G, Missouri
3 (76) Chris Conley, WR, Georgia
3 (98) Steven Nelson, DB, Oregon State
4 (118) Ramik Wilson, LB, Georgia
5 (172) D.J. Alexander, LB, Oregon State
5 (173) James O’Shaughnessy, TE, Illinois State
6 (217) Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Mississippi
7 (233) Da’Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois
Over the last three years, this class has more than paid for itself. Nelson, Wilson, Morse and, of course, Marcus Peters, helped create some essential Chiefs moments during their recent stretch of success. While Peters ultimately wore out his welcome, the Chiefs got the best of his early years before flipping him to the Rams.
GRADE: A-
Los Angeles (San Diego) Chargers
1 (15) Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
2 (48) Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami
3 (83) Craig Mager, DB, Texas State
5 (153) Kyle Emmanuel, DE, North Dakota State
6 (192) Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas
Wildly enough, every player is still on the roster. Philon had 4.5 sacks last year, Emmanuel started 11 games in 2017, Mager started half the year in 2016, and Perryman has been productive despite injuries. Gordon, obviously the jewel of this class, has had 2,012 yards and 18 touchdowns over the past two seasons.
GRADE: A-
Los Angeles (St. Louis) Rams
1 (10) Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
2 (57) Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin
3 (72) Jamon Brown, OT, Louisville
3 (89) Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State
4 (119) Andrew Donnal, OT, Iowa
6 (201) Bud Sasser, WR, Missouri
6 (215) Cody Wichmann, G, Fresno State
7 (224) Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor
7 (227) Martin Ifedi, DE, Memphis
Who knew at the time this would be a foundational draft for the Los Angeles Rams? Their second- and third-rounders are now regular starters on a powerhouse offensive line that simply needed to add one anchor and shed some dead weight. And then, of course, there is Gurley. While it’s a risky maneuver to draft a back high, he has paid off one of the offense’s centerpieces.
GRADE: B+
Miami Dolphins
1 (14) DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
2 (52) Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma
4 (114) Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona State
5 (145) Bobby McCain, DB, Memphis
5 (149) Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise St.
5 (150) Cedric Thompson, FS, Minnesota
5 (156) Tony Lippett, WR, Michigan State
Some occasional contributors and interesting picks, like the converted cornerback Tony Lippett, who I thought had a chance to develop given his size (6'3"). Jay Ajayi (now an Eagle) ended up being the biggest haul from this group. Parker’s numbers have been improving, but he’s yet to produce like a first-round receiver should.
GRADE: C+
Minnesota Vikings
1 (11) Trae Waynes, DB, Michigan State
2 (45) Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA
3 (88) Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU
4 (110) T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
5 (143) MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois
5 (146) Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland
6 (185) Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma
6 (193) B.J. Dubose, DE, Louisville
7 (228) Austin Shepherd, OT, Alabama
7 (232) Edmond Robinson, LB, Newberry College
Kendricks goes on to receive all rookie honors, Hunter turns into an elite pass rusher and Stefon Diggs makes one of the most iconic plays in NFL history to propel the Vikings into the NFC title game. Waynes is also getting better every year and had his first 16-game starting season in 2017.
GRADE: A
New England Patriots
1 (32) Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
2 (64) Jordan Richards, SS, Stanford
3 (97) Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma
4 (101) Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas
4 (111) Tre’ Jackson, G, Florida State
4 (131) Shaq Mason, G, Georgia Tech
5 (166) Joe Cardona, LS, Navy
6 (178) Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State
6 (202) A.J. Derby, TE, Arkansas
7 (247) Darryl Roberts, CB, Marshall
7 (253) Xzavier Dickson, LB, Alabama
A steady stream of contributors, including Mason, Cardona and the breakouts, Flowers and Malcom Brown. This was a layered, productive draft for the Patriots as they tried to reset the roster a bit and replace some tenured starters. As usual, Belichick knew what he wanted.
GRADE: B
New Orleans Saints
1 (13) Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
1 (31) Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson
2 (44) Hau’oli Kikaha, OLB, Washington
3 (75) Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State
3 (78) P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State
5 (148) Davis Tull, OLB, Chattanooga
5 (154) Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State
5 (167) Damian Swann, DB, Georgia
8 (230) Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri
Stephone Anthony was a bit of a reach, and Peat needs to improve despite the bonus of his versatility, but this was a class that was dotted with talent. Williams appeared in 16 games last year, picked off a pair of passes and broke up nine more. Kikaha has had four sacks in each of his two healthy seasons and Grayson remains in the league despite not being the heir apparent to Drew Brees.
GRADE: B-
New York Giants
1 (9) Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
2 (33) Landon Collins, S, Alabama
3 (74) Owamagbe Odighizuwa
5 (144) Mykkele Thompson, DB, Texas
6 (186) Geremy Davis, WR, UConn
6 (226) Bobby Hart, OG, Florida State
Had it not been for the spectacular sophomore season of Landon Collins, this class might have been lost in the weeds altogether. A shame, really, given that Ereck Flowers had remarkable tools to be a run-blocking force in East Rutherford. Now, he’ll be lucky to win the right tackle job out of camp. Odighizuwa is no longer with the team, nor is Thompson or Davis. Mid- to late-round struggles in the draft eventually led to the ouster of Jerry Reese as GM.
GRADE: C
New York Jets
1 (6) Leonard Williams, DT, USC
2 (37) Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
3 (82) Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville
4 (103) Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
5 (152) Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M
7 (223) Deon Simon, NT, Northwestern State
Leonard Williams falls into the Jets’ lap at No. 6, and thank goodness for that. The Jets’ defensive line ended up crumbing around Williams—Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson are both playing elsewhere—but the former USC product has been a valuable inside force. Deon Simon might actually be in the mix for a roster spot in 2018, while Mauldin appeared in 26 games over his first two seasons.
GRADE: B-
Oakland Raiders
1 (4) Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
2 (35) Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State
3 (68) Clive Walford, TE, Miami
4 (128) Jonathan Feliciano, G, Miami
5 (140) Ben Heeney, LB, Kansas
5 (161) Neiron Ball, OLB, Florida
6 (179) Max Valles, DE, Virginia
7 (218) Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State
7 (221) Andre Debose, WR, Florida
7 (242) Dexter McDonald, DB, Kansas
This is a big season for Cooper’s future, which now rests in the hands of Jon Gruden. The Alabama product had phenomenal rookie and sophomore campaigns but was bogged down amid a terrible Raiders campaign in 2017. McDonald made several appearances last year, though a good portion of the 2017 class is out of the NFL.
GRADE: C+
Philadelphia Eagles
1 (20) Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
2 (47) Eric Rowe, DB, Utah
3 (84) Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas
6 (191) JaCorey Shepherd, DB, Kansas
6 (196) Randall Evens, DB, Kansas State
7 (237) Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College
While Rowe played well against his former team in the Super Bowl, his early defection from Philadelphia was a sign of things to come. This is a difficult class to grade for the Eagles given that it was sandwiched between the end of Chip Kelly and the resurgence of Howie Roseman. Rowe, Shepherd, Evens and Mihalik are no longer on the Eagles, and Mihalik no longer plays defensive end. Still, if Agholor had his breakout sooner, his selection combined with the starting-caliber grade on Rowe would make this a formidable class, all things considered.
GRADE: C
Pittsburgh Steelers
1 (22) Bud Dupree, linebacker, Kentucky
2 (56) Senquez Golson, DB, Ole Miss
3 (87) Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn
4 (121) Doran Grant, DB, Ohio State
5 (160) Jesse James, TE, Penn State
6 (199) Leterrius Walton, DE, Central Michigan
6 (212) Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami (FL)
7 (239) Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville
An odd draft for the Steelers in that they made up for a shaky first, second and third round with production throughout the back end. Chickillo logged three sacks last year, while Walton had two. Jesse James is a suitable No. 2 tight end just about anywhere in the NFL. The selection of Coates wasn’t a total bust in my mind. His home run potential was obvious, but so was his downside, and Ben Roethlisberger did get a valuable stretch out of him in 2016 as a deep threat.
GRADE: B-
San Francisco 49ers
1 (17) Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon
2 (46) Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford
3 (79) Eli Harold, DE, Virginia
4 (117) Blake Bill, TE, Oklahoma
4 (126) Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina
4 (132) DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech
5 (165) Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson
6 (190) Ian Silberman, G, Boston College
7 (244) Trenton Brown, OT, Florida
7 (254) Rory Anderson, TE, South Carolina
A high-volume draft that still has some late-rounders hanging around the NFL in different locations. Armstead and Tartt are key pieces of the 49ers defense despite a regime change.
GRADE: C+
Seattle Seahawks
2 (63) Frank Clark, DE, Michigan
3 (69) Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State
4 (130) Terry Poole, OT, San Diego State
4 (134) Mark Glowinski, G, West Virginia
5 (170) Tye Smith, DB, Towson
6 (209) Obum Gwacham, DE, Oregon State
6 (214) Krisjan Sokoli, G, Buffalo
7 (248) Ryan Murphy, DB, Oregon State
I love Seahawks’ drafts because they’re so non-traditional. The fact that almost all these players are no longer on the Seahawks but are still hanging on in the NFL shows the respect people have for John Schneider around the league. Clark has had 19 sacks over the last two seasons and Lockett is still a dynamic return man and third wide receiver, which are not bad gets in the 60s.
GRADE: C+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 (1) Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2 (34) Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State
2 (61) Ali Marpet, C, Hobart
4 (125) Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU
5 (162) Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
6 (184) Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah
7 (231) Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii
Donovan Smith hasn’t missed a start in the NFL yet, and Marpet has been a steady contributor. Kwon Alexander has had gaudy tackle numbers every season. Of course, the Bucs’ final grade will draw out over a few more seasons because of Winston’s ultimate success. The Bucs bet that his personality could be a spark plug in an NFL environment, but will that ultimately prove correct over time?
GRADE: B+
Tennessee Titans
1 (2) Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2 (40) Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Missouri
3 (66) Jeremiah Poutasi, T, Utah
4 (100) Angelo Blackson, DT, Auburn
4 (108) Jalston Fowler, FB, Alabama
5 (138) David Cobb, RB, Minnesota
5 (177) Diontrez Mount, LB, Louisville
6 (208) Andy Gallik, C, Boston College
6 (245) Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary
A great what-if scenario arises here if Tennessee ends up trading the pick to Philadelphia, reuniting Mariota with Chip Kelly. This was, perhaps, the one lasting strength of the 2015 Titans draft. Getting a franchise quarterback matters above all. The fact that none of their other picks remain on the roster doesn’t matter much considering Mariota will be under center in Tennessee for the long haul. Green-Beckham was always seen as a massive boom-or-bust pick, an understandable swing by the Titans in the moment.
GRADE: B-
Washington
1 (5) Brandon Scherff, G, Iowa
2 (38) Preston Smith, OLB, Mississippi
3 (95) Matt Jones, RB, Florida
4 (105) Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke
4 (112) Arie Kouandijo, G, Alabama
5 (141) Martrell Spaight, LB, Arkansas
6 (181) Kyshoen Jarrett, FS, Virginia Tech
6 (182) Tevin Mitchel, DB, Arkansas
6 (187) Evan Spencer, WR, Ohio State
7 (222) Austin Reiter, C, USF
Nearly every member of this class was productive for the team at one stretch of the 2015 season or beyond. Preston Smith has had two eight-sack seasons in three years, while even Jones, who now plays for the Eagles, had 800 total yards and four touchdowns during his rookie season. Crowder was a Kirk Cousins favorite who logged almost 900 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016.
GRADE: A
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