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Pompei: Cowboys, Chargers, Giants, Jaguars among drafts praised by fellow NFL brain trusts
By Dan Pompei 1h ago
There were high fives and raised glasses in every NFL front office about the players they selected. What’s more interesting is how front offices reacted to the players other teams selected.
The Athletic surveyed NFL evaluators about how the 2021 draft played out.
Front-office people said they were impressed with the drafts of the Cowboys, Chargers, Giants, Jaguars, Jets, Ravens, Steelers and Vikings, among others.
With linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Kelvin Joseph as their first- and second-round picks, the Cowboys were viewed as a team that added two high-end talents to its defense. One scout thinks Joseph was the third-best cornerback in the draft. He also believes both of the Cowboys’ fourth-rounders — linebacker Jabril Cox and offensive tackle Josh Ball — will be NFL starters. He said Ball could have gone in the second round.
The Chargers were praised for their solid first two picks, offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., as well as wide receiver Josh Palmer. One front-office person said he thinks all three are starters, with Palmer being a No. 2 receiver who runs excellent routes. Their second pick in the third round, Tre’ McKitty, was called “the best blocking tight end in the draft.” One predicted fourth-round pick Chris Rumph II will enhance the team with excellent technique, intelligence, savvy, athleticism and character.
Rashawn Slater is expected to improve protection for reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert. (Courtesy of Northwestern)
The Giants impressed by trading down in the first round, picking up an extra first-round pick next year, and taking wide receiver Kadarius Toney. Scouts also believe their next three choices — pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, cornerback Aaron Robinson and pass rusher Elerson Smith — represent “really good value.”
For sheer depth of talent added, no team touched the Jaguars, who benefited from having the first pick in the first five rounds and extra picks in the first and fourth rounds. One team graded running back Travis Etienne, whom the Jaguars chose with the 25th pick, in a three-way tie with Najee Harris and Javonte Wilson as the highest-rated running back. Representatives from four teams said they had cornerback Tyson Campbell, picked 33rd by the Jags, higher than his Georgia teammate Eric Stokes, who was selected 29th by the Packers. One even had him ahead of Greg Newsome, who went to the Browns with the 26th pick. Scouts said offensive tackle Walker Little, picked in the second round, and safety Andre Cisco, selected in the third, could have been chosen higher if not for injuries. And getting defensive tackle Jay Tufele in the fourth round represented excellent value.
The Jets went offense with their first four picks in an attempt to support No. 2 pick Zach Wilson, their new quarterback. They were able to fill needs without reaching or sacrificing value, according to one front-office man. “They got three starters,” a scout said about Wilson, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker and wide receiver Elijah Moore. “Two of them should be high-level.” Safety Hamsah Nasirildeen was deemed an excellent gamble in Round 6, as one scout said he had first-round talent, and three said he could have been chosen as high as the third round even though he’s still getting over an ACL injury.
The Ravens were seen as “solid as always” by one scout. Another evaluator said they had “unbelievable value for every pick.” He was particularly impressed with the selections of two wide receivers, Rashod Bateman in the first and Tylan Wallace in the fourth. He said Wallace would have been a first-round pick if not for knee problems that began with a torn ACL in 2019. “Lamar Jackson will have a chance to shine with those receivers,” he said. He also said pass rusher Odafe Oweh, taken with the 31st selection, would have been a top-10 pick next year had he returned to Penn State for the 2021 season. Third-round picks Ben Cleveland, a guard, and Brandon Stephens, a cornerback, will be above-average starters, in his opinion.
Lamar Jackson will have a new weapon in wide receiver Rashod Bateman from Minnesota. (Zach Bolinger / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As for the Steelers, one front-office person said they “hit a home run” with first-round pick Harris. “He can be really good for them, a workhorse who brings the added dimension of being able to catch the ball,” he said. “He’s more complete than any of the backs they’ve had, even Le’Veon Bell.” A second front-office person likes tight end Pat Freiermuth, their second-round pick, as well. “They couldn’t have had two more predictable picks,” he said.
The Vikings moved down nine spots in the first round to No. 23 and took offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. One front-office person said Minnesota could have taken Darrisaw with the 14th pick and no one would have thought he’d been drafted too high. Another said he expects the Vikings to have four starters from the draft in Darrisaw, linebacker Chazz Surratt, guard Wyatt Davis and defensive end Patrick Jones. Besides Darrisaw, each was taken in the third round. Two of those picks were acquired in the trade down in the first round.
Here are some notes on particular picks from around the league:
RAIDERS: General manager Mike Mayock said he knew the selection of offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood with the 17th pick would be controversial, and he was right. Several of his peers questioned the choice.
Leatherwood was the third offensive tackle taken, but he was ranked sixth-best by one general manager. Another general manager said he was sure the Raiders were going to take Darrisaw instead of Leatherwood. Said a third: “Darrisaw would have been a more solid pick.”
Leatherwood had impressive workout numbers, but he turned off some people by being late for commitments at the Senior Bowl, one scouting director said. An evaluator said Leatherwood has the athleticism and length of the best tackles in the draft, but he doesn’t show it consistently. “Every game, he does something you question,” he said.
BEARS: Three front-office people said they thought the Bears took a worthwhile risk in giving up a 2022 first-round pick in a trade that enabled them to take quarterback Justin Fields. They also said if the Bears did not move up, they thought Chicago would have taken either Darrisaw, who went to the Vikings with the 23rd pick, or wide receiver Kadarius Toney, whom the Giants picked with the 20th selection acquired from the Bears.
Some thought Toney would slip because of maturity issues, but the Giants and other teams ended up believing the reward was worth the risk, or that the risk isn’t daunting. “He’s a phenomenal athlete,” a scout said. “He’s electric with the ball in his hands. He’s different from anybody.”
PANTHERS: The Panthers’ selections and draft maneuverings generally were well-received, but some evaluators questioned the decision to select cornerback Jaycee Horn over Patrick Surtain with the eighth pick. While one front-office person said the only reason to take Horn first might be that Horn could have more upside, another couldn’t understand it. He said in terms of talent, Horn ranked behind not only Surtain but also Caleb Farley, who went to the Titans on the 22nd pick but had medical issues.
One evaluator said Horn is a little tighter than Surtain in off-man coverage. Another said Surtain rates higher in technique and intangibles.
Two scouts were high on the Panthers drafting wide receiver Terrace Marshall in the second round (No. 59). One said he could have been taken as high as the middle of the first round.
The Panthers hope to have a lockdown corner in Jaycee Horn. (Bruce Newman / Associated Press)
BRONCOS: The Broncos mostly were praised for taking Surtain even though they passed on a quarterback with excellent potential in Fields. “He’s the most well-rounded cornerback I’ve seen in a very long time, and he got one of the highest grades I gave a corner in a while,” one scout said. “He doesn’t have many holes.”
Cornerback wasn’t a pressing need for the Broncos, but a scout said he understood why they would take a cornerback with Patrick Mahomes in the same division. Last season, the AFC West had the top-ranked passing team (Chiefs), the No. 6 passing team (Chargers) and the No. 7 passing team (Raiders).
BUCCANEERS: Scouts were intrigued by the Bucs’ selection of quarterback Kyle Trask with the last pick of the second round. One thought Trask could have gone about one round earlier. Another said he had Trask rated equally with Mac Jones, taken with the 15th pick in the first round by the Patriots.
While Trask fits Bruce Arians’ profile for a quarterback in the estimation of one evaluator, he said he does not see Trask as the next Tom Brady. “He doesn’t have the quick processing to get the ball out like Brady does,” he said. “At his pro day, everything he did was methodical.”
LIONS: The Lions’ fourth-round selection of linebacker Derrick Barnes was termed “a steal” by one veteran evaluator. He thinks Barnes, who moved to inside linebacker from outside linebacker in 2020, has first-round talent as an inside linebacker and is a better prospect than 2017 Lions first-round pick Jarrad Davis was. “The combine had bad grades on him, and people didn’t know about him until late,” he said. “But he’s big, fast and tough.”
BEARS II: Three front-office people thought offensive tackle Teven Jenkins went about where he should go with the seventh pick of the second round to the Bears (No. 39). Another thought he could have gone 10 to 15 picks higher. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, at least one other team was interested in trading up to take Jenkins, as the Bears did.
No one questions that Jenkins can play like a first-rounder. He was third-fastest among offensive tackles who ran a 40, with a 4.99, and he did it weighing 317 pounds. He also had the second-most reps on the bench press with 36.
Jenkins helped himself with an outstanding senior season. One scout was particularly impressed with how he handled pass rusher Joseph Assai, taken in the third round by the Bengals. But before Jenkins’ senior season, there were questions about his commitment level.
Evaluators say in 2020, he worked much harder than he previously did. Some teams might have been less enthusiastic about Jenkins because he had back issues at Oklahoma State.
One evaluator said he expects Jenkins and Larry Borom, whom the Bears chose in the fifth round, to be NFL starters, and he said both can play tackle.
WFT: Washington’s selection of Jamin Davis with the 19th pick turned some heads, but multiple front-office people thought the choice was sound. “Great on tape, great workout, makes plays,” one said. “I knew he’d go in the first.”
One saw the selection as an attempt by Washington head coach Ron Rivera to re-create the defenses he worked with in Chicago (Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs) and Carolina (Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis). Said another: “Davis was one of my favorite players in the draft.”
Washington fortified its defense with the addition of Kentucky’s Jamin Davis. (Jacob Noger / Collegiate Images / Getty Images)
SAINTS: The selection of defensive end Payton Turner with the 28th pick was questioned. “Severe reach,” one scout said. Four evaluators had Turner pegged as a third-rounder. Another called him a “developmental guy” but acknowledged he has upside.
The Saints’ draft might have been better received if they had taken second-round pick Pete Werner in the first and Turner in the second, as Werner was considered a strong selection. One evaluator said he thinks Werner has first-round ability.
• More than one front-office person remarked that area scouts and even scouting directors had less influence than usual over the 2021 draft and were marginalized in the process.
Part of it is because they didn’t have as much valuable information as in a normal year because they couldn’t travel as much during the fall. And part of it is that they had less face time with their teams’ top decision-makers. They usually weren’t physically in their draft rooms, and in some cases, they weren’t even at their team facilities. As a result, general managers, head coaches and even assistant coaches wielded more influence over this draft than usual.
By Dan Pompei 1h ago
There were high fives and raised glasses in every NFL front office about the players they selected. What’s more interesting is how front offices reacted to the players other teams selected.
The Athletic surveyed NFL evaluators about how the 2021 draft played out.
Front-office people said they were impressed with the drafts of the Cowboys, Chargers, Giants, Jaguars, Jets, Ravens, Steelers and Vikings, among others.
With linebacker Micah Parsons and cornerback Kelvin Joseph as their first- and second-round picks, the Cowboys were viewed as a team that added two high-end talents to its defense. One scout thinks Joseph was the third-best cornerback in the draft. He also believes both of the Cowboys’ fourth-rounders — linebacker Jabril Cox and offensive tackle Josh Ball — will be NFL starters. He said Ball could have gone in the second round.
The Chargers were praised for their solid first two picks, offensive tackle Rashawn Slater and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., as well as wide receiver Josh Palmer. One front-office person said he thinks all three are starters, with Palmer being a No. 2 receiver who runs excellent routes. Their second pick in the third round, Tre’ McKitty, was called “the best blocking tight end in the draft.” One predicted fourth-round pick Chris Rumph II will enhance the team with excellent technique, intelligence, savvy, athleticism and character.
Rashawn Slater is expected to improve protection for reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Justin Herbert. (Courtesy of Northwestern)
The Giants impressed by trading down in the first round, picking up an extra first-round pick next year, and taking wide receiver Kadarius Toney. Scouts also believe their next three choices — pass rusher Azeez Ojulari, cornerback Aaron Robinson and pass rusher Elerson Smith — represent “really good value.”
For sheer depth of talent added, no team touched the Jaguars, who benefited from having the first pick in the first five rounds and extra picks in the first and fourth rounds. One team graded running back Travis Etienne, whom the Jaguars chose with the 25th pick, in a three-way tie with Najee Harris and Javonte Wilson as the highest-rated running back. Representatives from four teams said they had cornerback Tyson Campbell, picked 33rd by the Jags, higher than his Georgia teammate Eric Stokes, who was selected 29th by the Packers. One even had him ahead of Greg Newsome, who went to the Browns with the 26th pick. Scouts said offensive tackle Walker Little, picked in the second round, and safety Andre Cisco, selected in the third, could have been chosen higher if not for injuries. And getting defensive tackle Jay Tufele in the fourth round represented excellent value.
The Jets went offense with their first four picks in an attempt to support No. 2 pick Zach Wilson, their new quarterback. They were able to fill needs without reaching or sacrificing value, according to one front-office man. “They got three starters,” a scout said about Wilson, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker and wide receiver Elijah Moore. “Two of them should be high-level.” Safety Hamsah Nasirildeen was deemed an excellent gamble in Round 6, as one scout said he had first-round talent, and three said he could have been chosen as high as the third round even though he’s still getting over an ACL injury.
The Ravens were seen as “solid as always” by one scout. Another evaluator said they had “unbelievable value for every pick.” He was particularly impressed with the selections of two wide receivers, Rashod Bateman in the first and Tylan Wallace in the fourth. He said Wallace would have been a first-round pick if not for knee problems that began with a torn ACL in 2019. “Lamar Jackson will have a chance to shine with those receivers,” he said. He also said pass rusher Odafe Oweh, taken with the 31st selection, would have been a top-10 pick next year had he returned to Penn State for the 2021 season. Third-round picks Ben Cleveland, a guard, and Brandon Stephens, a cornerback, will be above-average starters, in his opinion.
Lamar Jackson will have a new weapon in wide receiver Rashod Bateman from Minnesota. (Zach Bolinger / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
As for the Steelers, one front-office person said they “hit a home run” with first-round pick Harris. “He can be really good for them, a workhorse who brings the added dimension of being able to catch the ball,” he said. “He’s more complete than any of the backs they’ve had, even Le’Veon Bell.” A second front-office person likes tight end Pat Freiermuth, their second-round pick, as well. “They couldn’t have had two more predictable picks,” he said.
The Vikings moved down nine spots in the first round to No. 23 and took offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw. One front-office person said Minnesota could have taken Darrisaw with the 14th pick and no one would have thought he’d been drafted too high. Another said he expects the Vikings to have four starters from the draft in Darrisaw, linebacker Chazz Surratt, guard Wyatt Davis and defensive end Patrick Jones. Besides Darrisaw, each was taken in the third round. Two of those picks were acquired in the trade down in the first round.
Here are some notes on particular picks from around the league:
RAIDERS: General manager Mike Mayock said he knew the selection of offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood with the 17th pick would be controversial, and he was right. Several of his peers questioned the choice.
Leatherwood was the third offensive tackle taken, but he was ranked sixth-best by one general manager. Another general manager said he was sure the Raiders were going to take Darrisaw instead of Leatherwood. Said a third: “Darrisaw would have been a more solid pick.”
Leatherwood had impressive workout numbers, but he turned off some people by being late for commitments at the Senior Bowl, one scouting director said. An evaluator said Leatherwood has the athleticism and length of the best tackles in the draft, but he doesn’t show it consistently. “Every game, he does something you question,” he said.
BEARS: Three front-office people said they thought the Bears took a worthwhile risk in giving up a 2022 first-round pick in a trade that enabled them to take quarterback Justin Fields. They also said if the Bears did not move up, they thought Chicago would have taken either Darrisaw, who went to the Vikings with the 23rd pick, or wide receiver Kadarius Toney, whom the Giants picked with the 20th selection acquired from the Bears.
Some thought Toney would slip because of maturity issues, but the Giants and other teams ended up believing the reward was worth the risk, or that the risk isn’t daunting. “He’s a phenomenal athlete,” a scout said. “He’s electric with the ball in his hands. He’s different from anybody.”
PANTHERS: The Panthers’ selections and draft maneuverings generally were well-received, but some evaluators questioned the decision to select cornerback Jaycee Horn over Patrick Surtain with the eighth pick. While one front-office person said the only reason to take Horn first might be that Horn could have more upside, another couldn’t understand it. He said in terms of talent, Horn ranked behind not only Surtain but also Caleb Farley, who went to the Titans on the 22nd pick but had medical issues.
One evaluator said Horn is a little tighter than Surtain in off-man coverage. Another said Surtain rates higher in technique and intangibles.
Two scouts were high on the Panthers drafting wide receiver Terrace Marshall in the second round (No. 59). One said he could have been taken as high as the middle of the first round.
The Panthers hope to have a lockdown corner in Jaycee Horn. (Bruce Newman / Associated Press)
BRONCOS: The Broncos mostly were praised for taking Surtain even though they passed on a quarterback with excellent potential in Fields. “He’s the most well-rounded cornerback I’ve seen in a very long time, and he got one of the highest grades I gave a corner in a while,” one scout said. “He doesn’t have many holes.”
Cornerback wasn’t a pressing need for the Broncos, but a scout said he understood why they would take a cornerback with Patrick Mahomes in the same division. Last season, the AFC West had the top-ranked passing team (Chiefs), the No. 6 passing team (Chargers) and the No. 7 passing team (Raiders).
BUCCANEERS: Scouts were intrigued by the Bucs’ selection of quarterback Kyle Trask with the last pick of the second round. One thought Trask could have gone about one round earlier. Another said he had Trask rated equally with Mac Jones, taken with the 15th pick in the first round by the Patriots.
While Trask fits Bruce Arians’ profile for a quarterback in the estimation of one evaluator, he said he does not see Trask as the next Tom Brady. “He doesn’t have the quick processing to get the ball out like Brady does,” he said. “At his pro day, everything he did was methodical.”
LIONS: The Lions’ fourth-round selection of linebacker Derrick Barnes was termed “a steal” by one veteran evaluator. He thinks Barnes, who moved to inside linebacker from outside linebacker in 2020, has first-round talent as an inside linebacker and is a better prospect than 2017 Lions first-round pick Jarrad Davis was. “The combine had bad grades on him, and people didn’t know about him until late,” he said. “But he’s big, fast and tough.”
BEARS II: Three front-office people thought offensive tackle Teven Jenkins went about where he should go with the seventh pick of the second round to the Bears (No. 39). Another thought he could have gone 10 to 15 picks higher. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, at least one other team was interested in trading up to take Jenkins, as the Bears did.
No one questions that Jenkins can play like a first-rounder. He was third-fastest among offensive tackles who ran a 40, with a 4.99, and he did it weighing 317 pounds. He also had the second-most reps on the bench press with 36.
Jenkins helped himself with an outstanding senior season. One scout was particularly impressed with how he handled pass rusher Joseph Assai, taken in the third round by the Bengals. But before Jenkins’ senior season, there were questions about his commitment level.
Evaluators say in 2020, he worked much harder than he previously did. Some teams might have been less enthusiastic about Jenkins because he had back issues at Oklahoma State.
One evaluator said he expects Jenkins and Larry Borom, whom the Bears chose in the fifth round, to be NFL starters, and he said both can play tackle.
WFT: Washington’s selection of Jamin Davis with the 19th pick turned some heads, but multiple front-office people thought the choice was sound. “Great on tape, great workout, makes plays,” one said. “I knew he’d go in the first.”
One saw the selection as an attempt by Washington head coach Ron Rivera to re-create the defenses he worked with in Chicago (Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs) and Carolina (Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis). Said another: “Davis was one of my favorite players in the draft.”
Washington fortified its defense with the addition of Kentucky’s Jamin Davis. (Jacob Noger / Collegiate Images / Getty Images)
SAINTS: The selection of defensive end Payton Turner with the 28th pick was questioned. “Severe reach,” one scout said. Four evaluators had Turner pegged as a third-rounder. Another called him a “developmental guy” but acknowledged he has upside.
The Saints’ draft might have been better received if they had taken second-round pick Pete Werner in the first and Turner in the second, as Werner was considered a strong selection. One evaluator said he thinks Werner has first-round ability.
• More than one front-office person remarked that area scouts and even scouting directors had less influence than usual over the 2021 draft and were marginalized in the process.
Part of it is because they didn’t have as much valuable information as in a normal year because they couldn’t travel as much during the fall. And part of it is that they had less face time with their teams’ top decision-makers. They usually weren’t physically in their draft rooms, and in some cases, they weren’t even at their team facilities. As a result, general managers, head coaches and even assistant coaches wielded more influence over this draft than usual.
