Monday Morning Draft is back! This is a column that delves into the past weekend’s action from an NFL Draft perspective. As the season goes on, the draft picture and slotting will become more clear, but every Sunday will provide a few hints for next April.
By Charlie Campbell.
Send Charlie an e-mail here: [email protected]
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Play like Shizer for Kizer:
Cleveland Browns Cleveland maintained its draft status with loss to the Bengals. The Browns had two weeks to prepare but Cincinnati still dropped them to 0-13 on the season. In case you live under a rock as a football fan, the Browns are the only winless team in the NFL. Obviously, Cleveland has a huge rebuilding process, and it all starts with finding a future franchise quarterback. Perhaps the Browns won’t blow it like they did last spring when they passed on Carson Wentz, but with a baseball general manager running the Browns, you can’t have any confidence that the franchise has the people in place to get it right.
San Francisco 49ers The 49ers went to overtime against the hapless Jets before losing to them. The week before, the 49ers showed how terrible they are as the one of the worst teams in the NFL in the Chicago Bears cruised to a win over San Francisco. The 49ers are now 1-11. San Francisco lacks talent thanks to the poor decisions made by general manager Trent Baalke, so going on a run to ruin the team’s draft positioning isn’t going to happen. As one of the examples of Baalke’s bad decisions, it is an unacceptable failure to go into a season with Blaine Gabbert as the starting quarterback. The 49ers’ Week 1 win was a fluke, and they could easily go 1-15 this season. If they land the No. 1-overall pick, getting a franchise quarterback is the priority.
Other Teams In Contention
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
This section will look at some of the top talent in college football and match those prospects up with teams that have a dire need at the position.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: John Ross, WR, Washington 
The Buccaneers won their fifth straight game as the defense had another superb performance in holding one of the best offenses in the NFL to nine points – two came on a safety. Offensively, the Bucs didn’t have their best game as they only scored 16. It has become abundantly clear over the course of this seaosn that the Buccaneers need more receiving talent to pair with Mike Evans. Jameis Winston could use more speedy wideouts who are able to get separation. Ross could be an intriguing weapon for Tampa Bay.
Ross has been a very productive wideout for Washington this season with 72 receptions for 1,071 yards and 16 touchdowns. For the NFL, he will have to fit as a speedy, shifty slot receiver as he is very undersized. If Ross can add some weight, he could be a Brandin Cooks-type receiver. Otherwise, Ross might be more similar to Sterling Shepard or Tavon Austin. Ross has good hands, route-running and speed. He could be a mismatch weapon as a slot receiver. For the Bucs, Ross would be a great fit as the complement for Mike Evans.
New York Jets: Dion Dawkins, OL, Temple 
The Jets were able to beat the hapless 49ers, but it wasn’t a pretty victory as the game went to overtime before the Jets pulled it out. Bryce Petty had a mixed outing, but his offensive line really struggled as the 49ers collected six sacks and eight tackles for a loss in the game. The Jets could use some young talent for their blocking front.
Dawkins could be the top offensive line prospect on the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft as some team sources are really high on him. Dawkins has impressed as a left tackle for Temple, but in the NFL, he probably would be best served by moving inside to guard. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder has ideal size for the interior plus significant athleticism. Early in the second round, Dawkins could be an upgrade for the Jets’ offense.
Carolina Panthers: D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas 
The Panthers’ defense flashed its 2015 Super Bowl form by intercepting Philip Rivers three times while holding the Chargers to only 58 yards rushing. Carolina has problem areas to address in the offseason, and one way the team could help protect Cam Newton in 2017 is by invigorate its rushing attack. Against the Chargers, Jonathan Stewart had only 66 yards on 24 attempts. Stewart is nearing 30 and has had durability issues in his career. Taking advantage of the 2017 NFL Draft’s strong running back class could make a lot of sense for Carolina.
Foreman (6-1, 249) had a tremendous 2016 season and was one of the most productive runners in the nation. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry on the year for 2,028 yards with 15 touchdowns. He wassn’t much of a receiver with seven receptions for 75 yards, but Foreman is a load as a runner who can run over the opposition. As a sophomore, he averaged 7.2 yards per carry for 681 yards and five touchdowns. The Panthers could target Foreman on the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft and come away with a physical rushing attack.
Atlanta Falcons: Fish Smithson, S, Kansas 
The Falcons dominated the Rams in Los Angeles on Sunday. Vic Beasley had three sacks, one of which was a strip-sack that he returned for a touchdown. Deion Jones added a pick-six. Keanu Neal also played very well for Atlanta, so the Falcons have to have real optimism about their young defensive draft picks. One position Atlanta could still use is a free safety. Tavon Austin had some success moving the ball on the Falcons and so did Kenny Britt. Getting a coverage safety to play with Neal would make sense, and this is a great draft for safety talent.
One of the sleepers who is a potential steal in the 2017 NFL Draft is Kansas safety Fish Smithson. He has been superb the last two years while playing for a struggling program. In 2016, Smithson collected 93 tackles with seven passes broken up, four interceptions and two forced fumbles. He played really well in pass coverage and run defense. In 2015 on an 0-12 team, Smithson led the nation with 7.9 solo tackles per game on 87 solo tackles. He totaled 111 stops with two interceptions, five passes broken up and one forced fumble on the year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is versatile could could be a great complement to Keanu Neal.
Washington Redskins: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee 
The Redskins pulled out a close win over the Eagles even though the lack of a running game put more pressure on Kirk Cousins. Washington has enjoyed Rob Kelley playing well this season, but the Redskins could use a back to pair with him. Targeting a runner on the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft would make sense and help to diversify the Redskins’ offense.
Of all the running backs in the 2017 NFL Draft, Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara would be the best fit for Jay Gruden’s offense – other than Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey, however, will go in the first round, while Kamara might be had in the Round 2. Kamara is a lot like Jamaal Charles as a runner. Both are a fast slashers who are built well with some power. Additionally, Kamara is a phenomenal receiver with great hands and route-running to also be used as a slot receiver. He also is a dynamic returner on punts and kickoffs. Kamara could fill the Giovani Bernard role for Gruden with Kelley being Washington’s Jeremy Hill type. Taking Kamara in the second round could be a great value for the Redskins.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma 
Pittsburgh enjoyed a dominant game from Le’Veon Bell against the Bills, but you could argue that Mike Tomlin was extremely reckless to have Bell carry the ball 38 times along with catching four passes. For the Steelers to make the postseason and advance, they are going to need Bell on the field. and risking him for injury on that many carries is utterly negligent. DeAngelo Williams had some moments during the past couple of seasons, but the Steelers could use a more dependable backup to help lighten the load for Bell.
Perine has averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2016 for 735 yards with 10 touchdowns while splitting carries with Joe Mixon. Perine is a workhorse back who provides a physical presence to his offense. The 5-foot-11, 237-pounder averaged 6.0 yards per carry in 2015 for 1,349 yards with 16 touchdowns, and as a freshman, he set the NCAA single-game rushing record with 427 yards – against Kansas. Perine could be a good mid-round value pick who would make sense for Pittsburgh.
Houston Texans: Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama 
The Texans ran the ball really well against the Colts, gaining almost 200 yards on the ground to lead their offense in a win in Indianapolis. Houston lost right tackle Derek Newton to a potentially career-ending injury earlier this season and left tackle Duane Brown is aging. The Texans need to get a new starting right tackle for next year. To get Robinson, they probably would have to trade up in the first round as they will probably be picking in the early 20s or late teens depending on if they beat Tennessee for the AFC South title. Moving from the early 20s to the mid-teens to get Robinson could be worth it as he could start out at right tackle and eventually develop into the replacement for Brown.
Robinson benefits from the 2017 NFL Draft featuring a weak class of offensive tackles. He has some kinks to work out in pass protection, but he has the athleticism and feet to be a starting left tackle while also being a plus run blocker. Robinson doesn’t blast guys off the line of scrimmage, but he controls his defenders to turn them away and latches on to them well. Consistently, Robinson helps open holes in the ground game. He looks like a lock as a top-20 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand in regards to the 2017 NFL Draft.
Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings avoided the embarrassment of losing to Jacksonville to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Minnesota team from the first month of the season would have blown the Jaguars out, but the Vikings of the second half of the year had a close game to top Jacksonville. It has been a rough season for the Vikings after a great start, and they have some serious needs to address in the offseason. The team, however, will be without its first-round pick because of the Sam Bradford trade with the Eagles.
The Vikings have two third-round picks and their second-round pick to find some upgrades for their offense. The biggest problem this season has been the offensive line. The line has not controlled the point of attack, has allowed too much pass pressure, and has been inconsistent in opening rushing lanes. On the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft, Minnesota could target players like Indiana’s Dan Feeney, Ohio State’s Billy Price, Ohio State’s Pat Elflein and LSU’s Ethan Pocic are interior linemen to consider. A tackle with a good skill set, but who also needs development, is Bucknell’s Julie’n Davenport. If the Vikings use their second-round pick on an offensive lineman, Temple’s Dion Dawkins could be the player worthy of that pick.
To improve the offense, Minnesota also should draw on a strong running back class. The team has missed Adrian Peterson this season, and the future Hall of Famer is aging with a lot of wear-and-tear. Taking a running back in the second round could give the Vikings a first-round talent who slides to Round 2 because of the depth at the position in the 2017 NFL Draft. Tennessee’s Alvin Kamara, Texas’ D’onta Foreman, Oregon’s Royce Freeman and Georgia’s Nick Chubb are all worthy candidates to consider.
The Vikings also could consider taking wide receiver help on the second day of the 2017 NFL Draft and the mid-rounds. They have some receiving talent, but could use more to help the potency of their offense. Laquon Treadwell has been very quiet as a rookie, and the Vikings need to see a big improvement from him in the second year of his career.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Vikings are a serious playoff contender in 2017. They have a great defense to lean on. If the Vikings improve their offensive line and gets more running back talent to go with Peterson, they could make a big jump next season to be a dangerous team in January.
New Orleans Saints: The Saints’ 2016 season has been a repeat of many of the past few years as the team has a potent offense yet a defense that isn’t good enough to get the team back into the postseason. Thus, this offseason will be a similar refrain of New Orleans putting resources into its stop unit to try to get back into Super Bowl contention before Drew Brees ends his Hall of Fame career.
New Orleans could use an upgrade to its cornerbacks. Delvin Breaux hasn’t been quite the same this year, but the other corners need to be upgraded. Fortunately for the Saints, this is a good cornerback draft, and they could have a lot of nice options in the first round including Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey, Florida’s Quincy Wilson, Ohio State’s Marshon Latimore, Ohio State’s Gareon Conley, Florida’s Jalen Tabor, Washington’s Sidney Jones, LSU’s Tre’Davious White and Iowa’s Desmond King are all players the Saints could consider. White could be a nice fit as a second-round pick if New Orleans decides to go another direction in Round 1.
If the Saints don’t take a cornerback in the first round, they could consider an edge rusher. New Orleans has been without Hau’oli Kikaha this year, and the team needs another end to pair with Cam Jordan and tackle Sheldon Rankins. Alabama’s Tim Williams, Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, Michigan’s Chris Wormley, Missouri’s Charles Harris or Illinois’ Dawuane Smoot could be players to consider in the first round. Illinois’ Carroll Phillips, Stanford’s Solomon Thomas, Auburn’s Carl Lawson, or Florida State’s Demarcus Walker could be players to consider in Round 2.
Offensively, the Saints could target some offensive line and tight end help in the mid-rounds. This is an excellent tight end draft, and New Orleans could take advantage of that. Coby Fleener has been a disappointment, and the Saints could still use a true replacement for Jimmy Graham. Some good receiving tight ends for the second day or the mid-rounds include Virginia Tech’s Bucky Hodges, Clemson’s Jordan Leggett, South Alabama’s Gerald Everett and Florida International’s Jonnu Smith. The offensive line is in better shape, but having young talent and depth is worthy of consideration in the mid-rounds and Day 3.
Time is running out for the Saints in their Super Bowl window. Drew Brees is still playing extremely well, but he won’t play forever. They need to upgrade the defense immediately to have another shot at winning a Lombardi Trophy before Brees calls it a career.
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