Grading Every Day Two Pick

Brandon Olsen

Follow him on Twitter @WNS_Brandon

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You’re guaranteed to be shocked at some point while watching the NFL Draft and 2019 was no different. The hype surely died down as the night went on as fans recognized less names. When it comes to building a team however, the league is built on the backs of the later picks. Brandon Olsen is back again to grade every pick from the second day of the NFL Draft.

33. Arizona Cardinals

Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

Byron Murphy was my #1 CB in the whole class so this grade is pretty easily an A+, the Cardinals get great value here. I love that height/frame isn’t scaring them away from prospects. Getting QB1 and CB1 is a fantastic haul, same thing we saw with the Browns taking Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward last year.

34. Indianapolis Colts

Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple

The Colts are probably the best drafting team in the NFL and nothing about that changes here. Rock Ya-Sin is my CB3. His physicality and personality are exactly what Indy was looking for so this is a great pick. I give this an A.

35. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

Myself, along with hundreds of other media scouts, often had the Jaguars taking Taylor at 7. Due to an apparent knee issue that came out recently, the Jaguars were able to grab Taylor at 35. You don’t get much better value than that. This pick gets an A- from me, I’m a big fan of Taylor’s game but I’m worried about his knee.

36. San Francisco 49ers

Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina

Reports had come out a couple of weeks ago that the 49ers were very high on Deebo Samuel. I’m actually not super-high on Deebo. Deebo’s a top 60 player to me but with AJ Brown still on the board, I don’t love this pick. I give this a B-. I like Deebo a lot, but I’m personally just not a fan of the value here.

37. Carolina Panthers

Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss

I had to go back and watch Greg Little at multiple points over the draft process because some people liked him so much and I still just don’t see it. This pick gets a D- for me. Greg Little disappointed me consistently on film, then again at the combine so I can’t give this pick a good grade.

38. Buffalo Bills

Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma

This is who the Panthers should have selected. Cody Ford was expected to be drafted in the mid-first round but fell to the early-second last night. The Bills have now taken Ed Oliver at great value and Cody Ford at great value. I give this pick an A.

39. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan

If you follow me on Twitter (@WNS_Brandon) then you know that I’m a pretty big fan of Sean Bunting. This was slightly earlier than I expected but I think he’ll excel with Todd Bowles as his DC. This pick gets a B+ from me. I love the player, it’s just a little too early for me to give it a better grade.

40. Oakland Raiders

Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson

The Raiders drafted high-character players that could come in and play immediately in the first round and the second round is no different. I’m really not a fan of the value here so this pick gets a B- from me but I think Mayock is doing a fantastic job of fixing this locker room.

41. Denver Broncos

Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State

Dalton Risner is a big, physical, nasty offensive lineman and pairing him with this next pick was a fantastic choice. I give this pick a B+. Risner should immediately be a top offensive lineman on this team.

42. Denver Broncos

Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

A+. Cut and dry. I had Drew Lock at #43 on my big board that wasn’t adjusted to positional value so I think this is an absolute steal here. John Elway is crushing the draft so far by taking Lock, Risner, and Noah Fant in the first.

43. Detroit Lions

Jahlani Tavai, LB, Hawaii

I think that this pick is one of the bigger reaches on day 2. Personally, I had a late 4th round grade on Tavai so this pick is getting an F from me. This was a massive reach and think if they really wanted Tavai then they could have traded down once or twice and he’d definitely still be there.

44. Green Bay Packers

Elgton Jenkins, IOL, Mississippi State

Given the lack of depth or talent on the interior offensive line, I thought Jenkins would go in the first round. Luckily for the Packers, he managed to fall to them at 44 and they get great value here. I thought he would go in the first but that’s due to a weak position group. This pick gets a B+ for being right in Jenkins wheelhouse.

45. New England Patriots

JoeJuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt

I love JoeJuan’s confidence, he’s got all of the traits to be successful but needs to work on technique. Enter New England. I think this was a bit early for him talent-wise but knew a team would fall in love with his size/traits. This pick gets a C from me.

46. Cleveland Browns

Greedy Williams, CB, LSU

The Browns basically used the #17 pick on Odell Beckham Jr. and now they get another LSU talent at 46. Greedy Williams deserved to go in the first round but now he’s being paired with Denzel Ward to form a top young CB duo. I give this pick an A+ easily.

47. Seattle Seahawks

Marquise Blair, S, Utah

I don’t totally get this pick. I understand there was a need at safety for Seattle but there were at least three safeties that were significantly better than Blair. The Seahawks continue to be pretty questionable this draft so I give them a D+ for this pick.

48. New Orleans Saints

Erik McCoy, IOL, Texas A&M

I give the trade up a C- because they gave up way too much for this move. The pick however, gets a B+ from me. I love McCoy’s game and he was the last good interior offensive lineman available for me.

49. Indianapolis Colts

Ben Banogu, EDGE, TCU

This was one of those picks that I think I was in the minority of actually liking. A lot of people thought this was a huge reach but I had Banogu as the #58 player overall so this isn’t too massive of a reach. I’m giving this pick a B.

50. Minnesota Vikings

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama

The #51 player on my board comes off the board to Minnesota here at 50. I like Irv Smith’s game and think that he’ll be a great replacement for Kyle Rudolph when he inevitably gets hurt again. This is a B pick for me.

51. Tennessee Titans

AJ Brown, WR, Ole Miss

The Titans are drafting the best player available at positions of need and the board is falling for them. They got Jeffery Simmons yesterday then my WR1 in the second round. I give this pick an A-, I think this pick improves their offense significantly.

52. Cincinnati Bengals

Drew Sample, TE, Washington

I don’t understand this pick at all. I had a 5th round grade and an Anthony Fasano comp on Drew Sample. That’s not the type of player that you use a second round pick on so I’m giving this an F.

53. Philadelphia Eagles

Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State

I was actually really upset when this pick was announced because he’s going to torch the Giants defense for years to come. Sanders sat behind Saquon Barkley at Penn State and now he’ll be a starting RB in the same division as Saquon. The Eagles are crushing the draft so far with this B grade, it’s higher than I’d take him but I love the fit.

54. Houston Texans

Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky

People seemed to fall in love with Lonnie Johnson as we continued to go through the draft process so this pick comes as no real surprise. There were a few corners that I had a higher grade on but Lonnie Johnson has the traits here. I’m giving this pick a C+.

55. Houston Texans

Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois

Two picks in a row where the Texans took a player earlier than I would have. I like Max Scharping but I don’t totally see the value here. This pick gets a C- from me.

56. Kansas City Chiefs

Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia

Mecole Hardman is very fast and a home run threat every time he touches the ball. Some homophobic tweets surfaced from a few years ago after he got drafted. I’m glad to see the Chiefs are continuing to add high-character players. This pick gets a B- from me if it’s based strictly on talent, fit, team need, and value.

57. Philadelphia Eagles

JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford

Earlier this week I was on the Locked on Saints podcast to talk some prospects and I raved about JJAW. We got to see him to go the Eagles instead and he’ll be able to thrive there. I’m giving this an A- grade, good job so far Philly.

58. Dallas Cowboys

Trysten Hill, DL, UCF

Hill is talented but I think there were better directions to go here. It’s unfortunate that the UCF coaching staff didn’t give him a fair shake this past season. He would’ve benefited greatly from the extra film. I do question whether or not he can be an effective interior pass-rusher at the next level. I have to give this pick a D+, I think it’s too early for him and there were other directions they could have gone.

59. Indianapolis Colts

Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State

Another Colts selection, another stud. Parris Campbell is lightning fast and he’s great with the ball in his hand. This pick is an B+from me, Chris Ballard and the Colts continue to dominate the draft.

60. Los Angeles Chargers

Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware

Coming out of a small school, a lot of casual fans don’t really know what to think about this pick. Be happy Chargers fans. There’s only one deep safety prospect I have rated higher than Adderley and that’s Deionte Thompson. Gardner-Johnson and Rapp are more versatile pieces, let Adderley play single-high while Derwin James roams the field. I’m giving this pick a B+.

61. Los Angeles Rams

Taylor Rapp, S, Washington

The Rams lost Lamarcus Joyner this past year and replaced him with someone that I think might already be better. Taylor Rapp is going to make every single team regret that they passed up on him. This is an A+ for the Rams.

62. Arizona Cardinals

Andy Isabella, WR, Massachusetts

Like I said earlier and on Twitter last night, the Cardinals don’t care about height or frame and I love that. I don’t think the value is here for Andy Isabella however. Arizona traded Josh Rosen just to take someone they could have gotten in the third round, maybe even on day three. I’m giving this pick a D.

63. Kansas City Chiefs

Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia

The Chiefs needed some help in the secondary going into this offseason and they get that help here. I think there were better safeties available so this pick gets a C. Kansas City really should have tried to trade up ahead of the LA teams to take Rapp.

64. Seattle Seahawks

DK Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

It wasn’t too long ago that DK Metcalf blew up social media and the NFL Combine. After the combine, Metcalf was projected as high as 4 to the Raiders. Luckily his stock came back down to Earth and he went in the second round where he belongs. I’m not a big fan of Metcalf but this is great value here, since I thought he’d go higher. For the second round in a row, a WR goes last pick for an A.

Third Round

Picks 65-74

65. Arizona Cardinals – Zach Allen, EDGE, Boston College – The Cardinals finally took someone over 6’ tall and it’s a good pick. Zach Allen will add attitude to this front seven and the Cardinals continue what is still a good draft. This pick gets a B from me.

66. Pittsburgh Steelers – Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo – This is much higher than I expected Diontae Johnson to go but I like the pick. I thought Diontae would go later because he played in the MAC, not because of his talent. Pittsburgh is going to turn him into a Pro Bowler, so this pick is getting a B+ from me.

67. San Francisco 49ers – Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor -I’ve said plenty of times that I love Jalen Hurd’s game and potential. Hurd going to San Francisco gives the 49ers a great young trio of Pettis, Samuel, and Hurd. I’m giving this pick a B because Hurd still has to develop and I think they could have traded down a few spots and still gotten him.

68. New York Jets – Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida – Jachai Polite used to be mocked as a top 10 draft pick before bombing the Combine and his Pro Day. On film, Polite is still a top-40 player so if the Jets can keep him focused, this is a steal. There is however risk with this pick, so that’s why I’m giving it a C+, but I still love Polite’s tape.

69. Jacksonville Jaguars – Josh Oliver, TE, San Jose State – This was higher than I had expected and hoped for Oliver to go but I understand the pick. Nick Foles loved Zach Ertz in Philly and has openly said how valuable TEs are to him. Getting your new QB someone that can he can gel with and trust in the passing game. I’m giving this pick a C-, it would be lower if there wasn’t such a massive need here for the Jaguars.

70. Los Angeles Rams – Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis – Todd Gurley has an arthritic knee and was basically not even on the roster during the postseason. CJ Anderson is in Detroit now so taking a backup running back was necessary. Henderson should be able to complement Gurley nicely so I’m grading this a C+.

71. Denver Broncos – Dre’Mont Jones, DL, Ohio State – John Elway continues to just knock every pick out of the park here. I had Jones as the #31 prospect on my board so getting him at 71 gets this pick an A+ from me.

72. Cincinnati Bengals – Germaine Pratt, LB, NC State – Germaine Pratt is a converted safety that has a ton of range in coverage. The Bengals needed to get more athletic defensively and did just that here. I do think that Mack Wilson or David Long Jr. would have been better picks here though. I’m giving this a C- grade.

73. Chicago Bears – David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State – It took 73 picks, but the top 10 players on my big board are finally gone. I have no idea how my #9 prospect lasted this long but man, Chicago got an absolute steal. A+ without a doubt, this is a fantastic pick that Chicago fans should love.

74. Buffalo Bills – Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic – The Bills are most likely losing LeSean McCoy after this season. Luckily, LeSean McCoy Jr. was in this draft class so they take him here. I’m not a huge fan of Singletary so I’m giving this pick a C-, but I can see why the Bills took him here.

Picks 75-84

75. Green Bay Packers – Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M – One of the best receiving TEs in the class, Sternberger should love playing with Aaron Rodgers. Sternberger will probably sit most of this year behind Jimmy Graham to learn but I like his fit as a TE2 with TE1 upside. I give this a B.

76. Washington Redskins – Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State – This is the first Washington pick that I’m not a huge fan of. I loved the Haskins and Sweat picks, but I never really came around on being a huge fan of Terry. I give this pick a C+.

77. New England Patriots – Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan -This pick was an absolute steal and I hate that he went to the Patriots. I have to give this pick an A+ for the value, but how teams let the Patriots get Winovich is beyond me.

78. Miami Dolphins – Michael Deiter, IOL, Wisconsin – Michael Deiter has seen his stock take a tumble since the beginning of the year. I had him as an early-second rounder early on but by the end of the season he seemed more like a third round talent to me. This pick gets a C+ from me, I like the value and I like the player.

79. Los Angeles Rams – David Long, CB, Michigan – David Long was my CB3 remaining behind Julian Love and Amani Oruwariye. I think this is a bit higher than he should have gone, based on that but I still like the player. I’m giving this pick a C.

80. Cleveland Browns – Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU – I really dislike this pick by John Dorsey. I expected Takitaki to go in the 5th round and be a good value for that pick. This is way too high for him in my opinion so I’m giving this pick a D-.

81. Detroit Lions – Will Harris, S, Boston College – Back-to-back picks that I disagree with greatly. The value isn’t here to begin with, but there were also at least two better safeties on the board. I’m giving this pick a D.

82. Tennessee Titans – Nate Davis, IOL, North Carolina-Charlotte – The value wasn’t really here in my eyes for Nate Davis. Davis belongs in the fourth round talent-wise, but given the lack of IOL talent in the draft, it’s not completely terrible. This pick gets a C- from me.

83. Pittsburgh Steelers – Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State – There were rumors Justin Layne could go as early as the late first round. I had a late second-early third round grade on him. The Steelers continue to crush this draft, something we haven’t seen from them consistently enough. I’m giving this pick an A-.

84. Kansas City Chiefs – Khalen Saunders, DL, Western Illinois – All offseason, everyone has been saying the Chiefs need help defensively. They’re continuing to get that help. This is earlier than I had Saunders projected but there’s not a ton of talent on the interior left. I’m giving this pick a C-, the value isn’t there but it’s a big need for KC.

Picks 85-94



85. Baltimore Ravens – Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech – If utilized properly, Ferguson could really excel in Baltimore. Ferguson told me months ago that he’s a hand in the dirt guy so I’m hoping he’s not forced into a primarily stand-up role. I’ll say that I spoke with Jaylon after the pick and he was excited to be a Raven. I’m giving this pick an A-, the talent level at EDGE really drops off after Ferguson.

86. Houston Texans – Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State – Kahale Warring got a lot of late love in the draft community. I have a fourth round grade on him so this is a little earlier than I expected. I would’ve much rather seen a guy like Dawson Knox come off the board here. The Kahale pick gets a D+ from me.

87. New England Patriots – Damien Harris, RB, Alabama – Damien Harris is going to fit into the Patriots backfield perfectly. Sony Michel as the primary runner, James White as the passing-down back, and Harris as the short-yardage back is a solid group. This pick is getting a C+ from me, he fits his small role that he’ll have but he would probably be available a bit later.

88. Seattle Seahawks – Cody Barton, LB, Utah – Another Seahawks pick, another baffling decision. This is a massive reach for Cody Barton, especially with Mack Wilson, Bobby Okereke, and David Long Jr. still available. I’m giving this pick a D.

89. Indianapolis Colts – Bobby Okereke, LB, Stanford – As I just mentioned his name, Okereke has been one of my favorite linebackers all season. One of the best linebackers in pass coverage, Okereke should thrive next to Darius Leonard. This pick gets an A- from me, only because I do have Wilson and Long Jr. ranked higher.

90. Dallas Cowboys – Connor McGovern, IOL, Penn State – The Cowboys have had their fair share of injuries and struggles recently. Drafting McGovern for some depth wasn’t the best decision to me. McGovern has some technique concerns, mainly his hand usage, that worries me. In college, he was able to overpower players with sloppy hands, but he’ll be going against guys like Fletcher Cox and Jonathan Allen at the next level so that’s not an option. I think here they should have tried to go for a more impactful piece. This pick gets a C for me.

91. Los Angeles Chargers – Trey Pipkins, OT, Sioux Falls – I’m not one of those analysts that really loved the tape of Pipkins. This pick is getting a C grade, I just think there was better value available.

92. New York Jets – Chuma Edoga, OT, USC – Chuma Edoga had a fourth round grade from me so late in the third isn’t terrible value. Edoga was one of the top offensive linemen available and the Jets need to protect Sam Darnold. I’ll give this pick a B-, there’s a massive need, it’s now been at least addressed somewhat.

93. Baltimore Ravens – Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame – The Ravens drafted the speed demon in Hollywood Brown in the first round, now they take Miles Boykin in the third. Lamar Jackson’s receiving corps just got a lot better and this pick gets a B+ from me.

94. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jamel Dean, CB, Auburn – I had a fifth round grade on Jamel Dean so this is quite a reach for me. I’m giving this pick a D-. The only thing keeping it from being an F is the lack of CB talent available.

Picks 95-102



95. New York Giants – Oshane Ximines, EDGE, Old Dominion – I know that Oshane Ximines has family in New York City so for him, I love this pick. For the Giants, I think it’s a pretty good pick. Ximines was talked about as a first-round prospect earlier in the year but came back down to Earth as more tape became available. This is the best value pick for the Giants so far this draft, it gets a B from me.

96. Buffalo Bills – Dawson Knox, TE, Ole Miss – The best individual tool that you can give a young QB is a solid tight end. I had an early-mid third round grade on Knox so this pick gets a B+. The value is there, the need is there, and the fit is there. Buffalo continues it’s great draft.

97. Los Angeles Rams – Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma – Andrew Whitworth won’t be around much longer so I like that the Rams drafted his replacement here. Let Evans learn some more behind Whitworth before he becomes your new LT. I’m giving this pick a B.

98. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quincy Williams, S, Murray State – Another safety off the board that isn’t one of my top two remaining. I like the position that Jacksonville addressed but I’m not a fan of the player that they chose. This pick gets a D+ from me.

99. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Edwards, S, Kentucky – Mike Edwards is my third best safety available. He’s significantly lower than I have Deionte Thompson and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson but I can only assume there are off-field concerns for them. If that’s the case, Edwards is S1 so it’s not a terrible pick. I’ll grade it a C.

100. Carolina Panthers – Will Grier, QB, West Virginia – Will Grier is my #44 player and my QB4 behind Murray, Haskins, and Lock. If there are still health concerns about Cam Newton, this pick is fantastic. Grier gets to go home to North Carolina and possibly contribute early on in his career. Based on pure value and potential need alone, this pick gets an A from me.

101. New England Patriots – Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia – Yodny Cajuste is the #25 player on my board that fell because of a quad injury and that some people think he’s “soft”. Neither of those were concerns during my evaluation, he’s still a top 25 player to me and the Patriots just drafted a future Pro-Bowler. This is an easy A+.

102. Minnesota Vikings – Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise State – I’m not a huge fan of Mattison or his game. I think there were better running backs available but RB was definitely a need for Minesota. Dalvin Cook can’t stay healthy and they just lost Latavius Murray. This pick gets a C+ from me, I don’t like the player but I like the position.

