1. Chicago Bears: They stepped out, took their shot, and hit it. I understand they paid a hefty price, but the Bears made their presence felt right off the bat by selecting their quarterback of the future. Justin Fields dropped and fell right into the hands of Ryan Pace. The Bears got this one right. However, it didn’t just stop there. On the next day in the second round, they fixed their offensive line issues and drafted Teven Jenkins out of Oklahoma State. He’s a guy you can play now and will impact your offensive line immediately. They didn’t have another pick until the fifth round and continued to focus on offensive line help. They would end up selecting offensive tackle Larry Borom. On the final day, the Bears wrapped things up by selecting running back Khalil Herbert, wide receiver Dazz Newsome, defensive back Thomas Graham Jr and defensive tackle, Khyiris Tonga. Chicago has all the right to feel optimistic moving forward.
2. Cleveland Browns: By far, they were one of the biggest stories in 2020. They ended their playoff drought, won a playoff game, and then gave the Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle. The Browns added to their defense in free agency and they did the same in the draft this weekend. In the first round, they were able to draft Greg Newsome, a cornerback from Northwestern. The next day, they were able to snag the best linebacker in the draft not named Micah Parsons and that’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from Notre Dame. I’m excited for this kid. Jeremiah can play all over the field and he will make his presence felt. They also picked wide receiver Anthony Schwartz from Auburn. The Browns loaded up and patched up any holes they had. Well done.
3. New England Patriots: Usually, we’re so used to seeing them pick at the end of the first round or they trade out of the first round and make their moves later on. I loved their activity in free agency and they didn’t let up in the draft either. Patience is a virtue. Bill Belichick didn’t have to trade up and bam, Mac Jones fell to him at 15. Cam Newton is only signed for a year and Jared Stidham won’t be in their long-term plans moving forward. Day two was also great for them. Christian Barmore fell to them in the second round and he was the best defensive tackle in the draft. In the third round, they were able to draft Ronnie Perkins, the edge rusher from Oklahoma. See what happens when your patient? Good things come to those who wait.
4. Dallas Cowboys: Last season, I referred to them as the “Allas Cowboys” because they didn’t play defense. Jerry Jones showed his commitment to fixing that side of the ball as their first six picks were all defensive guys. After trading picks with the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round, the Cowboys selected Micah Parsons with their first pick. He’s a rangy linebacker that makes plays and will start right away. In round two, Kelvin Joseph should help improve the secondary, and Jabril Cox was a steal for them in the fourth round. The defense was your struggling point all last year, so what happens next? You stack up and add depth to improve that side of the football. The Cowboys allowed 29.6 points per game last season. Credit to them for making the right picks.
