Tag: Grade

Touchdown Wire gives Broncos ‘B’ grade for 2022 NFL draft class

Touchdown Wire gave the Broncos a ‘B’ grade for their 2022 NFL draft class. Do you think that’s fair?

After selecting nine players in the 2022 NFL draft, the Denver Broncos received a “B” grade from Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield on Touchdown Wire.

Denver opened the draft by selecting Oklahoma outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich. Here’s what Farrar and Schofield had to say about those two picks:

Bonitto is an athletic, explosive and agile pass rusher who can step in and contribute immediately off the edge in pass rushing situations. With the addition of Randy Gregory and the presence of veteran Bradley Chubb, Bonitto is likely a rotational pass rusher as a rookie. With Dulcich, the Broncos added a solid move tight end, and perhaps a perfect compliment to Albert Okwuegbunam when Denver turns to 12 personnel packages.

Touchdown Wire also had good thinks to say about fourth-round pick Eyioma Uwazurike, a defensive lineman out of Iowa State:

[Uwazurike] is one of the better run defenders in this defensive line class, and the Cyclones aligned him all over their defensive fronts. His length and upper-body strength will translate well to the next level.

To view the complete grades for every NFL team, visit Touchdown Wire.

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What grade would you give the Packers’ 2022 draft class?

The Green Bay Packers made 11 picks in the 2022 NFL draft. What grade would give the team in the draft?

The Green Bay Packers selected 11 new players over three days during the 2022 NFL draft.

Linebacker Quay Walker. Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt. Receiver Christian Watson. Offensive lineman Sean Rhyan. Receiver Romeo Doubs. Offensive lineman Zach Tom. Edge rusher Kingsley Enagbare. Safety Tariq Carpenter. Defensive lineman Jonathan Ford. Offensive tackle Rasheed Walker. Receiver Samori Toure.

Two front-seven players in the first round, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen, depth at edge rusher and some special teams help.

What grade would you give the Packers for the team’s work during the draft?

Vote below!

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Instant analysis, draft grade on Saints picking D’Marco Jackson

New Orleans Saints lean heavily on special teams in Day 3 of the NFL draft, starting with Appalachian State linebacker D’Marco Jackson, via @RossJacksonNOLA:

Since Jeff Ireland was hired just before the 2015 NFL draft, the New Orleans Saints have selected more offensive lineman and linebackers (8) than any other unit, so it isn’t surprising to see that trend continue. Fifth-round 2022 selection D’Marco Jackson has a path to have an immediate impact on special teams. After selecting Alontae Taylor in the second round, the Saints continue to equip special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Darren Rizzi with difference-makers.

Jackson stands at 6-foot flat, 233 pounds and clocked in at 4.55 seconds in the 40-yard dash. That kind of athleticism should translate well to special teams coverage roles. The Appalachian State linebacker has proven to be a speed-demon when playing downhill, a trait that will set him up to excel chasing down punts and covering kickoffs.

He’ll also get opportunities in kick and punt block units. Back in 2018, he converted a punt block touchdown. He will very likely will see all four phases of special teams (punts, kickoffs, field goals, and extra point tries) which shouldn’t be new to him after taking a whopping 630 snaps on special teams in his career.

The 2021 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the year should be able to provide depth at linebacker as well. With 120 tackles (19 for a loss), 6 sacks, and 6 passes defended in 2021, Jackson has proven to be active in both the run game and as a pass rusher. He’s the first FBS player to reach those numbers in a single season in the 2000’s.

Look for him to potentially push alongside Kaden Elliss for a special teams role and perhaps even get some snaps on defense as a rotation piece on the second level. Especially if the Saints don’t bring back Kwon Alexander or feel like Zack Baun has pulled ahead of where he was last season. But Jackson’s major role early in his career should be as a core special teamer.

GRADE: C

Grading Alabama’s performance in convincing win over Tennessee

Taking a deeper look at how Alabama graded out in its win over Tennessee

Alabama’s 52-24 victory over Tennessee might be the most unusual 28 point win that I can remember. There were times when the offense seemed unstoppable, but there were also times they couldn’t get out of their own way. The defense was great other than about three or four plays. The special teams unit was really responsible for about 10 points that the Volunteers scored in the contest. So this really is a strange game to dissect.

Nevertheless, we are back for our weekly final grade post for the Tide’s performance. Let’s see how things turned out this week.

First … the offense…

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NFL draft analyst believes Mac Jones is a risk worth taking in first round

Alabama quarterback mac Jones will likely be the second consecutive Crimson Tide signal caller to be drafted in the first round. Where wi…

Mac Jones surpassed all expectations given to him heading into the 2020 college football season. Instead of being a “game manager,” as some have put it, he was a star that likely earned himself an NFL job by way of the first round.

Though he’s not the strongest, fastest or most mobile quarterback in the loaded 2021 class, Jones has a skillset that has proven to be valuable in the NFL. He can accurately throw the ball and can read multiple options.

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson, who covers the NFL and the NFL draft, believes Jones is a risk that teams should be willing to take in the first round.

Wilson has produced mock drafts that have Jones going as high as No. 4 and No. 8.

“Jones’ accuracy and anticipation are among the best in this draft class,” writes Wilson. “His ability to consistently throw the deep ball is also noteworthy. He’s one of the smartest players — at any position — in this class, and while he’s not mobile in the Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen or Kyler Murray sense of the position, he moves well inside the pocket.

“We’ve also heard former teammates DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle say they both are taking Jones over Tua Tagovailoa. That says more about Jones than Tagovailoa, who was a top-five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft and started nine games as a rookie for the Dolphins. It’s also worth mentioning that many of the questions surrounding Jones — arm strength, throwing to wide-open receivers — also applied to Tagovailoa a year ago. And you could even include mobility since Tagovailoa was coming off a serious hip injury. (And while Tua appears to be close to fully recovered, he’ll never be mistaken the aforementioned, Jackson, Allen or Murray when it comes to out-of-the-pocket athleticism.)

“So, yes, Jones is a risk in the first round but no more so (and arguably less so) than Tagovailoa, the No. 5 overall pick in last year’s draft. And though his ceiling may be low, his floor is high — higher than Tua’s and a handful of quarterbacks in the 2021 class as well.”

There is no telling where Jones will end up in the 2021 NFL draft. It seems like the only quarterback in this draft class with a definite landing spot is Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence.

It will all come down to style of play, as Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Zach Wilson all have different aspects to their game that can each help out a different system.

Saints’ Kwon Alexander trade earns high grade from NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund

The New Orleans Saints received a very positive grade for acquiring San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander at the NFL trade deadline.

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How would you grade the New Orleans Saints’ trade deadline pickup? The Saints shipped out backup linebacker Kiko Alonso and a conditional fifth-round draft pick for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander in a bid to improve their inconsistent-at-best defense.

NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund is a fan of the move to acquire Alexander, citing the Saints’ vulnerabilities in defending the middle of the field. While Frelund did take time to temper expectations due to Alexander’s injury history, she still graded the trade with a B+ for New Orleans. Here’s some of what she wrote to explain that praise:

“The middle of New Orleans’ defense has been an area of weakness this season, especially at critical times. On third down, the Saints have allowed the second-most yards per play (7.0) and fourth-highest passer rating (74.4). For New Orleans, first downs yielded on passes to the middle of the field — where Alexander will roam — are up about three per game from the first eight weeks of last season (18 in 2020, 15.2 in 2019). Alexander hasn’t played since Week 5 due to an ankle injury; however, PFF still credits him with 10 defensive stops — only one fewer than Saints star Demario Davis. Trading Alexander for Alonso actually nets the Saints a small cap gain for the season.”

Frelund spoke about her background in analytics and how she applies those skills to NFL analysis with the Saints Twitter Podcast, also sharing some of her takes on the team earlier this season:

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PFF: C.J. Gardner-Johnson led the NFL’s defensive backs in Week 1 stops

Pro Football Focus lauded New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who had a great game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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C.J. Gardner-Johnson had a strong rookie year for the New Orleans Saints, but he’s elevated his game to open his second season in the NFL. Gardner-Johnson (whose new moniker of “Ceedy Duce” has not been reflected on the Saints roster, or his jersey) all but flew out of the gate in Week 1 to earn serious recognition from the analysts at Pro Football Focus.

PFF maintains a signature stat for defensive stops that is defined as “tackles that constitute a loss for the offense.” These aren’t just tackles for a loss of yards; context matters for each down played:

  • On a first down, if the offense gets 45% of the way to a first down or less
  • On a second down, if the offense gets 60% of the way to a first down or less
  • On a third or fourth down, if the offense doesn’t get a first down

And Gardner-Johnson outplayed the rest of the NFL in this category after Week 1’s slate of games. PFF credited him with more defensive stops than any other safety or cornerback, and the third-most of all players.

Gardner-Johnson was a huge part of the Saints’ success in bottling up the Buccaneers run game. Tampa Bay was determined to run on first downs against lighter Saints defensive packages (where they predominately fielded five or six defensive backs rather than extra linebackers), but Gardner-Johnson was impressive. His first four tackles each came on first-and-10 run plays, limiting the Buccaneers to gains of just 4, 2, 1, and 2 yards. He had two other tackles on first-down run plays that stopped Tampa Bay short of 2-yard gains.

That sort of effectiveness in making tackles in space — on downs where the offense has an advantage on paper, putting bigger blockers against lighter defenders — has a ripple effect on the rest of the defense. More short stops on first down puts the offense into longer spots to convert on subsequent downs, shifting leverage back New Orleans’ way. It’ll take more quality reps like these from Gardner-Johnson to keep the Saints in the win column.

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Watch: Michael Thomas reacts to sky-high ‘Madden NFL 21’ grade

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas was pleased to join the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21,” making him one of the best players in the game.

Reactions are usually mixed among NFL players when they learn their grade in the latest iteration of the “Madden” franchise from EA Sports. Oftentimes, they’re motivated to work even harder and earn more respect after a perceived slight from a rating lower than what they think they deserve.

Other times, though, they reach the limit of what’s possible within the popular video game series. That’s the case for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, who was selected as the fifth member of the 99 Club in “Madden NFL 21” after his record-setting 2019 season.

And fans got a look at Thomas in real time as he learned that he’d be joining that exclusive group from a video shared by the official Saints Twitter account, with some help from Thomas’s barber. See it for yourself:

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Michael Thomas earns a spot on exclusive 99 Club for ‘Madden NFL 21’

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas joined an elite group of other superstars in the 99 Club for EA Sports’ Madden NFL 21.

Don’t look now, but New Orleans Saints superstar wide receiver Michael Thomas has added another honor to his growing list of accolades. Thomas was selected as the fifth — and so far, final — member of the elite “99 Club” in EA Sports’ Madden NFL 21, reflecting his status as one of the highest-rated players in the game.

Thomas joins a select group of other NFL superstars including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, and New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

It’s a fitting reward for Thomas after his historic 2019 campaign, in which he earned recognition as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year after setting a new single-season record for receptions (149). Thomas was also named a first-team All-Pro and was voted into his third consecutive Pro Bowl trip.

Fans who want to test Thomas’s skills for themselves will have to wait for Madden NFL 21 to be released on Aug. 25.

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