Tag: Justin Jefferson

Should Eagles fans temper their expectations over the 2020 NFL Draft class?

Philadelphia Eagles fans should temper their expectations for the Eagles’ 2020 NFL Draft. History has shown Day 3 picks are question marks.

The 2020 NFL Draft is officially over and the Philadelphia Eagles have drafted 10 new players. They also traded for former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, so they added 11 new players over the 3-day event.

The Eagles selected former TCU wide receiver, Jalen Reagor, with the 21st overall pick. Reagor may never be a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but he will certainly be a weapon for the Eagles. It will be interesting to see Reagor’s career progress and watch the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Justin Jefferson’s career progress as well.

Regardless, the addition of Reagor will help quarterback Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense.   Reagor also is able to return punts and kicks as well, so he is versatility will pay off for the Eagles no matter what.

Day 1 of the draft may not have been a home run, but the Eagles did not strikeout.

Day 2? Well, the Eagles got hit by a pitch, if we keep the baseball talk going. They selected former Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts with the 53rd overall pick. Many people thought the Eagles could add another impact player with their second-round pick, but taking Hurts instead was a huge gamble. Hurts is a solid quarterback, but the pick has sparked up controversy regarding Wentz and his backup.

The Eagles then drafted former Colorado linebacker Davion Taylor in the 3rd round. Taylor is a freak athlete. He ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but he is extremely raw and more of a project than a starter at this moment.

After what could be deemed a disappointing Day 2, the Eagles and their General Manager Howie Roseman went to work on Day 3. They added 7 players total throughout the final three rounds, and here they are:

Round 4, Pick 127: K’Von Wallace, Safety, Clemson
Round 4, Pick 145: Jack Driscoll, OL, Auburn
Round 5, Pick 168: John Hightower, WR, Boise State
Round 6, Pick 196: Shaun Bradley, LB, Temple
Round 6, Pick 200: Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Miss
Round 6, Pick 210: Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn
Round 7, Pick 233: Casey Toohill, EDGE, Stanford

A couple quick notes from this list:

–K’Von Wallace was a pick universally loved. He was a team captain at Clemson and can play multiple positions. We had him mocked to the Eagles a couple of times this offseason and he should hopefully be a perfect fit for the Eagles secondary.

-Adding depth to the offensive line is always good and hopefully one of the players can emerge with the potential to start if needed.

-Speed! It was clear the Eagles needed speed this offseason and Roseman delivered that. John Hightower and Quez Watkins are burners for sure, so they will give the Eagles receiver group a bump in that category.

Day 3 was a much better day than Day 2, but the only problem with that is these Day 3 picks may excite fans, but they are far from a sure thing for the Eagles. Since Roseman took over again for the 2016 NFL Draft, here is a list of his Day 3 picks and their impact on the Eagles throughout their careers:

The chart is color-coded, with green being good and red obviously being bad. As you can see, there is a lot more red than green. 2016 was probably the best year for the Eagles’ Day 3 picks, as Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Jalen Mills played significant roles in their Super Bowl victory. Wendell Smallwood deserves some love too, as he put up solid numbers as an Eagle.

2017 featured Nathan Gerry, who isn’t great, but he has had good value for a 5th round pick. 2018 was the second-best year since Roseman took back over. Avonte Maddox is a solid piece on defense, but he needs to stay healthy. Josh Sweat isn’t an elite pass rusher, but he has made plays when called upon.

2019 was a complete flop. Yes, we do not know if Shareef Miller will help or not, but they traded for Genard Avery last year, so that doesn’t bode well for Miller. And I think we can all agree that Clayton Thorson was a horrendous pick.

Out of these 17 Day 3 picks since 2016, six of them could be chalked up as solid Day 3 picks. However, only 4 of them made any sort of real impact in their rookie season. Smallwood started 3 games and had 367 total yards and a score in 2016. Big V started 6 games in 2016. Mills played in all 16 games and had 62 tackles in 2016. Maddox started 9 games and had 35 tackles and 2 interceptions. None of these contributions is ‘needle-moving’ either in their rookie season, but they did play a part of the team in their rookie season.

It is also worth noting that every Day 3 receiver (Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson) the Eagles have drafted since 2016 has been horrible. Gibson has 3 career receptions and Hollins was cut this year after being one of the worst receivers in the NFL. Two receivers are a small sample size, but it should not be overlooked.

What does this all mean? Well, it means that as nice as it was that Roseman had a solid Day 3 on paper, you can’t put too much weight into thinking that Day 3 players will be able to contribute in their rookie season or become impact starters for the Eagles.

So, while many will say Roseman saved the draft by having a great Day 3 after a solid Day 1 and a terrible Day 2, the facts show you that you should temper your expectations for the Philadelphia Eagles 2020 NFL Draft class.

Vikings receive A- grade in Mel Kiper’s post-draft grades

Draft guru Mel Kiper handed out his post-draft grades over at ESPN and gave the Vikings an A- grade.

What a draft it was for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings drafted an NFL-record 15 players. Surely, it will be difficult for all of those players to make the team, but landing players like Justin Jefferson, Jeff Gladney, Ezra Cleveland and Cameron Dantzler not only filled positions of need, but should be players who can help Mike Zimmer’s squad right away.

Draft guru Mel Kiper handed out his post-draft grades over at ESPN and gave the Vikings an A- grade.

Here’ a bit of what Kiper wrote about the Vikings:

Minnesota came into Thursday night with 12 picks and ended Saturday night with 15 picks, plus an extra fourth-rounder and two extra fifth-round picks in the 2021 draft. With that much capital, it takes a lot not to get an A from me. And really, I like the value the Vikings got throughout, starting with extracting a first-round pick for wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was disgruntled in Minnesota.

For me, to add those four players listed above and to come away with three mid-round picks for next year is huge.

Of course, a grade now doesn’t mean a whole lot. These players need to perform and they’ll certainly get that opportunity in Minnesota. But it is good for Vikings’ fans to see that most draft experts agree that Rick Spielman and his crew did a very solid job.

Vikings’ rookie Justin Jefferson and Jeff Gladney pick jersey numbers

The jerseys are already for sale on the team’s website.

The Vikings drafted wide receiver Justin Jefferson and cornerback Jeff Gladney in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

It took about a day for the two to pick what will be their jersey numbers in the NFL.

Jefferson will wear No. 18:

If you remember right, Randy Moss wore No. 18 after being drafted before switching to 84, for whatever that’s worth.

Gladney on the other hand, will wear No. 20.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen Mackensie Alexander wear the No. 20 jersey. Alexander is now with the Bengals.

If you’re interested in buying one of these jerseys, they are for sale on the team’s website here.

Vikings new wide receiver Justin Jefferson approves of the Cameron Dantzler selection 

Vikings first-round pick Justin Jefferson likes cornerback Cameron Dantzler and you should, too.

With the 89th overall pick in the draft, the Minnesota Vikings decided to attack the cornerback position for the second time in three rounds.

Heading into the draft, it was clear the Vikings needed a lot of help in the secondary and they got that with the addition of Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler. 

Coming out of Mississippi State, Dantzler has proven he has what it takes to start at the next level. One of the biggest things talked about when he was drafted was his game against one of the best wide receivers in college football. Dantzler was the only corner in the SEC to find success against Ja’Marr Chase, who is arguably the top receiver in next year’s draft class. 

Newly acquired Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson was teammates with Chase at LSU, and he took to Twitter to show his excitement with the Vikings’ selection of Dantzler. 

Not only did Dantzler have success against the best receiver in college football, but he also had great stats in the red zone. 

Dantzler didn’t have the best combine, which led to him sliding down to the third round. If the Vikings are able to reach his full potential, there is likely a chance they have drafted two corners that can make an immediate impact in 2020.

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson said he received tips from Cris Carter at NFL Combine

Vikings Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter gave newly drafted LSU wideout Justin Jefferson tips all the way back at the NFL Combine, Jefferson said.

Justin Jefferson wasn’t a Vikings wide receiver until Thursday, but at the NFL Combine, he still received some tutelage from a former Vikings wideout.

Cris Carter, a former Vikings wideout who was inducted into the Hall of Fame, kept tabs on Jefferson throughout the draft process, according to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press.

“He was giving me tips (at the combine) on how to be a better receiver, how to be a long-term better receiver,” Jefferson told the Pioneer Press and other outlets.“Having him in my ear, just giving me his knowledge and the information that he has definitely means a lot. He’s a hall of fame receiver. … He said I was the best receiver in the draft, so we definitely have a connection.”

Jefferson said he heard about Carter calling him the best receiver in the draft on television, and that it made him feel good about himself, giving him more confidence.

“He was one of my mentors, with one of our groups, so (it helped) having him around every step of the way during the combine,” Jefferson told the Pioneer Press and other reporters.

The best scheme fits — and weirdest misfits — in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft

Some draft picks are perfect scheme fits for their NFL teams, and others… not so much. Doug Farrar and Mark Schofield separate the two.

One of the catchphrases that you hear throughout the draft cycle is “scheme fit.” The more hours that people spend studying the draft and revisiting how players succeed — or fail — upon entering the NFL the more people realize that all the pre-draft evaluations and scouting reports matter much less than where the players actually land. The systems they are going to be in, the coaches they are going to be learning from, and the other players around them are going to be much more important in determining whether they boom, or bust.

To that end, here are some of the best scheme fits from Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft, along with two potential misfits that raise serious questions.

Scheme Fits

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins

(John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

It was often said of longtime baseball manager Gene Mauch that he was better at taking impossibly flawed teams to the middle of the pack with his managerial genius than he was at taking good teams and making them truly great. Some guys are just that way, and current Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey might be the NFL’s version of Mauch. In five years as a head coach for the Cowboys and Bills, Gailey compiled a 34-46 record, and lost the two playoff games his teams made.

But if you want a guy who can take a broken offense and turn it around with pure schematic invention, there are few better. Perhaps the most obvious example of this was when he was the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2008. Kansas City lost starting quarterbacks Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle to injury, leaving third-stringer Tyler Thigpen as the man under center. The Chiefs were without franchise back Larry Johnson at times due to injuries and suspensions, so Gailey didn’t have much to work with.

Undaunted, Gailey took a then little-known schematic constraint called the Pistol formation — which is now the primary shotgun set in the NFL — and worked his offense from desperate to above-average.

“When Damon and Brodie went down, I think L.J. was still on a suspension, and we were able to do the regular shotgun with Kolby Smith from Louisville and Jamaal Charles from Texas,” Thigpen told me in 2010. “But once that suspension was up, and Larry was back in the lineup, that’s when we went more to the Pistol offense. Kolby and Jamaal were used to that zone type of running, where you press the side and make a cutback, or whatever the case may be — whatever lane they’ve got. We tried running that offense for one or two weeks when Larry came back, and then we realized, ‘Hey, he’s not that kind of back.’ That’s when we changed to the downhill kind of running. The Pistol is really like an I-formation, whether you put the back in the near set or the far set.”

The Pistol also presented advantages for Thigpen.

“Whether it was a quarterback draw, a misdirection with a one-back offset, having the back go to the left and bringing him back to the right, it would look to the defense like a zone left run instead of a cutback to the right,” he said. “The play action was really good, because you couldn’t see the back, and whether he had the ball or not, with the offensive line up front. I remember a couple times, just running boots and faking to [the back], and it was just wide open when I came out on the boot. It was tough for the defensive end, when he’s coming off the edge, to see whether you gave it or not. Normally, he has that advantage when you’re coming out from under center to see whether you’re close to the back or not — what kind of fake it is.”

You get the point. Now, imagine what Gailey will do with Tagovailoa, who comes to the NFL with a game that’s equal parts Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. There are few better coaches for Tagovailoa to work with in his transition to the NFL — and there are few coaches who will be more astute in combining what he needs with what Tagovailoa can already do. Boots, advanced play-action, zone-read stuff… you name it. Tagovailoa will flourish under Gailey, and it will be exciting to watch.

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Salary cap projections for Vikings draftees: LSU WR Justin Jefferson and TCU CB Jeff Gladney

The cash-strapped Vikings drafted some key players on Thursday. Here’s what their projected deals and 2020 cap hits are.

Minnesota secured two important positional needs in the first round of the draft Thursday.

After the Vikings took LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the team traded back from the No. 25 pick, and ended up selecting TCU corner Jeff Gladney at No. 31.

Drafting talent that can come in right away and start is essential for Minnesota this year, due to offseason departures at cornerback, defensive tackle, wide receiver and other posiitons.

Another important factor in drafting key contributors: It doesn’t break the bank.

The Vikings only have just over 12 million in cap space at the moment, according to Over The Cap. The team wasn’t in a position this offseason to be big buyers in the free agency market, so it makes sense that the focus for this team would be on the draft.

According to Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press, Jefferson will receive an estimated four-year, $13.12 million deal. That contract also includes a $7.1 million signing bonus. His cap hit for 2020 is an estimated $2.38 million.

Tomasson also reported that Gladney will earn an estimated four-year, $10.99 million deal. That contract has a $5.55 million signing bonus. His cap hit is estimated at $1.99 million for 2020.

NFL Draft: Day 1 recap for the Eagles with Round 2, Round 3 pick order

2020 NFL Draft: Day 1 recap with Round 2, Round 3 pick order

Howie Roseman got his guy on Thursday night but it came with some controversy after the Eagles GM first refused to trade up for CeeDee Lamb and then he passed on Justin Jefferson for Jalen Reagor.

The Eagles entered the NFL Draft hoping for a run on tackles and quarterbacks and that’s what initially happened, but not even Jerry Jones could have imagined CeeDee Lamb sitting there at No. 17 overall.

Roseman not only refused to move up for Lamb, but he ensured that the Eagles will deal with him twice a year for the next decade.

When No. 21 came out, Roseman pulled the trigger on Jalen Reagor of TCU, bypassing Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk, and others.

***

Here’s a brief recap of round-1:

2020 Draft Round 1 Recap

Pick
1 Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow QB LSU
2 Washington Redskins Chase Young DE Ohio St.
3 Detroit Lions Jeff Okudah CB Ohio St.
4 New York Giants Andrew Thomas OT Georgia
5 Miami Dolphins Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama
6 Los Angeles Chargers Justin Herbert QB Oregon
7 Carolina Panthers Derrick Brown DT Auburn
8 Arizona Cardinals Isiah Simmons LB Clemson
9 Jacksonville Jaguars CJ Henderson CB Florida
10 Cleveland Browns Jedrick Wills OT Alabama
11 New York Jets Mekhi Becton OT Louisville
12 Las Vegas Raiders Henry Ruggs III WR Alabama
13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tristan Wirfs OT Iowa
14 San Francisco 49ers Javon Kinlaw DT South Carolina
15 Denver Broncos Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama
16 Atlanta Falcons AJ Terrell CB Clemson
17 Dallas Cowboys Cee Dee Lamb WR Oklahoma
18 Miami Dolphins Austin Jackson OT USC From Pitt
19 Las Vegas Raiders Damon Arnette CB Ohio St. From Chicago
20 Jacksonville Jaguars K’Lavon Chaisson Edge LSU From LA
21 Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Reagor WR Texas Christian
22 Minnesota Vikings Justin Jefferson WR LSU From Buf
23 Los Angeles Chargers Kenneth Murray LB Oklahoma
24 New Orleans Saints Cesar Ruiz C Michigan
25 San Francisco 49ers Brandon Aiyuk WR Arizona State
26 Green Bay Packers Jordan Love QB Utah State
27 Seattle Seahawks Jordan Brooks LB Texas Tech
28 Baltimore Ravens Patrick Queen LB LSU
29 Tennessee Titans Isaiah Wilson OT Georgia
30 Miami Dolphins Noah Igbinoghene CB Auburn
31 Minnesota Vikings Jeff Gladney CB TCU
32 Kansas City Chiefs Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB LSU

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2020 NFL Draft: Best, worst picks of the 1st round

The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft was loaded with top prospects, big bargains and questionable reaches

The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is now in the books, and after 32 selections and countless hours of trying to figure out where players might land, it’s time to break down who win the day.

Here are our picks for the best and worst draft choices from Thursday night’s first-round action:

BEST PICKS

Cincinnati Bengals | LSU QB Joe Burrow, No. 1 overall

This was an easy decision. Burrow was the best quarterback available, and well, the Bengals needed a quarterback. In no way, shape or form should the team have gone in any other direction and they didn’t. They resisted the urge to listen to trade offers for this pick, and they’ll reap the benefits. Burrow brings a lot of excitement to a fan base in dire need of some.

Washington Redskins | Ohio State EDGE Chase Young, No. 2 overall

This is once again a no-brainer, but given the history of Washington, would they stick to it? Young was by far the best player in this draft. Had it not been for a quarterback-needy team selecting first, Young would have and should have been the top player overall. The strength of this Washington team just got stronger.

Denver Broncos | Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy, No. 15 overall

The Broncos have recently drafted a young tight end in Noah Fant, their quarterback in Drew Lock, and another wide receiver in Courtland Sutton. Now add in Jerry Jeudy to the mix, the most complete pass-catcher in this year’s loaded class. The Broncos have a young group of playmakers that should breathe excitement into the fan base. The way to compete with Kansas City is to load up on offense, and John Elway has done that over the last few years.

Dallas Cowboys | Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb, No. 17 overall

The Cowboys had one of the top offenses in all of the NFL a season ago. We’re not sure why or how, but a a top-10 overall prospect fell all out of the top 15 and into their waiting arms. Lamb was widely viewed as the top receiver in a deep class, him landing in Dallas has now made an already potent offense just that much more lethal.

Minnesota Vikings | LSU WR Justin Jefferson, No. 22 overall & TCU CB Jeff Gladney, No. 31 overall

Minnesota had needs at wide receiver and cornerback. They were able to address both in the first round, and that will allow them to lock both players up for the next five years. Jefferson comes in to replace Stefon Diggs, and Gladney to replace Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes. They filled their top needs with two players that can help bring the Vikings back to the top of the division.

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2020 Draft: 4 players Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will be linked to forever

Dallas got the steal of the first round by picking CeeDee Lamb at 17, but they had to leave several areas of need unfilled to do so.

How big a shock was it that CeeDee Lamb was still available with the 17th overall pick? The Dallas Cowboys never even did a pre-draft interview with the Alabama wideout. That’s how unlikely it was that he’d even be an option.

Nearly every mock draft on the planet had Lamb being selected within the first twelve picks, so it would have been understandable if owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy unexpectedly found themselves in scramble mode once the Cowboys were on the clock. They had a need in the secondary, they had a need on the defensive line, and they had been flirting with several names in the super-deep wide receiver class.

But Lamb is regarded as a special athlete who was not supposed to be an option at 17. He can line up outside or in the slot, meaning the Dallas offense could find themselves in formations where Dak Prescott has the trio of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb all running downfield as targets.

While Lamb was certainly the best player available when the Cowboys turned in their pick, there was that moment when they consciously chose to pass up the chance to draft for need.

The euphoria from picking Lamb won’t wane until when games are played, at the earliest. They likely and hopefully will never come. However hindsight will always be 20/20 and these are the players Lamb will forever be linked to.

K’Lavon Chaisson

As the middle of the first round unfolded, Dallas’s decision seemed to come down to either Lamb or edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson out of LSU. The buzz for Chaisson had been building in the days leading up to the draft, with even the Cowboys’ franchise sack leader DeMarcus Ware raving about the “monster” prospect and going so far as saying he reminded Ware of himself.

Chaisson is a high-motor player who explodes off the ball and has a knack for corralling ball carriers with a long reach. Defense has been a deficiency in Dallas, and while new signees Aldon Smith, Dontari Poe, and Gerald McCoy are expected to help upgrade the Cowboys front four, Chaisson would have been a terrifying bookend to DeMarcus Lawrence.

Instead, Chaisson fell to Jacksonville with the 20th overall pick. He and new Florida cornerback C.J. Henderson- taken with the 9th pick- will be part of a massive rebuild for the Jaguars defense.

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