Roschon Johnson, Moro Ojomo among top draft prospects available on Day 2

Roschon Johnson and Moro Ojomo are among CBS Sports’ top draft prospects available on Day 2.

The first round of the 2023 NFL draft certainly had its fair share of surprises. Continue reading “Roschon Johnson, Moro Ojomo among top draft prospects available on Day 2”

2021 NFL Draft Top 105 Pro Prospects, Three Rounds: From The College Perspective

Who are the best pro prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft? From the college perspective, who are the best players on the board through 3 rounds?

Who are the best 105 pro prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft? From the college perspective, who are the best players on the board through the first three rounds?


2021 NFL Draft Top 105 Prospects: Best Players on the Board, Three Rounds

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

CFN 2021 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE & Edge | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest Draft Picks For Each College
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time

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Which 105 pro prospects matter the most in the 2021 NFL Draft?

From the college football perspective, who are the ones who’ll be the must-have talents, and how good are they no matter what the position?

And why 105? That’s how many picks are in the first three rounds. Anything after that is blind luck – you have to try not to get a starter in the first round, the second round is 50/50, and the third is dicey before it all falls off a cliff.

Always take the best player available, and here they are – at least from the college perspective after several years of watching and analyzing these guys.

One note, this isn’t a mock draft. The teams listed who have the picks at each spot don’t have anything to do with the players ranked in each spot. They show the draft order and who might still be in range. 


105 DE/EDGE Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma

Bottom Line: The raw wheels and tools might be just okay, and he’ll get blasted by the big NFL blockers, but don’t ask how the sausage is made. He makes a whole lot of big momentum plays happen and has a rare knack of being a tone-setter to take defenses to another level.
Who Has This Pick: New Orleans

104 WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC

Bottom Line: For all the nice overall numbers and the smooth-as-silk style, he should be a complementary target and not a No. 1. The skills are there, but he doesn’t have any one thing that stands out as elite at an NFL level.
Who Has This Pick: Los Angeles Rams

103 CB Kary Vincent, LSU

Bottom Line: The 4.33 track star speed is there, the production as a star for a national championship team is there, and the ability to get into the backfield is there. He’ll get erased by blockers and will have problems with physical targets, but no one’s running by him.
Who Has This Pick: Los Angeles Rams

102 WR Amari Rodgers, Clemson

Bottom Line: He’s built like a running back, but he catches a whole lot of passes – and drops a lot, too. He’s quick enough to produce in a variety of ways as a runner, receiver, and return man.
Who Has This Pick: San Francisco

101 DE/EDGE Patrick Johnson, Tulane

Bottom Line: Really more of a linebacker at 6-2 and 240 pounds, he doesn’t look like a normal NFL pass rusher but he was highly productive for three years. Expect energy and sensational technical ability on every play.
Who Has This Pick: Detroit

100 WR Dyami Brown, North Carolina

Bottom Line: He’ll drop one pass, and then he’ll make the spectacular grab. He’s hardly the perfect receiver prospect – he’s too small and not necessarily a blazer – but he plays fast and makes a whole lot of big, dynamic plays.
Who Has This Pick: Tennessee

99 DT Marlon Tuipulotu, USC

Bottom Line: A tad smallish at 6-2 and 307, his lack of mass didn’t matter as he made a whole lot of stops against the run. Make him a part of your rotation and he’ll do a whole lot of things right with a whole lot of effort.
Who Has This Pick: Dallas

98 DE/EDGE Chris Rumph, Duke

Bottom Line: Way small at 244 pounds, he might not be a true NFL defensive end, but you’re not getting him to stop the run. You want him as a situational pass rusher, and the guy who made 17.5 sacks and 33 tackles for loss can get the job done.
Who Has This Pick: New Orleans

97 C Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma

Bottom Line: He doesn’t quite look the part bulk-wise and he’s not an elite athlete for the position, but he’s been a brilliant blocker and leader for a line that sure-as-shoot knew how to get the job done for a fast-paced high-powered offense.
Who Has This Pick: Los Angeles Chargers

96 LB Baron Browning, Ohio State

Bottom Line: This is what an NFL linebacker looks like with size, bulk, and the toughness to hold up against the run. However, he needs to play up to the look if someone wants him on the outside. Put him inside and good things will happen.
Who Has This Pick: New England

95 DT Daviyon Nixon, Iowa

Bottom Line: A high-end interior pass rusher at a bargain-basement value, he turned into a playmaker last season who lived behind the line. Even at his 313-pound size he’s not amazing against the run, but he’ll make up for it beybeing disruptive.
Who Has This Pick: Tampa Bay

94 OG Deonte Brown, Alabama

Bottom Line: He’s the rare top Alabama pro prospect who doesn’t come out of central casting, but he’s a big, thick bulldozer of a blocker who’ll do everything right and be the one to anchor your ground game.
Who Has This Pick: Kansas City

93 RB Michael Carter, North Carolina

Bottom Line: What do you need done? He’ll catch, return kicks, and he can tear off big runs in chunks as part of a rotation. He might not be a blazer, but keep feeding him and he’ll break off something big.
Who Has This Pick: Buffalo

92 OG/OT Trey Smith, Tennessee

Bottom Line: This might be crazy-stupid low for this guy. No one has had to deal with more adversity, and on the field, he’s a big, tough, former superstar recruit who has the blasting ability to be a Pro Bowl value pick as long as all his health concerns are just fine.
Who Has This Pick: Green Bay

91 S Ar’Darius Washington, Washington

Bottom Line: Just 5-8 and not big enough to be any sort of intimidating force, he makes up for it with attitude. Good luck finding a tougher football player with more energy in the draft – he’ll make every tackle possible.
Who Has This Pick: Cleveland

90 QB Jamie Newman, Georgia

Bottom Line: There’s a good-value, low-risk factor to him in a draft that’s going to be scrutinized forever for the quarterbacks taken up top. He has NFL tools with the shot to be one of the big stars out of the group if he gets a little while to work on his game behind a Hall of Fame talent – looking at you, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay.
Who Has This Pick: Minnesota

89 C Landon Dickerson, Alabama

Bottom Line: As long as he can stay healthy, and as long as he doesn’t have to get on the move, he’s a special center prospect who’ll slide a bit. If he can stay in one piece, he’s a ten-year quarterback for your line.
Who Has This Pick: Cleveland

88 WR Tamorrion Terry, Florida State

Bottom Line: He’s a 6-3, 207-pound 4.4 receiver with home run hitting skills. He might not be your No. 1 target, but he’s a matchup nightmare as your No. 3 who’ll average mega-yards per catch.
Who Has This Pick: Los Angeles Rams

87 QB Kyle Trask, Florida

Bottom Line: Before the bowl game disaster, he was on a better pace last year than Joe Burrow was in 2019. He might have a whole lot of things to work on, but the guy threw for over 4,000 yards and 43 touchdowns in 11 SEC games.
Who Has This Pick: Pittsburgh

86 OG Jackson Carman, Clemson

Bottom Line: There are several versatile linemen in this draft, but the 6-5, 317-pound Carman can work fine for just about everyone. He’s not going to be a thumper inside, but he brings a little something to everyone’s offensive style.
Who Has This Pick: New York Jets

NEXT: 2021 NFL Draft Third Round Prospects, Best Players On The Board, Part 2

2020 NFL Draft Top 106 Pro Prospects: Best Players On The Board From The College Perspective

Who are the best 106 pro prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft from the college perspective? Who are the best players on the board?

Who are the best 106 pro prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft from the college perspective? Who are the best players on the board?


2020 NFL Draft Top 106 Prospects: Best Players on the Board

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

CFN 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest NFL Draft Picks From Each School
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time
Full 2020 NFL Draft Order

Which 106 pro prospects matter the most in the 2020 NFL Draft? From the college football perspective, who are the ones who’ll be the must-have talents?

And why 106? That’s how many picks are in the first three rounds.

To cut through the hoo-ha, to get a guy who’ll start for you in a meaningful way after the third round requires more random luck than anything else.

So with that in mind, who will play NFL football really, really well over the next several seasons? These are the 106 top prospects.

Forget the value, forget the mocks, and forget what everyone else is trying sell you. These are the proverbial Best Players on the Board.

One note, this isn’t a mock draft. The teams listed who have the picks at each spot don’t have anything to do with the players ranked in each spot. They’re there simply to show the draft order.


CFN in 60: Top 5 2020 NFL Draft Prospects

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106. TE Adam Trautman, Dayton

Bottom Line: You can’t take too many great tight end prospects with great traits. Trautman might have played at the FCS level, but he was an unstoppable force of a receiver. He can block, too.
Who Has This Pick? Baltimore

105. OG Ben Bredeson, Michigan

Bottom Line: With excellent 6-5, 315-pound size and the drive to be nasty for a running game, there’s a home for him somewhere as a power blocker. Just surround him with quickness on the line, though.
Who Has This Pick? Minnesota

104. DE Alton Robinson, Syracuse

Bottom Line: If you can get a fantastic pass rusher with his talent and skill in the third round, go for it and be happy. He’s a phenomenal closer who could find a role as a high-end specialist.
Who Has This Pick? Los Angeles Rams

103. DT Benito Jones, Ole Miss

Bottom Line: Forget that he doesn’t quite look the part. He’s an ultra-quick inside force with the upside to be a terror of an interior pass rusher. He’s got everything except the height – don’t care that he’s only 6-1.
Who Has This Pick? Philadelphia

102. DE Khalid Kareem, Notre Dame

Bottom Line: A true defensive end, he’ll fill a role for a team that’s looking for a bulky defensive end who can bring the power. He’s not a high-end athlete for the position, but don’t get into a twist that the big sack numbers won’t be there. He’ll be a solid starter who holds his own.
Who Has This Pick? Pittsburgh

101. OG Solomon Kindley, Georgia

Bottom Line: Don’t overthink this. He’ll drop because he’s only 6-3 and he doesn’t have the length some will like. Whatever – he’s a see guy, hit guy really, REALLY hard type of blocker. He’s a starter for your offensive line who’ll be available in the third round.
Who Has This Pick? Seattle

100. TE Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri

Bottom Line: Can he stay on the field? He’s got NFL pass catching skills, speed, and prototype size, but he’s been hurt way too often. He won’t do much as a blocker, but he’s too good a receiver not to take a chance on in the third round.
Who Has This Pick? New England

99. OT Lucas Niang, TCU

Bottom Line: A fantastic value after the second round, he might not necessarily have the right body type or look the part, but he can start as long as he’s all back full from his hip injury.
Who Has This Pick? New York Giants

98. OG Damien Lewis, LSU

Bottom Line: So what if he’s just 6-2? He’s got the bulk to go along with stunning athleticism. He doesn’t have the length or the frame, but he’s a terrific run blocker who’ll get the job done.
Who Has This Pick? New England

97. TE Brycen Hopkins, Purdue

Bottom Line: Ultra-productive, he might have been part of the system, but he was also occasionally unstoppable even when everyone knew the ball was coming his way. Don’t worry about him as a blocker and let him go out there and catch passes.
Who Has This Pick? Cleveland (from Houston)

96. CB Amik Robertson, Louisiana Tech

Bottom Line: A big-time playmaker who battles hard to overcome his 5-8 frame, he’s a huge hitter – at least for his size – and he finds ways to break up everything he can get to. He’s a baller’s baller.
Who Has This Pick? Kansas City

95. QB Jake Fromm, Georgia

Bottom Line: It’s all there except for the arm, the mobility, the size, and the high end college production, but … he was able to beat out Justin Fields and Jacob Eason for the Georgia gig. Ultra-careful with the ball, he’ll be a fine starter even if he doesn’t have the raw tools.
Who Has This Pick? Denver (from San Francisco)

94. CB Stanford Samuels, Florida State

Bottom Line: The only knock is his lack of raw speed. He’s got good size and he’s a terrific tackler – he’s simply a good football player. You can get past everything else.
Who Has This Pick? Green Bay

93. OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State

Bottom Line: As athletic as any offensive tackle in the draft, he’s got the feet and the quickness to be worked as a left tackle. Bulk is a wee bit of an issue, but in the right system he’ll be a key part of the offensive line puzzle.
Who Has This Pick? Tennessee

92. WR Tyler Johnson, Minnesota

Bottom Line: The all-around tools are just okay, but other than LSU’s Justin Jefferson, no receiver in this draft does a better job of winning the 50/50 battle. Throw it somewhere in the stadium and he’ll find a way to get it.
Who Has This Pick? Baltimore

91. RB Zack Moss, Utah

Bottom Line: The only real problem is the position. Tough as nails, productive, and with the right body to be a tough NFL back, he’ll slide because he’ll take WAY too many big hits. He’s got too much tread off the tires.
Who Has This Pick? Las Vegas (from Seattle)


CFN 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest NFL Draft Picks From Each School
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time
Full 2020 NFL Draft Order


90. OT Trey Adams, Washington

Bottom Line: There was a time when he had a top five overall pick projection. A slew of injuries crushed his Washington career, but if he can stay healthy, he’s a talented blocker who could be a steal on Day Three.
Who Has This Pick? Houston

89. S Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois

Bottom Line: He’s a 6-3, 221-pound safety who hits, and hits, and hits some more. Throw in the 4.45 40 and 41” vertical, and he’s the ultimate tools prospect for the position.
Who Has This Pick? Minnesota

88. LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech

Bottom Line: LOVE him as a tough inside linebacker who’ll get in on everything. He’s got the raw tools, he’s got decent size, and he’ll bring the thump. Just don’t ask him to do much in pass coverage.
Who Has This Pick? New Orleans

87. WR Van Jefferson, Florida

Bottom Line: He did everything right for Florida but catch a lot of passes. The definition of a lunchpail receiver, he’ll hit, he’ll run every route perfectly, and he’ll be a dream of a chain-mover on third downs.
Who Has This Pick? New England

86. OG John Simpson, Clemson

Bottom Line: In a draft full of guards who don’t quite fit the mold, he’s got everything you want. Likely to be the first guard off the board, he’s got terrific size and can move. While quickness is a bit of an issue, he’s ready to start in your interior on Day One.
Who Has This Pick? Buffalo

85. TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame

Bottom Line: He looks the part. He’s got the 6-6 size, the 4.7 speed, and the all-around athleticism to be special. He’s not a great blocker, but give him a year or so and he could be a go-to star for a strong passing game.
Who Has This Pick? Detroit (from Philadelphia)

84. TE Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

Bottom Line: While he’s a bit too light – 6-5 and 243 pounds – and he’s nowhere near the athlete that Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet is, he’s a potential superstar. He’s a fantastic receiver and a KILLER of a blocker.
Who Has This Pick? Los Angeles Rams

83. LB Troy Dye, Oregon

Bottom Line: This is probably way too low. He doesn’t look the part of an NFL linebacker with a tall, wiry frame, but he’s going to be the quarterback of someone’s defense on his way to a whale of a coaching career.
Who Has This Pick? Denver (from Pittsburgh)

82. CB Kindle Vildor, Georgia Southern

Bottom Line: Very fast, a good tackler, and a high-end producer over a strong career, he can be a fantastic starter with a little bit of time. There’s some technique work, but he’ll be a terrific No. 2 corner who’ll put up big numbers.
Who Has This Pick? Dallas

81. DE Julian Okwara, Notre Dame

Bottom Line: This will be an upside play. He’s got the size and the quickness, but he wasn’t consistent enough and the production just wasn’t there considering all he brings to the dance. Worry about him if he’s a second rounder, love him as an easy risk to take in the third.
Who Has This Pick? Las Vegas (from Chicago)

80. C Cesar Ruiz, Michigan

Bottom Line: Versatile enough to play anywhere in the interior of a line, he’s an athletic center who can hit well for a running game despite his lack of raw bulk. He’s going to be a starter in the middle for a long, long time.
Who Has This Pick? Las Vegas

79. WR KJ Hamler, Penn State

Bottom Line: Speed, speed, speed. He’s a small player who’ll blow over when the wind gusts up, but there’s a whole lot of flash for an offensive coordinator to play around with.
Who Has This Pick? New York Jets

78. S Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne

Bottom Line: BE PATIENT. It’s going to take a little while to get up to next-level speed after playing at a D-II level, but he’s one of the best all-around athletes in the draft,. He can really, really hit.
Who Has This Pick? Atlanta

77. C Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

Bottom Line: There’s no real massive upside here, but that’s because he’s already solid – he’ll be a no-risk blocker who’ll start for a long time. The athleticism isn’t quite there compared to other top centers, but helping the infrastructure is always a big plus.
Who Has This Pick? Denver

76. LB Logan Wilson, Wyoming

Bottom Line: If you can get past his lack of speed and stick him inside a linebacking corps, he’ll make every single tackle possible. He’ll do all of the dirty work so the flashy guys on the outside can shine.
Who Has This Pick? Tampa Bay

NEXT: More Third Round Prospects, Top 75 Best Players On The Board

2020 NFL Draft: Best Value Draft Teams In 2016. Who Did The Best Job?

How good are all the NFL teams at finding value? Four years after the 2016 NFL Draft, how did it really all shake out?

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How good are all the NFL teams at finding value? What are the best value positions? Which colleges are strongest? Four years after the 2016 NFL Draft, how did it really all shake out?


NFL Draft: Who Did The Best Job In 2016?

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

So why is the 2016 NFL Draft such a big deal? That was four years ago, and now all of those draft picks who survived and advances are free agents.

It’s everything to an NFL team to find the best value possible – rookie contracts can change a franchise. It’s not all that expensive anymore to sign a first round talent, but come up with real, live players in the later rounds and the success usually follows.

Four years later – and with several of the top players dealing with the free agent market – which teams did the best job of finding value, and which ones struggled?

We go by the CFN NFL Draft Value Score, explained in way too much detail here.

Basically, the later the good draft pick, the better the score.

First round picks are going to be scored low mainly because it’s not all that hard to find a good player up top – at least it’s not supposed to be – and the value isn’t there like it is to get a good player at the same position in, say, the fourth round.

So which NFL teams did the best job of finding the value picks in 2016? The draft four years ago is supposed to be the foundation. How did it all go?

Not like you’d think it would have.

Value is about finding a steady starter late in the draft, and punters are usually the safest late picks possible. That’s fine, but you need the stars, too.

Rankings from the teams that came up with the best value, to the ones that got the least.

The overall draft pick is the first number, and the CFN Draft Value Score is the last one. The players are ranked from top value to the least.

1. Denver Broncos 157.50

219 S Will Parks Arizona 263.48
228 P Riley Dixon Syracuse 228.00
176 FB Andy Janovich Nebraska 189.75
144 OG Connor McGovern Missouri 186.75
98 S Justin Simmons Boston College 162.31
136 RB Devontae Booker Utah 142.38
63 DT Adam Gotsis Georgia Tech 83.67
26 QB Paxton Lynch Memphis 3.66

2. New York Jets 149

235 P Lac Edwards Sam Houston St 470.00
158 OT Brandon Shell South Carolina 219.72
83 OLB Jordan Jenkins Georgia 142.66
241 WR Charone Peake Clemson 120.50
118 CB Juston Burris NC State 66.38
20 OLB Darron Lee Ohio State 23.75
51 QB Christian Hackenberg Penn State 0.00

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3. Cincinnati Bengals 118.99

245 S Clayton Fejedelem Illinois 267.97
122 DT Andrew Billings Baylor 160.13
199 WR Cody Core Ole Miss 130.59
87 ILB Nick Vigil Utah State 123.70
55 WR Tyler Boyd Pitt 75.63
161 OG Christian Westerman Arizona State 45.28
24 CB William Jackson Houston 29.63

4. Philadelphia Eagles 112.30

233 S Jalen Mills LSU 298.53
164 OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai TCU 192.19
196 CB Blake Countess Auburn 125.56
153 RB Wendell Smallwood West Virginia 117.14
79 OG Isaac Seumalo Oregon State 102.45
251 ILB Joe Walker Oregon 58.83
2 QB Carson Wentz NDSU 3.70
240 DE Alex McCalister Florida 0.00

5. Atlanta Falcons 112.23

195 OG Wes Schweitzer San Jose State 249.84
115 OLB De’Vondre Campbell Minnesota 203.05
81 TE Austin Hooper Stanford 114.74
52 OLB Deion Jones LSU 85.99
17 S Keanu Neal Florida 19.76
238 WR Devin Fuller UCLA 0.00

6. Dallas Cowboys 105.31

135 QB Dak Prescott Mississippi State 277.71
189 CB Anthony Brown Purdue 265.78
212 S Kavon Frazier Central Michigan 152.38
67 DT Maliek Collins Nebraska 121.44
217 TE Rico Gathers Baylor 64.42
34 OLB Jaylon Smith Notre Dame 46.66
4 RB Ezekiel Elliott Ohio State 9.53
216 RB Darius Jackson Eastern Michigan 6.75
101 DE Charles Tapper Oklahoma 3.16

7. Green Bay Packers 105.12

131 LB Blake Martinez Stanford 241.53
137 DE Dean Lowry Northwestern 209.78
88 OLB Kyler Fackrell Utah State 96.25
163 WR Trevor Davis Cal 78.95
27 DT Kenny Clark UCLA 47.42
48 OT Jason Spriggs Indiana 33.75
200 OT Kyle Murphy Stanford 28.13

8. Minnesota Vikings 101.79

244 S Jayron Kearse Clemson 255.44
227 OLB Stephen Weatherly Vanderbilt 198.63
188 TE David Morgan UTSA 146.88
160 OLB Kentrell Brothers Missouri 130.00
54 CB Mackensie Alexander Clemson 54.84
23 WR Laquon Treadwell Ole Miss 24.80
121 OT Willie Beavers Western Michigan 3.78
180 WR Moritz Boehringer Germany (No College) 0.00

9. Kansas City Chiefs 93.77

165 WR Tyreek Hill West Alabama 389.25
126 WR Demarcus Robinson Florida 171.28
106 CB Eric Murray Minnesota 92.75
37 DT Chris Jones Mississippi State 60.03
203 DE Dadi Nicolas Virginia Tech 34.89
178 CB D.J. White Georgia Tech 30.59
74 CB KeiVarae Russell Notre Dame 24.28
162 QB Kevin Hogan Stanford 22.78
105 OG Parker Ehinger Cincinnati 18.05

10. Chicago Bears 92.05

150 RB Jordan Howard Indiana 213.28
113 ILB Nick Kwiatkowski West Virginia 139.48
185 S DeAndre Houston-Carson William & Mary 138.75
124 S Deon Bush Miami 120.13
56 OG Cody Whitehair Kansas State 113.60
72 DT Jonathan Bullard Florida 57.38
127 CB Deiondre Hall Northern Iowa 19.84
9 OLB Leonard Floyd Georgia 15.19
230 WR Daniel Braverman Western Michigan 10.78

NEXT: 2016 NFL Draft Value: Teams 11-20

NFL Draft: How Good Are Teams At Finding Value? The CFN Draft Value Formula

How good are all the NFL teams at finding value? What are the best positions? Which colleges are strongest? The CFN Draft Value Formula.

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How good are all the NFL teams at finding value? What are the best value positions? Which colleges are strongest? We figure it out with the CFN Draft Value Formula.


NFL Draft: Who’s The Best At Finding Value?

Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Two years.

Four years on a rookie contract is the dream, but can you draft a guy who’ll start for your NFL team for just two seasons?

Forget about being a superstar or anything special. Set the bar at simply finding a regular starter. If you can hit that with any regularity, you win the draft.

That sounds easy, right? Nope, which is why we’re wondering …
How good are all the NFL general managers and team scouts when it comes to draft value?

While everyone loves to focus on the big calls in the first round that can make or break a franchise – like taking Mitchell Trubisky with the second overall pick in 2017 instead of Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson – that’s just the frosting on the cupcake. The real importance of this thing is being able to build up a base of talent to rely on.

Where’s the value in the NFL drafts over the years, and who did the best and worst jobs at finding it?

The goal here is to see 1) which NFL teams were best at finding value, 2) which colleges put out the most valuable NFL players, 3) which positions tend to provide the best value, and 4) is there really any value in drafting in the later rounds?

That last part matters when it comes to trades – more on that another time.

Here are the ground rules and theories here …

1. This has almost nothing to do with talent – it’s all about the value and timing of the picks.

Of course Mahomes is a better player than anyone taken in the entire 2017 draft, but he went with the 10th overall pick. You’re supposed to be able to nail that.

Mahomes is actually a bad example considering he’s a unicorn, but in general, you have to work to whiff on a first round pick. Finding a real, live starter after the 100th pick who can play for four years on a rookie contract is found gold.

For the purposes of this value exercise, it’s a much bigger deal for an NFL team to find a Dak Prescott in the fourth round than it is to take Jared Goff – even if the pick works out – with the No. 1 overall selection.

No matter where you pick a player, though …

2. All you can reasonably ask for out of a GM is to draft a two-year starter.

Again, it’s not really about the talent – this isn’t a ranking of how good these NFL players turned out to be.

If you dive into the history of the NFL draft, finding an All-Pro is random dumb luck – really, it is, and we’ll show why at the end of all the analysis that will come out over the upcoming weeks. Just find a player who’ll start for you for two to four years.

One important note – you don’t get credit for drafting a player who produced for someone else. The value of each of these picks is only counted while they were on the teams that drafted them.

Also, if a player is hurt or on the sidelines for a stretch, that hurts his value overall. It’s why there are a few outliers in the formula – like Mahomes – but Pro Bowls and All-Pro recognition are added into …

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3. The CFN Draft Value Formula

Again, this isn’t about talent. This is about what players turned into steady starters for the teams that drafted them. Find those guys to build around, and then go after the established stars for positions of need in free agency.

The formula is made up of …

The overall pick. The later the pick, the higher the value. Anyone can pick in the first 50 and find a decent player. Find the guy in the fifth round who’ll produce. 

- How many games did he play in? A pick doesn’t work if he doesn’t play. Finding a starter is the goal, but a player brings value if he’s a part of a rotation, too. Merely getting on the field matters, but more importantly …

How many games did he start? Valuable backups and special teamers are usually replaceable. Was the pick a starter, and for how long? Reliability is almost everything, and if he’s starting in the NFL he’s doing something right. But …

All-Pro and Pro Bowl recognition counts. Finding a Pro Bowl player in the first round is harder than it seems, but it’s a first round pick – he’s supposed to be good. Finding one in the fourth round is massive. More weight is given to the score for All-Pro seasons – those are the true difference-making stars.

Way-too-long preamble short, who nailed their picks?

Number of games played, starts, Pro Bowls, and All-Pro nods are counted and then weighed into where the player was selected. The later the pick that worked out, the higher the score.

Who has been the best at finding the most value in the NFL Draft?

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