I am moving on with my NFL Draft Grades for 2017 with the NFC North, which will close out my NFC Draft grades. Here is how I scored out the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings:
Chicago Bears
1(2) QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina (F)
2(45) TE Adam Shaheen, Ashland (B)
4(112) S Eddie Jackson, Alabama (B)
4(119) RB Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T (F)
5(147) OG Jordan Morgan, Kutztown (D)
Final Score (1.4, D-)
This was not a great run for GM Ryan Pace, and it could be the draft that gets him fired. Trubisky, ranked, at best, and average score of being taken in the mid first round, despite a ton of smoke about him going at number six to a myriad of teams. That was not likely to happen. The Bears gave up a ton of resources to move up one spot, and they likely still would have gotten him at number three. It was, by far, the dumbest play at the draft. Shaheen was a mover from the D2 ranks, but likely would have been around a round later if the Bears wanted to move into the third. Good player, but a bit of a reach. Jackson will give the Bears some depth at safety, but he is no shoe in to be a good pick, and I was a bit liberal with my score on him. Cohen, and FCS prospect, and Morgan, another D2 guy, could have both been had as free agents.
Detroit Lions
1(21) LB Jarrad Davis, Florida (B)
2(53) CB Teez Tabor, Florida (B)
3(96) WR Kenny Golloday, Northern Illinois (D)
4(124) LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee (C)
4(127) TE Michael Roberts, Toledo (A)
5(165) Jamal Agnew, San Diego (F)
6(205) DT Jeremiah Ledbetter, Arkansas (F)
6(215) QB Brad Kaaya, Miami (B)
7(250) DE Pat O'Connor, Eastern Michigan (F)
Final Grade: 1.78 (D+)
Yet again, I felt there was another team in the Lions who just had a minimal plan heading into this draft. Davis was a second round talent who they reached for in the first when a better prospect in Zach Cunningham was available. Tabor was a decent value pick in the second round, but he has an arrogance issue, and he may have bust written all over him. Golloday was a guy who could have been had much later on, while Reeves-Maybin may never be more than a special teams guy. Roberts was an excellent pick, their best of the draft, and they got great value on him where he was picked. The same could be said for Kaaya, who could be developed as the top backup to Matt Stafford, and with any luck, could be an eventual replacement. The picks of Agnew, Ledbetter, and O'Connor were complete whiffs.
Green Bay Packers
2(33) CB Kevin King, Washington (A)
2(61) S Josh Jones, NC State (B)
3(93) DT Montravious Adams, Auburn (A)
4(108) LB Vince Biegel, Wisconsin (B)
4(134) Jamaal Adams, BYU (B)
5(175) WR DeAngelo Yancey, Purdue (F)
5(182) RB Aaron Jones, UTEP (B)
6(212) C/G Kofi Amichia, USF (F)
7(238) RB Devante Mays, Utah State (C)
7(247) WR Malachi Dupre, LSU (B)
Final Grade: 2.5 (C)
The overall score does not reflect how well the Packers drafted early in the draft, as they scored very well in the first two days of drafting. King, Jones, and Adams could all have immediate impact on the depth of the Packers defense, and that was an extreme need for this team right now. Jamaal Adams, if he stays healthy, could also have an immediate impact, as the Packers lack star power, and Lacy has gone on to the Seahawks. I would not be surprised if Adams was a starter at some point, and Jones, the all-time leading rusher for UTEP, will add solid depth as well. Dupre graded out as an earlier pick, but his film did not warrant. He will have to make the team, but as far as value goes, it was a solid get in the final round. Mays was yet another RB pick, and he provides less value than Adams and Jones. Yancey and Amichia were whiffs in my book.
Minnesota Vikings
2(41) RB Dalvin Cook (A)
3(70) C Pat Elflein, Ohio State (A)
4(109) DT Jaleel Johnson, Iowa (A)
4(120 LB Ben Gedeon, Michigan (C)
5(170) WR Rodney Adams, USF (F)
5(180) OG Danny Isidora, Miami (B)
6(201) TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech (A)
7(219) WR Stacy Coley Miami (B)
7(220) DT Ifeadi Odenigbo, Northwestern (D)
7(232) LB Elijah Lee, Kansas State (A)
7(245) CB Jack Tocho, NC State (F)
Final Score: 2.64 (B-)
The first three picks here were all home runs. Cook could be a starter right away for the Vikings, if he can keep his head on straight. I feel that he can, and have stated so on my last radio spot, so I hope I am not made to look foolish here. Elflein was a late first round prospect who falls to third, so he gets excellent value here. Johnson is a disruptive tackle who can add depth immediately. Hodges was another excellent value pick for me as a developmental TE, as he is still learning how to play the position. Coley and Lee added solid late round draft for developmental value and special teams play now. Adams was a guy who could have been had much later, and the Vikings seemingly threw picks away on Odenigbo and Tocho. All said, the Vikings still had thee best draft in the NFC North in my opinion.
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