NFC South Draft Grades 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft Grade 2020
Intro
I’m all in on the Bucs this season as proven in my NFL power rankings. I think they made all the right moves this off-season including their draft class.
Rounds 1-2
Pick #13 – Tristan Wirfs
In an extremely deep offensive linemen draft, Tristan Wirfs was selected in the top 5 for many mock drafts. He is a physical freak with tremendous upside. With the right coaching he will develop into a pro-bowler. Nothing like some of that Tom Brady winning mentality rubbing off on you.
Pick #45 – Antoine Winfield
The Bucs have a top 5 run defense in the league, but their overall success gets overshadowed by their lackluster secondary. Antoine Winfield has proven ball skills and instincts at the safety spot. Expect him to make an impact in his first season which will include covering the Tight Ends – the Bucs biggest weakness.
Pick #76 – Ke’Shawn Vaughn
I read a lot of people questioning this pick considering the low athletic score of Vaughn. Tom Brady loves a dual threat running back and that’s what he brings to the table. Ronald Jones gets questioned for his ability to pass protect, and if that is an ongoing issue, Vaughn could step in as the primary running backs on this team.
Rounds 3-7
A late round pick that stood out to me was Tyler Johnson. He couldn’t participate in the NFL combine due to injury which made him drop much further than he should, but Johnson had a very successful college career. Breshad Perriman is now a member of the Jets leaving that #3 role open. It’s also worth mentioning that both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have injury history.
NFC South Draft Grades 2020
New Orleans Saints Draft Grade 2020
Intro
You can bank on the New Orleans Saints winning at least 12 games next season. For a team with so little needs to address, the Saints used what little draft capital they had to refine their roster.
Rounds 1-2
Pick #24 – Cesar Ruiz
The interior of the offensive line was the biggest need for the Saints and they got the best value possible in Cesar Ruiz. He was the best interior lineman of the draft allowing for the rich to get richer. Expect him to become an immediate starter.
Pick #74 – Zack Baun
They followed up with yet another value in Zach Baun who they moved up to get. He played most of his college career at the edge, but is a hybrid defender who will play off the ball as well. A failed PED test dropped him on many draft boards, but the Saints scooped up a great player who will give Tackles a lot of problems with his quickness.
Rounds 3-7
They traded up again to get Tight End Adam Trautman. The pick makes sense considering the shelf life of Jared Cook is coming to an end. You never see TEs make an impact in their first season unless they are really special, so consider this a future asset for the Saints.
NFC South Draft Grades 2020
Carolina Panthers Draft Grade 2020
Intro
This is a completely new look Carolina Panthers with Teddy Bridgewater under center. This offense has proved they can be great with even Kyle Allen at Quarterback which has led to all 7 of their draft picks being used on defensive players.
Rounds 1-2
Pick #7 – Derrick Brown
This is a boring pick at the 7 spot for the Panthers, but Derrick Brown has arguably the lowest floor of anyone this draft. It’s obvious that he will become an elite run stuffer at the NFL level with the real question being about whether or not he can develop into an elite pass rusher. If he played 30 years ago he would become a sure fire hall of famer, but the NFL now revolves around the pass.
Pick #48 – Yetur Gross-Matos
Derrick Brown was a boring pick, but Yetur Gross-Matos is not. He fell into the laps of the Panthers as this defensive line got a lot better. He is a proven pass rusher in the 99th percentile for length. The upside is through the roof.
Pick #64 – Jeremy Chinn
Speaking of 99th percentile, Chinn graded in the 99th percentile for SPARQ. There was a lot of buzz around Isiah Simmons’ hybrid ability, but you need to keep some of that energy for Chinn who is perfect for this rebuilding Panthers team.
Rounds 3-7
The rest of the draft was uninspiring, especially the pick of Troy Pride. He has 4.40 speed, but is very undersized.
NFC South Draft Grades 2020
Atlanta Falcons Draft Grade 2020
Intro
The Falcons made it clear that they wanted a Cornerback. There was a lot of buzz around them moving up a few spots in effort to draft C. J. Henderson.
Rounds 1-2
Pick #16 – A.J. Terrell
Instead of getting the clearly better C. J. Henderson, they stayed put at 16 and drafted A.J. Terrell. While I do think he has the potential to develop into a pro-bowl corner, he is a massive downgrade from Henderson. He has terrible ball skills at the moment and I can’t see him being able to hold his own at the point of attack against NFL WRs. The Falcons should have been more flexible with this pick instead of set in stone for a CB. They could have addressed any of their other needs with a far better prospect at this spot.
Pick #48 – Marlon Davidson
Davidson was an oversized edge rusher in college and should move to the inside. He is a bit of a tweener, but can develop into a solid starter. This was a better value pick than Terrell.
Pick #64 – Matt Hennessy
This was a pick I was a fan of. The Falcons have struggle on the inside, and Hennessy didn’t allow a single sack in his senior year. While he needs more strength to become a pro-bowler, he grades in the 70th percentile in athleticism.
Rounds 3-7
Both Mykal Walker and Jaylinn Hawkins are forgettable prospects who will soon be forgotten. It’s also shame-worthy that they used 1 of their 6 picks on a punter.
For more NFL Draft Grades:
AFC:
AFC East Draft Grades
AFC West Draft Grades
AFC North Draft Grades
AFC South Draft Grades
NFC:
NFC East Draft Grades
NFC West Draft Grades
NFC North Draft Grade
NFC South Draft Grades
