ARTICLES
5 DRAFT DAY MISTAKES THAT MUST BE AVOIDED
03 / 14 / 22
INTRODUCTION
The NFL draft is a day filled with emotion. In the months of preparation leading up to the draft, teams are not only tasked with establishing a big board of their own, but they are also responsible for anticipating the way other teams will think. In spite of this, when the clock hits 8pm and the draft is underway, a magnitude of surprises overshadows the pre-determined consensus that teams walk in with. In most instances, there are always certain picks that shock the entire league. As a result, general managers are forced to make snap decisions without letting their emotions take over. An example of this is when Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was sitting on the clock with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft. Jones was faced with two options. Option #1: select the big name quarterback Johnny Manziel who was slipping, or option #2: make the smart choice and draft eventual seven-time all-pro guard, Zack Martin. Jones was able to make the right choice and select the guard out of Notre Dame, but in many instances, this is not always the case. Below are 5 examples of draft mistakes that teams must avoid.
#1 The Seahawks Drafting a QB at Pick 9
After the blockbuster deal that sent Russell Wilson to the Broncos, the Seahawks were left with Drew Lock and Geno Smith as their 2022 QB options. At first glance, the quarterback position is an obvious need for Seattle. However, the Seahawks are in a complete rebuild process. They are likely going to be a bottom 5 team next season, and it makes no sense to acquire their future quarterback now, in what is a historically bad draft class for the position. Instead, Seattle should take a more conservative approach, build up their roster, and select a QB in the much more talented 2023 class. At pick 9, the Seahawks should bolster their defence by focusing in on Devin Lloyd, Derek Stingley, Ahmad Gardner, or one of the many options at edge.
#2 The Jets Failing to Address the Secondary
To put it simply, the New York Jets have a lot of holes to fill. However, one unit in particular that was extremely underwhelming in the 2021 season, was the secondary. The Jets currently hold picks 4 and 10 in the upcoming draft. Luckily enough, this year's draft holds two of the best secondary prospects in recent memory. Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton and Cincinnati cornerback Sauce Gardner are generational talents that could instantly transform the Jets defence. While it may be tempting to select one of the many edge rushers in the draft, if New York does not address the secondary at pick 4 they may miss out on two sensational talents who could fill their biggest need.
#3 The Patriots Ignoring WR in Round 1 or 2
After the emergence of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, and many other QB/WR pairings, it has become quite obvious that acquiring an elite WR 1 is crucial for the development of a young quarterback. After years of avoiding the problem, the Patriots roster still remains without a true #1 WR. While the likes of Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne have exceeded expectations, Mac Jones needs a dominant pass-catcher to grow with. In order to do so, the Patriots can target Alabama’s Jameson Williams or Ohio State’s Chris Olave in the first round. Or, in the second round, the Patriots can look to NDSU’s Christian Watson, Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore, or Georgia’s George Pickens.
#4 The Steelers Prioritizing QB Over O-Line
In the early part of the decade, the Pittsburgh Steelers were one of the AFC’s most feared teams. While much of the success can be attributed to the trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, and Le’veon Bell, the true hallmark of their success was the offensive line. For many years, the Steelers were consistent and powerful in the trenches. The same cannot be said for the Steelers of today. The offensive line unit is full of mediocre players and is in desperate need of an upgrade. In last year's draft, Pittsburgh spent a first-round pick on running back Najee Harris, but has failed to build a productive o-line in front of him. While it may be tempting to find the heir-apparent of big Ben, the Steelers must prioritize the offensive line and target Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum or Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning. Unless Kenny Pickett is available, the Steelers must stay strong and resist names like Malik Willis, Sam Howell, and Matt Corral
#5 The Packers Failing to Add a Pass-Catcher
For the Green Bay Packers it seems like year after year the result is always the same. Aaron Rodgers leads the team to an impressive regular season finish but fails to bring them to the promised land. Personally, I think Rodgers is not as great as the league perceives him to be, but for the Packers to take the next step and reach the promise land, they need to add one more weapon and try things out. Green Bay has relatively good depth at receiver but they need a true #2 who can take the pressure off of Adams. With some receivers off the board at pick 30, the Packers should look to target NDSU's Christian Watson, or add UCLA's Greg Dulcich in the later rounds