Risen Star
Likes Collector
- Messages
- 89,491
- Reaction score
- 212,466
http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2017/i...67138/todd-mcshay-day-2-nfl-draft-awards-2017
Biggest steals
Los Angeles Chargers
Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky (pick No. 38)
Lamp entered the draft as my No. 16 overall player and top offensive lineman. His tape against Alabama pass-rushers Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson was outstanding. He has the versatility to play guard or center and fills a big need for the Chargers.
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State (pick No. 41)
Cook fell to the second round as character, fumbling and durability concerns lingered. I still had him ranked No. 17 overall because he's the most explosive running back in this class, showing the ability to create yards on his own. Cook will be a three-down playmaker for the Vikings.
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (pick No. 47)
I thought Bowser had a chance to go toward the end of Round 1, but the Ravens got him 15 picks into the second. Bowser gives the Ravens some athletic upside off the edge at a point where Terrell Suggs is nearing the end of his career.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee (pick No. 67)
Kamara, our No. 40 overall player, would've been a good value for the Saints at their 42nd pick, but they ended up getting him 25 selections later. Mark Ingram might only be on the roster through 2017 -- it can cut him with little dead cap next offseason -- and Kamara gives the Saints a dynamic runner who can contribute in the passing game, as well.
Best overall Day 2
Dallas Cowboys
Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado; Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan (pick Nos. 60 and 92)
Lewis is maybe the best value pick in this entire draft. I had him ranked No. 35 overall and the Cowboys snagged him midway through the third round. Both Lewis and Awuzie landed on my 2017 All-Tape Team, and they fill big needs in the secondary for the Cowboys, who let Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne leave in free agency. They're also two of the best cornerbacks in this class against the run. Awuzie shows very good awareness in zone coverage, which makes him a good fit for Rod Marinelli's Cover 2 scheme in Dallas. I understand why Lewis fell to the third round with off-field issues lingering, but he's one of the most instinctive corners I've studied in years. He has an uncanny ability to read receivers and anticipate their breaks.
These teams also killed it on Day 2:
Biggest surprises
Carolina Panthers
Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State (pick No. 40)
I want to make it perfectly clear off the top: This isn't a bad pick by any stretch; it's just really intriguing. My first reaction was surprise, because the Panthers spent a first-rounder on Christian McCaffrey, a running back who can also play receiver, and then drafted Samuel, a wide receiver who can also play running back. The more I think about it, the Panthers can use these two players to be really creative on offense. Imagine a zone-read look with Cam Newton, McCaffrey and Samuel. That's a lot for a defense to worry about.
San Francisco 49ers
C.J. Beathard, QB, Iowa (pick No. 104)
Entering the season, I gave Beathard a mid-third-round grade. I loved his leadership and toughness. He was a tough evaluation this season, as his pass-protection fell apart and he lost key WRs to injuries. We ended up giving a fringe fourth/fifth-round grade and ranked him No. 156 overall. While I'm surprised the 49ers traded back into the third round to select Beathard with higher-ranked options like Joshua Dobbs (No. 63) and Nathan Peterman (No. 69) still on the board, I do understand why they'd be intrigued by his 2015 tape.
Green Bay Packers
Kevin King, CB, Washington (pick No. 33)
The Packers play a heavy press-man scheme under coordinator Dom Capers, and King has some of the best length of any cornerback in this class (32-inch arms on a 6-3 frame). He tested extremely well for someone that tall (4.43 40, 6.56 three-cone, 3.89 short-shuttle). King fills a big need in Green Bay.
Atlanta Falcons
Duke Riley, ILB, LSU (pick No. 75)
Like his former LSU teammate and current Falcons LB Deion Jones, Riley shows great range against the run. He has elite instincts and he stood out on a stacked Tigers defense for always being around the ball. Riley, who had the second-best 40 time among LBs at the combine, is a great fit for an Atlanta defense that plays really fast.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo (pick No. 86)
Hunt elusiveness in space will make him a receiving weapon in the NFL and a good fit for Andy Reid's scheme. While he lacks elite top-end speed, Hunt creates his own yards thanks to a high-level combination of balance, vision and lower-body strength.
Seattle Seahawks
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (pick No. 35)
McDowell's motor ran too hot and cold in 2016, but when he gives good effort, he's the most talented interior pass-rusher in this class. Pete Carroll and the Seahawks have the kind of culture that can help get the most out of McDowell's natural ability.
Detroit Lions
Teez Tabor, CB, Florida (pick No. 53)
Heading into the combine, I thought Tabor could end up as the second-ranked corner in this class, but he ran a red-flag 40-yard dash in Indianapolis (4.62 40) and fell down the board. Because of his lack of top-end speed, Tabor needs to be protected in a zone scheme, which the Lions utilize under coordinator Teryl Austin.
Biggest steals
Los Angeles Chargers
Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky (pick No. 38)
Lamp entered the draft as my No. 16 overall player and top offensive lineman. His tape against Alabama pass-rushers Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson was outstanding. He has the versatility to play guard or center and fills a big need for the Chargers.
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State (pick No. 41)
Cook fell to the second round as character, fumbling and durability concerns lingered. I still had him ranked No. 17 overall because he's the most explosive running back in this class, showing the ability to create yards on his own. Cook will be a three-down playmaker for the Vikings.
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston (pick No. 47)
I thought Bowser had a chance to go toward the end of Round 1, but the Ravens got him 15 picks into the second. Bowser gives the Ravens some athletic upside off the edge at a point where Terrell Suggs is nearing the end of his career.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee (pick No. 67)
Kamara, our No. 40 overall player, would've been a good value for the Saints at their 42nd pick, but they ended up getting him 25 selections later. Mark Ingram might only be on the roster through 2017 -- it can cut him with little dead cap next offseason -- and Kamara gives the Saints a dynamic runner who can contribute in the passing game, as well.
Best overall Day 2
Dallas Cowboys
Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado; Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan (pick Nos. 60 and 92)
Lewis is maybe the best value pick in this entire draft. I had him ranked No. 35 overall and the Cowboys snagged him midway through the third round. Both Lewis and Awuzie landed on my 2017 All-Tape Team, and they fill big needs in the secondary for the Cowboys, who let Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne leave in free agency. They're also two of the best cornerbacks in this class against the run. Awuzie shows very good awareness in zone coverage, which makes him a good fit for Rod Marinelli's Cover 2 scheme in Dallas. I understand why Lewis fell to the third round with off-field issues lingering, but he's one of the most instinctive corners I've studied in years. He has an uncanny ability to read receivers and anticipate their breaks.
These teams also killed it on Day 2:
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Indianapolis Colts
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest surprises
Carolina Panthers
Curtis Samuel, WR/RB, Ohio State (pick No. 40)
I want to make it perfectly clear off the top: This isn't a bad pick by any stretch; it's just really intriguing. My first reaction was surprise, because the Panthers spent a first-rounder on Christian McCaffrey, a running back who can also play receiver, and then drafted Samuel, a wide receiver who can also play running back. The more I think about it, the Panthers can use these two players to be really creative on offense. Imagine a zone-read look with Cam Newton, McCaffrey and Samuel. That's a lot for a defense to worry about.
San Francisco 49ers
C.J. Beathard, QB, Iowa (pick No. 104)
Entering the season, I gave Beathard a mid-third-round grade. I loved his leadership and toughness. He was a tough evaluation this season, as his pass-protection fell apart and he lost key WRs to injuries. We ended up giving a fringe fourth/fifth-round grade and ranked him No. 156 overall. While I'm surprised the 49ers traded back into the third round to select Beathard with higher-ranked options like Joshua Dobbs (No. 63) and Nathan Peterman (No. 69) still on the board, I do understand why they'd be intrigued by his 2015 tape.
Green Bay Packers
Kevin King, CB, Washington (pick No. 33)
The Packers play a heavy press-man scheme under coordinator Dom Capers, and King has some of the best length of any cornerback in this class (32-inch arms on a 6-3 frame). He tested extremely well for someone that tall (4.43 40, 6.56 three-cone, 3.89 short-shuttle). King fills a big need in Green Bay.
Atlanta Falcons
Duke Riley, ILB, LSU (pick No. 75)
Like his former LSU teammate and current Falcons LB Deion Jones, Riley shows great range against the run. He has elite instincts and he stood out on a stacked Tigers defense for always being around the ball. Riley, who had the second-best 40 time among LBs at the combine, is a great fit for an Atlanta defense that plays really fast.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo (pick No. 86)
Hunt elusiveness in space will make him a receiving weapon in the NFL and a good fit for Andy Reid's scheme. While he lacks elite top-end speed, Hunt creates his own yards thanks to a high-level combination of balance, vision and lower-body strength.
Seattle Seahawks
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (pick No. 35)
McDowell's motor ran too hot and cold in 2016, but when he gives good effort, he's the most talented interior pass-rusher in this class. Pete Carroll and the Seahawks have the kind of culture that can help get the most out of McDowell's natural ability.
Detroit Lions
Teez Tabor, CB, Florida (pick No. 53)
Heading into the combine, I thought Tabor could end up as the second-ranked corner in this class, but he ran a red-flag 40-yard dash in Indianapolis (4.62 40) and fell down the board. Because of his lack of top-end speed, Tabor needs to be protected in a zone scheme, which the Lions utilize under coordinator Teryl Austin.
