Revisiting 2015 Draft

[J12B]

With recently acquiring Amari Cooper, this is a good time to look back at the 2015 draft class:

Rd1 4(4) Amari Cooper WR
Rd1 27(27) Byron Jones CB
Rd2 28(60) Randy Gregory DE
Rd3 27(91) Chaz Green OT
Rd4 28(127) Damien Wilson LB
Rd5 27(163) Ryan Russel DE
Rd7 19(236) Mark Nzeocha LB
Rd7 29(246) Geoff Swaim TE
UDFA La'el Collins OT

This has turned into such a solid draft for the team. With the addition of Cooper, 4 player are now starters from the draft class. Gregory and Wilson are decent rotational players.

It did take a few years for most of these players to develop, but they are getting there.

The front office/scouting department is doing their job.

Overall grade: B+

What grade would you give this draft and what could have been done differently?

 

[LocimusPrime]

I'd give it a C+ or B- but room to move up to a B

We truly drafted one quality starter - Jones.
Collins was a great UDFA so I'll give kudos to Jerry for selling Lael into signing

The rest are just jags. Which is fine because you can't expect every draftee to pan out.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Can't count Cooper since we are giving up a first NEXT year

 

[Bigdog]

That Chaz Green guy turned out well, didn't he?

 

[Risen Star]

Cooper would be a part of next year's draft class.

 

[Risen Star]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I'd give it a C.....maybe a C+. This should be the floor for a draft. Come out of it with a starter and a few rotational guys. That's what they got.

Byron, Gregory, Collins, Swaim and Wilson. Solid draft especially to be drafting late in every round. I Think you'd like to do better in those mid rounds though.

 

[gimmesix]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

I don't think I'd want to get close enough to your mind to change it.

 

[Killerinstinct]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

O.K. Crowder.

 

[gimmesix]

I'd give it a C+ or B- but room to move up to a B

We truly drafted one quality starter - Jones.
Collins was a great UDFA so I'll give kudos to Jerry for selling Lael into signing

The rest are just jags. Which is fine because you can't expect every draftee to pan out.

Chaz Green really hurts it, though, because you need to hit on those third- and fourth-rounders more often than you miss. I guess Collins as a free agent makes up some for that miss.

 

[CowboyChris]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

Swaim has been one of our better draft day trades in awhile.

 

[Hardline]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

HOOK EM

 

[CyberB0b]

Swaim was the best pick that year.

Change my mind.

Well, he's neck in neck with Cooper in terms of production this year.

 

[Risen Star]

I'd give it a C.....maybe a C+. This should be the floor for a draft. Come out of it with a starter and a few rotational guys. That's what they got.

Byron, Gregory, Collins, Swaim and Wilson. Solid draft especially to be drafting late in every round. I Think you'd like to do better in those mid rounds though.

Every time I see the drafting late in every round excuse I go cross eyed.

It doesn't matter except in the 1st round.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Every time I see the drafting late in every round excuse I go cross eyed.

It doesn't matter except in the 1st round.

Wasn't a excuse. It makes a huge difference drafting at 34 as opposed to 50..........

 

[Risen Star]

Wasn't a excuse. It makes a huge difference drafting at 34 as opposed to 50..........

If you're picking late 2nd that's before an early 3rd. A late 3rd picks before an early 4th. Etc.

 

[kumizi]

LMAO is this dude serious?

1st round pick: average player for the first three years. looks to finally be a stud in his contract year
2nd round pick: major flop
3rd round pick: major flop
They also gave Collins a big money contract.

That's a C draft at best (when you consider the production you're getting from guys on their rookie deals).

 

[big dog cowboy]

What grade would you give this draft and what could have been done differently?

Solid draft. Really depends on Gregory. The biggest problem is everyone knew Green was a bad pick the second his name was announced.

 

[beware_d-ware]

With recently acquiring Amari Cooper, this is a good time to look back at the 2015 draft class:

Rd1 4(4) Amari Cooper WR
Rd1 27(27) Byron Jones CB
Rd2 28(60) Randy Gregory DE
Rd3 27(91) Chaz Green OT
Rd4 28(127) Damien Wilson LB
Rd5 27(163) Ryan Russel DE
Rd7 19(236) Mark Nzeocha LB
Rd7 29(246) Geoff Swaim TE
UDFA La'el Collins OT

This has turned into such a solid draft for the team. With the addition of Cooper, 4 player are now starters from the draft class. Gregory and Wilson are decent rotational players.

It did take a few years for most of these players to develop, but they are getting there.

The front office/scouting department is doing their job.

Overall grade: B+

What grade would you give this draft and what could have been done differently?

Cooper's not a member of our 2015 draft class, and La'El was a free agent as well (and not some Beasley type guy we plucked out of the weeds, everyone had him as a 1st rounder. That's luck, not draft acumen). That being said, I'd give the guys we did draft a C.

My expectation for a decent draft is 2 starters, plus some spare parts (guys that play a part time role, guys that stick around as backups, guys that have 1 good year, etc.

-Byron started for us as a mediocre FS and good niche player against TEs, before exploding into one of the NFL's best CBs this year. I'd be willing to give the Jones pick two thumbs up just for 2018 alone. How much would teams be willing to trade just for a one year rental on an All-Pro caliber press CB?

Gregory is a "starter" right now, but he's playing like garbage and has done nothing for the previous 3 years. Failed pick.

Chaz Green is one of the worst players on any team in the league at any position. F minus minus pick.

Damian Wilson has turned into a decent Sam playing about 25% of the snaps. For a 4th rounder, that's about the return you'd expect.

Ryan Russell was horrible.

Nzechoa had a chance to be good but never got healthy. Nothing gained, nothing ventured.

Swaim has turned into a decent spare part as a #2. He has been improving as the year's gone along.

So yeah, 1 really big hit and some depth. That feels like an average to mediocre draft class to me.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

According to Jerry we now got 4 1st rounders out of that draft