Building Blocks

Intro

So the other day, I finally got around to doing my first Madden Draft of the year. For anyone who hasn’t done one before, it is a complete redraft of the NFL. Every player across the league is a free agent, so you really have to decide who you want to build around. As luck would have it, I found myself picking first overall. Now due to the fact that it’s a video game and I always turn injuries off, I went with the then 28 year old stud quarterback Andrew Luck. After I made the pick however, I almost instantly started questioning the decision. I could have had Russell Wilson, who is a far better player in the game and just a matter of days older. I could have went with the youth movement and taken Carson Wentz, but is 3 years of youth really worth not getting the guy you want? I could have taken Odell Beckham Jr, and just punted on quarterback until the second round. The moral of the story is, there are a shit ton of great players to choose from when selecting number 1 overall in an NFL Redraft. What a hot take that is huh?

That’s what we are going to be talking about today folks! I decided to take a break from Virtual Andrew Luck’s MVP Season and actually put my GM Hat on. I sat there at number 1, and picked what I believed to be the best asset left on the board to help my hypothetical team win for years to come. I then did the same at number 2, and all the way through the 32 team 1st round of my NFL Redraft. To make things a little bit more interesting than Madden however, I decided to include coaches as well. The reasoning behind this was because I think the most important thing to do when starting a team is getting a great offensive mind at head coach. So the moral of the story is that we had a complete reshuffling of all the talent in the NFL with absolutely no exceptions. No one was safe, and the draft order was chosen by a random generator. So who will be the first building block for the Falcons, Bills, Browns, and all the other hopeful future dynasties out there in this hypothetical New NFL? Let’s get right into it!

With the 1st Pick, The Titans select: Head Coach, Sean McVay (32)

If you’ve read me before, this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. In case anyone was living under a rock last year, he took over what was the worst offense in the league and turned them into the league’s top unit. He inherited Jared Goff, a guy who a lot of people were already declaring a bust, and turned him into a Pro Bowler. The most impressive part about all this though is that he did it at just 31 years old! McVay is actually significantly younger than a fair amount of PLAYERS in the NFL let alone coaches. So if he is this good of a coach now, how good will he be in 10 years? How about in 20? The bottom line is that conservatively speaking, McVay could go on to coach in this league for another 30 years, and he is only going to improve. I really think when it’s all said and done, the guy will be considered a top 5 all time coach. So yeah, sign me up for having elite coaching of my team for the next 30 years. I’m sure all you Titans Fans out there would be absolutely thrilled.

With the 2nd Pick, The Cowboys select: Head Coach, Bill Belichick (66)

I’d bet that a ton of you weren’t surprised by this pick either, as I am a homer Patriots Fan. As you keep reading however, you’ll notice that Belichick is the only defensive coach I selected not just in the top 10, but at all. The reason I chose Belichick before everyone but McVay should be obvious if you’ve followed football at all. The Patriots under Belichick have been the league’s sole dynasty, a top 2-3 seed in the AFC seemingly every year Brady has been healthy. The reason there haven’t been other dynasties over this time period is because the NFL is now a salary cap league, designed to create parity. Belichick however has managed to stay on top for an absurdly long amount of time, and I just don’t see how it wouldn’t continue on the Cowboys, although him and Jerry Jones working together might get a little bit interesting. Also for those of you saying that he’s too old to take so high at 66, you don’t know Bill Belichick. Coaching is all this guy knows, and I’d be shocked if he doesn’t snap Dick LeBeau’s record of being on the sideline at the age of 80. In addition, I’m sure he will have groomed his successor by the time he decides to walk away. So roughly 14 years of a guy who has already ran the league for nearly 20 and a promising successor afterwards? Well worth the number 2 pick if you ask me.

With the 3nd Pick, The Falcons select: Head Coach, Kyle Shanahan (38)

Funny how this random order worked out. The Falcons will have a chance to do what they should have done after their Super Bowl Collapse and hire Kyle Shanahan as their head coach. Yes, firing Dan Quinn after getting to a Super Bowl would have been an unprecedented move, but just look how things have gone since Shanahan left Atlanta. Their unstoppable offense doesn’t look nearly as good with pretty much the exact same personnel, and Ryan is back to looking slightly above average instead of like an MVP. Shanahan meanwhile was able to take prospect Jimmy G on midseason and win out with an utterly atrocious roster as a rookie head coach in San Fransisco. Like McVay, Shanahan is also younger than some players out there, and easily has 30 years of coaching in this league left in the tank. Although I’d rather take the certainty of Belichick over the ridiculous upside of Shanahan, man it is close and I might be wrong on this one. That being said, the Falcons will do what they should have done, and Kyle Shanahan will once again be leading the Atlanta Offense in this new NFL.

With the 4th Pick, The Jets select: Head Coach, Josh McDaniels (42)

Yes, I know that McDaniels’ first go around in Denver as a head coach was a failure, but you have to keep in mind that he was just over 32 years old when he took over. That’s good enough for the 7th youngest of all time, and not everyone is Sean McVay. That being said, McDaniels has been humbled by the experience and more importantly, has spent the time since being tutored by the greatest coach in the history of football. When McDaniels has been the offensive coordinator in Foxborough, the Patriots have had one of the best offenses in the league year in and year out. Also, due to the fact that he’s only 42 years old, you will conservatively get 20 years of coaching out of him. Maybe it’s homer bias, but I’m willing to bet on the upside of McDaniels once the big 3 above him are gone. I’m sure Jets Fans would be thrilled, and Pats Fans like myself would be sick to their stomachs.

With the 5th Pick, The Lions select: Head Coach, Doug Pederson (50)

As much as the loss stings me to this day, what Pederson did last season was pretty damn impressive. His Eagles looked like the best team in football early on behind his then MVP Favorite Quarterback, Carson Wentz. When Wentz tore his ACL against the Rams however, everyone including myself left the Eagles for dead. Pederson responded by coaching up backup quarterback Nick Foles, rallying his team under an underdog mentality, and going on a Super Bowl run that nobody saw coming. At just 50 years old, fresh off of winning a Super Bowl with a backup QB, how could the Lions say no to this proven yet surprisingly young coaching prospect?

With the 6th Pick, The Ravens select: Head Coach, Sean Payton (54)

I have always been a Sean Payton apologist. Ever since that unforgettable run with the Saints after Katrina, I’ve found it impossible to root against him or Drew Brees. Year in and year out, the Saints have one of the best offenses in the league, and even in down years have had the ability to play with anyone in the NFL. Although you’d definitely like to see more winning than just that 1 deep playoff run, I honestly don’t think it’s his fault. I feel like the Saints never have a good defense but when they’ve had one, they’ve won a Super Bowl and lost on the Minneapolis Miracle. The bottom line is that Peyton still has plenty of coaching ahead of him and by selecting him, the Ravens pretty much guarantee they’ll have a top 10 offense for at least the next 20 years.

With the 7th Pick, The Vikings select: Quarterback, Russell Wilson (29)

So there we have it, the first non coach off the board is Russell Wilson. He just has literally everything you could possibly want out of a franchise quarterback. He is the ultimate grown up, always capable of leading his team through tough times. He is mobile, but not reliant upon his mobility due to his elite arm and decision making abilities. Wilson has also had an incredible ability to stay healthy, with no major injury concerns up to this point in his amazing career. Speaking of that amazing career, Wilson has one Super Bowl Ring and was one crappy play call away from another. By drafting Russell Wilson, the Vikings are taking their MVP Caliber Franchise Quarterback for the next 10 years at least, and you could do a lot worse in this draft.

With the 8th Pick, The Redskins select: Quarterback, Carson Wentz (25)

Some of you might have Wentz higher, and I honestly couldn’t blame you. Wentz was unbelievable last season, leading the Eagles to a 1 seed before his untimely knee injury. That knee injury however is the reason I felt more comfortable taking Wilson. Wentz is a guy who definitely needs to be mobile in order to be the elite player we saw last year. I am just a little bit concerned that we won’t see that type of mobility again and if we do, it might lead to another injury. To make matters worse, the fact that the Eagles didn’t seem to skip a beat with a career backup definitely raises the question of how much of the success was due to Wentz’ talent, and how much of it was due to his coach? All of those concerns aside, I’m still comfortable gambling on a potential Superstar Quarterback with 15 years left in the tank at this point in the draft, and I’m sure the Redskins would love to have him instead of playing him twice a year.

With the 9th Pick, The Seahawks select: Head Coach, Andy Reid (60)

Back to selecting coaches… I honestly think that Andy Reid is still somehow underrated. Although he’s never really had a ton of postseason success besides that one close Super Bowl Loss, Reid has been unreal in the regular season. When I talked earlier about Belichick’s regular season dominance since the year 2000 or so, Reid is the only other coach who comes remotely close. What’s even more impressive is that Reid has done it with 2 different teams and a ton of different quarterbacks. Point to his lack of postseason success all you want, but personally, I’m more than happy to take the known quantity of Reid with the 9th pick. The Seahawks would be lucky to get him, and just take one look at his coaching tree. I’m sure Andy would leave them one hell of a successor when he decides to call it a career.

With the 10th Pick, The Eagles select: Quarterback, Andrew Luck (29)

So at number 10, we finally have the guy I took first overall in my Madden Draft. So what changed between then and now? You can’t turn injuries off in real life. If you could, Luck would easily be my first quarterback off the board. When healthy, Luck has done nothing but carry subpar Colts Teams to the AFC Championship Game, looking like a surefire MVP Candidate in the process. The past few years for Luck however been plagued by injury, and I just don’t know how you could possibly have confidence in him being out there game in and game out like some of the other guys on this list. That being said, he is absolutely worth the gamble at this point, and the Eagles will be more than happy to still come away with a true franchise quarterback.

With the 11th Pick, The Dolphins select: Head Coach, Jay Gruden (51)

I think this might be the pick that you guys get the angriest about. I am aware that Gruden hasn’t exactly had the most success since he took over as the coach of the Redskins. That being said, he took over an absolute dumpster fire of an organization still reeling after the mess that was paying a king’s ransom to pick RGIII. Coming into that situation as a rookie head coach isn’t easy, and Gruden has weathered the storm as best he could. In the past couple of years when the team has actually been able to field a competent roster, they’ve been very good, especially on the offensive side of the football. Unfortunately for Gruden however, the Redskins have had in my opinion the worst injury luck in the league. Seemingly everyone on their team was hurt last year, and all things considered, I thought Gruden did a great job despite the poor record. So shit on this pick all you want, but the Dolphins should be more than happy to get this guy at pick 11. Hell, if all their players don’t get hurt, they could really make some noise in the AFC East for years to come!

With the 12th Pick, The Browns select: Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers (34)

Welp, it is finally that time. Gone are all of the prospects I believe are worth taking a chance on over Aaron Rodgers. Look, Rodgers isn’t exactly a spring chicken at 34 years old. To make matters worse, he seems to always be injured. That being said, this guy is just special when he’s on the field. I think the Packers have been one of the worst run organizations in football since they won their last Super Bowl. Rodgers has had little to no help on defense and I can’t remember the last time he had a legitimate threat next to him in the backfield. After an eternity of losing, I’m sure that Browns Fans will be more than happy to take on Rodgers, and be extremely competitive for 5-10 years before he decides to retire. Somebody has to make a win now kind of pick at some point, and here it is.

With the 13th Pick, The Steelers select: Head Coach, Bill O’Brien (48)

I also think people are going to be upset about this pick. Like Gruden, O’Brien hasn’t exactly had the most successful tenure coaching in the NFL. Although the Texans haven’t had a ton of playoff success since he came to town, they have at least been competent nearly every year, even with little to no decent quarterback play. Some of this is partially on O’Brien, as I’m sure he was consulted heavily about the Tom Savage pick and the awful signing of Brock Osweiler that forced them to give up a top pick in this years draft just to get rid of the contract. When O’Brien did have a good quarterback in his offensive coordinator days with New England however, all he did was lead them to AFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl when their top 2 pass catchers were injured. Another point for O’Brien is that he managed to defuse the absolute war zone that was Penn State after the Sandusky Scandal. I know it wasn’t in the NFL, but damn, was how quickly he turned that program around impressive. Although it may look like a bit of a gamble right now, I think that the Steelers are making a very smart pick by selecting O’Brien here.

With the 14th Pick, The Patriots select: Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes (22)

No, this pick is not an overreaction to Mahomes’ tremendous week 1 performance. I would have made the exact same pick before seeing him take a snap this season. The reason I made this pick was because of the actions of my number 9 pick, Andy Reid. You see, Reid has had a ton of success since coming to Kansas City with Alex Smith as his quarterback. Even with all that success however, Reid was willing to spend a high draft pick on this kid when they could have added more of a win now player to help Smith. This summer, Reid doubled down on Mahomes by actually trading Smith, making Mahomes the starter before he had accomplished literally anything in the NFL. Look, Andy Reid may not be the best at clock management, but if the guy knows one thing it’s quarterbacks. The bottom line is that if Reid believe that Mahomes is the real deal, I do too. Even better is that because he’s just 22 years old, I’d get to watch the young gunslinger lead my team for the next 20 years.

With the 15th Pick, The Cardinals select: Quarterback, Jared Goff (23)

The question with Jared Goff is which guy are you getting? Are you getting the Pro Bowler who led his team to the best offense in football? Or are you getting the guy who got significantly outplayed by Case Keenum as a rookie? Realistically, I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Look, Goff’s turnaround came when he went from horrible coaching to the guy I think is the best asset in the NFL. With average coaching, I think that Goff is a top 15 or so guy who will eventually become a top 10ish guy. Basically, I think that Goff is at about the same level as Matt Ryan when he was at age 23. Will he ever single handedly carry you like Aaron Rodgers or Andrew Luck? Probably not. Will he be able to excel with good pieces around him, and do it for you for roughly 17 years due to his young age? Probably, and that is why I’m sure the Cardinals would be more than happy with Goff as their franchise guy.

With the 16th Pick, The Texans select: Quarterback, Josh Rosen (21)

A little early for a rookie quarterback yet to play in the NFL? I don’t think so. I’ve said it since I started evaluating the NFL Draft this spring and I’m not backing down. Josh Rosen is going to be the steal of this draft and remembered as the best quarterback from the class. Rosen was widely regarded as the smartest quarterback prospect to come out of college in a really long time, making him someone I want on my team. In addition, he is an incredibly accurate thrower of the football. What I always found funny about Rosen was that one of his biggest concerns was that he asked questions to his coaches. In my opinion, a quarterback should understand the why about his offense, as learning more about it will help him play better. Rosen’s all around curiosity about the game as well as his tremendous skillset as a passer will make him a star in this league for a long time. The only concern with him is injury, more specifically his concussions. That being said, I really do think this guy is going to be an absolute stud in this game. Rosen optimists keep trying to compare him to Aaron Rodgers, but personally, I see a slightly more accurate Peyton Manning. Sound good Texans Fans? I thought so.

With the 17th Pick, The Packers select: Quarterback, Sam Darnold (21)

I’ll admit, I thought for a second about moving Darnold ahead of Rosen after watching him dismantle the Lions in his NFL debut. One game however wasn’t enough to move the needle for me, especially against a brutal defense when Rosen hasn’t had a chance to counter yet. That being said, I clearly don’t dislike Darnold as I am saying he’s the 17th best asset in the NFL. Darnold has all the tools to be a star in this league for a really long time. He is tough, smart, has a big arm, and is just a leader of men out there. Although I do feel a little bit better about Rosen, the Packers might just have their next franchise quarterback in Sam Darnold.

With the 18th Pick, The Giants select: Quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo (26)

I definitely sat there at the Goff pick trying to decide whether or not to take him or Jimmy G. The truth is though, Goff has actually accomplished more in his NFL Career up to this point than Jimmy, even though he is 3 years younger. Due to the fact that he was backing up Tom Brady for his first few years in the league, Jimmy just doesn’t have a ton of playing experience compared to other guys in his age group, which definitely hurt him in this draft. That being said, we’ve seen nothing but greatness from Jimmy G when he’s been out there on the field. Although he may end up having a couple of years less left in the tank than guys like Darnold and Rosen, Jimmy is one hell of a prospect. Giants Fans are lucky to have him in this New NFL, and I’m sure 49ers Fans everywhere will be very sad about the outcome of this draft.

With the 19th Pick, The Rams select: Quarterback, Derek Carr (27)

I’ll be honest, the Rams might just be the biggest losers in this redraft. They go from Sean McVay and Jared Goff to the 19th pick in the draft. That being said, they could do a lot worse in their attempt to pick up the pieces than selecting Derek Carr to be their quarterback of the future. Carr has been nothing but solid in his time in the league despite some pretty awful supporting casts. A 3 time Pro Bowler in 4 years however, Carr has proven that he’s one of the NFL’s most promising young quarterbacks. The reason that he slid in the draft however is that he has definitely dealt with some injuries, and calling him young at 27 may be a little bit of a stretch when you’re choosing from a pool of similar prospects that are 23. All that being said, Carr is a solid pick here, and the Rams could do a hell of a lot worse.

With the 20th Pick, The Buccaneers select: Wide Receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. (25)

There you have it, the first non quarterback or coach taken in the draft! Although Odell has definitely struggled with injuries throughout his young career, the fact of the matter is that he is just unstoppable when he’s out there. In addition, his game doesn’t really rely on straight line speed, which is traditionally the thing that goes away as you age. Odell thrives on his quickness, route running ability, and elite hands, all things that will definitely be there as he ages. At the end of the day, Odell is clearly the best long term receiver prospect in the NFL, and I think he’s going to be a lot healthier than people think. The Buccaneers now have a guy who can consistently demand double teams from the defense, something that will make life a hell of a lot easier for their quarterback.

With the 21st Pick, The Broncos select: Quarterback, Deshaun Watson (22)

When I did my initial rankings for this draft, Watson was actually a lot higher. I had him right there in that quarterback run following Mahomes, but the more I thought about it, the further he slid. Major knee surgery isn’t something you want to see for a guy who absolutely relies on his mobility. Although I have nothing but confidence about his ability to be an elite quarterback for the next 5 years or so, I am absolutely nervous about him leading my team 10 years down the road. That being said, the upside is just too great not to take him this far down the board. Watson is a special talent and could be the steal of the draft, or the Broncos could regret this pick in a big way.

With the 22nd Pick, The Colts select: Wide Receiver, DeAndre Hopkins (26)

So now we have my second favorite long term receiving prospect in the NFL. Like Odell, Hopkins doesn’t particularly rely on straight line speed, something that makes me feel very good about his long term prospects. In addition, Hopkins hasn’t really had major injuries since entering the league. Although his upside may not be as high as Odell’s, Hopkins’ ability to get open using his quickness, route running, and ability to go up and get the football over defenders will keep him commanding double teams for a long time. To effectively move the ball in the NFL, you need someone who defenses have to worry about, and Hopkins can definitely be that guy for the Colts.

With the 23rd Pick, The Panthers select: Wide Receiver, Keenan Allen (26)

Yes, Keenan Allen is 1 year older than some of the other guys in this receiver run, but he’s also one hell of a player. Although Keenan has had some injuries throughout his career, I believe that they were all pretty fluky. I bet he stays relatively healthy for the rest of his career, and that the early injury woes were nothing but a string of bad luck. In terms of his play on the field, it’s hard to find anyone better. Keenan’s route running ability is in my opinion second to only Antonio Brown, as we see him make defenders look absolutely ridiculous week after week. The reason he isn’t higher however is due to the fact that he’s 1 year older than the other 3 guys. That being said, the Panthers haven’t had a receiver of Keenan’s caliber for quite some time, and I’m sure they’d be thrilled to have him.

With the 24th Pick, The 49ers select: Wide Receiver, Michael Thomas (25)

Yet another 25-26 year old elite receiver. As I said before, there are indeed a lot of good players in the NFL. Anyways, Michael Thomas is in my opinion absolutely on the same level as those other guys. The thing that makes me a little bit nervous however is that Thomas has had the benefit of playing under Sean Payton and catching passes from Drew Brees. We haven’t seen how Thomas reacts without elite quarterback play and coaching, something that’s just a reality when you aren’t on the Saints or Patriots. That being said, I don’t think Thomas would have any trouble being a stud receiver without either of those things, and the 49ers aren’t starting off too badly in terms of picking up the pieces after losing Shanahan and Jimmy G.

With the 25th Pick, The Chiefs select: Wide Receiver, Tyreek Hill (24)

The guys I’d want to build my franchise around are officially all off the board. That being said, Tyreek Hill might absolutely turn into a franchise wide receiver. Hill has been absolutely dynamic since entering the league, punishing defenses with his incredible speed. That however, is what worries me about Hill’s long term success in the NFL. As I’ve said numerous times, straight line speed is what tends to go away as receivers age. Unfortunately for Hill, that speed is what has made him one of the hardest covers in the league. I just don’t know what he’s going to look like when he loses a step out there. There are some success stories in this department, but there are also plenty of guys like Mike Wallace whose production just fell off a cliff once they weren’t always the fastest guy on the field. So the Chiefs get their guy back in Hill, but it’s definitely a risky pick.

With the 26th Pick, The Bills select: Running Back, Ezekiel Elliott (23)

So now we have our first running back off the board. Yes, I am one of the many people out there who believe that you ideally don’t want to build your team around a running back. Although it might look smart early on, especially with a guy like Elliott who can just do it all, the success of a quarterback or possession receiver is just so much more sustainable. That being said, Zeke has been a stud since the day he entered the league, with his combination of quickness, size, elusiveness, and vision that has made him debatably the best running back in the league. We saw just how reliant on him the Cowboys are last season, when they just didn’t look the same when he was out of the lineup. At a young age of 23, Zeke can spearhead the Bills’ attack for 5-7 years before he inevitably starts to decline. The NFL is just a violent game, and running backs unfortunately take a large amount of the pounding. That being said, I think Zeke is the best pick here, as you can definitely build a team around him in the short term as well as the near future.

With the 27th Pick, The Saints select: Running Back, Alvin Kamara (23)

Like the Chiefs before them, the Saints get their guy back, but it may not have been the guy they wanted. Kamara was absolutely electric as a rookie, seemingly unstoppable both in-between the tackles and in space. He is in my opinion by far the best receiving back in the NFL, something that definitely bodes well for his longevity. Although I think he definitely will have a better career if he’s part of a committee like the one he was in last year, I also think that Kamara’s elusive running style will lead to a longer prime than other more bruising runners. The Saints can absolutely feel confident in building their new look offense around Kamara, but the question is how long can he keep it up?

With the 28th Pick, The Chargers select: Running Back, Saquon Barkley (21)

Although Saquon doesn’t have the experience that Elliott or even Kamara has in the NFL, that could actually be a positive depending on who you ask. Running back is one of those things that translates very easily from college to the pros when you’re talking about a blue chip prospect like Saquon Barkley, and I have no doubt about his ability as an NFL Running Back. At only 21 years old, Saquon has a ton of tread left on those tires. All 3 of these running backs have their pros and cons, and I honestly wouldn’t mind taking them in any order. At the end of the day however, the Chargers are getting one hell of a player in Barkley all the way at 28.

With the 29th Pick, The Raiders select: Quarterback, Kirk Cousins (30)

A quarterback? This far down the list? I bet you didn’t see that coming, did you? As with a bunch of people on this list, I am an apologist for Kirk Cousins. He’s pretty much in the same camp as Gruden as far as I’m concerned. He weathered the circus that was RGIII early in his career, dealt with injury after injury to his supporting cast the past few years, and even dealt with the drama of the Redskins being unwilling to pay him longterm. Even through all of the drama however, Cousins just went out there every game, and was the undisputed leader of his team, giving them a chance to win week in and week out. As far as I’m concerned, Cousins is a borderline top 10 quarterback in the NFL right now, and definitely will give his team a chance to win. That being said, Cousins is already 30, and isn’t so much a prospect as he is a win now kind of player. He probably has 10 years or so left being a starter in the NFL, and that’s why I took him right behind the 3 elite running backs. In the short term, the Raiders will be very happy with Cousins but overtime, guys like Rosen and Darnold will look a hell of a lot better.

With the 30th Pick, The Jaguars select: Linebacker, Deion Jones (23)

We have officially reached another tipping point in this NFL Redraft. We’ve made it to the point where I’d rather take defensive guys than the offensive players left on the board. With my first selection, I’ll take the 23 year old stud linebacker Deion Jones. Middle linebackers like Jones basically act as the quarterback of your defense. They call out your defense, and are obviously in the middle of the field on every single play, hence the name of the position. Due to all this, the Jaguars will try to rebuild their elite defense from the middle out, getting the quarterback of their defense for the next 10 or so years.

With the 31st Pick, The Bears select: Pass Rusher, Myles Garrett (22)

I’ll be honest, the Bears really got screwed here with the 31st overall pick. Honestly, it was a coin flip between Garrett and Bosa. I ended up going with Garrett due to the fact that he’s slightly younger and bigger, something that leads me to believe that he has a better chance at sustaining success. Although the Bears will have an elite pass rusher for a long time, I would much rather build around an offensive guy. That being said, Garrett is one hell of a prospect and the Bears didn’t do too badly here.

With the 32nd Pick, The Bengals select: Pass Rusher, Joey Bosa (23)

Joey Bosa isn’t too shabby at all for a Mr. Irrelevant. Bosa has looked amazing since entering the league, but he has the same issue as Garrett. As we’ve seen with the likes of JJ Watt, one pass rusher just doesn’t win you football games. Offensive lines simply bring a double team and effectively take your best player out of the game. That being said, 2 or 3 elite pass rushers on the same line absolutely wins you games, something we saw when the Giants ruined my Patriots’ Perfect season. In other words, I’d recommend that the Bengals and Bears take another young pass rusher in round 2, in an attempt to build a contender around an elite pass rush.

Wrapping Up

So there you have it, the complete first round of the NFL Redraft. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I believe in building a team with offense first, as quarterbacks and receivers tend to be elite for longer periods of time than defensive players. In terms of winning a Super Bowl one year, sure, a great defense can do that. As we saw with the Legion of Boom however, elite defenses get old fast, and that young elite defense you think you have can look pretty damn uninspiring after 3 years or so. That’s why I’d rather build my team around an elite quarterback or coach if I had the choice. Enough about me though, and let’s talk about a few teams who got absolutely screwed in this redraft. First and foremost, you’ve got the Rams, who lost McVay and Goff for Derek Carr. Although I do like Carr, this is a pretty significant downgrade. Then, you have the 49ers, who also lost their franchise quarterback and coach, instead walking away with Michael Thomas.

At the end of the day, this draft should show you just how much I like the futures of certain teams out there. A couple that surprised me for example were the Texans and Chiefs. Each of them have 3 guys who were drafted on their current rosters, and I was really shocked by it. In terms of my Patriots, I really did do my best to put my bias aside, as Brady didn’t even make the cut, as much as it killed me not to put him in there over a guy like Joey Bosa. I mean come on, it’s 2-3 years of the greatest quarterback of all time for crying out loud! So there you have it, the top 32 assets in the NFL. There are truly a lot of building blocks out there, but the question is do you like the one that your team ended up with? If so, let me know and if not, let me know who you would’ve taken. One thing I’m sure we can all agree on though is that doing this for real is a hell of a lot harder than doing it in Madden with no injuries!