The Detroit Lions ended up going offensive tackle in the first round, grabbing Taylor Decker from Ohio State. The pick came as little surprise to analysts: Decker was one of the most common names linked to the Lions in the latest mock drafts.The pick gives some much needed help to the Lions' offensive line, but Decker was a bit of a divisive pick. Many believe he won't be able to transition to left tackle and there are some concerns about his pass blocking skills. On the other hand, the Lions have had a huge hole at right tackle for a long time, and Decker is an aggressively dominant run blocker. Detroit had one of the worst running games in the league last year, so Decker makes sense.
After months of speculation and a 253-pick whirlwind, the 2016 NFL draft is over. Future Super Bowl champions made franchise-altering decisions, and every team comes out of draft weekend with optimism. Whether filling gaping holes on the roster, adding to positions of strength or picking players that will pay off down the road, every pick is of utmost importance to the future of each franchise.
We have been evaluating picks through all seven rounds, and now present our grades for the draft classes of all 32 franchises. We took into account pick value relative to our college player grades and prospect evaluations, in addition to each team’s ability to address roster needs and find ideal fits for their respective schemes.
Day 1: We saw Ifedi as more of a mid-round developmental option, even though he has the size, length and athleticism that coaches covet. He had some ugly plays in pass protection, finishing with the No. 67 grade in that area in the draft class. He was better in the running game, ranking No. 23 in the class, but he has a ways to go to live up to his first-round selection. The Seahawks really need to improve their line play, as Russell Wilson was under pressure at the second-highest rate of any NFL QB last season.
Day 2: Reed posted the No. 2 grade against the run last year, disrupting blockers and making plays. He’s technically sound and can see the field immediately on run downs. Prosise had an impressive performance at running back last year, earning the 10th-best grade in the class. Vannett offers value as a blocking “move” tight end, while Odhiambo’s movement skills fit in at guard in Seattle’s zone scheme – even though he did whiff on too many blocks in the run game (-2.2 run-block grade).
Day 3: Jefferson made plays against the run in 2015, finishing with a +17.8 grade that ranked 23rd in the class though he can get moved off the point by double teams. Collins graded at +16.1, good for ninth in the class and his 58 missed tackles forced ranked third. He does a nice job maximizing his blocking though he lacks breakaway speed. Hunt is an undersized center, but his good movement skills make him one of the better zone-blocking centers in the draft. His +26.5 overall grade ranked fourth in the class.
