{"id":22459,"date":"2022-05-12T18:39:59","date_gmt":"2022-05-12T22:39:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=22459"},"modified":"2022-05-12T18:40:03","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T22:40:03","slug":"afc-west-draft-grades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/afc-west-draft-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"AFC WEST DRAFT GRADES"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We finish up our AFC NFL Draft judgmental journey in the AFC West. Only two teams in this conference even had first round picks. The other two decided to go full Los Angeles Rams, \u201cEff them picks,\u201d and build teams that could win today while ignoring what they could possibly acquire for tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, we have two ground rules;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It\u2019s not possible to receive an \u201cA\u201d grade without a first round pick. While I can recognize and predict a draft steal as much as the next regularly wrong prognosticator, no guy taken in the fourth can boost you into the front row of the graduating class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Draft Grade is based on this draft, today, and the men these franchises add to their rosters. It\u2019s not based on my imagination of what each dude might turn into. I will not factor in a \u201cceiling,\u201d because that does not exist any more than the chance one of these guys will be bitten by a radioactive spider. Their college performances for and against actual NCAA football teams, is what I use to determine my final scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selections:<\/strong> No. 17: Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College \u2014 No. 79: JT Woods, Safety, Baylor \u2014 No. 123: Isaiah Spiller, RB. Texas A&M \u2014 No. 160: Otito Ogbonnia, DT, UCLA \u2014 No. 195: Jamaree Salyer, OL, Georgia \u2014 No. 214: Ja\u2019Sir Taylor, DB, Wake Forest \u2014 No. 236: Deane Leonard, DB, Mississippi \u2014 No. 260: Zander Horvath, FB, Purdue<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> B-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Los Angeles only had two players selected in the first three rounds, but probably nailed them both. Zion Johnson was Pro Football Focus\u2019 No. 2 ranked interior offensive lineman in this class. Woods had elite production at Baylor and was a ball hawk, picking off five passes and returning one for a touchdown. And he did it all against a Big 12 schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the draft, Spiller is probably a bigger version of Austin Ekeler. They rounded out the draft the way I like to see, by focusing on productive players from big schools in Power Five conferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KANSAS CITY<\/strong> CHIEFS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selections: <\/strong>No. 21: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington \u2014 No. 30: George Karlaftis, Edge, Purdue \u2014 No. 54: Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan \u2014 No 62: Bryan Cook, Safety, Cincinnati \u2014 No. 103: Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin \u2014 No. 135: Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State University \u2014 No. 145: Darian Kinnard, OG, Kentucky \u2014 No. 243: Jaylen Watson, CB, Washington State \u2014 No. 251: Isiah Pcheco, RB, Rutgers \u2014 No. 259: Nazeeh Johnson, CB, Marshall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> C<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a team with five picks in the first three rounds, the Chiefs sure found a way to crap the bed. McDuffie finished his senior season with more sacks than interceptions and he only had one sack. And it\u2019s not like he had some elite number of pass break ups. He just posted six. Maybe he was a good exerciser at the NFL combine, but a first rounder?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kansas City\u2019s second first rounder was just as bad, taking \u201cedge rusher\u201d Karlaftis who didn\u2019t seem like he was that effective as an \u201cedge rusher\u201d for Purdue. Against a Big Ten schedule, Karlaftis managed just 4.5 sacks in a full season of games. You might think, like McDuffie, that there were probably a lot of other impressive stats outside of the most obvious. Nope. The dude had 10 total tackles for a loss. To put that pathetic number in perspective, Alabama\u2019s Will Anderson Jr. had 34.5 TFL. Nik Bonitto, taken at 64 by the Broncos (who did not have a first round pick) had 15 for a loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skyy Moore is probably an NFL receiver, but I find it hard to believe he\u2019ll replace Tyreek Hill in year one. Cook is probably a fine safety, but again, is he Tyrann Mathieu? At least he had two whole interceptions, which is twice as many as McDuffie. This team did not get better in the draft and they had four tries in the first two rounds to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DENVER<\/strong> BRONCOS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selections:<\/strong> No. 64: Nik Bonitto, Edge, Oklahoma \u2014 No. 80: Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA \u2014 No. 115: Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh \u2014 No. 116: Eyioma Uwazurike, DT, Iowa State \u2014 No: 152: Delarrin Turner-Yell, Safety, Oklahoma \u2014 Mo. 162: Montrell Washington, WR, Samford \u2014 No. 171: Luke Wattenberg, Center, Washington \u2014 No. 206: Matt Henningsen, DT, Wisconsin \u2014 No. 232: Faion Hicks, CB, Wisconsin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> C-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After acquiring Russell Wilson in a trade, the Broncos didn\u2019t have a lot of holes on their roster or the picks to address them if they did. Because of that, they just rolled with their board and, frankly, didn\u2019t do too bad. Bonitto, as I mentioned above, was a solidly productive linebacker who can rush off the edge. Dulcich had a monster season at UCLA, though he might not be the ideal size for an elite tight end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t see any steals here in the later rounds, but bodies to develop and add some depth. Washington, out of Samford, is the only small school guy, but he was productive for the Bulldogs in spite of playing two full seasons in spring and fall in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAS VEGAS<\/strong> RAIDERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selections:<\/strong> No. 90: Dylan Parham, OG, Memphis \u2014 No. 122: Zamir White, RB, Georgia \u2014 No. 126: Neil Farrell, DT, LSU \u2014 No. 175: Matthew Butler, DT, Tennessee \u2014 No. 238: Thayer Munford, Jr., OT, Ohio State \u2014 No. 250: Brittain Brown, RB, UCLA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> D+<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can see taking a running back like Zamir White if you\u2019re the Raiders. What I can\u2019t understand, considering the lack of picks they took to the podium in the draft, is taking two. Sure, Josh Jacobs is heading into his final season with the team, but that was hardly a position of need with Kenyon Drake already backing up the former first round pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parham pretty much makes their whole draft, taking a guy that good that late. PFF ranked him their fourth best interior offensive lineman coming out this season. I do appreciate focusing on big conference guys with the rest of their picks, not taking any chances. In that respect, at least, this new Vegas regime led by Dave Zeigler and Josh McDaniels has already blown past the freakshow draft strategies of Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with us our socials on Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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