I try and allow a little time to pass to gather my thoughts regarding the draft. Sometimes the initial reaction is the wrong reaction. Well, that is definitely not the case for our draft class. It is exceptional.

 

The one thing I like about Caldwell's drafting is it makes sense. During the Gene Smith/Shack Harris years, there were far too many picks that left us scratching our heads. There was no long term plan. That has changed for the better.

 

The plan for this offseason was to rebuild the defense with talented and athletic players. Mission accomplished.

 

With that said, let's take a look to see who we got.

 

1. Jalen Ramsey CB FSU- Thank you Jerry Jones! This will probably be the easiest pick of Caldwell's career. Super athletic corner that will boost the secondary and give us a legit #1 guy. Grade: A+

 

2. Myles Jack LB UCLA- NO ONE could have imagined this scenario. Obviously there are concerns about his knee but even if he plays through his rookie contract at the elite level, this would be the steal of the draft. We added the top 2 defenders in this draft. That is unheard of. Him and Telvin will be our nickel LBs..talk about speed. Grade: A+.

 

3. Yannick Ngakoue DE Marlyand- After the top tier pass rushers, Ngakoue was the best from the next tier. This guy is a sack master and what I love is that he did it against top competition. I'm about to cringe when I type this but he is a "designated pass rusher" for now. 2nd/3rd and long expect this guy to be coming off the edge. Fowler, Marks, Jackson, Ngakoue as a lightening package sounds pretty good. Grade B+.

 

4. Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame- Great value pick. While not an edge rusher, he boosts the pass rush from the interior. He will factor into the rotation with Marks and Jackson. Grade: A.

 

6. Tyrone Holmes DE Montana- After doing some research on this guy, I like the pick. He has the size/speed and dominated his low level of competition. Is a bit of a project as he gets used to NFL caliber players but the potential is there. Grade: B+

 

6. Branden Allen QB Arkansas- Kind of an unexpected pick but after thinking about it, it makes sense. Henne is signed for the next 2 years. Allen can sit and develop and eventually become the backup QB. Best case is Allen balls out during his time in the preseason games and we flip him for a high draft pick. Grade: B.

 

7. Jonathan Woodard DE Central Arkansas- Another small school guy but some pre-draft reports had him as a potential late round steal. He will likely be a PS guy and fighting for a roster spot. Grade: B

 

 

Overall grade: A.

 

I'm more than excited to see Ramsey and Jack being day 1 starters with Ngakoue and Day factoring in situationally. This is a franchise changing draft.

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