QFL Draft Grades

[Laimbeer40]

1. Pittsburgh selects RB Najee Harris

... We have seen varying levels of production from early 1st round RB's in past drafts. The 2020 crop seems to be panning out. The 2019 crop was disappointing. The 2018 crop is all over the place. So maybe this pick has a 60% chance of hitting. There were certainly safer options at other positions. However RB's are hard to come by so I expected this to be the pick. AMott only really had Jamaal Williams with any hope of contributing at the position. The Steelers invested a lot into Harris and he should have no problem beating out the likes of Benny Snell. Harris should provide at least what James Conner was doing when he was healthy.

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

2. Denver selects RB Travis Etienne

... It took a bounty of picks to trade up but SPowers landed his man in Travis Etienne. Some concern that he will have to split time with James Robinson. However it looks like Etienne might line up all over the field as he is a true home run hitter. He can do a lot with 10-15 touches a game plus Trevor Lawrence is already familiar with him.


Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

3. Denver selects QB Trevor Lawrence

... Probably the safest pick you could make and the one with an obvious payoff as there is a good chance he wins the Highest Scoring Offensive Rookie payout. Plus it allows SPowers to cut about 7 QB's from his roster to open spots for all his other draft picks.

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

4. Philadelphia selects TE Kyle Pitts

... Pitts was drafted high for a reason. He has the chance to be a faster Darren Waller and a less murderous Aaron Hernandez rolled into one. I wouldn't have blinked if he went 1st overall in our draft. Matt Ryan has a history of throwing to the TE. This is close to a "can't miss" pick.

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

5. LA Rams select RB Javonte Williams

... Want to watch a fun highlight reel? Javonte is a tackle breaking machine who I feel will be excellent in the NFL. The catch is that the Broncos have been using a platoon system for a bit and it seems like they might keep things that way. Melvin Gordon finished 12 last year among RB's so that looms large. Ja'Marr Chase probably would have been a safer pick. But for Billy I am thrilled to see him get a RB. It's been a long time. 

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

6. Philadelphia selects WR Ja'Marr Chase

... The Eagles aggressively traded for Chase by giving up Tee Higgins and a pick swap. Higgins is no slouch but Chase has Julio Jones as a ceiling. Great work by Philly to upgrade their passing game with Pitts and Chase. Masterful.

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

7. Jacksonville selects WR Jaylen Waddle

... Waddle seems like a boom/bust type of guy. I'm thinking someone along the lines of DeSean Jackson who could put up 40 pts on 4 pts on any given week. The Jags needed pretty much everything other than QB so I can't kill them on the pick nor on the value. Still it feels like a big drop off after the first 6 picks.

Grade: B+

[Laimbeer40]

8. NY Giants select QB Justin Fields

... A lot to digest on this pick. The Giants already have Lamar Jackson at QB in the last year of his deal. Is this a future salary cap play? Fields certainly has upside and a decent chance to see meaningful time this season. But was he better than Trey Lance or Zach Wilson here? Better yet, was he the right pick over DeVonta Smith or Trey Sermon? I like the balls to make this pick but these balls might be firing blanks.

Grade: C

[Laimbeer40]

9. Cleveland selects RB Michael Carter

... Anytime someone does a mock draft and gets the pick right the Bible says you have to give that pick an A. 

Grade: A

[Laimbeer40]

10. Chargers select RB Trey Sermon

... Nailed another one in my mock draft! This one was easy though. LA only had 2 RB's on the roster and one of them was Lamar Miller.

Grade: A