Both of our last two NFC representatives in the Super Bowl came from the NFC South. Just three years ago this was probably the worst division in football with a division winner, the Carolina Panthers, who made the playoffs with s 7-8-1 record. A few coaching changes and player upgrades and now we’ve got four quality teams all kind of bunched together.
The Atlanta Falcons, of course, went 11-5 and made it all the way to Super Bowl LI where they produced the most epic choke of all time. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished with a winning record at 9-7 but missed the playoffs. The New Orleans Saints went 7-9 and the Panthers were a disappointing 6-10, but I’d doubt that will happen again. The Super Bowl hangover is very real.
So, you know, gird yourself for it Falcons.
Every team in this division had a pretty solid draft, but my job is to assign a letter grade like an elementary school teacher and by God I’m going to do that job.
New Orleans Saints
The Haul: Round 1: Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State, Round 1: Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin, Round 2: Marcus Williams, Safety, Utah, Round 3: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee, Round 3: Alex Anzalone, LB, Florida, Round 3: Trey Hendrickson, OLB, Florida Atlantic, Round 6: Al-Quadin Muhammad, DE, Miami
Grade: A-
The Saints traded away a solid player in Brandin Cooks to land a second, first round pick and used it wisely. Ramczyk was the top-rated offensive tackle on a lot of draft boards and they got him without making a move. Their opening first round pick, Lattimore, is even better. That guy should have never made it out of the top six in this draft, let alone fall to 11. He was the best corner in the draft and the Saints did absolutely nothing extra to add him to their roster.
Marcus Williams is a starting-level talent at safety and obviously the best player on the Saints’ board at that point, since safety wasn’t a need coming into this draft. He does give them starter depth behind Vonn Bell and Kenny Vaccaro, but I don’t see him taking either of their jobs as a rookie. He could see a lot of time playing the slot, especially matching up against tight ends.
The pick that put this draft in the “A” range is Anzalone in the third round. He’s a potential NFL starter and could Dannell Ellerbe, who spent most of the last two seasons injured, on the street. Kamara didn’t make a lot of sense in the third, but like Williams showed in the second, the Saints were going best player available on their board in this draft. Kamara is definitely a third round talent, even if the Saints have little or no need for his services in their backfield.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Haul: Round 1: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama, Round 2: Justin Evans, Safety, Texas A&M, Round 3: Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State, Round 3: Kendall Beckwith, ILB, LSU, Round 5: Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State, Round 7: Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, DT, USC
Grade: B+
Like the Saints, the Bucs made no move at all to land the best player at his position in this draft. Howard fell into their laps and they pulled the trigger, giving quarterback Jameis Winston one more elite weapon on offense. Justin Evans should be pencilled in as a day one starter at free safety next to Chris Conte.
My two favorite picks here both happened in the third round. Chris Godwin was my No. 6-ranked wideout pre draft and was at least a second-round talent. The only thing that will keep Kendall Beckwith on the bench is the fact that Kwon Alexander is ahead of him on the depth chart and one of the best middle linebackers in the NFL. The Bucs went back to Boise State at running back since it worked so well last time. McNichols brings a lot of the same skills as Doug Martin to the table and could be Martin’s replacement if his injury woes continue.
Carolina Panthers
The Haul: Round 1: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford, Round 2: Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State, Round 2: Taylor Moton, OG, Western Michigan, Round 3: Deawshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M, Round 5: Corn Elder, CB, Miami, Round 6: Alex Armah, FB, West Georgia, Round 7: Harrison Butker, Kicker, Georgia Tech
Grade: B
Christian McCaffrey was going to go in the first round, whether I think he deserved it or not. It’s not that I don’t like McCaffrey or think he doesn’t have an NFL skillset. It’s just the NFL skillset he has isn’t worth a first round pick. On the NFL Network package they showed after McCaffrey was drafted, they picked Darren Sproles as a comparable player and I couldn’t agree more. Sproles is a playmaker, but he probably touches the ball 15-17 times a game and some of those are punt returns. Is that worth a first round pick? Doesn’t seem like it to me. If McCaffrey can develop into an every-down back for the Panthers, then he’ll be worth this pick completely. It won’t happen his rookie year since Jonathan Stewart is in his way on the depth chart.
Curtis Samuel is another talented, but kind of gadget player, but he could end up an excellent, more athletic Cole Beasley type in the slot. Moton could compete for the right tackle starting spot immediate. Corn Elder was a late-round draft gem and could be a starter for Carolina as early as next season.
Atlanta Falcons
The Haul: Round 1: Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA, Round 2: Duke Riley, LB, LSU, Round 4: Sean Harlow, OG, Oregon State, Round 5: Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State, Round 5: Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming, Round 5: Eric Saubert, TE, Drake
Grade: B-
The Falcons had to move up to gran Takkarist McKinley and that was probably smart. I don’t see any way he made it past Pittsburgh at No. 30. They did it and kept their second-round pick, smartly using it on Duke Riley, another starting caliber player that will probably overtake pencilled-in starter De’Vondre Campbell in training camp.
Saubert is an interesting pick in the fifth round. Austin Hooper, the Falcons’ third round pick last year, will probably start at tight end, but Saubert has the size and ball skills to push him right out the gate.
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