The 16 worst 2016 picks

[SonnyCID]

I'll agree 2010 and 2012 were outstanding. The rest meh

I imagine if you remove the best two drafts from any team over the past 6-7 years and the results will look meh. But not many teams best 2 drafts are even close to those two.

 

[Judge Fudge]

Honestly. I am Ecstatic with Our Draft.

We Filled 2 needs on our Patchwork OL. We got a 2 Run Stuffers, We got (IMO) a game changer at RB and a decent backup.

need i say more????

 

[Clayton]

Reed made pffs top picks so it's not like pff hates Seattles draft.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I'm not sure who this Renner fella is, but my only response is will he revisit this when it really carries some weight...say like in 2 seasons...right now it doesn't mean shit imo.

 

[seafandoghawk]

Meh. Trying to gauge the Seahawks draft is a puzzling proposition on a yearly basis. My reaction to the Ofedi pick was something like: "Well, he may need development, but at least he played O-Line in college!" And the Hawks offense needs TEs that can block, especially with how underwhelming the O-Line has been. So I'm okay with the Vannett pick also.

The Seahawks put so much capital on player development that it's very difficult to tell what they really have on hand at the end of every draft. Hell, almost half of their roster over the past couple of years has been stocked with UDFAs (and I'm feeling pretty excited about at least three of their UDFAs from this year's draft too). Whatever the case, they'll emerge with another highly athletic roster this year filled with intensely competitive guys, which is their philosophy. And if their O-Line picks help bring any improvement at all as compared to last year, then the Hawks should be formidable again this year.

 

[jarntt]

I do love that someone can decide before anyone even straps on a helmet what the worst picks were...well, except the kicker. That was friggin stupid...

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I do love that someone can decide before anyone even straps on a helmet what the worst picks were...well, except the kicker. That was friggin stupid...

I can have a little respect for this opinion if he gave his choices instead...but that would require some real work.

 

[cdumler7]

I'm not sure who this Renner fella is, but my only response is will he revisit this when it really carries some weight...say like in 2 seasons...right now it doesn't mean shit imo.

He is a writer for PFF and all of this is just going off of PFF stats. So if the player had a big time negative grade especially compared to where he was drafted then they made this list. This isn't just his opinion and throw out some names but more based on their stats and the players that they would not have drafted. Ifedi for example was a guy they had in the 6th round compared to the 1st round.

I do think this does help show some of the shortcomings of PFF though. Their grading system isn't perfect and honestly they are not looking at these players the same way an NFL team does. First off many of the top teams in college football play some cake teams at the beginning of the year so you would expect that player to get some major points to start off the year. They don't judge on the level of competition. They just go by how did this player do on this play? So if a guy dominates a Division-III OT for 5 sacks in one game obviously that is going to make him look much better at the end of the year but for an NFL team they are going to look at that and say we are going to throw this game out for the most part because he should be dominating this player.

 

[Across The Field]

I get Eli Apple, I think that was them scrambling when Chicago traded ahead of them. They should've taken Tunsil, he and Flowers would've been a formidable OT duo for years to come, and they play too much zone to use Apple, at least right now. He has some work to do.

Darron Lee? That was a fantastic pick for the Jets. They needed some LB help, and it's not like they're hurting for a LB that can stuff the run - they already had the 2nd best run defense in the league. They needed a fast, rangy LB that can blitz, and that's exactly what they got. This guy is just tapping into his potential, and he's already pretty damn good. What a stupid inclusion.

 

[JMR]

At this point it's difficult to grade anything but the strategy behind the pick because we just don't know if these guys will be good or not at the next level. Slamming Seattle drafting a O-lineman when that's clearly the weakest spot on the team doesn't make tons of sense, especially after they traded down 5 spots to get Ifedi + a 3rd rounder. Referring to some pass blocking ranking is at least something, but that's no exact science. Sweezey graded out bad too last year and just got $6M/yr as a free agent on another NFL team.

The TE who can block (again drafted by a team with a weaker OL) is also one of the worst 16 picks? I certainly don't expect much from the guy as a rookie, but Luke Willson is a FA after this year so he could end up being a contributor later on.

Interesting that Seattle got an A for their draft by NFL.com and a pretty high grade from some other people too (Kiper included, I believe) with 2 of 16 worst picks. Could be I guess....one man's opinion is all.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

He is a writer for PFF and all of this is just going off of PFF stats. So if the player had a big time negative grade especially compared to where he was drafted then they made this list. This isn't just his opinion and throw out some names but more based on their stats and the players that they would not have drafted. Ifedi for example was a guy they had in the 6th round compared to the 1st round.

I do think this does help show some of the shortcomings of PFF though. Their grading system isn't perfect and honestly they are not looking at these players the same way an NFL team does. First off many of the top teams in college football play some cake teams at the beginning of the year so you would expect that player to get some major points to start off the year. They don't judge on the level of competition. They just go by how did this player do on this play? So if a guy dominates a Division-III OT for 5 sacks in one game obviously that is going to make him look much better at the end of the year but for an NFL team they are going to look at that and say we are going to throw this game out for the most part because he should be dominating this player.

At this time of year...everything is click oriented and negativity always trumps, so I get that part on why you produce such a list.

This is in bold is really the end of it....my big thing is tell us who you would have taken in the slot, and come back in a yr or two (if you still have the gig) and either toot your horn for the ones you got right or eat crow for those you didn't...then I can have some level of respect for something like this.

Speaking on the teams I know pretty well that had picks on his list.

Burns...a ton of people including myself mocked WJ3 to PIT...CIN took him...looking at the board at that time...I'm curious as to who Renner would have taken...the two guys on the board that were worthy...Nkemdiche and Butler...Nkemdiche would have been a rotation DE at best on the Steelers. Butler would've been a solid NT prospect, but they had their sights on another player they felt was a better fit. Burns cured a need.

Davis...I can agree with him more on this pick because no one saw that coming, but clearly he fit what they were looking for in a SS more so than Bell. They weren't that concerned about his failures as a CB....admittedly I would have taken Bell based on what was known at the time. Because he played CB his last yr, he wasn't on my radar as a S.

Neal...I really agree with him here because there were two guys on the board that seem like good fits...Lawson as a strong side DE, and Darron Lee as a weak side OLB...after listening to the Falcons spin...I get it they really wanted a S they felt could take over for William Moore and many think Neal can be better, so he was the guy...they didn't think he would be on the board later and didn't get any trade down takers so they got their guy.

Deion Jones...a lot of mock had Darron Lee going to ATL...imo Jones is the same player as Lee, so if Lee was considered a good pick at 17...I don't understand why Jones wouldn't be considered in the same vein a round later.

 

[Clayton]

I must admit, it is surprising to see 4 Ohio St players on the list. I think the general consensus from the Ohio St team last year is that they underachieved all season long for the amount of talent they had so I guess its not too surprising.

 

[cdumler7]

At this time of year...everything is click oriented and negativity always trumps, so I get that part on why you produce such a list.

This is in bold is really the end of it....my big thing is tell us who you would have taken in the slot, and come back in a yr or two (if you still have the gig) and either toot your horn for the ones you got right or eat crow for those you didn't...then I can have some level of respect for something like this.

Speaking on the teams I know pretty well that had picks on his list.

Burns...a ton of people including myself mocked WJ3 to PIT...CIN took him...looking at the board at that time...I'm curious as to who Renner would have taken...the two guys on the board that were worthy...Nkemdiche and Butler...Nkemdiche would have been a rotation DE at best on the Steelers. Butler would've been a solid NT prospect, but they had their sights on another player they felt was a better fit. Burns cured a need.

Davis...I can agree with him more on this pick because no one saw that coming, but clearly he fit what they were looking for in a SS more so than Bell. They weren't that concerned about his failures as a CB....admittedly I would have taken Bell based on what was known at the time. Because he played CB his last yr, he wasn't on my radar as a S.

Neal...I really agree with him here because there were two guys on the board that seem like good fits...Lawson as a strong side DE, and Darron Lee as a weak side OLB...after listening to the Falcons spin...I get it they really wanted a S they felt could take over for William Moore and many think Neal can be better, so he was the guy...they didn't think he would be on the board later and didn't get any trade down takers so they got their guy.

Deion Jones...a lot of mock had Darron Lee going to ATL...imo Jones is the same player as Lee, so if Lee was considered a good pick at 17...I don't understand why Jones wouldn't be considered in the same vein a round later.

For the most part honestly the players they put on the list I don't completely disagree with. A lot of them are more athlete than player at this time. The reason they were drafted as high as they were is more on projection then on what they have done in the past.

I honestly was shocked you guys took Artie Burns. He is more of a man coverage guy who really struggles in zone right now. The athleticism/size combo is definitely intriguing and I understand why your team likes him but they are right that on tape this kid was very hit and miss.

Sean Davis honestly surprised me a bit to be on this list. I'm guessing some of it is because he was asked to switch around so much that it made it hard for him to be consistent. I watched a few of his games and thought he did pretty good and liked him more as a safety than Corner for sure. He is another that I do think his best days are ahead of him.

Neal again makes sense to be on the list. He was brought in to be Kam Chancellor for the Falcons. Yet he had 16 missed tackles this past year. Chancellor is about as sure of a tackler as you get and can be an extra linebacker in the nickel and dime packages. You can't have that guy who is just looking for the big hit but just bounces off the guy leaving the team vulnerable. He really needs to work on his tackling technique to match his aggressive style.

Also not sure why Deion Jones is rated that much lower than Darron Lee. When I watched Lee yes his athleticism shows up big time on tape. The problem is his football IQ has not caught up with his athleticism. I saw him a few times a game really get turned around and just not look like he knew where he should be or where the ball was.

To me all these players listed a athletic projects. This is the problem with PFF though in they don't look at potential. All they care about is production. While that can be nice to me production is college can be overrated. I mean look at the QB position many times the guy with the best stats is not the best QB in the class. Sometimes the issue is a guy just was misused in college and then get to the pros and put into a better position for success. So I think all these guys listed have a great chance to succeed. I do think though rookie year it could be a very steep learning curve for them.

 

[Across The Field]

Deion Jones...a lot of mock had Darron Lee going to ATL...imo Jones is the same player as Lee, so if Lee was considered a good pick at 17...I don't understand why Jones wouldn't be considered in the same vein a round later.

Jones is a good 10 lbs lighter than Lee and also never had close to the production Lee did in college. He's very certainly a notch or two lower, even though he went a round later.

Neal wasn't necessarily a bad pick, but they reached at that point in the first round.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

For the most part honestly the players they put on the list I don't completely disagree with. A lot of them are more athlete than player at this time. The reason they were drafted as high as they were is more on projection then on what they have done in the past.

I honestly was shocked you guys took Artie Burns.


Neal again makes sense to be on the list. He was brought in to be Kam Chancellor for the Falcons. Yet he had 16 missed tackles this past year.

Also not sure why Deion Jones is rated that much lower than Darron Lee. When I watched Lee yes his athleticism shows up big time on tape. The problem is his football IQ has not caught up with his athleticism. I saw him a few times a game really get turned around and just not look like he knew where he should be or where the ball was.

To me all these players listed a athletic projects. This is the problem with PFF though in they don't look at potential. All they care about is production. While that can be nice to me production is college can be overrated. I mean look at the QB position many times the guy with the best stats is not the best QB in the class. Sometimes the issue is a guy just was misused in college and then get to the pros and put into a better position for success. So I think all these guys listed have a great chance to succeed. I do think though rookie year it could be a very steep learning curve for them.

When the list says "worst"...that changes the viewpoint a lot imo....there's no way to know that today so it's really a journalist play on a headline...again, to draw your attention.

PIT...they came into this draft needing to upgrade the talent @ CB and @ S...they're not expecting a starter this yr...so they aimed for the highest athletic potential...they did the same thing LY with Dupree...after getting burnt by falling in love with game tape on marginal athletic talent...I like this move...Tomlin refers to these draft picks as "clay".

WJ3 nor Burns was likely to start for this team in '16...once WJ3 rolled off...Burns had to be the next best CB on their board...whether he pans out or not is up to him and the coaches working with him at this point...in hindsight, the pick made sense to me over the best available (Nkemdiche) on the board.

Neal...clearly they reached, and they pretty much admitted that saying that considered trading back. I hear you on the missed tackles, but I assume that saw the same missed tackles and it didn't deter them. Now, the board did have some viable options that were needs so I understand why this pick is taking the heat it has locally and nationally...but "worst"...no, they needed a S and got one of the best in this class for what they want him to do...worst imo is needing a S, but taking a WR, or like many have said, trading up to take a kicker.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Jones is a good 10 lbs lighter than Lee and also never had close to the production Lee did in college. He's very certainly a notch or two lower, even though he went a round later.

Neal wasn't necessarily a bad pick, but they reached at that point in the first round.

IYO...Lee is probably going to play ILB for the Jets and he should have a solid career playing behind a very good DL...in ATL's 4-3, maybe they thought Jones could give them similar production and still get their S.

The picks that has the most question marks in ATL is Neal...yes they reached, but more importantly to me was the players they left on the board...Bell has been tossed around a lot here the last few days, but he's not the in the box presence they wanted.

 

[megalodon30]

2. Christian Hackenberg, QB, New York Jets
Sam Monson already said all we have to say on Hackenberg. He’s not just inaccurate by NFL standards, he was the second-most inaccurate quarterback in college last year. How much is that going to change, no matter how good his coaching is with the Jets?

"not just inaccurate by NFL standards,"? How many passes in the NFL has Hackenberg thrown, again?

Just goes to show how worthless immediate post-draft analysis is. Who knows how any of these guys will turn out? My homeristic ranting of Lynch becoming a HOFer is just as accurate as saying Hackenberg will suck.

 

[Across The Field]

IYO...Lee is probably going to play ILB for the Jets and he should have a solid career playing behind a very good DL...in ATL's 4-3, maybe they thought Jones could give them similar production and still get their S.

The picks that has the most question marks in ATL is Neal...yes they reached, but more importantly to me was the players they left on the board...Bell has been tossed around a lot here the last few days, but he's not the in the box presence they wanted.

Not really in my opinion. If you can find any scouting site or evidence of a team's draft board that had Jones ranked ahead of Lee, be my guest. I'm not saying it's impossible for him to not have as good of/better career than Lee, but in terms of draft rankings, he was definitely a least a notch below, if not two in the LB rankings.

You're probably right, they valued safety over LB. Neal is a big physical dude, who might be just what they want.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not really in my opinion. If you can find any scouting site or evidence of a team's draft board that had Jones ranked ahead of Lee, be my guest. I'm not saying it's impossible for him to not have as good of/better career than Lee, but in terms of draft rankings, he was definitely a least a notch below, if not two in the LB rankings.

You're probably right, they valued safety over LB. Neal is a big physical dude, who might be just what they want.

You're missing my point maybe...I'm not saying Jones was equal to etc...in terms of rankings. What I am saying is ATL had a bigger void at SS and felt Neal could fill it better than Lee...And...Jones could filled the weak side LB role about as well as Lee for what they need the player to do in their scheme.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Not really in my opinion. If you can find any scouting site or evidence of a team's draft board that had Jones ranked ahead of Lee, be my guest. I'm not saying it's impossible for him to not have as good of/better career than Lee, but in terms of draft rankings, he was definitely a least a notch below, if not two in the LB rankings.

You're probably right, they valued safety over LB. Neal is a big physical dude, who might be just what they want.

Quinn noted that in their scheme SS is one of the most important positions on the DEF...they released a pretty good SS in William Moore b/c he couldn't stay on the field.

Most of us that saw the team on a regular basis felt they needed a strong side DE/pass rusher moreso...I would've taken Lawson, seemed to be a great match for the DEF....shows how much I really know, which is not much.