Walterfootball awards on the reaches in the draft.

[deanpet21]

Biggest Reach Round 1: Miami Dolphins: OT JaWuan James
This was a clear-cut no brainer. Everybody knows that the Dolphins were desperate to upgrade a porous offensive line before they ruin quarterback Ryan Tannehill, but taking James in the top 20 was a stretch by any imagination.

Two teams that drafted offensive tackles before Miami told WalterFootball.com they did not have a first-round grade on James - one of them had him in the third. Another team that selected a few picks after the Dolphins did not have a first-round grade on James. That organization had him with a late third-round and early fourth-round grade.

A team picking in the top 10 that was rumored to be in the tackle market told WalterFootball.com that they had a fifth-round grade on James. While that sounds extremely low, that team felt the only tackles worthy of a first-round pick were Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews, Taylor Lewan and Zack Martin.

All told, WalterFootball.com heard from five teams that did not have a first-round grade on James. One team that drafted a left tackle in the top 10 said they had a late first- or early second-round projection on James. Thus, no team that we spoke with had a legitimate first-round grade on James.

Miami could realistically have drafted the top guard in the 2014 NFL Draft, Xavier Su'a-Filo, at No. 19 and landed James with its second-round pick. That still would have been a reach, but not of epic proportions like it was in the first round. This was an ugly start for new Dolphins general manager Dennis Hickey.

Honorable mentions: Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Dee Ford, Arizona Cardinals safety Deone Bucannon, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin and San Francisco 49ers safety Jimmie Ward.

2013 Winner: Travis Frederick, Cowboys
2012 Winner: Bruce Irvin, Seahawks

Biggest Reach Day 2: Indianapolis Colts: OT Jack Mewhort
There were a lot of divided opinions of Mewhort. Some felt he was good, while others felt that he was a mid-rounder. The Colts taking him in the second round wasn't good value. Mewhort was dominated by Khalil Mack to open 2013 and also struggled against Clemson speed rusher Vic Beasley. Mewhort will probably move to guard in the NFL, but I think he's going to get targeted and abused by Houston's duo of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney. Tennessee's Jurell Casey should also handle Mewhort with ease.

Indianapoliswould have gotten better value by drafting tackle Morgan Moses and sliding him inside to guard. If Gosder Cherilus doesn't pan out, Moses could replace him at right tackle as well. Another good pick the Colts passed on for Mewhort was Nebraska cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste. He could have formed a nice duo with Vontae Davis.

Honorable mentions: Atlanta Falcons safety Dezmen Southward, New York Giants defensive tackle Jay Bromley, San Diego Chargers guard Chris Watt, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown, Denver Broncos guard/tackle Michael Schofield.

2013 Winner: Duron Harmon, Patriots
2012 Winner: Bryan Anger, Jaguars

 

[gkekoa]

So we weren't even in the running for biggest reach. Hmmm.

 

[deanpet21]

I think its funny how Benjamin was a bigger reach than Long according to Walter. Where's Shark?

 

[Sharkinva]

I think its funny how Benjamin was a bigger reach than Long according to Walter. Where's Shark?

Dean... once again you are taking some ones opinion as fact. But to say taking a healthy WR who was projected in most cases to go in the 1st round, in the 1st round was a reach is a bit nuts dont you think. To say it was a bigger reach than taking an o-lineman coming off of injury is even more nuts. But I got a Dollar that says Benjamin as a rookie will have more TDs than any of our WRs this season. You down for a friendly $1 bet on this??

 

[deanpet21]

lol. just bustin your balls. The thing is Benjamin is all the Car has. So he will get more playing time and will be targeted more than anyone of our WR's. He might lead the league in targets this year. He is a sleeper in fantasy. Plus he wasn't a projected 1st rounder when the draft began. He was a projected 1 rounder in March.

 

[Sharkinva]

lol. just bustin your balls. The thing is Benjamin is all the Car has. So he will get more playing time and will be targeted more than anyone of our WR's. He might lead the league in targets this year. He is a sleeper in fantasy. Plus he wasn't a projected 1st rounder when the draft began. He was a projected 1 rounder in March.

The day of the draft he was projected as a first rounder by about as many people as the number that projected Moses as a first rounder.

 

[deanpet21]

No he wasn't. Kiper Mcshay, walter and CBS had him 2nd round.

 

[Sharkinva]

No he wasn't. Kiper Mcshay, walter and CBS had him 2nd round.

And half of the panel of nine that did mocks for NFL.com had him going in the first round.

Im starting to wonder what pisses you off more Dean, that benjamin went in the first round, or that Moses was NOT considered a first round talent by ANY team.