I am aware the draft was months ago. I am aware that a lot has transpired since then. I am also aware that in doing a piece that hands out grades, I will have to grade my team as well. To help quell outcries of favoritism and biased reporting, trust me when I say that I am my own toughest critic, but that's for a different article. This go-round is for the Callahan Auto Division, quite possibly the most competitive division in this dynasty league. In passing out grades I will look at the players drafted, what it took to acquire said player, and how their acquisition effects the team going forward. So... basically I just make it up as I go.
For NarniaTeam Need: WR
Draft Results:
1.10 DeVante Parker
1.12 Nelson Agholor
2.4 Devin Funchess
2.10 Sammie Coates
3.8 Chris Conley
4.9 Ryan Williams
4.10 Malcolm Brown
5.1 Brett Hundley
Offseason Grade: B+
I decided to start with For Narnia because I think this team did an outstanding job in scooping up the most talented players in this draft, but I think the hole left by one players departure could be hard to overcome this year. Before draft day, the only chink in the armor was Wide Receiver depth. Jordy and Edelman provided excellent numbers but beyond them were either the ghosts of seasons past or lottery tickets. So with their first selection Delange went and got DeVante Parker. He could be the player the Dolphins thought they were getting when they signed Mike Wallace and at 1.10 he was a valuable pick up. But Delange was out to make an even bigger splash. Delange decided to deal Matt Forte and two later round selections to move up and bolster his team with young talented pass catchers. Losing Forte means there's no real option behind CJ Anderson at RB but both Algholor and Funchess could vie for the oROY title in my opinion. In the meantime, the waiver wire is gonna be busy looking for someone to tote the rock opposite CJ.
I really liked the move to was trade a 5th rounder next year for two additional picks in 2015 from Coach DadBod. Granted those picks won't mean much because they were for Malcolm Brown and Ryan Williams, but just like the actual NFL, diamonds can be found deep in the rough.
Coach DadBodTeam Need: RB
Draft Results:
1.1 Melvin Gordon III
3.10 Karlos Williams
4.1 Kenny Bell
Offseason Grade: C+
There was a lot of traffic to keep track off when it comes to Coach DadBod's offseason. Prior to the draft, GM Ronald Hawkins traded away Peyton Manning and Darren McFadden for a couple of 49ers (Bush and Vernon Davis). Then acquired pass catchers Roddy White, Marquis Lee, Reuben Randle, and Stedman Bailey to go along with his new Red Rifle (Andy Dalton). I don't need to spell out all the draft picks that have changed hands this offseason, what you need to know is that despite a lot of turnover this team feels like it pretty much stayed the same or got a little worse.
I'm not going to completely attack the Gordon over Gurley decision because I think he made the right choice for this year. Gordon was, and still is, the healthier option, just ask Keegan how he feels about drafting Marcus Lattimore if you disagree. Hawkins just have to be hoping and praying that Gordon doesn't follow the path of previous Wisconsin backs.
I think Hawkins could eventually look back and regret the decision to trade away the rights to Duke Johnson. Yes, the acquisition of first round pick next year is a boon, but losing a pair of second round picks and a player with caliber of Johnson's may have been to high a price for a rebuilding team like Coach DadBod.
Gold StandardTeam Need: RB
Draft Results:
1.7 Ameer Abdullah
1.11 David Johnson
2.3 Maxx Williams
4.11 Tim Tebow
5.11 Jordan Leslie
Draft Grade: A
At first glance, the outside observer would say how can you pass on Amari Cooper! Well there's a reason this team is not merely the Gold Standard, they are the League Standard and have won two championships thus far. It was a smart move to move back three spots in the draft and nab another draft selection. Gold Standard currently has Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, and AJ Green at wideout and would not need another. The two acquired picks helped address the only two needs on the roster in the form of Ameer Abdullah and Maxx Williams. The latter should fit nicely in the spot vacated by Julius Thomas. The selection of David Johnson helps bolster the acquisition of Andre Ellington for Nick Foles, a move that looks like an absolute steal. Getting a slumping Colin Kaepernick for essentially Terrence West is also another wondrous work of player swapping.
The future is still 'golden' as Gold Standard owns the rights to Launchpad McQuack's first round selections for the next two years. There aren't many needs on the roster and the team doesn't need to make moves on a yearly basis but when they do, the team only gets better.
Team Need: TE
Draft Results:
1.4 Amari Cooper
2.1 Dorial Green-Beckham
3.1 Duke Johnson
5.9 Synjyn Days
5.10 Tyler Gaffney
Offseason Grade: A-
Like seemingly every year, Luck Dynasty's GM Keegan Warwick continues to bring in a haul of draft picks in exchange for talented players that aren't fit to see starting time on his ridiculous roster. This year however, it wasn't all about drafting players but dealing those lottery tickets for proven commodities. Before the draft, Brandin Cooks was acquired for the pick that became Breshaud Perriman and a 2016 second rounder. During the draft, Warwick essentially gave Gold Standard the rights to Ameer Abdullah and Maxx Williams in order to move up and take the next 'Tim Brown' in Amari Cooper. If you ask me, I think Cooper has the potential to score more points than those two combined. That was just the start, there was the aforementioned blockbuster trade with For Narnia to acquire Matt Forte and then the mastery of moving up to nab a potential starting runningback who fell to third round in Duke Johnson. I have to believe that Hawkins had no idea who Warwick wanted because if it's me, and Warwick says he wants Duke, all that does is cause me to pull the trigger faster and draft Duke.
Going into the draft the one question mark on the roster was the Tight End position. That position today still looks iffy, but you have to believe that one of those four men will step up to the plate. Dwayne Allen could starve for targets in Indy but he will be the first option at TE, Jace Amaro could be the Move-TE hybrid that Aaron Hernandez helped pioneer, and Jordan Cameron if he isn't seeing stars could flourish in an offense that made Charles Clay a top ten option.
Stay tuned for the Cock of da Walk and Foley Division breakdowns later this month.
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