Round 1: Leonard Floyd-Chicago Bears

One of the more puzzling picks of the first round was when the Chicago Bears selected Leonard Floyd with the ninth overall pick. The reason that this pick was troubling is that the Bears run a 4-3 defense and they plan to play Floyd at defensive end. While Floyd may have the dimensions of a defensive end, his skill set doesn’t lend itself to playing with his hand in the dirt regularly. Floyd is at his best when he is a situational pass-rusher and a regular off-ball linebacker. If the Bears are expecting Floyd to become a 10 sack a year type of player, they will be disappointed.

Round 2: Jihad Ward-Oakland Raiders

The worst pick in the second round belonged to the Raiders when they selected Jihad Ward, which is saying something because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved up to select a kicker. It isn’t that he doesn’t fit the Raiders’ scheme, it is because Ward isn’t a good enough player to warrant that type of pick. He tested extremely poorly and his tape is below average at best. The Raiders basically selected Ward based on his Senior Bowl performance where he was a breakout star; however, a week’s worth of practices shouldn’t be enough to overrule poor measurables and tape against top-flight competition.

Round 3: Cody Kessler-Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns had a good draft overall, but they really missed the boat with their selection of Cody Kessler in the third round. Kessler is a game manager who excels in the short passing game and rarely makes mistakes. Unfortunately, that is the only place where Kessler shows NFL skills. He doesn’t do a good job managing the pocket and he doesn’t have an NFL arm. If Kessler is ever forced into action, the Browns will have to totally alter their offensive game plan or they risk being putrid at best.

Round 4: Parker Ehinger- Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs needed help on their interior offensive line and they were in a position to add a potential starter in the fifth round. Arizona State’s Christian Westerman was on the board and he could start right away for the Chiefs; instead, they selected Cincinnati’s Parker Ehinger who barely has enough traits to warrant being a backup. He doesn’t have the core strength to drive opponents off the ball and he doesn’t handle power well, which spells disaster for an interior offensive lineman. If the Chiefs hope Ehinger will develop into a starter down the road, they will be sadly mistaken once they see his skills on the field.

Round 5: Cole Toner-Arizona Cardinals

Cole Toner has the size and intelligence to make it in the NFL; however, he lacks the feet, strength and technical nuance to make it in the NFL, which is why he was a bad fit for the Cardinals in the fifth round. If the Cardinals wanted to address the depth of offensive tackle, they should have done it much sooner as all the viable options who can project to make an impact were selected before they were on the clock in the fifth round. Toner looks like a player who will struggle to make the 53-man roster this year, which isn’t a good use of a fifth-round pick.

Round 6: Jake Rudock-Detroit Lions

With a few quarterbacks with decent potential still available, the Detroit Lions decided to select Jake Rudock who doesn’t have NFL skills. He has a very poor arm, his footwork is sloppy and he doesn’t have the mental processing necessary to get through progressions or read defenses consistently. The only positives about Rudock are that he has good size and that he comes from a pro-style offense, which isn’t enough to make a quarterback draftable.

Round 7: Zac Brooks-Seattle Seahawks

It is difficult to criticize a seventh-round pick, but the Seattle Seahawks selecting Zac Brooks wasn’t a good idea, especially when there were still good running backs left on the board, like Peyton Barber. Brooks has the size of an NFL running back, but he doesn’t have the vision, power or elusiveness necessary to make it as a runner in the NFL. The Seahawks could have made better use of their seventh round pick.