For another year only the Patriots will be making the playoffs in the AFC East and they will most likely win the Super Bowl against the Dallas Cowboys. However for the other three teams they can play for the most important thing in the NFL: great draft position. Plus with the College Football Season is finally over, we can finally start looking at players to be drafted and where.
New York Jets of New Jersey: Dalvin Cook aka Greatest RB in the Country
The Jets season has been odd, they have lots of talent on defense and offense but could never put it together and their QB decided turnovers were in again. Next year most of the team returns and they don’t have a lot of real needs. Their WR Corp is set, their OL is solid, they think they have their QB in Hackenberg, their DL is stacked and the rest of their defense is high priced. The only position worth a 1st round pick that wouldn’t be a reach where they will be is RB and only one RB is worth a top 10 pick; Dalvin Cook. Cook was the best RB in the country yet again (and snubbed yet again by the joke which is the Heisman Award) as he showed big play ability and also showed he could be a receiving threat. Matt Forte is nearing the end and only people who think guys like Zac Stacy are elite would want to play Bilal Powell. If the Jets want to make the playoffs in 2017 they will need to follow the Cowboys model of a strong running game which they have the offensive line to support. Jets are in Win Now Mode and Cook is a type of move you make for a win now team.
Buffalo Bills: Mike Williams WR from Clemson
The Bills are kind of in no man’s land; they aren’t good enough to make the playoffs and they aren’t bad enough to land a top 5 pick. They have a lot of talent but have a HC who has no idea what he’s doing and a RB pretending to be a QB. When it comes to draft needs, it all depends on how the season ends. Their biggest weakness outside of QB this year has been the secondary but there is no safety worth taking in the 1st and CB depends on what they do with Gilmore and if they re-sign or tag him. There also isn’t a QB that is worth a 1st (2nd round is another story). That leaves the only need that they can actually get which is WR. The Bills will be losing Robert Woods to free agency and right now their WR corp is pretty thin with Watkins who might be on his way out and Justin Hunter who is largely ignored. Mike Williams is that man as he has size (6’4) and speed to be a legit #1 threat and give the Bills at the very least Watkins insurance and make up for the mistake of taking Watkins over Evans in 2014.
Miami Dolphins: Reuben Foster ILB from Rawl Tyde
The Dolphins have been a surprise as Gase has made everyone forget Joe Philbin used to coach this team. The offensive line has seemed to gel and they found their identity on offense. Now they need to fix the defense and that starts with fixing a horrendous run defense. They address this in the 1st round with a true middle linebacker in Reuben Foster. Foster is your typical Bama ILB in that he is stout in the run, can be used as a blitzing linebacker on 3rd down and can cover as needed. Since signing Suh didn’t fix the run defense maybe getting a linebacker who actually prioritizes stopping the run will actually fix it.
New England Patriots: Christian McCaffrey RB from Stanford
The Patriots running back situation is kind of strange. They seem to never want to get rid of Blount despite cutting him each offseason and have this false belief Dion Lewis is any good. To avoid Brady getting angry they address this predicament with probably the most talented RB they will ever have. McCaffrey is a perfect Patriots back, he can line up anywhere on the field, can run between the tackles and is pretty dangerous as a receiving threat. He also is a pretty good return man which means no using Edelman as a returner. McCaffrey should be the 2nd RB taken after Cook but will fall in the draft due to other factors about him. This is why he would be perfect for the Pats, he’s a better version of Danny Woodhead and they can finally cut Blount and Lewis for good.
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