NFL Draft: Biggest Needs AFC South Edition with FA Breakdown
With the NFL Draft rapidly approaching, it’s time to over-analyze the teams we watch on Sunday and break down their biggest needs heading into April. For our first installment, we’re going to jump into the shoes of the AFC South teams. These teams have struggled but great players await in one of the deepest draft classes to date.
Now, with the AFC South including the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans, it’s hard to call any of them making a legitimate Super Bowl run but what can they do in the NFL Draft to help them improve?
These teams need serious help. Something that can be found in this year’s draft class, and even though we’ve seen improvement already this off-season from the AFC South teams. Honestly, they need more.
Let’s jump into some improvements that I think could occur in the draft, and what teams biggest needs really are.
NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars may be the most individually talented 3-13 team I’ve ever seen. If you look at their roster, players such as Allen Robinson, Malik Jackson, Telvin Smith, and even Marqise Lee could be key players on just about every NFL team.
Also, Jalen Ramsey is one of, if not, the best young corner in the whole league. As a matter of fact, Ramsey made Elliot Harrison‘s All-Under-25 team with Kansas City Chiefs cornerback, Marcus Peters.
The Jaguars have good corner stones in place and they’ve already made some serious acquisitions this off-season adding former:
- Houston Texans CB A.J. Bouye
- Arizona Cardinals DT Calais Campbell
- Dallas Cowboys SS Barry Church
- Miami Dolphins LT Branden Albert (in a trade)
Just to name a few.
Jacksonville ranked in the top-six last season in least yards allowed per game. Combine that with the off-season pickups of A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell, and Barry Church and we may be looking at the best defense in the entire NFL next season.
Biggest Need: Running Back
Last season, we saw the Jags look to a tandem of Chris Ivory and T.J. Yeldon. Ivory has shown promise in the past, but last season he finished with a career low in yards per attempt with 3.8. Sure, the offensive line isn’t the best, but without a run game Blake Bortles is left with a lot on his plate.
He’s not the guy who can have the ball in his hands the whole game.
For my example, I’m going to compare Blake Bortles situation to a guy like Ryan Tannehill. The Miami Dolphins quarterback had a lackluster run game for the beginning of his career. However, with the emergence of Jay Ajayi, Tannehill succeeded because he didn’t have as much pressure on his shoulders.
Tannehill’s attempts went from 586 in 2015, to 389 (missed three games) in 2016 while his completion percentage was at a career high 67.1%. He also led a career high of three game winning drives last season, and this is all due to the addition of Laremy Tunsil, and a breakout year from Jay Ajayi.
Something that could very easily be replicated for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Possible Pick: Leonard Fournette, LSU RB
I know this is kind of early for Fournette to go and you’re suppose to draft talent and not a need, but honestly, why not both. He may not be the most talented (overall) football player on the board at number four, but he’s worth the grab.
Fournette could be a break out player in the NFL right away. Coming in at 6’0″ 240 pounds and running a 4.5 is impressive. He could easily be a workhorse back right out of the gate and adding that to a team who has young wide receiver talent in Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee, and this could be a team easily pushing for the top spot in the AFC South.
Talk about a major swing… 3-13 to the AFC South Champions? Don’t count it out!
NFL Draft: Indianapolis Colts
I don’t think the Colts are done making moves just yet as we head into the draft. With the addition of Kamar Aiken I could see them moving Phillip Dorsett for another draft pick heading into April.
Dorsett hasn’t fit with the Colts since he entered the league, they already have a short, speedy receiver in T.Y. Hilton. With the addition of the 27-year-old, 6’2″ wide out in Aiken, it could be time to cut ties with Dorsett. Something I think would be good for both parties.
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
Now the Colts have quite a few needs. A secondary, offensive and defensive line help (especially with Robert Mathis retiring), and a running back. No one knows how long Frank Gore has and with huge running back depth in this year’s draft I see them addressing that first.
They’ve added some pieces already this off-season which include former:
- New England Patriots OLB/DE Jabaal Sheard
- Houston Texans OLB/DE John Simon
- New England Patriots LB Barkevious Mingo
- Minnesota Viking P Jeff Locke (replace retired Pat McAfee)
Also, the resigning of tight end Jack Doyle was huge as they traded away Dwayne Allen. Doyle really came into his own last season as more than just a blocking tight end, and with Andrew Luck throwing the ball, look for Doyle to have a breakout season next year. You heard it here first!
With the signings of John Simon and Jabaal Sheard, it has me thinking the Colts could go in a running back direction right away.
Chuck Pagano did just say that adding a young runner is paramount.
Possible Pick (1): Dalvin Cook, Florida State RB
If no team reaches for Dalvin Cook early in this draft, I could see the Indianapolis Colts taking the running back of their future. With Gore’s age rising (he’ll be 34 next season), it’s hard to tell when he’s going to hit that road block and take a step back.
Cook could change Indianapolis’ whole offense and give them one of the top offensive trios in the NFL with Luck, Cook, and Hilton. Dalvin has great hands for a running back and with 4.49 speed he could be a threat at any moment in a NFL uniform.
I could see this trio creating a replication of the Pittsburgh Steelers offense at a smaller scale.
Cook’s biggest con as a rusher is his lack of toughness running in between the tackles. Something the Colts still have with Gore as of now and something he doesn’t truly need. With Andrew Luck having the ball in his hands almost religiously in that offense, Cook producing three yard runs up the gut isn’t something Indianapolis relies on (or even uses for that matter).
He could be a huge addition to the Colts offense and a running back in his prime is something that Luck has yet to see in the backfield.
Possible Pick (2): Haason Reddick, Temple OLB/DE
Even with the addition of Jabaal Sheard and John Simon, the Colts are lacking a standout pass rusher. These guys can get after the quarterback but it’s not their strong suit. This is why I could see the Colts also taking Haason Reddick (or Ruben Foster for that matter).
Reddick was a running back in high school and as we saw in his 40 time, the man can move. He ran a 4.52 at 237 pounds and is coming off of a senior year where he had 10.5 sacks.
He’s big, fast, and can get after the quarterback. Something the Colts need bad!
NFL Draft: Tennessee Titans
Unlike the Jaguars and the Colts, the Tennessee Titans haven’t made any crazy additions so far this off-season, and it looks like they’re content waiting for the draft. The Titans hold their original pick at 18 in the first round while also holding the Los Angeles Rams pick at number 5 overall.
Their big acquisitions have been:
- Former New England Patriots CB Logan Ryan
- Former Jacksonville Jaguars SS Johnathan Cyprien
Sadly, the secondary is still their weak spot, but I like the addition of Cyprien. Kevin Byard is a ball-hawk. A perfect complimentary role in comparison to Cyprien’s run stuffing nature. These two could feed off each other perfectly.
Biggest Need: Cornerbacks
Even with the addition of Logan Ryan, something is missing, a legitimate CB1. Something that this draft class has to offer. The Titans could also take S Malik Hooker with the fifth pick, but with Cyprien and Byard on the roster now. I see them to going in another direction as of now.
Possible Pick (5th overall): Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State CB
Marshon Lattimore is standing at 6’0″ with a 38.5 inch vertical, typical pro size while also running a 4.36 in the 40-yard-dash.
His speed and physicality at the line makes him the best corner back in this draft, and putting him across from Logan Ryan could change the secondary of Tennessee immediately.
Possible Pick (18th overall): Corey Davis, Western Michigan WR
I’m not sure if Corey Davis will fall this far in the NFL Draft, but if he does, he’s a lock for Tennessee. Davis is a small school stud that could make a huge difference for any team that drafts him.
Standing at 6’3″, he’s the perfect guy to put beside Rishard Matthews and Delanie Walker. The big physical nature of Davis is needed in Tennessee and without him, I don’t think anyone would be afraid of the Titans receiving core on paper.
If the Titans do add Lattimore and Davis, I’d watch out for this team in the AFC South next season.
NFL Draft: Houston Texans
In one of the biggest off-season moves (possibly ever) the Houston Texans traded away abysmal quarterback, Brock Osweiler for (basically) a second round pick. This freed up quite a bit of cap space. Money I believe they’ll eventually use for former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
Biggest Need: Offensive Line
Romo could be injured in a hurry if the Texans don’t address this offensive line situation. We don’t know if Tony has anything left either, but the wide receiver core of DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller could provide him with a steady pass situation.
Even C.J. Fiedorowicz could help fill a role of Cowboys tight end Jason Witten at a smaller scale, but enough about Tony Romo. Let’s look at this offensive line.
LT Duane Brown was a rock for this unit, only allowing one sack all season and holding his own consistently. Greg Mancz also played a key role while he was under center but other than those two, the offensive line was terrible.
Possible Pick (25th overall): Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin OT
Due to my expectation of the Texans signing Tony Romo, I can’t see them using this pick on a quarterback.
Even with the hip surgery Ramczyk had to have after the bowl game, he’s still one of the best offensive line options in this year’s NFL Draft. He could be a solid piece right away in Houston.
With this pick, the Texans could open up the run game with stud running back Lamar Miller, which n turn, could open up the deep ball for Will Fuller. To me this pick makes the most sense.
If they don’t pursue Romo for some reason and Deshaun Watson falls this far, that’s obviously a possibility as well. We’ll just have to see how April turns out and I’m pumped to watch it all unfold!
Next: What can we expect in 2017 from Ezekiel Elliot?
Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR as we head into the NFL Draft for a division by division breakdown for each team’s Draft Needs!