We’re back with our third installment of the NFL Draft previews! This week we’re going to be diving into the division of the Super Bowl Champions, the AFC East.
This division is completely dominated by the New England Patriots, and coming from a Miami Dolphins fan (myself), I don’t see any other team in this division dethroning the AFC powerhouse regardless of what they do in the NFL Draft.
A quick reminder, if you’ve missed the previous NFL Draft articles that we’ve previously covered, be sure to check those out as well!
For now, let’s jump right into it!
NFL Draft: New York Jets
I just want to say, I’m sorry New York Jets fans… This team is on a slippery slope that truly shows no end and without a respectable quarterback, it’s hard to get anywhere in this league.
Sadly, the needs of this team run way deeper than an offensive leader. They need players to catch those passes, players to make stops, they need a playmaker in general!
Now this off-season, they’ve already made some respectable signings with former:
- Dallas Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne
- 49ers WR Quinton Patton
- Former Browns QB Josh McCown
I know these additions don’t look like much on paper, but they are all solid upgrades for the New York Jets.
They also brought in former Edmonton Eskimos CB John Ojo, and as a huge Canadian Football League follower, I have to throw him some love. Ojo had a fantastic 2015 season for the Eskimos recording 41 tackles and five interceptions but missed all of last year due to a ruptured Achilles. Personally, I can’t wait to see if he’ll make any type of impact in the NFL.
The Jets are desperate for play makers, and when that’s the case, it’s impossible to see a team reaching for someone they “might be able to develop.” You can’t waste a draft pick in this deep of a draft, so I expect them to take the best player available.
Possible Pick: O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
O.J. Howard is the best tight end in this draft, and you could argue one of the top-five offensive weapons in this whole NFL Draft class. Running a 4.51 forty at 6’6″ while weighing in at 250 pounds, O.J. is a dominant force on the field.
Howard averaged a little over 15 yards per catch in college, and that was against solid competition in the SEC. Also, he’s shown his ability to make plays happen by dropping at least one 50-yard (or more) touchdown catch in every season he played in Tuscaloosa.
Sadly, for the Jets this isn’t a guy that’s going to change the whole organization and make this a winning franchise, but without solid pieces, this team will go no where.
With this class being as strong as it is this year at every position but the quarterback, it’d be a waste to draft a QB in the first round. They might be able to get a “top prospect” quarterback in the following rounds, and I say that in quotes cause I see very little potential in the top quarterbacks in this years class.
NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been signing a good amount of people this off-season. None of them have been incredibly relevant but the thought is there, and for a team that needs depth like they do, adding able bodies is a good move.
So far they’ve brought on former:
- Panther WR Corey “Philly” Brown
- 49ers CB Marcus Cromartie
and this is just me naming two of the 10-plus signings.
Also, someone to watch next season for the Bills could be recent signee and comeback hopeful, Bradley Sylve. Sylve, a cornerback, suffered a Achilles injury last year before the Alabama pro day and was side-lined all last season.
Bradley was never a stand-out corner, but was an outstanding special teams player and overall athlete for the Crimson Tide. We’ll have to see if he can make an impact next season as well.
Biggest Need: Cornerbacks
With the loss of Stephon Gilmore to the defending champs, this teams biggest need heading into the NFL Draft is a cornerback. They have no lock down defenders.
Buffalo needs safety help, cornerbacks, linebackers, and another wide receiver to go along Watkins. This draft could help them fill some of those voids!
Possible Pick: Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Mike Williams is a hard person to target in this years draft. I’ve seen him going as high as number three overall in some mock drafts.
However, if Williams falls this far, the Clemson connection will be alive and well when it comes to the Bills receiving core. Stacking Williams along side a guy like Sammy Watkins could be deadly, and with Shady McCoy still in the backfield, this offense could be respectable next season.
Williams put up ten scores last season while helping the Clemson Tigers win the National Championship, putting up 94 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.
The man can flat out ball.
NFL Draft: Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins took a huge step forward last season with rookie head coach Adam Gase, making it to the post season for the first time since 2008. Now, they’re looking to build on this success and this years NFL Draft offers a few directions they could go.
Already this offseason, they’ve made some solid acquisitions signing former:
- Steelers LB Lawrence Timmons
- Rams Safety T.J. McDonald
- Kiko Alonzo (resign)
- Kenny Stills (resign)
The trade for Julius Thomas was huge for the Miami Dolphins. This fills a void that they greatly needed in that offense while also reuniting Thomas and Adam Gase. Thomas scored in 24 times in two seasons while playing under Adam Gase in Denver.
Biggest Need: Cornerbacks
The Dolphins secondary gave up close to two touchdowns a game through the air last season. Thus bringing them in at 27th in the league and with a division that has you facing Tom Brady twice a year that’s something that needs to be addressed.
We saw how bad that defense collapsed against the Steelers in the playoffs when Antonio Brown went for 124 yards and two touchdowns on five receptions.
Possible Pick (1): Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
If White’s still available at the number 22 pick, he’d be a great addition to the Dolphins team. He had an island named after him at LSU (not really) and showed that he can pick up receivers in the slot as well.
He’s not the quickest or biggest corner in this draft but he knows what it’s like to try to take receivers out of a play.
Possible Pick (2): Haason Reddick, LB, Temple
Miami has shown serious interest in a pass rusher leading into the draft due to Cameron Wake‘s age creeping up and William Hayes becoming a free agent after next season.
Reddick would be just that, I already discussed the type of athlete he is here, but this would be a huge addition to the Dolphins LB/DE core.
The Dolphins worked him out and liked what they saw, we’ll just have to see if he falls this far.
NFL Draft: New England Patriots
The picture above is an accurate depiction of how the Patriots are feeling this off-season. They are in one of the best spots a franchise could possibly be in.
They’ve already added former:
- Saints WR Brandin Cooks
- Bills CB Stephon Gilmore
- Colts TE Dwayne Allen
- Dont’a Hightower (resign)
and now they’re just sitting pretty. By the end of this offseason, there’s a possibility they could also resign Legarrette Blount and Malcom Butler, or possibly add pieces like Adrian Peterson, a draft pick from the New Orleans Saints, or maybe even Richard Sherman!
This team has no needs! The Pats are insane and with the addition of some of the people named above, it’s hard to tell if this is an AFC East team or a Pro Bowl squad.
It’s pains me to say this as a Dolphins fan, but them going back-to-back is starting to look like a guarantee instead of a possibility.
Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR all off-season as we get set for the upcoming NFL season and more fantasy football!