The NFL draft has come and gone, but the hype and media coverage never dies.
Let’s analyze the top three picks and try to pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses…
DE Jadeveon Clowney – The Houston Texans
Go into the NFL draft, the Houston Texans had a lot of gaps to be filled.
Though they needed a quarterback badly, they realized the 2014 draft class did not have the best group of quarterbacks.
Because of this, and the fact that defense wins championships, the Texans chose a different player – DE Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney is an absolute beast, and his role on the team should be huge next season. While in college, Clowney was known for his amazing ability to break through offensive lines and get to the quarterback on almost every play, and his biggest strength is his speed and raw power.
On the negative side, the only issue with Clowney is that he is very aggressive and may draw some unsportsmanlike penalties at the NFL-level. Next season, his role on the Texans should be maximized.
He will be playing alongside DE JJ Watt, and together they will create the most dangerous pass rushing duo the NFL has seen in decades.
OT Greg Robinson – The St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a very balanced team.
They have a very good quarterback, a group of good receivers, and a great coach.
Last season, the biggest issue was the injury to QB Sam Bradford. In order to avoid similar situations in the future, the Rams drafted OT Greg Robinson to protect Bradford.
Robinson is a large and powerful tackle, and he will be able to block for runs on every play.
Aside from this, despite his speed, he is very quick, and is able to keep pace with some of the defensive ends and linebackers in the NFL.
Having said that, there are some downsides.
His technique is very raw and he doesn’t think about plays enough. He also has a tendency to give up after some defenders get past him, and he really needs to start finishing plays better.
At the NFL level, he will not have the liberty to quit on plays and he will need to adjust. He will be a starter on opening day, and if he is coached well, he will be very solid.
QB Blake Bortles – The Jacksonville Jaguars
Though Johnny “Football” Manziel was the most hyped quarterback in the draft, Blake Bortles is better.
Offensively, Bortles is one of the best pocket passers to come out of the draft in years.
Right now, the NFL is moving away from the read-option offense and pocket-passers are again valuable.
Because of this, Bortles will fit in perfectly.
He has the best pocket presence of any passer in the draft, and his arm is very accurate. He should be the Jacksonville’s starter without the question, but he needs to work on a his arm strength.
Right now, his arm strength is just okay, and he is more of an Alex Smith than a Tom Brady.With the right mentoring, this kid could be great.
This post comes from Justin Becker of FantasyFootballOverdose.com. For more NFL news and updates, you can follow him on Twitter @NFLRankings or via Fantasy Football Overdose Google+ Page.