2051 1st round draft review

Welcome to the 31st annual 1st round draft review. Most of you have been around and know the deal buy we have a few newer owners so let me explain what this entails.

I review & grade every pick based solely on my own player weights and knowledge of the game then give my honest opinion. It's all done in fun and I'm not attempting to insult or demean any individual pick or owner. Besides, I'm wrong sometimes and will be the first to point that out.

I hope everyone enjoys the draft review and the time & effort I put into it. The nice thing is when a player drafted in the 1st round actually becomes a HOFer, I will post my review as part of that players induction write-up.

Enough splaining....because....



MULTIPLE PICKS
New England ×3
Texas ×3
Atlanta ×2
Phoenix ×2

NO PICKS
Buffalo
Dakota
Philadelphia
Zehlendorf
Carolina
Daytona

1.1
New England
CB (SS) Anthony Turner 37/91
Vol 100
6' 1" 195 lbs
Marshall

New England currently has three 1st rounders in this draft and they start the draft by taking the Lott Impact award winner Turner. Every scout and draft expert loves his skill set and believes he can become a lockdown corner in the XFL but questions about his discipline and work ethic cropped up during the combine which could have potentially hurt his draft status. New England had the 28th ranked pass defense and 32nd ranked overall defense last season and none of those concerns bothered the team.

Grade A+

1.2
Miami
QB Kevin Trout 30/91
Vol 18
6' 0" 219 lbs
Jackson State

Miami selects the consensus #1 QB in this year's draft with the 2nd overall pick. Trout is the son of HOF Baseball player Mike Trout and his selection is a no brainer pick for a team that ranked 32nd in passing & 30th in overall offense last season. Trout has elite ratings at intelligence, accuracy, release, vision and the ability to look of the defense making him a true francise quarterback. Miami hasn't had a 3,000 yard passer since 2035 and Trout should easily change that in the next season or two.

Grade A++

1.3
Atlanta
WR Erick Sermon 40/86
Vol 90
5' 11" 187 lbs
Kansas

After winning 8 straight Titles from 2041-2048, Atlanta missed the postseason for the first time since 2039 last season while being on their 3rd owner in the past 4 seasons. They select the Fred Biletnikoff award winner in WR Sermon. The diminutive WR has elite speed and has the versatility to both be a receiver and a ball carrier. Some off the field issues scared some teams but he stills ends up going 3rd overall to a francise looking to quickly get back into Title contention.

Grade A

1.4
Houston
WR Paul Glass 36/86
Vol 38
5' 11" 200 lbs
Grambling

Houston had their worst record since 2029 last year after going through a long period without an owner. The new ownership uses their first draft pick on a WR with elite passing catching skills but he lacks elite speed which he makes up for with elite acceleration. Glass won't be a homerun threat at WR but he should move the chains and catch everything thrown his way. Houston ranked 30th in pass offense and 32nd in overall offense and Glass should help improve those rankings this season.

Grade A

1.5
Seattle
LT Michael Allison 28/87
Vol 20
6' 3" 324 lbs
Tennessee

Seattle traded two future 1st rounders to Daytona to get the 5th overall pick and they select an elite offensive lineman in LT Allison. He has a rare mixture of size, speed & quickness for a LT which should translate well into the XFL. Seattle got a new owner last season and they finished 6-10 which tied for their best record since 2039. Considering the fact that QB Stanley McKeon was sacked 84 times last season, the selection of a strong LT was definately a team need.

Grade A+

1.6
Texas
TE Michael Gray 37/84
Vol 76
6' 3" 255 lbs
Miami

Texas like New England currently has three 1st rounders in this year's draft and they use the first to select TE Gray. Texas is also under new ownership and it's their 3rd owner in the last 5 seasons. Texas hasn't won more then 4 games since 2045 so this draft is important for turning this francise around. Gray has a complete set of very good to elite skills which could lead him to play anywhere from TE, FB, RB or WR depending on where the team wants or needs him. Scouts believe he should lose some weight to gain some speed but he can also remain at TE and start for the team.

Grade A

1.7
Pittsburgh
C Brad Whalen 26/77
Vol 4
6' 3" 285 lbs
Vanderbilt

Entering the 1st round most draft experts had 25 players with 1st round grades which means 7 teams would select someone not on the list. Pittsburgh selects the first player not on that list in C Whalen. He has solid snapping and pass blocking skills but he lacks the strength and run blocking you need at Center.

Grade B-

1.8
Saint Paul
C Jack Augustin 24/74
Vol 0
6' 3" 280 lbs
Washington

Saint Paul follows Pittsburgh by selecting another C and another player not on the list of 25 1st round talents. Augustin has elite snapping and run blocking skills along with average strength but scouts are concerned with his intelligence and lack of pass blocking skills which could collapse the pocket right up the middle. Saint Paul is currently without an owner and this pick doesnt make them more attractive to any potential owner.

Grade C

1.9
Vegas
LG Lino Runyan 31/98
Vol 16
6' 5" 303 lbs
Notre Dame

Vegas must have been in shock watching the previous 2 picks and the fact that they would be the 4th offensive lineman taken yet they got the best OL on the board. Runyan is the nephew of former NFL OL Jon Runyan and cousins with Jon Runyan Jr and he has zero weaknesses and should spent the next 10-15 seasons with Vegas before waiting to see if he got enough votes to make the HOF. Runyan was the strongest player at the combine and he speed and quickness rivaled some WRs. He is the very definition of a "can't miss" prospect and the fact he was the 4th OL taken boggles the mind!

Grade A+++

1.10
Montana
WR Wilson Shoemaker 40/82
Vol 56
6' 1" 196 lbs
Boston College

Montana entered the draft thinking what would be left at #10 and I seriously doubt they believed Shoemaker would fall to them. Shoemaker has elite speed and has the versatility to play wide or play in the backfield. He was a combine standout and he has great hands for receiving but he has some ball security issues plus he shys away from blocking but his greatest asset is his homerun ability with his elite speed. Montana won the NXC North in 2045 followed by 2 down seasons then they won the North again in 2048 followed by 2 down seasons so if the pattern stays true then watch out for the Grizzlies in 2051.

Grade A+

1.11
Kansas City
CB Kenneth Romero 39/86
Vol 48
6' 1" 203 lbs
Baylor

Kansas City landed an potentially elite DB with the 11th overall pick. Romero has elite speed, good size and an above average to elite set of cover skills with the potential to become a "lockdown" corner in the XFL. He also has the size and is a willing tackler so he can be moved to safety if needed. Solid pick for a KC team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 6-10 season. They had the 7th ranked pass defense last season so they boosted a strength with this pick.

Grade A+

1.12
Toronto
RG Pedro Gerke 28/96
Vol 12
6' 3" 315 lbs
Lehigh University

If you are Toronto and you are picking 12th and selecting the 5th OL taken in the 1st round then you can't be much happier then selecting Gerke who scouts ranked as the 2nd best OL in the draft. Gerke can play anywhere on the offensive line and he is considered a very solid pick with very little chance of busting. Toronto had the 18th ranked rush offense and 24th overall offense where their offensive line was a real weakness. Gerke instantly becomes their best offensive lineman.

Grade A+

1.13
Texas
LDE (MLB) Stephen Huff 34/87
Vol 68
6' 1" 248 lbs
Clemson

Texas addressed the offense with their first 1st round pick so they address the defense with their second 1st rounder with the selection of MLB Huff. While Huff played MLB in college, scouts see him as an OLB/edge rusher in the XFL. He has the strength, tackling and run stuffing ability to seal the edge along with the speed, quickness and pass rush ability to get to the quarterback. Scouts are concerned with his pass coverage skills if he remains at MLB in the XFL. Texas ranked 24th in pass defense, 30th in run defense and 30th in sacks so moving Huff to play DE makes a ton of sense.

Grade A+

1.14
Atlanta
FS Michael Berrin 30/89
Vol 2
5' 10" 192 lbs
Louisiana-Laffeyette

Atlanta drafted a potential offensive playmaker with the 3rd overall pick so they drafted a potential starting CB with the 14th overall pick. Coleman has a full elite set of coverage skills but his speed isnt elite but still above average. Atlanta had the 6th rank pass defense last season so this pick improves a strength as he joins Wilson, Shockley, Hodge & Waite in what could be one of the best secondaries in the XFL.

Grade A

1.15
Oakland
WLB Matthew McDonald 36/81
Vol 18
5' 10" 227 lbs
Mississippi

Oakland selects this undersized LB out of Mississippi who has elite pass rush, run defense, tackling, M2M cover and ball stripping skills. He has good but not great speed and with his weight at 227 pounds the question becomes will he lose some speed as he bulks up to play LB in the XFL. He has all the skills to play MLB, OLB and even DE so it will be interesting to see how Oakland decides to use him.

Grade A

1.16
Tampa Bay
RDE Winston Callahan 30/78
Vol 86
6' 5" 264 lbs
Alabama

Tampa Bay traded the 2051 1.24, 2051 3.24 and a 2052 2nd rounder to Brooklyn to move up 8 spots plus they got back a 2052 5th rounder. They moved up to get a DE out of Alabama who matched the 9th overall picks strength at the combine. Callahan & Runyan had the highest scores of strength in combine history. Football nerds are already dreaming of a Runyan/Callahan head to head match up but Vegas and Tampa Bay aren't scheduled to meet in the regular season. Tampa Bay went 14-2 last season despite having the 26th ranked pass defense, 17th ranked overall defense and being 19th in sacks. The addition of Callahan should help them improve in those areas while possibly improving their stingy 4th ranked run defense.

Grade A-

1.17
Los Angeles
WLB Steve Williams
Vol 68
6' 1" 230 lbs
Occidental

Los Angeles takes the 3rd player not on the draft top 25 players list. LB Williams is a slightly undersized LB out of a small college program who scouts like his speed & quickness for the position. His strength is run stopping but he has average M2M cover skills for a LB and below average pass rush skills. Scouts have concerns about his tackling, strength & discipline but maybe Los Angeles can turn him into an ALLPRO talent. Only time and the training camp will tell if he was a good pick or not.

Grade B

1.18
Orlando
TE George Jackson 33/80
Vol 36
6' 3" 254 lbs
North Carolina

Orlando drafts a TE with the 18th overall pick. Jackson has good speed for the position and is considered more of a pass catching TE as his run blocking skills are rated below average. Scouts believe he should lose some weight and eventually become a WR in a season or two. He can remain at TE but his run blocking may become an issue if he plays TE every down.

Grade A-

1.19
Gem City
TE Stephen Jolly 31/80
Vol 42
6' 3" 251 lbs
Southern California

Gem City looks to improve on last year's 15th ranked offense with a college TE who is known mainly for his receiving skills. His blocking skills are average but if he drops some weight he could transition into a top WR in the league in the next year or two. Even after losing some weight, he could still play at TE on passing downs and some run plays.

Grade A

1.20
New York
CB Fernando Sylvester 29/72
Vol 4
5' 11" 197 lbs
Missouri

New York plays in the same division as Buffalo so they can never have enough DBs for the mad passing attack of the Skull Crushers. Not only do you need plenty of DBs but they need to have elite speed. Sylvester checks both those boxes and his M2M and zone cover skills are good. In fact, Sylvester can play some LBer depending on the defensive formations New York wants to use. Despite playing pass happy Buffalo twice last season, they had the 13th ranked pass defense and Sylvester should help improve that ranking.

Grade A-

1.21
Indiana
WR Steve Mann 33/71 (RB 25/76)
Vol 72
5' 11" 201 lbs
Ohio State

Indiana was 6th in rushing last season with Danny Melillo rushing for over 1,400 yards. They selected WR Mann with the 21st overall pick who has elite speed and scouts view as a RB in the XFL. The combination of Melillo and Mann could make for a potent combination in the backfield while Mann should eventually replace Melillo in a few seasons as a starter.

Grade A

1.22
Texas
QB Steven Parent 21/81
Vol 98
6' 2" 208 lbs
Florida

Texas uses their third 1st rounder on the a possible francise QB of the future in QB Parent. QB Trout who went 2nd overall was the consensus best QB in the draft but scouts like Parent's chances to become a legit starter in the XFL. Texas ranked 32nd in pass attempts, 30th in completions and 27th in pass offense so using a third 1st rounder on a quarterback makes a ton of sense. If the history of the XFL tells us anything, it's that you can never figure out which QB will make it in the XFL and more importantly when will they make it.

Grade A

1.23
Phoenix
MLB Keith Ballentine 32/76
Vol 18
6' 1" 247 lbs
Missouri

Phoenix has won the NXC West for 10 straight seasons and won at least 13 games in those same 10 seasons so when they draft a LB not on the top 25 1st round talent list, you figure they know what they are doing. Ballentine has slightly above average speed for a LB with potentially elite M2M cover skills. Scouts are concerned that his pass rush, run defense and pure tackling are all rated below average especially for someone playing MLB so maybe he drops some weight, gets faster and moves to DB. It will interesting to see how Phoenix uses him since they have done everything but win a Title in the XFL.

Grade A-

1.24
Brooklyn
Trade
DT Tanner Gaffney 23/80
Vol 16
6' 4" 281 lbs
Southern Methodist

Brooklyn traded back in the 1st round to get some additional picks and still landed DT Gaffney with the 24th pick. Gaffney was a DE in college but he will transition to DT in the XFL since he excels in stopping the run but still has enough speed and pass rush ability to get to the QB. Brooklyn ranked 6th in rush defense and this selection should improve a strength of their defense.

Grade A

1.25
Washington
CB Lee Powers 31/78
Vol 74
5' 11" 187 lbs
Southern California

Washington made it to the XFL Title game in year 2 of their current owner. They accomplished that by having a top 10 offense and top 8 defense led by their 3rd ranked pass defense. Instead of improving an area where they were weak, they improved in an area of their greatest strength. Powers lacks elite speed but he has a very good to excellent set of cover skills which means he could fill any position in the secondary.

Grade B+

1.26
Memphis
RB Jerry Landers 29/80
Vol 56
5' 10" 215 lbs
Michigan State

Memphis selects this bruising RB out of Michigan who is known for getting the tough yards between the tackles but he lacks the breakaway speed to hit the big play. The team ranked 16th in rush offense last season so they will look to improve that with the addition of Landers in their backfield.

Grade B+

1.27
Vancouver
CB George Brown 28/70
Vol 12
6' 0" 222 lbs
Oklahoma State

After Vancouver won it all in 2049, they followed it up by winning the AXC West, going 13-3 and securing the Bye only to go 1 and done in the postseason. They use the 27th pick to select a college DB who scouts love at LB in the XFL. His speed, pass rush, run defense and pass coverage are rank above average which makes him a solid candidate to play outside linebacker for Vancouver's 4th ranked defense from last season. He can also fill in the secondary.

Grade A

1.28
Providence
SLB Pablo Mallory 36/69
Vol 70
6' 1" 225 lbs
Arizona State

Providence has won at least 10 games and made the postseason the last 10 seasons and they have accomplished everything but bringing home a Title in the XFL. They had the 6th ranked offense and 3rd ranked defense where their rush defense being ranked 9th being their biggest weakness. With that in mind, they drafted LB Mallory with the 28th pick. He has elite speed for a LB and he has the potential to play inside or outside linebacker including lining up on the edge plus his speed means he could play in the secondary. Providence clearly knows what they are doing so only time will tell where he ultimately fits into their defense.

Grade A

1.29
Phoenix
SLB Curtis Byars 43/75
Vol 30
6' 2" 243 lbs
Oklahoma

Phoenix having two 1st rounders isn't good for the other 31 teams and they select another LB with their 2nd pick. Byars has very elite speed for a 247 pound linebacker and the fact Byars was still available for Phoenix at pick 29 is incredible. Byars can literally line up and play anywhere on the defense and of he loses some weight he will approach world class speed.

Grade A+

1.30
New England
DT Gordan Lacy 29/79
Vol 28
6' 2" 308 lbs
Ohio State

New England had the #1 overall pick and now they are on the clock for back to back picks. They selected a true CB1 with the #1 pick and they select DT Lacy with the 30th pick. When you are coming off a season where your offense was ranked 31st and your defense was ranked 32nd, any player you draft should improve the team. Lacy is a true nose tackle and should sure up the middle of their defensive line for the next 5-10 years.

Grade A


1.31
New England
RDE Earnest Nowicki
Vol 60
6' 4" 271 lbs
Georgia Tech

New England uses their third 1st rounder for a third defensive player in DE Nowicki. He is a lunch pale type player who like Lacy should play the next 5-10 season on the edge of the defensive line for the Crusdaers. New England has rebuilt their defensive line and added a true shutdown corner but it will take a few seasons to make the team competitive since they need LBers and depth in the secondary to make the defense a top 10 unit.

Grade A

1.32
Cincinnati
RDE Harry Ulrich 36/75
Vol 4
6' 2" 275 lbs
Oregon State

The defending Champs had the #2 offense and #2 defense last season so there weren't many weaknesses but if you had to pinpoint a weakness it would be their 8th ranked pass defense and 15th ranking in sacks. With that in mind, the Defennders select DE Ulrich with the 32nd pick. He is a true DE who can stop the run, seal the edge and rush the passer. A solid find to address a need while getting a 1st round talent with the 32nd pick.

Grade A+