2045 1st round draft review

As always....this is for fun, based on my player weights and my opinion....at no time am I attempting to insult or pick on anyone's pick instead I try to adlib and make it amusing. I rank every position entering the draft and grade accordingly. It doesnt make me right or wrong just like Mel Kiper jr. who never apologized for any of his endless mistakes.....so enjoy

MULTIPLE 1ST ROUNDERS
New York ×4
Los Angeles ×2
Orlando ×3

NO 1ST ROUNDERS
Dakota
Buffalo
Indiana
Memphis
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh

PLAYERS DRAFT RANKINGS

QB
1. Hector Olivas 25/77
2. Wilbur Williams 26 76

RB
1. Donald Barr 31/91
2. Jose Hernandez 27/78
3. Derek Moss 26/76

TE
1. John Sheller 33/80
2. Andre Maker 37/78
3. William Fallon 34/77

WR
1. Michael Stahl 36/80
2. Robert Woods 40/79
3. James Bradshaw 35/75

LT/RT
1. Jesse Rodriquez 23/84
2. Joey Carney 29/82
3. Joseph Coffey 24/82

LG/RG
1. LG Stephen Cruz 48/93
2. RG Jeff Jones 28/87
3. RG Logan Vougt 23/84

C
1. C Stephen Cruz 42/88
2. C Jesse Rodriquez 28/85
3. C Emile Meyers 26/80

DE
1. Leo Schaefer 43/83
2. Johnathon Cook 35/75
3. Keith Smith 37/75

DT
1. Paul Fields 49/85
2. Kenny Ortiz 47/84
3. Kenneth Kirshner 40/83

SLB/WLB
1. Nicholas Scudder 38/87
2. Bryan Wisdom 39/80
3. Luis Adams 38/77

MLB
1. Leo Schaefer 36/86
2. Joseph Sanders 32/84
3. Sterling Pettway 28/81

CB
1. Jean Davis 31/87
2. Russell Bryne 33/84
3. Steve Lindgren 33/75

SS/FS
1. Chad Patrick 35/85
2. Jose Henderson 33/83
3. Elmo Freeman 33/77


2044 1.1
Daytona
RB Donald Barr 31/91
Vol 8
5' 10" 223 lbs
Missouri

Daytona selects Heisman Trophy winner & consensus top pick Barr with the 1st overall pick. They ranked 32 in rushing last season and Barr should easily improve on that but can he help Daytona break a 15 year streak of having a losing record. Considering they went 0-16 last season, many Daytona faithful just hope they win a game!

Grade A++

2045 1.2
Saint Paul
SLB Nicholas Scudder 38/87
Vol 54
6' 1" 236 lbs
Alabama St.

Saint Paul selects the Butkus award winner for best linebacker in college. Scudder is versatile and could be used on the inside or outside at linebacker or convert to safety with his elite cover skills.

Grade A+

2045 1.3
New England
CB Jean Davis 31/87
Vol 8
6' 1" 211 lbs
Central Oklahoma

New England drafts the Jim Thorpe award winner for best college defensive back. He has a complete set of elite cover skills plus solid speed & quickness to utilize them and is considered a sure tackler. His intelligence is off the charts and he is highly disciplined to boot.

Grade A+

2045 1.4
Oakland
WLB Joseph Sanders 38/85
Vol 36
6' 1" 236 lbs
Eastern Kentucky

Oakland takes Sanders, considered one of several top LBs in the draft. He has the complete package of skills & attributes to excel either at inside or outside LB in the XFL. Oakland is under new ownership after a down year for a once proud francise and they ranked 32nd in defense last season so the addition of Sanders is a solid step in the right direction.

Grade A

2045 1.5
Washington
RB John Sheller 26/76
Vol 58
6' 3" 265 lbs
Alabama

Washington selects the top TE in the draft who many scouts see transitioning to a big HB in the XFL based on what he did after getting the ball in his hands. He has elite ball carry, break tackle and rarely fumbles. If he can drop down to around 225 pounds, he could get even faster then he already is which would make him a force to be reckoned with.

Grade A+

2045 1.6
Tampa Bay
RG Stephen Cruz 52/92
Vol 100
6' 2" 302 lbs
San Jose State

Tampa drafts the Outland trophy winner for best interior lineman. Cruz is a road grating run blocker that can start at guard immediately but the question remains how well can he pass block in the XFL. Regardless of how that turns out, he should play in the league for the next 10-15 years easily.

Grade A

2045 1.7
Miami
RDE Kenneth Kirshner 40/75
Vol 8
6' 4" 284 lbs
Virginia Tech

Miami becomes the first head scratcher pick in the 2045 draft. While Kirshner was ranked as the 3rd best DT in the draft, many seemingly better options were left available for the 7th overall pick. Kirshner may be the strongest player in the draft with keen football I.Q. and incredible discipline but he lacks speed & quickness to play on the defensive edge. His best position in the XFL is at nose tackle.

Grade B-

2045 1.8
New York
RB Kenny Davis 34/73
Vol 8
5' 10" 202 lbs
Georgia

This is the 25th anniversary of Brohl becoming owner of the New York Empire and he has just 2 winning seasons and 1 postseason appearance to show for it. He has the misfortune of playing in the same division as Buffalo which has laid claim to the division for 2 decades. This is an important draft for the francise as they have amassed four 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks & three 3rd round picks. These next 9 draft picks will go a long way in determining how the next quarter century starts for Brohl and the Empire. Their first of four picks is RB Davis who scouts see as more of a possession WR in the XFL. He has great hands & route running skills but lacks the speed to become a top playmaker. With the top 3 WR options still on the board plus the #2 RB & TE still available, this pick seems like a reach in my opinion.

Grade B

2045 1.9
Los Angeles
MLB Leo Schaefer 36/86
Vol 96
5' 11" 256 lbs
Boston College

Los Angeles uses it first of two 1st round picks to take the highly rated & versatile LB Schaefer. Scouts not only ranked him the best pure MLB in the draft but also the best edge rusher in the draft. He was used as both in college and depending on how he does in training camp will ultimately dictate how LA uses him in the XFL.

Grade A

2045 1.10
Montana
SLB Sterling Pettway 35/79
Vol 100
6' 3" 252 lbs
Towson State

Montana selects the best LB left on the board who was ranked the 4th best overall LB and 3rd best MLB. He has all the potential skills to become a solid starter in the XFL with solid but not great speed. The biggest concern with Pettway is how he will transition from a smaller college program to the XFL. If he excels in camp then he could become a high-end starter but if he fails to meet his potential then he may become a backup/special teamer.

Grade B+

2045 1.11
Carolina
WR Shawn Heath 32/79
Vol 64
5' 10" 200 lbs
Rutgers

Carolina selects a WR outside the top 3 left on the board. Scouts love Heath's receiving skills overall which are all above average but he lacks the high-end speed needed in the XFL to become an elite playmaker. It's not to say Heath won't make plays but he is more of a move the chains/possession receiver who won't take the top off the defense. He does have elite quickness which should make him a viable target especially in the redzone.

Grade B+

2045 1.12
Seattle
DT Kenny Ortiz 47 84
Vol 76
6' 3" 297 lbs
Boise State

Ortiz was ranked 2nd among DT, ahead of Kirshner drafted with the 7th pick but behind Fields who is still on the board. Ortiz has the size, strength and quickness needed to man the middle but his speed with limit his ability to rush the passer in the XFL.

Grade B

2045 1.13
Zehlendorf
WR Jose Hernandez 35/78
Vol 74
5' 11" 206 lbs
Arizona State

Zehlendorf takes this college WR who scouts rated as the 2nd best RB option in this draft excluding TEs being transitioned. Hernandez has elite speed coupled with solid size and has shown he can protect the football when carrying it. The added benefit of being an experienced receiver makes him an ideal fit in the XFL where RBs become the main secondary target on a majority of pass plays.

Grade A

2045 1.14
Kansas City
SLB Bryan Wisdom 39/80
Vol 56
6' 0" 232 lbs
Michigan State

The 5th LB in this draft was taken by KC who was just bought by McBolt. Wisdom has elite speed & quickness and has solid cover skills which he showed in college. Scouts believe he can transition to DB in the XFL where he could become a slot corner or starting safety.

Grade A

2045 1.15
Texas
WLB Luis Adams 38/77
Vol 68
6' 0" 219 lbs
Georgia

The run on LBs continues as the 6th LB is selected in the first 15 picks by Texas. Adams is undersized at LB for the XFL and I expect he will transition to SS where he nose for the football & cover skills should make him a starter.

Grade A

2045 1.16
New York
MLB Jeffrey Baird 33/78
Vol 22
5' 11" 233 lbs
Miami

This will go down as the year of the LB as New York uses its 2nd 1st rounder to take the 7th LB in the first 16 picks. Baird is a complete MLB who ranked just outside the top group based solely on his speed which is solid but a tick below the 6 backers taken ahead of him. It's clear New York is focused more on football skills then speed so only time will tell if their strategy pays dividends.

Grade B+

2045 1.17
Vegas
SS Chad Patrick 35/85
Vol 78
6' 0" 206 lbs
Mesa State

Vegas lands the top ranked safety in the draft with Patrick. He has elite potential for complete coverage skills and while his speed isnt elite, it's still good enough to start in the XFL. There is some concern over him coming from a smaller college program so Vegas is gambling he will succeed in training camp and approach his true potential.

Grade A

2045 1.18
Los Angeles
SS Russell Bryne 33/78
Vol 90
6' 0" 189 lbs
Southern California

LA used their 2nd 1st rounder to select the 2nd best safety on the board who most scouts believe can transition to CB in the XFL. Thats their 2nd defensive addition in the 1st round which could help their 15th ranked defense from last season improve into the top 10. He isn't necessarily the best man coverage DB but has elite B&R skills which can translate to the XFL as a press corner. What he lacks in man cover skills, he makes up for with great speed & quickness. He also showed great run stuffing, tackling and ball striping skills in college.

Grade A

2045 1.19
Gem City
WR Michael Stahl 36/80
Vol 94
5' 10" 204 lbs
Ball State

Finally, the top ranked WR in this draft class goes at #19. His draft stock dropped in the days leading up to the draft as all 32 owners received pictures of Stahl wearing a gas mask in the dorm with a bunch of smoke enveloping him. Clearly, Stahl had rubbed someone the wrong way in college and the move was calculated to hurt his draft status and potentially cost him upwards of 2-3 million dollars. Stahl has great speed, solid hands, route running and exceptionally ability to get off the jam on the line of scrimmage. Concerns are his acceleration, run blocking and obviously his work ethic & character based on the incriminating photos.

Grade A

2045 1.20
Orlando
CB Steven Lindgren 33/75
Vol 72
5' 8" 187 lbs
UCLA

Orlando takes the 3rd ranked CB in this draft out of UCLA. He is known for his elite speed but his cover skills are average at best. Orlando is hoping they can get him coached up in camp but as is he is definately capable of playing in the slot with a chance to improve if he learns something in camp. Orlando is one of three teams with multiple 1st round picks in this draft.

Grade A-

2045 1.21
Cincinnati
WR Derek Moss 40/76
Vol 78
6' 0" 189 lbs
Texas

Moss like Hernandez (pick #13) is a college WR who scouts feel is the 3rd best RB in the draft excluding TE conversions. He has elite speed coupled with solid to elite ball handling skills out of the backfield. He adds experience as a receiver to the mix which all hopefully aides QB Remy Beaucamp's continued development.

Grade A

2045 1.22
Toronto
RB Ricard Avery 30/69
Vol 38
6' 0" 226 lbs
Georgia

The 3rd Georgia Bulldog from the 2044 National Championship team is drafted in the 1st round by Toronto. Listed as a RB in college, scouts see him as a TE or possibly a FB in the XFL based on his tenacious run blocking, speed and pass catching attributes. That won't preclude him from rushing the ball on occasion although his ball carry skills are lacking. He is above average at breaking tackles and doesn't have a propensity to fumble which leans in favor of him getting some carries.

Grade A-

2045 1.23
Brooklyn
RB James Coca 23/73
Vol 40
5' 10" 212 lbs
Florida State

Brooklyn came out of nowhere last season in Big Poppa's 2nd year of ownership to win the NXC East. It showed signs that then francise was in good hands, was making good personal decisions and had a plan in place for the future. Then they made this pick with the 23rd overall selection and raised new questions. Brooklyn's turnaround was led by their top 10 defense while their offense was in the middle of the pack. Coca is a decent enough player with rushing and receiving skills but he is just too slow to be a difference maker for this offense. With several offensive playmakers still available, fans in Brooklyn have questions for the Hitmen's owner and front office.

Grade C+

2045 1.24
Houston
TE Andre Maker 37/78
Vol 56
6' 4" 261 lbs
Michigan

Houston had to be ecstatic when Maker was still available at pick 24. They wasted no time in turning in their pick and used none of their allotted time. Maker can play TE in the XFL but his run blocking isn't his strong suit. Scouts see Maker as a RB/WR hyrib with great hands and receiving skills plus he is fast at 261 lbs so if he can lose 25-30 pounds, he will get even faster. He truly could play any skill position on offense but I personally see him at RB.

Grade A+

2045 1.25
Orlando
WR Michael Arline 37/77
Vol 26
6' 2" 187 lbs
Miami

Orlando uses their 2nd of 3 1st rounders on a speedy WR out of Miami. Arline is ranked the 4th best WR in the draft but scouts believe he is a safe bet to transition successfully to the XFL. He is tall, thin and has a solid compliment of complete receiving skills.

Grade A

2045 1.26
Providence
TE William Fallon 34/77
Vol 76
6' 5" 270 lbs
South Carolina

Fallon is the 3rd ranked TE in the draft but unlike Sheller & Maker, he should remain at TE instead of switching to RB. Fallon could definitely make the transition but he had issues with ball security in college which would be highlighted as a ball carrier. With Brooklyn & Philadelphia vying with Providence with thr NXC East crown, the 1st round clearly goes advantage Providence as Philadelphia has no pick and Brooklyn chose a slow RB with the 23rd pick.

Grade A

2045 1.27
New York
C Joey Carney 37/77
Vol 10
6' 4" 298 lbs
Penn State

New York uses their 3rd pick on yet another player not ranked in the top for their position. Carney does have elite speed, strength & pass blocking for an offensive linemen but his run blocking is below average especially for a center. He may be better suited to play LT but again questions arise when Jesse Rodriquez & Jeff Jones are still on the board. New York appears to be using a strategy of hitting singles & doubles instead of swinging for the fences and only time will tell if it pays off.

Grade B+

2045 1.28
Arizona
SS Troy Winchell 31/76
Vol 98
5' 11" 211 lbs
Louisville

Arizona lands this fast safety from Louisville with the 28th pick. His overall cover skills kept him from being ranked in the top 3 but his elite speed, acceleration & intelligence make him a playmaker in the secondary.

Grade A-

2045 1.29
New York
LDE Thomas Gooch 45/80
Vol 30
6' 3" 266 lbs
The Citadel

New York makes it a clean sweep with their 4th selection not being ranked in the top 3 for their position but scouts actually love this pick. Gooch lacks superior strength but he has elite speed for an edge rusher and he should become a double digit sack specialist for the next 5-10 seasons.

Grade A

2045 1.30
Orlando
WR James Bradshaw 35/75
Vol 86
5' 10" 195 lbs
Boston University

Orlando much like New York has been chasing Dakota for a quarter century but unlike New York they are on their 7th owner and 3rd different city and have finally caught and passed Dakota the past 2 seasons. To cement it, they have 3 picks in the 1st round while Dakota has none. They take a 2nd WR with their 3rd pick and somehow the 3rd ranked WR is still available at pick #30. Bradshaw has world class speed and if he can transition to the XFL successful, he could become a difference making playmaker for Orlando.

Grade A+

2045 1.31
Vancouver
FB Richard Brown 24/69
Vol 72
6' 1" 242 lbs
West Virginia

Vancouver made it to the XFL Title game last season and the owner sold the team to new ownership for a record breaking amount. The new owner used his 1st draft pick to select a FB out of West Virginia. Brown isn't known as a great blocking FB but has great rushing skills. He isn't much of a pass catching threat out of the backfield so he will primarily run the ball as a backup or in short yardage/goalline situations.

Grade B

2045 1.32
Atlanta
WR Billy Gonzales 36 75
Vol 84
6' 0" 207 lbs
Florida

The 4× defending Champs select a WR out of Florida. He has great speed along with average receiving skills plus has the added component of running the ball in his tool box. Scouts are sure he will succeed with the team despite rumors circulating the XFL that he is a womanizer, hates children and randomly beats dogs for fun. He is probably a racist as well but Atlanta only cares about winning so they will draft anyone.

Grade B+