Five Teams That Made a Statement During the NFL Draft.

Every pick from over the weekend was used on the defensive side of the ball marking it the first time in modern draft history that one team used all their draft capital on one side of the ball. Three picks were used on the defensive line highlighted by first-round pick

Derrick Brown of Auburn. The remaining four picks were used on back seven players. In

a division with Quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Matt Ryan Carolina acquired players that can either rush those quarterbacks or play on the back end.

Sticking with the NFC South the Falcons loaded up with defenders in the

pick corner AJ Terrell of Clemson. In the second round, Atlanta drafted pass rusher, Marlon Davidson, from Auburn. The Falcons also selected a linebacker Mykal Walker and safety Jaylinn Hawkins in round four

The past two drafts under the Mike Mayock/Jon Gruden regime have netted seven total players from Alabama and Clemson. 2019 netted four players

including two first-round picks in defensive end Colin Ferrell and running

back Josh Jacobs. In 2020 the Raiders acquired three more players from both

programs with Henry Ruggs going twelve overall. Safety Tanner Muse and guard John Simpson of Clemson went in the third and fourth rounds respectively.

Selecting Tua sixth overall will gander most of the attention during the

off-season, but the real story is what the Dolphins are

doing in the trenches. Six players were selected in the 2020 draft that are

either offensive line or the front seven on defense. In the first round, the Dolphins selected tackle Austin Jackson, tackle Robert Hunt in the second, guard Solomon Kindley in the forth. The second round netted defensive lineman Raekwon Davis; defensive ends Jason Strowbridge and Curtis Weaver were selected in the fifth round. This trend goes back to last year has well with the first four selections in last year’s draft as well.

After having twenty-one selections in the 2018 and 2019 NFL draft the Colts

were in a position to draft depth in the 2020 NFL draft. The first four

selections were used to bolster depth at Wide Receiver (Michael Pittman

Jr.), Running back (Jonathon Taylor), and Quarterback (Jacob Eason). These

are key positions to draft for has leading receiver TY Hilton, Quarterbacks

Phillip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett, and running back Marlin Mack are all free

agents next year. Getting ahead of free agency puts a franchise in a situation where

they are not forced to overpay a player to fill a need or reward a running back for past

performance (Todd Gurley, Devonte Freeman, are some recent examples). Drafting Eason is key for another reason: Trade Bait. If Eason starts to develop into a potential starter in the NFL the Colts could trade Brissett to a team that needs a quarterback (New England) and continue the process of stockpiling picks.