NFL Draft Aftermath: IDP Winners and Losers from the NFC East
With the 2018 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to start looking ahead to get an idea of what is going to happen in 2018 in terms of IDP leagues. The first step of that is analyzing the overall defensive makeup of every team in the league. Who’s moving up and who’s moving down?
Today, we cover the NFC East.
Dallas Cowboys
Winner: Taco Charlton
After a rather disappointing season, Charlton escapes the draft without much competition. The former first-rounder lost snaps to Tyrone Crawford and recorded three sacks while watching teammate Demarcus Lawrence have a career year from the other defensive end spot. Charlton needs to show that he warrants his draft stock or his time is limited in Dallas.
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Loser: Jaylon Smith
While recent news of Smith’s removal of his knee brace is exciting for owners, the drafting of Leighton Vander Esch could signal the team isn’t as excited. Smith played 55% of the snaps in 2017, less than fellow linebacker Sean Lee who missed five games. This draft selection could also be insurance for Lee, but either way, spending a first on a linebacker means there is some real love there. Vander Esch is very raw but shows that he can be a three-down linebacker, likely taking snaps from Smith in sub packages.
Washington Redskins
Winner: Shaun Dion Hamilton
Even as a sixth rounder, Hamilton has a path to starting in Washington. Zach Brown has one spot locked down but the other is up for grabs. Hamilton was the “other” guy in Alabama to both Reuben Foster and Rashaan Evans. He’s a bit of a long shot after multiple knee injuries, but if he can get fit, he can be a starting linebacker in the NFL.
Loser: Ziggy Hood
With the drafting of Da’Ron Payne in the first round, Hood is likely immediately out of a starting gig. Payne is a monster on the inside and is basically a textbook nose tackle. They added even more insurance with Tim Settle in the fifth round, but Payne will be the man on the inside. His IDP value is low, but in deep DT-required leagues, he might have some appeal since he should see a vast majority of the snaps.
New York Giants
Winner: Lorenzo Carter/Giants Fans
I listed the fans here because their Giants went from one of the worst linebacker corps in the league to actually looking decent on paper. They added Carter to Alec Ogletree and BJ Goodson, making for a fine trio. Carter is likely not a linebacker you want to kill yourself to acquire but the team is in a much better spot.
Loser: BJ Hill
A productive tackle in college for N.C. State, Hill was drafted into a team transitioning to a 3-4 defense, meaning he likely will be playing behind one of the great defensive linemen in the league in Damon Harrison and former second-rounder Dalvin Tomlinson. I see the appeal for the Giants to want to keep both these players fresh. Hill could be decently productive in limited usage.
Philadelphia Eagles
Winner: Jordan Hicks
Coming off an injury that held him off the field for most of the season, many mock drafters had the Eagles taking a linebacker with one of their few picks. That not happening solidifies Hicks as the linebacker to own in Philly, especially with Mychal Kendricks getting cut and Paul Worillow with a potential ACL injury. Hicks is still a bargain in IDP leagues on a team that funnels tackles to the ‘backers.
Loser: Jalen Mills
This one is a bit of a stretch and finding a loser on the defense after a depleted draft class for the Eagles was tough. The Eagles drafted the likely starting slot corner Avonte Maddox in the fourth round of the draft which could shift Mills to the bench. This one is a stretch because we don’t know the health of last years first second-round pick, Sidney Jones. If Jones is healthy and Maddox wins the slot corner job, Jones and Ronald Darby will be the starting outside corners, leaving Mills as a rotational player.
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- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Defensive Player Dynasty Review - March 13, 2023
- 2022 NFL Scouting Combine: IDP Dynasty Review - March 10, 2022
- 2021 Post-Draft Superflex and Integrated IDP Rookie Mock - May 14, 2021
