Ranking Gute's Top 5 Draft Picks

[El Guapo]

Fourth or lower and you don't have Doubs or Tom on the list?? Edgerrin like Kraft is just too soon to say IMO, best ever is going to be different for each person but I gotta have more to hang my hat on IMO is all. I seriously think Kraft has the potential to take the #1 spot in a season or two if he keeps progressing as he is.

Good points. I think that I waffled on whether to say 4th or 5th round, decided on the 5th and forgot to change the title. Absolutely Tom and Doubs would be up there had my brain been in tune with my fingers.

 

[El Guapo]

I'm convinced I over grade Gary the more I've thought on this and am shocked Runyan hadn't been mentioned till you - for sure immense value find there.

Check out post #7 from 2023

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

5.) Jordan Love 1st Round 2020

4.) Rashan Gary 1st Round 2019

3. Elgton Jenkins 2nd Round 2019

2.) Zack Tom 4th Round 2022

1.) Edgerrin Cooper 2nd Round 2024

Guys just outside the top 5: Jaire Alexander, Rasheed Walker would probably be #6 for me due to being a 7th. Jon Runyan Jr. was a 5th that turned into an above average interior lineman for both the Packers and Giants.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I still like this topic.

Besides the subjectivity of this entire exercise, one thing that should be discussed is what constitutes a good pick. Is it purely how well a player has done in the league (stats and accolades) or does longevity, availability, and injuries factor in? Is draft position a consideration? Is there a minimum number of games played to be eligible? Is it a good pick even if the player went on to other teams and had equal or greater success? Obviously I think that all of these come into play, making it even more subjective.

If Jordan Love isn't in the 5th spot, I think that he is honorable mention. I would pull Gary down in favor of Love. Even though I love Gary he is just not that consistent. If there is no minimum number of games required, I would put Cooper somewhere around #5. Fantastic pick so far with lots of upside and a lot to still learn.

For sure Rasheed Walker needs to be on the overall list. However, if I were to do a Top 5 UFDAs or drafted in the 4th Round or lower, I would choose:
#1 Rasheed Walker - 7th round of 2022 ** has developed into a solid, starting left tackle
#2 Jon Runyan - 6th Round of 2020 ** was a consistent starter for the Packers who left in FA and continues to be a good starter for the Giants
#3 Marquez Valdes-Scantling - 5th round of 2018 ** never a full time starter, but a good field-stretcher that is a good 3rd or 4th WR
#4 Yosh Nijman - UDFA of 2019 ** a versatile backup lineman that made many starts in place of injured Packers over the years
#5 Isaiah McDuffie - 6th round of 2021 ** a solid backup LB who has played in 63 of 68 games in his career, but clearly not great in coverage

Honorable Mention = Karl Brooks - 6th round of 2023 ** a pretty good rotational DL who does not yet seemed to have plateaued

Guapo sorry dude out of 5 guys you mentioned 3 that should've never been drafted or signed to this team.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Got asked last night who I felt were Gute's best draft picks so far, which turned in to Top 5...excellent forum discussion topic so here's mine and reasoning beside. Now this is as of this very moment - with zero games played yet this year.

Honorable mention - MVS (Fifth Round 2018) 19th receiver his draft class...yet has the 6th most yards in that group since. Day 3 guys that make it at WR in the league in a sustained way are rare....since 2018 the list is mightedly small.... it's him, Darnell Mooney, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Hunter Renfrow....that's really it and I gotta mention it. Relative to where he was picked I gotta make him the Honorable Mention over Jordan Love...who for sure could end up #1 on this list if he shows he is the QB of the future (unknown atm).

#5 - Christian Watson (Second Round 2022)
It's early I know, and a lot of unwritten parts of his story are in front of us, but there are just incredible amount of metrics which point to him being special. While many wondered if the NFL would be too big, too much and his speed was his only threat....we saw him getting open on proper reads, footwork/route ability grew a TON and making plays on the ball like he always did. I just couldn't ignore him from the list...call it recency bias or hopeful thinking but kid is special and toss in we didn't even have to use a day one pick bumps this up even more.

#4 - Zach Tom (Fourth Round 2022)
Look, I know two guys right off the bat that could still completely flop...but the fact that arguably one of our top 3 offensive linemen goes by the name Zach Tom already, and he got somehow taken in the fourth is vastly too much to ignore. Someday Bakh is going to be gone, Jenkins and Tom are the future STUDS of this line....because well they already are now. The hurdle jumped to be a Day 3 pick able to come into the trenches of the NFL and succeed when your bell is rung as a rookie, albeit an undersized in many opinions, is just crazy unheard of.

#3 - Elgton Jenkins (Second Round 2019)
The draft that gave us two of the ELITES of their position when healthy. Jenkins has been about as perfect as you can hope for us when healthy and at guard...post-injury his play at tackle when needed wasn't what it used to be, but I don't believe there has been another guard in my lifetime as a Packer fan that I think is as clean as him when it comes to his duties. Whether he plays Tackle in the future post-Bakh or not doesn't matter - he's an all pro guard in the NFL, and he is ours!

#2 - Rashan Gary (First Round 2019)
Look...truthfully if Gary hadn't gotten hurt and continued to be the pressure manic he is, good chance I argue he gets the #1 spot...but a lot of this rides on how his 2023 season unfolds. Gary, until his injury, was being predicted as one of the ELITE of the ELITE edge defenders of the next generation....time to make those folks prophets!

#1 - Jaire Alexander (First Round 2018)
Truthfully speaking Jaire is just plain nasty good. When coordinators let him do his thing, this man is RARELY beat...and not just on a whole game sense, but on a every snap sense too. His eliminations of opposing teams WRs is a list IMO unlike many other CBs in the last decade. In a passing league such as the NFL has become...to truly have a guy that is a shutdown corner like him...the value of that is immense.

That's a great list. I'd swap put Rasheed Walker at #5 and drop Watson. Walker was an absolute steal in round 7 who has played a lot more and been more consistent than Watson. Watson could be on this list one day, but he has too much to prove for now.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Wanted to revisit this now two additional years later. I'll keep the same rankings and one honorable mention...I do have some changes...

#1 - Jaire (First Round 2018) remains his best as he was high draft capital, high performer and when healthy impacts gameplans of opponents 100% of the time.

#2 - Elgton Jenkins (Second Round 2019) Everything as stated is still true, I'd also add in some projection on my part but I sense we are heading towards a third contract for him at some point for being the center of our future (likely will know once 2025 draft is over). In truth I wouldn't be shocked if the announcement breaks we extend Jenkins and plan on him being the center, could pay him like a top 5 Center even and it would be a reduction to his cap hit...but for the sake of Gary's 2024 season I had to swap them.

#3 - Rashan Gary (First Round 2019) Everyone that knows football beyond gradings and such that I talk to doesn't hold to the belief that Gary was bad this year, pressures were down percentage per pass rush snaps quite a bit so I cannot help but pull him down some. What makes the Gary pick elevated more so is the conviction Gute had to pull the pick despite having both Smiths just signed.

#4 - Zach Tom - (Fourth 2022) I don't think it can be understated how quickly Tom came in and absolutely become a rock solid lineman for us. I firmly expect he will be the first and possibly the only expiring contract OL we have after 2025 get an extension given just how high of level of RT play we are getting from him.

#5 - Rasheed Walker - (Seventh 2022) At the time of typing this thread originally Rasheed wasn't even a lock to be our LT let alone predict him to hold down the Left side so well now two years later. To find a guy who year 2 (after not logging a single recorded snap in regular season) could start at LT and then in second year starting be one of the best at pass blocking in the league is just crazy for a Seventh Rounder.

Honorable Mention....could go lots of ways, but in truth to have a third round TE drafted and be in the Top 5 of nearly all big categories for TEs league wide is insane and Tucker Kraft could rapidly fly up this list for me.

Ignore my comment, I just read your first post and then commented. I see you dropped Watson and added Walker. Good move. And Kraft as honorable mention for now is certainly spot on.

It's also interesting how productive MVS has been in his career. He's gotten the most out of his talents and has a ring to show for it.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Runyan appears to have stayed on the field longer than many.

Yeah Runyan is one of those work horses who just quietly does his job and does it well. He's kinda the poster guy for GB O Linemen. A lot of production, not a lot of flash.

 

[DoURant]

We all know how good Zach Tom is... nice to see that a top pass rusher in the league, Will Anderson Jr of the Texans agrees. Anderson was asked who the best OL he has faced in the NFL is, in this article/interview. Anderson has only been in the league for 2 yrs, but he was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, and followed that season with an 11 Sack 2024.

Texans Star Will Anderson Jr. Dishes On NFL's Best Linemen

Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. knows a thing or two about beating pass protection. He also has great opinions on the best linemen in the NFL.

www.si.com

 

[El Guapo]

Guapo sorry dude out of 5 guys you mentioned 3 that should've never been drafted or signed to this team.

No problem. Who would you have put on the list from the 5th round or lower?

 

[tynimiller]

Guapo sorry dude out of 5 guys you mentioned 3 that should've never been drafted or signed to this team.

How in the world did I miss this....in what world or I guess the question is what causes you to believe that 3 of the 5 listed never should have been signed??

Rasheed Walker - Has held down LT for two years now playing above average levels at worst at the position many argue is one of the hardest to do...he cannot be one of the three no?

Jon Runyan - with a measely 6th round pick all we got was a guy who started 50 straight games and weeks without missing a game from week 2 of 2021 to the end of 2023 season despite the last 7 games of 2023 his issues with injuries pushed the team to split time with Rhyan (who was the future anyways). He signed and started in 2024 for the Giants...four year starter in the 6th...surely he isn't one of the 3 that had no business even being signed let alone drafted in your opinion?

MVS...with a 5th rounder all we got was one of the most lethal deep threats in most of his time here in GB, who became one of our best blocking WRs as well. Yes as historically we see in the NFL, deep threats rarely have great catch percentages and MVS was plagued with issues there but geesh...2,153 yards with an amazing 17.5 yards per reception and 13 TDs in his time with the Packers. Given our WR room I would argue GB tried to make MVS serve in a capacity too soon that he was never going to fulfill but dang...give me this type of 5th rounders EVERY YEAR...he cannot be one of the three.

Yosh Nijman...zero draft equity invested in him...became a starter and first up back up Tackle that played his way into a contract elsewhere. He started 13 games in 2022 and did VERY WELL and is the reason he got on so many folks radar for the future. As a UDFA that gave solid snaps in back up and starting surely he isn't one of the three that never should have even been signed a deal here.

Isaiah McDuffie...another 6th rounder like Runyan who when asked has been an average to above average off ball linebacker...2022 in his second season he didn't see a ton of time but still chipped in 43 tackles...third year saw 8 starts and gave 86 tackles and 5 TFLs....this past year he actually logged 17 starts and at times this season looked very athletic compared to in the past and ended the year 3 tackles shy of giving us 100. A 6th rounder who at times this year was one of our most sure handed tacklers out of his position surely isn't one of the three.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

How in the world did I miss this....in what world or I guess the question is what causes you to believe that 3 of the 5 listed never should have been signed??

Rasheed Walker - Has held down LT for two years now playing above average levels at worst at the position many argue is one of the hardest to do...he cannot be one of the three no?

Jon Runyan - with a measely 6th round pick all we got was a guy who started 50 straight games and weeks without missing a game from week 2 of 2021 to the end of 2023 season despite the last 7 games of 2023 his issues with injuries pushed the team to split time with Rhyan (who was the future anyways). He signed and started in 2024 for the Giants...four year starter in the 6th...surely he isn't one of the 3 that had no business even being signed let alone drafted in your opinion?

MVS...with a 5th rounder all we got was one of the most lethal deep threats in most of his time here in GB, who became one of our best blocking WRs as well. Yes as historically we see in the NFL, deep threats rarely have great catch percentages and MVS was plagued with issues there but geesh...2,153 yards with an amazing 17.5 yards per reception and 13 TDs in his time with the Packers. Given our WR room I would argue GB tried to make MVS serve in a capacity too soon that he was never going to fulfill but dang...give me this type of 5th rounders EVERY YEAR...he cannot be one of the three.

Yosh Nijman...zero draft equity invested in him...became a starter and first up back up Tackle that played his way into a contract elsewhere. He started 13 games in 2022 and did VERY WELL and is the reason he got on so many folks radar for the future. As a UDFA that gave solid snaps in back up and starting surely he isn't one of the three that never should have even been signed a deal here.

Isaiah McDuffie...another 6th rounder like Runyan who when asked has been an average to above average off ball linebacker...2022 in his second season he didn't see a ton of time but still chipped in 43 tackles...third year saw 8 starts and gave 86 tackles and 5 TFLs....this past year he actually logged 17 starts and at times this season looked very athletic compared to in the past and ended the year 3 tackles shy of giving us 100. A 6th rounder who at times this year was one of our most sure handed tacklers out of his position surely isn't one of the three.

MVS...Muffquez Valdez...awSHIThedroppedanotherone

Yosh Nijman was nothing more than a below average swing tackle

McDuffie...I've made my point about him several times

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

No problem. Who would you have put on the list from the 5th round or lower?

You asked this question in #34...I answered in #28

 

[tynimiller]

MVS...Muffquez Valdez...awSHIThedroppedanotherone

Yosh Nijman was nothing more than a below average swing tackle

McDuffie...I've made my point about him several times

lol you’re insane.

You keep living in a world expected Day3 picks to be all pros all the time… have fun and I also have an island in the swamps of Mississippi to sell ya

 

[Heyjoe4]

MVS...Muffquez Valdez...awSHIThedroppedanotherone

Yosh Nijman was nothing more than a below average swing tackle

McDuffie...I've made my point about him several times

I won't go so far as to say these guys shouldn't have been drafted or signed. But none of them strikes me as more than JAG. Yosh Nijman had some good years as I recall. They all had some success. Not all draft picks are gonna have a huge impact. With anywhere from seven to eleven guys drafted each year, that's not surprising to me.

But calling MVS a "lethal deep threat" is a one-word-too-long description of his play. He was fast, I'll give him that. But his hands didn't make him a guy who the D needed to worry about much. He was a decent, #3 or #4 WR in the NFL. I think the Packers let him walk to KC for $10 mil/year. $10 mil/year was too much for his production in GB and Gluten was right to let him walk.

Now Rasheed Walker has been a diamond in the rough. A very good LT, taken in, I think, the seventh round.

 

[tynimiller]

JAGs don’t get second contracts, let alone second contracts that aren’t vet minimums…

 

[Heyjoe4]

JAGs don’t get second contracts, let alone second contracts that aren’t vet minimums…

Some of them most certainly get second contracts. It's not a good idea to pose absolutes like "JAGs don't get second contracts". That's most certainly not true.

Beside all that, what constitutes JAG is subjective, so I don't understand why we're giving it this much thought. Someone I see as JAG may be something better to you or to RicFlair. Who cares?

I mostly agree with RicFlair's assessment of MVS, Nijman, and McDuffie - they were, for the most part, just guys. And describing MVS as a "lethal deep threat" may be true for you, and that's fine. I just don't see that. These guys were all contributors. There are a lot of guys at this level in the NFL. Calling some of them JAG is fine. It's too fine a line to discuss further imo.

 

[tynimiller]

Some of them most certainly get second contracts. It's not a good idea to pose absolutes like "JAGs don't get second contracts". That's most certainly not true.

Beside all that, what constitutes JAG is subjective, so I don't understand why we're giving it this much thought. Someone I see as JAG may be something better to you or to RicFlair. Who cares?

I mostly agree with RicFlair's assessment of MVS, Nijman, and McDuffie - they were, for the most part, just guys. And describing MVS as a "lethal deep threat" may be true for you, and that's fine. I just don't see that. These guys were all contributors. There are a lot of guys at this level in the NFL. Calling some of them JAG is fine. It's too fine a line to discuss further imo.

which is why I added that they're not vet minimum types. This league is insanely hard to break into and stay in. Most don't even sniff a second contract above minimums.

MVS was by far as I stated our most lethal deep threat, and statistically was in the league as well. You don't have to like a guy or think he is other worldly to see that...he was a prototypical deep threat with low catch percentage - its' vastly more common than folks want to admit, but I've broken that down historically far too many types to recycle that all again.

 

[Heyjoe4]

which is why I added that they're not vet minimum types. This league is insanely hard to break into and stay in. Most don't even sniff a second contract above minimums.

Yeah that's true, and a good point.

 

[El Guapo]

You asked this question in #34...I answered in #28

You answered the wrong question. You listed top picks. My post was about top picks from the lower rounds. Congratulations.