Heisman Watch Week 3

Week 3 was a big one for the Heisman race. We saw a lot of contenders from last week dropout and some new players who are making their case. Some of these new players have reignited their campaign while others are just now making their case. The number of contenders are possibly higher than they were at any other time this season. It's going to be difficult to rank all of them, but we'll do our very best.

Five players from last week dropped off the rankings. The most notable player is Deondre Francois, the Seminoles QB. He was fourth last week and drops off after accounting for less than a 100 yards and throwing a pick. Two other QBs also dropped off, including Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, both of whom lost to ranked teams (although Kizer had a much better performance than Mayfield did). Two running backs also dropped off: Dalvin Cook of Florida State and Royce Freeman of Oregon. Both backs had subpar games over the weekend.

We have a number of honorable mentions to look at, and all four of them are quarterbacks. Let's give some love to Brad Kaaya of Miami (Fl), Tommy Armstrong Jr. of Nebraska, Josh Dobbs of Tennessee, and Tyler O'Connor of Michigan State. They'll need strong performances going forward in order to bolster their campaigns.

10. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: NR)- Russell finds himself back on our Heisman watch after a strong performance against Rice. He threw for three touchdowns and more than 330 yards and Baylor is now ranked at 16.

9. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: NR)- Fournette's been a little inconsistent thus far this season, but he's now on the rise after running holes through the Bulldogs defense. He ran for 147 yards and two scores while also picking up some receiving yards.

8. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: NR)-  Ward tumbled after suffering a shoulder injury, but he looks to become a serious contender once again. He threw for 326 yards and one score while also rushing for 73 yards and two scores.

7. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: NR)- Pumphrey has recently come out of nowhere to become a serious Heisman contender. He may not play for a big-name team, but he is the nation's leading rusher.

6. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 5)- Chubb takes a slight hit after his lackluster performance against Missouri. He ran for only 63 yards, but the Bulldogs are undefeated and are very much in contention for a playoff spot. If Georgia continues to do well, it will be great for Chubb.

5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: NR)- Peppers is the only defensive player who has made the list thus far this season. But Peppers is more than just a defender: he's also a skilled returner. Against Colorado in Week 3, he returned two kicks for 81 yards and four punts for 99 yards and a score. Add to the fact that he got 9 tackles in the game, and you have the making of a true superstar.

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 6)- Watson barely played against South Carolina State, but in he did still go 12 for 15 while throwing three touchdowns. Watson has yet to have an outstanding game this season, but he's been very consistent. If he wants to go back to New York this year, he'll need to step it up a little bit.

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes star has been excellent thus far this season. In OSU's route of #14 Oklahoma, Barrett threw for 152 yards and four touchdowns while also adding 74 yards on the ground.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 1)- McCaffrey had himself a game against USC on Saturday. He racked up 260 all-purpose yards and two scores while Stanford cruised to a win. The Cardinals are now ranked #7.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 2)- Jackson continues to be the most outstanding player in college football today. In Louisville's dismantling of #2 Florida State, Jackson threw for 216 yards and a score while adding 146 yards and four scores on the ground.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for the newest Heisman edition.

Heisman Watch Week 2

The Heisman campaign is still in the early phases for this season, but we already have a number of key candidates. And of course, we get more and more every single week. This was a relatively quiet week, with only two ranked teams (#15 TCU and #22 Oklahoma State) going down. With a lot of teams having an easy week, we saw a lot of big-name players having good games. But was it enough for them to make our list? Let's find out.

Our drop-offs from last week are Seth Russell, Greg Ward Jr,, and Leonard Fournette, all of whom played very little or not at all last week. Our three honorable mentions go out to Washington's Jake Browning (who has thrown for 8 touchdowns thus far in the season), the Volunteer Josh Dobbs (who threw for three scores against Virginia Tech), and Trevor Knight of Texas A&M (who threw for three scores and 344 yards).

10. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: NR)- Mayfield dropped off last week due to a loss to Houston, but he bounces back after throwing for three touchdowns and 244 yards on Saturday. The Sooners are still ranked at #14. 

9. Royce Freeman, Oregon  (Last Week: NR)- Like Mayfield, Freeman dropped off the list after a weak Week 1 performance. In Week 2 however, he ran for 207 yards and two scores as Oregon beat Virginia. 

8. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame (Last Week: NR)- Kizer was an honorable mention last week, but he moves up after going 16 of 18 for 165 yards and a touchdown (not to mention the one he had on the ground). 

7. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Cook slips a couple of spots, but he still had a good outing against Charleston Southern. The Seminole ran for 80 yards and two scores as Florida State moved up to #2 in the polls.

6. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- Waston has only been trending downwards as the season began, and his performance against Troy really didn't help. Though Clemson won, Watson threw two picks while posting a QBR of 36.5. 

5. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- Chubb had a remarkable game in Week 1, but he slowed down a bit in Week 2. The Bulldogs won, but Chubb only ran for 80 yards and two scores. Not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but a rather pedestrian one for Chubb. 

4. Deondre Francois, Florida State (Last Week: 4)- When the season began, all the Seminole Heisman hype was firmly planted on the shoulders of Francois's teammate, Cook. Now, after throwing for five touchdowns in two games, Francois finds himself one of the Heisman front-runners. 

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- The Buckeyes crushed Tulsa, but Barrett didn't put up eye-popping stats. While he did rush for two scores, he had zero from the air. Of course, the rainy weather is why OSU chose to run the ball more, but it still hurts Barrett a bit. 

2. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 10)- Jackson follows up his incredible Week 1 game by putting on a show in Week 2 against Syracuse. In just two games thus far, Jackson has accounted for thirteen scores. A win over Florida State next week would do wonders for his Heisman campaign,

1. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 1)- McCaffrey holds on to the top spot this week, but just barely. Stanford was inactive this week, but they have a big conference match-up against USC next week.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 1

That might have been one of the wildest opening weekends in college football history. Two top-five teams lost, Texas is relevant for the first time in years, and we saw games from Thursday to Monday. Of course, with so much action, there's a lot of Heisman action to talk about. We finally got to see a lot of the contenders like Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook in action, as well as other possible breakout stars. There's a lot of stuff to talk about, and that's what we'll do here. Let's get started.

Three players dropped off from last week: Royce Freeman of Oregon (who only had 92 yards of total offense), Chad Kelly (who lost to Florida State), and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma (who lost to Houston). We have two players on the honorable mention list: DeShone Kizer of Notre Dame (who accounted for six touchdowns despite losing to Texas) and D'Onta Foreman of Texas (who ran for 131 yards and a score against ND).

10. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: NR)- Jackson turned heads on Thursday when he passed for six touchdowns and rushed for two more when #19 Louisville dismantled Charlotte. The Cardinals are now six spots higher in the rankings and have a chance to compete for the ACC title.

9. Deondre Francois, Florida State (Last Week: NR)- Francois won his first career game when he beat Ole Miss on Monday night. All the Heisman spotlight was on Dalvin Cook and Chad Kelly going into this game, but Francois completely stole the show. He threw for 419 yards and two scores while also rushing for 59 yards.

8. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell threw for 163 yards and four touchdowns as he led Baylor to victory over Northwestern State. On top of that, Baylor now looks like the favorite to win the Big 12.

7. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 1)- Fournette drops out of the top spot after putting up 138 rushing yards and zero scores against Wisconsin as #5 LSU suffered an upset loss. However, next week he faces Jacksonville St.  in what should help him bounce back.

6. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 10)- Ward continues his dark horse Heisman campaign after leading Houston to an upset win over #3 Oklahoma. He threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns, and the Cougars are now #6.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Cook had a bit of a  rough game against Ole Miss, as he only had 91 rushing yards and zero scores. However, he did catch 7 passes for 101 yards as the 'Noles knocked off #11 Ole Miss.

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- #2 Clemson had a bit of a lackluster win against unranked Auburn. His statline wasn't great (248 passing yards with one score and one interception), but at least Clemson won.

3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 6)- Chubb probably had the best game of anyone who was on our Heisman watch last week. He had 222 yards on the ground (to go with his two scores) as Georgia beat #22 UNC.

2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)- Looking back on my list from last week, I can't believe I left Barrett out. He made me pay for that oversight by throwing for 349 yards and accumulating six total touchdowns. Now that he's not fighting for playing time, he's the smartest pick for a Buckeye Heisman winner since Troy Smith.

1. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- I had a tough choice between McCaffrey and Fourntette for the top spot last week, but I see now that McCaffrey was the way to go. Not only did he have 2 rushing scores, but he also picked up 40 receiving yards as well as 44 return yards. At this point, he's the safe pick to win the Heisman.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for an updated Heisman watch.

NFL 2016-2017 Season Preview

Labor Day weekend means two things: a much-needed Monday off and that football season is back. On Thursday night, we'll get a rematch of the most recent Super Bowl- the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. Of course, things are a little bit different now. Denver is without legendary QB Peyton Manning while Carolina has their lead receiver in Kelvin Benjamin back. Of course, we must look at every single team in the NFL, because that's our job. We'll preview every single team, predict the playoffs, and hand out awards. Let's get started.

NFC North:

Minnesota won the division last year, but that's looking less certain this year. Now that their starting QB Teddy Bridgewater is out for the season, things are looking a lot less certain. Sure, they got Sam Bradford, but that's nowhere a guarantee that they'll win the division. Meanwhile, Green Bay is yapping on their heels. Now that Jordy Nelson is back, their offense should be firing on full gear. I'll pick Green Bay to win the division, but Minnesota should absolutely be contending for a wild-card shot.

Unfortunately for Detroit and Chicago, their outlooks are a bit more bleak. Detroit will certainly miss Calvin Johnson and Chicago just doesn't have the talent to match up to GB and the Vikings. That being said, Chicago has the potential to be a lot better than they were last year. Kevin White has returned after missing all of last season while they also picked up Danny Trevathan from the Broncos. The Bears probably won't be that great this year, but they should finish ahead of the Lions.

NFC East:

The Cowboys were ready to win the division, but then Tony Romo went and suffered a season-ending injury. All the other pieces are in place, including first-round pick Ezekiel Elliot. The 'Boys have rookie Dak Prescott ready in place, and he was impressive in the preseason. If he doesn't work out, there's also Mark Sanchez. However, even if one of those two QBs don't work out, this division belongs to last year's winner: Washington. Sure, they have a running back issue (Alfred Morris went to Dallas and Matt Jones is injured) but they also got Josh Norman, arguably the best corner in the NFL. Washington should win this division and Dallas has a chance of fighting for a wild-card spot.

I'll pick New York to finish third over the Eagles. Both teams are problematic, but the Giants still have more talent (like Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., and Sterling Shepard). In fact, there's a small chance of them making the playoffs. It's small, but it exists.

NFC South:

Carolina's the easy pick here. Not only did they win the NFC last year, but they got back Kelvin Benjamin, their young, talented receiver who was out last year. On paper, they might be the most talented team in the league: Cam Newton, Jonathan Stewart, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen, Thomas Davis, Jonathan Stewart, etc.

Out of the three remaining teams (Atlanta, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay), I pick Atlanta to finish second. Dan Quinn didn't provide the complete resurgence many Falcon fans were hoping for, but there were bright spots. Devonta Freeman emerged as one of the best backs in the league and rookie safety Keanu Neal should help the defense out. New Orleans should improve from their dismal season last year, thanks to the departure of Rob Ryan and the addition of TE Coby Fleener. Tampa Bay might surprise us (especially if second-year QB Jameis Winston continues to develop), but a tough division will keep them in the basement.

NFC West:

This is a tough pick between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. Both teams should make the playoffs, but I'm gonna go with Arizona because Seattle didn't really get better this offseason. In fact, you could argue they got worse. They lost o-linemen J.R. Sweezy and Russell Okung as well as defender Brandon Mebane. Meanwhile, Arizona has the full use of breakout star David Johnson. Carson Palmer will continue off his fantastic season last year and should lead his team to the division title. Don't be too disappointed Seattle fans though, they'll almost certainly make the playoffs.

I'll pick the Rams to finish ahead of the 49ers. Jeff Fisher coaching your team pretty much guarantees a 7-9 or 8-8 finish while the 'Niners have plenty of problems, including their quarterback situation. Jared Goff will eventually start, and he'll have a tough learning curve.

AFC North:

This is a two-team division between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Le'Veon Bell's suspension will be mitigated by DeAngelo Williams, but gunslinger Andy Dalton was having a fantastic season last year before falling to injury. If he continues where he picked off last year, Cincy's going to be hard to beat. Their defense is a force to be reckoned and it's the reason why they get the edge over Pitssburgh.

Baltimore has had a bad string of luck with injuries recently. Last year it was former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, now it's pass-catcher Benjamin Watson and running back Kenneth Dixon. These injuries will make it hard for Baltimore to compete with Cincy and Pittsburgh, but at least they'll be ahead of Cleveland. Speaking of the Browns, it's hard to not think they'll improve from last season. They have a new head coach Hue Jackson and new QB RG3, plus WR Josh Gordon is finally back. They'll probably still be better than last year, but it's hard to picture them finishing in the top three.

AFC East:

It doesn't matter if Tom Brady is suspended for four games, the Patriots are still the clear facorites in their division. Jimmy G can handle things well enough and when Bill Belichick is your coach, things are always good. Their team is full of talented players like Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, and Julian Edelman.

I'm picking the Jets to finish second, as they did last year. Ryan Fitzpatrick is back and Rex Ryan has done a good job with the New York defense. I'm picking the Dolphins to finish third. Yes, they have problems with their running game, but Ryan Tannehill is a franchise QB with some good targets. It's tough to put the Bills at the bottom, as they have a talented team, including Tyrod Taylor, Sammy Watkins, and LeSean McCoy.

AFC South:

This is tough, as Andrew Luck is back, but I still have to go with the Texans. Their passing game was arguable their biggest weakness last year, but thanks to the additions of Brock Osweiler and Will Fuller, things are looking up. Plus, the QB situation wasn't the only problem in Indy last year. Frank Gore failed to live up to expectations while they lost TE Coby Fleener. Indy will make things difficult for the Texans, but I expect Bill O'Brien's team to win out.

The Jaguars are ready for a breakout season, thanks to a number of factors. Donte Fowler Jr. is ready to make his season debut after being injured all of his rookie season. They also drafted the very athletic Myles Jacks well as DB Jalen Ramsey. The Titans will continue to struggle, especially if they can't protect Marcus Mariota.

AFC West:

The defending champs are the clear favorites in this division. Sure, they lost a lot of talent (like Mailk Jackson, Peyton Manning, and Danny Trevathan), but they have plenty of other talented players (like Von Miller, CJ Anderson, and Demariyus Thomas). They're easily the best team in this division.

The Oakland Raiders are ready for a breakout season thanks to the emergence of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper. Sure, they lost Charles Woodson to retirement, but they also got a number of other talented players on defense, like Khalil Mack. Unfortunately, I still think they're falling short of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are coached by Andy Reid, one of the best coaches in the league, and they have talented players like Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, and Alex Smith. The San Diego Chargers will finish at the bottom of the division. They have a franchise QB and talented team, but the other teams should have them beat.

Projected NFC Seedings: 1) Carolina Panthers 2) Arizona Cardinals 3) Green Bay Packers
4) Washington Redskins 5) Seattle Seahawks 6) Minnesota Vikings

Projected AFC Seedings: 1) Denver Broncos 2) New England Patriots 3) Cincinnati Bengals
4) Houston Texans 5) Pittsburgh Steelers 6) Kansas City Chiefs

Playoff Predictions:

The Packers take on their division rivals in the first round. I'm going to take the more experienced team here and say Green Bay moves on. In the other NFC wild-card game, we see Seattle at Washington. I got to go with Seattle on this one, they're a better team overall. The Seahawks then take on Carolina, and just like last year, I predict the Panthers win. In the other second-round match, I predict Green Bay takes out Arizona in the upset. Remember, their playoff match last year was extremely close and the Packers didn't have Jordy Nelson then. Finally, in the NFC title game, Carolina outlasts Green Bay to move on to their second straight Super Bowl.

We open the AFC side of things with KC at Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at Houston. I know Cincy has a problem getting it done in the first round of the playoffs, but I predict their luck changes this year. I also predict the Steelers outplay Houston to move on. In the second round, I'm going with the upset and taking Pittsburgh over New England. It's a bit of a risky pick, but I just think Pittsburgh has more pieces than the Pats. Meanwhile, Denver outlasts Cincinnati to move on. In the AFC title game, I'll pick the Steelers to outlast Denver, as the pressure is too much for their young QB.

In the Super Bowl, I'm picking Carolina over Pittsburgh. Carolina has an absolutely loaded team and they will be looking to bounce back from their humiliating defeat last week. The MVP: QB Cam Newton, who has one helluva game.

Regular Season Awards:
MVP: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears
Coach of the Year: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 0

After about 7 months of waiting, the college football season is back. It's been a long wait for it, but it looks like it's all going to be worth it. The off-season was exciting (thanks to stories like John Harbaugh's antics in the South and QB battles at schools like Notre Dame and Alabama), but it has nothing on the drama and intrigue of the real season.

Of course, along with the college football season comes the Heisman Trophy, the single-most prestigious trophy awarded to an individual athlete. It may be too early to already pick a Heisman favorite, but what's the fun in waiting. Our weekly Heisman watch will kick off with our Top 10 contenders and some honorable mentions. Let's get started.

There are plenty of honorable mentions to give out, but we'll highlight a few: QB Brad Kaaya of Miami (Fl), Josh Rosen of UCLA, and whoever the starting QB of Notre Dame is. With that being said, let's get to our list.

10. Greg Ward Jr., Houston- This may seem like an odd pick, but Ward really has the skills to pull off this upset. He passed for over 2,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. However, he'll need to lead his team to a victory over Oklahoma in Week 1 in order to win the Heisman.

9. Royce Freeman, Oregon- The Oregon running back had a great season last year, but was overshadowed by other backs (like Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliot). Now, he's poised to have a real breakout year.

8. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss- This might seem like another odd pick, but Kelly and Ole Miss had a great season last year, topped off by Kelly throwing for more than 4,000 yards. He's currently the best quarterback in the SEC and if he keeps winning, he'll stay in the Heisman conversation.

7. Seth Russell, Baylor- Russell had limited playing time last year, but he shone whenever he did. Quarterbacks have always done well in Baylor's system (like Robert Griffin III), so everything is set up for Russell to succeed.

6. Nick Chubb, Georgia- Chubb was looking fantastic last season before suffering a terrible season-ending injury. Now that he's completely healthy, look for him to run rampant all over opposing defenses.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida St- Cook might have been a little under-the-radar last season, but he still had a great year. In total, he rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns. If FSU does well this year, Cook will have a lot to do with it.

4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma- Mayfield was one of last season's biggest breakout stars and Oklahoma ended up making the College Football Playoffs. If Oklahoma does well again this season, Mayfield will definitely be a Heisman finalist.

3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson- Watson is easily one of the biggest preseason favorites. Not only did he play in the national title game last year, but he was a Heisman finalist. There's a very good chance he can do the same thing again this year.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford- Last year, McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders's single-season all-purpose yards record, and it was good enough to have him finish second in the Heisman voting. If he has a season anything like that again, he'll be a lock for New York.

1. Leonard Fournette, LSU- By the midway point of last season, Fournette was easily the Heisman leader. Unfortunately, he had a string of bad games that essentially derailed his candidacy. This year however, could be the season that Fournette goes the distance.

Thanks for reading everyone.

6 NFL Teams who had Great Offseasons and 4 who Didn'tt

The NFL offseason is one of the most exciting off-seasons in all of sports. With free-agency, trades, the combine, draft, and more, it's a very expecting time to be a football fan. Now that the draft is over, the off-season is over. There's nothing really left to do but wait for training camp this summer. Since the off-season is now over, we can look back and look at it as a whole. Although we can't fully and realistically grade it until after a few years when we see how everything turns out, we're going to do our best now. We're going to identify six teams that had a great off-season and four who didn't. Let's get started.

Great

6. Tennessee Titans- The biggest part of their success came from trading their #1 overall draft pick to Los Angeles for a bunch of other picks. Their biggest pick came at #8 (the Rams' original spot): T Jack Conklin. This was a great pick, as he was the best offensive-linemen still on the board (Ronnie Stanley was already drafted and Laremy Tunsil's character issues sent him sliding) and the Titans need to protect Marcus Mariota (who was injured last season), the man they see as their franchise QB. They also got defensive end Kevin Dodd from Clemson, who's got all the physical attributes to be a playmaker in the NFL, and Heisman winner Derrick Henry, who will give a much-needed spark to their run game.

They also resigned TE Delanie Walker, who was a big target for Mariota last season and one of the league's best. On top of that, they also signed WR Rishard Matthews (giving Mariota a new target), traded for RB DeMarco Murray (who should do better than he did last season with the Eagles), and got QB Matt Cassel (who will be a good backup in case Mariota goes down again).

All in all, a very productive offseason for the Titans. They won't be contending for the playoffs next season, but this is definitely a move in the right direction.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- The Bucs flew under-the-radar a bit, but they still made a splash. Their defense was the real issue last season, so they focused on it in the draft. With a crop headlined by Vernon Hargreaves and Noah Spence, this is a solid draft class. Spence is a Round 1 talent but dropped because of character issues. Hargreaves meanwhile, has top ten talent. The 'Bucs also got kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round. While this move was subject to a lot of internet ridicule, Aguayo is an elite kicker in a league that now features longer extra points.

Their biggest free-agent move was resigning elite RB Doug Martin. They also further addressed their defense by adding CB Brent Grimes, who's an elite corner despite having some baggage (his wife), and DE Robert Ayers, who had a great season last year in New York. TB also picked up Seattle guard J.R. Sweezy.

The 'Bucs play in a tough division (Carolina, New Orleans, and Atlanta), so don't expect them to chase the division crown next year. Nonetheless, they did get a lot better this offseason. They should be making the playoffs within a few years.

4. Houston Texans- Yet another AFC South team to come out of the offseason stronger, the Texans added a bunch of offensive firepower in their quest to retain the division crown next season. After all, it was their defense (thanks to guys like J.J. Watt, Jonathan Joseph, Brian Cushing, and Vince Wilfork) that led them to the playoffs. The Texans had very little stability at the QB position last year, but they remedied that by landing one of the biggest free-agent targets: QB Brock Osweiler. They also got Lamar Miller, who was very productive for the Dolphins over the last few seasons. He should make up for losing Arian Foster (who was injured for most of last season anyways).

At the draft, Houston loaded up even more on offense. They used their first-round pick to trade up and get Notre Dame's Will Fuller. The Texans already have an elite WR1 in DeAndre Hopkins, but Fuller is a speedster who is great with the deep-ball. He and Osweiler should work well together. The Texans also drafted Fuller's teammate Nick Martin (one of the top ten o-linemen in the draft) and the incredibly athletic Braxton Miller.

By making significant improvements to their offense, the Texans have to be the favorites to win the AFC South next year.

3. Baltimore Ravens- Like Tampa, Baltimore quietly had a very good offseason. They used the sixth pick in the draft to get Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley, something that will hopefully help them forget about Kelechi Osmele. They also drafted the talented back Kenneth Dixon and Navy's Keenan Reynolds, someone who should make big plays and will be an upstanding guy in the locker room.

Along with Osmele, the Ravens also said goodbye to safety Will Hill. However, signing Eric Weddle away from SD is an upgrade. They also kept elite kicker Justin Tucker and receiver Kamar Aiken, who brokeout last season. They also added Mike Wallace from Minnesota and TE Ben Watson, who brokeout last season with the Saints.

As good as that all is, possibly the best news for Ravens fans is that Joe Flacco is coming back. Their franchise QB and former Super Bowl MVP missed a lot of playing time last year and having Jimmy Clausen just wasn't the same. With Flacco back, expect the Ravens to push for the playoffs.

2. Oakland Raiders- The Raiders had a fantastic offseason, starting with free agency. They signed Kelechi Osmele away from Baltimore. This is a huge coup, as Osmele is one of the league's best guards and is only 27. They also signed Seattle's Bruce Irwin, which should help the defense. Though the Raiders lost the legendary Charles Woodson to retirement, they signed safety Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith from the Chiefs, so the secondary looks strong. They also resigned Marquette King (one of the league's best punters) and OT Donald Penn, a very reliable player.

The Raiders further stocked up on their secondary options by drafting West Virginia safety Karl Joseph in the first round. They also drafted Shilique Calhoun from MSU (which will help ease the sting of Justin Tuck's retirement) and Calhoun's teammate Connor Cook. The Raiders already have a franchise QB in Derek Carr, but Cook should prove to be a reliable backup.

Thanks to a great offseason, the Raiders are actually playoff contenders next season.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Indianapolis better be worried, as every single team in their division had a strong offseason. However, Jacksonville unarguably had the best offseason of any team in the league. It all started when they signed DE Malik Jackson (one of the biggest free-agency prizes) away from the defending Super Bowl champs. The Jags also resigned talented TE Mercedes Lewis. They then bolstered their secondary by acquiring S Tashaun Gipson (one of the few bright spots in Cleveland last season) and the talented Prince Amukamara. To top it off, they nabbed RB Chris Ivory, who had a great season last year in New York.

As good as they were in free agency, they were even better in the draft. In fact, any draft expert will tell you Jacksonville had the best draft of anyone. It started off with them taking Jalen Ramsey with the fifth pick overall. Then, in the second round, they took Myles Jack of UCLA. With that, they managed to score arguably the two best defensive talents in the entire draft. They also drafted Sheldon Day of Notre Dame, another man who can contribute to the defense.

All in all, a fantastic offseason for Jacksonville. The possible cherry on top: their first-round pick in 2015 (Donte Fowler Jr.) is ready to go after missing all of last season due to injury. We could see Jacksonville making the playoffs this year.

Not so Great

4. New England Patriots- The Pats were handicapped by not having a first-round draft pick, but they didn't make it up anywhere else. If you had to sum up their draft in one word, it would be "disappointing". Their biggest pick was QB Jacoby Brissett at 91, a pick that makes absolutely no sense. Yes, Brady has been suspended for four games, but that's what Jimmy Garoppolo is there for. Brissett could have been picked up later, the 91 pick would have been better used getting a weapon for Brady. A lack of receivers was an issue last season, and while Malcolm Mitchell is talented (they got him with pick #112), he's not enough.

New England also failed to make a splash in free agency. The only notable FA they signed were Chris Long (who's past his prime) and Terrance Knighton (who actually may help). On top of that: nothing. They even lost WR Brandon LaFell to Cincy, contributing to their WR problems.

New England's obviously gunning for the Super Bowl, and they are contenders. However, there are teams talented than them, and they should have used this offseason to get better. Instead, they sat on their hands.

3. San Francisco 49ers- The 'Niners hired Chip Kelly (fresh off a contentious stint in Philly) as their new HC. While that move may ultimately work out, it's hard to see it as a huge positive right now. Their biggest offseason story revolved around QB Colin Kaepernick. It looks like Kap is their QB of the future, but things are not exactly off to a hot start. In free agency, San Fran was pretty much a dud. The only real star they got was Zane Beadles, a guard from Jacksonville.

The team also had trouble making an impact in the draft. The only real star they got was Oregon's DeForest Buckner, a defensive star. They traded up for a late first-round pick and essentially wasted it on G Joshua Garnett of Stanford. There were much better targets (including offensive-linemen) available, so this made absolutely no sense.

The 49ers will not be anywhere near the playoffs this season, especially since they play in a division with Arizona and Seattle. This offseason should have been a good step on the path to rebuilding, but it looks like their engine has stalled.

2. Seattle Seahawks- It all started going downhill when Marshawn Lynch, one of the league's true elite running backs, decided to retire. While Thomas Rawls proved himself a capable back last season, he's fairly unproven and has still not fully taken over Lynch's role. They did draft Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise and Alex Collins from Arkansas, so that should help a little bit. Unlike San Fran and NE, they actually had a decent draft. Their first-round pick (Germain Ifedi of Texas A&M) should start while Jarran Reed of Alabama will make an impact on the defense.

However, Seattle struggled in free agency. None of their new signings are worth talking about, and they lost two members of the o-line: J.R. Sweezy and Russell Okung. They also lost defender Brandon Mebane to San Diego.

The 'Hawks should have spent their offseason trying to make up the ground between them and Carolina (and Arizona), but they ultimately failed to make a huge impact.

1. Denver Broncos-  Ask any football expert, and odds are they'll say Denver had one of the worst offseasons in the entire league. Their issues revolved around the QB position. Thanks to Peyton Manning retiring and Brock Osweiler signing with Houston, the Broncos had Mark Sanchez as their starter. No offense to Sanchez, but come on. They also lost key defenders Danny Trevathan and Malik Jackson & guard Evan Mathis. They did get Russell Okung from Seattle, but made no other impactful free-agent signings.

The Broncos did draft Memphis QB Paxton Lynch in the first round, and he should be the starter. However, Lynch is unproven and it remains to be seen whether or not he will succeed in the NFL. The only other standout pick was Ute back Devontae Booker, who was a Heisman contender last season. He should be a good backup for C.J. Anderson.

The Broncos really have their work cut out for them defending their title, and this offseason really highlighted that.

Thanks for reading everyone.

45 Great Picks from the Last 2 Days of the 2016 NFL Draft

We already did a pick-by-pick analysis of the first round, but there's much more going on in the next six rounds. After all, much more players are taken in those rounds and they have plenty of star potential. Current NFL stars who were drafted in Days 2 and 3 include Tom Brady, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Travis Kelce, DeSean Jackson, Golden Tate, Josh Norman, Tyrann Matthieu, and Kawann Short. Out of all the players drafted in Rounds 2-7 this year, there are definitely some future Hall of Famers and Super Bowl winners. In this article we'll look at 30 picks that we here at The Sports Examiner loved. Let's get started.

45. New Orleans Saints: Michael Thomas, WR (Ohio State): Rd. 2, Pick 16 (Overall: 47)- Thomas was a big play-maker for the Buckeyes and will be a good target for Drew Brees.

44. New York Jets: Christian Hackenberg, QB (Penn St.): Rd. 2, Pick 20, Overall (51): The Jets have yet to resign Ryan Fitzpatrick, so drafting a QB seems like a smart move. Hackenberg is a great player who should be a successful slinger for NYJ.

43. Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick 1 (Overall: 32)- Getting Ogbah significantly helps the Browns' pass-rushing efforts, something that is important in a division with Big Ben, Andy Dalton, and Joe Flacco.

42. Cincinnati Bengals: Andrew Billings, NT (Baylor): Rd. 4, Pick 24 (Overall: 122)- The Bengals are a pretty stacked team, so they went for one of the best guys still on the board. Billings should learn a lot working with Geno Atkins.

41. Houston Texans (from Atlanta): Nick Martin, OG (Notre Dame): Rd. 2, Pick 19 (Overall: 50)- Though his older brother Zack is a better talent, Martin will help protect Brock Osweiler and create room for Lamar Miller.

40. Washington Redskins: Su'a Cravens, OLB (USC): Rd. 2, Pick 22 (Overall: 53)- As I said in the previous post, the main issue the Redskins had to address was their defense. Getting a playmaker like Cravens helps to address that.

39. New York Giants: Sterling Shephard, WR (Oklahoma): Rd. 2, Pick 9 (Overall: 40)- I would rather the Giants picked up a defensive player, but having another playmaker on your offense (along with Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz) certainly doesn't hurt.

38. Buffalo Bills (compensatory selection): Cardale Jones, QB (Ohio State): Rd. 4, Pick 41 (Overall: 139)- The Bills seem to have found their franchise QB in Tyrod Taylor, but having a man who knows how to win as your backup doesn't hurt. Jones has what it takes to be a franchise QB in this league, maybe even in Buffalo.

37. San Diego Chargers: Hunter Henry, TE (Arkansas): Rd. 2, Pick 4 (Overall: 35)- Henry was the best TE of this class and gives Phillip Rivers another target. A double-TE lineup with Antonio Gates could reap huge dividends for SD.

36. Kansas City Chiefs (from Tampa Bay): KeiVarae Russell, CB (Notre Dame): Rd. 3, Pick 11 (Overall: 74)- Russell is a sneaky-good corner who was a big reason Notre Dame did so well last season. The Chiefs should be in the playoff hunt this year, so Russell should get some invaluable playing-time and experience.

35. Detroit Lions: A'Shawn Robinson, DT (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 15 (Overall: 46)- The Lions' defensive line has not been the same since losing Ndamkong Suh, so this was a very smart pick.

34. Baltimore Ravens: Keenan Reynolds, RB (Navy): Rd. 6, Pick 7 (Overall: 182)- I love this pick. Reynolds had one of the best collegiate careers of all-time and this pick allows him to stay in-state.

33. New Orleans Saints (from New England via Arizona): Vonn Bell, FS (Ohio State): Rd. 2, Pick 30 (Overall: 61)- Like I said in the previous post, NO had a weak defense last year, so picking Bell was a good move. The former Buckeye could start at the beginning of the season.

32. Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Boyd, WR (Pittsburgh): Rd. 2, Pick 24 (Overall: 55)- I like this move. The Bengals lost Marvin Jones to the Lions, so there is room for Boyd here. Working with A.J. Green (unarguably one of the best receivers in the league) also helps Boyd. The former Panther could become an important cog in a team looking to win the Super Bowl.

31. Chicago Bears (from Seattle): Cody Whitehair, OG (Kansas St.): Rd. 2 Pick 25 (Overall: 56)- Whitehair was one of the best o-linemen in the draft and it feels a need for the Bears, so this is a good pick.

30. Denver Broncos (compensatory selection); Devontae Booker, RB (Utah): Rd. 4, Pick 38 (Overall: 136)- The Broncos have C.J. Anderson, but Booker is a great back who runs hard, so the Broncos' offense will not suffer whenever Anderson is taking a break on the sidelines.

29. Los Angeles Rams (from Chicago via Buffalo): Pharoh Cooper, WR (South Carolina): Rd. 4, Pick 19 (Overall: 117)- If Jared Goff is to succeed in L.A., he's going to need weapons. He already has Tavon Austin and Todd Gurley, but adding another one only helps him.

28. Cleveland Browns (from Oakland): Ricardo Louis, WR (Auburn): Rd. 4, Pick 16 (Overall: 114)- Louis is most famous for his miracle catch against Georgia in 2013 and he's another deep-ball threat (along with Corey Coleman) for RG3.

27. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection): Dak Prescott, QB (Mississippi St.): Rd. 4, Pick 37 (Overall: 135)- After Tony Romo went down last season, the 'Boys struggled with Matt Cassel. If that should happen again this season, Dallas might have a better shot with Prescott.

26. Green Bay Packers (from Indianapolis): Jason Spriggs, T (Indiana): Rd. 2, Pick 17 (Overall: 48)- Eddie Lacy didn't have the fantastic season last year as many expected him to have, so adding a top-notch offensive linemen (and one many expected to go in the first round) should help.

25. Cleveland Browns (from Miami via New England): Scooby Wright III, ILB (Arizona); Rd. 7, Pick 29 (Overall 250)- If you look up the word "steal" in the dictionary, you'll find this pick. Wright is an incredibly talented and athletic linebacker who could make a real impact in Ohio.

24. Washington Redskins: Keith Marshall, RB (Georgia); Rd. 7, Pick 21 (Overall 240)- Most of the Georgia rushing game in the last few years has centered around Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb (and rightfully so), but Marshall is also a capable back that might be able to help the 'Skins forget about Alfred Morris.

23. New York Giants: Paul Perkins, RB (UCLA): Rd. 5, Pick 10 (Overall: 149)- The Giants have a great passing game (thanks to guys like Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr.), but their rushing game is not as great. Having a guy like Perkins who is a bruiser and runs hard can change that.

22. Oakland Raiders: Shilique Calhoun, DE (Michigan State): Rd. 3, Pick 12 (Overall: 75)- Calhoun made a name for himself in the Big 10 as a ferocious pass-rusher and he should make an impact in Nor Cal.

21. Cleveland Browns: Spencer Drango, OG (Baylor): Rd. 5, Pick 31 (Overall: 168)- The Browns need plenty of help rebuilding, so adding a top-tier talent certainly helps.

20. Detroit Lions: Jake Rudock, QB (Michigan): Rd. 5, Pick 16 (Overall: 191)- The Lions need a backup QB for Matthew Stafford, so might as well get a good, in-state QB.

19. Chicago Bears: Jordan Howard, RB (Indiana): Rd. 5, Pick 111 (Overall: 150)- The Bears lost their elite RB Matt Forte, so there is a big opportunity for Howard to shine.

18. Minnesota Vikings: Mackensie Alexander, CB (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick: 23 (Overall: 54)- Alexander has first-round potential, so getting him in the second round is a steal.

17. San Diego Chargers: Max Tuerk, C (USC): Rd. 3, Pick 3 (Overall: 66)- The Chargers' run-game was disappointing last season (especially Melvin Gordon) so getting the second-best center in the draft is a smart move.

16. Cleveland Browns (compensatory selection): Rashard Higgins, WR (Colorado State): Rd. 5, Pick 35 (Overall: 172)- Higgins was once considered one of the best receivers in the nation and he should be one of the front-runners for Cleveland's breakout star next year.

15. Seattle Seahawks: C.J. Prosise, RB (Notre Dame): Rd. 3, Pick 27 (Overall: 90)- It looks like Thomas Rawls will be the starting rusher for Seattle next year, but Prosise (who was a Heisman contender last year) will be more than a competent backup.

14. Cleveland Browns (from Carolina): Cody Kessler, QB (USC): Rd. 3, Pick 91 (Overall: 93)- Kessler played well at USC. He probably won't get the chance to start in Cleveland, but he should be more than a serviceable back-up.

13. Seattle Seahawks (compensatory selection): Alex Collins, RB (Arkansas): Rd. 5, Pick 134 (Overall: 171)- See #13 (except for the Heisman contender part).

12. Jacksonville Jaguars: Sheldon Day, DT (Notre Dame); Rd. 4, Pick 5 (Overall: 103)- Day was a big part of ND's disruptive defensive-line last year. Jacksonville has a lot of young defensive talent, including Day, Jalen Ramsey, and Donte Fowler Jr.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (from Seattle): Kevin Hogan, QB (Stanford): Rd. 5, Pick 125 (Overall: 162)- Hogan is the most successful Stanford QB ever (and that includes guys like John Elway and Andrew Luck). He has all the tools to be a franchise QB and will learn a lot from Alex Smith and Andy Reid. I think he fits perfectly into KC's offensive scheme.

10. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Malcolm Mitchell, WR (Georgia): Rd. 4, Pick 14 (Overall: 112)- It's no secret that the Pats have had receiver issues in recent years, so adding the underrated Mitchell is smart.

9. Buffalo Bills (from Chicago): Reggie Ragland, ILB (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 10 (Overall: 41)- Buffalo's defense was surprisingly disappointing last season, so getting Ragland may be that spark they need.

8. Miami Dolphins: Kenyan Drake, RB (Alabama): Rd. 3, Pick 10 (Overall: 73)- The Dolphins lost Lamar Miller, and Drake can be the man to fill that hole. He's a great back with lots of potential.

7. Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry, RB (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 14 (Overall: 45)- The Heisman winner from last season should run like crazy in Tennessee, especially now that Jack Conklin is there. The o-line still needs work, but Henry should be productive next year.

6. Houston Texans: Braxton Miller, WR (Ohio State): Rd. 3, Pick 22 (Overall: 85)- Miller is a phenomenal athlete who's only been playing WR for a season. Expect Bill O'Brien to tap into Miller's potential.

5. Tennessee Titans, Kevin Dodd, DE (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick 2 (Overall: 33)- Dodd is an impressive physical specimen who can really transform Tennesse's lackluster defense.

4. Seattle Seahawks (from Chicago via Buffalo): Jarran Reed, DT (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 18 (Overall: 49)- Reed is a guy who many believe should have gone in the first round, so this is a steal for Pete Carroll and the 'Hawks.

3. Oakland Raiders (from Cleveland via Philadelphia via Tennessee): Connor Cook, QB (Michigan State)- The Raiders have their franchise QB in Derek Carr, but having Cook gives them a competent back-up. The fact that Cook fell all the way to Day 3 is a shock.

2. Dallas Cowboys: Jaylon Smith, OLB (Notre Dame): Rd. 2, Pick 3 (Overall: 34)- One of the best picks in the entire draft. Not only did it create an intensely emotional moment, but it was a super smart pick. If he wasn't injured, Smith would probably be a top five pick. Though he will not be playing next season, he should be good to go for 2017, a time where Dallas wants to be a Super Bowl contender. This was a smart future pick

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack, OLB (UCLA): Rd. 2, Pick 5 (Overall: 36)- Arguably the best pick in the entire draft. Jack is one of the best athletes in the entire draft and would probably be a top five pick if it weren't for his knee issues. He can play next year and will be a vital part of a young but talented team (that includes guys like Jalen Ramsey, Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Donte Fowler Jr, and Allen Hurns) looking for a playoff spot.

How did your team do in the draft? Comment and let me know.