2018 NFL Draft Recap, pick-by-pick: AFC West
6 min read
AFC WEST
| Denver
Broncos |
 Notable pick: Chubb will get a lot of one-on-one matchups working opposite Von Miller. It won’t be good for AFC West opponents. Freeman may be the grinder the Broncos need to control the clock and set up the play action pass game for Case Keenum. This could take pressure off of the team’s offensive tackles. |
|||
| Round,
Selection,
|
Player | School | DN Big Board
Rank/ Grade |
‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (5) | Bradley
Chubb DE-6’4 269 |
NC State | 1 (1st Round) | Chubb took his game to the next level in 2017 by adding a deft swipe move to complement his ability to post tackles. He will get even more tutelage from the NFL’s best in Von Miller. |
| 2 (40) | Courtland
Sutton WR-6’3 218 |
SMU | 28 (2nd Round) | Sutton has all of the skills to develop into a No. 1 WR in the NFL. It won’t happen if he doesn’t eliminate the drops that show up once per game. |
| 3 (71) | Royce
Freeman RB-5’11 229 |
Oregon | 27 (2nd Round) | He ran for over 5,600 yards and scored 60 TDs in school. At nearly 230 pounds, he runs with a light-footed nature. |
| 3 (99) | Isaac
Yiadom CB-6’1 190 |
Boston College | 166 (4th Round) | Yiadom is one of the better cornerbacks in the draft playing with his back to the ball. Despite just adequate recovery speed, his length (32 ¼” arms) increases his recovery ability. |
| 4 (106) | Josey
Jewell LB-6’1 234 |
Iowa | 104 (3rd Round) | Jewell’s instincts are top-notch and he is adept at making in-game adjustments to combat offensive personnel. |
| 4 (113) | DaeSean
Hamilton WR-6’1 202 |
Penn State | 63 (2nd Round) | Hamilton brings slot quickness and outside wide receiver size to a unit that will move him around to create mismatches. |
| 5 (156) | Troy
Fumagalli TE-6’5 247 |
Wisconsin | 337 (5th Round | Fumagalli is yet another pass receiving option for the Broncos in the middle of the field for Case Keenum. He’s not a burner, but he catches everything in his area code. |
| 6 (217) | Keishawn Bierria
LB-6’0 230 |
Washington | 342 (5th Round) | Back-to-back second-team All-Pac-12 selection was a factor on the kickoff team in school…too. |
| 7 (226) | David Williams
RB-5’11 229 |
Arkansas, South Carolina | 301 (4th Round) | The Broncos have struck gold in the past with late round running backs. The former Gamecock averaged 5.6 yards per carry for the Razorbacks in a pro-style scheme in 2017. |
| Kansas
City Chiefs |
 Notable pick: Watts was dinged for average workouts prior to the draft. When teams look back at this draft, he could become one of the value picks in this class. |
|||
| Round,
Selection,
|
Player | School | DN Big Board
Rank/ Grade |
‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 2 (46) | Breeland
Speaks DL-6’3 283 |
Ole Miss | 77 (3rd Round) | Speaks has the look of current Jacksonville Jaguars DL Malik Jackson. Like Jackson, he may be underrated coming out of school. Speaks is athletic enough to play either the end or OLB spots. |
| 3 (75) | Derrick
Nnadi DT-6’1 317 |
FSU | 109 (3rd Round) | For a 6-foot-1 defensive tackle, he established lockout on a consistent basis. Very good instincts. |
| 3 (100) | Dorian
O’Daniel LB-6’0 5/8 223 |
Clemson | 162 (3rd Round) | O’Daniel covers the slot, RBs and is an outstanding special teams prospect. |
| 4 (124) | Armani
Watts S-5’10 202 |
Texas A&M | 64 (3rd Round) | Watts may have been the most active run-defending safety in the SEC. He contributed 4 INTs in 2017. |
| 6 (196) | Tremon
Smith CB-5’11 186 |
Central Arkansas | 248 (4th Round) | Smith was a terror in 2017 once he got his hands on the ball. He drops his weight to sink vs. intermediate routes and plays through the hands of bigger WRs in the Red Zone. |
| 6 (198) | Kahlil
McKenzie DT-6’4 314 |
Tennessee | 338 (5th Round) | Despite being a DT in school, the Chiefs plan on moving him to the guard position. He looked good at this spot in pre-draft workouts. |
| Oakland
Raiders |
 Notable pick: Hall could end up becoming the team’s best find. His collegiate productivity was unmatched and his versatility will open up the team’s defensive fronts. Despite average length for a DT, he produced 29 pass break-ups in school. |
|||
| Round,
Selection,
|
Player | School | DN Big Board
Rank/ Grade |
‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (15) | Kolton
Miller OT-6’9 309 |
UCLA | 65 (3rd Round) | Miller has rare athleticism for a man of his size. His 23 career starts were a result of missing most of 2016 due to injury. Developing an anchor will be a key for Miller. |
| 2 (57) | P.J.
Hall DL-6’0 308 |
Sam Houston St. | 23 (2nd Round) | Hall posted 86.5 tackles for losses in school and blocked 14 kicks. In addition, he found time to post four interceptions. |
| 3 (65) | Brandon
Parker OT-6’7 305 |
NC A&T | 126 (3rd Round) | Parker –much like Miller- needs improvement in terms of core strength. Also –like Miller- he has positive finishing instincts as a blocker. |
| 3 (87) Trade from Los Angeles Rams | Arden Key
DE-6’5 238 |
LSU | 84 (3rd Round) | If he can return to his 2016-form, the Raiders may have gotten another sub-package pass rush threat. |
| 4 (110) | Nick Nelson
CB-5’10 200 |
Wisconsin, Hawaii | 60 (2nd Round) | Nelson’s meniscus injury prior to the draft caused a slight slide. He may have gone a round higher. Dating back to his days at Hawaii, his footwork has always been his best friend. |
| 5 (140) | Maurice
Hurst DL-6’1 291 |
Michigan | 76 (3rd Round) | Medical concerns made Hurst a Day 3 pick. The Raiders got a player who is instant off the ball and wins with a slippery nature. He will push Eddie Vanderdoes. |
| 5 (173) | Johnny
Townsend P-6’1 211 |
Florida | 437 (5th Round) | This may have been the team’s most important pick for its defense. The release of Marquette King necessitated it earlier than expected. Townsend struggled out-kicking his coverage units in school. |
| 6 (216) | Azeem
Victor LB-6’2 240 |
Washington | 365 (5th Round) | It seems like ages since Victor produced 95 tackles and 9.5 tackles for losses (2015). His final season was filled with suspension and off the field issues. |
| 7 (228) | Marcell
Ateman WR-6’4 216 |
Oklahoma State | 213 (4th Round) | While not sudden, Ateman is athletic enough use his 78-inch wingspan to dwarf CBs in the Red Zone. Averaged nearly 20 yards per catch in 2017. |
| Los
Angeles Chargers |
 Notable picks: James should be a Day 1 starter. Nwosu could very well do the same. Either way, the selection of Jones may be the most important pick of the first three selections. The Chargers ranked 31st versus the run in 2017. |
|||
| Round,
Selection,
|
Player | School | DN Big Board
Rank/ Grade |
‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (17) | Derwin
James S-6’2 215 |
FSU | 46 (2nd Round) | The Chargers are going to look for James to be an intimidating eighth man in the box as well as the team’s enforcer in the middle of the field. |
| 2 (48) | Uchenna
Nwosu OLB-6’3 251 |
USC | 61 (2nd Round) | Nwosu will challenge Kyle Emanuel for playing time immediately at an outside linebacker spot. His ability to affect the three-step passing game was rare in school (20 PBUs). |
| 3 (84) | Justin
Jones DT-6’2 311 |
NC State | 144 (3rd Round) | Jones posted 8.5 tackles for loss in 2017. While not a pass rusher, he can hold the point of attack and will be a good rotational player in the Chargers defensive front. |
| 4 (119) | Kyzir
White S-6’2 216 |
West Virginia | 197 (4th Round) | White is a good blitz threat with plus upper body strength. His ability to control stalk blockers could land him a spot in sub-packages. |
| 5 (155) | Scott
Quessenberry OC-6’4 310 |
UCLA | 110 (3rd Round) | Quessenberry can hopefully improve the Chargers ability to move bodies in the run game. |
| 7 (251) | Justin Jackson | Northwestern | 265 (4th Round) | Jackson’s vision is apparent. Despite a WR-like build, he was tough enough to withstand over 1,100 carries in his career. |
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