2015 NFC North Draft Grades

Green Bay Packers

Grade: A 

Best Pick: Round Three-Ty Montgomery-Wide Receiver-Stanford

It was another stellar trip to the National Football League Draft for the Green Bay Packers. Packers general manager Ted Thompson was able to find new players that he’s hopeful will be able to keep the machine in Green Bay going.

The first round saw the Packers drafted Arizona State safety Damorius Randall who will team with last year’s first round choice, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to give Green Bay one of the youngest duos as far as starting safeties in the NFL. The Packers would go on to select cornerback Quinten Rollins in the second round. Rollins spent the majority of his collegiate career at Miami (Ohio) playing basketball which shows you his athleticism as he was still selected by an NFL team. The Pack found good value in the third round when they selected wide receiver Ty Montgomery. At Stanford, Montgomery didn’t play in a pass oriented offense, but he will be good on special teams as far as returning kicks and he’ll develop into another viable option for Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the passing game.

The Packers also got more value in the fifth round when they selected quarterback Brett Hundley. Entering the NFL Draft, Hundley and his representatives felt that he could go in the first round, but he suffered a long fall until he finally heard his name called. Hundley primarily played in the spread offense in college at UCLA and the Packers incorporate the spread into their offense. Hundley can learn from one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Rodgers and there won’t be any pressure on him.

This draft class should help the Packers make it seven consecutive trips to the postseason.

Detroit Lions

Grade: A+

Best Pick: Round Two-Ameer Abdullah-Running Back-Nebraska

Since Martin Mayhew has taken over as the general manager of the Detroit Lions, the organization is finally getting it right as far as analyzing talent. The Lions are coming off of a postseason berth and they are hopeful that the upcoming season will be the first time since 1995 that they’ll make consecutive trips to the playoffs.

The Lions were expected to select a running back in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. But when running backs Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon were gone by the Lions turn to pick came around, the settled on guard Laken Tomlinson in the first round who will fill a void on the offensive line in Detroit. Tomlinson will be busy opening holes for his fellow draft class mate with the Lions, running back Ameer Abdullah. Abdullah was selected by the Lions in the second round after a stellar career at the University of Nebraska and he should be an impact player coming out of the backfield in Detroit.

The Lions and Mayhew were also able to find a steal in the fourth when they selected Auburn defensive tackle Gabe Wright who will be another athletic body on their defensive line as in order for them to win the NFC North this season, they must find a way to get to Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

In spite of their losses in free agency, the Lions will still contend in 2015 as they picked up quality players and more importantly, character guys.

Minnesota Vikings

Grade: A

Best Pick: Round Four-T.J. Clemmings-Offensive Tackle-Pittsburgh

Under first-year head coach Mike Zimmer, the Minnesota Vikings showed improvements and a quality draft class could help them reach the postseason in 2015. I expected the Vikings to select wide receiver DeVante Parker in the first of the 2015 NFL Draft, but instead they opted for cornerback Trae Waynes. Zimmer built his reputation in the NFL as a defensive coordinator and he’ll coach up Waynes and make him a quality player in his system.

Inside linebacker Eric Kendricks had first round potential, but he fell to the Vikings in the second round and I won’t be surprised if he is starting when the regular season rolls around. The fourth round saw the Vikings select offensive tackle T.J. Clemmings. Leading up to the NFL Draft, Clemmings was looked at as being a player that could have been selected late in the first round, if not early in the second. Clemmings had injury issues while in college, but he is looked at as a player that can be a solid right tackle in Minnesota. The Vikings selected wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the fifth round. Diggs didn’t put up big time numbers in college which can be attributed to the fact that he didn’t play in a prolific offense at the University of Maryland. But it won’t take Diggs that long to realize that he is no longer in college as Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater won’t have a problem in getting him the football.

Zimmer and the Vikings are building a winning football team in the Twin Cities.

Chicago Bears

Grade: B

Best Pick: Round Four-Jeremy Langford-Running Back-Michigan State

The new regime for the Chicago Bears which consists of general manager Ryan Pace and head coach John Fox used the 2015 NFL Draft to find quality talent. After trading wide receiver Brandon Marshall this off-season to the New York Jets, I expected the Bears to select another wide receiver early in the draft. And when the Oakland Raiders selected wide receiver Amari Cooper, it was a no-brainer that the Bears would select wide receiver Kevin White. at 6’3″, 215 lbs., White has freakish athleticism and he’ll be able to bully smaller defensive backs while providing a big body for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to lock in on.

Defensive tackle Eddie Goldman was teetering on the brink of being a first round selection, but the Bears were able to tab him early in the second round as Chicago is trying to stock up on bodies for their defensive line. The Bears already had depth in their backfield and they were able to add to it when they used the fourth round to select running back Jeremy Langford.

The Bears only had six picks in the NFL Draft, but Pace and Fox made the most out of them.