(Image Credit: Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports
The 2022 NFL Draft is 22 days away. As a hype-up for the NFL Draft, I will continue my journey regarding NFL Drafts over the past few years. In the last article, I graded the 1st Round of the 2017 NFL Draft. With this article, I focus on the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Of course, a reminder if I label a grade a HACKENBERG it is obviously an F Grade. So let's get this started by looking at the 33rd Overall Pick which was held by the Green Bay Packers.
33. Green Bay Packers - CB Kevin King Grade: C-
This was a tough one to grade because Kevin King was solid for the Packers when he was healthy. King only played 15 out of 32 games in his first two seasons but was really solid when he was on the field. 2019 was the peak of his career as he had 5 interceptions and was really solid in coverage in that year. It looked like King was on the journey to get another contract extension with the team until the day his career died on January 24, 2021, during the NFC Championship Game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Of course, he was terrible in that game with multiple blown coverages and was the man that sealed the Packers fate by committing the defensive pass interference that pretty much ended the game against the Buccaneers. King never recovered after that game and regressed a lot after that. Kevin King currently is a free agent as of now.
34. Jacksonville Jaguars - OT Cam Robinson Grade: A
At the time I was surprised that Cam Robinson fell in the second round. But Robinson falling was Jacksonville’s gain as he has been a great protector for the many QBs that have played in Jacksonville. He did suffer a Torn ACL in 2018 but when healthy Robinson is an excellent piece on the o-line. He was recently tagged by the Jaguars and should be a part of the team in the long term.
35. Seattle Seahawks - DT Malik McDowell Grade: HACKENBURG
Oh, dear, where to begin with Malik McDowell. Well, let's start off with the fact that weeks before training camp began Malik McDowell suffered a serious ATV accident which resulted in him suffering severe "facial" injuries and a concussion that almost ended his career. It ended up wiping his entire rookie season and the Seahawks hoped that he could be healthy enough to play football the next year. Well, there was more heavy baggage regarding McDowell in regards to the off-the-field problems as there was a long list of them (Which I don’t want to go into full detail). Seattle saw the writing on the wall and decided to cut him. In fact, the off-the-field problems were so bad that McDowell was sentenced to 11 months in prison at one point (While he was a free agent). McDowell signed with Cleveland and looked solid. But he was once again arrested for another spring of charges. I mean if this is not a HACKENBURG Grade, then I don’t know what is.
36. Arizona Cardinals - S Budda Baker Grade: A+
A home run hitting draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals. Budda Baker has been a fantastic player for the team both on Defense and Special Teams. He has the tools you want in a safety with his tackling, foot quickness, coverage skills, and with his hip fluidity. Hopefully, Budda Baker can have a speedy recovery from a scary injury he suffered against the Rams in the playoffs this season.
37. Buffalo Bills - WR Zay Jones Grade: C
Zay Jones has not been terrible but mainly mediocre. His best seasons were with the Buffalo Bills. But Jones just was not consistent and was eventually traded to the Raiders for a 5th Round pick. Jones had some flashes with the Raiders but again could not perform consistently. He is still in the league signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Zay Jones needs to be more consistent when playing in order to stay in the NFL.
38. Los Angeles Chargers - OG Forrest Lamp Grade: D
Lamp has the talent to be a solid offensive lineman in the league but just could not stay healthy. He currently is on the New Orleans Saints right now. Lamp is likely going to be a journeyman backup in the NFL which is not what a team would want to spend a 2nd Round pick on.
39. New York Jets - Marcus Maye Grade: B+ In my revisiting of the Jets' 2017 NFL Draft, I graded this selection as an A. Maye, when healthy is an excellent player, and I would have kept it an A grade but Maye suffered a Torn Achilles last season so I am going to downgrade the pick to a B+. Maye signed a three-year, $28.5 million contract with the New Orleans Saints, and hopefully, he is the same player he was as a New York Jets.
40. Carolina Panthers - WR Curtis Samuel Grade: C
Samuel had a lot of potential in the NFL but he has mainly been mediocre throughout his career. He was solid with Carolina in 2019 and 2020 but he has not wowed me in his production. He had a change in scenery reuniting with Ron Rivera in Washington but dealt with a nagging groin injury. Next season is a make-or-break for Curtis Samuel.
41. Minnesota Vikings - RB Dalvin Cook Grade: A
This is an easy grade. Dalvin Cook is one of the best running backs in the NFL today. Honestly, he should have been a 1st round pick but fell due to many organizations being concerned with the people who surrounded him. The only reason why this grade is not an A+ is that Cook suffered severe injuries during his 1st and 2nd seasons. Cook has also had off-the-field issues but when he is on the field he is a fantastic player.
42. New Orleans Saints - S Marcus Williams Grade: A- It is a shame that Marcus Williams will forever be known for messing up an easy tackle to Stefon Diggs during the Minneapolis Miracle. When looking at his entire career Williams was one of the most underrated safeties in the NFL. He has been solid in his coverage abilities and has excellent hands. Williams has had a lot of great seasons but his best was in 2019 as he had 4 interceptions, 13 pass deflections, 39 tackles, and a forced fumble. Williams is still in the league and recently signed a five-year $70 million contract with the Ravens and it will be interesting to see how they utilize him.
43. Philadelphia Eagles - CB Sidney Jones Grade: C
Sidney Jones would have been a first-round pick if he did not have durability issues. Jones is a solid cornerback and has shown moments of brilliance when he is on the field. What stinks is that Jones just can’t stay healthy and the Eagles decided to part ways with him. Jacksonville took a chance on him and Jones was solid until shocker he suffered an injury. At least Jacksonville decided to trade Sidney Jones to Seattle. I see Sidney Jones being a journeyman player in the NFL.
44. Los Angeles Rams - TE Gerald Everett Grade: C+
Everett for the past few years has been hyped as a Tight End to watch for the past few years. Everett has failed to live up to hype expectations but he has been pretty solid since getting drafted by the NFL. He's been a good blocker and a decent receiver, but he has not been super impressive in his career.
45. Chicago Bears - TE Adam Shaheen Grade: D+
This was another questionable pick made by the Chicago Bears as at the time Tight End was not a big need for the team. Shaheen has not done much, at all in his career but is a solid blocking tight end. He had flashes as a receiving tight end but just has not performed well at all. He currently is signed with the Miami Dolphins but I don’t think his roster spot is safe for next season.
46. Indianapolis Colts - CB Quincy Wilson Grade: D
Excluding a single interception that went for 33 yards, Wilson was a terrible pick for the Colts. He was terrible in coverage and lacked a lot of awareness. He was at least a solid tackler and decent on special teams. Colts traded Wilson to the Jets for a late-round pick and spent a brief tenure with the Giants. Wilson is currently signed with the Miami Dolphins and it could be his last chance in the NFL.
47. Baltimore Ravens - LB Tyus Bowser Grade: B
Bowser is a hidden gem on the Ravens defense as he is a solid contributor. He has been a solid run-stopper and a decent pass rusher. Last season he impressed with all of the injuries on the Ravens defense he contributed 7 sacks. His strong 2021 season resulted in the Ravens extending him to a four-year, $22 million deal
48. Cincinnati Bengals - RB Joe Mixon Grade: A
Mixon is another player that would have gone in the 1st round if it was not for the off-the-field issues surrounding him. But he has been one of the best running backs in the NFL today. The only reason why he is not an A+ is due to some durability issues he had during the 2020 season. But besides that, he has been an excellent player.
49. Washington Redskins - LB Ryan Anderson Grade: C-
Ryan Anderson was not impressive at all throughout his career excluding the 2019 NFL Season where he had 26 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 pass deflection, and 5 forced fumbles. Unfortunately could not stay healthy and was mainly utilized in a backup role. He had another opportunity for more snaps by signing with the New York Giants but he was suspended 6 games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances and got released a few days later in 2020 and has been out of football since.
50. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - S Justin Evans Grade: C
Justin Evans was an underrated player on the Buccaneers defense in the 2018 and 2017 seasons. If it wasn’t for the injuries that Evans has been dealing with for the past few years Evans could be a starting safety in the NFL today. He has not played a snap of football since 2018 which was 4 years ago. My goodness time flies but Evans recently got a second chance by signing with the Saints and I wish him the best.
51. Denver Broncos - DE/EDGE Demarcus Walker Grade: C+
Walker has been pretty solid during his time in the NFL and has been mainly utilized as a rotational edge rusher. Walker has been bitten by the injury bug and last played for the Houston Texans last season. It would not surprise me if another team gave Walker another shot by signing him.
52. Cleveland Browns - QB Deshone Kizer Grade: HACKENBURG
When a QB has twice as many interceptions as they do touchdowns it says a lot. Well, Kizer only played one season on the 0-16 squad Cleveland Browns and he had a horrible season. Kizer threw 11 Touchdowns, 22 Interceptions, and 2,894 passing yards in 15 games as the starting QB. That’s HACKENBURG level of bad QB play right there. He was then traded to Green Bay which could have been a change of scenery for Kizer but again did not impress. He spent a brief time in Tennessee and Las Vegas but did not last long. He is currently a free agent and I doubt he returns to the NFL, but I could see him play in the XFL if he wants to.
53. Detroit Lions - CB Teez Tabor Grade: D-
Yikes, this was a complete flop of a pick made by the Detroit Lions. He barely saw the field as a rookie and struggled a lot in 2018. He was often exposed when he was in games. He never woke up from his slump and was cut in 2019. He spent time in San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta. At least he was a solid tackler I guess and was decent on special teams.
54. Miami Dolphins - LB Raekwon McMillan Grade: C-
McMillan has shown flashes that he could be a solid depth linebacker piece on any defense. Problem is that he can’t stay healthy. He has constantly had knee injuries that have affected the way he plays. Heck in New England he has not played a snap this time suffering his second Torn ACL. If McMillan stayed healthy this grade would have been higher.
55. New York Giants - DT Dalvin Tomlinson Grade: B+
Tomlinson has been a productive player since coming into the NFL. He has been an excellent run-stopper and a decent pass rusher during his time with the New York Giants. He signed a 2 year deal with the Minnesota Vikings and he was decent during his time. What is also impressive is how durable he has been. I can’t remember one game that he missed throughout his career.
56. Oakland Raiders - S Obi Melifonwu Grade: HACKENBURG
Melifonwu was a disastrous pick for the Raiders. He only had a total of 5 tackles with the team and could not stay healthy at all. He was cut two years into his season. He spent time with the New York Patriots but barely did much (At least he has a Superbowl Ring). Melifonwu also was on and off the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles roster. He currently is on the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits and I hope he impresses and returns to the NFL. This is no question a HACKENBERG Grade.
57. Houston Texans - LB Zach Cunningham Grade: A-
Cunningham was a strong part of the Texans defense as he was a great part of their linebacker core. It is unfortunate that the Texans decided to bench Cunningham twice over the season for violating team rules and was released in the middle of the season. But Cunningham is now a part of the Titans defense.
58. Seattle Seahawks - OC/OG Ethan Pocic Grade: B
Pocic was a pretty solid offensive lineman for Seattle. He has great position versatility as they placed him as a center, guard, and sometimes tackle as well. Now he has been a bit of an injury bug but when healthy Pocic is a strong contributor on the offensive line blocking for Russel Wilson. Pocic is now a part of the Cleveland Browns roster as Seattle is entering a rebuild and wants to get younger.
59. Kansas City Chiefs - DE/EDGE Tanoh Kpassagnon Grade: C+
Many will disagree with me but Tanoh Kpassagnon was one of the hidden gems in the Kansas City Chiefs during their Superbowl Run. Especially in the 2020 AFC Championship Game against the Titans, he made a few big sacks on Ryan Tannehill sealing the victory for the Chiefs. He was a solid pass rusher and was a solid run stopper. If it was not for the fact that the Chiefs were in a cap mess he probably would still be a Kansas City Chief today. The only reason why the grade is a C+ is that he was mainly a rotational player and not an every-down player.
60. Dallas Cowboys - CB Chidobe Awuzie Grade: B
Awuzie was a player that I was not high on in this draft. But I got to admit i was wrong about Awuzie as he has been a very consistent player on defense. He was a solid piece to Dallas’s defense but when Mike McCarthey took over in 2020 as the head coach, Awuzie was not the best fit and it did not help that he had a hamstring injury. But when he signed a 3 year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals he looked like his younger self again. Awuzie even impressed me when he caught an interception in Super Bowl 56. I am very excited to see Awuzie play for Cincinnati in years to come.
61. Green Bay Packers - S Josh Jones Grade: C-
Jones was solid in his rookie season as he had 71 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 interception. Jones had a ton of potential to be a part of the Packers secondary in the long term but he just could not play consistently the next year. Jones regressed so much that he was released in the 2nd year of his career. Ever since he has mainly been a journeyman player in the NFL playing for Dallas, Jacksonville, Seattle, and Indianapolis. As of now, he is currently a free agent.
62. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR JuJu Smith-Schuster Grade: A
I got to be honest I love Juju the person (Except for the Tik Tok shenanigans where he was dancing on logos) and JuJu the player. He has been an excellent piece on the Steelers' offense. It is a shame that this organization made the incompetent decision to keep Big Ben at QB as long as they did. I would have given the selection of JuJu an A+ but he has had injuries. JuJu is now a part of the Kansas City Chiefs and it will be interesting to see how he is utilized on their team.
63. Buffalo Bills - OT Dion Dawkins Grade: A+
This was a grand slam pick for the Buffalo Bills. There is no question that Dawkins is one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL today. If teams redid the 2017 NFL Draft Dion Dawkins would absolutely have been a top 10 pick in this draft class. He is not some dude name Dawkins, but he is one of the highest-paid offensive linemen in the NFL that should be a Buffalo Bill his entire career.
64. Carolina Panthers - OT Taylor Morton Grade: A+
Morton has been an excellent offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers. I don’t remember the last time in 4 seasons where Morton has missed a game for the Panthers. Bonus points for making this pick right as they acquired this pick in the Kony Ealy trade with the New England Patriots.