The 2018 NFL Draft has concluded and some fan bases are rightfully scrambling while others are scrambling to convince themselves that life isn’t meaningless. Obviously the jury won’t be out on these prospects for at least another three years, but based on my pre-draft evaluation, here are the insta-take winners and losers.

WINNERS

CHICAGO BEARS

(8^th Overall) Roquan Smith, LB Georgia

(39^th Overall) James Daniels, C Iowa

(51^st Overall) Anthony Miller, WR Memphis

(115^th Overall) Joel Iyiengbuniwe, LB Western Kentucky

(145^th Overall) Bilal Nichols, DT Delaware

(181^st Overall) Kylie Fitts, EDGE Utah

(224^th Overall) Javon Wims, WR Georgia

Bears general manager knocked this out of the proverbial park, adding top talent to both sides of the balls and most importantly, providing quarterback Mitch Trubisky with weapons all offseason. Roquan Smith falling to 8^th overall is a slam dunk pick, bringing sideline-to-sideline run defense and excellent coverage skills to an already decent defense.

They followed up by bringing in a perfect fit for their zone running scheme in James Daniels, and added dangerous receiver Anthony Miller to round out the once barren receiver room. Towards the end of the draft they brought in the athletic Kyle Fitts, who could fight for pass rushing snaps by the end of the season. Couldn’t ask for much more from this haul.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

(12^th Overall) Vita Vea, DT Washington

(38^th Overall) Ronald Jones, RB USC

(53^rd Overall) MJ Stewart, CB North Carolina

(63^rd Overall) Carlton Davis, CB Auburn

(94^th Overall) Alex Cappa, OT Humboldt

(117^th Overall) Jordan Whitehead, S Pittsburgh

(144^th Overall) Justin Watson, WR Penn

(202^nd Overall) Jake Cichy, LB Wisconsin

The Buccaneers grabbed a team high 7 players from my top-100 big board in an impressive outing that adds pieces all over the roster. While I questioned the Vita Vea selection with Derwin James still on the board, Tampa Bay went to town on re-working their secondary. MJ Stewart will immediately challenge for nickel snaps, Carlton Davis is not quite the sum of his parts yet but projects as a physical outsider starter, and Jordan Whitehead could find himself starting beside second-year safety Justin Evans sooner than later.

Ronald Jones could finally be the answer the Bucs are looking for in the backfield, and would work best if they can incorporate more outside zone concepts into their offense.

Alex Cappa will gives Bucs fans Ali Marpet vibes and provide needed depth along the line. Justin Watson is a guy that I pounded the table for during the construction of the Inside the Pylon wide receiver rankings. With this much starter-potential talent in one draft, the Bucs have done well to set themselves up for future success.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

(21^st Overall) Billy Price, C Ohio State

(54^th Overall) Jesse Bates, S Wake Forest

(77^th Overall) Sam Hubbard, EDGE Ohio State

(78^th Overall) Malik Jefferson, LB Texas

(112^th Overall) Mark Walton, RB Miami

(151^st Overall) Davontae Harris, Illinois State

(170^th Overall) Darius Phillips, CB Western Michigan

(249^th Overall) Logan Woodside, QB Toledo

(252^nd Overall) Rod Taylor, OG Ole Miss

(253^rd Overall) Auden Tate, WR Florida State

With a bevy of picks, the Bengals continued to shore up their leaky offensive line with the selection of Billy Price, who brings center/guard versatility. Jesse Bates, Sam Hubbard, and Malik Jefferson infuse the defense with athleticism. Bates can play centerfield, Hubbard pairs beautifully with second-year rush demon Carl Lawson, and if Jefferson can figure out what his eyes are telling him, or at least to use his eyes, he brings a physical presence with very good athleticism.

Mark Walton will play the Gio Bernard role as best he can and will be valued for his chops in the receiving game while the play-making Darius Phillips could go down as one of the biggest steals in the draft not named Josh Sweat. The Bengals touched on nearly every aspect of the game in this loaded group.

LOSERS

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

(14^TH Overall) Marcus Davenport, EDGE UTSA

(91^st Overall) Tre’Quan Smith, WR UCF

(127^th Overall) Rick Leonard, OT Florida State

(164^th Overall) Natrell Jamerson, S Wisconsin

(189^th Overall) Kamrin Moore, DB Boston College

(201^st Overall) Boston Scott, RB Louisiana Tech

(245^th Overall) Will Clapp, C LSU

I’ve touched on the Saints first round fumble in the initial Day One Winner/Losers article, but it’s worth revisiting. Marcus Davenport is a strong player with tons of untapped potential, but for a team that passed on taking Lamar Jackson, time is running out. Exacerbating that problem is the 2019 first round pick they gave up to make a move for Davenport.

For a team with a solid roster that drafted incredibly well the previous year, these moves and selections seemed desperate and void of ready contributors. Tre’Quan Smith is the biggest value and that’s where the praise ends. Saints fans are spending hours on social media convincing themselves Rick Leonard is an actual football player without ever having watched his film. Have fun with all that.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

(27^th Overall) Rashaad Penny, RB San Diego State

(79^th Overall) Rasheem Green, DL USC

(120^th Overall) Will Dissly, TE Washington

(141^st Overall) Shaquem Griffin, LB UCF

(146^th Overall) Tre Flowers, CB Oklahoma State

(149^th Overall) Michael Dickson, P Texas

(168^th Overall) Jamarco Jones, OT Ohio State

(186^th Overall) Jacob Martin, DL Temple

(220^th Overall) Alex McGough, QB Florida International

Not even reuniting Shaquem Griffin with his brother and drafting the best punter in the draft (they’re people too) could save this philosophically backwards draft strategy. The Seahawks needed upgrades at up to four offensive line spots, and instead of addressing their run game through the trenches, they selected Rashaad Penny.

It’s not that they just whiffed on taking a starting lineman to help get the run game going and protect their quarterback, they didn’t even take nearly the best one on the board. With Derrius Guice, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, and others I had ranked higher than Penny on the board, this pick rightfully baffled many. Will Dissly, the blocking-only tight end from Washington, will serve as a much needed OL6 for the Seahawks, so there is a sliver of sunshine peering through the clouds.

Perhaps it’s time to question if general manager John Schneider is as good as we’ve been led to believe.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

(46^th Overall) Breeland Speaks, LB Ole Miss

(75^th Overall) Derrick Nnadi, DL Florida State

(100^th Overall) Dorian O’Daniel, LB Clemson

(124^th Overall) Armani Watts, S Texas A&M

(196^th Overall) Tremon Smith, CB Central Arkansas

(198^th Overalll) Kahlil McKenzie, DL Tennessee

Reaching for a defensive lineman that didn’t crack my top-100 big board killed this draft from the jump. Speaks had flashes in college, but plays with abysmal leverage and never was able to put together long strings of decent play. Derrick Nnadi is a solid run-stuffer, which the Chiefs needed, but the biggest need was outside cornerback after the departure of Marcus Peters and Tremon Smith isn’t near that guy. Armani Watts testing at the NFL Combine combined with the fact that he can’t tackle made him nearly undraftable, but here we are. This class gives the Chiefs zero momentum heading into the 2018 season.