By Austin Medina
With the NFL Draft ending this weekend, tons of draft recaps will glorify some squads while bashing others. There’s no denying the strong drafts of teams such as Philadelphia and the New York Jets. Sure, both the Texans and the Patriots took big gambles with the potential to pay off.
Regardless of the pick, the fact remains that destination is just as important as the prospect. Are they going to a winning organization? Will the organization be able to develop well enough? Where does the prospect fit in the team’s short-term and long-term plans? Players such as center Tyler Linderbaum to the Ravens and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux with the Giants are perfect fits. Yet let’s look a bit deeper and mention three top fits that many will overlook.
James Cook – Bills
The Buffalo Bills rushing attack has been mostly quarterback Josh Allen since he entered the league in 2018. Running back Devin Singletary ran for just 870 yards in 17 games last season. Backup Zach Moss served in a limited role and tallied just 345 rushing yards. With Singletary approaching his last season on his rookie contract, the Bills draft selection of James Cook fits for numerous reasons.
Cook adds a truly dynamic playmaker in the Bills backfield that will open Buffalo’s offense up in 2022. His production drastically improved at Florida State last season, as he racked up 1,012 yards from scrimmage and totaled 11 touchdowns.
For the Bills, taking less pressure off Allen is priority #1. Cook will not serve as a bell cow as his brother Dalvin has become in Minnesota, but his anticipation in the backfield will create big-play ability. His versatility in the passing game will lead to many mismatches on the perimeter and allow for Allen to check it down.
Lastly, Cook did not fumble once during his 2021 campaign. When you have Allen at quarterback, you want as many possessions as you can get.
Skyy Moore – Chiefs
After trading away Tyreek Hill and losing Demarcus Robinson in free agency, the Kansas City Chiefs needed to improve their receiving core in a big way. And they did.
Kansas City drafted wide receiver Skyy Moore out of Western Michigan. Moore jumped off the screen when watching film of his 2021 season. He tallied 1,292 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns while competing in talent-rich conference such as the MAC. Previously, he burst on to the scene in 2019 with 51 catches and 802 receiving yards.
Moore is a surehanded receiver with the ability to run the entire route tree in Kansas City. He will be a perfect slot receiver for Patrick Mahomes to embarrass defenses with. Moore will slide in with Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schulster, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling.
Devonte Wyatt – Packers
While Georgia defensive stars such as Jordan Davis and Travon Walker received the hype on Day 1, Devonte Wyatt slipped to the Packers at pick #28. Wyatt enjoyed an incredible four-year career at Georgia, improving every season and winning the National Championship in 2021. The Bulldogs defense received production from several players, yet none had the significance of Wyatt last season.
Wyatt totaled 40 tackles, seven for loss, with 2.3 sacks and two forced fumbles. While his stats may not jump off the page, Wyatt’s intangibles certainly will. His quickness and anticipation allow him to be an ultimate disruptor in the gaps. He plays with great balance and his speed will show out on Sundays. Perhaps his most important trait is his versatility to line up anywhere along the defensive front.
On the Packers defensive line, Wyatt will fit in like a glove with Pro Bowler Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry.