The Winners and Losers of Round 1 of the NFL Draft

Losers: Browns Blunder with Big Boy Danny Shelton

I'm sorry. I just can't get behind Danny Shelton as a near top-10 selection. I understand that all he needs to be as a nose tackle in head coach Mike Pettine's 3-4 scheme is a big roadblock, but his skill set and mentality are such that he can be eliminated early with a double team, and then discouraged enough to give up once he gets tired late. He's a mountain of a man, at 6'2'', 340 pounds, but with only 32-inch arms his reach to block the A gaps will be limited. He has little to no side-to-side agility, and with all the bulk he has to lug around, he gets tired and unfocused late in games. I wrote up Shelton for our post-draft profiles, and this is a small selection from there:

"Not only does Shelton not show great effort, but if not for his technique there would be almost no question that he is not worth a high first-round pick. With measurable percentiles below the 15th percentile for every drill excepting the 20-yard short shuttle, the bench press, and the vertical jump, Shelton is clearly unexplosive with very little agility. Folks have compared his style to Vince Wilfork; I think this is wholly inaccurate in every way except for size. If an opposing offensive line reduces his ability to use his power and leverage, Shelton will be much more like "Little Poppa" and will fade away throughout the game. I would not spend a top-ten pick on largely a gap-plugger and space-eater at defensive tackle."

If the Browns can keep Shelton motivated, or minimize his passing down snaps -- he's a marginal pass-rusher anyway -- then this could maximize his value to the defensive front. Even then, I don't think a two-down player is worth a top-15 selection in the draft. If stamina and sustained drive are all that's being asked and he can't do it, there will be little place in the NFL for him, physical upside or not.