2017 CRFL Draft Preview: Wind River Bison

The 2017 NFL draft is less than a month away! In the mean time, I'll be doing a preview of each of the 12 CRFL teams, where they currently stand, what they need to address in the draft, etc. Next up on the list are Wind River Bison, who after years of stinking up the bottom of the standings, finally broke out in 2016 with a 10-3 season. Is an encore in the works?

2017 Keepers

QB Derek Carr OAK
QB Kirk Cousins WAS
RB David Johnson ARI
RB DeMarco Murray TEN
WR Doug Baldwin SEA
WR Demaryius Thomas DEN
WR Keenan Allen LAC
WR Randall Cobb GB
WR Jamison Crowder WAS
TE Eric Ebron DET

2017 Draft Picks

1.08
2.12
4.07
4.09
5.08
5.09
6.09
7.09
8.09
9.08

Preview

The pathetic Paniolos. That wasn't the official nickname of the Hawaii Paniolos, but it might as well have been. The Paniolos took their ball and left the islanders for Wyoming in 2015, where Wind River Bison went from rags to riches in two seasons. Following up 2015' 8-5 record, the Bison won 10 regular season games in 2016, all of which were in a row from week's 2-11. Bad luck led to an unfortunate three-game losing streak to end the season, but 10-3 still ranks as the best season in Bison/Paniolo history and one of the best overall in league history. A balanced 2017 draft plan and excellent off-season trading have the Bison poised to push Kaneohe again.

QB play will not be an issue with Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins making the keeper cut. Fantasy superstar David Johnson gives the Bison a chance to win every week, and while DeMarco Murray might not be the best RB for future purposes, he's a very good RB2 for Wind River.

In the final weeks before the keeper deadline, the Bison acquired Demaryius Thomas, Keenan Allen, and Jamison Crowder, revamping a poor WR corps into one with solid depth. There might not be a clear high-end WR1 in that group that also includes Doug Baldwin and Randall Cobb, but it does give the Bison depth it might need late in the season.

The Bison did swap Rob Gronkowski for Eric Ebron at the TE position, which doesn't help, but overall this team is formidable and should threaten for a position at the top of the standings again 2017. With good draft results and some luck next season, the Bison could be a real threat to become the 4th CRFL team to win a championship in the league's 7-year history.