2020 CRFL Draft - First Round Grades

The sports world has almost completely shutdown due to the spread of COVID-19, but the 2020 NFL Draft proved to be the one saving grace the sports world had to offer. That in turn, allowed the CRFL to continue business as usual for the time being. Blockbuster trades shook up the draft order at the top and bottom, with Huskerfan taking near-unanimous 1.01 Clyde Edwards-Helaire first overall. 

Here is how I grade the first round, and offered a few other solid selections in the honorable mentions. Who won the 2020 CRFL Draft? Comment away below.

1.01. Huskerfan - RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC (Louisiana State)

This past spring, Brucey's crew traded away their 2020 first round pick to add an extra 2019 first round selection. Brucey would end up trading away that pick for running back Phillip Lindsay. Little did anyone know, Brucey's crew would have their worst season in CRFL history, meaning Gem State is picking 1.01. Ouch.

That blunder would eventually lead to the blockbuster trade of the off-season, and maybe league history, when Huskerfan sent Christian McCaffrey in a trade for a package of players and picks, including this 1.01. It's a gutsy move, but Edwards-Helaire in Kansas City is a salivating pairing. Hard to call the first selection a genius pick when it's, you know, the first pick...but CEH should thrive. 

Grade: A-

1.02. Wind River Bison - RB Jonathan Taylor IND (Wisconsin)

The Bison had a shocking 2019 campaign. The addition of Keenan Allen didn't produce elite results, and the tandem of David Johnson and Alvin Kamara flopped. The Bison had needs at running back and wide receiver, so best-player-available was the best bet and that's precisely the direction the Bison went in. Last year's pick of Marquise Brown hasn't panned out yet, but this one should produce a rock the team can lean on.

Grade: A-

1.03. Emerald City Bucks - RB J.K. Dobbins BAL (Ohio State)

This off-season was full a blockbuster trades, and in rare occurrence the Emerald City Bucks (formerly Northern Lights) joined in on the draft fun, sending Melvin Gordon and several valuable picks away to C-Town Cougars (formerly Desert Dreamers) for this selection with one purpose in mind: drafting J.K. Dobbins. Dobbins has high-end RB1 potential in Baltimore even if owners have to be patient while Mark Ingram is around. Full credit to Emerald City for fighting to acquire a desired player and making it happen.

Grade: A-

1.04. Vito's Vikings - WR Michael Gallup DAL (Free Agent)

The Vikings found a gem in Chris Godwin and out-performed expectations, but still had a bunch of needs entering the 2020 off-season. For the third consecutive year, the owner of Vikings failed to attend the draft and set his pre-draft rankings. Gallup is a decent asset, but just on principle this pick deserves a failing grade even if we ignore the Cowboys drafting of CeeDee Lamb.

Grade: F

1.05. Connell Conquistadors - RB D'Andre Swift DET (Georgia)

Vikings' unpreparedness leads to a happy scenario for Connell Conquistadors, who despite being in the league for several years, finally had the opportunity to draft in the first round of the rookie draft (he'll make up for lost time in 2021 with three first round selections). Swift falls an extra spot, and could have easily gone anywhere from 1.02-1.04. With questions surrounding Leonard Fournette and Marlon Mack, and the Conquistadors had a need a running back and filled it with a very talented player who has a Dalvin Cook-like ceiling.

Grade: A-

1.06. Spokane Syber - WR CeeDee Lamb DAL (Oklahoma)

The Spokane Syber entered the off-season with a serious need a running back. Instead of filling that hole with this selection, the acquisition of Aaron Jones and fortunate bounce with Jordan Howard's little competition in Miami allowed the Syber to select whoever they liked at 1.06. Lamb in Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's #1 offense has sky-high potential, even with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup in the fold.

Grade: B+

1.07. Tri-State Raptors - RB Cam Akers LAR (Florida State)

The Raptors had an amazing 2019 draft class, drafting A.J. Brown and Miles Sanders and acquiring Devin Singletary via trade (Singletary has since been traded to Huskerfan). There is no clear need here, so BPA is the right call. Raptors parted with Aaron Jones and was likely projecting to grab a wide receiver here, but Vikings' free agent mishap allowed Akers to fall to this spot. Akers was the last of the "Big 5" running backs, and Raptors scooped him up right before he was surely set to go off the board. The Rams seem to be suggesting a RBBC is brewing, but Akers should earn the bulk of the carries.

Grade: B+

1.08. Huskerfan - RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn TB (Vanderbilt)

The Emerald City Bucks (formerly Northern Lights) traded this pick to Tri-State, who in turn traded it to Huskerfan. Options become boom-bust after the 1.06/1.07 or so, and Huskerfan bit on the rising hype of the Tampa Bay running back. Some would argue this is early for this pick, others will say it will eventually be a steal. I'll give Huskerfan credit for doubling down on adding talent at running back with Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry donning different colors.

Grade: B

1.09. Huskerfan crew - WR Justin Jefferson MIN (Louisiana State)

Do not get me wrong: I like Jefferson and was hoping for the opportunity to draft him myself at 1.12. Passing on Jerry Jeudy, who would have been a major steal at this point? A gutsy move that seemed unnecessary. Jefferson over Jeudy could eventually be the correct call, but on draft day it's a slight head-scratcher. Still, CEH, Vauhn, and Jefferson is a great round 1 haul.

Grade: B-

1.10. Rockliffe Sasquatch - WR Denzel Mims NYJ (Baylor)

I'm conflicted. Rockliffe's ride or die has been Mims from the beginning, and Mims could very well emerge as the WR1 in New York, but again, Jeudy was sitting right there. It would have been a major steal. After trading away the 1.03 cheaply, landing Jeudy would have taken some off the sting away from that move. Sasquatch are calling their shot here.

Grade: C+

1.11. Tri-State Raptors - WR Jerry Jeudy DEN (Alabama)

Bang. The steal of the draft. Jeudy was rumored to be going as high as 1.05 and instead falls all the way to 1.11, where Raptors once again has a tremendous first round haul. Coming away from this round with Akers and Jeudy has the Raptors poised to legitimately challenge three-time defending CRFL champions Gem State Bruins for the division and league crown.

Grade: A+

1.12. Gem State Bruins - WR Henry Ruggs LV (Alabama)

Gem State, who acquired this pick and A.J. Brown after parting with long-time stud wide receiver Mike Evans, was targeting Michael Pittman with this slot, but didn't expect Henry Ruggs to be sitting here. Some of the fantasy community sees Ruggs as another Marquise Brown, boom-or-bust type of fantasy player. That might prove to be true, but Gem State still gets the first non-QB fantasy eligible player at 1.12. That's solid.

Grade: B+

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Honorable mentions:

2.07. Brucey's crew - Michael Pittman, WR, IND - A+

2.08. Tri-State Raptors - Tee Higgins, WR, CIN - A-

3.03. Rockliffe Sasquatch - Brandon Aiyuk, WR, SF - A+

3.06. Gem State Bruins - Laviska Shenault, WR, JAC - A-

3.08. Emerald City Bucks - Antonio Gibson, RB, WAS - A-

3.10. C-Town Cougars - Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA - A

4.07. Tri-State Raptors - Chase Claypool, WR, PIT - A

10.05. Emerald City Bucks - Cole Kmet, TE, CHI - A-

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Look ahead to 2021 Draft...

Tradeing galore will occur by the time we reach the 2021 NFL Draft, but as of May 2020 almost half of the first round of the 2021 CRFL Draft is owned by two teams. Connell Conquistadors, as noted earlier, will pick an astonishing three time in the first round. Brucey's crew and Aloha State Warriors will need to fight to avoid handing Connell two top 5 selections. C-Town Cougars will also have two first round picks after acquiring one from Emerald City Bucks.

Look for names like Ja'Marr Chase, Travis Etienne, Najee Harris, Jaylen Waddle, Trevor Lawrence, among others to be highly-sought-after prospects.

2020 CRFL Mock Draft: v2

The combine has come and gone and just like that, it's March and we're a little under two months away from the NFL Draft. The CRFL has seen some activity in the first round of the 2020 rookie draft, with both Huskerfan and Brucey's crew trading into the money round. There could be more moves in the coming weeks, but if the draft occurred today, how would it play out? Let's make a guess.

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For this mock draft, we'll base the selections off of Walter Football's six-round mock draft, updated on March 4th. There are some projections in this edition that are surprising (like CeeDee Lamb falling to the Eagles). Here's what we're hearing/speculating, and projecting based on this mock draft:

1. Gem State Bruins select...RB D'Andre Swift MIA (Georgia)

This past spring, Brucey's crew traded away their 2020 first round pick to add an extra 2019 first round selection. Brucey would end up trading away that pick for running back Phillip Lindsay. Little did anyone know, Brucey's crew would have their worst season in CRFL history, meaning Gem State is picking 1.01. Ouch.

The Bruins acquired D.J. Chark, providing depth to an already string receiving crew. Still, BPA (best player available) has always been the approach for Gem State. There are rumors that Gem State is shopping long-time star running back Todd Gurley in an effort to have an additional first round selection, giving the Bruins the option to be picky at 1.01. Jeudy is in play here, but with Gurley deteriorating, Gem State can't pass on Swift here.

2. Wind River Bison select...WR Jerry Jeudy LV (Alabama)

The Bison had a shocking 2019 campaign. The addition of Keenan Allen didn't produce elite results, and the tandem of David Johnson and Alvin Kamara flopped. The Bison's needs at wide receiver are slightly more pressing than running back, and Jeudy would produce right away in Oakland Las Vegas.

3. Rockcliffe Bulls select...WR CeeDee Lamb PHI (Oklahoma)

Speaking of teams who were plagued by injuries and underperformance. Injuries to Saquon Barkley and Adam Thielen, combined with Baker Mayfield bombing, hurt the 2019 Bulls. They'll bounce back by adding CeeDee Lamb, a potential star.

4. Vito's Vikings select...RB Jonathan Taylor BAL (Wisconsin)

The Vikings found a gem in Chris Godwin and out-performed expectations, but still have a bunch of needs. Taylor would initially be in a RBBC, but eventually would be the bell-cow in a run-first offense, something the Vikings would benefit from should they draft a rookie.

5. Connell Conquistadors select...RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC (Louisiana State)

This selection weighs the situation factor heavily. Several talented players are taken ahead of CEH in Walter's mock draft, but Edwards-Helaire being the starting running back for Kansas City has RB1 written all over it. Conquistadors would be thrilled with this pairing.

6. Spokane Syber select...RB J.K. Dobbins LAC (Ohio State)

The Spokane Syber have a solid foundation at quarterback and wide receiver, but running back is far and away their most pressing need, even after acquiring Kerryon Johnson. Dobbins was a superstar at Ohio State, rushing for over 2,000 yards his final season with the Buckeyes. If he's drafted by the Chargers in round 2, clearly they'd have a vision for him worth investing in.

7. Tri-State Raptors select...RB Cam Akers TB (Florida State)

The Raptors had an amazing 2019 draft class, drafting A.J. Brown and Miles Sanders and acquiring Devin Singletary via trade (Singletary has since been traded to Huskerfan). There is no clear need here, so BPA is the right call. Walter Football is projecting combine star Cam Akers to Tampa, where he would clearly be the RB1.

8. Huskerfan...WR Laviska Shenault GB (Colorado)

The Emerald City Bucks (formerly Northern Lights) traded this pick to Tri-State, who in turn traded it to Huskerfan. Options become are boom-bust after the 1.06/1.07 or so, and Huskerfan will gamble on Shenault becoming the WR2 Aaron Rodgers has desired in Green Bay.

9. Brucey's crew select...QB Joe Burrow CIN (Louisiana State)

Brucey's crew managed to find a way back into the first round, albeit later in the round. There are needs abound for Bruce, but unfortunately the running back and wide receiver options at this point are toss-ups for fantasy. The Crew have been in the quarterback wilderness for ages, as evidenced by Derek Carr occupying the starting spot on the current roster. Burrow makes sense here, and could finally be the solution for this team long-term.

10. Desert Dreamers select...WR Henry Ruggs DEN (Alabama)

The Dreamers broke out in 2019 as one of the league powers, and will probably look for a wide receiver here. Henry Ruggs impressed scouts at the combine, leading some to believe he might be the first wide receiver selected in the NFL draft. Denver, like Green Bay, is a bittersweet landing spot. Courtland Sutton is the WR1 in Denver, but the Broncos selecting a wide receiver in the first round shows a commitment to passing for Drew Lock. 

11. Spokane Syber select...RB Zack Moss BUF (Utah)

Yes, this is a bit of a reach. Moss would have to compete with Devin Singletary in Buffalo, but again, Syber has a dire need at running back. Moss is the next option available late in this round. Syber should double down and hope Moss replaces Gore as the red zone running back, or maybe even out-performs Singletary.

12. Tri-State Raptors select...WR Jalen Reagor BUF (Texas Christian)

Reagor has blazing speed and fits the mold that Marquise Brown was for Baltimore last spring. Like Baltimore, Buffalo isn't a pass-heavy offense, limiting Reagor's upside, but Tri-State will gladly select a wide receiver that went 22nd overall at 1.12 to close the opening round.

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2020 CRFL Mock Draft: v1

The 2019 Columbia River Fantasy League season, like 2019 itself, is done and over with. The little trophy next to "Gem State Bruins" on Fleaflicker remains for another month, but trading has reopened and the 2020 draft season is already flowing. That means...mock draft time! As noted earlier, an unfortunate trade that went sideways for Brucey's crew means the Bruins are on the clock. What will they do with the #1 pick? What will Tri-State, Connell, and Spokane do with their multiple first round picks? Let's guess.

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For this initial mock draft, we'll base the selections off of Walter Football's first three-round mock draft of 2020. There are some projections here that would not make the fantasy community happy. As usual, this mock draft is suggesting what I think these teams should do, not what I think they'll do.

1. Gem State Bruins select...WR Jerry Jeudy NYG (Alabama)

This past spring, Brucey's crew traded away their 2020 first round pick to add an extra 2019 first round selection. Brucey would end up trading away that pick for running back Phillip Lindsay. Little did anyone know, Brucey's crew would have their worst season in CRFL history, meaning Gem State is picking 1.01. Ouch.

The Bruins acquired D.J. Chark last week, providing depth to an already string receiving crew. Still, BPA (best player available) has always been the approach for Gem State, and that won't change here. Jeudy has the chance to be a dynasty staple.

2. Wind River Bison select...RB D'Andre Swift MIA (Georgia)

The Bison had a shocking 2019 campaign. The addition of Keenan Allen didn't produce elite results, and the tandem of David Johnson and Alvin Kamara flopped. CeeDee Lamb is an option here, but running back is king in modern fantasy. Swift would have Josh Jacobs-like upside here.

3. Rockcliffe Bulls select...WR CeeDee Lamb LV (Oklahoma)

Speaking of teams who were plagued by injuries and underperformance. Injuries to Saquon Barkley and Adam Thielen, combined with Baker Mayfield bombing, hurt the 2019 Bulls. They'll bounce back by adding CeeDee Lamb, a potential star.

4. Vito's Vikings select...WR Justin Jefferson PHI (Louisiana State)

The Vikings found a gem in Chris Godwin and out-performed expectations, but still have a bunch of needs. Jefferson in Philadelphia is another potential WR1 situation, one the Vikings would benefit from should they draft a rookie.

5. Connell Conquistadors select...RB Chuba Hubbard NYJ (Oklahoma State)

I mentioned earlier some of these predictions from Walter Football are projecting future moves. Here's one of them. They project Le'Veon Bell to be moved elsewhere, and the Jets replace him with Day 2 selection Hubbard, who would instantly be a three-down back in this scenario.

6. Spokane Syber select...RB J.K. Dobbins TB (Ohio State)

The Spokane Syber have a solid foundation at quarterback and wide receiver, but running back is far and away their most pressing need, even after acquiring Kerryon Johnson. Dobbins was a superstar at Ohio State, rushing for over 2,000 yards his final season with the Buckeyes. He would be the clear starter for the Bucks an potential fantasy gold.

7. Tri-State Raptors select...RB Jonathan Taylor ATL (Wisconsin)

The Raptors had an amazing 2019 draft class, drafting A.J. Brown and Miles Sanders and acquiring Devin Singletary via trade. There is no clear need here, so BPA is the right call. Walter Football is guessing that the Falcons move on from Devonta Freeman. Taylor would be the starting back in Atlanta.

8. Emerald City Bucks...QB Joe Burrow CIN (Louisiana State)

The Northern Lights have packed their bags at the threat of global warming and are now in Seattle. The Bucks are absolutely stacked, but had some bad luck in 2019. The then Lights ranked dead last in the league (12th) in quarterback points. They might attempt to acquire a better quarterback than Wentz through trade, but if that doesn't work, Burrow is a real possibility here.

9. Connell Conquistadors select...RB Zack Moss KC (Utah)

The Conquistadors are on the clock again. They'll continue to stockpile running backs. Moss was selected in the third round in Walter Football's mock draft, but the possibility of Moss pairing with Patrick Mahomes is enticing from a fantasy perspective.

10. Desert Dreamers select...RB Travis Etienne BAL (Clemson)

The Dreamers broke out in 2019 as one of the league powers, and will follow Connell's lead by drafting based on situation. I personally don't think Travis Etienne falls to round 3 in the NFL Draft, but all the same Baltimore would be an amazing situation for Etienne.

11. Spokane Syber select...RB Najee Harris DET (Alabama)

Yet another scenario where a draft projection would suck for one of the CRFL teams. The Syber acquired Kerryon Johnson from Gem State for a third round pick. A shrewd move, that is if Johnson remains the lead back. Alabama's Najee Harris might fly up draft boards this spring, and in this scenario Syber drafts him in the hopes that one of the Detroit running backs breaks out.

12. Tri-State Raptors select...WR Laviska Shenault DEN (Colorado)

The slide ends for Shenault. Shenault is selected in the top 20 of Walter Football's mock draft, but to the Denver Broncos, who already have a WR1 in Courtland Sutton. Still, it is hard to deny Shenault's ability, and the Raptors who take a flier on him here.

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Draft season is just beginning. I'll attempt to do a few more mock drafts leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft in late April. Much is bound to change. Until then....fantasy football season never stops.