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.
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