Is it "Zappe-Time"?

In week 17 the Jaguars clinched the AFC South division title. Jacksonville finished their quest for a division title with a come from behind win over the Texans and with it the third seed for the playoffs. With a third match-up with the Colts looming, a team that coach Phillip Rivers can't seem to figure out, there are questions about who will play in their season finale against the Tennessee Titans. Nearly everyone expected to see Bailey Zappe, the gunslinger out of Western Kentucky, taking the majority of the reps at practice this week but it has been practice squad member Anthony Brown getting most of the "first team" reps at practice this week. Brown and rookie HB Snoop Conner have been seen with the starting offensive line the most this week along with a WR group of Jalen Virgil, Jaivon Heiligh and Lance McCutcheon. It's not crazy to see the coaching staff wanting to keep the majority starters out of what could be considered a meaningless game, but to turn to a practice squad QB? When asked about the potential QB decision Coach Rivers said "Don't worry about our roster this week dadgumit, everyone needs to be ready to go and figure out how to beat them dadgum Colts....Dadgumit I don't want to lose to them 3 times in a row, dadgumit!"

Round 1 Recap: Picks 6-20

6. Rams - CB Kaiir Elam - Florida

Elam has the size and speed to be a great NFL corner. Elam spent most of his college career in the shadow of another elite SEC corner defender in Derek Stingley and was largely overlooked by most scouts. Elam gets to line up opposite of an elite shutdown corner in Jalen Ramsey, the Rams are hoping that Elam can learn from Ramsey and mirror him on the other side of the field. If Elam can do that, the NFC will have a tough time passing the ball against that defense.

7. Bengals Garrett Wilson WR - OSU
 

A straight up burner in college, Garrett could blow past the defense at the snap of the ball before they even knew the play started. While he left school a year early, there wasn’t much left that he could accomplish at Ohio State outside of a National Championship. Garrett left OSU as the season record holder in Receiving yards, receptions and touchdown receptions while also claiming the Biletnikoff award this past season. The Bengals look to pair his speed in the slot with John Ross and the frames of Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins on the outside. Look for Joe Burrow to really open it up this year with all these weapons at his disposal.

8. Steelers - QB Kedon Slovis - USC
 

With the somewhat unexpected retirement of Big Ben Roethlisburger the Steelers were left with no QB’s on the roster as they did not resign any of their impending Free Agent signal callers. The Steelers organization may have always been prepared for this though as even though Sam Howell was selected 1^st overall, they were prepared to take Kaden Slovis who many consider the best QB from USC since Carson Palmer. Given that many great USC QB’s have entered the NFL, it doesn’t always mean NFL success. Matt Lienart was a Heisman trophy winner, but he never really found his fit with an NFL team. Mark Sanchez had a decent career with the Jets but his critics credited his success to a stellar Jets Defense and the Ground and Pound mentality that then head coach Rex Ryan had. Slovis hopes to have a similar career to Carson though, 3 time pro-bowler 3 playoff appearances and one Conference Championship appearance. I don’t know what the future holds for Slovis, but the Steelers hope it’s similar to the success that Big Ben brought their team.

9. Patriots - QB Spencer Rattler - Oklahoma

Another Lincoln Riley quarterback drafted in the NFL. Rattler possesses the arm talent needed to compete in the NFL, and he hopes that he can have the same success that other former Oklahoma quarterbacks have had. Spencer will get something his aforementioned brethren didn’t though, a true mentor to learn from. Tom Brady will be in the same QB room as Rattler for at least this season. Brady isn’t thrilled about his “heir” being drafted in the first round, but at the age of 45 even he knows it’s almost time to hang them up. Rattler is more like Baker Mayfield than Kyler Murray in terms of his play style and that should help him adapt what he sees from Brady’s game to his own. Hopefully Rattler is more mature than Mayfield was in his early days, but the Patriots look to have another franchise QB on their hands.

10. Dolphins - HB Isiah Spiller - Texas A&M

Spiller looks to take over the Dolphins backfield much like he did at Texas A&M. Spiller has the speed and power to make it at the NFL level. He led the Aggies in rushing all 3 years he was in school, he was even in the running for the Heisman trophy this past season eclipsing 2000 all purpose yards much like Christian McCaffrey. Spiller and the Dolphins hope that his college success translates to the NFL.

11. 49ers - CB Issac Taylor-Stuart - USC

The 49ers really had trouble with the deep ball last season and their lack of speed at the defensive back position was a large reason why. Even Richard Sherman’s technical abilities didn’t do them any good at shutting down burners like Marquise Goodwin. Isaac Taylor-Stuart hopes to change that for the 49ers this season, Stuart is a tall lanky corner with decent speed to go with it, his press ability is there, he will just need to work on his zone discipline and if he can do that, he could become one of the better DB’s for the 49ers.

12. Bears - LT Logan Brown - Wisconsin
 

With the sudden departure of the old Bears regime, the new Bears GM came in blind to the draft. He did what he knew he needed though, the Bears want to get back to the Monsters of the Midway days and building an offensive line is the best way. The defense is basically already there having Kalil Mack and Roquan Smith at LB with Jaylon Johnson and Kyle Fuller on the back end. The Bears are hoping that Logan Brown can bring that Badger nastiness to the offensive side of the ball.

13. Giants - DT Demarvin Leal - Texas A&M

The Giants improve their monstrous Defensive Line from last year with this pick. While playing Defensive End for the Aggies 3-4 scheme Leal dominated the SEC offensive lines with speed and power, he will be making the move to Defensive Tackle in the Giants 4-3 base defense. The Giants could still have him come off the edge in pass rush situations, and with the defensive lineman they already have, it’s almost like they could move them around anywhere and they could dominate opposing offensive lines. Dexter Lawrence, Leonard Williams and Lamar Snead all have pretty good speed, and they all have great strength, adding another defensive lineman with that rare, power to speed combo does not bode well for opposing Quarterbacks.

14. Buccaneers - DT George Karlaftis - Purdue

Purdue’s pride and joy this year on the defensive side of the ball had to be Big Ten defensive player of the year, George Karlaftis. Karlaftis was the primary reason the Boilermakers had a shot at taking down the Buckeyes this past season taking the Buckeyes QB down 4 times in a heartbreaking 35-28 loss. Some would argue was a better Defensive lineman overall than both OSU’s Zach Harrison and A&M’s DeMarvin Leal, the only thing Leal had over Karlaftis, was the SEC competition Leal went against week after week. I’m certain the Buccaneers aren’t upset that the other 13 teams in front of them passed up on him though.

15. Broncos - LOLB Nolan Smith - Georgia

With Von Miller most likely set to retire within a year or two, it made sense for the Broncos to bring in a pass rushing LOLB to learn from one of the best to ever do it. Nolan had an outstanding career at Georgia and hopes to continue that success in the NFL. Adding Nolan Smith to this defense will give the pass rush defense a 3^rd man to get to the QB, expect to see Von line up at DE from time to time with Nolan coming in right behind him.

16. TItans - WR George Pickens - Georgia 

At 6’3” it’s no wonder the Titans selected this kid out of Georgia. He will be most likely placed on the outside with Corey Davis on the opposite side and Ben Vasquez, the Titans second round pick last season, will get to shine even brighter in the slot. The Titans come this season with Urban Meyer’s mind set of “Who are you going to cover" Pickens was the runner up for the Biletnikoff award while leading the SEC in catches, touchdowns and yards. Pickens will be a great asset to the Titans and the AFC South will have their work cut out trying to stop this offense.

17. Chargers - FS Daxton Hill - Michigan

Other than the lack of depth at defensive back, I’m not sure what led to this decision. Hill was a great asset to the Michigan defense but was constantly second to eveeryone else. He would have been considered the best DB in the country if not for the #3 overall pick Derek Stingley. He would have been Big Ten defensive player of the year if not for the #14 pick George Karlaftis from Purdue. The Chargers are hoping that Hill will play with the same tenacity that he played at Michigan with, if he does, the Chargers will have one of the best defensive backfields in the league.

18. Cardinals - TE Jalen Wydermyer - Texas A&M

Wydermyer was an outstanding TE for the Aggies, he led the team in reception touchdowns. Wydermyer was a top tier TE for the Aggies since his freshman year and the Cardinals hope he continues that success here in the NFL. He was one of the fastest TE's at the combine and will be joining Deandre Hopkins and Christian Kirk in a prolific passing attack led by Kyler Murray. With the addition of Jalen, the Cardinals Air Raid offense has become all the more scary.

19. Chiefs - HB Travis Dye - Oregon

The Chiefs look to add more speed to an already track-meet style offense Dye will look to split caries with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and add a threat around the edge. Dye had an impressive career at Oregon, his freshman year he ran the ball 140 times for 739 yards, and even though his carries dropped his sophomore year to 106, he averaged more yards per cary with 6.2. His Junior season was a bit different with the Ducks only playing in 5 games, but his senior season he was outstanding earning the Doak Walker Award. The Chiefs will look to Dye to spell Helaire and give them an additional pass catching back, look for him to be their 3rd down back while Clyde takes over the majority of the workload, at least to start the year out.

20. Washington - MLB Owen Pappoe - Auburn

The Football Team added a great defensive player in Owen "Problem" Pappoe. Pappoe earned the nick name "Problem" from opposing SEC Offensive coordinators who were heard on the sidelines constantly saying "He is a problem for us". NFL scouts described him as possessing the speed of Devin Bush, the smarts of Luke Kuechly and the hands of a safety. Washington may very well have one of the best defenses in the league with the addition of Pappoe, and the NFC East should be worried.

This is the first in a series of articles, we will go over all 32 picks from this past seasons SSFL Draft. Tonight we go over picks #1 through #5, tomorrow we will do #6 - #20 and Tuesday #21 - #32. I will do my best to make each article as interesting as possible but no promises. If you would like a graphic similar to the one shown here, please get me a screenshot of your rookie that you want made into one and I will do my best to get it to you in a timely manner.
 

1. Panthers - Sam Howell QB - North Carolina

Many thought that the Panthers would bolster their defensive backfield with CB Derek Stingley, but it seems the Panthers have no faith in QB Will Grier and are ready to move forward with a new “Face of the Franchise” in Sam Howell. Howell had a great career at North Carolina, was even considered for the Heisman trophy his Junior season, and won it his Senior year. Even though the likes of Clemson still won the ACC and made it to another CFP, Howell led a late game drive that ended on an offensive pass interference penalty and heartbreak for the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. Howell is ready to turn the page though and The Panthers look to him to be their leader going forward.

2. Colts - DE Kayvon Thibodeaux - Oregon

The Colts needed to add an edge rush this year, the teams sacks leader, with 4 on the year, was the 3^rd defensive tackle Earl Kirkpatrick. Thibodeaux looks to add some extra speed off the edge, running a 40 time near that of some of the bigger running backs, his quick get off will hopefully lead the Colts defense to applying some much needed pressure on the QB this season.

3. Raiders - CB Derek Stingley - LSU

The Panthers opted to go with their QB in Sam Howell, and with the Colts needing an edge rusher more than a CB that gave the Raiders the opportunity to snag the top DB in the draft Derek Stingley. Widely considered by draft experts to go #1 overall and pair with another former LSU Tiger, Donte Jackson in Carolina, Stingley found himself falling to the third overall pick. Many people compare him to Derelle Revis when it comes to his coverage ability, he is known for making QB's pay for gambling when he is in one on one coverage, it's a 50/50 shot against a normal DB, but with Stingley it's more like a 70/30 in his favor. 

4. Cowboys - FS Kyle Hamilton - Notre Dame

The Cowboys bolstered the back-end of their Pass defense with this selection. Hamilton was the top FS in the draft this season, he will pair with last years 2^nd round selection SS Jacoby Thornton. With Awuzie and Anthony Brown on the corners, Hamilton will roam the middle of the field much like Ed Reed did back in his Ravens days. The Cowboys need a leader on the back end that can lead with his play more than his mouth, and if he can do what he did at Notre Dame, that’s exactly what they will have.

5. Jets - RE Zach Harrison - OSU
 

Can’t say I know what the Jets were thinking with this selection. They had no starting caliber quarterback on the roster, they ended up drafting Bo Nix in the 3^rd round, so I guess maybe they knew the could wait. With guys like Kedon Slovis and Spencer Rattler on the board though I would have thought they would take one of them, but instead they drafted ANOTHER pass rusher. I guess the idea for the Jets is if you can rotate them out every play they will never get tired? Harrison is a great talent at the DE position though, so maybe they felt it was too much talent to let go to someone else when they knew they could get their QB in a later round.

Jacksonville Jaguars (From LA Rams – Ramsey Trade)

The Jacksonville Jaguars acquired the LA Rams first round pick in 2019 for Cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Minshew Mania is over before it could really begin in Jacksonville as they selected Trevor Lawrence with the 1^st pick. Most consider Lawrence a can’t miss prospect, so it isn’t too surprising that they have made the decision to move on from Minshew. Lawrence will have a great group of WR to throw to with Chark, Shenault and Westbrook. The Jags will be a fun team to watch this season with Lawrence’s ability to push the ball down the field.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts were the worst team in the AFC South this past season, but with a coaching change towards the end of the year to IAM305DADE, uncle to Boutdat305life, the Colts look to get back on track. They selected Jamar Chase #2 overall when a lot of people thought that they would take Justin Fields given that they let Jacoby Brissett go, and Philip Rivers retired. The Colts will most likely roll with 2^nd year QB Jacob Eason hoping that they get the same production that UGA had from him his freshman year and his one season at Washington. Chase will most likely be the #1 WR with Pitman Jr. being the #2 and Paris Campbell being the slot guy.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers suffered heavily from a Super Bowl hangover. The offense couldn’t really get going with Jimmy Garoppolo, so they picked up rookie QB Cole McDonald and had slightly more success but didn’t do enough to win games this past season. They traded Jimmy G to the Saints for a first round pick and admitted their mistakes. They selected Rondale Moore in a surprise move where most people had thought they would select either Justin Fields (Ohio St.) or Trey Lance (NDSU). Moore is a playmaking WR/RB hybrid that will add to a great WR tandem of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

Seattle Seahawks (From Jets)

The Seahawks were near the top of the NFC West this past season, so many were surprised to see them trade up to the 4^th overall. They gave the Jets their 2021 1^st round pick, 2022 1^st round pick and WR Tyler Lockett to select HB Chubba Hubbard. Hubbard finds himself as the 4^th best HB in the backfield with Chris Carson, Leonard Fournette, Rashad Penny leading the way. Maybe the Seahawks and Coach/GM Lyrical have a plan for him but right now we don’t see it.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were at the bottom of the NFC South last season, and most thought this was the end for Brady’s career. Those who know Brady know that he isn’t going to go out at the bottom though. Brady who is entering his 21^st season in the NFL at the age of 44 is getting another WR weapon. Jaylen Waddle will give Brady a second burner type wide-out along with Scotty Miller. Tampa Bay is most likely looking to run more of a spread out look with this addition and should be an enjoyable offense to watch this season.

It's not unheard of for a team to change owners, whehter it be by the owner selling the team to someone else on their own (Dolphins being sold in 2008 to Stephen Ross) or selling because of pressure from the NFL (Modell to Biscotti in 2004) but it isn't common for an owner to sell one team, just to buy another in the same week.

Maxx Powers has been the face of the SFL 49ers for many years, and the fans of the team have been happy for many years. All of that changed this past April however, as the Browns made a decission that most criticized but drew the attention of one of the most prominent Owners in the league. The move that was made by the Browns to draft Baker Mayfield is more than just a potential franchise Quarterback. With Mayfield heading to Cleveland, Powers made a move to acquire the Browns franchise for himself. It left 49er faithful questioning who their new owner was going to be and would they be able to fill the void left by the man who had led them to several NFC West titles and quite a few Superbowls? People were seen gathering outside of 49ers facilities trying to get Powers to stay, but his mind was made up he was going to go and ensure that Baker Mayfield got the proper care from an OU fan.

We will continue to follow the story of the Browns, Mayfield and Maxx Powers througout the course of this SFL run. Powers has shown what he can do to get a team ready to win, and it will be interesting to see what direction he takes this Browns franchise in. Powers has alreayd made a few moves since taking the reigns, acquiring Chris Godwin to add fire power for Mayfield already having Parker Morgan, Jarvis Landry, Kevin White at wide receiver. He also made the play to trade often troubled Josh Gordon to the Seahawks. This could be one of the most interesting turn arounds in SFL history.

*Update 1:30 PM: Made an edit to include the trade of Josh Gordon to the Seahawks