Tue May 13th 2025

My Favorite Rookie Draft Ever!

I just had my favorite rookie draft ever! Last year, I decided to go into full rebuild-mode in my favorite league, The Diehard Dozen. It's my most active league, making rebuilding possible because of active managers willing to trade. Last year, I earned the 1.1 rookie pick by finishing last, but I added a ton of draft picks in trades to completely remake my team this year. That's exactly what I did. I had so much fun in this draft. I can't wait to tell you about it!

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Round One

1. Box Wine - Ashton Jeanty

• This was the first time I had ever finished last in a dynasty league, and it could not have been a better year to do so, as Jeanty was the clear consensus top pick in this class, no matter the format. Jeanty will become my anchor running back for years, if not a decade. The Raiders will make Jeanty the center of their offense, so he will produce fantasy points immediately. I can't wait to see him on the field. Running back is my weakest position in this league, and this was the perfect draft to need running back and have so many early picks. As you'll see, I completely rebuilt my running back room.

2. Saracens Squad - Omarian Hampton
3. Dopper (via Mobsters) - Tetairoa McMillan
4. Jokerbills - Travis Hunter
5. Dopper (via Razor Stubble) - TreVeyon Henderson
6. Box Wine (via Meathead Mafia) - Quinshon Judkins

• This league is moving to superflex in 2027, so I was hopeful that one team in the top five would take Cam Ward so that Henderson would fall to me, but it did not happen. The next rookie on my board was Judkins, so I gladly took him at 1.6 to add another starting running back with slightly better draft capital than Henderson on my team. I'm less than confident in the future of the Cleveland offense, but they will try to run the ball a lot, and Judkins will be their lead back, at least on early downs. Jerome Ford agreed to a pay cut after the draft, and Dylan Sampson was drafted two and a half rounds after Judkins, so I am not worried about the competition behind him. He'll start for me on day one alongside Jeanty.

7. Dopper - Colston Loveland
8. Box Wine (via Dan Teague) - RJ Harvey

• I wanted Harvey or Johnson to fall to me at 1.8, and I ended up having to choose between the two. I had Harvey ranked two spots ahead of Johnson in my rankings, so I stuck with my board and drafted Harvey. I've written about Harvey several times in recent weeks, noting that he's been one of the steady risers in rookie rankings. I expect him to have more of a shared role than Jeanty or Judkins, but I expect him to earn the leading role quickly. I'm most excited about his role in the passing game, as coach Payton targets running backs more than almost any coach in the league. I have Audric Estime on my roster, too, so if he surprises or either Harvey or Estime gets injured, I'll have Denver's lead running back on my squad. The fact that Denver drafted Harvey so early proves that they like him more than Estime and have a heavy role in mind for him. If he breaks out early, as I expect, I'll have three rookie running backs in my starting lineup in this league. 

9. DPO - Kaleb Johnson
10. Furious George - Cam Ward
11. Leg Day - Emeka Egbuka
12. Box Wine (via Invincible) - Tyler Warren

• Tight end is my other area of weakness in this league. Jonnu Smith is my starter with just Isaiah Likely and Will Dissly behind him, so I went into the draft willing to take Loveland or Warren if they fell to me, but I was also happy to wait for Mason Taylor later in the second round if that's the way the draft fell. At 1.11, I was pleased to take a chance on Warren, a fantastic weapon, though he landed in a less-than-ideal spot with Indianapolis. The fact that the Colts drafted him so early makes me confident that they will make him a focal point in the passing game. I hope Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition because I trust him to move the offense better than Anthony Richardson. Either way, Warren is an offensive weapon, and the Colts will manufacture touches for him. He won't start for my team right away, but he will be an anchor tight end for a decade or more for me after the Colts' passing game improves.

Round Two

1. Box Wine - Matthew Golden

• Golden and Skattebo were the next two players on my board, and I was pretty sure that the guy picking between my two picks would not take Skattebo so I selected Golden. If I have any strength in this league, it's at receiver, where I have Malik Nabers and Jaxson Smith-Njigba as my starters. I decided to add another wide receiver with first-round draft capital to the mix. Golden has a solid depth chart to climb, and the Packers have been content not to have a true leading receiver since Devante Adams left the team, but they invested first-round capital in Golden, something they have not done since 2002. Josh Jabobs, Green Bay fans, and dynasty managers have been begging for a WR-1 in Green Bay, and their management and coaching staff also see the need. It will take some time, but by midseason, Golden will become the WR-1 everyone has wanted in Green Bay.

2. Saracens Squad - Luther Burden
3. Box Wine (via Mobsters) - Cam Skattebo

• I am higher on Skattebo than most dynasty managers, so I was thrilled to select him early in the second round as I continued building my running back room with rookies. He has an easy depth chart to climb in New York and a different build, running style, and skill set than either Tyrone Tracy or Devin Singletary. He'll have every chance to become their short-yardage back and goalline back right away while he gets acclimated to the NFL and competes for the leading role. He has the worst draft capital of any player I have drafted so far, and I could be wrong on him, but having added three running backs so far, I was willing to add another to strengthen the weakest part of my team.

4. Jokerbills - Jayden Higgins
5. Box Wine (via Razor Stubble) - Jaxson Dart

• This league is transitioning to superflex in 2027, so I decided to draft a first-round quarterback here, especially since the only starting quarterback on my roster is Kyler Murray unless Daniel Jones wins the leading role in Indianapolis. His draft capital alone proves that he will start games this season and will be the starter for sure next season after Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston go away. He's got an opportunity to build rapport with Malik Nabers and become a dynamic duo, which is helpful for my team since I have Nabers on my squad. He's an excellent runner, so he'll give me a lot of important fantasy points on the ground. I've been higher on him throughout the scouting process and am confident like the Giants are, that he's a future starter in the NFL and on dynasty teams.

6. Jokerbills (via Meathead Mafia) - Bhayshul Tuten
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Jack Bech

• Here is where I made a big move during the draft. I traded up to 2.7, gave up 3.1, 3.6, and 4.1, and received 4.7 and 5.7 in return.  I have Jack Bech, Tre Harris, and Kyle Williams in the same tier with a significant drop-off after that tier, and I was convinced that none of them would fall to me at 3.1. You can see by the way the draft played out that I was correct. I decided it would be better to move up in the draft to secure another player with second-round draft capital and a wide-open depth chart in Jack Bech. I loved his draft capital and landing spot in Las Vegas, where he's slated to be a starter from day one. Getting eight of the top 19 players drafted was more important than having two third-round picks and the first pick of the fourth round. I drafted a needed tight end and quarterback and loaded up on running backs, but I wanted one more wide receiver with high draft capital to pair with Matthew Golden in this draft. Pat Bryant was the only receiver drafted in the third round, so I was proved right in guessing the wide receiver run would end in the second round. It did, but I got my guy by trading up. In our group chat after the trade, I joked, "I drafted two Giants and two Raiders.  What could go wrong?"

8. Dan Teague - Tre Harris
9. DPO - Kyle Williams
10. Furious George - Jaydon Blue
11. Mobsters (via Leg Day) - Dylan Sampson
12. Invincible - Jaylin Noel

Round Three

1. Dopper (via Box Wine) - Devin Neal
2. Saracens Squad - Elijah Arroyo
3. Mobsters - Jarquez Hunter
4. Invincible (via Jokerbills) - Elic Ayomanor
5. Leg Day (via Razor Stubble) - Jalen Milroe
6. Dopper (via Meathead Mafia, Box Wine) - Trevor Etienne
7. Razor Stubble (via Dopper) - Mason Taylor
8. Dan Teague - Terrance Ferguson
9. DPO - DJ Giddens
10. Leg Day (via Furious George) - Jordan James
11. Mobsters (via Leg Day) - Pat Bryant
12. Invincible - Harold Fannin

Round Four

1. Mobsters (via Box Wine, Dopper) - Woody Marks
2. Saracens Squad - Tyler Shough
3. Meathead Mafia (via Mobsters) - Shedeur Sanders
4. Jokerbills - Brashard Smith
5. Razor Stubble - Tory Horton
6. Meathead Mafia - Tahj Brooks
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Jalen Royals

• I had to wait a long time until my next pick, but I was thrilled to select my 35th-ranked player with the 43rd pick in this draft. Royals was one of my biggest fallers after the draft, given his late fourth-round draft capital and his landing with the Chiefs, who have a crowded depth chart. Still, he was one of my favorite players to watch in the scouting process. I had him ranked as high as 18th early in the process, and he was 19th in my rankings before the draft. He's a perfect player to take a stab at in the fourth round of rookie drafts. Marquise Brown is in the last year of his contract, giving Royals a great chance to start in three-receiver sets in 2026 with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, and I would not be surprised at all if he cuts into Brown's workload this year. He's a dynamic route runner with the ball in his hands, and coach Reid can scheme him up. I loved getting Royals this late as depth on my rebuilding roster.

8. Dan Teague - Isaac TeSlaa
9. DPO - Ollie Gordon
10. Furious George - Will Howard
11. Leg Day - Quinn Ewers
12. Invincible - Tai Felton

Round Five

1. Box Wine - Jacory Croskey-Merrit

• I got my guy with the first pick of the fifth round. As I expected, other managers also saw him as their sleeper pick. Once I made the pick, guys cursed me in the group chat. I love it! I've already written about him in recent weeks as my favorite sleeper, so I won't go on forever here. He's got hidden talent that has not been seen in years since he missed all of last season (minus one game) with an eligibility issue. All a dynasty manager needs to do is watch his highlight tape and watch his MVP performance in the Shrine Bowl to become a believer. I was thrilled to add another rookie running back to my rebuilding team. That gives my five rookie running backs!

2. Saracens Squad - Damien Martinez
3. Mobsters - Kyle Monangai
4. Jokerbills - Arian Smith
5. Razor Stubble - Savion Willams
6. Meathead Mafia - Gunnar Helm
7. Box Wine (via Dopper) - Chimere Dike

• Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Dike, but he was the highest player on my board this late in the draft, and he had far and away the best draft capital of any player left in the draft, so I selected him with my final pick. The Titans' wide receiver room is very crowded. Still, Dike was the first wide receiver they drafted, and they picked him with the first pick of the fourth round on day three, so they like him more than Elic Ayomanor, who they drafted 33 picks later, and Xavier Restrepo, who they signed as an undrafted free agent. Those reasons alone are enough to pick him with the last pick this draft, my favorite draft ever.

8. Dan Teague - Jordan Watkins
9. DPO - Xavier Restrepo
10. Furious George - Tez Johnson
11. Invincible (via Leg Day) - Oronde Gadsden
12. Invincible (via Leg Day) - Isaiah Bond

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Certainly, not all of the players I drafted will hit, but if the majority do, I will quickly jump back into the middle of the pack of this league. If all of them hit, I will set myself up for the next ten years. Here now is my current roster.

Quarterbacks: Kyler Murray, Jaxson Dart, Daniel Jones, Mason Rudolf, Kenny Pickett

Running Backs: Ashton Jeanty, Quinshon Judkins, CJ Harvey, Cam Skattebo, Jaylen Warren, Blake Corum, Audric Estime, Jacory Croskey-Merrit, Sean Tucker

Wide Receivers: Malik Nabers, Jaxons Smith-Njigba, Matthew Golden, Xavier Legette, Jack Bech, Romeo Doubs, Demario Douglas, Marvin Mims, Dyami Brown, Jaylen Royals, Chimere Dike

Tight Ends: Tyler Warren, Jonnu Smith, Isaiah Likely, Will Dissly

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We start two flexes in this league, so my starting line-up today and in the near future would look like this. I can't wait to see where this team goes!

Kyler Murray and/or Jaxson Dart

Ashton Jeanty

Quinshon Judkins

Malik Nabers

Jaxson Smith-Njigba

Matthew Golden

Tyler Warren

RJ Harvey or Cam Skattebo

Jack Bech or Xavier Legette

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