For this season’s rookie report, we bring you inside the ACI war room. Was it run by the Three Stooges or the Three Musketeers? You decide.
Note: The initial write-up was done pre-ratings release but not posted. I have since added the post-ratings analysis to each report and then finally posted the article.
First Round
Corwin Gray
T – Iowa State – 6’ 4” – 304 lbs
1st Round. Pick #1-6. #6 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 7.10
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 7.10
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 46, 40 Time 5.07, Bench Reps 33, Agility 7.60
For the second time in 4 years, the Phantoms were one pick away from possibly solving their WR needs only to see Powell snatched away from them by Boston. This left the front office scrambling (yes, they were not as prepared as they should have been). The bpa at this point were linemen. Would it be a tackle (Corwin Gray and Jerry Rickertson) or a guard (Francisco Hakim or Silas Anderson)? The Phantoms have three very good (though aging) lineman at LG, RG and RT. The glaring need is at LT so it came down to Gray or Rickertson. Gray had a better grade while Rickertson had better combines and bars. On the negative side for Rickertson was a possible conflict with K.C. Norton, the team’s offensive line leader. However, Norton is unhappy and may not be on the team when the season started. Regardless, that was the decider and Gray was the selection. Almost immediately there were huge second thoughts in the war room. Topping that list was the fact that Gray is listed as a RT and Rickertson is a LT. A staff error meant this info never got to the war room personnel. The other question was should ACI have drafted Hakim, who was their top player on the board. One of the guards could have moved to center and created an outstanding group up the middle. Regardless, Gray was the pick.
Post-Ratings Analysis: Gray showed up at the Atlantic City practice facility with a 33/59 rating, which is much lower than you would hope from the 6th overall pick but I guess it could have been worse. WR Powell is at 47/76 and that would have looked great in the Phantoms offense. G Hakim, taken #7, was moved to RT by Albany and he is at 33/59. G Silas Anderson has jumped out of the gate with a 38/79 rating but ACI would have drafted Hakim over Anderson. Rickertson is the tough pill to swallow as he is now a legitimate stud LT at 26/79.
Second Round
Ruben Kurz
WR – Notre Dame – 6’ 0” – 203 lbs
2nd Round. Pick #2-7. #39 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.40
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.40
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 25, 40 Time 4.44, Bench Reps 15, Agility 6.97
The biggest need entering the draft was at defensive back. Only two corners and one safety were on the roster and ACI had missed on all their targets so far in free agency. As the second round started, the Phantoms board was full of CB’s and S’s. At 2-2, the first piece dropped with Anchorages selection of Bubba Beuter. This left S Levon Correia and CB’s Adam DiCosomo and Chase Chatterly as viable options at 2-7. At 2-5, Correia was grabbed by Fargo. When the Phantoms were on the clock, it was a decision between the combine numbers of Chatterly or the bars of DiCosomo. Or was it? ACI has been burned many times by CB picks and they just couldn’t pull the trigger. Instead, they took a chance on a WR in Ruben Kurz. Kurz was a standout at the combine and was a combination of combines and bars that the team couldn’t pass up. This has a chance to be a huge mistake in the years to come.
Post-Ratings Analysis: While Gray was a marginal pick Kurz is already considered a flop this high in the second round. He is listed at 28/41 right now, which is not going to help even a poor wide receiver group like Atlantic City. Chatterly was selected at 2-10 by Atlanta and he is 35/41. That decision seems to be a wash. DiCosomo, who was selected just after Kurz at 2-8 is 29/58. Nice pick Honolulu. In this case, bars won and ACI lost.
Third Round
Amir Upshaw
QB – Wyoming – 6’ 1” – 214 lbs
3rd Round. Pick #3-6. #70 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.60
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.60
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 34, 40 Time 4.73, Position Drill 86
In the second round, ACI had decided that if they were to draft a QB it should be Upshaw. While it never gained much traction, he was discussed at pick 2-7. The reason is that starter Tyrus Wheeler is in his 10th year and the only other QB on the roster is 2042 draft bust Mel Martin (and his 18/27 rating). I don’t recall the Phantoms ever having much luck in drafting QB’s which made taking Upshaw in the second round an option that was quickly killed. In round 3, he was still on the board. The DB’s at this point were few and far between, with S Edgar Fruth the best of the bunch. DE Santiago Zimmerman received a late push from the defensive coaches as they argued that there are only 2 currently on the roster. In the end, the offense won and Upshaw was a Phantom.
Post-Ratings Analysis: ACI was looking for a project at QB and they got one with Upshaw and his 8/44 ratings. That is a long hill to climb to be a respectable backup. DE Zimmerman, picked at 3-7, ended up at 23/45 and would have been a decent backup DE it didn’t turn out to be a huge miss. S Fruth was not selected until 3-13 and is at 20/37.
Fifth Round
Neil Fisk
WR – Pittsburgh – 5’ 11” – 186 lbs
5th Round. Pick #5-6. #134 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.90
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.90
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 28, Agility 6.94
Without a fourth round pick, ACI had a long wait before this pick. This late in the draft, nothing is a sure thing. Well, some may say when ACI is drafting there is NEVER a sure thing but that is beside the point. Finally the selection had to be a DB, right? Options included S Shaun Wheeler, S Liam Van Brocklin, CB Freddie Mathias Jr. and CB Deion Griffin. Instead, the Phantoms selected another WR. This time it was Neil Fisk, a small receiver with good speed and intriguing bars. Does ACI have a plan? It sure doesn’t seem like it.
Post-Ratings Analysis: With a 25/36 rating, Fisk doesn’t have huge upside but is just about what you would expect from a 5th round pick. S Wheeler was selected one pick later and is 21/41. S Van Brocklin was off the board at 5-9 and looks to be an early bust at 15/28. CB Mathis was selected at 5-10 and is in the same ballpark at 16/38. The surprise was CB Griffin, who was selected by Denver at 5-26, converted to S and shows a 15/53 rating. Well done Denver.
Sixth Round
Louis Dennis
DT – Mississippi – 6’ 1” – 284 lbs
6th Round. Pick #6-7. #167 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 5.20
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 5.20
Key Combine Scores: Agility 7.66
With three S’s taken right before them in the sixth round, this pick quickly became a bpa selection. A 5.20 grade in the sixth round was too tough to pass up. Dennis has solid combines across the board and is projected to move to DE.
Post-Ratings Analysis: Like Fisk, Dennis turned out about what the team expected with a 25/37 rating. At this time, the decision has not been made if he will indeed move to DE.
Seventh Round
Deron Rodgers
CB – UCLA – 5’ 11” – 195 lbs
7th Round. Pick #7-6. #198 Overall
Pre-Draft Grade: 4.40
Pre-Draft Adjusted Grade: 4.40
Key Combine Scores: Solecismic 39
Finally, a defensive back. This HAD to be a defensive back. The combines were up and down for Rodgers but the preliminary bars showed potential in a few areas. The deciding factor turned out to be his special teams’ skills, which are a must for a backup.
Post-Ratings Analysis: Rodgers came in at 14/38 and his status on the team will be determined by what his special team numbers turn out to be.
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