In the National Football League, there are a lot of teams that feel like the best way to build up their squad is through the draft. Within the last four seasons it seems like there has been a common theme with some squads of building their teams through the draft into becoming a winner. With that being said, these are the five teams with whom I think have the best talent that has been built up through the draft and are eyeing long-term success in a league where winning is a crapshoot.
Cincinnati Bengals
Head coach Marvin Lewis knows how to evaluate talent really well and the last three seasons he has done a good job finding that talent in the draft finding such players like linebacker Nick Vigil, cornerback William Jackson, running back Joe Mixon, and center Billy Price. But this team is loaded with young talent where they could be a dangerous squad very soon. They have a lot of depth as well as some of the young talent like wide receiver Josh Malone, linebacker Carl Lawson, defensive end Jordan Willis, linebacker Malik Jefferson, and safety Jesse Bates and that could mean they are primed to be key contributors in the future. They are going to be scary good soon if not already.
Washington Redskins
If they haven’t impressed you thus far into the season, then you are missing out on something special. The defensive line is incredibly good with the likes of Da’Ron Payne, Matt Ioannidis, and Jonathan Allen, players they drafted the last three drafts, as this might be one of the most lethal defensive lines in football. But the last four seasons they have gotten some great drafts as these young players have them poised to be one of the most exciting squads in the NFL soon and possibly as soon as later this season. They have drafted some great talent like wide receivers Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson, running backs Samaje Perine and Derrius Guice, offensive linemen Brandon Scherff and Chase Roullier, and defensive backs Fabian Moreau and Montae Nicholson. These guys really have a lot of talent and when they are healthy, the Redskins might quite possibly be the most talented team in the National Football Conference.
Cleveland Browns
Yes, those Browns. The same team that has consistently lost over the years since they became a team again in 1999 might actually have one of the more talented rosters in football. Cleveland, however, is actually not that bad of a team despite what their record shows. They play hard in almost every facet, but it always seems like they have bad luck too. Their defense is pretty good and they have a lot of weapons on offense that is on the cusp of breaking through into becoming something great. They have a quarterback in Baker Mayfield that might fit their mold on offense with his skill set, but you have to mention all the other weapons on offense like running backs Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson, wide receivers Antonio Callaway and Rashard Higgins, tight end David Njoku, and offensive lineman Austin Corbett that they hope will develop into great players. The defense though is rock solid as they have youngsters like defensive linemen Myles Garrett, Emmanuel Ogbah, and Larry Ogunjobi, linebacker Joe Schobert, and corner back Denzel Ward. These guys are destined to do big things very soon.
Los Angeles Rams
Ever since the move from St. Louis to Los Angeles, things have seemingly gotten better for the Rams organization, but that might be because they are actually making some great player personnel decisions than they have done in the past. They drafted quarterback Jared Goff in 2016 to be their franchise quarterback and he has developed really well and soon could be one of the best in football. Another excellent decision was drafting running back Todd Gurley who one can make the case that he is the best in football right now. However, the best one they made that isn’t talked about like it should be is the drafting of the possibly the best defensive lineman in football and that being Aaron Donald. Other talented players on the roster that could help make this team a dominant side for years to come are wide receiver Cooper Kupp, tight end Tyler Higbee, safety LaMarcus Joyner, and linebacker Cory Littleton.
Jacksonville Jaguars
This team is very underrated talented. While their 2018 season isn’t going exactly to plan, if any team that can go on a roll and make a deep run in the playoffs, it’s the Jaguars. Their defense is absolutely stacked and they have some talented players on offense. While there are some pieces that are holding them back, if they can get those corrected then they could be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Jacksonville has a backfield consisting of two awesome running backs in Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon which gives defensive lines so much headache. Their defense has players such as cornerback Jalen Ramsey, arguably the best cornerback in the league, linebackers Myles Jack and Telvin Smith, and defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Their offense also some great players like wide receivers Dede Westbrook, Marqise Lee, and Keelan Cole. If they can find a more consistent quarterback then they could be a really good team.
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