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It is always interesting to reflect upon team-by-team drafts each year, because there are always little tidbits that may inform what that team may do in future drafts. It provides some insight on who may be making the draft decisions.

For example, Kellen Moore is the new head coach in New Orleans, but the draft strategy there looks consistent with prior coaching regimes. In Chicago, where Johnson joined an established general manager, there were some new fingerprints on that draft class to suggest a difference in strategy. 

We also take a look at retread head coaches like Mike Vrabel and Pete Carroll to see what can be learned from those situations, even though they are not first-time head coaches.

Chicago Bears: First-year HC Ben Johnson

General manager Ryan Poles completed his fourth draft with the organization, but the first with Johnson. Through the first few days of the draft, it was clear the team was taking the best player available as opposed to reaching for positions of need. Tight end and wide receiver were not as high on the priority list as running back and edge rusher. In the post-draft press conference, Poles spoke about letting the board "speak to us" in regards to their draft strategy, i.e., talent over need. 

It is interesting that the first three picks were funneled to the offense considering Johnson's background. There is a strong link between athleticism and the prospects Chicago drafted. In a way, Johnson may have been looking to replicate some of the pieces, such as Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams, he had in the Motor City.

Dallas Cowboys: First-year HC Brian Schottenheimer

Schottenheimer has been in Dallas' organization since 2022, so his situation is more unique than others on this list. Those making the personnel decisions -- owner Jerry Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay -- have been in place for several years. The Cowboys' draft looked a lot like prior years in that the offensive line was a priority, they did not mind taking an undersized pass rusher, and an athletic linebacker was added. 

In the past, 30 visits have been a relatively good indicator of whom the Cowboys may be targeting, but Revel was the only one on this year's list. 

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Jacksonville Jaguars: First-year HC Liam Coen and first-year GM James Gladstone

Jaguars leadership has been best known for its individual soundbites to this point, but it's clear Coen and Gladstone are aligned in a vision that should bring Jacksonville back to competitiveness sooner rather than later. 

Relating back to his time as Tampa Bay's offensive coordinator, Coen acknowledged in his post-draft press conference that there had been an emphasis on creating explosives in the run and pass games, which played out in their draft through the selection of not only Hunter, but Tuten, who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.32 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

Gladstone has spammed the phrase "intangibly rich" throughout draft material, then recounted two examples in the All-Star game setting. A year ago, when Gladstone was with the Rams, Los Angeles drafted Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske in the second round. Fiske had been asked to switch teams during the week at the Reese's Senior Bowl in 2024, to which he obliged. A year later, Gladstone, now in Jacksonville, selected Kiser, a linebacker who had been asked to play safety at the same event. 

The team also acknowledged that it was looking for versatile players on defense. McLeod, for example, is listed as an off-ball linebacker, but has shown he can be a spot pass rusher. 

In recent years, the Rams have been a team that bring in a small contingency of prospects for pre-draft visits rather than using all 30. Jacksonville has taken it a step further by hosting zero (0) in Duval County. 

Las Vegas Raiders: First-year HC Pete Carroll and first-year GM John Spytek

First and foremost, Spytek is impressive. He has a quiet command of the operation; that much was clear in post-draft press conferences. Spytek and Carroll had not worked together, but it was clear the chef (Carroll) gave the grocery list to Spytek and the latter delivered. Carroll is looking for competitive, non-nonsense players, so the team's board may not have been as expansive as other organizations. 

Spytek believes in building talent and depth on the offensive line, so it should not be surprising if one or two are taken each year -- regardless of whether or not that is in the first round or later in the draft. Carroll is grounded in his belief that the offense flows through a strong runing game, so the running back and offensive line are pivotal in bringing that vision to life.

New England Patriots: First-year HC Mike Vrabel

New England is interesting if for no other reason than executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf or Vrabel took to the podium each day rather than both, which is the case for most organizations. 

The Patriots seem to believe in adding tough, productive football players. There is probably a high floor among this group, because they have played a lot of football and seem to have advanced degrees in their respective positions. Henderson, for example, is a dynamic runner who is also willing to stand tall in pass protection and make sure Drake Maye does not get ragdolled by Jaelan Phillips, Jermaine Johnson II and other pass rushers on their schedule.

New Orleans Saints: First-year HC Kellen Moore

Although Moore is new to the operation, the draft strategy and prototypes seem consistent with the Sean Payton and Dennis Allen eras. Five of the team's past nine first-round selections have been used on the offensive line, with three of the past four being offensive tackles. The Saints also brought in big defensive linemen throughout this year's draft, as they have been prone to do as well. 

New York Jets: First-year HC Aaron Glenn and first-year GM Darren Mougey

Glenn's first draft validates any belief that he wants to build his roster in the vision of Detroit's. In the post-draft press conference, he spoke about his philosophical approach to constructing the Jets from the inside out, which means strong in the trenches, first and foremost. The Lions were widely renowned for the play of their offensive line. New York completed its own offensive line with the selection of Membou in the first round. Similar to Chicago, it added a tight end of their own (Taylor) to ideally fulfill that LaPorta role. 

Glenn also spoke about "fitting the brand" and identifying players who fit within their desired culture. When asked to elaborate, he used the words tough, physical, violent, aggressive and resilient to depict what he is looking for as the foundation of the Jets. 

They were also willing to make small moves up the board for players they are targeting. Leadership spoke about its interest in adding speed and dynamic ability, particularly on offense, which led to the selection of Smith. The team was willing to overlook Smith's faults catching passes in exchange for his speed -- a core belief rooted in Glenn's background as a defensive coordinator no doubt. The team signed veteran quarterback Justin Fields this offseason because Glenn recognizes the challenges a running quarterback can give a defense.

Tennessee Titans: First-year GM Mike Borgonzi

There was not a common theme in Tennessee's draft class, and the post-draft press conferences were boiler plate with several people put in front of the media. Ward was an easy choice because the Titans needed a quarterback and the talent warranted that level of consideration. 

The Day 2 selections were interesting because the thinking may be that neither has reached their full potential, and therefore the organization saw value in those selections. Oladejo was moved to edge rusher during the season because of the talent UCLA had in the off-ball linebacker role. Winston suffered a torn ACL in the week leading up to the season opener. Mullings did not transition to running back from linebacker until 2022. 

There is a higher floor among this group as well. A lot of football has been played, and there is a wealth of production among the group.