*NSFL S9 Draft Recap

[majesiu]

So after an amazing draft presentation that everyone should check out I decided to do my draft recap with grades and hot takes. Big shout out also to many great articles that were made last week about the draft, especially @Leafs4ever Season 9 NSFL Prospects: TPE Rankings and @dropbear Ranking the Best S9 Prospects at Each Position. As always grades are personal evaluation and aren't player grades, but GM grades - e.g. if you get a great player with a late pick you'll get a better grade than taking him 1st OA.

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NSFL S9 Draft Recap
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Round 1
1. WR Xavier Flash - Possesion
Record-breaking Tijuana Luchardores player got taken with the 1st Overall Pick. Top 6 player in TPE earnings had an outstanding DSFL campaign - 76 catches, 1003 yards, 5 TDs.
Should fit right into long-term rebuild plans for the Sabercats. Just two quality WR picks in the draft also played a role on getting him off the board as quickly as possible.
Grade: 7/10

2. S Bucky Barnes - Run Support
Top defensive prospect with room to spare on very high demand position (Overall, the only team with no immediate need of reinforcements of their defensive back in New Orleans Second Line, every other team needs both Safeties or Cornerback (and most likely both) is a fantastic pick for Arizona here. With newest buffs to the defensive backs (other than man to man cornerback, sigh...) he might be the most sure-fire bet for a franchise player from this draft if he continues his quest for greatness after an amazing debut year in the DSFL - he had 67 tackles (1 TFL), 2 forced fumbles and 2 fumbles recovered, 2 sacks, 7 interceptions, 7 passes defended and 3 defensive touchdowns.
Grade: 9/10 - I usually am wary of giving such high grades so early, but with the current landscape of the league and person behind Bucky I couldn't even justify him falling down a 1 slot.

3. RB Marquise Brown - Speed
Liberty was looking for Best Player Available after fire-sale that happened in a season after winning Ultimus. I'm not the one to judge, but they certainly kickstarted their rebuild with that decision, but not so sure about this pick. Brown was great in his rookie season with 1222 yards and 15 TDs, also Top 8 TPE earner. Philadelphia filled their RB need, but their biggest hole remains at QB and their next pick doesn't come until 12th. As Philly GM said himself he was great in the interviews and when everything unfolds he really might be a great pick. Having also two other great RB in this draft doesn't this pick grade.
Grade: 5/10

4. LB Kolby Deringer - Balanced
Yet another pick by Sabercats who had 4 of Top 11 and 9(!) of first 23, talk about amazing the draft coffers! They got an amazing value with this pick, bringing potential cornerstone to their defensive line. They didn't want to risk 4th overall on a player that might walk on them in FA. Top 4 TPE earner with a great rookie campaign in DSFL: 76 tackles, 3 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery, 12 sacks, 2 INT, 6 PD. With every team in need of linebackers (if just because of sheer amount you need of them on your team) and just two quality LB in the draft this was a great pick. The amazing person behind the player should be great for San Jose too
Grade: 8/10

5. TE Declan Harp - Possesion
First pick for Hawks, after very disappointing last season, where they were even picked to win it all. Everybody expects their new management to do their deed via the draft, free agency and smart trades now. This pick is quite of a puzzling one, especially since they already have great Tight End in Verso L'alto that is Top 3 Season 7 player, but now with him being in his contract year, there might be some doubt whether he will resign.
He had just decent DSFL campaign (64 catches, 558 yards, 1 TD), but getting top earner with the 6th pick is often the good thing, though there are questions about his intangibles after straight up refusing being drafted by certain teams. Him being only top tier TE isn't as important as in case of other positions since teams don't require multiple TEs.
Grade: 7/10

Trades time!
Yellowknife Wraiths Traded for Orange Country Otters 6th sending 8th and Marcus Kane (S2 safety, that is still serviceable, at least this season) - surprising trade if you ask me, Orange Country Otters obviously didn't like a drop off after 5th pick and thought they could get almost the same quality with 8th. As for Wraiths, you could sense something else was brewing since we got one more trade, but for this trade:
OCO Grade: 6/10

Colorado Yeti traded for 6th OA sending to YKW S9 $15M Cap, COL S10 3rd, COL S11 2nd, COL S11 3rd
I don't like that trade at all from the Yeti perspective. They are giving Wraiths much-needed salary cap relief for the conference rivals in the season that they should start competing too and sending so many picks that can still turn out to be quality players without a guarantee of receiving a stud player that is already developed seems shortsighted. On the other hand, YKW secures their future with 3 more picks when they will need to kickstart their inevitable rebuild and trade away late first rounder and ageing safety.
COL Grade: 2/10
YKW Grade for both trades: 10/10

6. CB Oskar Ludvig - Man-to-man
Filling an obvious need here, you could argue only Yeti defensive deficiency was their secondary with only Bly Jr. being a stud there and they filled their need here with only decent CB prospect in this draft. Ludvig had 62 tackles, 6 INT and 13 PD, 4 DTD. Top 9 in TPE is nothing to scoff at either.
Grade: 8/10

7. S Alexandre Thibault - Center Fielder
With Grau switch to WR and taking a step back in an activity, many predicted Yeti to take running back in the first round, but surprisingly they took only remaining worthwhile defensive back, leaving every other team trying to improve their secondary to dry. It's a bold move, that could pay off in few seasons or in some savvy deals. One that could go back and haunt you too, since you are not betting on best player available, which seems like a most used avenue in the sim leagues. He had mediocre DSFL season with 77 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 TD and is just 13th in TPE earnings.
Grade: 7/10

8. RB Ricky Adams - Power
The defence has been a focus of Otters for several years in the row in the first round. There also in a peculiar position with their top players finally entering regression and Boss not having much in the Tank. One of their GMs is S6 Safety and molarpistols recreated as QB being S9 regression class, so they have some future set in place. They decided to draft Ricky Adams, who has an unusual archetype, but their shadow gm/simmer surely have planned for it. Decent season in Tijuana, especially since his contribution doesn't exactly show up on the stats board - 166 attempts, 863 yards, 5 TDs. Still, I think there was a better prospect in Elijah Lagerfield in this position available, not even mentioning other potential prospects. I guess the might've been taken by surprise also by Yeti picks since they certainly could use improvements to their secondary.
Grade: 4/10

Round 2
9. RB Elijah Lagerfield - Speed
San Jose is continuing their great draft with yet another fantastic pick. IIRC Elijah was waiver pickup thus his lower TPE overall, but he is an amazing prospect that really fallen in the draft. Amazing player with historic numbers in his DSFL season - 324 attempts, 1562 yards, 10 TDs. He should be the worthy successor to Darren Smalwood.
Grade: 9/10

10. QB Kevin Fitzpatrick - Game Manager
Fantastic pick and steal for Arizona, top TPE earner. Obviously, some teams passed on him, but it may prove to be a really big mistake. Great season with the marshalls fallen just short of Ultimini - 251/467, 2960 yards, 15 TDs, 13 INTs. There is also Marshalls connection here, with Fitzpatrick being first Marshall GM and current management of Outlaws also leading the San Antonio team in the past.
Grade: 9/10

11. TE Zapp Brannigan - Balanced
Sabercats finally draft a real Tight End, so some era ends in San Jose. Not really a top earner, but as for offensive players options were limited for Sabercats as players like Harp and Valentine refused to play for them. In his first DSFL season, Brannigan amassed 435 yards and 1 TD on 58 catches. He was also number 14 in TPE earnings so still good value at 11.
Grade: 8/10

Trade time!
Hawks trade for 12th sending to Liberty Josh Garden and 13th
Hawks grade: 2/10 They sent Garden for nought since Liberty didn't even plan to draft Valentine with 12th
Liberty grade: 8/10 Squeezed some additional value from Hawks and still got their guy at 13th

12 WR Vinny Valentine - Speed
A good pick at this spot, though I'm not a fan of telling other teams to stop from drafting you. Number 10 on earning list, good DSFL season, though in a limited role that resulted in 3 TDs, 622 yards on 48 catches.
Grade: 7/10

13. LB Jesse Marchand - Speed Rusher
Rookie leaders in tackles with 113, 6 sacks, 1 INT in DSFL. Shocking he has fallen so much, people seem to worry too much about archetypes especially with new players. Top 7 earner also.
Grade: 9/10

14. QB Gus T.T. Showbiz - Pocket Passer
Auto GM pick for Otters here, not much to talk about, other than Showbiz slightly slacking on TPE earnings, being just Top 5. His stats with Coyotes: 242/460, 2384 yards, 13 TDs, 8 INTs.
Grade: N/A

15. LB Barnaby Earl - Run Stopper
Sabercats again, with the 5th pick in the first two rounds select their second linebacker and chosen Barnaby Earl as their middle linebacker of the future, that should still contribute, even being just 18th in earnings and slightly over 100 TPE. Had decent season in DSFL with 107 tackles and 10 sacks.

Trade time!
Yet again Yellowknife Wraiths trade away their pick, this time 16th goes to Arizona Outlaws in exchange for 18th and $3.5M of S9 salary cap.
Good trade for both sides, YKW gets more money for FAs/Offensive Line and Outlaws get better shot at prospects.
Grade for Outlaws: 7/10
Grade for Yellowknife: 7/10

16. RB LaMarcus Strike - Speed Back
With the final pick of the second round, Arizona Outlaws selected last remaining running back, who was also 17th in TPE earnings and had a successful season in DSFL with 1445 yards 4 TDs on 331 attempts.
Grade: 7/10

At this point, only four players with TPE over 83 were left on board:
15. K Emilio Ramero - 131 TPE
16. QB Andreas Metaxas - 118 TPE
18. DE Young Spaghetti - 110 TPE
20. K Kyle Corbett - 104 TPE

Round 3
17. K Kyle Corbett - Accurate
First of those four to be drafted is man with a clutch gen, whose field goal decided the result of Ultimini. His season was also great - 24/25 XP, 30/32 FG, 54 LNG. With kicker not being particularly glamourous position he should have a plenty of opportunities to shine even with low TPE amount.
Grade: 6/10

18. QB Andreas Metaxas - Mobile - unusual archetype, that actually might get some time in NSFL, even though being in the most competitive position and with many great prospects in next year draft. The low-risk high reward at this spot. Used in a limited role by Tijuana last season - 64/128, 676 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs.
Grade: 7/10

Trade time!
Otters acquire 19th and 500k of this year Cap in exchange for 22nd and S10 3rd Otters pick.
Initially, I really liked that trade for otters since at 19 there is still valuable players and there seems to be a huge dropoff after 20th. On the other hand, next year draft is going to be far more bountiful and Liberty is more focused on long-term anyway.
OCO Grade: 4/10
PHI Grade: 7/10


19. DE Young Spaghetti - Speed Rusher
Otters acquired only Defensive End in the draft, who had an underwhelming DSFL campaign - just 34 tackles and 4 sacks.
Grade: 6/10

20. LB Tyler Griffin - Balanced
I was really surprised at that pick, but it seems Liberty was able to reach out to him and there is a hope he will develop really well if that's the case that may be the steal of the draft. He was quite successful as the balanced linebacker with Luchadores getting 103 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 interceptions.
Grade: 7/10

21. CB Daquan Richardson - Man to man
Back to the Sabercats and since they got a kicker with their last pick it seems they passed on Ramero too. And decided to go with a cornerback that had 42 tackles, 3 INT and 2 TD in his DSFL campaign.
Grade: 5/10

22. LB Robert Jordan - Balanced
The once again similar situation like with #20, but Liberty seemed to do a great job with scouting and it may really pan out long term. Also, their 3rd linebacker in this draft had 98 tackles and a sack.
Grade: 6/10

23. WR Alsan Arshad - Route Runner
The once again similar situation like with #20, but Liberty seemed to do a great job with scouting and it may really pan out long term. 53 catches, 739 yards and 4 TDs.
Grade: 5/10

24. WR Jai Turner - Route Runner
The curious case of a player that announced his inactivity but still hangs out occasionally in his DSFL team discord so there is a chance he will come back, so there still might a value with this pick. Turner got 4 TDs with 739 yards on 53 catches with the Marshals.
Grade: 6/10

Round 4

25. PASS
Yet again the cats, more than 1/3rd of the picks up to this point, so they finally decided to pass at this point.
Grade: N/A /10

26. K Emilio Ramero - Power
15th in TPE rankings, even though with no activity recently still a lot of value for the 26th pick, maybe a position change one day or once some of the current kickers get auto-retired due to auto-regression. Though his season in DSFL wasn't really good one - 39/44 XP, 20/27 FG, 45 LNG.
Grade: 8/10

Rest of picks seemed to be doomed for a career in DSFL (though I really hope they prove me wrong!), so to not bore you too much I'll end on an interesting note and stop it right here. Thanks for the read and good luck for all of the draftees!