NFL Draft Grades For All 32 Teams
jaker5000. Getty Images.Arizona Cardinals: D-
They didn't have much draft capital to work with and took Colorado State's Trey McBridge with their first pick, which wasn't til late in the 2nd Round. Seeing as how they just traded for Zach Ertz and play more 3 and 4 Receiver sets, that was a bit of a puzzling move. DE Cameron Thomas (San Diego State) and EDGE Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati) can help with the rush, but you can't be over-reliant on two 3rd rounders.
Atlanta Falcons: B+
The Falcons have a ton of holes and definitely are walking away from this weekend knowing they're a better team. With Calvin Ridley suspended for the year for gambling (shoutout NFL parlays) WR Drake London (USC) gives them a big bodied WR1. I do like EDGE Arnold Ebidetie (Penn State) as a rusher in R2, but he's raw. Desmond Ridder was an interesting selection in the 3rd Round, can he supplant Marcus Mariota and become a quality starter this season or next? If he can, this could turn into an A Draft.
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Baltimore Ravens: A+
The Ravens are just better than everyone at Drafting. It's proven true over the years and GM Eric DeCosta was especially patient and smart this year. In Round 1, everyone had Georgia DT Jordan Davis mocked to them at #14, but they didn't panic. They liked him and S Kyle Hamilton and just stood pat and let the board come to them. They also took the top Center prospect, Tyler Linderbaum from Iowa at #25 who has a very high floor. In the 2nd round, they took a top 15 pick who got hurt at his Pro Day in Michigan's David Ojabo. They continued to ace the Draft and get their big DT with my 22nd overall player in UConn DT Travis Jones in the 3rd round. In the 4th round, they got the 6'8" 384 mountain of a main Minnesota OT Daniel Faalele. Imagine him pulling with Lamar Jackson behind?! Goodness gracious! They also loaded up on Corners and even improved special teams by taking Penn State's Jordan Stout who can punt and kick.
Buffalo Bills: C+
I like the top of their draft with CB Kaiir Elam (Florida). They even leapfrogged the Cowboys and moved up two spots to ensure they got their guy. But Georgia RB James Cook at the end of Round 2 was a bit rich for me. He's not his brother (Dalvin) and I'm not sure he's a 3-down workhorse RB at the next level. They also took the Punt God, Matt Araiza (San Diego State) in Round 6 which will be interesting given the weather in Buffalo.
Carolina Panthers: C-
Best case scenario with their first pick and the local Charlotte product, NC State's Ickey Ekwonu being there at #6. It helps shore up a shaky Offensive Line. They didn't pick again until #94 and they did address the Quarterback position. They took Mintzy's guy, Matt Corral out of Ole Miss. Is he going to be the guy?! Sam Darnold is under contract for this season. They'll get a look at him, but if Matt Rhule is on his way out, it seems like a Hail Mary of a pick.
Chicago Bears: B-
They were limited having dealt their 1st rounder for to the Giants in the Justin Field trade-up last year. Washington CB Kyler Gordon was good value at #39 and Penn State S Jaquan was a rumored 1st rounder late in the process. In the 3rd round, WR Velus Jones (Tennessee) may be more of a Return Specialist than a Receiver. They also went heavy O-Line with four picks along the line throughout the rest of the draft. But Defense and Special Teams is the Bears way, so I kind of like this Draft.
Cincinnati Bengals: B-
Michigan S who has some Nickel CB flexibility is a solid pick at the end of Round 1. Nebraska CB Cam Taylor-Britt is a solid pick in the last 2nd round as they need some help at CB with Eli Apple still being a starter. DE Zach Carter (Florida) will need to be a player for this to be a very good draft though as Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard are a solid, but not great pair of EDGE rushers.
Cleveland Browns: B+
If you stack their drafts up against other teams, it'll be pretty bad because they didn't have picks for the first two rounds after the Deshaun Watson deal. But I like what they did with their middle round picks, especially WR David Bell (Purdue), DT Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma) and even the Kicker from LSU Cade York. Those three were all big time positions of need and they did a good job getting value in each of those rounds.
Dallas Cowboys: C
OT Tyler Smith (Tulsa) at #24 overall definitely addresses a need, but he was pushed up the board based on supply. He has a lot of sloppy habits that'll need to get cleaned up, so I'd be worried about him playing right away. OT Matt Waletzko (North Dakota) could help add some depth at the O-Line. WR Jalen Tolbert (South Alabama) is a small school guy with big time potential. But I'm not a big believer in Ole Miss EDGE Sam Williams as an immediate help to their pass rush.
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Denver Broncos: C-
I know Daniel Jeremiah is wayyy higher on Oklahoma EDGE Nik Bonitto than others. He had a great pass rush win rate and tested off the charts. But there is question about if he can be a three-down player and that's your first pick. They gave up their 1st rounder in the Russell Wilson deal. TE Greg Dulcich (UCLA) can help replace some of what htey lost with Noah Fant.
Detroit Lions: B+
The hometown kid, Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson SLID to #2 overall where he is the perfect match for what HC Dan Campbell wants to do. I also like them trading back up for WR Jameson Williams (Alabama) and giving that offense a different dimension. DE Josh Paschal (Kentucky) can help shore up that group and I like the CB Chase Lucas (Arizona State) pick in the 7th.
Green Bay Packers: B-
They continued Packer tradition and went Defense early with a pair of Georgia Bulldogs in LB Quay Walker and DT Devonte Wyatt. Those definitely address two positions of need and then they went up to get North Dakota State WR Christian Watson with the 2nd pick of Round 2. Word was that they just wanted to keep Marcedes Lewis as the only 1st round pick Aaron Rodgers had ever thrown a TD pass to. Nevada WR Romeo Doubs is an interesting pick in the 4th and if he can become a contributor, would definitely improve this grade.
Houston Texans: B+
I hated what the Texans did in the 1st round with CB Derek Stingley (LSU) at #3 and a GUARD in Texas A&M's Kenyon Green at #15. But their 2nd, 3rd & 4th rounds totally redeemed themselves. Baylor S Jalen Pitre is a stud at Safety at pick #37. It would not surprise me one bit if Alabama WR John Metchie III becomes a top 3 WR in this Draft and tey got him at #44. And a sneaky pick, especially for Fantasy Football purposes, is Florida RB Dameon Pierce who is a stud with limited tread on his tires.
Indianapolis Colts: D+
They didn't pick until #53 overall after the Carson Wentz deal which based on his playing time, got elevated to a 1st rounder. At #53 they took Cincinnati WR Alec Pierce who reminds me of old Titans WR Drew Bennett. I like the TE Jelani Woods (Virginia) pick as he is an outstanding athlete, but needs some more reps catching the football. OT Bernhard Rainmann is a big time project out of Central Michigan and I'm not necessarily a believer he'll be a good pro.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-
I HATED the EDGE Travon Walker (Georgia) pick at 1.1, but I almost equally LOVED the Devin Lloyd pick at 27th overall. Lloyd and Chad Muma at 70th overall completely revamps that LB room that just lost Myles Jack. C Luke Fortner (Kenucky) is some OL help for Trevor Lawrence. I wish they would have invested more in that, but they got some good players. I'm glad their fans came out too.
Kansas City Chiefs: B
CB Trent McDuffie is a really nice piece at #21, but is he limited to the Slot CB role with his arm length? EDGE George Karlaftis (Purdue) has some heavy hands and fits what they are looking for. WR Skyy Moore (Western Michigan) was mocked to them by me for the past few weeks. T.J.'s guy RB Isaiah Pacheco (Rutgers) should make the team as a 7th which is always great.
Las Vegas Raiders: C
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The Raiders didn't have a 1st or 2nd round pick due to the Davante Adams trade. They chose to go O-Line with Dylan Parham (Memphis) at #90. I do like Georgia RB Zamir White as a player for the future and definitely a big pick for Fantasy Keeper leagues with the Raiders not picking up Josh Jacobs' 5th year option. If Ohio State OT Thayer Munford Jr. can be a backup, that'll help, but not a lot to get excited about from the Raiders class.
Los Angeles Chargers: B
I am not a fan of drafting a Guard high, but after Kenyon Green went at #15, the Chargers had a need there and there was only one other guy with a 1st round grade, so they pulled the trigger on OG Zion Johnson (Boston College) at #17. They're built to win now, so that was an important piece. RB Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M) was a steal in the 4th round and Georgia G Jamaree Salyer has a shot as a 6th rounder to make the team as a depth piece.
Los Angeles Rams: D-
The Rams don't care about the Draft, so I don't care about them. Their 1st pick wasn't until #104 and they took Wisconsin G Logan Bruss. RB Kyren Williams (Notre Dame) has a shot to make the team and contribute as a 5th rounder.
Miami Dolphins: D-
They didn't have a pick until #102 after dealing for Tyreek Hill. They took Georgia LB Channing Tindall and added WR Erik Ezukanma (Texas Tech) in the 4th has a good chance to contribute as a rookie.
Minnesota Vikings: B-
I kind of like what they did, but they moved down 20 spots and only really picked up a 3rd rounder. That feels like a bad deal. They took Georgia S Lewis Cine who is a torpedo. Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr. can also be a good CB if he can stay healthy. North Carolina RB Ty Chandler in the 5th can also be a factor if he gets a chance. But that's not a given with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison already entrenched in the backfield.
New England Patriots: F
Bill Belichick is the best Coach in NFL history. But he is not good at the Draft. If's very difficult to have all the time to do everything you'd need to do if you're straddling two roles. The OG/C Cole Strange out of Tennessee-Chatanooga was a wild pick at #29 overall. So much so that Sean McVay and Les Snead got a hearty chuckle out of it when they found out live:
The rest of their draft didn't get a ton better. WR Tyquan Thornton (Baylor) is more a track star than a WR. RBs Pierre Strong (South Dakota State) and Kevin Harris (South Carolina) were puzzling picks given they have a very crowded RB room as it is. QB Bailey Zappe is a fan favorite, but he'll likely be a career-backup.
New Orleans Saints: D-
While they did get some nice pieces, they gave up a 1st next year to do so. This was considered a watered down, weak draft. They traded up TWICE to get WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) and OT Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa). It just seems like they are playing for right now when no team Quarterbacked by Jameis Winston or Andy Dalton has a realistic shot to win it all. Poor planning.
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New York Giants: A-
Having two picks in the Top 10 gives you a completely new outlook on life. They made them count with Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux and Alabama OT Evan Neal both being in contention for the #1 overall pick at various points of this past season. WR Wan'Dale Robinson is a dynamic weapon to help out Daniel Jones and I like TE Daniel Bellinger (San Diego State) to help replace what they lost in TE Evan Engram.
New York Jet: A+
One of the best Drafts I've ever seen. They got my #3, #5, #16, & #27 player on my big board in Sauce Gardner, Jermaine Johnson II, WR Garrett Wilson, and RB Breece Hall. They spent this weekend completely transforming their Offense and Defense and are now in my mind a playoff contender. Their Over/Under in the Barstool Sportsbook is 5.5 wins and I think they'll smash that.
Philadelphia Eagles: A
I LOVE Georgia DT Jordan Davis. He'll be a dynamite duo with DT Fletcher Cox and help free up their LBs to run. C Cam Jurgens (Nebraska) is nice insurance for Jason Kelce and may start at G early. LB Nakobe Dean (Georgia) is a great value pick at #83 assuming he can play even a little bit this year. Oh yeah, they traded two picks for A.J. Brown. Pretty good…
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
GM Kevin Colbert's final draft and he did right by the franchise. He stayed put at #20 and got their guy in QB Kenny Pickett (Pitt). WR George Pickens (Georgia) is also a classic Steelers pick at #52 overall and should be a great player as they rarely ever miss on WRs. WR Calvin Austin (Memphis) is also a sneaky good pick as he can do it all coming out of Memphis and is super elusive.
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San Francisco 49ers: B-
They didn't have a 1st round pick due to the trade up for Trey Lance last year. So picking at #61 they took EDGE rusher Drake Jackson (USC) which is solid value and a position of need. RB Tyrion Davis-Price was a bit rich for me in the 3rd round, but they do need a RB. QB Brock Purdy (Iowa State) at Mr. Irrelevant (#262) likely signals the end of Jimmy G if it wasn't obvious already.
Seattle Seahawks: A
They went with QB Malik Willis (Liberty) OT Charles Cross (Mississippi State) at #9 overall which was good value and filled a position of need. I really like EDGE Boye Mafe (Minnesota) at #40 overall. RB Kenny Walker III (Michigan State) should start. I also like OT Abe Lucas from Washington State they had some nice CB selections in the 4th & 5th rounds with Coby Bryant (Cincinnati) and Tariq Woolen (Texas-San Antonio). If EDGE Tyreke Smith (Ohio State) can turn out, this may be an A+ draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
This was not a sexy draft at all. When you draft a DT/DE, Guard, 3rd down RB, Blocking TE, and Punter with your first five picks it's tough to get excited about that. But as a fan I AM! They addressed a bunch of needs and DE/DT Logan Hall (Houston) is going to be a stud in this system. OG Luke Goedeke (Central Michigan) describes himself as a 'glass eater' and his only hobby outside of football is lifting. That tells me he is going to be awesome. Don't be surprised if he is a top 10 player in this class in two years. Punter Jake Camarda (Georgia) helps them out in a weak area and frees up salary cap space to bring back Gronk. CB Zyon McCollum (Sam Houston State) was the best athlete to ever test at Cornerback.
Tennessee Titans: B+
WR Treylon Burks is a good replacement for A.J. Brown as that was his pro comp. They'll save some money there and hopefully he can develop along a similar track. CB Roger McCreary (Auburn) is a fiesty CB but may be limited with his size to a Nickel CB role. QB Malik Willis (Liberty) is a steal at #86 overall and a very worthwhile project as they can get out of Ryan Tannehill's deal after this next season.
Washington Commanders: A-
At #16 they got my favorite WR in the Draft in Penn State's Jahan Dotson. They love drafting Alabama D-Lineman and took DT Phidarian Mathis in the 2nd round. RB Brian Robinson (Alabama) is good Antonio Gibson insurance and QB Sam Howell (North Carolina) is a tremendous value in the 5th round.