Grading Every Team's NFL Draft
- Jake Klein
- Apr 29, 2020
- 21 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2021
Just a few moments after I clicked off my TV at roughly 7:00pm (following the Giants' selection of Georgia LB Tae Crowder with the 255th and final pick in the NFL Draft), it was time to snap back to reality. A reality without live sports. For three days, three oh-so-precious days, a record 55 million viewers had the chance to see a sports-related event of which the outcome was unknown. I watched every single pick of every single round of the NFL Draft, and in the spirit of not letting the magic die, I will proceed to assign a grade, like the ones you get in school, to the 2020 draft class of each NFL team.
Arizona Cardinals
Steve Keim and company were likely expecting an outcome much different as they prepared for the draft. Clemson S/LB Isaiah Simmons doesn't fill a glaring hole for the Cards and was supposed to be long since gone when their turn came around at #8, but sure enough, they didn't miss their chance to nab a top-5 talent without moving up. They were faced with a similar situation when Houston's Josh Jones, an offensive lineman considered to be a late first-round talent, fell to them in the third round at pick #72, and they again showed an impressive ability to change course for standout talent. They got great value in the seventh round, keeping ASU's Eno Benjamin in the desert to pair with Kenyan Drake. Combined with the fact that they got six-time Pro-Bowler DeAndre Hopkins with their second-rounder, it's safe to say the Cardinals made good use of their draft selections.
Grade: A-
Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta had their sights set on fixing last year's defensive issues this offseason, reaching a bit in the first round for Clemson CB AJ Terrell, who should play well to Dan Quinn's Cover-3 physical brand of defense. Their best pick was Auburn DE Marlon Davidson, who overshadowed in college by line-mate Derrick Brown, but should nonetheless prove a significant bolster to a front unit that now includes Dante Fowler Jr. in addition to Takk McKinley and Grady Jarrett. A team preparing to "win now" in a crowded NFC South, Atlanta made a wise depth pick in the third round, giving fleet-footed Temple C Matt Hennessy the chance to learn under Pro-Bowler Alex Mack, who's 35 and on his way out. By the way, they got the draft's best punter in Syracuse's Sterling Hofrichter nearly a full round after the first went off the board.
Grade: B
Baltimore Ravens
LSU's Patrick Queen was the consensus best ILB in this draft, although he was projected to fall right around the Ravens at 28. Nonetheless, it seems like an ideal pick to help revamp a linebacking core that's seen immeasurable success over the last two decades, but has been fairly weak since Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and CJ Mosley each departed. Queen figures to slide right into the top middle linebacking spot on a team that figures to contend for a title again in 2020. The other big need for Baltimore was to bolster their receiving core, which finished last in the league in receptions a season ago. That need was filled with a pair of prolific college receivers, including a speed threat in Devin Duvernay of Texas and an outside threat in SMU's James Proche. Baltimore filled their holes, but their draft position prevented them from getting any premiere players beyond Queen at 28.
Grade: B
Buffalo Bills
After spending their first-rounder to get Stefon Diggs from Buffalo, the Bills made a solid pick in Iowa DT AJ Epenesa with their first pick at 54. A Sean McDermott-type player known for his inside/outside versatility, it seems likely that Epenesa will play a significant role on the Buffalo defense right away in 2020. Beyond that, Buffalo's picks didn't make all too much sense, with Utah RB Zack Moss costing the 86th pick to be a committee back at best. Furthermore, Georgia QB Jake Fromm and Georgia Southern K Tyler Bass both play positions at which the Bills are squared away, and positions that are especially difficult to play in the notoriously tough playing conditions of western New York. For a team with such a gaping hole on the interior offensive line, the Bills' decision to focus on surrounding Josh Allen with more weapons makes their draft class feel incomplete.
Grade: C+
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers' draft strategy was abundantly clear from the start: fix the defense. After finishing next-to-last in the league in points allowed in 2019, it was no surprise that Marty Hurney and Matt Rhule spent all seven of their draft choices on the defensive side of the ball with QB, RB, and WR each addressed pre-draft. Could they have used a tight end? Probably, but their issue was the defense, and Auburn's Derrick Brown Jr. and Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos are plug-and-play pass rushers that have the talent to make an immediate NFL impact and stick around for years to come. So. Illinois' Jeremy Chinn, Troy Pride Jr. of Notre Dame, and Kenny Robinson of the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks will have the chance to gain in-game experience early while learning behind the likes of Tre Boston before stepping into more prominent roles. It shouldn't be expected that all seven picks pan out, but the Panthers figure to see at least a few members of their 2020 class experience NFL success and jumpstart the post-Rivera defensive era in Carolina.
Grade: B+
Chicago Bears
The Bears have Khalil Mack but didn't have a first-round pick as a result. With the selections they did have, they didn't do much of note. Notre Dame's Cole Kmet figures to slide to the top of a tight end depth chart that now features ten (yes, ten) names alongside Jimmy Graham but doesn't provide too much as a receiver, which is what the Bears should've been looking for in this draft. Their other second-round choice was Jaylon Johnson of Utah, equipped with good physicality in coverage, fills a void left by Prince Amukamara, but won't significantly alter a defensive unit that was already top-8 in the league in both yards and points against in 2019. The Bears needed offensive weapons and protection to help Mitch Trubisky and/or Nick Foles, and I would've liked to see more of a focus on that side of the ball in the early rounds, as opposed to trying to perfect a unit that was already one the league's best.
Grade: C
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals made no moves in this year's draft, picking to begin each round. They got their franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow, who is set to be the leader of a young team for years to come. With AJ Green returning to join Tyler Boyd and Joe Mixon, the addition of Clemson's Tee Higgins, a steal at #33, puts them in the conversation for one of the league's most exciting young offenses in 2020. After that, the attention turned to the defense, particularly the linebacker spot. Wyoming's Logan Wilson is a complete linebacker, with first-round pass coverage skills, and fourth-rounder Akeem Davis-Gaither also provides plus coverage skills. The only area Zac Taylor and Duke Tobin seemingly whiffed on was the offensive line, with Kansas G Hakeem Adeniji coming across as a depth pick more than anything.
Grade: A
Cleveland Browns
The Browns have all the talent they need weapon-wise on the offensive end, so they didn't seem like a threat to nab a wide receiver with the tenth pick, instead choosing the steady Jedrick Wills of Alabama to anchor their O-Line. Combined with newcomer Jack Conklin and returners JC Tretter and Joel Bitonio, the Browns now have as much offensive talent as any other team in the league, which is why I would've liked to see them spend a bit more effort on the opposite side of the ball in this draft. LSU safety Grant Delpit was the best available at #44 in a position they needed to upgrade, but there should've been more stress on a linebacking core that's currently composed of a third, a fourth, and a fifth-rounder. They didn't need another tight end behind Austin Hooper and David Njoku, and they didn't need another wideout behind Odell Beckhamn Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
Grade: B-
Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones made arguably the first round's best pick from the comfort of his yacht, nabbing Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb, arguably the draft's best receiver, at #17, when he was projected by most to be off the board by the early teens. Lamb should allow Kellen Moore the chance to flex Amari Cooper inside and leave Michael Gallup in one-on-one coverage. Alabama CB Trevon Diggs, who some considered the draft's third-best corner, was the eighth to be picked and fell to Dallas at #51 before they Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore slipped beyond his projected position (sensing a theme here?) and Jones took him at #82. With a scary offense in line and a boosted defensive unit following the draft, there's no excuse for Dallas not to make a run at Super Bowl number six in 2020.
Grade: A
Denver Broncos
John Elway clearly has trust in Drew Lock as the quarterback of the future in Denver, because he went out there and spent his first two picks on Alabama's Jerry Jeudy and Penn State's KJ Hamler, a pair of the top-10 wideout prospects on the board to join Cortland Sutton, who tallied over 1,100 yards in 2019. Elway then made a good value pick of Lloyd Cushenberry III from LSU, who could start at guard or center in 2020, to help protect Lock. The offense-heavy early picks, however, leave something to desired on the opposite side, with Denver clearly hoping that they can get away with a third-round talent in Iowa's Michael Ojemudia to help fix the turnstile at the second corner position in Vic Fangio's CB-friendly scheme.
Grade: A-
Detroit Lions
The Lions had been penciled in to take Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah with the third pick ever since they sent Darius Slay to Philadelphia, but the defensive-minded Matt Patricia wouldn't have dealt Slay or picked Okudah if he didn't trust the former Buckeye's ability to be a shutdown corner immediately at the NFL level under the tutelage of Desmond Trufant. The Kerryon Johnson project has evidently been tagged as over by the Lions, who made great value picks of D'Andre Swift of Georgia and Jason Huntley from New Mexico State, two backs that should compliment each other well as Detroit looks to add another dimension to their Stafford-led offense. The other pick by GM Bob Quinn that stood out to me was the selection of OSU's Jonah Jackson in the third round, a choice that opened the floodgate of mid-round guards and added a versatile first-week starter to a line that's looking to help a revamped run game in addition to protecting Stafford in 2020.
Grade: A
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers will cost the Packers no less than $21M a season over the next four and continues to throw for 4,000 yards each year with an upper-nineties passer rating to boot. Aaron Jones tied for the league-lead with 19 total touchdowns a season ago. Naturally, Green Bay decided to spend their first and second-round picks on a quarterback and running back, respectively. Jordan Love struggled in his senior year at Utah State, tossing 17 picks against the likes of Air Force and San Jose State. If he's even still with the team when Rodgers' contract expires, Love will be four years removed from any game experience and I have trouble believing that Green Bay would feel comfortable with a $25M backup at any point. Boston College runner AJ Dillon is a powerful back who should see most of his success around the goal line at the NFL level, but Jones punched in 14 scores from five yards or less last season. It's quite possible that none of Green Bay's six offensive draftees play a role on the 2020 team, a shocking consideration for a team that seems so close to another Super Bowl run. They didn't want to pick up a wideout to bolster a corps currently headlined by Marques Valdez-Scantling or use a high pick to bolster a defense that was 19th in the league in yards allowed last year? This draft may look good five years down the road, but for a team built to contend now, it makes no sense.
Grade: D-
Houston Texans
Bill O'Brien and company made good use of a draft that didn't include a first-round pick (which they spent in the trade that got them Laremy Tunsil and Kenny Stills). They stole TCU's Ross Blacklock, who possesses draft-best pass-rush skills at the tackle spot, at #40 to help bolster a defensive front that was a complete non-factor without JJ Watt last season. Jonathan Greenard, the third-round linebacker from Florida, should prove valuable in his ability to play multiple spots on a defense known for shuffling pieces on its front seven, and UNC's Charlie Heck has the size run-blocking ability to make him a candidate to be a rotation tackle right away. Following those good selections, Houston followed up with Penn State's John Reid and Rhode Island's Isaiah Coulter, who may have trouble even making the team, considering Houston's depth at cornerback and wide receiver.
Grade: B-
Indianapolis Colts
After trading their first-rounder to San Francisco for DeForrest Buckner, Indianapolis put together a class of some of the biggest-named later-round talent, which gives this group a chance to come away with a prolific one a few years from now. USC wideout Michael Pittman Jr., perhaps brought in to play the role that Donte Moncrief never could, is a big-body vertical threat that should pair well with a healthy speedster in TY Hilton. Pass-catcher Marlon Mack will be joined by Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor, a more traditional "in-your-face" runner who figures to combine power and speed into becoming one of the draft's most league-ready backs. Washington gunslinger Jacob Eason has a hose for an arm and will be given the chance to learn behind Philip Rivers and perhaps take the reins in 2021. They probably could've used an outside pass-rusher, but couldn't pass up Utah's Julian Blackmon in the third round, especially considering how secondary-reliant their defensive scheme is. Chris Ballard expertly assembled a class that should help the Colts take a step forward immediately while also preparing them to remain competitive in the future.
Grade: A-
Jacksonville Jaguars
As appealing as it may have been to have their choice of wide receiver at #9, Jacksonville did a nice job to stay true to improving the area that hindered them the most in 2019: the defense. They used their own first-rounder on Florida's CJ Henderson, who provides both physicality and technique that should make his transition to a #1 corner in the NFL somewhat seamless. Henderson will have to fill the shoes of departed veterans AJ Bouye and Jalen Ramsey, the latter of which got the Jaguars the #20 pick in the draft, which they used to draft LSU linebacker, K'Lavon Chaisson. Chaisson is young and raw but has the talent to form a potent pass rush when joined by second-year defensive end Josh Allen and third-rounder Javon Hamilton (Ohio State) with Yannick Ngakoue on his way out the door. They still got their wide receiver, but Colorado's Laviska Shenault will need to prove that he can stay healthy if he wants to be a consistent threat opposite DJ Chark.
Grade: B+
Kansas City Chiefs
Obviously, there's no glaring need for the defending Super Bowl champions, especially on their prolific offense, but they did just about as good as they could offensively picking last in the first round. Their selection, LSU's Clyde Edwards-Helaire, isn't the best runner in the draft, but seems like the perfect guy for Andy Reid and the Chiefs, given their recent track record with shifty pass-catching backs who excel in space (ie., Damien Williams in the Super Bowl). That said, I would've liked to see them get some secondary help at #32, especially with Xavier McKinney and Antoine Winfield Jr. both still on the board. There's a good chance Edwards-Helaire still would've been available at #63, with teams like Detroit and Indianapolis zeroed in on more traditional backs. But, when Mahomes asks, you listen. After taking Mississippi State's Willie Gay Jr. to bring much-needed speed to their linebacking corps, they ended up addressing secondary needs in the later rounds. Still, I don't see Louisiana Tech safety L'Darius Sneed or Tuale corner Bopete Keyes making too much of a difference in a secondary that was middle-of-the-pack last season and just lost Kendall Fuller to Washington.
Grade: C+
Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas had their choice of wide receiver, and the question was which of the "big three" wideouts they would go with. They left CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy, the best two of those three, on the board, but that doesn't mean their choice didn't make sense. By adding Alabama's Henry Ruggs III, the Raiders add a third dimension to their offense that they haven't had since the days of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree. With the blazing speed of Ruggs on the outside, defenses should be forced to open up the middle of the field, which should allow tight end, Darren Waller, to build on his solid rookie year. Added to the fact that Josh Jacobs will be running into less crowded boxes, Ruggs has the potential to be a game-changer in the Raiders' offense. He may not be the best wideout in the draft, but he makes a lot of sense for LV alongside their other weapons. They picked again at #19 but reached for Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette. It would've been encouraging to see the Raiders opt for some more secondary help behind Arnette as opposed to taking two more wide receivers in Round 3, or wait on Arnette and take better receiver help earlier.
Grade: C+
Los Angeles Chargers
With Phillip Rivers gone and only Tyrod Taylor behind, the Chargers were essentially forced to take a quarterback with the sixth pick. They ended up with Oregon's Justin Herbert, who's more of a late first-round talent due in large part to his strong but wildly inaccurate arm. If Shane Steichen and the Chargers' coaching staff can harness his arm in deep balls, Herbert can certainly channel his arm strength into a successful NFL career, but until then, his lack of control and experience under center makes him nothing more than an unfortunate happenstance for LA's "other" team. While it's easy to see Herbert fizzling out after a few explosive seasons (à la Cam Newton), the team's other first-rounder, Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray, is the classic linebacker who should be able to channel his size, speed, and strength into the ability to lead the LA linebackers for many years to come. Beyond the first round, I don't love the addition of two undersized receivers in Ohio State's KJ Hill and UVA's Joe Reed considering Herbert's need for big rangy targets.
Grade: C-
Los Angeles Rams
Jalen Ramsey cost the Rams their first-rounder, but they a stellar job addressing needs anyways. Florida State's Cam Akers was the first new Ram of the draft and should have a chance, not only to start right away but to be very effective in the Rams' outside running game, utilizing his draft-best patience and maturity as a runner. They also made a good choice in adding route-running master Van Jefferson to an offense that suddenly seems naked of weapons surrounding Jared Goff. On the defensive side, the Rams are all set upfront and in the secondary, so they used the draft to plug another hole at linebacker. Terrell Lewis has great size and good pass-rushing skills, and the team's paper-thin linebacking corps could make him and third-round safety Terrell Burgess candidates to get playing time right away in the Rams' three safety look with one backer.
Grade: A-
Miami Dolphins
Miami owned the first two rounds of the draft, with five total picks across the first and second, and their plan was clear. If you don't think the Fins' new quarterback, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, has premiere talent, you've never watched him play. The concerns for Tua are regarding his inability to stay healthy, so the Dolphins made a point of getting him as much protection as possible in the draft. Austin Jackson out of USC almost certainly wasn't their highest-valued tackle prospect, but they should get what they pay for with the extremely athletic and mobile Jackson. I don't see why they felt compelled to take Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene with their third first-rounder because Xavien Howard and Byron Jones are a better-than-solid duo in the first and second corner slots. Even if they were so hell-bent on adding a corner, they could've nabbed one just as good as Igbinoghene (or maybe Igbinoghene) later, and spent the first-rounder on another tackle, one better than the undersized and short-armed Robert Hunt (Louisiana). Did they get two solid pass protectors to help their fragile new toy? Absolutely, but they could've committed more to that area as opposed to bouncing back and forth between need picks and talent choices.
Grade: B-
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings had 14 picks and used them wisely to fill the needs that have developed on their roster since the offseason began. Stefon Diggs out? LSU standout receiver Justin Jefferson in. Lost Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes? Bring on two physical corners in blitz-heavy nickel Jeff Gladney (TCU) and Mississippi State's physical outside man Cameron Dantzler. I don't think they were looking for offensive tackle help coming in but couldn't resist the first-round talent of Boise State's Ezra Cleveland at #58. Like the choices of Jefferson and Gladney, it's a great value pick and one that should fill an immediate hole with Riley Reiff on his way out in due time. They also spent six late-round picks on rebuilding depleted defensive depth and scored themselves a solid post-Cousins quarterback option in Iowa's Nathan Stanley.
Grade: A-
New England Patriots
In typical Belichick fashion, New England traded out of the first round and went on to make just one of the ten selections they entered with. They made a questionable pick of Division II safety Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne) in the second round, especially considering that safety isn't an immediate need for a team that has lots of those. They bolstered their pass rush with Alabama's Anfernee Jennings and Michigan's Josh Uche, both good values picks in the middle rounds, and wisely filled another hole with two tight ends, one a pass-catcher (UCLA's Devin Asiasi) and the other a versatile run-blocker (Virginia Tech's Dalton Keene). Another issue was solved with the fifth-round pick of Marshall kicker Justin Rohrwasser, who went 53/57 on kicks last year for the Thundering Herd. The two needs they elected not to address were quarterback and wide receiver, which have proven pretty important for New England over the last two decades. It's hard to think of a legitimate excuse for not fixing (or at least attempting to fix) those areas via the draft.
Grade: C
New Orleans Saints
Sean Payton and company only made four picks but made very good use out of them. Michigan's Cesar Ruiz will be listed anywhere you go as a center but will serve as one of the Saints' starting guards at some point in the near future, with Larry Warford in the final year of his contract. Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun is a plug-and-play backer with great run-stopping prowess and developing pass-rushing skills that will be juiced to their fullest potential under the 4-3 scheme in New Orleans. Adam Trautman is the draft's best tight end in my eyes, so getting him at #105 was a steal, and they added a possible Brees replacement candidate in Mississippi State's Tommy Stevens. The things they could've done with more picks...
Grade: A-
New York Giants
With offensive line troubles playing a huge role in the Giants' issues the last few seasons and Nate Solder not living up his massive contract so far, Dave Gettleman decided to spend the fourth pick on an offensive tackle from this particularly deep class. With the selection of Georgia's Andrew Thomas, New York didn't get the most powerful tackle in the draft, and also passed on the most mobile, but ended up with a solid, physical, long-armed tackle in Thomas, who offers both pass and run-protecting prowess for both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. They made perhaps the best pick of the second round by stealing Xavier McKinney, the draft's best safety, at #35, which made their decision to pass on Isaiah Simmons at #3 make a whole lot more sense. UConn tackle Matt Peart will be an interesting development project for a few years down the road, but the Giants added some late-round depth picks to round out a safe-but-smart draft.
Grade: B+
New York Jets
For the first time in what feels like forever, the Jets had a good draft. New general manager Joe Douglas grabbed an absolute beast in 6'7" 364-pound Mekhi Bechton. With a 5.1 second 40-yard dash time, Bechton's mobility makes him the most solid run-blocker in the draft, a major addition to a Jets offense that struggled to incorporate their prized offseason acquisition, Le'veon Bell, last season. While he has some touch-ups to be made in the pass-blocking department, Bechton should be an immediate starter with a big impact on the New York offense. They brought in first-round wide receiver talent in Baylor's Denzel Mims to join Breshad Perriman in replacing Robby Anderson and got one of my favorite pass-rushers in this class, the versatile Jabari Zuniga of Florida, in the middle rounds. Plus, the selection of Cal safety Ashtyn Davis should give the Jets some leverage in both contract and trade negotiations around Jamal Adams, which could result in a haul of assets. I didn't particularly adore their choice to draft a quarterback (FIU's James Morgan) unless there are Sam Darnold-related issues that nobody knows about, but overall, Douglas gave Jet nation something to look forward to in 2020.
Grade: A-
Philadelphia Eagles
It's easy to see TCU's Jalen Reagor becoming a quality for the Eagles with his speed on the outside, but it's easier to envision Justin Jefferson, Tee Higgins, or Brandon Aiyuk, all available when the Birds picked at #21, playing that role in the future. Even more baffling, was their decision to take a quarterback, Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts, in the second round. Unless they have aspirations for Hurts to serve as a Taysom Hill-style weapon, this move tells me that Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson either have no idea what they're doing or have increasingly low expectations for Carson Wentz's ability to stay healthy and be a long-term quarterback option. Either way, Wentz is locked up until 2024, and it's impossible to imagine any team taking on his more than $30M-a-year contract via trade, so any quarterback, let alone one that costs you a second-rounder, makes no sense, especially with such holes to fill at the wideout and in the pass-rushing game.
Grade: D+
Pittsburgh Steelers
With a 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, the Steelers' Super Bowl window is closing fast, even with their top-five defensive unit in place again for 2020. As has been displayed over the last decade, most of Pittsburgh's success stems from good wide receiver play, something they've greatly lacked beyond JuJu Smith-Schuster since Antonio Brown left town. The issue is, they spent their highest pick, #49, on more of a project wideout in Notre Dame's Chase Claypool, who has tight end size and great route-running skills, but isn't especially graceful or fast, and often struggles with his footwork. With Charlotte linebacker Alex Highsmith and those after him, serving more as future depth selections at currently crowded positions, it's entirely possible the aforementioned Super Bowl window has long since closed by the time any members of the draft class are able to consistently make their mark in game situations.
Grade: D
San Francisco 49ers
It may have come as a surprise that the 49ers didn't spend the #14 pick (which they acquired from the Bucs via a trade for the #13 pick, which they acquired from the Colts for DeForrest Buckner) on a wide receiver to fill the shoes of the bayou-bound Emmanuel Sanders, especially considering the likes of Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb were still on the board. Instead, they got a raw-but-talented pass-rusher in South Carolina's Javon Kinlaw to replace Buckner, a cheaper and possibly better alternative to place alongside Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead on the menacing 49er D-line. They then spent their own pick on Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who lacks the consistent ability to gain separation downfield that a Lamb or a Jeudy might provide, but runs crisp and accurate routes, which makes him a great fit for Kyle Shanahan's system. Their late-round selection of West Virginia OT Colton McKivitz gives them short-term depth and a long-term replacement option for the newly-acquired Trent Williams and don't be surprised if seventh-rounder Jauan Jennings is playing a big-time role in the offense as the Marquise Goodwin replacement by the end of the year. If you're an NFC contender, this was not the draft you wanted to see from John Lynch and company after their Super Bowl appearance last season.
Grade: A-
Seattle Seahawks
It seems increasingly hard for the Seahawks to resist trading down and out of the first round as they have so many times in recent years, but Pete Carroll and John Schneider held on to the #27 slot and took Texas Tech LB Jordyn Brooks, a big-bodied backer with great range from sideline to sideline, but more than a developing project in coverage, especially in zone, where his physicality can't be as easily utilized and he often looks completely lost. Keeping in mind that All-Pro Bobby Wagner is still only 29 and Seattle drafted future starter, Cody Barton, at linebacker last year, the selection of Brooks comes across as a talent pick, but of a player with less talent than many of those available when their turn came around. Second-round defensive end Darrell Taylor (Tennessee) is a freakish athlete but has only raw skills to show for. Their best pick was third-round offensive guard Damien Lewis (LSU), who should not only leverage contract negotiations with Mike Iupati and DJ Fluker, but also serve as a more-than-serviceable contingency plan if Schneider isn't able to retain both of his current guards. That said, this draft looks like one of a team that's building for several years into the future, not one that should've been re-stocking for another run at a Super Bowl.
Grade: C-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With 42-year-old Tom Brady now under center, the Bucs were going spend their first-round pick, whenever that fell, on a right tackle, whoever that was, no matter what. Picking at #13 after a stupid and pointless one-spot trade with San Francisco, the Bucs got the average-sized Tristan Wirfs out of Iowa, who lacks the size of a Bechton or Thomas, but is nonetheless powerful, efficient, and mobile, a combination of three attributes that most tackles in this draft don't have. Ignore the talk about him moving to guard (the Bucs already have two good ones) and focus on the fact that Jason Licht and Bruce Arians just got the best all-around tackle in this draft at #13 to continue their dream offseason. There wasn't a glaring need at safety, but Minnesota's Antoine Winfield Jr. (whose father played eight times against Tom Brady) was a steal at #45 with his draft-best physicality and ball skills at that safety spot. They clearly like running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn of Vanderbilt, because they passed up the chance to add wide receiver depth and cornerback help to get him in the third round. If Vaughn's evasiveness and power are enough to make him even a solid NFL back, that will add yet another dimension to the Bucs' scary offense.
Grade: A-
Tennessee Titans
After losing Jack Conklin in free agency, the Titans' run-heavy scheme took a big blow, and they, as predicted, turned to the draft to solve their issues there and find a replacement for Conklin. Without a high first-rounder, the options were limited, and they passed on Josh Jones and Ezra Cleveland to take Georgia's Isaiah Wilson. Wilson is a big-bodied tackle with relatively strong arms, which sounds like the recipe for a good O-lineman. His issues stem from his lack of speed, agility, and mobility at 6'6," which will be made a bigger problem considering the stretched nature of Tennessee's run scheme. Will he be a starter right away? Without a doubt, but it'll be interesting to see how he handles himself in the run game. Kristian Fulton (LSU) has great speed at corner and was a must-pick at #61 for a Titans team in need of secondary depth, even amid question about his technique, which should be somewhat masked in Mike Vrabel's zone-heavy defense. They filled another hole with speedy pass-catching running back Darryton Evans from Appalachian State to replace the departed Dion Lewis in complementing the ground-and-pound game of Derrick Henry. They rounded out their class with some depth selections that leave their first pick as the only true head-scratcher.
Grade: B-
Washington
Any time you can get the best player in the draft without having the first pick, you've immediately made your class an instant success. That was the case with Washington's selection of Chase Young, who, as has been well-documented, is one of the most dominating pass-rushers to come through the draft in a long time. While he has some room to improve in the run game, Young is sure to be a game-changer immediately for Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio. Their third-round pick of Antonio Gibson, who played wide receiver, running back, and quarterback at Memphis, give them lots of freedom and flexibility with which to work on offense, which has proven valuable when used correctly (Taysom Hill). Rivera and company went on the bolster their offensive line, which is looking like it'll be the worst in the league by drafting LSU's Saahdiq Charles and San Diego State's Keith Ishmael, who might both see playing time right away, even as mid-to-late-round picks. Not a good sign for the season, but as far as the draft goes, they filled their holes.
Grade: A-
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