Grading the 32 NFL teams on their draft picks
GRADING THE DRAFT A
Bills: Masterful job getting the top arm in the draft (Josh Allen) to throw through the wicked Buffalo weather; and LB Tremaine Edmunds, who may develop into the top defensive player coming out of this draft. Cardinals: Getting your franchise QB in Josh Rosen at No. 10 overall is a steal. Adding a dynamic young weapon in WR Christian Kirk is bonus. Giants: Began with four immediate starters in RB Saquon Barkley, G Will Hernandez, edge rusher Lorenzo Carter and DT B.J. Hill. Then landed a potential successor to QB Eli Manning in the fourth round in Kyle Lauletta. Jets: Landing the most coveted and safest QB inthe draft inSam Darold suddenly makes the franchise’s future much more promising. Saints: Yes, they traded away next year’s No. 1 pick. But freakishly athletic DE Marcus Davenport could be the final piece of a defensive puzzle that nets Sean Payton and Drew Brees their second Super Bowl rings.
A-
Bears: The defense gets an injection of speed and playmaking ability with LB Roquan Smith, and rock-solid interior OL James Daniels is a great value in the second round. Bengals: Many thought C Billy Price would go later, but Cincinnati found the anchor for its troubled offensive line for the next decade in the feisty former Buckeye. Broncos: Having the draft’s best pass rusher in DE Bradley Chubb fall to No. 5 was a gift to GM John Elway — and LB Von Miller, who won’t be facing nearly as many double teams in 2018. Chargers: No one expected S Derwin James to last until No. 17, allowing L.A. to further enhance an emerging young defense. Colts: G Quenton Nelson has Hall of Fame potential, and the Colts used three second-round picks to add much-needed talent on defense. Titans: LB Rashaan Evans and edge rusher Harold Landry will make life miserable for AFC South quarterbacks for years to come. Redskins: Hard to argue with adding productive, SEC-tested talents in DT Da’ron Payne and RB Derrius Guice, who has high first-round talent.
B
Buccaneers: Trading back for two extra second-round picks made sense, but massive DT Vita Vea seems like a better fit for a team that runs a 3-4 defense. Falcons: WR Calvin Ridley will stretch defenses and create more space for Julio Jones, but where are the solutions at tight end and guard? Dolphins: Ball-hawking S Minkah Fitzpatrick makes the secondary a strength; and TE Mike Gesicki could become club’s top red-zone threat. Jaguars: DT Taven Bryan should add to an already disruptive line, and D.J. Chark is the draft’s fastest wideout. Packers: Coming away with two of the draft’s top players — CBs Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson — at your position of greatest need is a win. Panthers: D.J. Moore will provide some needed speed and help open lanes underneath for Devin Funchess and Greg Olsen. Patriots: Can’t question New England’s evaluation skills, tough most teams considered Isaiah Wynn a guard and the Patriots need him to start at tackle right away. Ravens: TE Hayden Hurst will provide an immediate boost to the offense, but how long will it be before QB Lamar Jackson is ready for the NFL? Steelers: S Terrell Edmunds may have been a reach in the first round, but Pittsburgh more than made up for it with former Oklahoma State tandem of WR James Washington (second) and QB Mason Rudolph (third).
C
49ers: GM John Lynch jumped the gun on former Notre Dame OT Mike McGlinchey at No. 9, and WR Dante Pettis (Round 2) comes with durability concerns. Chiefs: If QB Patrick Mahomes pans out as expected, the lack of having a first-round pick will be well worth it. Cowboys: LB Leighton Vander Esch and OL Connor Williams will be fine starters, but big holes at WR and TE were not sufficiently addressed. Eagles: Swooping in front of the Cowboys to land TE Dallas Goedert in the second round was masterful. Lions: Conservative, solid picks in C Frank Ragnow and RB Kerryon Johnson, who will be counted upon to finally return ground game to Detroit. Raiders: Jon Gruden upgraded the team’s toughness with OT Kolton Miller and NT P.J. Hall, but the secondary remains a big question. Rams: The heavy lifting was done prior to the draft with the additions of CB Marcus Peters and WR Brandin Cooks. Third-rounder Joseph Noteboom projects as eventual replacement for Andrew Whitworth. Texans: Houston gets credit for using this year’s draft capital to move up last year for QB Deshaun Watson. Vikings: CB Mike Hughes adds youth and speed to an already strong secondary, but waiting until late in the second round to address a shaky offensive line is a debateable move.
D
Browns: How can you walk away with players considered by most as undersized for their positions (QB Baker Mayfield and CB Denzel Ward) with the Nos. 1 and 4 overall picks? Seahawks: Rashaad Penny might be a fine back, but fixing the league’s worst offensive line needed to be a much higher priority.