2020 NFL Draft Team Grades

2020 NFL DRAFT GRADES:

So at the conclusion of every draft everyone comes out with their grades. It’s a pretty much a fools’ errand in that you have no idea how good these classes are, or how accurate your grades are, until year 3 of their careers but it’s still fun. To be honest the 2020 NFL draft was ultimately pretty weak in my opinion outside of the best wide receiver class of all time and a deep crop of offensive tackles. That said there were some teams who hit absolute homeruns, and other teams who dropped the ball completely either due to lack of draft capital, Steelers and Texans, or strange decision making, Packers and Falcons. So here’s what we’re looking at. I’ve divided the lists into groups of 8, with the top 8 getting A’s and the bottom 8 getting D’s. I don’t give F’s because it’s likely not every player is going to be a whiff. Without further adieu, my NFL Draft grades.

The grades in each tier are not in any particular order BTW.

A GRADED TEAMS:

1. Dallas Cowboys 

Well this draft was incredibly productive and they did an outstanding job of building a draft class in Mike McCarthy’s first season. They ended up with 6 of my top 77 players in the entire class, and got some excellent values throughout the process. Starting at the beginning, they waited patiently and despite it not necessarily being their biggest need they added CeeDee Lamb, my 8th rated overall player at pick 17. He will be able to play inside and outside, and while some might think he has a redundant skill set to Amari Cooper, Lamb is better after the catch and doesn’t have the same downfield speed. That is now the best receiving corps in football, arguably. Nothing wrong with adding to a strength, particularly at that insane of a value. 

On day 2 they did a solid job of addressing team needs while still finding upside. Trevon Diggs was a nice pick at where they drafted with him being a solid round 2 grade from me, and him landing to Dallas at pick 51. The team needed someone to fill in at corner after letting superstar Byron Jones walk this offseason, while Diggs needs some tackling practice, he’s a talented guy. Neville Gallimore is a 1 gapping beast with great quickness who creates havoc. At pick 82 he was an incredible grab as he was my 36th rated player. 

On day 3 Reggie Robinson was one of my draft sleepers and his ability far outweighs were he went in the class, and Tyler Biadasz could start at center or guard at the next level. They both went in the 4th round but were top 65 players in this draft. Bradlee Anae at 174 could be considered one of the best steals in the draft as he went a full 97 spots below his draft ranking. Dinucci from JMU is a talented kid who could turn into a backup. This draft was insanely good, one of the better in the 9 years I’ve really worked at this.

2. Batlimore Ravens

New year, same draft outcome, an A for the Ravens. They did a tremendous job of filling needs and finding talent at reasonable places along the team. The GM Depodesta before the draft said that he was trying to make the team indefensible this season, he certainly helped there while also adding some really good pieces on defense at areas of need. They just do what they do every year, play good football and bring in great players. They had 6 of the top 78 players on my draft board, and that’s a crazy good draft no matter which way you slice it.

I wasn’t as high on Patrick Queen as everyone else is but the team desperately needed an inside linebacker to help stop the run. They really missed Mosely last season and it showed up in their playoff loss to Tennessee, despite only having Queen rated as my 45th best player, the position of need made a ton of sense. So much so that they doubled up and got a rock solid downhill thumper in Malik Harrison two rounds later at pick 98, even though he was the 75th rated player. They did a nice job addressing the teams’ biggest need.

They doubled up at the inside receiver position as well in this draft, grabbing one of my absolute favorite players in round 3 in Devin Duvernay. I had him rated all the way up at my 30th graded player, and he went 92. A luxury pick later and a tremendous sleeper was the sure handed James Proche. The team wanted another problem to defend, now it’s not just bombs and seam routes to defend in the passing game, slot receivers are added to the arsenal moving forward. 

Justin Madabuike in round 3 was a solid selection and adds really good depth to the front that is now one of the best in the NFL. Tyre Phillips in the 3rd was a pretty huge reach but I loved the Bredeson pick at 143, he was rated 65 slots higher on my board. I think he’s going to be a starter at guard for a long time in the NFL. Washington and Stone have a chance to make the roster as well taken late on day 3. All in all, a high value, needs filling draft from a team that does nothing but hit doubles every single draft. Easy A grade.

3. Arizona Cardinals

After a few really rough years by GM Steve Keim, he was exceptional this offseason. He got rid of the albatross contract that was David Johnson’s and swindled the superstar Deandre Hopkins from the Texans. Even without counting that in this draft haul, Keim still gets an A. He got arguably the best pick in the entire draft analytically on my board in Josh Jones with the 72nd pick, as he was 13th on my board. He got the 3rd best player in the draft in Isaiah Simmons, and he’ll instantly upgrade the teams’ biggest weakness last year, defending the tight end. In fact Keim fixed the teams’ two biggest areas of need in defending tight ends and protecting Kyler Murray with two of the best all around players in the draft.

In the 4th round the team went after two run plugging defensive tackles to help the team defend the run in a league with Seattle’s run heavy attack, the 49ers devastating zone scheme, and that McShay lead 11 personnel with the stretch play. You draft to win your division and I think Fotu was an exceptionally underrated DT, ranking 55th on my board. Lawrence is a high floor DT who will do his job. Adding a tackling machine at backup inside linebacker in Evan Weaver was a solid pickup and Eno Benjamin might be the teams backup running back from day 1. All in all, the team did the three things you want, they got great values, added potential superstars, and filled needs. Obvious A draft.

4. Minnesota Vikings

This team was almost a B because I don’t actually love their 2nd or 3rd picks adding a good player in Gladney and a great scheme fit in Cleveland but both were reaches where they went. Gladney is going to be a major part of their defense this year and along with Mike Hughes gives them two feisty corners, although both are projected more as CB2 or Nickel 1 than a premier shutdown corner. Cleveland was rated 88th overall on my board and although he went 58 the scheme fit in that zone blocking scheme made too much sense. Athletic tackles are paramount and Brian O’Neill and Cleveland on the bookends are going to be excellent in finesse blocking, although power rushers will likely give them both problems.

The gem of this draft though was the draft’s most productive receiver in Justin Jefferson at pick 22. He was the 9th rated player on my board and he filled a gigantic hole in the offense that was created with the trade of Diggs to Buffalo. Jefferson is an excellent route runner and can play both inside and outside and that ability to come in and be productive and versatile right away made for a tremendous pick. 

Cam Dantzler is an outside corner with great length and below average long speed. But he could help with the depth at corner as a CB2/3. Wonnum wasn’t high on my board but the team desperately needed pass rush and he made sense. The two next picks though were what really separated Minnesota from a decent draft to a top tier one. Lynch from Baylor was the 40th rated player on my board and he went at 130, and Dye from Oregon was number 38 on my board and he went 132. These two will be highly productive contributors early on in their careers. The picks to get quality starters on day 3 is what separate GM Rick Spielman from the average GM’s in the league. It’s why his teams are always competitive. You through in a tough player in Hand from Temple and an underrated OL who pass protects at a high level in Blake Brandel and it’s a good class. Some picks that are low risk that could pan out as well were Willekes from Michigan State who put up good production for Sparty off the edge, and the draft’s qb sleeper Nate Stanley who has a sneaky insanely good arm. He could thrive and eventually start in that system in Minnesota, watch out for the Hawkeye to potentially take over from Kirk Cousins in a few seasons. 

5. Cincinnati Bengals

Anytime you get the number one quarterback in the class you have an inside track to an A grade but the rest of Cincy’s draft was rock solid as well. The Bengals for years under Marvin Lewis actually had a super impressive collection of talent, and this team is still a long way from that but with a big offseason in terms of free agent acquisitions and a damn good draft, Cincy is on its way.

The rest of this draft could be amazing but the future grade here all depends on the career of Joe Burrow. I think he has the makeup and anticipation to be a top tier franchise quarterback and taking him with he first overall pick was an easy decision, and they pulled the correct trigger.

Tee Higgins in the second isn’t going to wow you with his speed but his catch radius is massive and he’ll provide an excellent red zone target, jump ball guy, and intermediate weapon for Burrow for the next decade. He went right where he should have gone and although there were better receiving options here, his size with what they already have made a lot of sense. In rounds 3 and 4 they went and got two really high quality inside linebackers, Wilson is a high floor guy and Davis-Gaither I had graded the same as Patrick Queen! They needed run defense help as they finished last in the league and adding those two along with DJ Reader will instantly improve that league’s worst unit.

Khaled Khareem and Marcus Bailey provided good value where they were picked. I think Bailey could be a really good special teams player in the league and Khareem is good against the run and stout on the edge which again, seemed to be the team’s theme on defense in this draft. Even though both Wilson and Davis-Gaither project to be very good cover linebackers as well. Hakeem Adeniji probably needs a year to grow but he’s one of only a couple of linemen in this draft that I think has the potential to play all 5 spots on the offensive line, getting him in the 6th was a very smart selection. Just a really high quality draft, that was well thought out and executed. If Joe Burrow turns into what I think he will become, which is a stud, this draft will still be an A in 3 years.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars

It’s certainly easier to get an A in a draft when you have multiple first round picks but you still have to execute and the Jags did that. CJ Henderson may have been a bit of a reach but he’s an excellent cover corner at a position of need. K’Lavon Chaisson is an excellent player with a tremendous motor, and while most analysts think he’s a low floor candidate I disagree. The dude works his ass off and he is only scratching the surface of what he can be. They weren’t sexy picks, but they were both rock solid and were rated 22nd and 24th overall on my big board.

The team isn’t trying to compete this year, obviously, so adding a highly talented project in Laviska Shenault was a sneakily good pick. He can do so many things that can help your team and they need playmakers, he’s certainly one. If he can refine some things as a receiver and get healthy he’s an excellent weapon and a very quarterback friendly piece. I wasn’t a fan of the Davon Hamilton pick with so many good defensive tackles on the board but he certainly filled a need so I can’t beat them up too bad, plus it was only a 3rd rounder. 

Adding a developmental kid with a high upside in Bartch continued the theme of this draft. Go after high upside here and developmental players who may be really good in two years when the team is ready to compete again, super smart plan. Quarterman is a guy who will probably make the roster on special teams and Josiah Scott is a potentially good nickel corner, good value where they got him. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Jake Luton push Gardner Minshew at some point, he’s an underrated kid with a good arm who played in a more conventional pro style offense, watch out for another 6th rounder from the pac-12. Collin Johnson is a jump ball guy who gives the team a different dimension there. The jags wen’t high upside and developmental guys knowing they were a couple years away, while they didn’t get the world’s best value. When you can add 2 of the top 24 players and 3 of the top 42 while adding solid depth, it’s a good haul. 

7. New York Giants

I can’t believe I’m giving Dave Gettleman a tier 1 grade in a draft but to be honest, he killed it. I think he’s one of the bottom 3 or 4 GM’s in the sport but he did an excellent job of taking high floor really quality players and solved some needs in the process. I thought I was the only one who thought Andrew Thomas was the best tackle in this draft but apparently Big Blue agreed and added him 4th overall. He’s got an extremely high floor and will immediately help this team.

On day 2 they did a wonderful job. Xavier McKinney is an insanely good and versatile football player who will transform that defense and for some reason he was still available in the 2nd round, he was the 14th best player in this draft! I loved Matt Peart as well, giving him a 2nd round grade due to the fact I thought he could play tackle or guard at the next level and loved his upside. Worst case he’s a 4 position backup but I believe by year 2 he’s starting on this line somewhere. 

They continued with solid picks in day 3. Darnay Holmes is a good rotational cornerback who has a shot to be a contributor. Shane Lemieux could eventually turn himself into a starting guard if he can keep his pad level down. The 7th rounders aren’t exactly guys I know too much about but I like their first 5 picks and their first two a ton. If you get two of the top 14 players in a draft, you get an A, no matter how else it goes, but when you add 3 more guys who could eventually start as well, as early as year 2, this was an A all the way.

8. New York Jets

I actually wasn’t a huge fan of Becton and think it was a pretty huge reach but at least it was a position of need. They more than made up for by one of the 5 best picks in the entire draft in grabbing Mims in round 2. He was one of only 11 players I had a 90 grade on in this entire class, and getting him at 59 was a complete gift. He is an elite player with an obscene catch radius and 4.38 speed. He’s going to be a really high end WR2 at worst and at best, he could be one of the league’s premier perimeter threats.  With the teams first two picks, they filled their two biggest needs, always a good way to get a decent grade and on top of it they got a 90 graded guy.

That may have been enough for an A but they continued to pile up good picks. Ashtyn Davis is a good football player with elite athleticism and Jabari Zuniga may end up taking the majority of the edge reps by the end of his rookie season. Great values on day 2. Perine will probably be the backup running back from day 1 and he was a high quality pick on the 3rd day. James Morgan projects as a good backup in the league and fits that offense exceptionally well. And another top 10 or 15 pick in the draft was Bryce Hall in the 5th, he’s a 2nd round player, it was a theft. Braden Mann was this draft’s best punter. I named the Jets 8th but they had a top 3 or 4 draft without question, easy A grade here.

B GRADES

9. Miami Dolphins

This was really close to being an A just with the sheer volume of picks and the fact they got Tua, but they just did not take the right players in round 1. Tua is a franchise quarterback, let me say that again, TUA IS a franchise quarterback. He’s got the best precision accuracy of any quarterback I’ve ever scouted at the college level. Taking him at 5 was a great pick and he will lead that team to a lot of wins, that said the rest of this class wasn’t inspiring considering the picks they had and what they did with them.

Austin Jackson is supremely talented but he was a 4th round grade in my book and passing on Josh Jones to take him was freaking absurd. He will get abused as a rookie and that pick was one of the 5-10 worst in the draft. Igbinoghene is a high upside guy but he’s only played corner for two seasons taking him tin the first was a huge risk, especially when you already have two of the top 20 corners in the league. Strange two late first round picks and they were both D’s in my opinion.

I like the two interior players they started with on day 2 though. Robert Hunt is a mauler who I think kicks inside to guard and becomes a good player there, he was one of the better interior players in this class and if needed he can play right tackle as well. Davis is a super talented kid who at worst turns into a good rotational player inside. Him and last years’ first rounder Wilkins give the team a nasty interior combo with huge upside and athleticism with their size. Jones and Kindley were not my favorite picks with both having day 3 grades from me, but they wanted to get more powerful inside and Kindley will certainly help with that, Jones has a chance to be a rotational safety, seemed like a reach there.

I love the next two picks based on the team though. I thought Strowbridge had to go to a multiple front team to be successful so the scheme fit was great and Weaver had a late 2nd early 3rd round grade from me and he fell way back because of below average athleticism. The team fit here for both players was excellent and they will outplay their draft positions. Not going to deep dive on long snappers but obviously they got the best one in the class. Malcolm Perry is a damn good football player, they will find a way to ge the ball in his hands and he will make plays. It was a mixed bag but Tua paired with that many players gives them a B. 

10. Denver Broncos

John Elway has really struggled as a general manager with the exception of two things that were easy decisions. He brought in Peyton Manning (after my Texans declined him in favor of Matt Schaub, FML), and he drafted Von Miller. Other than that his career as a GM has not been sterling but he did a very nice job this year of executing a plan and he came out with a quality draft class.

The best pick he made was his first one, Jerry Jeudy is going to be a superstar in the NFL, that’s just all there is to that. Write that down in ink, he’s going to be a stud. He was my 5th rated player in the class and was to me the obvious best receiver and the fact they got him at 15 was ridiculous. KJ Hamler was a reach in round 2, especially with Mims still on the board but I get the idea, go for speed, and then go for some more speed. He’ll likely be a slot here and he could be super dangouerous there. 

Ojemudia was a bit of a weird pick, but the team needed corner help pretty badly and his H/W/S is very good. Lloyd Cushenberry was a nice selection as well as he will likely slide in and start in the interior next to Risner and create a good inside tandem for years in Mile High. Agim is an underrated player who started to rise toward the end of the process but he’s a great scheme fit for the Broncos and Albert O pairing up with Noah Fant gives the Broncos the fastest tight end corps in the league. They wanted to get Drew Lock downfield talent, and boy did they ever. Maybe the highest upside pick in this class though is Netane Muti in the 6th, if the guy is healthy he could be a stud at guard, he just had two major injuries and struggled there. The 7th rounder from North Dakota State very well could make the roster too, this was a damn good draft by Elway, it was extremely close to an A.

11. Carolina Panthers

This draft was the first of its kind, a team that went all 7 players on defense! Whatever Matt Rhule decides to do during a rebuild though I would listen to him because the guy is a wonderful team builder and I think they got a rock solid B in his first year at the helm. Marty Hurney did a good job of simply building a defense from the ground up and they did a good job. 

Derrick Brown at 7 made too much sense for a rebuilding team. They needed an interior defender and Brown is one of the best players in this entire class. There are games where he just absolutely dominates and he’s a really high quality player. In round 2 going to get a pass rusher was a need even after getting Burns last year and Gross-Matos filled a need at an appropriate value. Chinn in the 3rd gives them a versatile safety and linebacker in nickel situations and his upside in the 3rd was a quality pick.

On day 3 Troy Pride provides the team with speed and the potential to play both inside and outside. He needs to Clean up his technique but his physical tools are enticing. The XFL safety went next and he has really good ball skills, I think he could end up being a starter in time or at more likely that rotational 3rd safety most teams are using now. Bravvion Roy was a familiar pick for his former Baylor coach there and he and Brown next to each other are a load of humanity to move. 

This was just a good draft. There wasn’t any picks that were insanely great value they were all just taken to rebuild a defense from the ground up and were appropriately valued. This draft epitomizes what a good solid B draft looks like. 

12. Cleveland Browns

The Jets, Browns, and Dave Gettleman all had good drafts in the same year… I would have lost that bet. That said if you look at what Andrew Berry, the new signal caller in Cleveland, did it was a really high quality draft. I wasn’t the world’s biggest Wills fan but the team absolutely needed help at left tackle and went out and got him. Even if he’s just okay there, he’s a massive upgrade over what they had last year and it’s been proven that Baker Mayfield can’t carry a team, he’s a trailer not a truck and he needs his offensive line to be great for him to win. This was a smart move.

In the 2nd round they got a kid who has among the top 5 upsides in this entire class. Taking a shot on Delpit there was a no brainer and now their secondary is very talented. Ward, Williams, and now Delpit give the team some high quality talent infusion in the back end of a defense. Jordan Elliott is a penetrating interior player, which is something they need. They have someone similar in Ogunjobi but disruptive interior players are hard to find, he was a good value there. 

I didn’t love the Phillips pick but they needed someone who can cover at linebacker to replace the stud and criminally underrated Joe Schobert. The pick filled a need if not a proper value. Harrison Bryant in the 4th was a tremendous selection. The team can pair him with Njoku and Hooper and have the best and deepest tight end room in the NFL next to maybe Philly. That zone stretch offense is going to be dynamic in the tight end room. 

I think Nick Harris needs a ton of time to get stronger before he’s ready to play but he had to go to a zone team to be successful and he did, perfect scheme fit there. Donovan Peoples Jones is a high upside guy who I think could provide a lot on special teams.

The draft was really good. I think I could get nit picky but they got solid values and filled big time needs on a tema that they feel like is ready to compete now. You can’t blame them for the moves they made. It was a very good draft and while I gave it a B I think it’s more likely a B+ or even an A-. Andrew Berry if he’s given time is going to do a great job there, he’s too smart not to.

13. Buffalo Bills

They are a team that is ran correctly from the front office to the coaching staff and it’s starting to show by them getting consistently better each season. This year’s draft was without a first rounder due to the Diggs trade but they still ended up adding high quality players again. When you can still get a top half grade without a first rounder, you’re a good organization, this one is just that.

Epenesa with their first pick is a high floor pass rusher who while I doubt he ever turns into a pressure machine will do his job each and every play. He’ll likely be an inside outside guy who can help in all facets on the defensive front. Zack Moss in the 3rd was a really good value and he’ll instantly come in and help Singletary giving them a versatile backfield. Moss’s ability to run between the tackles will help in short yardage and goal line and he’s an underrated pass catcher as well.

Gabriel Davis will likely be a number 3 or 4 there and do not be shocked at all if the ultra productive Isaiah Hodgins makes the team as well. He’s one of the more consistent and underrated players in the draft class. They got good depth there this offseason and these two are big high area pass catchers. The value they got from Fromm in the 5th was just way too much, he will be a very good backup in the league for a decade and that’s a great pick. Tyler Bass has one of the biggest legs I’ve ever seen, I think he’ll win the job there over Haushka. 

This wasn’t a special class because well they didn’t have the draft capital, but they still went out and got better and added high quality depth at positions of need. Beane does this every single year, he’s just a really good GM and maybe the most underrated in the NFL.

14. Tampa Bay Bucs

The Bucs are obviously going all in the next two seasons to try to win big with Tom Brady so getting the most ready now to contribute had to be the plan. They also needed to go out and get positions of need and they just did a very nice job on both fronts. Jason Licht almost lost his job this offseason but now he could end up making a deep playoff run, it signifies how important coaching and the qb position are. This draft is a nice B rated class because they filled holes and got high floor ready to roll guys now.

They had to get help at tackle and getting Tristan Wirfs, and Iowa kid so you know he’s well coached, was a very high quality move in round 1. The Bucs secondary was the most improved unit in football last season and adding a staring safety and nickel in Winfield at 45 was a really good move. I had him rated as a late 1 early 2 so they got a position of need and a well coached kid ready to contribute at a position they needed. 

In round 3 they had to look running back and while Vaughn wasn’t as highly rated as others, he’s pretty ready to roll right now and Tampa needs help there immediately. Not a sexy pick but a safe running back pick in round 3 was smart. The exact same thing can be said for the highly productive and best pick of the Bucs draft in terms of value with Tyler Johnson, he’ll likely be the team’s starting big slot and he was a great value in round 5. Khalil Davis can’t defend the run but he’s a super crazy quick interior pass rusher with a lot of juice. Calais could make the team as a 3rd down back and kick returner. 

They had to go out and get guys who could help them now and fill some roster holes, they did that and got good value as well. Just a nice draft from a team potentially poised to make a big run in 2020.

15. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers took Justin Herbert, and I get that they absolutely had to get a quarterback of the future but the thought of Simmons and James on the same defense had to be enticing. He’s a really good guy and has a lot of talent but he was QB4 on my board and despite all the weapons there, he really has to learn to throw with better anticipation or he’ll struggle. If they let him run there and give him a year to sit, he could end up being a good player. 

Moving up to get Kenneth Murray a lot of people disagreed with but I actually liked it. I thought this draft lacked a ton of depth in rounds 4-7 so getting your stud with maybe a top 5 highest floor in this draft at a position of need was a very nice selection. I think he was the clear cut number 1 pure linebacker in this class, I view Simmons as a hybrid.

Without a single day 2 pick I liked what they did with Joshua Kelley, he is going to get some serious reps there I bet. I think they found a good one and they needed a good backup running back. Reed from Virginia was maybe the most consistently good player with the ball in his hands nobody talked about, he could end up leading the NFL in return yardage and I think his versatility on offense will be a talking point. KJ Hill was a really good value late. Telesco has a lot of talent on this team, but this draft will be all about Justin Herbert. 

16. Detroit Lions

Honestly I think this draft was a C but someone had to get the last tier 2 grade and this made the most sense. The Lions really needed corner help and got the obvious number 1 cornerback in this class and the 4th best player overall. Obviously that’s a great start to any draft but they went and got a high quality 3 down running back in the 2nd. Arguably he wasn’t necessarily needed but Detroit wants to get better running the ball and didn’t feel like they could rely on Kerryon Johnson. Regardless D’andre Swift is a very talented kid who does everything well on the football field. Good value despite a weird position of need. 

The Lions also went out and got two different guards including Logan Sternberg who is a terrific run blocker and tough as hell but is going to struggle as a pass protector. Again, it’s clear they want to run the ball better. He and fellow draftee Jonah Jackson are going to fight for interior OL reps this next season, and while both have some issues to iron out, both have obvious starting potential down the road. Okwara isn’t my cup of tea but his brother is on the roster and he’s long with some talent. They needed another pass rusher so they went and got one, filled a need but maybe a reach. The hard thing was this draft was awful off the edge so getting one who isn’t bad is a solid move regardless.

The late round picks weren’t anything I was excited about although I think Cephus could turn into a quality special teams player. What bumped this grade from a C+ to a tier 2 B grade though was getting Hunter Bryant in UDFA land as he was an 80 rated player who I truly believe will get slot reps and be on this roster as a contributor day 1. It was like having an extra day 2 pick here and that gave them the boost they needed for a B grade. It wasn’t spectacular by BQ, but it was a pretty decent draft. 

C GRADED TEAMS

17. Las Vegas Raiders

Obviously this isn’t a draft that I’m in love with but the team absolutely had to get better at receiver and at corner and they went after it as hard as they could. Drafting Henry Ruggs ahead of some of the other star receivers was a strange move but obviously they’re the Raiders so it wasn’t shocking to see them draft the fastest guy in the draft class. That said, adding the number 12 rated player in the class at a position of need is never really a bad draft pick.

Damon Arnette where they took him was not a good draft pick. He’s tough and it was again, a position they really needed but it was a serious reach where they grabbed him. The 51st rated player in round 1 with those others out there who were better significantly made little sense. Adding two more offensive weapons in Lynn Bowden, who will probably play some slot, running back, returner, and wildcat quarterback was a nice selection and Bryan Edwards gives them three pass catchers in this class. 

Tanner Muse is potentailly the top special teams player in this class, with outstanding speed and size. Amik Robertson is a ballhawking tough kid who is going to be a great fit there. I’m not a huge fan of Simpson but the team was looking for offensive line help, so it made sense. These three picks weren’t great but all had 5th round grades or better so it’s possible they added 7 contributors or guys who can make the roster in this class. It wasn’t a great draft class, but it was okay. C grade seems appropriate. 

18. Washington Redskins

Anytime you take a 99 rated players, there’s no way you can earn less than a C grade. I’ve said this numerous times throughout the process but I truly think the only thing that stops Chase Young from a gold jacket is injuries, he’s a generational player. I really like the Gibson pick in round 3 as well, and without having a 2nd rounder they did a good job grabbing a quality offensive weapon. I think he’s going to play mostly receiver and kick returner for the Skins this season but he could ultimately be an elite 3rd down back. 

Charles is a versatile offensive lineman, but I think he was a pretty big reach where they got him. That said, it’s never a bad decision to draft someone who can play 4 positions on the offensive line, it adds quality depth even If he never turns into a high quality option. Gandy-Golden is a big bodied receiver who will truly help Dwayne Haskins, and provides a nice pairing to McLaurin. I’m not a big Ishmael believer but again, OL depth was needed in Washington.  Hudson can play a few different spots, likely going to be a special teamer. 

Overall this wasn’t an incredible draft, but it added the best player in the class by far and he’ll be a dominant player in the NFL. Gibson was a nice pick and the offensive line depth was a good add. It wasn’t great, but it was a solid draft considering they had no 2nd rounder. 

19. San Francisco 49ers

When you only have two picks in the first four rounds it’s almost impossible to get a grade better than a C, but the 9ers did very well this year considering their draft capital. I can’t include Trent Williams in this draft but if I could they would have gotten an A, John Lynch is establishing himself as one of the top GM’s in the sport and I believe San Fran is in tremendous hands for the foreseeable future. 

Kinlaw was a really good selection where they got him, filling a position of need with a tremendous player. Kinlaw is an extremely athletic interior defender who will continue to add to one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Yes they lost a superstar in Buckner, but this is a great consolation prize to fill his shoes for 10% the cost. Brandon Aiyuk is going to be a serious problem in this offense, his RAC ability is an absolutely perfect scheme fit for this offense. He and Deebo are going to really give other teams headaches in the next decade. Getting two of the top 31 rated players is always a good draft class, but adding the positions of need and great scheme fits too are an excellent job of team and roster management.

McKivitz is a nice piece on the line and provides some flexibility there. Charlie Woerner was a sneakily great pick as he is probably the best run blocking tight end in this entire class, or I’ll take that back, he is the best run blocking tight end in this class. Jennings is a big bodied guy who I think can make the roster due to his size and strength, making him a nice chess piece for Shannahan. 

Obviously with only two picks in the first 4 rounds it’s very difficult to do any better than the grade I gave them. That said, adding Trent Williams to this draft would make this an obvious A grade despite the lack of picks. John Lynch did about as well as he could with the draft capital he was given. 

20. Indianapolis Colts

It was a bit of a strange draft for Indy, without a first round pick. That said, they ended up doing a really quality job and they got an easy C from me, although it was much closer to a B. Michael Pittman is one of the highest floor players in the entire class at a position of need. There were other players I would have targeted there but he’s a guaranteed hit in this class. Jonathan Taylor was the pick I thought was the strangest. The team has a high quality back in Marlon Mack and good 3rd down backs on the roster so it seemed like the definition of a luxury pick. I like Taylor but there’s only one football and this team needed pass rush and corner. Weird pick.

Julian Blackmon was a bit of a strange pick but I like his ability to defend in the slot and match up with different players. Danny Pinter wasn’t on my board so felt like a reach there, but I know some other scouts liked him. I wasn’t a fan of any of their other picks to be honest except for one, maybe the most important one in this class, Jacob Eason.

I was a really big Eason fan if he got time to sit and had a good offensive line, he went to literally the best situation he could have for him. I think in a year or two he turns into this teams’ starter and they are able to challenge every level of the field for Indy. 

It was a weird draft, I usually think their GM is a top 5 in the game but he dropped the ball a bit here. I think getting Eason where he did and adding a super high floor player at a position of need in Pittman was a good selection. Not the best work from the Indy GM, but a C nonetheless.

21. Philadelphia Eagles

This was a very strange draft class for Philly, where Howie Roseman typically builds a tremendous roster. Jalen Regaor ahead of Justin Jefferson or Denzel Mims was a very strange draft pick, despite the team’s obvious desire to gain speed at wide receiver. Raegor was only the 47th rated player on my board and taking him at 21 seemed like a gigantic reach, but it was at least at a position of need. This draft will be determined mostly by the next pick, which I actually don’t hate as much as everyone else. Jalen Hurts is a high floor low ceiling quarterback prospect who is a great athlete and runner but he doesn’t throw with anticipation and is mostly a one read quarterback. The team is Carson Wentz’s but his struggle to stay healthy is pretty obvious, and they’ve already said they may use Hurts in a Taysom Hill style role. 

Taylor and Wallace are incredible athletes who at worst could be demons on special teams. I don’t love either guy as pure football players but you can’t teach that size and speed. Driscoll is a versatile offensive lineman who can fill the role that Vaitai held in Philly for the past 4 seasons, playing all over the line and filling in where needed. Wonogho is a high upside pick who could pay huge dividends, he was a really solid pick where they got him and probably their best value in the class. Hightower and Watkins provide big play ability, as that was obviously what they were looking for out wide, they wanted speed, speed, and more speed. The plan was clear, we’ll see if it works out, for now this is a meh draft. It’s a C.

22. Tennessee Titans

This wasn’t a great draft, but it probably falls under the C category. I absolutely do not like their first round pick, it was one of the draft’s worst, but the team is a physical running football team and Wilson is at least a scheme fit at a position they needed. Kristian Fulton was a tremendous pick where they got him though, and truthfully if they had swapped the two picks it made a lot of sense. He was a borderline first round guy who they grabbed at the end of the 2nd and he will fit right in where Logan Ryan played last season. 

Darrynton Evans is going to be a really nice compliment to Derrick Henry there, with him taking over third down duties immediately. His speed and ability to catch the ball was a very good pick where they got him. I like the Murchison pick as well, he’s a versatile defender on the line who can try to mitigate the loss of Jurrell Casey. Cole McDonald actually reminds me a ton of Tannehill if he can make the roster, athletic with an underrated arm and talent. 

The team did a decent job here and if they had taken a better tackle instead of Wilson this would have been a higher grade. Nothing special but it’s a decent class that helped replace the players they lost in free agency. This was a needs and scheme fit draft, but wasn’t a great value class or high in good volume. Decent C grade. 

23. Los Angeles Rams

Not my favorite draft class but without a first rounder they did an okay job. I think the Akers pick where they grabbed him was a good job. They now have a nice two headed backfield with him and Henderson and they’ll be versatile there. Van Jefferson has a nice floor as a highly regarded route runner and while he’s certainly not going to scare anyone down the field, he’s a chain mover. 

I’m not really a Lewis fan, but in the 3rd round it wasn’t a terrible pick, and they really needed a pass rusher. Burgess is a guy who is going to cover the slot and play the 3rd safety role. I think he’s a matchup piece on the back-end who can do multiple things. I understood both of these picks and think they made some sense. Hopkins will likely be a 3rd tight end this year who can develop into a high upside piece down the road. 

The other 4 guys are pretty nondescript but throwing 4 guys at the wall late in the draft, there’s potential one of them sticks. This was an okay class, but in a weak draft they did decently well. Got guys who can help them move the chains and some matchup players on defense. Not a spectacular draft but filled holes in the roster and some high floor guys. 

24. New England Patriots

This wasn’t a good draft, and it would typically fall into the D, or Tier 4 category most years, but they did better than the bottom 8 teams due to the sheer volume of their selections. Duggar and Uche are extremely athletic, and you can tell the Pats were trying to get versatile and athletic on defense in this class. They can play multiple roles and do a ton of different things for Bill Belicheck’s defense. 

Jennings is a decent player who is good against the run and fits the Bellicheck big OLB role immediately. Scheme fit was good here. Asiasi was rated higher on my board than anyone else I saw, and I actually liked the idea, fit, and need here for New England. Keane is going to be a hybrid player, mostly in an H-back role, it was a serious reach but the team wanted to get a movement piece on offense and they got two guys. 

The kicker from Marshall seemed like a big reach but I’m NEVER going to question Billy B on drafting kickers. Onwenu was the draft analyst I trust’s big sleeper pick for the entire class and he’s got super high upside. The rest of the draft likely won’t make the team. This was a weak draft without question, but the rest of them just weren’t very good. 

D RATED DRAFTS

25. Houston Texans

Obviously when you have this little draft capital, it’s almost impossible to get anything better than a 4th tier grade. I actually like what they did for the most part though. Blacklock is a high upside guy who filled a major position of need for the Texans. In the 3rd round they made an excellent selection in one of my favorite players in the class, in Jonathan Greenard. He’s going to play a mixture of 5 technique and 7 technique and both of these guys fill the team’s biggest weakness, which was pass rush. 

On the next day, they did some solid things but with only 5 total picks they got some solid upside players. John Reid provides a quality versatile defensive back who can play some safety and likely some nickel corner. They had to add depth there and did. Coulter as a wide receiver is a super high upside receiver who I think is going to make the team as a 5th WR, assuming they end up cutting Coutee. Heck is a viable swing tackle who will compete for a roster spot, I think he ends up making the team as someone who can be a longtime 3rd tackle in the NFL.

It wasn’t a great draft, almost no way for it to be with that little capital and no first round pick and only one pick in the top 90. That said they did as well as they could with what they had all things being equal. Still, with only 1 of the top 90 picks, it’s pretty obvious this is a Tier 4 draft class.

26. New Orleans Saints

I have no idea why they decided they needed Cesar Ruiz after they got McCoy last year. He’s going to play guard, where they were already strong, but it’s clear they will cut the man opposite Andrus Peat. Just a weird pick and one of my most overrated players in this class. That said their selection of Zack Baun was one of the 5 best picks in the draft and his versatility is tremendous. Getting a first round player in the 3rd is just an excellent pick, and he’ll provide that team with a lot of upside. Trautman in the 3rd was a very solid pick, and he could honestly be the teams starting tight end by year 2 and a number 2 tight end this year. He was an excellent value where they got him. Stevens was a weird pick but he’ll end up being their 4th quarterback, weird one.

Obviously a very low volume draft, but Baun and Trautman were excellent picks, Ruiz was strange but he’ll likely start for them. It’s a tier 4 draft due to lack of quantity and what I think is a poor round 1 choice.

27. Kansas City Chiefs

Taking a running back in round one is always a tough analytical choice, but when your team just won the super bowl you might as well take a perfect scheme fit at a position of need. Edwards-Helaire is an absolutely perfect player for this team and he could end up being the rookie of the year this year due to scheme fit and need. He’ll be dynamic in this offense. 

Willie Gay is a high upside guy but he’s got some serious character concerns. If he turns out to not be a horrible human being its’ a decent pick at a position of need. I like the Niang pick in the 3rd round. I think he turns into a good starting tackle in the NFL in time, and although eh likely needs a year it was a good pick.

The other 3 picks were ones I didn’t particularly like, although it wouldn’t shock me if Sneed ends up playing quite a bit in time for KC. Overall this draft just wasn’t great. They had two really good picks in Edwards-Helaire and Niang but considering one won’t start and the other is the most easily replaceable position in football, it’s tough to give this draft anything more than a Tier 4 grade.

28. Chicago Bears

Obivously taking Cole Kmet was a super freaking weird draft selection. They had a ton of tight ends on the roster already and just spent a huge amount of money on Jimmy Graham, which was a terrible decision as well. They compounded the error by taking a good player in Kmet but he wasn’t a position of need and they had a ton of other things they could use. Jaylon Johnson though was an outstanding pick. He was the CB2 on my entire board and getting him that deep in the draft was tremendous. 

Trevis Gipson in round 5 was an absolute steal and he is someone who is going to be the number three edge defender behind Mack and Quinn and should see serious reps starting immediately. The other 4 guys on this draft board were unranked guys by almost everyone, myself included. They made two very nice picks, but the rest of the draft was weak. I think Ryan Pace has a very good chance to be unemployed by the 2021 draft.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers

They just had such little draft capital there was no way for them to get anything better than a D grade. I thought Claypool was a reach where he went, but the team had to get a deep threat in the passing game. They now have a high upside and diverse receiver room. Highsmith is another high upside edge rusher, and while I don’t know where he’ll play and he has a low floor, but he has a high ceiling. I love the McFarland pick though, and while I think Conner and Snell are nice players, I really believe McFarland will end up starting for the Steelers by years’ end.

Dotson may end up being a starter on the interior of the offensive line in a couple of seasons. Brooks will likely end up being a 3rd safety and high quality special teams player who can do a lot of things for a team, he feels like a Steelers pick. Carlos Davis is super talented but hasn’t really ever produced, worth a flier though. 

This wasn’t a great draft, with such little capital it was super difficult to be great. I do think the top two guys were borderline picks but McFarland is a sneaky good pick. When you have such little capital, it’s tough to do well though, it’s why draft capital is so important in team building.

30. Seattle Seahawks

The hawks are gonna Hawk. It’s just what they do, they zig when every other team in the NFL zags. At times it works out exceedingly well, but in early rounds it’s an absolutely terrible look. Their previous first round picks have been god awful and they reached by 2 full rounds again. Penny was a huge reach, Irvin was a huge reach, Collier was a huge reach, Ifedi was a huge reach, and now Jordyn Brooks was a reach again. I get that he’s talented, but despite the fact that he has potential he was almost never asked to cover in Lubbock and while at the end of round 2 I could get it, this just doesn’t make much sense. The team needed pass rush help and major helps at corner and on the offensive line, and they passed it up for Brooks. Just a weird selection.

I wasn’t a fan of either Taylor or Damien Lewis and they both went well ahead of where I would have taken them. That said they were good schematic fits and were positions of need so I can’t beat them up too badly over those selections. Parkinson and Alton Robinson where they were selected were quality picks, and again Seattle makes better selections later in the drat class. Dallas may end up as the teams’ 3rd running back before this season is over. The last two picks look like throw ins to me.

This was just another strange draft by Seattle. They find gems late but struggle badly early. Russell Wilson and a great head coach make this team constantly competitive, if they could only draft better in the first two rounds, they could end up being the best team in the NFL. They just simply are the worst team in the league there.

31. Atlanta Falcons

This is a bad draft, and honestly it might get Dmitrov fired. AJ Terrell in the first was the epitome of a reach and I was not a fan of Marlon Davidson. Two of the worst picks in the draft class happened by the same team and despite positions of serious need, they were both not even close to the best players in those spots.  Drafting day 3 guys in round 1 and 2 are always going to lead to a terrible draft grade. 

Hennessey is a nice player but nothing special and he won’t help them much this year. I kinda like the Hawkins pick and the team desperately needed a punter, but honestly this was an awful draft. Dmitrov is a good GM typically, but he has struggled lately and this draft might be the final nail in his coffin.

32. Green Bay Packers

What the freaking hell was that? I am one of the few who really like the fact that they went out and drafted Jordan Love. It seemed pretty obvious to me the last 3 years that Aaron Rodgers is still good, but he’s declining quickly. Last year he just wasn’t the same player that we’ve become accustomed to over the course of his career. He looks like a rich man’s Alex Smith at this point, so going and getting a super high upside guy for the future made a ton of sense. That said, the rest of this draft class should have been dedicated to trying to keep Rodgers window open. While he’s not what he was, he’s still a top 8 quarterback in the NFL and they should have been going for it while he’s still there. Instead they absolutely butchered this draft.

The team had to improve at linebacker, as they were shredded by the 49ers last year and then lost their best interior linebacker. They had to get Aaron Rodgers weapons as outside of Davante Adams they are probably the worst WR corps in the league. To be honest, they didn’t do any of those things and now they are in the exact same boat as they were before, only worse.

AJ Dillon seems like the epitome of a bad pick. I think he’s a decent downhill runner but the team has a stud in Aaron Jones and this seemed like a pick for two or three years from now as opposed to now. Deguara is an H-Back who can do a ton of things for you in terms of versatility but he’s not a huge difference maker. Runyan is a versatile backup lineman. The rest of the draft were all round 7 rated guys, who really aren’t locks to make the team. This is a bad draft, a really bad draft.