NFL Draft Grades 2018
By Tyler Smith
Arizona
Grade: B+
Picks: UCLA QB Josh Rosen (No. 10), Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk (No. 47), Michigan C Mason Cole (No. 97), Fordham RB Chase Edmonds (No. 134), Penn State DB Christian Campbell (No. 182), Cincinnati OT Korey Cunningham (No. 254)
Arizona had Josh Rosen fall to them. Rosen said he will make the other nine teams pay. I had him as the best QB in the draft. Christian Kirk was another player I was high on. A first round talent. They needed a QB and WR bad in this draft. They addressed that and they got two top talents.
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B
Players: Alabama WR Calvin Ridley (No. 26), Colorado CB Isaiah Oliver (No. 58), South Florida DT Deadrin Senat (No. 90), Southern Mississippi RB Ito Smith (No. 126), LSU WR Russell Gage (No. 194), Yale LB Foyesade Oluokun (No. 200)
Atlanta had to of been stunned when Calvin Ridley fell to them. Ridley was my top WR in the draft. For them to add him to their already stacked corps will make them just as dangerous as they were during their Super Bowl run on offense. They didn't address all of their needs but they did pick up DT Deadrin Senat in the third round to compete at DT. Ito Smith is a player to keep an eye on at running back. Corner Isaiah Oliver fell to them as well late in the second round.
Baltimore Ravens
Grade: B+
Players: South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst (No. 25), Louisville QB Lamar Jackson (No. 32), Oklahoma OT Orlando Brown (No. 83), Oklahoma TE Mark Andrews (No. 86), Alabama CB Anthony Averett (No. 118), UCLA LB Kenny Young (No. 122), New Mexico State WR Jaleel Scott (No. 132), UCLA WR Jordan Lasley (No. 162), Texas S DeShon Elliott (No. 190), Wagner OT Greg Senat (No. 212), Alabama C Bradley Bozeman (No. 215), Ferris State DE Zach Sieler (No. 238).
With 12 picks the Ravens were busy this draft. A few that stand out Hayden Hurst, Lamar Jackson, Orlando Brown, and Anthony Averett. These guys have a good chance at becoming house hold names in a few years. Brown was one of my top OT in the draft. Lamar Jackson is the most interesting QB in the draft. Mobile QBs have not had a great record in the NFL but Jackson has an underrated passer. Averett just might be a hidden gem at corner. They drafted two TE's both of which graded out well. Hurst is the better of the two though.
Buffalo Bills
Grade: C+
Players: Wyoming QB Josh Allen (No. 7), Virginia Tech LB Tremaine Edmunds (No. 16), Stanford DT Harrison Phillips (No. 96), Weber State DB Taron Johnson (No. 121), Jacksonville State DB Siran Neal (No. 154), Virginia Tech OG Wyatt Teller (No. 166), Clemson WR Ray-Ray McCloud (No. 187), North Carolina WR Austin Proehl (No. 255).
Not loving this draft large in part because of the first pick. It is hard to see honorable mention, Mountain West QB Josh Allen working out for the Bills. To trade up to get him makes this pick even worse. They saved the draft with the picks of Edmunds, Harrison and Wyatt Teller though. Still this draft could have been even better had they passed on Allen.
Carolina Panthers
Grade: C
Players: Maryland WR D.J. Moore (No. 24), LSU CB Donte Jackson (No. 55), Tennessee DB Rashaan Gaulden (No. 85), Indiana TE Ian Thomas (No. 101), Mississippi LB Marquis Haynes (No. 136), Maryland LB Jermaine Carter (No. 161), North Carolina LB Andre Smith (No. 234), Miami DT Kendrick Norton (No. 242).
I seem to be the only one that didn't have Moore in their top two WRs. I thought that Ridley would have been the better option here. Moore could end up being a fine player just not seeing great. I'm not loving the rest of the class. Seems that Carolina valued several guys much higher than other teams this year. Could work out but I see it just being an average class.
Chicago Bears
Grade: B+
Players: Georgia LB Roquan Smith (No. 8), Iowa C James Daniels (No. 39), Memphis WR Anthony Miller (No. 51), Western Kentucky LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (No. 115), Delaware DE Bilal Nichols (No. 145), Utah LB Kylie Fitts (No. 181), Georgia WR Javon Wims (No. 224)
Chicago had themselves a hell of a draft with their first three picks. Smith could end up being the next big thing at linebacker for a team that has had so many great ones. James Daniels is a great pick up at 39. Anthony Miller will address the need at WR. The late portion of the draft doesn't do too much for me though.
Cincinnati Bengals:
Grade: A
Players: Ohio State C/OG Billy Price (No. 21), Wake Forest S Jessie Bates (No. 54), Ohio State DE Sam Hubbard (No. 77), Texas LB Malik Jefferson (No. 78 ), Miami RB Mark Walton (No. 112), Illinois State DB Davontae Harris (No. 151), Virginia DT Andrew Brown (No. 158), Western Michigan CB Darius Phillips (No. 170), Toledo QB Logan Woodside (No. 249), Mississippi OG Rod Taylor (No. 252), Florida State WR Auden Tate (No. 253)
Round of applause for Cincinnati. They nailed this draft. They took Price first which will hope a struggling line. Same Hubbard I had as a first round talent dropped to the third round. Malik Jefferson has the potential to be special. Andrew Brown is a former five star recruit who was starting to find himself as his college career came to an end. Don't sleep on Mark Walton either. This is a player who's name would have been called earlier had he not gotten injured this season.
Cleveland Browns
Grade: D
Players: Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Ohio State CB Denzel Ward (No. 4), Nevada OG Austin Corbett (No. 33), Georgia RB Nick Chubb (No. 35), Miami DE Chad Thomas (No. 67), Florida WR Antonio Callaway (No. 105), Memphis LB Genard Avery (No. 150), Texas A&M WR Damion Ratley (No. 175), Louisiana-Lafayette CB Simeon Thomas (No. 188)
The Cleveland Browns are not very good at drafting. Real bad. Why take chances when you have two top 5 picks! They took Baker Mayfield first overall. FIRST OVERALL! Why? No reason to. Please stop with the comparisons. Drew Brees? Really. Also, if your big thing is he is a leader and a gamer. A lot of players that came into this draft were leaders on their teams. If you are numbers guy or best player in college guy, how often does that pan out for QBs? You had a Heisman trophy recently. Take a look at what Shane Carden did at ECU under Lincoln Riley. Hmmmm. We will see Dorsey.
As for the rest of the draft now that my rant is over. Denzel Ward was a reach. I'm hearing a lot of best corner in the draft. Sure he is a top corner but have we already forgotten about the last "best corner in the draft" Justin Gilbert. Not even on the team anymore easy to forget. I liked Ward much better than Gilbert but, Nick Chubb the best defense player on every board but Cleveland's was looking you in the face and you passed.
Austin Corbett adressed a need but Hernandez should have been the pick. Chubb is a fine pick doesn't do much for me. Callaway is such a Browns pick. A major risk but hey will see.
Dallas Cowboys
Grade: B
Players: Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch (No. 19), Texas OG Connor Williams (No. 50), Colorado State WR Michael Gallup (No. 81), Kansas DE Dorance Armstrong (No. 116), Stanford TE Dalton Schultz (No. 137), Western Kentucky QB Mike White (No. 171), Indiana LB Chris Covington (No. 193), Boise State WR Cedrick Wilson (No. 208), Alabama RB Bo Scarbrough (No. 236)
Leighton Vander Esch was as solid pick at 19. If Connor Williams can plug right in at OG that would be huge. They adressed WR with Micheal Gallup and Cedrick Wilson. What the cowboys did late is what could make this draft class great. Wilson and Scarbrough could find roles on this team and they were found in rounds 6 and 7.
Denver Broncos
Grade: A+
Players: N.C. State EDGE Bradley Chubb (No. 5), SMU WR Courtland Sutton (No. 40), Oregon RB Royce Freeman (No. 71), Boston College DB Isaac Yiadom (No. 99), Iowa LB Josey Jewell (No. 106), Penn State WR DaeSean Hamilton (No. 113), Wisconsin TE Troy Fumagalli (No. 156), Arizona State OG Sam Jones (No. 183), Washington LB Keishawn Bierria (No. 217), Arkansas RB David Williams (No. 226)
Bradley Chubb to the Broncos? Yes, that happened thanks to Cleveland passing on him. Chubb helps this team immediately! the pass rush will now elevate to another level. They addressed a weakness at WR adding Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton. These two could impact this team right away as well. Broncos needed help at RB, what do they do, they go get two RBs. Williams is a great pickup in round 7 and Freeman should fit well in Denver.
The Broncos earn such a high grade with great talent and trying to fill team needs across the board.
Detroit Lions
Grade: C
Players: Arkansas C/OG Frank Ragnow (No. 20), Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson (No. 43), Louisiana-Lafayette DB Tracy Walker (No. 82), Alabama DT Da'Shawn Hand (No. 114), Oregon OT Tyrell Crosby (No. 153), San Diego State RB Nick Bawden (No. 237)
Ragnow and Johnson don't give me the best feeling. Both went higher than I thought. Hand is an excellent value at 114. They had other needs that could have been addressed.
Green Bay Packers
Grade: B+
Players: Louisville CB Jaire Alexander (No. 18), Iowa CB Josh Jackson (No. 45), Vanderbilt LB Oren Burks (No. 88), Missouri WR J'Mon Moore (No. 133), Washington State OG Cole Madison (No. 138), Alabama P J.K. Scott (No. 172), South Florida WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (No. 174), Notre Dame WR Equanimeous St. Brown (No. 207), Cal DT James Looney (No. 232), Mississippi State LS Hunter Bradley (No. 239), Southeast Missouri LB Kendall Donnerson (No. 248)
The secondary was awful last season. The Packers then use their first 2 picks to draft two first round talents. This is a move that could change the defense immediately. Solid move drafting St. Brown in the 6th. He can stretch the field and is a target they could use this season.
Houston Texans
Grade: C
Players: Stanford S Justin Reid (No. 68), Mississippi State OT Martinas Rankin (No. 80), UCF TE Jordan Akins (No. 98), Texas Tech WR Keke Coutee (No. 103), Wake Forest LB Duke Ejiofor (No. 177), Mississippi State TE Jordan Thomas (No. 211), Stanford LB Peter Kalambayi (No. 214), San Jose State CB Jermaine Kelly (No. 222)
The Texans didn't have a pick until the 6th round so this wasn't going to be a franchise changing draft. Reid is a nice pick up though at safety. Rankin is an interesting prospect that is capable of playing anywhere on the line. He could be a very valuable piece with that type of flexibility.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: B
Players: Notre Dame OG Quenton Nelson (No. 6), South Carolina State LB Darius Leonard (No. 36), Auburn OG Braden Smith (No. 37), Rutgers DE Kemoko Turay (No. 52), Ohio State DE Tyquan Lewis (No. 64), N.C. State RB Nyheim Hines (No. 104), Northern Iowa WR Daurice Fountain (No. 159), Mississippi RB Jordan Wilkins (No. 169), Clemson WR Deon Cain (No. 185), Houston LB Matthew Adams (No. 221), Syracuse LB Zaire Franklin (No. 235)
I had Deon Cain as the 32nd pick in the draft. He went 185. Either I am way wrong or every team missed on this guy many times. Cain is going to be a great target for Luck. Luckily for Andrew they went and got the best O-lineman in the draft to help him. Nelson is going to make an impact for this team right away. They also added OG Braden Smith. The run game will prove to be more prominent with these moves. Adding Hines and Wilkins at RB adds depth behind Marlon Mack. The defense will need one of the DE to prove to be stable. Keep an eye on three year Syracuse captain Zaire Franklin who was drafted in the 7th round.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: C
Players: Florida DT Taven Bryan (No. 29), LSU WR D.J. Chark (No. 61), Alabama S Ronnie Harrison (No. 93), N.C. State OT Will Richardson (No. 129), Nebraska QB Tanner Lee (No. 203), Wisconsin LB Leon Jacobs (No. 230), Mississippi State P Logan Cooke (No. 247)
Some good moves and some questionable moves. Questionable, Tanner Lee. Tanner Lee is the best you can do?! Tanner Lee! wow. Bryan at DT and Harrison at S are great picks. Harrison will look like a steal as a late third round pick.
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: C-
Players: Mississippi LB Breeland Speaks (No. 46), Florida State DT Derrick Nnadi (No. 75), Clemson LB Dorian O'Daniel (No. 100), Texas A&M S Armani Watts (No. 124), Central Arkansas CB Tremon Smith (No. 196), Tennessee OG Kahlil McKenzie (No. 198)
The Chiefs had 6 picks and they used every pick on defensive players. The question is will any of these players impact this team in the coming years. If I had to pick one player to be an impact guy I would take Nnadi. Three year starter at FSU. Watts has a shot too but has to improve in coverage.
Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B+
Players: Florida State S Derwin James (No. 17), USC LB Uchenna Nwosu (No. 48), N.C. State DT Justin Jones (No. 84), West Virginia S/LB Kyzir White (No. 119), UCLA C Scott Quessenberry (No. 155), Texas Tech WR Dylan Cantrell (No. 191), Northwestern RB Justin Jackson (No. 251)
they got the best value in the draft in Derwin James. James will start from day one. Uchenna Nwosu has the talent to make an impact on this team this season. Justin Jackson in the final round looks like a steal.
Los Angeles Rams
Grade: D+
Players: TCU OT Joseph Noteboom (No. 89), Michigan State C Brian Allen (No. 111), Stephen F. Austin DE John Franklin-Myers (No. 135), Virginia LB Micah Kiser (No. 147), Oklahoma LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (No. 160), Tennessee RB John Kelly (No. 176), Maine OG Jamil Demby (No. 192), Rutgers DT Sebastian Joseph (No. 195), Louisville LB Trevon Young (No. 205), TCU LB Travin Howard (No. 231), SMU DE Justin Lawler (No. 244)
They had more current needs than center and tackle but you can never have too many lineman. Most of the class wasn't projected to be as successful at the next level as they were in college. Micah Kiser is an interesting prospect that could find his way into a prominent role down the road. Overall this draft isn't doing it for me.
Miami Dolphins
Grade: B
Players: Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (No. 11), Penn State TE Mike Gesicki (No. 42), Ohio State LB Jerome Baker (No. 73), Notre Dame TE Durham Smythe (No. 123), Arizona State RB Kalen Ballage (No. 131), Southern Mississippi S Cornell Armstrong (No. 209), Ohio LB Quentin Polling (No. 227), New Mexico K Jason Sanders (No. 229).
Great pick in the first round with Fitzpatrick. Gesicki was a first round talent for me. They picked up a second tight end late, Durham Smythe. Jerome Baker could end up being a nice piece for the Dolphins at linebacker. Overall if you are a fan of the Dolphins you have to be happy about this class.
Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B
Players: UCF CB Mike Hughes (No. 30), Pittsburgh OT Brian O'Neill (No. 62), Ohio State DE Jalyn Holmes (No. 102), Central Michigan TE Tyler Conklin (No. 157), Auburn K Daniel Carlson (No. 167), Appalachian State OG Colby Gossett (No. 213), Tulane DE Ade Aruna (No. 218), Cal LB Devante Downs (No. 225)
The Vikings added depth in key spots which is what they needed to do. Picking up Mike Hughes at 30 provides the Vikings with another piece in their secondary. O'Neill is a good pickup for the Vikings since he won't have to start right away unless injuries occur. Getting Holmes in the 4th round could turn into something special. With his size he could turn in to a steady pass rush for the Vikings.
New England Patriots
Grade: B+
Players: Georgia OT Isaiah Wynn (No. 23), Georgia RB Sony Michel (No. 31), Florida CB Duke Dawson (No. 56), Purdue LB Ja'Whaun Bentley (No. 143), Arizona State LB Christian Sam (No. 178), Miami WR Braxton Berrios (No. 210), LSU QB Danny Etling (No. 219), Western Carolina DB Keion Crossen (No. 243), Florida State TE Ryan Izzo (No. 250).
Isaiah Wynn may see time at tackle despite his perfered spot as a guard. Either way the Patriots will be happy with this pick. His Georgia teammate Sony Michel should have a nice year in the Patriots system. You could see Duke Dawson getting some run this season early and often. I know that Danny Etling was a 7th round pick but why even waste your time drafting him?
New Orleans Saints
Grade: C+
Players: UTSA edge rusher Marcus Davenport (No. 14), UCF WR Tre'Quan Smith (No. 91), Florida State OT Rick Leonard (No. 127), Wisconsin S Natrell Jamerson (No. 164), Boston College DB Kamrin Moore (No. 189), Louisiana Tech RB Boston Scott (No. 201), LSU C Will Clapp (No. 245)
New Orleans is going for it. They needed a pass rush threat and they went and got him. Davenport should not disappoint. The rest of the class isn't going to blow you away but Smith could be a solid option at WR.
New York Giants
Grade: A+
Players: Penn State RB Saquon Barkley (No. 2), UTEP OG Will Hernandez (No. 34), Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter (No. 66), N.C. State DT B.J. Hill (No. 69), Richmond QB Kyle Lauletta (No. 108), Miami DT R.J. McIntosh (No. 139)
The Giants constructed a fantastic class with only 6 picks! 6 picks! Give the Browns 15 and they will still miss. Barkley is a no doubt about it back. Hernandez is a fantastic run blocker and one of the best guards in this draft. Carter in the third round?! What a steal. He could play a lot of snaps this fall. B.J. Hill didn't get the respect he deserved having Chubb on the line. Hill will fit in nice next to Snacks. What a class!
New York Jets
Grade: A
Players: USC QB Sam Darnold (No. 3), Fort Hays State DT Nathan Shepherd (No. 72), Miami TE Christopher Herndon (No. 107), Tulane CB Parry Nickerson (No. 179), Connecticut DT Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 180), Virginia State RB Trenton Cannon (No. 204).
The Jets manage to get Sam Darnold. Darnold is a perfect fit in New York and will thrive. Nathan Shepard is a bit of a unknown coming from Fort Hays State (take a guess where that is). Playing D2 is tough to gauge how talented he really is but he has all the measurements that you would want from a DT. Nickerson could be a viable option at corner.
Oakland Raiders
Grade: A
Players: UCLA OT Kolton Miller (No. 15), Sam Houston State DT P.J. Hall (No. 57), North Carolina A&T OT Brandon Parker (No. 65), LSU DE Arden Key (No. 87), Wisconsin CB Nick Nelson (No. 110), Michigan DT Maurice Hurst (No. 140), Florida P Johnny Townsend (No. 173), Washington LB Azeem Victor (No. 216), Oklahoma State WR Marcell Ateman (No. 228)
Oakland made it a priority to protect Carr with this draft class. Kolton Miller and Brandon Parker both add depth to offensive tackle. Miller has a stronger possibility of starting this season but if Parker can emerge with his frame the Raiders could have one of the better lines in the league in the future. Oakland dominated in the late rounds as well. Arden Key and Maurice Hurst are two players that could make an impact in the pass rush as well as second round pick P.J. Hall. Don't sleep on Nick Nelson and Azeem Victor. Ateman could work his way into a role down the line.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: B
Players: South Dakota State TE Dallas Goedert (No. 49), Pittsburgh CB Avonte Maddox (No. 125), Florida State DE Josh Sweat (No. 130), TCU OT Matt Pryor (No. 206), OT Jordan Mailata (No. 233)
The Eagles only had 5 selections this draft. They did add some talent to the roster though. Dallas Goedert will get a chance to play right away. Avonte Maddox and Josh Sweat were excellent late round selections. Going with two tackles to end the draft is never a bad option.
Grade: B+
Picks: UCLA QB Josh Rosen (No. 10), Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk (No. 47), Michigan C Mason Cole (No. 97), Fordham RB Chase Edmonds (No. 134), Penn State DB Christian Campbell (No. 182), Cincinnati OT Korey Cunningham (No. 254)
Arizona had Josh Rosen fall to them. Rosen said he will make the other nine teams pay. I had him as the best QB in the draft. Christian Kirk was another player I was high on. A first round talent. They needed a QB and WR bad in this draft. They addressed that and they got two top talents.
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B
Players: Alabama WR Calvin Ridley (No. 26), Colorado CB Isaiah Oliver (No. 58), South Florida DT Deadrin Senat (No. 90), Southern Mississippi RB Ito Smith (No. 126), LSU WR Russell Gage (No. 194), Yale LB Foyesade Oluokun (No. 200)
Atlanta had to of been stunned when Calvin Ridley fell to them. Ridley was my top WR in the draft. For them to add him to their already stacked corps will make them just as dangerous as they were during their Super Bowl run on offense. They didn't address all of their needs but they did pick up DT Deadrin Senat in the third round to compete at DT. Ito Smith is a player to keep an eye on at running back. Corner Isaiah Oliver fell to them as well late in the second round.
Baltimore Ravens
Grade: B+
Players: South Carolina TE Hayden Hurst (No. 25), Louisville QB Lamar Jackson (No. 32), Oklahoma OT Orlando Brown (No. 83), Oklahoma TE Mark Andrews (No. 86), Alabama CB Anthony Averett (No. 118), UCLA LB Kenny Young (No. 122), New Mexico State WR Jaleel Scott (No. 132), UCLA WR Jordan Lasley (No. 162), Texas S DeShon Elliott (No. 190), Wagner OT Greg Senat (No. 212), Alabama C Bradley Bozeman (No. 215), Ferris State DE Zach Sieler (No. 238).
With 12 picks the Ravens were busy this draft. A few that stand out Hayden Hurst, Lamar Jackson, Orlando Brown, and Anthony Averett. These guys have a good chance at becoming house hold names in a few years. Brown was one of my top OT in the draft. Lamar Jackson is the most interesting QB in the draft. Mobile QBs have not had a great record in the NFL but Jackson has an underrated passer. Averett just might be a hidden gem at corner. They drafted two TE's both of which graded out well. Hurst is the better of the two though.
Buffalo Bills
Grade: C+
Players: Wyoming QB Josh Allen (No. 7), Virginia Tech LB Tremaine Edmunds (No. 16), Stanford DT Harrison Phillips (No. 96), Weber State DB Taron Johnson (No. 121), Jacksonville State DB Siran Neal (No. 154), Virginia Tech OG Wyatt Teller (No. 166), Clemson WR Ray-Ray McCloud (No. 187), North Carolina WR Austin Proehl (No. 255).
Not loving this draft large in part because of the first pick. It is hard to see honorable mention, Mountain West QB Josh Allen working out for the Bills. To trade up to get him makes this pick even worse. They saved the draft with the picks of Edmunds, Harrison and Wyatt Teller though. Still this draft could have been even better had they passed on Allen.
Carolina Panthers
Grade: C
Players: Maryland WR D.J. Moore (No. 24), LSU CB Donte Jackson (No. 55), Tennessee DB Rashaan Gaulden (No. 85), Indiana TE Ian Thomas (No. 101), Mississippi LB Marquis Haynes (No. 136), Maryland LB Jermaine Carter (No. 161), North Carolina LB Andre Smith (No. 234), Miami DT Kendrick Norton (No. 242).
I seem to be the only one that didn't have Moore in their top two WRs. I thought that Ridley would have been the better option here. Moore could end up being a fine player just not seeing great. I'm not loving the rest of the class. Seems that Carolina valued several guys much higher than other teams this year. Could work out but I see it just being an average class.
Chicago Bears
Grade: B+
Players: Georgia LB Roquan Smith (No. 8), Iowa C James Daniels (No. 39), Memphis WR Anthony Miller (No. 51), Western Kentucky LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (No. 115), Delaware DE Bilal Nichols (No. 145), Utah LB Kylie Fitts (No. 181), Georgia WR Javon Wims (No. 224)
Chicago had themselves a hell of a draft with their first three picks. Smith could end up being the next big thing at linebacker for a team that has had so many great ones. James Daniels is a great pick up at 39. Anthony Miller will address the need at WR. The late portion of the draft doesn't do too much for me though.
Cincinnati Bengals:
Grade: A
Players: Ohio State C/OG Billy Price (No. 21), Wake Forest S Jessie Bates (No. 54), Ohio State DE Sam Hubbard (No. 77), Texas LB Malik Jefferson (No. 78 ), Miami RB Mark Walton (No. 112), Illinois State DB Davontae Harris (No. 151), Virginia DT Andrew Brown (No. 158), Western Michigan CB Darius Phillips (No. 170), Toledo QB Logan Woodside (No. 249), Mississippi OG Rod Taylor (No. 252), Florida State WR Auden Tate (No. 253)
Round of applause for Cincinnati. They nailed this draft. They took Price first which will hope a struggling line. Same Hubbard I had as a first round talent dropped to the third round. Malik Jefferson has the potential to be special. Andrew Brown is a former five star recruit who was starting to find himself as his college career came to an end. Don't sleep on Mark Walton either. This is a player who's name would have been called earlier had he not gotten injured this season.
Cleveland Browns
Grade: D
Players: Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Ohio State CB Denzel Ward (No. 4), Nevada OG Austin Corbett (No. 33), Georgia RB Nick Chubb (No. 35), Miami DE Chad Thomas (No. 67), Florida WR Antonio Callaway (No. 105), Memphis LB Genard Avery (No. 150), Texas A&M WR Damion Ratley (No. 175), Louisiana-Lafayette CB Simeon Thomas (No. 188)
The Cleveland Browns are not very good at drafting. Real bad. Why take chances when you have two top 5 picks! They took Baker Mayfield first overall. FIRST OVERALL! Why? No reason to. Please stop with the comparisons. Drew Brees? Really. Also, if your big thing is he is a leader and a gamer. A lot of players that came into this draft were leaders on their teams. If you are numbers guy or best player in college guy, how often does that pan out for QBs? You had a Heisman trophy recently. Take a look at what Shane Carden did at ECU under Lincoln Riley. Hmmmm. We will see Dorsey.
As for the rest of the draft now that my rant is over. Denzel Ward was a reach. I'm hearing a lot of best corner in the draft. Sure he is a top corner but have we already forgotten about the last "best corner in the draft" Justin Gilbert. Not even on the team anymore easy to forget. I liked Ward much better than Gilbert but, Nick Chubb the best defense player on every board but Cleveland's was looking you in the face and you passed.
Austin Corbett adressed a need but Hernandez should have been the pick. Chubb is a fine pick doesn't do much for me. Callaway is such a Browns pick. A major risk but hey will see.
Dallas Cowboys
Grade: B
Players: Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch (No. 19), Texas OG Connor Williams (No. 50), Colorado State WR Michael Gallup (No. 81), Kansas DE Dorance Armstrong (No. 116), Stanford TE Dalton Schultz (No. 137), Western Kentucky QB Mike White (No. 171), Indiana LB Chris Covington (No. 193), Boise State WR Cedrick Wilson (No. 208), Alabama RB Bo Scarbrough (No. 236)
Leighton Vander Esch was as solid pick at 19. If Connor Williams can plug right in at OG that would be huge. They adressed WR with Micheal Gallup and Cedrick Wilson. What the cowboys did late is what could make this draft class great. Wilson and Scarbrough could find roles on this team and they were found in rounds 6 and 7.
Denver Broncos
Grade: A+
Players: N.C. State EDGE Bradley Chubb (No. 5), SMU WR Courtland Sutton (No. 40), Oregon RB Royce Freeman (No. 71), Boston College DB Isaac Yiadom (No. 99), Iowa LB Josey Jewell (No. 106), Penn State WR DaeSean Hamilton (No. 113), Wisconsin TE Troy Fumagalli (No. 156), Arizona State OG Sam Jones (No. 183), Washington LB Keishawn Bierria (No. 217), Arkansas RB David Williams (No. 226)
Bradley Chubb to the Broncos? Yes, that happened thanks to Cleveland passing on him. Chubb helps this team immediately! the pass rush will now elevate to another level. They addressed a weakness at WR adding Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton. These two could impact this team right away as well. Broncos needed help at RB, what do they do, they go get two RBs. Williams is a great pickup in round 7 and Freeman should fit well in Denver.
The Broncos earn such a high grade with great talent and trying to fill team needs across the board.
Detroit Lions
Grade: C
Players: Arkansas C/OG Frank Ragnow (No. 20), Auburn RB Kerryon Johnson (No. 43), Louisiana-Lafayette DB Tracy Walker (No. 82), Alabama DT Da'Shawn Hand (No. 114), Oregon OT Tyrell Crosby (No. 153), San Diego State RB Nick Bawden (No. 237)
Ragnow and Johnson don't give me the best feeling. Both went higher than I thought. Hand is an excellent value at 114. They had other needs that could have been addressed.
Green Bay Packers
Grade: B+
Players: Louisville CB Jaire Alexander (No. 18), Iowa CB Josh Jackson (No. 45), Vanderbilt LB Oren Burks (No. 88), Missouri WR J'Mon Moore (No. 133), Washington State OG Cole Madison (No. 138), Alabama P J.K. Scott (No. 172), South Florida WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (No. 174), Notre Dame WR Equanimeous St. Brown (No. 207), Cal DT James Looney (No. 232), Mississippi State LS Hunter Bradley (No. 239), Southeast Missouri LB Kendall Donnerson (No. 248)
The secondary was awful last season. The Packers then use their first 2 picks to draft two first round talents. This is a move that could change the defense immediately. Solid move drafting St. Brown in the 6th. He can stretch the field and is a target they could use this season.
Houston Texans
Grade: C
Players: Stanford S Justin Reid (No. 68), Mississippi State OT Martinas Rankin (No. 80), UCF TE Jordan Akins (No. 98), Texas Tech WR Keke Coutee (No. 103), Wake Forest LB Duke Ejiofor (No. 177), Mississippi State TE Jordan Thomas (No. 211), Stanford LB Peter Kalambayi (No. 214), San Jose State CB Jermaine Kelly (No. 222)
The Texans didn't have a pick until the 6th round so this wasn't going to be a franchise changing draft. Reid is a nice pick up though at safety. Rankin is an interesting prospect that is capable of playing anywhere on the line. He could be a very valuable piece with that type of flexibility.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: B
Players: Notre Dame OG Quenton Nelson (No. 6), South Carolina State LB Darius Leonard (No. 36), Auburn OG Braden Smith (No. 37), Rutgers DE Kemoko Turay (No. 52), Ohio State DE Tyquan Lewis (No. 64), N.C. State RB Nyheim Hines (No. 104), Northern Iowa WR Daurice Fountain (No. 159), Mississippi RB Jordan Wilkins (No. 169), Clemson WR Deon Cain (No. 185), Houston LB Matthew Adams (No. 221), Syracuse LB Zaire Franklin (No. 235)
I had Deon Cain as the 32nd pick in the draft. He went 185. Either I am way wrong or every team missed on this guy many times. Cain is going to be a great target for Luck. Luckily for Andrew they went and got the best O-lineman in the draft to help him. Nelson is going to make an impact for this team right away. They also added OG Braden Smith. The run game will prove to be more prominent with these moves. Adding Hines and Wilkins at RB adds depth behind Marlon Mack. The defense will need one of the DE to prove to be stable. Keep an eye on three year Syracuse captain Zaire Franklin who was drafted in the 7th round.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: C
Players: Florida DT Taven Bryan (No. 29), LSU WR D.J. Chark (No. 61), Alabama S Ronnie Harrison (No. 93), N.C. State OT Will Richardson (No. 129), Nebraska QB Tanner Lee (No. 203), Wisconsin LB Leon Jacobs (No. 230), Mississippi State P Logan Cooke (No. 247)
Some good moves and some questionable moves. Questionable, Tanner Lee. Tanner Lee is the best you can do?! Tanner Lee! wow. Bryan at DT and Harrison at S are great picks. Harrison will look like a steal as a late third round pick.
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: C-
Players: Mississippi LB Breeland Speaks (No. 46), Florida State DT Derrick Nnadi (No. 75), Clemson LB Dorian O'Daniel (No. 100), Texas A&M S Armani Watts (No. 124), Central Arkansas CB Tremon Smith (No. 196), Tennessee OG Kahlil McKenzie (No. 198)
The Chiefs had 6 picks and they used every pick on defensive players. The question is will any of these players impact this team in the coming years. If I had to pick one player to be an impact guy I would take Nnadi. Three year starter at FSU. Watts has a shot too but has to improve in coverage.
Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B+
Players: Florida State S Derwin James (No. 17), USC LB Uchenna Nwosu (No. 48), N.C. State DT Justin Jones (No. 84), West Virginia S/LB Kyzir White (No. 119), UCLA C Scott Quessenberry (No. 155), Texas Tech WR Dylan Cantrell (No. 191), Northwestern RB Justin Jackson (No. 251)
they got the best value in the draft in Derwin James. James will start from day one. Uchenna Nwosu has the talent to make an impact on this team this season. Justin Jackson in the final round looks like a steal.
Los Angeles Rams
Grade: D+
Players: TCU OT Joseph Noteboom (No. 89), Michigan State C Brian Allen (No. 111), Stephen F. Austin DE John Franklin-Myers (No. 135), Virginia LB Micah Kiser (No. 147), Oklahoma LB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (No. 160), Tennessee RB John Kelly (No. 176), Maine OG Jamil Demby (No. 192), Rutgers DT Sebastian Joseph (No. 195), Louisville LB Trevon Young (No. 205), TCU LB Travin Howard (No. 231), SMU DE Justin Lawler (No. 244)
They had more current needs than center and tackle but you can never have too many lineman. Most of the class wasn't projected to be as successful at the next level as they were in college. Micah Kiser is an interesting prospect that could find his way into a prominent role down the road. Overall this draft isn't doing it for me.
Miami Dolphins
Grade: B
Players: Alabama DB Minkah Fitzpatrick (No. 11), Penn State TE Mike Gesicki (No. 42), Ohio State LB Jerome Baker (No. 73), Notre Dame TE Durham Smythe (No. 123), Arizona State RB Kalen Ballage (No. 131), Southern Mississippi S Cornell Armstrong (No. 209), Ohio LB Quentin Polling (No. 227), New Mexico K Jason Sanders (No. 229).
Great pick in the first round with Fitzpatrick. Gesicki was a first round talent for me. They picked up a second tight end late, Durham Smythe. Jerome Baker could end up being a nice piece for the Dolphins at linebacker. Overall if you are a fan of the Dolphins you have to be happy about this class.
Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B
Players: UCF CB Mike Hughes (No. 30), Pittsburgh OT Brian O'Neill (No. 62), Ohio State DE Jalyn Holmes (No. 102), Central Michigan TE Tyler Conklin (No. 157), Auburn K Daniel Carlson (No. 167), Appalachian State OG Colby Gossett (No. 213), Tulane DE Ade Aruna (No. 218), Cal LB Devante Downs (No. 225)
The Vikings added depth in key spots which is what they needed to do. Picking up Mike Hughes at 30 provides the Vikings with another piece in their secondary. O'Neill is a good pickup for the Vikings since he won't have to start right away unless injuries occur. Getting Holmes in the 4th round could turn into something special. With his size he could turn in to a steady pass rush for the Vikings.
New England Patriots
Grade: B+
Players: Georgia OT Isaiah Wynn (No. 23), Georgia RB Sony Michel (No. 31), Florida CB Duke Dawson (No. 56), Purdue LB Ja'Whaun Bentley (No. 143), Arizona State LB Christian Sam (No. 178), Miami WR Braxton Berrios (No. 210), LSU QB Danny Etling (No. 219), Western Carolina DB Keion Crossen (No. 243), Florida State TE Ryan Izzo (No. 250).
Isaiah Wynn may see time at tackle despite his perfered spot as a guard. Either way the Patriots will be happy with this pick. His Georgia teammate Sony Michel should have a nice year in the Patriots system. You could see Duke Dawson getting some run this season early and often. I know that Danny Etling was a 7th round pick but why even waste your time drafting him?
New Orleans Saints
Grade: C+
Players: UTSA edge rusher Marcus Davenport (No. 14), UCF WR Tre'Quan Smith (No. 91), Florida State OT Rick Leonard (No. 127), Wisconsin S Natrell Jamerson (No. 164), Boston College DB Kamrin Moore (No. 189), Louisiana Tech RB Boston Scott (No. 201), LSU C Will Clapp (No. 245)
New Orleans is going for it. They needed a pass rush threat and they went and got him. Davenport should not disappoint. The rest of the class isn't going to blow you away but Smith could be a solid option at WR.
New York Giants
Grade: A+
Players: Penn State RB Saquon Barkley (No. 2), UTEP OG Will Hernandez (No. 34), Georgia LB Lorenzo Carter (No. 66), N.C. State DT B.J. Hill (No. 69), Richmond QB Kyle Lauletta (No. 108), Miami DT R.J. McIntosh (No. 139)
The Giants constructed a fantastic class with only 6 picks! 6 picks! Give the Browns 15 and they will still miss. Barkley is a no doubt about it back. Hernandez is a fantastic run blocker and one of the best guards in this draft. Carter in the third round?! What a steal. He could play a lot of snaps this fall. B.J. Hill didn't get the respect he deserved having Chubb on the line. Hill will fit in nice next to Snacks. What a class!
New York Jets
Grade: A
Players: USC QB Sam Darnold (No. 3), Fort Hays State DT Nathan Shepherd (No. 72), Miami TE Christopher Herndon (No. 107), Tulane CB Parry Nickerson (No. 179), Connecticut DT Folorunso Fatukasi (No. 180), Virginia State RB Trenton Cannon (No. 204).
The Jets manage to get Sam Darnold. Darnold is a perfect fit in New York and will thrive. Nathan Shepard is a bit of a unknown coming from Fort Hays State (take a guess where that is). Playing D2 is tough to gauge how talented he really is but he has all the measurements that you would want from a DT. Nickerson could be a viable option at corner.
Oakland Raiders
Grade: A
Players: UCLA OT Kolton Miller (No. 15), Sam Houston State DT P.J. Hall (No. 57), North Carolina A&T OT Brandon Parker (No. 65), LSU DE Arden Key (No. 87), Wisconsin CB Nick Nelson (No. 110), Michigan DT Maurice Hurst (No. 140), Florida P Johnny Townsend (No. 173), Washington LB Azeem Victor (No. 216), Oklahoma State WR Marcell Ateman (No. 228)
Oakland made it a priority to protect Carr with this draft class. Kolton Miller and Brandon Parker both add depth to offensive tackle. Miller has a stronger possibility of starting this season but if Parker can emerge with his frame the Raiders could have one of the better lines in the league in the future. Oakland dominated in the late rounds as well. Arden Key and Maurice Hurst are two players that could make an impact in the pass rush as well as second round pick P.J. Hall. Don't sleep on Nick Nelson and Azeem Victor. Ateman could work his way into a role down the line.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: B
Players: South Dakota State TE Dallas Goedert (No. 49), Pittsburgh CB Avonte Maddox (No. 125), Florida State DE Josh Sweat (No. 130), TCU OT Matt Pryor (No. 206), OT Jordan Mailata (No. 233)
The Eagles only had 5 selections this draft. They did add some talent to the roster though. Dallas Goedert will get a chance to play right away. Avonte Maddox and Josh Sweat were excellent late round selections. Going with two tackles to end the draft is never a bad option.