Pittsburgh Steelers
- Grade: A
Draft picks: OT/G Troy Fautanu, C Zach Frazier, WR Roman Wilson, LB Payton Wilson, G Mason McCormick, DT Logan Lee, DT Ryan Watts
Analysis: The Steelers aced this draft and finally addressed their biggest need for years with GM Omar Khan selecting 3 offensive lineman. OT Troy Fautanu and C Zach Frazier will be starting right away and both have potential to become pro bowlers. Roman Wilson is a nice addition to the thin receiving core the Steelers had, he will likely play slot receiver. It’s also tremendous how Payton Wilson (LB, NC State) fell to the Steelers in the 4th round, he’s arguably the second best LB in the entire draft and getting compared to retired LB Luke Kuechly.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Grade: A+
Draft picks: CB Quinyon Mitchell, CB Cooper DeJean, EDGE Jalyx Hunt, RB Will Shipley, WR Ainias Smith, LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., G Trevor Keegan, WR/TE Johnny Wilson, C/G Dylan McMahon
Analysis: Year in and year out the Eagles have been acing the draft. GM Howie Roseman somehow ended up with certainly the two best corners in the class to fill their biggest need (Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper Dejean). They also drafted LB Jeremiah Trotter who was heavily favoured as an early draft pick, late or early the Eagles made a great choice. Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith were two sleeper receivers that demonstrate great potential. Wilson is 6’8 and a matchup nightmare.
Washington Commanders
- Grade: B
Draft picks: QB Jayden Daniels, DT Johnny Newton, CB Mike Sainristil, TE Ben Sinnott, G Brandon Coleman, WR Luke McCaffrey, LB Jordan Magee, S Dominique Hampton, EDGE Javontae Jean-Baptiste
Analysis: QB Jayden Daniels I think has a lot of potential, his ability to run the ball and evade tackles will for certain make him super competitive. Importantly the key to his success will be a balanced ability to not only rush for yards but read defences, kill plays, throw under pressure, throw well timed passes and lead with accuracy & confidence. CB Mike Sainristil was my favorite pick, he will be a very good CB for the Commanders’ defense. As for TE Ben Sinnot, he’s believed to be the second best TE in the draft, I definitely like that pick too. The Commanders were very busy filling holes in free agency and they did a decent job at filling the rest in the draft, now they must hope it all works out in the next season.
Baltimore Ravens
- Grade: A
Draft picks: CB Nate Wiggins, OT Roger Rosengarten, EDGE Adisa Isaac, WR Devontez Walker, CB T.J. Tampa, RB Rasheen Ali, QB Devin Leary, C Nick Samac, S Sanoussi Kane
Analysis: Unquestionably the Ravens and Eagles pretty much ace the draft year after year. Eric DeCosta already fixed his secondary by drafting CB Nate Wiggins in the 1st round and somehow drafted TJ Tampa in the 4th round when Tampa was a projected to be an early second round pick. Wiggins and Tampa have achance to both be starting CBs for the Ravens this year. Pass rusher Adisa Isaac is a great pick and fills the void at EDGE as Baltimore lost Jadeveon Clowney to free agency.
Los Angeles Chargers
- Grade: A
Draft picks: OT Joe Alt, WR Ladd McConkey, LB Junior Colson, DT Justin Eboigbe, CB Tarheeb Still, CB Cam Hart, RB Kimani Vidal, WR Brenden Rice, WR Cornelius Johnson
Analysis: A lot of Chargers fans weren’t pleased about the first round selection (taking OT Joe Alt over WR Malik Nabers, 5th overall). Joe Alt is a special talent and will likely be a Pro Bowler throughout his career. I understand the frustration passing up on a potent generational WR but the Chargers still addressed the need for receivers. They selected Ladd McConkey, the best route runner in the draft and Brenden Rice who is Jerry Rice’s son and a genuinely fantastic player. The Chargers also picked up Cam Hart, a solid CB and Junior Colson, for certain the third best LB in the draft. Additionally, Colson played under former head coach John Harbaugh at Michigan which gave him the benefit of playing in a first class football program. The Chargers might not look all that special on paper but it’s new blood in management that could make the difference. The key to success may be protecting Justin Herbert and allowing the pass game to flourish. Keep in mind, Harbaugh ran the ball frequently at Michigan, he is grandly expected to do the same in LA.
Minnesota Vikings
- Grade: B
Draft picks: QB J.J. McCarthy, EDGE Dallas Turner, CB Khyree Jackson, OT Walter Rouse, K Will Reichard, C Michael Jurgens, DT Levi Drake Rodriguez
Analysis: The Vikings fate rests on whether QB J.J.McCarthy can make the NFL transition. The Vikings selected him as their 12th round pick as a raw QB prospect. I believe we have yet to see his true potential and the Vikings seem to be playing the proverbial “wait and see what happens”. As for their other picks, they absolutely nailed the Dallas Turner pick, he’s been pegged as the best pass rusher in the draft. They also selected Kyhree Jackson who was one of my CB sleepers, I think will pan out to be a solid corner. Vikings also drafted the best kicker in college football Will Reichard from Alabama.
Detroit Lions
- Grade: A+
Draft picks: CB Terrion Arnold, CBEnnis Rakestraw Jr., OT Giovanni Manu, S/RB Sione Vaki, DT Mekhi Wingo, G Christian Mahogany
Analysis: According to popular opinion, the Lions had the best draft this year. They fixed their weak secondary by drafting Terrion Arnold. They also selected another CB by the name of Ennis Rakestraw who was also a top 10 corner in the draft. I also have to mention how they drafted Sione Vaki, who was one of my favorite sleepers in the draft. I raved about Vaki in my previous blog as he is very versatile due to the fact that he can play safety and RB. The Lions will be dangerous again this year and filling their biggest need (secondary help) sets them up nicely to go on a run.
Chicago Bears
- Grade: A
Draft picks: QB Caleb Williams, WR Rome Odunze, OT Kiran Amegadjie, P Tory Taylor, EDGE Austin Booker
Analysis: There isn’t much to be said here, the Bears got their franchise QB Caleb Williams and drafted Rome Odunze who was a top three receiver in the draft. Odunze has easy potential to be an all pro receiver. The Bears also added to their O line to protect Caleb Williams and drafted one of my sleeper EDGE rushers Autsin Booker. Booker, as I mentioned before in my previous blog, reminds me of Jalen Phillips. The Bears offense is completely stacked all around, they’ll be fun and exciting to watch this year.
Denver Broncos
- Grade: A
Draft picks: QB Bo Nix, EDGE Jonah Elliss, WR Troy Franklin, CB Kris Abrams-Draine, RB Audric Estime, WR Devaughn Vale, C Nick Gargiulo
Analysis: The Broncos chose QB Bo Nix in an attempt to revive their passing game. Sean Payton definitely will hopefully mold Nix into a successful NFL quarterback. As for the rest of their picks they added Troy Franklin, who was a projected 2nd round pick but obtained in the 4th round. Franklin played alongside Nix so they will be reunited. The Broncos also selected RB Audric Estime who has great size and strength and absolute bruiser of a runner.
Los Angeles Rams
- Grade: A
Draft picks: EDGE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske, RB Blake Corum, S Kamren Kinchens, EDGE Brennan Jackson, DT Tyler Davis, K Joshua Karty, WR Jordan Whittington, C Beaux Limmer, G/OT KT Leveston
Analysis: The Rams were finally back in the first round for the first time since 2016. GM Les Snead went right to work and beefed up the D-line following the Aaron Donald retirement. Braden Fiske and Jared Verse both attended FSU and will definitely help new defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Blake Corum was as very productive RB at Michigan and was a touchdown machine. He adds the right change of backup to Kyren Williams for Sean McVay. Two other picks I liked were Safety Kamren Kitchens who’s a “ball-hawk” and Center Beaux Limmer, one of my sleepers for the draft. Limmer switched to center in his final year at Arkansas and and finished 2023 with 809 snaps allowing only 9 hurries, 0 hits and 3 sacks on the year.
New England Patriots
- Grade: A
Draft picks: QB Drake Maye, WR Ja’Lynn Polk, OT Caedan Wallace, G Layden Robinson, WR Javon Baker, CB Marcellas Dial, QB Joe Milton III, TE Jaheim Bell
Analysis: The Patriots did very well with new GM Eliot Wolf and new coach Jerod Mayo in the first draft of the post-Bill Belichick era. The Patriots chose their franchise QB Drake Maye who had a very high ceiling. They also finally addressed the WR position by drafting Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker who was one of my sleeper WRs in the draft. Both WRs have a legit chance to be starters for the Patriots this up-coming season. Baker had 52 catches for 1139 yards and 7 TDs in 2023. One of Baker’s biggest abilities is tracking the ball deep and making contested catches.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Grade: A-
Draft picks: WR Xavier Worthy, OT Kingsley Suamataia, TE Jared Wiley, S Jaden Hicks, C Hunter Nourzad, CB Kamal Hadden, G C.J. Hanson
Analysis: The Chiefs added Xavier worthy who was the fastest WR in the draft and also broke the 40 yard dash time record at the combine. The Chiefs also found a lot of value selecting Kinglsey Suamataia who some had mocked in the first round. Jaden Hicks was a top 5 safety in thedraft and C Hunter Nourzad along with CB Kamal Hadden were 2 sleepers I talked about who both have great potential to be impactful at the NFL level. Hadden had 3 interceptions in just 7 games last year and was one of the top corners in college football before his season ending injury.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Grade: B+
Draft picks: C/G/OT Graham Barton, EDGE Chris Braswell, S Tykee Smith, WR Jalen McMillan, RB Bucky Irving, G Elijah Klein, TE Devin Culp
Analysis: The Buccaneers did solid again with GM Jason Licht, who made upgrading the offensive line a priority and selecting Graham Barton the most versatile Offensive Lineman in the draft. They also added some nice pieces to their defense by selecting pass rusher Chris Braswell and safety Tykee Smith.
New York Jets
- Grade: A
Draft picks: OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu, WR Malachi Corley, RB Braelon Allen, QB Jordan Travis, CB Qwan’tez Stiggers, S Jaylen Key
Analysis: The Jets are having a tremendous offseason and believe they had the best draft. The Jets revamped their O line in free agency and selected OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu who is an anchor and likely going to be a very good player for many years. They also selected WR Malchi Colrey who was one of my sleeper WRs, I mentioned how Corley is a very good slot receiver and they call him the “yards after catch king” as he’s very good with the ball. In addition, I had to mention how they took CB Qwan’tez Stiggers later in the draft (5th round). I previously talked about Stiggers into depth and characterized him as one of my favourite sleeper cornerbacks. I believe Jets are getting a steal with Stiggers, he played in the CFL last year and won CFL’s most outstanding rookie. He had 53 tackles and 5 interceptions in 15 games for the Argonauts in 2023.
Houston Texans
- Grade: B
Draft picks: CB Kamari Lassiter, OT Blake Fisher, S Calen Bullock, TE Cade Stover, LB Jamal Hill, RB Jawhar Jordan, EDGE Solomon Byrd, DT Marcus Harris, G LaDarius Henderson
Analysis: The Texans didn’t have a first round pick but still had a sneaky good draft. Lassiter and Bullock fill key needs in the secondary and TE Cade Stover is a nice selection as he played with CJ Stroud at Ohio State.
Green Bay Packers
- Grade: B
Draft picks: OT Jordan Morgan, LB Edgerrin Cooper, S Javon Bullard, RB MarShawn Lloyd, LB Ty’Ron Hopper, S Evan Williams, C Jacob Monk, S Kitan Oladapo, OT Travis Glover, QB Michael Pratt, CB Kalen King
Analysis: GM Brian Gutekunst seemed to be very focused on the safety position. I initially Cooper Dejean was a lock for them but that wasn’t the case, they selected OT Jordan Morgan, LB Edgerrin Cooper, S Javon Bullard with their first three picks. I think all picks are great especially LB Edgerrin Cooper, he was the best LB in the draft. As for the Michael Pratt pick, he was a QB sleeper I talked about previously and will have a nice chance to develop in the Green Bay system.
Arizona Cardinals
- Grade: A-
Draft picks: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., EDGE Darius Robinson, CB Max Melton, RB Trey Benson, G Isaiah Adams, TE Tip Reiman, CB Elijah Jones, S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, EDGE Xavier Thomas, OT Christian Jones, WR Tejhaun Palmer, S Jaden Davis
Analysis: Marvin Harrison Jr, Darius Robinson and Max Melton alone make the Cardinals draft class great. WR Marvin Harrison Jr has potential to be a generational talent and CB Max Melton was actually mocked in the first round by some scouts. I think he’s a great player and will have the ability to be impactful right away.
Buffalo Bills
- Grade: A
Draft picks: WR Keon Coleman, S Cole Bishop, DT DeWayne Carter, RB Ray Davis, C Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, EDGE Javon Solomon, OT Tylan Grable, CB Daequan Hardy, OT Travis Clayton
Analysis: The Bills got their WR early selecting WR Keon Coleman who is only 20 years old and has a very high ceiling. Coleman has plenty of talent and has theability to be the #1 receiver in Buffalo for many years. He will need to fill the Stefon Diggs void. Buffalo also selected my favorite sleeper RB Ray Davis and I think Bills fans will love him come September, he runs like Le’veon Bell and has great vision. Sedrick Van Pran was a top 5 center in the draft and S. Cole Bishop was a player I predicted the Bills would draft as a sleeper safety. Bishop can play a Jordan Poyer type role on the Bills defense.
New Orleans Saints
- Grade: B+
Draft picks: OT Taliese Fuaga, CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, QB Spencer Rattler, WR Bub Means, LB Jaylan Ford, DT Khristian Boyd, OT Josiah Ezirim
Analysis: Fuaga was the ideal pick to fill the biggest need, and McKinstry was a great second-round value to upgrade the defensive playmaking for Dennis Allen. QB Spencer Rattler was an interesting pick, obviously he won’t start but I think the potential is there. Khristian Boyd was on my list for sleeper D lineman, he is an effective run defender and has potential as a pass rusher. Jaylan Ford is a nice pickup for the LB position to fill depth.
Tennessee Titans
- Grade: B-
Draft picks: OT J.C. Latham, DT T’Vondre Sweat, LB Cedric Gray, CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr., WR Jha’Quan Jackson, S James Williams, EDGE Jaylen Harrell
Analysis: GM Ran Carthon addressed the most important needs of offensive line, defensive line, and linebacker right away. OT J.C. Latham, DT T’Vondre Sweat, LB Cedric Gray can all be first class starters. Titans selected Jha’Quan Jackson who was one of my sleeper receivers where I mentioned he’s good with the ball in his hands and can play a nice slot role. CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr was selected by the Titans in the 5th round and I had him as one of my sleeper CBs. Brownlee is at best when he’s in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Brownlee also shows he loves to throw his body around and does not shy away from any tackles. I think he can be a productive nickel corner at the NFL level. Overall, I like what Tennessee did this offseason especially to maximize second year QB Will Levis.
Seattle Seahawks
- Grade: B-
Draft picks: DT Byron Murphy II, G Christian Haynes, LB Tyrice Knight, TE A.J. Barner, CB Nehemiah Pritchett, G Sataoa Laumea, CB D.J. James, OT Michael Jerrell
Analysis: Murphy and Hayens were a great start to upgrade the trenches for Seattle. Their next-best pick was CB DJ James who fell more than I would have ever thought. This draft wasn’t anything fancy but Byron Murphy will be a force on the D line and Christain Haynes will be a starting Guard for Seattle.
New York Giants
- Grade: B
Draft picks: WR Malik Nabers, S Tyler Nubin, CB Andru Phillips, TE Theo Johnson, RB Tyrone Tracy Jr., LB Darius Muasau
Analysis: Malik Nabers was a tremendous pick, like Marvin Harrison Jr, Nabers has potential to be a generational talent. Nabers and Nubin will be immediate contributing starters. I also liked the Andru Phillips and Tyrone Tracy picks. A lot of scouts were actually high on RB Tyrone Tracy and CB Andru Phillips will bring nice versatility as he can play outside and inside coverage effectively.
Indianapolis Colts
- Grade: B
Draft picks: EDGE Laiatu Latu, WR Adonai Mitchell, OT Matt Goncalves, C Tanor Bortolini, WR Anthony Gould, S Jaylon Carlies, S Jaylin Simpson, CB Micah Abraham, DT Jonah Laulu
Analysis: Latu and Mitchell were absolute home run picks to start the draft for GM Chris Ballard. Despite Indy reaching a little for offensive lineman and secondary help, the Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini picks were necessary to help protect second year QB Anthony Richardson.
Dallas Cowboys
- Grade: C
Draft picks: OT Tyler Guyton, EDGE Marshawn Kneeland, G Cooper Beebe, LB Marist Liufau, CB Caelan Carson, WR Ryan Flournoy, OT Nathan Thomas, DT Justin Rogers
Analysis: The Cowboys settled for Guyton in the first round after some more “plug and play” blocking-ready players were taken ahead of him. He likely will need time to be eased in as Tyron Smith’s replacement. Cooper Beebe was on one my OL sleepers, he’s versatile throughout the line and as I mentioned in my draft sleepers blog I believe he will be a solid Guard in the NFL. He can potentially start right away for the Cowboys. I don’t like how the Cowboys did not address their RB issues, it may be something to address in the future. They ended up signing Zeke Elliot but his best days are way behind him now.
Carolina Panthers
- Grade: A
Draft picks: WR Xavier Legette, RB Jonathon Brooks, LB Trevin Wallace, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, CB Chau Smith-Wade, DT Jaden Crumedy, LB Michael Barrett
Analysis: The Panthers had a very good draft, I pretty much like all their picks. WR Xavier Legette has potential to be like DK Metcalf, RB Jonathan Brooks was the best RB in the draft and TE Ja’Tavion Sanders was arguably the second best TE in the draft. Accordingly, Chau Smith-Wade was a sleeper I mentioned for CBs who is certainly an excellent tackler and great in run support. He has the ability to keep WRs in check by disrupting routes. LB Michael Barrett is a “beast” and a late round sleeper LB I previously mentioned in my draft sleepers blog. Barrett brings great starting experience to the table and can be a viscous “side line to sideline” LB.
Miami Dolphins
- Grade: B
Draft picks: EDGE Chop Robinson, OT Patrick Paul, RB Jaylen Wright, EDGE Mohamed Kamara, WR Malik Washington, S Patrick McMorris, WR Tahj Washington
Analysis: I loved the first five picks for Miami. EDGE Chop Robinson and OT Patrick Paul will be able to contribute immediately. The next three were all sleepers I mentioned, namely Jaylen Wright is a speedster RB (fits Miami perfectly), Mohamed Kamara is a ferocious pass rusher and Malik Washington can be a nice slot WR. I still think they should have drafted a DT as they lost star DT Christian Wilkins, who is very hard to replace.
Cleveland Browns
- Grade: C
Draft picks: DT Michael Hall Jr., G Zak Zinter, WR Jamari Thrash, LB Nathaniel Watson, CB Myles Harden, DT Jowon Briggs
Analysis: The Browns had limited draft capital with no first- or fourth-rounder. The Michael Hall pick was great for the D line and Jamari Thrash was one of my sleeper receivers, he’s a polished route runner who can easily get open and create separation from the DB. Overall, this draft was nothing to get excited about.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Grade: B
Draft picks: WR Brian Thomas Jr., DT Maason Smith, CB Jarrian Jones, OT Javon Foster, DT Jordan Jefferson, CB Deantre Prince, RB Keilan Robinson, K Cam Little, DE/DT Myles Cole
Analysis: GM Trent Baalke was a bit unpredictable after jumping on Brian Thomas Jr in the first round. Thomas Jr was no doubt a tremendous pick. I like the Maason Smith pick, he was one of my D-Lineman sleepers and when fully healthy he’s a force. Smith has freakish size at 6’6 and 300 pounds, he also has an explosive first step and shows elite upside as a pass rusher. CB Deantre Prince was also a decent 5th round pick but Trent Baalke could’ve maybe taken a CB a bit earlier.
Atlanta Falcons
- Grade: D
Draft picks: QB Michael Penix Jr., DT Ruke Orhorhoro, EDGE Bralen Trice, EDGE/DT Brandon Dorlus, LB JD Bertrand, RB Jase McClellan, WR Casey Washington, DT Zion Logue
Analysis: GM Terry Fontenot got plenty of backlash from every direction for taking QB Michael Penix Jr 8th overall after the team committed big money and 4 years to Kirk Cousins. Penix’s big arm is a good fit in the new passing offense but firstly, Penix isn’t near a top 10 talent and secondly, the Falcons left a lot of elite talent on the board as part of the opportunity cost. It was good to see they beefed up the D line but taking Michael Penix that early was unreasonable.
San Francisco 49ers
- Grade: C-
Draft picks: WR Ricky Pearsall, CB Renardo Green, G Dominic Puni, S Malik Mustapha, RB Isaac Guerendo, WR Jacob Cowing, G Jarrett Kingston, LB Tatum Bethune
Analysis: The 49ers had a very unpredictable draft taking two receivers, one of which was in the first round. This indicated that either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel may be on the way out soon. WR Ricky Pearsall is a talented receiver but there’s no denying the pick was a reach in the first round. Dominik Puni was a solid pick to upgrade the O-line and Renardo Green was one of my sleeper CBs where I mentioned he his great in press coverage and is a high instinct player. Overall this draft wasn’t anything special and was very unpredictable.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Grade: C+
Draft picks: TE Brock Bowers, G Jackson Powers-Johnson, OT Delmar Glaze, CB Decamerion Richardson, LB Tommy Eichenberg, RB Dyan Laube, S Trey Taylor, CB MJ Devonshire
Analysis: The Raiders “draft from a talent perspective” was done very nicely early. I know a lot of Raiders fans didn’t think Brock Bowers was necessary as they already had TE Michael Mayer. Bowers has potential to be the next great TE in the NFL and was one of the best TEs ever in college. Powers-Johnson was the best natural Center in the draft, that pick for the Raiders was A+. The rest of the draft wasn’t so great and a lot of people were surprised that the Raiders weren’t aggressive for a QB.
Cincinnati Bengals
- Grade: A
Draft picks: OT Amarius Mims, DT Kris Jenkins, WR Jermaine Burton, DT McKinnley Jackson, TE Erick All, CB Josh Newton, TE Tanner McLachlan, EDGE Cedric Johnson, S Daijahn Anthony, C Matt Lee
Analysis: I think the Bengals silently had one of the better drafts. Fistly, they took Amarius Mims who’s a monster and anchor on the O-line. Secondly, they beefed up their D line by taking 2 defensive tackles and one edge rusher a bit later. The Bengals also drafted 2 TE sleepers I really liked going into the draft (Erick All from Iowa, if he can stay healthy he will have a very productive career with his great route running ability and Tanner McLachlan who has great hands and athleticism to be a modern day Tight End.