2020 NFL Draft Grades
Breaking down each team’s picks in the 2020 NFL draft
April 26, 2020
The first virtual NFL draft came and went without any major issues. It gave us great moments like Kliff Kingsbury’s amazing mansion, Bill Belichick’s adorable dog and Cesar Ruiz’s emotional reaction to getting drafted. Oh, and also 255 young men who are now looking to make a name for themselves in the NFL. But which teams took the best players available?
Let’s break down each team’s weekend, sorted by draft order, starting with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati Bengals: A+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 1 – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Round 2, Pick 33 – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
Not a shocker here. The Bengals informed Joe Burrow that he would be their selection and that they wouldn’t trade the No. 1 pick, even going as far as to mail him his new Bengals jersey on draft night. It’s a no-brainer after Burrow posted one of the best seasons by a college player in NCAA history, recording 5,671 passing yards, 60 touchdowns and winning the 2019 College Football National Championship over Clemson.
They gave the “kid from Ohio” another weapon alongside A.J. Green, Tyler Boyd and John Ross III by taking wide receiver Tee Higgins from Clemson, a first round talent who slid due to some durability concerns.
The Bengals secure their future with a solid offense that will surely draw a lot of attention next year.
Washington Redskins: A
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 2 – Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 66 – Antonio Gibson, RB/WR, Memphis
Round 4, Pick 142 – Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty
Well, the Redskins took the best player in the draft in defensive end Chase Young out of Ohio State. He is a freak of nature and will turn a good pass rush in Washington into an elite one. Young slices through offensive lines with breakneck speed and will scare even the most disciplined quarterbacks in the NFL. This pick alone gives the Redskins an ‘A’, but their draft didn’t stop there.
Washington added weapons for its young quarterback Dwayne Haskins Jr. to throw to by drafting Memphis hybrid receiver/back Antonio Gibson and Liberty wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden.
Not only does Gandy-Golden have good receiving abilities, he also solves Rubik’s Cubes in less than a minute, does gymnastics, juggles, paints and bowls perfect games. He says he’s a fast learner, and that’s how he’s able to pick up other skills quickly. Hopefully that translates to success in the NFL.
Detroit Lions: B+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 3 – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Round 2, Pick 35 – D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Round 3, Pick 67 – Julian Okwara, OLB, Notre Dame
The Detroit Lions got their guy in Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with the No. 3 pick, but the rumors that they were going to trade down a few spots turned out to not come true. Okudah is by far the best defensive back in the draft and will fill in the hole left by Pro Bowl CB Darius Slay Jr. Love the fit.
D’Andre Swift was a bit of a surprise pick, seeing as the Lions have third-year running back Kerryon Johnson who has shown signs of being a productive back in the league. However, Johnson has suffered plenty of injuries, and his durability will be a question his entire career, depending on how long it will last.
In the third round, the Lions selected linebacker Julian Okwara, who is a great pass rusher that has unstoppable speed to get in the backfield. This is great for Detroit, especially after its defense had the second-worst sack total last year.
The Lions fill their needs on defense, and get a great backup at running back.
New York Giants: D+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 4 – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 36 – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Never count on Dave Gettlemen to make a good first-round pick.
After reaching for quarterback Daniel Jones with the No. 6 pick last year, the New York Giants reach again, this time for Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with the No. 4 pick. Even if Thomas turns out to be a Pro Bowler, Giants fans would be left to wonder what could have been if they picked linebacker Isaiah Simmons or traded down to acquire more picks and probably still be able to draft Thomas.
To be fair, picking an offensive lineman is a smart decision considering running back Saquon Barkley suffered a brutal high ankle sprain that sidelined him for three weeks last season. However, the Giants should’ve taken the best tackle on the board, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr.
The only thing saving this from an ‘F’ grade is the steal that was safety Xavier McKinney, who I’m surprised made it out of the first round given his insane zone coverage skills and awareness while playing for Alabama.
I don’t see the Giants turning their franchise around anytime soon, however.
Miami Dolphins: A-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 5 – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Round 1, Pick 18 – Austin Jackson, OT, USC
Round 1, Pick 30 – Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
Round 2, PIck 39 – Robert Hunt, OG, Louisiana
The Dolphins had a whopping three first-round picks this year, giving themselves a great chance to compete in a Brady-less AFC East if they drafted some solid talent.
They started their night off strong, selecting Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 5 pick, and not having to trade up to get him is a great bonus. He is often compared to Drew Brees, and he certainly has the talent to match. He might have been the first-overall pick had it not been for a horrific hip injury he suffered in November.
I also like the Dolphins selecting a cornerback with their final first-round pick in Noah Igbinoghene from Auburn. I’m interested to see how he and Byron Jones improve Miami’s secondary, which gave up the most passing touchdowns last year.
But while the Dolphins did do their job to protect their new quarterback by drafting linemen by taking offensive tackle Austin Jackson and guard Robert Hunt, two players who could be day-one starters, they failed to draft a running back or wide receiver. They made up for that, though, by trading for 49ers running back Matt Breida in exchange for a fifth-round pick.
They’re making a real case to take over the AFC East for years to come.
Los Angeles Chargers: B+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 6 – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Round 1, Pick 23 – Kenneth Murray, ILB, Oklahoma
Round 7, Pick 220 – K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
I’m not the biggest Justin Herbert fan, but the Chargers were desperate for a quarterback after Phillip Rivers left in free agency for the Indianapolis Colts. Herbert had flashes of being the best quarterback in this class during his time at Oregon but also made plenty of avoidable mistakes that need to be fixed. I think he has a very high ceiling if he fixes his decision making, but an awfully low floor if he doesn’t.
What makes this draft so great for the Chargers is the pick at No. 23, used on Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray. The Chargers got this pick from New England in a draft-day trade, and they took an extremely physical player in Murray.
Wide receiver K.J. Hill was a steal for the Chargers, sliding all the way to the seventh round. I think he has third-round talent with his great hands and will be a reliable weapon in Los Angeles for Herbert to throw to.
While the Chargers didn’t win the Tom Brady sweepstakes, they’re certainly a winner in the draft, and there’s a lot to love about this team going into next year.
Carolina Panthers: A-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 7 – Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Round 2, Pick 38 – Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Round 5, Pick 152 – Kenny Robinson, S, XFL
Defense was a clear need for the Panthers going into the draft, who gave up the second-most points to opposing offenses last year, and they addressed that by making all seven of their selections on the defense.
They began the draft by selecting Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown, a giant presence on the line, to hopefully improve their run defense after allowing a league-leading 31 rushing touchdowns. Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was a great selection in the second round, and him and Brown will be a great pair together next year.
The Panthers also drafted the first former XFL player in Kenny Robinson, who was expelled from West Virginia due to academic integrity issues and had most recently joined the St. Louis Battlehawks in hopes to make some money to pay for his mother’s cancer treatment.
The team should have drafted a linebacker, however, after Luke Keuchly suddenly retired at the age of 28 this offseason. That defense can be exploited if it doesn’t have a strong second line.
Arizona Cardinals: A+
Notable Picks: Round 1, PIck 8 – Isaiah Simmons, LB/DB, Clemson
Round 3, Pick 72 – Josh Jones, OT, Houston
The first three rounds couldn’t have been any easier for the Arizona Cardinals. Isaiah Simmons, one of the most talented players in this year’s draft, fell to them at No. 8 due to a lack of trades and the Giant’s questionable selection of offensive tackle Andrew Thomas at No. 4. Meanwhile, Josh Jones, who many draft experts projected would go in the first round, fell all the way to the third.
In the first round, the Cardinals, who still needed to fill in holes at offensive line to protect quarterback Kyler Murray, couldn’t have passed up on Simmons, as he is just too special not to take. He has such great zone and man coverage that he can play corner and safety, as well as great play recognition and pursuit to be a linebacker — he really does it all.
The Cardinals get my favorite player in Simmons, and still give Murray offensive line help. A clear winner in the draft.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A
Notable Picks: Round 1, PIck 9 – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
Round 1, Pick 20 – K’Lavon Chaisson, OLB, LSU
Round 2, Pick 42 – Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
I thought the Jaguars reached a tiny bit with Florida cornerback CJ Henderson at No. 9, but then they went and got a steal with LSU linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson at No. 20. Henderson is the second-best corner in this draft, showing great skills in man-to-man coverage, and Chaisson is an elite pass rusher, giving Jaguars fans hope that their defense can return to the level it was at in 2017 when they went to the AFC Championship.
Wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. is a player many people had as a top-three receiver in the draft late last year, but his poor performance at the combine, coupled with the surge in popularity of players like Henry Ruggs III and Jalen Raegor, meant he slipped. He’s a physical freak who won’t beat you with speed but with pure strength.
After cornerbacks A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey and defensive lineman Calais Campbell left the team in trades this past year, the Jaguars are looking to rebuild. They still need to find a team that will take defensive end Yannick Ngakoue after his very public beef with Jaguars management made it almost certain he won’t be on the team next year. Overall, their rebuild is starting off strong with these picks.
Cleveland Browns: A
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 10 – Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
Round 2, Pick 44 – Grant Delpit, S, LSU
The Browns got a steal here in Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., the best offensive lineman in this draft. Cleveland needed to secure a solid pass protection for quarterback Baker Mayfield if they want their extremely talented offense to live up to its hype.
Grant Delpit is also a great pick, who slipped to the second round due to his lackluster final year at LSU, but he can cover almost any area with his great speed. He’s going to have to fill in for Damarious Randall, who left for the Rams in free agency.
New York Jets: B-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 11 – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Round 2, Pick 59 – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Mekhi Becton is a good pick for the Jets, but I think they would’ve done better by taking a wide receiver with the No. 11 pick like Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb. At least they addressed their need by taking Denzel Mims from Baylor, but I don’t think he’s going to be the explosive star that they could’ve gotten in Jeudy or Lamb.
Could’ve gone better, but it’s certainly not the worst.
Las Vegas Raiders: D-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 12 – Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Round 1, Pick 19 – Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 80 – Lynn Bowden Jr., WR/RB/QB, Kentucky
Round 3, Pick 81 – Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
While the Raiders got a speedy wideout in Henry Ruggs III with the No. 12 pick, I think every Las Vegas fan was screaming at their television when their team chose Ruggs over his Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy and Oklahoma’s Ceedee Lamb, who are unquestionably better than Ruggs, and will be future stars in this league.
With the No. 19 pick, the Raiders pulled another surprise by drafting Damon Arnette. With better defensive backs still on the board like Xavier McKinney, Kristian Fulton and Trevon Diggs, the Raiders took one of the biggest reaches of the first round with this one, and there’s no excuse if Arnette doesn’t pan out.
To make this draft even worse, the Raiders went on to take two more receivers back-to-back in the third round. I don’t know what tape coach Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock were watching when they made these picks, but they missed by a mile.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 13 – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Round 2, Pick 35 – Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
Round 3, Pick 76 – Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt
Round 5, Pick 161 – Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota
The Buccaneers are going all in this year, and their draft shows just that. They wanted to surround quarterback Tom Brady with the best talent possible, and started off the draft by selecting offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs to protect Brady. They then got running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and wide receiver Tyler Johnson as more weapons for that electric offense.
While Tampa Bay’s run defense was one of the best in the league last year, holding teams to a league-low 1,181 rushing yards, their secondary, which gave up the third-most passing yards, needed help desperately. Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was the best player available to fill that need. He’s incredibly fast and can play anywhere on the field for the Bucs.
It’ll be exciting to see what Bruce Arians does with all this talent on offense. They’re the team to beat in the NFC.
San Francisco 49ers: B+
Picks: Round 1, Pick 14 – Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Round 1, Pick 25 – Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
The 49ers had a very active weekend, making several trades that sent wide receiver Marquise Goodwin and running back Matt Breida to the Eagles and the Dolphins, respectively. What they did with those picks is find the replacements for the players they lost in the offseason.
They traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Colts for the No. 13 pick (which they then used to get the No. 14 spot), which the 49ers used to get South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. They lost wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency to the New Orleans Saints, and then traded up to take Brandon Aiyuk, who will fill in that role exceptionally.
Expect the 49ers to make another serious run for the Super Bowl next year.
Denver Broncos: A-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 15 – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Round 2, Pick 46 – KJ Hamler, WR, Penn State
Round 4, Pick 118 – Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri
The Denver Broncos had one goal going into this draft — surround quarterback Drew Lock with the best weapons available. They fulfilled that pretty well.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was a no-brainer in the first round as he is by far the best route runner in the draft and will be an instant starter in Denver. However, wide receiver KJ Hamler in the second round is not as obvious of a pick given that they already have Courtland Sutton, who made the Pro Bowl last year.
But a player to look out for is tight end Albert “Chuks” Okwuegbunam, who played with Lock when they were teammates in Missouri. He had an impressive 4.49 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and has great hands, even with contact. He will be a great endzone target alongside Noah Fant in Denver.
Atlanta Falcons: C
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 16 – A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Round 2, Pick 47 – Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn
While cornerback was definitely a spot that needed to be filled, Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell is too much of a reach to give this a positive grade, especially considering that they passed up on LSU linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson, an elite pass rusher, when the Falcons had the third-worst QB pressure percentage and the second-worst sacks in the NFL last year.
At least they addressed that need with Marlon Davidson from Auburn, but I still think that Chaisson would have been a serious difference maker in Atlanta. There was just better talent available at No. 16 that they should’ve drafted instead of Terrell. I don’t see this decision working in favor of Atlanta.
Dallas Cowboys: B
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 17 – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Round 2, Pick 51 – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
I wouldn’t have thought that taking a top wide receiver in this draft would be a bad thing, but here we are. While Oklahoma wide receiver Ceedee Lamb is a great player, I just don’t see where he fits into this Dallas team. Wideouts Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup were both top-15 receivers in defense-adjusted yards above replacement (DYAR) last year, and Dallas just extended Cooper with a five-year, $100 million contract.
This is probably their least-needed spot, and it would’ve been a better idea to select Alabama safety Xavier McKinney after Dallas recorded a league-worst 7 interceptions, but they did address that problem with cornerback Trevon Diggs, who will look to replace cornerback Byron Jones who left Dallas for the Miami Dolphins in free agency.
Philadelphia Eagles: D+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 21 – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Round 2, Pick 53 – Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
This was a questionable draft for the Eagles. Sure, they addressed a need at wide receiver with Jalen Reagor, but he struggled with drops in college and the Eagles had a chance to draft better players Justin Jefferson, Brandon Aiyuk and Michael Pittman Jr. who were all on the board at the time.
When draft analysts compare you to Nelson Agholor, you’re doing something wrong.
But the Jalen Hurts selection is even more head scratching. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but I just don’t see the need for the Eagles. Sure, Carson Wentz gets hurt a lot, but why spend your second round pick on a backup, especially considering the plethora of talent still on the free agent market like Jameis Winston, Cam Newton and the aging, yet still viable, Joe Flacco?
However, I do like the trade for 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin for a sixth round pick so this grade gets a slight boost because of that.
Minnesota Vikings: B
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 22 – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Round 1, Pick 31 – Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Round 2, Pick 58 – Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
Football fans were stunned when the Eagles selected wide receiver Jalen Raegor over Justin Jefferson, but I’m sure Vikings fans were extremely happy, because that meant Jefferson was up for their taking.
The reason No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow was so electric at LSU was because of Jefferson’s playmaking, and the Vikings took him hoping that he’ll be a great option alongside Adam Theilen after they traded away star receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills.
Cornerback Jeff Gladney was a solid addition considering their middle-of-the-pack pass defense hurts them in the playoffs against elite quarterbacks that take advantage of every opportunity given to them.
New Orleans Saints: B+
Picks: Round 1, Pick 24 – Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 74 – Zack Baun, OLB, Wisconsin
Round 3, Pick 105 – Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton
Talk about making the best out of a bad situation. The Saints only had four picks this draft, but got the best value from each one. Center wasn’t a big need for the Saints, but it is possible for Cesar Ruiz to move to guard, and I’m sure New Oreleans wants to protect 41-year-old quarterback Drew Brees at all costs. Solid pick.
The pick of the night for the Saints, however, is Wisconsin linebacker Zack Baun. It’s shocking to me how he fell out of the second round, and the Saints took advantage of that. They get a quick pass rusher to add to their already great defense.
Green Bay Packers: F
Picks: Round 1, Pick 26 – Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Round 2, Pick 62 – AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College
Green Bay doesn’t deserve quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
They have refused to give him any weapons to throw to, going 15 years without picking a skill position in the first round, until this year. Who would’ve thought that the player to break that streak would be Rodgers’ future replacement, Utah State QB Jordan Love?
Not only did they refuse to help Rodgers, who led the team to the NFC Conference Championship last year, but they traded up to get Love, who likely would have fallen to them anyways at No. 30. Love shows signs of being a really skilled quarterback in the league, too bad he’ll spend the next four years on the bench.
Then, in the second round, they draft a running back. The Packers have Aaron Jones, who led the league in rushing touchdowns last year. Why would they waste their first two picks for backups? Do they think they can’t win with this lineup? They were one win away from the Super Bowl!
Horrible trade, horrible picks and horrible management. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rodgers wants out of Green Bay based on how they’ve treated him these past few years.
Seattle Seahawks: C+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 27 – Jordyn Brooks, ILB, Texas Tech
Round 2, Pick 48 – Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee
I don’t know what Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks saw in Jordyn Brooks to take him with the No. 27 pick, but they must have liked him a lot to pass on LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, who played a big part in that immovable Tiger defense last year.
Darrell Taylor, the defensive end from Tennessee, was also another reach for the Seahawks, but at least they addressed a serious need on the defensive side of the ball, as they gave up the third-most yards per play last year, and will need to get better if they want to improve on their 11-5 record.
Baltimore Ravens: A+
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 28 – Patrick Queen, ILB, LSU
Round 2, Pick 55 – J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 92 – Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
The rich get richer as the Ravens add Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins to their elite rushing threats of Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson got another weapon in wide receiver Devin Duvernay, meaning that offense will only get better next year.
But Patrick Queen is the biggest steal in this draft. He might even be an upgrade from CJ Mosley, who left the Ravens last offseason in free agency — he has that much upside. Jackson has already dubbed Queen “Ray Lewis Jr,” so there’s plenty of high expectations for the guy.
The Ravens have to be thinking that their team can win it all next year.
Tennessee Titans: B-
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 29 – Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 61 – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Round 3, Pick 93 – Darrynton Evans, RB, Appalachian State
Not much to talk about with the Titan’s draft. They gave star running back Derrick Henry more run blocking on the line by drafting Georgia tackle Isaiah Wilson in the first round to replace right tackle Jack Conklin, who signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Browns. They also drafted a solid second option in Appalachian State running back Darrynton Evans after backup Dion Lewis left the Titans in the offseason. Evans might also be a safety net in case Henry decides to leave Tennessee in free agency next year.
Cornerback Kristian Fulton was a great pickup, and I think he can become the No. 2 corner in Tennessee now that Logan Ryan is a free agent and won’t be returning to the team.
A pretty average, boring draft for the Titans.
Kansas City Chiefs: B
Notable Picks: Round 1, Pick 32 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
Round 2, Pick 63 – Willie Gay Jr., ILB, Mississippi State
I actually really like the choice to draft LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the first back off the board. He’s small, standing at just five-foot-seven, but he’s elusive, extremely hard to tackle, and a great playmaker after the catch. I think he can become the best running back in this class under Andy Reid’s explosive offense.
Reid said the Chiefs did their homework on everyone in this draft, and I think that shows with this selection.
Indianapolis Colts: B+
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 34 – Michael Pittman Jr., WR, USC
Round 2, Pick 41 – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
Round 4, Pick 122 – Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
The biggest need that the Colts had coming into this draft was wide receiver. T.Y. Hilton has constantly struggled with injuries, and there isn’t much help on the receiving end past him. They addressed that with Michael Pittman Jr. out of USC. He’s a big receiver that can get up the field quick and should be a valued target for Phillip Rivers next year.
I also think they made a really good decision by selecting Wisconsin running back Johnathan Taylor in the second round, as Marlon Mack is on a contract year and isn’t quite reaching the level that the Colts need him to be at if they want to make the playoffs next year.
Quarterback Jacob Eason out of Washington is a player that Colts fans keep an eye on, as he could look to take the starting job in a few years if Rivers leaves after his one-year contract is up.
New England Patriots: C+
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 37 – Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne
Round 2, Pick 60 – Josh Uche, LB, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 91 – Devin Asiasi, TE, UCLA
Round 3, Pick 101 – Dalton Keene, TE, Virginia Tech
Round 5, Pick 159 – Justin Rohrwasser, K, Marshall
This is such a Bill Belichick draft.
None of these players have much name recognition, and safety Kyle Dugger, their first selection of the draft, played Division II football in college. Not to mention New England traded up twice to draft two tight ends in the third round, and drafting the first kicker off the board in the fifth round by taking Marshall’s Justin Rohrwasser — a player ESPN didn’t even have footage for when he was drafted.
The silver lining Patriots fans can get out of this is Michigan linebacker Josh Uche, who ESPN reporter Mike Reiss compared to Patriots Hall of Famer Teddy Bruschi when he came out of Arizona. Uche is a great pass rusher and will fill in the void left behind by Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins and Elandon Roberts, who all left in free agency.
Houston Texans: C-
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 40 – Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU
Round 3, Pick 90 – Johnathan Greenard, DE, Florida
So Ross Blacklock is what Houston got in exchange for DeAndre Hopkins, the best wide receiver in the NFL? The Texans could have made a serious run in the playoffs if they had more help on the defensive side to slow down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, but head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien decided to dismantle the offense by trading away their best player.
I’m surprised he’s kept his job even before the horrible Hopkins trade, but now it’s a complete mystery why owner Janice McNair hasn’t given him the boot yet. He has consistently failed to win with the talent on his teams, and he has now failed to make anything out of trading away their best player.
Houston fans can expect their team to stay average for years to come.
Chicago Bears: C+
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 43 – Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame
Round 2, Pick 50 – Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Another tight end? Really? The Chicago Bears selecting Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet in the second round means that the Bears now have 10 tight ends on their roster, which includes the newly-signed Jimmy Graham, who the Bears gave a two year, $16 million contract in March, which includes a no-trade clause.
Sure, they ranked second-worst in tight end receiving yards, but there’s just no reason to spend this pick on Kmet.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 49 – Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
Round 3, Pick 102 – Alex Highsmith, OLB, Charlotte
The Steelers only had six picks this draft, but I think they did good with what they had. I really like wide receiver Chase Claypool, who is as big and as fast as Calvin Johnson was when he was drafted in 2007. And since Pittsburgh struggled without star receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster when he was dealing with injuries, this pick makes sense.
Los Angeles Rams: B-
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 52 – Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
Round 2, Pick 57 – Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
I like the choice to draft a running back for the Rams, who just lost two-time first-team All-Pro RB Todd Gurley, but I don’t think Florida State’s Cam Akers was the best available. Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins is a better running back, and I would have thought he would’ve been taken here, but Akers’ receiving ability out of the backfield is probably why he was drafted.
Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson was a guy that I had my eyes on since before the NFL combine. His route running and release is elite, and will fill the hole left by Brandin Cooks after he was traded to Houston. Keep an eye on him in the years to come.
Buffalo Bills: C+
Notable Picks: Round 2, Pick 54 – A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
Round 3, Pick 86 – Zack Moss, RB, Utah
Round 5, Pick 167 – Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
There’s not much Bills fans are going to come out of this draft raving about. It’s not like these players aren’t good, but I just don’t see a need for players like Zack Moss or Jake Fromm. The Bills have an average offense that they could have expanded upon with another wide receiver to pair with newly-acquired Stefon Diggs, or maybe give quarterback Josh Allen better protection up front with a lineman. They shouldn’t have used their picks to take backups.
A.J. Epenesa is a decent player, but I just don’t see the need for it given that they had one of the league’s best defenses last year. They need to add some more help on that offense which handicapped them in the playoffs if they want to make a serious run next year.