GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – To properly judge an NFL Draft class, it probably takes about three or four years to determine the overall impact. This week, media throughout the land will be providing “grades” for the various NFL team front offices. Admittedly, it’s ridiculous. But, it’s done in fun, not seriously. Here are some of the team selection grades:
Cleveland Browns:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Harold Fannin Jr., No. 67 Overall
What We Liked: Lots of talented guys made their way onto the Browns roster through this class. It’s a very productive group that isn’t lacking in potential. Defensive tackle Mason Graham (No. 5) plays with a fury that should scare opponents, the new running back duo of Quinshon Judkins (No. 36) and Dylan Sampson (No. 126) has a lot of athleticism and should create a nice one-two punch. Fannin adds a dynamic weapon to the receiving corps that can be used in a wealth of ways. The support system for whoever is playing quarterback is going to be boosted.
Not Sure About: There’s an old adage that if you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterbacks. Forcing a Dillon Gabriel (No. 94) vs. Shedeur Sanders (No. 144) quarterback competition seems like a move that will ultimately cause distractions. It’s classic Browns, never able to quite solve the quarterback problem as they intend to, and always with more drama than necessary. Carson Schwesinger (No. 33) also got taken a little early for my liking, but the value at linebacker in the second round wasn’t there for anyone.
Tennessee Titans
Grade: B+
Best Pick: QB Cameron Ward, No. 1 Overall
What We Liked: An all-around good draft for the Titans, who are putting together a crack offense in an attempt to actually win some games this year. Ward was the clear QB1 this year. His confidence and ability to handle lots of responsibilities will make the lives of his coordinators easier. Wide receiver Elic Ayomanor (No. 136) and tight end Gunnar Helm (No. 120) will be great support for Ward and provide reliable hands to help him get his rhythm going at the professional level. Safety Kevin Winston Jr. (No. 82) headlines the defensive picks for me. Though he was injured last year, he gave his all in 2023 and kept a day three slot because of it.
Not Sure About: I’m still not convinced Oluwafemi Oladejo (No. 52) is a real edge rusher. He just feels like a square peg being pushed into a round hole. I’ve mentioned the idea of “positionless defenses” but this guy has a position: It’s just not the one he’s playing at the moment. It also felt like a stretch to take wide receiver Chimere Dike (No. 103) in the fourth round, another speedster who does not do a lot else to provide value to the team.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: B
Best Pick: CB/WR Travis Hunter, No. 2 Overall
What We Liked: That Travis Hunter trade was incredible. Getting two top-end weapons for the price of one is worth any amount of pick capital you have to pay to get up there. James Gladstone is making an incredible splash in his first year as a general manager with this trade and did lots of draft maneuvering that worked to his advantage. The pickup of guard Wyatt Milum (No. 89) solidifies the offensive line well, and running back Bhayshul Tuten (No. 104) should be a really strong dynamic duo with Tank Bigsby to take pressure off Trevor Lawrence.
Not Sure About: Hmm, lots of announcing guys who aren’t going to play the
position they did in college, shifting over to somewhere else. Caleb Ransaw (No. 88) played all slot corner last year and is looking to be used at safety; Jalen McLeod (No. 194) got announced as a linebacker when his natural fit is as an edge rusher; and Milum is likely shifting from tackle to guard. If these guys don’t do well at their next position, the Jaguars’ depth class is pretty much toast.
New York Giants
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Edge Abdul Carter, No. 3 Overall
What we liked: Carter is a great player. Pairing him with Brian Burns will turn a middling edge rusher unit into a force to be reckoned with. Focusing on the defensive trenches was a good decision for the Giants, who despite having lots of talent, really only felt like they were getting halfway decent results. Picking up defensive tackle Darius Alexander (No. 65) to supplement Dexter Lawrence should play out well, too. That defense could easily become a top-10 unit next year with the added talent.
Not Sure About: I know when you see a guy who could be a franchise quarterback on the board, you should do anything to get him, but is Jaxson Dart (No. 25) really that guy? Not only did the Giants take a quarterback propped up by an incredibly friendly system, they traded up to get him. After the first read, Dart often crumbled. I’m not sure I can see a world where Dart takes the Giants any further than Daniel Jones did. At least Jones could push the ball all the way downfield.
New England Patriots
Grade: A+
Best Pick: C Jared Wilson, No. 95 Overall
What We Liked: Lots of rock-solid picks building in Mike Vrabel’s first year as the head coach. The offensive line is molding into more of a unit than a series of disparate parts, the Patriots have a new running back in TreVeyon Henderson (No. 38) who can hopefully carry the workload. Wide receiver Kyle Williams (No. 69) gives quarterback Drake Maye one more weapon. This feels like a draft driven by logic and smart team-building.
Not Sure About: It was a little early for safety Craig Woodson (No. 106) for the liking. Woodson has trouble run-stopping and struck me as more of a developmental player than a solution to a safety problem. Other than that, nothing to complain about.
Las Vegas Raiders:
Grade: A+
Best Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty, No. 6 Overall
What We Liked: The Raiders got a blue-chip guy at six, hard to argue with
that. Jeanty is a big-time impact player for a team that never really had an
offense that chugged. However, one great pick does not make an A+ draft
class. The Raiders knocked it out of the park with virtually every pick. Their
new wide receiver room combines high-floor prospects like Jack Bech (No. 58) with big-upside swings like Dont’e Thornton Jr. (No. 108). Their two offensive linemen picks are both big-time athletes who could start early. Darien Porter (No. 68) may be old for a draft pick, but he’s the perfect Pete Carroll corner. Raiders fans, get excited.
Not Sure About: The two late defensive tackle picks don’t really have any
special skills and have limited upside. I would expect them to be rotational
players at best. If JJ Pegues (No. 180) starts getting reps at fullback, then get worried about these being wasted picks. I personally would have added a safety earlier, but that’s a nitpick on a top-tier draft class.
New York Jets
Grade: B
Best Pick: OT Armand Membou, No. 7 Overall
What We Liked: The Jets hit home runs with their first three selections. Membou can bring his athleticism to an offensive line that really needed only one more piece and create a rushing powerhouse for quarterback Justin Fields and running back Breece Hall. Tight end Mason Taylor (No. 42) sets Fields up with a quick dump-off weapon and with with good run-after-catch ability. Cornerback Azareye’h Thomas (No. 73) does great work in both zone and man and should quickly become part of the rotation. It’s now up to the free agent class to make it work.
Not Sure About: The day three selections were nothing to write home about. Wide receiver Arian Smith (No. 110) is very fast, but when it’s not game-breaking and it’s your main trait, it’s hard to be too impressed. Safety Malachi Moore is also a good athlete, but he doesn’t quite have the mental finesse to keep pass-catchers in his view consistently. Linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (No. 162) is good, but where will he play?
Carolina Panthers
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Edge Nic Scourton, No. 51 Overall
What We Liked: Getting two edge rushers (Scourton and Princely Umanmielen at No. 77) feels like a great maneuver to fill out the room. Especially adding Scourton to the mix, a crazy good power rusher whose hands will make waste to offensive lines across the southeast. The Panthers hit on all of their day three picks as well, especially Lathan Ransom (No. 122) and Cam Jackson (No. 140), who can make an immediate impact at safety and nose tackle. The depth on the team just got a lot stronger.
Not Sure About: It feels like the Panthers already have a lot of tall wideouts who can’t really separate consistently. Tetairoa McMillan (No. 8) does not add much to the room that quarterback Bryce Young doesn’t already have. Umanmielen doesn’t move me as an edge rusher, and while he isn’t a bad value in the third round, it doesn’t strengthen their bid for the NFC South. Running back might have been a higher priority.
New Orleans Saints
Grade: D
Best Pick: OT Kelvin Banks, No. 9 Overall
What We Liked: Banks is a good tackle who fits the mauling mold the Saints seem to look for. He feels a lot like Trevor Penning, but with more experience facing NFL talent and less frenzy. Jonas Sanker (No. 93) can fill a safety slot once their older guys age out, and he’s versatile enough where you can evaluate his strengths and slot a new guy in next to him pretty easily. Quincy Riley (No. 131) adds some speed to the cornerback room.
Not Sure About: Taking Tyler Shough (No. 40) is just begging to have the Brandon Weeden experience for yourself. If this is your plan at quarterback, you’ll be taking another big swing in 2026. It’s not like they have given him any support this year either. If the Saints had given him an earlier wideout, then perhaps it could be fine, but if the injuries return, it honestly could be an 0-17 season.
Chicago Bears:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: OT Ozzy Trapilo, No. 56 Overall
What We Liked: The Bears kept a good balance of need and overall player
value for much of the draft. Starting off with tight end Colston Loveland (No. 10) was a welcome surprise, as much of the buzz was around the inferior (sorry) Tyler Warren. Continuing to support Caleb Williams, the next two picks were another weapon in wide receiver Luther Burden III, who can really cook with the ball in his hands, and added protection from Trapilo. Their defensive picks mostly landed as well with defensive tackle Shemar Turner (No. 62) and cornerback Zah Frazier (No. 169) being high-floor prospects with decent athleticism and physicality.
Not Sure About: That pick of linebacker Ruben Hyppolite (No. 132) was an insane miscue. It was sort of like acing a history test and then writing gibberish on one of the essay questions. Does anyone outside of the Maryland fan base and obsessive pro day watchers like myself even know who Hyppolite is? Surely they could have gotten him later. The Bears don’t even really need a linebacker, which means they must have really loved this guy. Very odd pick from an otherwise very logical set of selections.
San Francisco 49ers:
Grade: C
Best Pick: LB Nick Martin, No. 75 Overall
What We Liked: Coach Mike Shanahan found some very good value outside of the first round. Martin was vastly underrated after getting injured early in the season, but he should bring sideline-to-sideline range that he couples with great instincts. Jordan Watkins (No. 138) has WR1 upside but at the very least projects as a WR2 for the offense. He was almost an Emeka Egbuka type in college who kept getting pushed by really impressive talents and not given a chance to shine.
Not Sure About: The first two rounds made me shrug. Edge Mykel Williams (11) is better on paper than on the field, but this isn’t a Strat-O-Matic game. Defensive tackle Alfred Collins (43) doesn’t have the strength or agility to be a game-wrecker, so the whole defensive line feels stagnant. There’s still a glaring hole at offensive tackle that needs more capital investment.
Dallas Cowboys:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: CB Shavon Revel Jr., No. 76 Overall
What We Liked: The Revel pick was impressive value for the spot. The once-incredible Cowboys cornerback room took a major step back, and Ravel should be able to make it afloat again. Guard Tyler Booker (No. 12) is a really good player who fits with the scheme of the Cowboys with his overwhelming power profile. The Cowboys addressed the majority of their needs and at least should have new competition at the spot.
Not Sure About: Can edge Donovan Ezeiruaku (No. 44) keep up his high production in the pros when he’s at an athletic disadvantage? The value is better in the second than his first-round projection, but it still is a worrying projection. Running back Jaydon Blue does not seem equipped to take on a bell cow role and feels like more of a special teams add.
Miami Dolphins:
Grade: C
Best Pick: DT Kenneth Grant, No. 13 Overall
What We Liked: Effort was made to replace the big-time players who have
left Miami for greener pastures. Grant is clearly meant to be the
next force up the middle, similar to how Christian Wilkins operated for the
Dolphins, and safety Dante Trader Jr. (No. 155) is kind of like if you got Jevon Holland from the 99-cent store: lots of strong play with a much lower paycheck attached. Guard Jonah Savaiinaea (No. 37) feels like one more step in the right direction to fixing an offensive line that has led to Tua Tagovailoa concussions. The needs are being addressed.
Not Sure About: Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (No. 143) was a prospect that got first-round hype early in the cycle, but that tapered off when everyone realized that rumors of his athleticism were greatly exaggerated. Even the fifth round feels out of the range I would want someone of his production caliber. Cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (No. 150) is a similar former high-upside project player who just never did much of anything. Miami needs some players who can actually make an impact —
outside of their offense, they lack star power.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: B+
Best Pick: RB DJ Giddens, No. 151 Overall
What We Liked: The Chris Ballard strategy of taking exclusively pure athletes seems to have cooled off, as now Ballard is taking guys who also play good football. After a few years of middling draft classes, this is a group of guys you can feel confident in. Tight end Tyler Warren (No. 14) will provide more ways to ease Anthony Richardson’s quarterback responsibilities, and edge JT Tuimoloau (No. 45) and cornerback Justin Walley (No. 80) are good enough athletes but really excel in technical skill. The best pick, though, is Giddens in the fifth round. He has a balanced skill set that could make him a great supplement to Jonathan Taylor and even potentially be a full-time starter.
Not Sure About: Tim Smith seems to have been picked because he’s an Alabama defensive tackle. Really just another body for that rotation. I’m not
in love with the Warren pick, either. As dynamic as he was at the
college level, I’m not sure an offense can really be built around him in the pros without his athletic limitations showing through. Adding Riley Leonard (No. 189) to the quarterback room when he mostly just runs feels underwhelming for a team that’s sorely missing an actual passer.
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B-
Best Pick: S Xavier Watts, No. 96 Overall
What we liked: The selections were impressive values in comparison to consensus. Edge Jalon Walker (No. 15) was seen by many as a potential top 10 pick thanks to his explosive nature; the testing numbers of edge James Pearce Jr. (No. 26) make his potential impressive, and getting Watts at the back half of day two after a slide could change their secondary. The values on these guys was impressive, and the Falcons betting on upside is a great choice in a weak division where any team could cement itself as the front-runner for the next five years. If these players pan out along with quarterback Michael Penix Jr., they could be a perennial playoff team.
Not Sure About: Trading up with a future first-round pick for a player at a position you already took in the top 15 feels like a poor use of resources. That defensive line certainly needed sprucing up, but it only matters so much if they’re not getting any interior pressure, and they certainly did not invest in defensive tackle as many expected. Not only that, they doubled up on doubling up. They took two safeties too! There are more holes on the roster than that! Solve your other problems!
Arizona Cardinals
Grade: A
Best Pick: CB Will Johnson, No. 47 Overall
What We Liked: Everything. The Cardinals went for the best football player available at every turn, from ending the surprising fall to the second round for cornerback Will Johnson (No. 47) to their first pick of Walter Nolen (No. 16), who got some of the best production of any defensive tackle in the SEC.
Even their day two and three selections were great choices, taking edge Jordan Burch (No. 78), who performed admirably at Oregon, and Cody Simon (No. 115), who led the linebacker corps for Ohio State. I had Burch as a top 50 guy, and Simon as one of the most underrated linebackers in the class. It solves a lot of problems for them very quickly.
