Handing out grades after the NFL Draft is tough because as much as I pretend to know how everything will turn out, no one will know how successful these players will be for a few years.
What we can do is try to take a look at which teams found value at their picks compared to where players we likely to be selected. Also I try to take into account how many players are taken that are likely starters and contributors, which takes into account how good the team already is.
Using a rough approximation of the standard bell curve, here are our grades for the entire 2016 NFL Draft.
AFC East
Miami Dolphins
Round 1, pick 13: Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss
Round 2, pick 38: Xavien Howard, CB, Baylor
Round 3, pick 73: Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama
Round 3, pick 86: Leonte Carroo, WR, Rutgers
Round 6, pick 186: Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech
Round 6, pick 204: Jordan Lucas, S, Penn State
Round 7, pick 223: Brandon Doughty, QB, Western Kentucky
Round 7, pick 231: Thomas Duarte, TE, UCLA
Analysis: Getting Tunsil at 13 might be the steal of the draft, assuming he doesn’t have any four-game suspensions in his future based off his activities in his pre-draft video. Even though some were concerned about character issues before and after that video, he is still viewed as the best tackle in the draft by most teams. Howard seems like a reach that high in round two, but corners were getting bumped up the board in round one and the Dolphins have a huge need at the position. They also have a need at running back and although Drake didn’t get much opportunity behind Derrick Henry, he is a high-upside player, while Carroo is one of the gems of the draft as a mature receiver with great hands. He should fit in nice with Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills and DeVante Parker. Grant fits in as a returner and Lucas will have a chance to compete for a spot, while they managed to make some picks with upside in the seventh round with Doughty and Duarte to add depth. Doughty could be a quality backup and Duarte could earn targets in the red zone.
Bottom Line: They didn’t have many needs and they were able to address them while also getting a huge value with Tunsil in round one. Unfortunately, they filled those needs in rounds two and three with a pair of players who are more projection than production.
Grade: B-
Buffalo Bills
Round 1, pick 19: Shaq Lawson, EDGE, Clemson
Round 2, pick 41: Reggie Ragland, LB, Alabama
Round 3, pick 80: Adolphus Washington, Ohio State
Round 4, pick 139: Cardale Jones, QB, Ohio State
Round 5, pick 156: Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas
Round 6, pick 192: Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU
Round 6, pick 218: Kevon Seymour, CB, USC
Analysis: Rex Ryan was embarrassed last season when for the first time in his career as a head coach–and probably the first time since he was hired as defensive backs coach in Baltimore–his defense had to be carried along by the offense. His response was to spend three premium picks at edge rusher, linebacker and defensive line in Lawson, Ragland and Washington. They got great value with all three spots and found value again in round five by drafting Williams, a powerful running back who missed most of 2015 with injury. Jones is a developmental quarterback who has a long way to go to compete with Tyrod Taylor, but if he ever becomes the player we saw in his three games as a sophomore.
Bottom Line: The Bills needed to add talent on defense and they added three really strong players in the first round. That should be enough for them to see improvement.
Grade: B+
New York Jets
Round 1, pick 20: Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 51: Christian Hackenberg, QB, Penn State
Round 3, pick 83: Jordan Jenkins, LB, Georgia
Round 4, pick 118: Juston Burris, CB, NC State
Round 5, pick 158: Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina
Round 7, pick 235: Lachlan Edwards, P, Sam Houston State University
Round 7, pick 241: Charone Peake, WR, Clemson
Analysis: The Jets have been the quietest front office in the NFL this offseason, not letting anyone in on their plan for the draft. They might not have expected Lee to be available, but he gives them a versatile linebacker. Hackenberg was the bigger surprise and the more newsworthy selection. If they are able to re-sign Ryan Fitzpatrick, that will leave both Geno Smith and Bryce Petty with roster uncertainty. Hopefully they can develop him, because the opportunity cost of spending a second-round pick is likely one the win-now Jets deprives them of a chance to add a good player in the middle of round two. They continued to add to the linebacking group with Jenkins, who has upside but like his collegiate teammate Leonard Floyd didn’t live up to expectations at Georgia. Shell has a lot of upside at tackle and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him in contention to earn a spot on that offensive line in 2017, if not this year. Adding a punter is unexciting but probably necessary, while Peake presents the opposite as a player with speed to make him potentially exciting, even if there is a reason he dropped to the seventh round.
Bottom Line: Adding Lee gives them a chance at getting one star in this draft, but the overall upside of the class is pretty low of Hackenberg never turns into a start.
Grade: C
New England Patriots
Round 2, pick 60: Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama
Round 3, pick 78: Joe Thuney, OG, NC State
Round 3, pick 91: Jacoby Brissett, QB, NC State
Round 3, pick 96: Vincent Valentine, DT, Nebraska
Round 4, pick 112: Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia
Round 6, pick 208: Kamu Grugier-Hill, CB, Eastern Illinois
Round 6, pick 214: Elandon Roberts, LB, Houston
Round 6, pick 221: Ted Karras, OG, Illinois
Round 7, pick 225: Devin Lucien, WR, Arizona State
Analysis: Without a first-round pick, the Patriots were at a huge disadvantage coming into this draft. Even the extra second rounder cost them their best defensive player in Chandler Jones. As usual, their second-through-seventh rounds are filled with interesting prospects. Jones and Thuney are both prospects that scouts have various opinions of. Jones is a middling corner who is a good athlete but struggled at times at Alabama, but brings huge value as a returner. Thuney is an offensive lineman many love and played well at tackle in college, but scouts question is he has the strength to bump down to guard. After that they took Brissett, who has third-quarterback upside and a few depth picks that they will likely find a way to turn into contributors. The one exception is Mitchell, who at times late last season looked like the only living person on the Georgia offense. It is hard to question the Patriots at this point and having a first-round pick would have made a difference, but it is hard to see where they added three or four key contributors or future starters.
Bottom Line: They didn’t have much to work with, but finding above average starters in this draft class is hard. It is easy to trust the Patriots based on their track record, but I didn’t take that into account when giving them a grade.
Grade: D
AFC North
Cleveland Browns
Round 1, pick 15: Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor
Round 2, pick 32: Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE, Oklahoma State
Round 3, pick 65: Carl Nassib, EDGE, Penn State
Round 3, pick 76: Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
Round 3, pick 93: Cody Kessler, QB, USC
Round 4, pick 99: Joe Schobert, EDGE, Wisconsin
Round 4, pick 114: Ricardo Louis, WR, Auburn
Round 4, pick 129: Derrick Kindred, S, TCU
Round 4, pick 138: Seth Devalve, WR, Princeton
Round 5, pick 154: Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA
Round 5, pick 168: Spencer Drango, OT, Baylor
Round 5, pick 172: Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State
Round 5, pick 173: Trey Caldwell, CB, Louisiana-Monroe
Round 7, pick 223: Scooby Wright III, LB, Arizona
Analysis: The Browns have a lot of holes and they decided the best way to fill them is by accumulating as many picks as possible. With six picks in the top 100, they added three pass rushers who can all rush the quarterback from different parts of the field. Two Colemans also bring talent, with one having a chance to be an immediate starter at right tackle and the other taking over as the team’s top receiver. Day three turned into throwing a lot of stuff at the wall, drafting four receivers and another offensive tackle. Drango could play guard if he has trouble competing at tackle and hopefully one or two of those receivers stick across from Corey Coleman. Kessler isn’t viewed as having huge upside as a developmental passer, but Hue Jackson must have liked him to take him over players with more name value. Grabbing Caldwell and particularly Wright with their last two picks give them defensive depth with upside. If Wright is healthy he could be an excellent inside linebacker in Cleveland.
Bottom Line: If the Browns are able to turn the franchise around, they will look back at this draft as the start. They had a ton of picks and also have more coming in the future, but could half a dozen starters or more with this group.
Grade: B+
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1, pick 6: Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame
Round 2, pick 42: Kamalei Correa, EDGE, Boise State
Round 3, pick 70: Bronson Kaufisi, DE, BYU
Round 4, pick 104: Tavon Young, CB, Temple
Round 4, pick 107: Chris Moore, WR, Cincinnati
Round 4, pick 130: Alex Lewis, OT, Nebraska
Round 4, pick 132: Willie Henry, DT, Michigan
Round 4, pick 134: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
Round 5, pick 146: Matt Judon, DE, Grand Valley State
Round 6, pick 182: Keenan Reynolds, WR, Navy
Round 6, pick 209: Maurice Canady, CB, Virginia
Analysis: Year after year the Ravens seem to have the ammo to add a ton of talent to the team and while they don’t have a magic formula for finding good players, they have the reputation of having things work out for them. Stanley might not have been the offensive tackle they wanted in round one before Laremy Tunsil’s free fall, but they got a pair of versatile pass rushers on the draft’s second day who should have immediate impact. Correa can play with his hand in the dirt or as a stand up linebacker and even moved inside to middle linebacker at Boise State. It was in round four where they really had the opportunity to do damage, armed with five picks in the round. Young is a corner with upside who will contribute on special teams while he earns his stripes on the outside and Henry could be a rotation player on the defensive line. The upside of Moore and Dixon makes them both potential starters on that offense and Lewis has some real supporters as one of the potential sleepers in this draft class. Judon and Reynolds have some upside, but grabbing Canady later in the sixth really helps the depth of an ailing secondary
Bottom Line: Stanley isn’t my favorite player, but getting Correa and Kaufisi along with undervalued talent on day three just seems like the norm in Baltimore.
Grade: A
Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1, pick 24: William Jackson III, CB, Houston
Round 2, pick 55: Tyler Boyd, WR, Pittsburgh
Round 3, pick 87: Nick Vigil, LB, Utah State
Round 4, pick 122: Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor
Round 5, pick 161: Christian Westerman, OG, Arizona State
Round 6, pick 199: Cody Core, WR, Ole Miss
Round 7, pick 245: Clayton Fejedelem, S, Illinois
Analysis: The Bengals have gone to the cornerback well time and time again in the first round under Marvin Lewis, with projected starters Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard fitting that description and former starter Leon Hall as well. Jackson had some buzz as the second-best corner in the class after Jalen Ramsey and the Steelers are rumored to have wanted him desperately one pick later. They also needed a receiver, but missed on the run of wideouts but ended up with Boyd, a solid player in round two. Vigil, Core and Fejedelem help with the depth, but Billings and Westerman in rounds four and five represent high-upside players who fell to them. Billings had rumors of knee issues and lacks pass rushing skills that caused him to drop, but he could be a very athletic run stopper in the middle, while Westerman could compete for a starting spot at guard.
Bottom Line: The Bengals have a mix of good picks and ones that seem forgettable. Getting Billings and Westerman late is awesome and Jackson should be a contributor early. If Boyd can be a good No. 2, this will look better in hindsight.
Grade: C+
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1, pick 25: Artie Burns, CB, Miami
Round 2, pick 58: Sean Davis, S, Maryland
Round 3, pick 89: Jason Hargrave, DT, SC State
Round 4, pick 123: Jerald Hawkins, OT, LSU
Round 6, pick 220: Travis Feeney, LB, Washington
Round 7, pick 229: Demarcus Ayers, WR, Houston
Round 7, pick 246: Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
Analysis: The Steelers had their target stolen when the Bengals grabbed Jackson ahead of them, but the need at corner was big enough that they reached for the next player at the position. Burns has a lot of talent, but he didn’t play like a first-round pick at Miami. Davis and Hargrave are two more players who may have been overdrafted but fits a need in the secondary and on the defensive line, with Hargrave getting some buzz despite the low competition and Hawkins could be a swing tackle who underachieved at LSU. They did come away with good players with their last three picks. Feeny is a super athlete at linebacker who they could use inside or as a pass rusher and Ayers is a return specialist who will help mitigate the loss of Martavis Bryant, while Matakevich was a leader on the Temple defense who could develop into in inside guy to succeed Lawrence Timmons in a few years.
Bottom Line: Burns and Davis might have been reaches early, even if the Steelers have a reputation of making those reaches work. Even third-round pick Hargrave is scary considering how much nose tackles are asked to do in that defense. Day four was better, but this defense needed more help to keep up with the offense.
Grade: C-
AFC South
Tennesse Titans
Round 1, pick 8: Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State
Round 2, pick 33: Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
Round 3, pick 43: Austin Johnson, DT, Penn State
Round 2, pick 45: Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
Round 3, pick 64: Kevin Byard, S, Middle Tennessee State
Round 5, pick 140: Tajae Sharpe, WR, UMass
Round 5, pick 157: Leshaun Sims, CB, Southern Utah
Round 6, pick 193: Sebastian Tretola, OG, Arkansas
Round 7, pick 222: Aaron Wallace, EDGE, UCLA
Round 7, pick 253: Kalan Reed, CB, Southern Miss
Analysis: The Titans had a strange draft season, after trading down from the first pick to 15 and acquiring a ransom to do so. Yet, they moved back up to the eighth pick to take the tackle in Laremy Tunsil they were expected to draft at No. 1, only they picked Conklin instead. The sad part is Conklin was worth that pick, but he will represent the Titans missing two chances to take Tunsil and trading up anyway. They still added a ton of talent in round two, picking Dodd, Johnson and Henry and getting a playmaker at safety in round three. Even their last three picks were notable, with Tretola being a potential starter at guard and Wallace a huge-upside pass rusher who barely ever played at UCLA. Mr. Irrelevant might have been their best pick, with Reed having the talent to be one of the steals of the draft.
Bottom Line: The Titans added a lot of talent, but it would have been inexcusable if they couldn’t with all their picks. Trading back up to No. 8 to take Conklin is still weird, especially with Tunsil in a free fall. They might have been able to stay at 15 and get one of the two.
Grade: B
Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1, pick 5: Jalen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
Round 2, pick 36: Myles Jack, LB, UCLA
Round 3, pick 69: Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE, Maryland
Round 3, pick 103: Sheldon Day, DT, Notre Dame
Round 6, pick 181: Tyrone Holmes, DE, Montana
Round 6, pick 201: Brandon Allen, QB, Arkansas
Round 7, pick 226: Jonathan Woodard, DE, Central Arkansas
Analysis: Ramsey, Jack, Ngakoue and Day represent a hugely talented prospect at every level of the defense. Ramsey was the best defensive back in this draft and Jack if healthy could be the best linebacker. Ngakoue is one of the underrated pass rushers and Day a quick and dynamic defensive lineman. Anything they get after that is just gravy, with a pair of depth defensive linemen who can play on the edge and a potential long-term backup for Blake Bortles.
Bottom Line: Getting Ramsey and Jack is almost ridiculous to think of. If both work out, an A+ will seem like underselling the draft. If Ngakoue and Day work out as well we might have to invent a new letter to grade them with.
Grade: A+
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1, pick 18: Ryan Kelly, OC, Alabama
Round 2, pick 57: T.J. Green, S, Clemson
Round 3, pick 82: Le’Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech
Round 4, pick 116: Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas
Round 4, pick 125: Antonio Morrison, LB, Florida
Round 5, pick 155: Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State
Round 7, pick 239: Trevor Bates, LB, Maine
Round 7, pick 248: Austin Blythe, OC, Iowa
Analysis: Fans in Indianapolis have probably been skeptical of the last few Ryan Grigson drafts since 2012, but there is a lot to like with Kelly as the heart of the offensive line. Green and Clark are players drafted on potential and need a lot of developing and although Green was expected to be drafted as a corner the Colts have said they will play him at safety. Yet the picks come back around, with Ridgeway as an underrated defensive tackle who fell in the draft due to the glut of players at the position and Morrison being a strong presence at linebacker inside, even if he isn’t athletic enough to be a three-down player. Haeg and Bates have some upside despite low competition and if Blythe can find his way into the starting lineup next to Kelly that would probably make this draft a home run.
Bottom Line: Kelly is a great pick early, even if center isn’t going to inspire a parade from the fans. They ended the draft strong as well, but Green and Clark on day two could either go really well or really poorly.
Grade: C+
Houston Texans
Round 1, pick 21: Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
Round 2, pick 50: Nick Martin, OC, Notre Dame
Round 3, pick 85: Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
Round 4, pick 119: Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State
Round 5, pick 159: K.J. Dillon, S, West Virginia
Round 5, pick 166: D.J. Reader, DT, Clemson
Analysis: After signing Brock Osweiler to a huge contract, the Texans went all offense in rounds one through four. That would make sense considering the talent on defense, but the decisions there were questionable. Fuller is a speedster with bad hands and the Texans moved up–one spot for some reason–despite better receivers still on the board. Miller barely played the position and has a long way to go to be a legitimate NFL receiver. Martin in the second round isn’t out of place, but he is undersized and not the prospect his name value would suggest. Even Ervin is a little out of place compared to some of the better-known players at the position. Reader is the player who may be undervalued in round five, as he was a big part of a good Clemson defense, although that’s counteracted by drafting Dillon seven picks before despite being the safety on a terrible Mountaineers defense.
Bottom Line: Helping the offense is a good idea and I like Fuller and Miller, both come with risks. Drafting one is risky, but the chance of missing on both is scary. Without a real blue chip player, it is tough to be excited on a draft with such a low floor.
Grade: D
AFC West
San Diego Chargers
Round 1, pick 3: Joey Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 35: Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas
Round 3, pick 66: Max Tuerk, OC, USC
Round 4, pick 102: Joshua Perry, LB, Ohio State
Round 5, pick 175: Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron
Round 6, pick 179: Drew Kaser, P, Texas A&M
Round 6, pick 198: Derek Watt, FB, Wisconsin
Round 7, pick 224: Donovan Clark, OG, Michigan State
Analysis: Bosa was considered the top player on many boards–split with Jalen Ramsey and Laremy Tunsil depending on the evaluator–so getting him at three is pretty good. After that, grabbing Henry and Tuerk in the next two rounds targets a need, but neither player represents tremendous value so a rebuilding team. Perry in round four and Watt in round six could contribute right away as two big players who could add strength to each side of the ball and drafting a punter usually means they have a guaranteed starter. Brown and Clark aren’t guarantees to be contributors, but for a bare roster could find themselves making the team and even getting on the field.
Bottom Line: If Bosa is what he is supposed to be then the Chargers will come away with at least one very good player. With the state of their roster, the are relying on their picks in round two through four to be very good as well.
Grade: C
Oakland Raiders
Round 1, pick 14: Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia
Round 2, pick 44: Jihad Ward, DE, Illinois
Round 3, pick 75: Shilique Calhoun, EDGE, Michigan State
Round 4, pick 100: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State
Round 5, pick 143: Deandre Washington, RB, Texas Tech
Round 6, pick 194: Cory James, LB, Colorado State
Round 7, pick 234: Vadal Alexander, OG, LSU
Analysis: Joseph was an early choice for reach of the draft, but the Raiders loaded up in free agency and have hit on recent draft picks, leaving safety as one of the only needs on the roster. Joseph is the best one–and according to some very worthy of a first-round grade–so if he stays healthy he could make people forget he was drafted highly. Ward was overdrafted in round two, but is a very athletic defensive lineman who should get in the rotation right away, but they make up for it by finding rare pass rushing help in round three when they didn’t even need it as much as a lot of other teams could have. Cook is a sore thumb, with Derek Carr entrenched as the starter, but he could be a backup with starter’s upside if Carr struggles. Depth picks in the late rounds include players who could find small roles, with Alexander particularly having the ability to be a backup at multiple positions on the line.
Bottom Line: Some think Joseph is a reach, but I like the pick. Ward and Calhoun could be very good as well. It’s the rest of the draft that looks a little shaky but getting contributors early will mitigate that.
Grade: B-
Kansas City Chiefs
Round 2, pick 37: Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State
Round 3, pick 74: Keivarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame
Round 4, pick 105: Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati
Round 4, pick 126: Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida
Round 5, pick 162: Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford
Round 5, pick 165: Tyreek Hill, WR, West Alabama
Round 6, pick 178: D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech
Round 6, pick 203: Dadi Nicolas, LB, Virginia Tech
Analysis: The Chiefs lost their third-round pick due to tampering charges, but they traded back from late round one to early round two to pick up some extra selections. Jones and Russell represent immediate contributors on the defense who could have been drafted even higher, before going four offensive players in a row. Hogan is a quality backup and if he turns into a starter that would be something, but they need to find two starters out of Ehinger, Robinson and Hill. In round six, they added two athletic pieces that could develop into good players, particularly Dadi who just needs to find a role to fit his unique skills.
Bottom Line: Losing the third-round pick hurts, but the Chiefs did good to get value with Jones and Russell. If they can find a few additional starters here it will be a good draft to keep their success going.
Grade: B-
Denver Broncos
Round 1, pick 26: Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis
Round 2, pick 63: Adam Gotsis, DE, Georgia Tech
Round 3, pick 98: Justin Simmons, S, Boston College
Round 4, pick 136: Devontae Booker, RB, Utah
Round 5, pick 144: Connor McGovern, OG, Missouri
Round 6, pick 176: Andy Janovich, FB, Nebraska
Round 6, pick 219: Will Parks, S, Arizona
Round 7, pick 228: Riley Dixon, P, Syracuse
Analysis: Simmons and Booker are good players who needed to go to good situations and hopefully found them in the defending Super Bowl champs, but the success if this draft hinges on the decision to trade up for Paxton Lynch. If Kubiak can turn him into a legitimate starting quarterback, then this pick will be remembered fondly. McGovern should get a chance to compete for a spot at guard, where the Broncos offensive line is weaker and Janovich could help a running game that struggled in 2015.
Bottom Line: Getting something out of Booker and Simmons would be great, but if Lynch works out this draft looks pretty great considering the talent already on the roster. I like his chances.
Grade: B-
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Round 1, pick 4: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 34: Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
Round 3, pick 67: Maliek Collins, DT, Nebraska
Round 4, pick 101: Charles Tapper, DE, Oklahoma
Round 4, pick 135: Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
Round 6, pick 189: Anthony Brown, CB, Purdue
Round 6, pick 212: Kavon Frazier, S, Central Michigan
Round 6, pick 216: Darius Jackson, RB, Eastern Michigan
Round 6, pick 217: Rico Gathers, TE, Baylor
Analysis: Elliott is a really good player and probably worth as high a pick of any running back. Whether running backs should be picked in round one in general is up for debate, but it’s tough when a player like Jalen Ramsey is available. He could have changed the defense. That doesn’t make Elliott a bad pick, just puts extra pressure on him to be good. The Cowboys did other good things after that, adding two very good defensive linemen with upside in Collins and Tapper. Rod Marinelli should have a field day with them. Taking a chance on Smith, Prescott and Gathers is where they have a chance to be special. Smith could have been a top-five pick and drew comparisons to Luke Kuechly, Von Miller and Khalil Mack during the draft process. Prescott has a lot of upside he showed as a senior and could develop to succeed Tony Romo in a few years and Gathers was a basketball player at Baylor who will try to make the transition to football.
Bottom Line: Elliott is the controversial pick because of his position, but the Cowboys did a great job to add talent later in the draft. Imagine if Smith ends up being the next great linebacker, this draft becomes an A+ quick.
Grade: A-
New York Giants
Round 1, pick 10: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 40: Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
Round 3, pick 71: Darian Thompson, S, Boise State
Round 4, pick 109: B.J. Goodson, LB, Clemson
Round 5, pick 149: Paul Perkins, RB, UCLA
Round 6, pick 184: Jerell Adams, TE, South Carolina
Analysis: The first instinct here is to roast the Giants for panicking after teams traded up ahead of them to take Jack Conklin and Leonard Floyd, reaching for corner Apple. It is tough to be too mean, because Apple is a really good player who would have been lauded in the late teens or early twenties. Drafting Shepard and Thompson in subsequent rounds has the draft really taking shape. Shepard looks like a long-time contributor who will help find ways to win and Thompson had tape that put him in the first-round conversation and just didn’t have the Combine numbers to back that up. They only added Goodson to the front seven, but spent a ton of money on the defensive line in free agency and will lean on those free agents. Perkins and Adams later in the draft are a pair of players who not only have huge upside, but probably who could have justified second or third round picks and sit at positions of need for the Giants.
Bottom Line: Even if they reached a little, they added three legitimate starters in the first three rounds. With Perkins and Adams having upside, it could be the exact draft they needed towards the tail end of the Eli Manning era.
Grade: B
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1, pick 2: Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
Round 3, pick 79: Isaac Seumalo, OC, Oregon State
Round 5, pick 153: Wendell Smallwood, RB, West Virginia
Round 5, pick: Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT, TCU
Round 6, pick 196: Blake Countess, CB, Auburn
Round 7, pick 233: Jalen Mills, S, LSU
Round 7, pick 240: Alex McCalister, DE, Florida
Round 7, pick 251: Joe Walker, LB, Oregon
Analysis: The Eagles bet the house on Wentz and moved heaven and earth to get up to No. 2 to draft him. Because of that, a lot of their draft capital was sent to Cleveland, leaving them without second add fourth rounders. They added a running back in Smallwood who is unknown but could play a role in the offense, while Seumalo could turn around the exodus of guards that began under Chip Kelly. While Vaitai is more of a swing tackle than an eventual starter, they did a good job adding defensive talent that will have a chance to not only make the team but contribute in Countess, Mills and McCalister. They even kept the Chip Kelly culture alive adding Oregon linebacker Walker with the third-to-last pick.
Bottom Line: The Eagles bet their draft on Wentz. That is a little hard to grade considering his competition level. Philly did a good job finding late-round picks that can contribute, but they need Wentz to hit or they basically gave away half of a draft.
Grade: C-
Washington Redskins
Round 1, pick 22: Josh Doctson, WR, TCU
Round 2, pick 53: Su’a Cravens, S, USC
Round 3, pick 84: Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
Round 5, pick 152: Matt Ioannidis, DT, Temple
Round 6, pick 187: Nate Sudfield, QB, Indiana
Round 7, pick 232: Steven Daniels, LB, Boston College
Round 7, pick 242: Keith Marshall, RB, Georgia
Analysis: The Redskins made one of the best trades of the draft, moving back one spot with the Texans and missing out on Will Fuller. Instead, they got to draft Doctson, who was the better receiver according to most teams and possibly the best receiver in the draft. They followed that by adding three pieces who will be expected to contribute on defense. Cravens was a college safety who will likely play linebacker in the pros and although he didn’t test well at the Combine he showed great ability to traverse the field at USC. Fuller was once thought of as a first-round pick who struggled with injuries in college and Ioannidis was an under the radar prospect at Temple who should find a spot in the rotation on the defensive line early. Sudfield could be the backup in Washington and depending on the future of Kirk Cousins could get a chance to play down the line. Picking up Marshall in the seventh round is a steal, as they get a former five-star recruit who was pushed aside at Georgia due to injuries and Todd Gurley, but had a monster Combine and could be a hidden gem.
Bottom Line: They got possibly the best receiver in the class, to go with two or even three players who could have once been consider future first-round picks. While that means there are some players who disappointed in college, there is a lot of upside here.
Grade: B
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Round 1, pick 9: Leonard Floyd, EDGE, Georgia
Round 2, pick 56: Cody Whitehair, OG, Kansas State
Round 3, pick 72: Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida
Round 4, pick 113: Nick Kwiatoski, LB, West Virginia
Round 4, pick 124: Deon Bush, S, Miami
Round 4, pick 127: Deiondre’ Hall, CB, Northern Iowa
Round 5, pick 150: Jordan Howard, RB, Indiana
Round 6, pick 185: Deandre Houston-Carson, S, William & Mary
Round 7, pick 230: Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan
Analysis: Everyone knew Floyd was the Giants’ top target at pick No. 10 and they wisely leapt one spot ahead in order to draft the raw pass rusher. Floyd had been rising late, but still seemed like a reach that high based on his collegiate production, although the last two first-round pass rushers under John Fox were Julius Peppers and Von Miller, so maybe he gets the benefit of the doubt. Additionally, the Bears got great value on their next two picks, with one of the top interior offensive lineman in Whitehair and a versatile defensive lineman in Bullard. Bullard adds some pass rushing help, but his best skills come from the ability to play all over the line and be a consistent run stopper. They also made a number of high-upside additions to their secondary and took a very good linebacker who was the leader of the West Virginia defense after Karl Joseph went down with an injury and getting Howard late in the draft gives them a strong runner to pair with Jeremy Langford as they try to replace Matt Forte.
Bottom Line: Even if Floyd went a little high, they found good value later in the draft. Floyd obviously has upside, but he isn’t the only one in the Bears’ 2016 draft class who can say that.
Grade: B
Detroit Lions
Round 1, pick 16: Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 46: A’Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama
Round 3, pick 95: Graham Glasgow, OC, Michigan
Round 4, pick 111: Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah
Round 5, pick 151: Joe Dahl, OG, Washington State
Round 5, pick 169: Antwione Williams, LB, Georgia Southern
Round 6, pick 191: Jake Rudock, QB, Michigan
Round 6, pick 202: Anthony Zettel, DE, Penn State
Round 6, pick 210: Jimmy Landes, LS, Baylor
Round 7, pick 236: Dwayne Washington, RB, Washington
Analysis: Even if Decker never finds his way to the left side of the line, locking up right tackle will be a win. Better players might have been on the board, but there aren’t a ton of sure things in the bottom half of round one and they managed to grab an undervalued commodity in Robinson on the next day. Glasgow, Killebrew and Dahl were all players who may have been overdrafted a little and Williams is tough to evaluate based on his competition but will get a chance to earn a spot on special teams. Zettel was a good player for the Nittany Lions and Rudock is an interesting backup who could find himself staying in Detroit for a while. Picking a long snapper in the sixth round isn’t inspiring, but hopefully getting Washington in the seventh will add a player who contributes.
Bottom Line: Even though I like Robinson, Decker is the type of player who you can usually find in free agency. He fills a need, but doesn’t scream great draft. The rest of the class is a little forgettable and in a tough division they needed to improve more than they did.
Grade: D+
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, pick 23: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Round 2, pick 54: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
Round 4, pick 121: Willie Beavers, OG, Western Michigan
Round 5, pick 160: Kentrell Brothers, LB, Missouri
Round 6, pick 180: Moritz Boehringer, WR, Germany
Round 6, pick 188: David Morgan, TE, UTSA
Round 7, pick 227: Stephen Weatherly, LB, Vanderbilt
Round 7, pick 244: Jayron Kearse, S, Clemson
Analysis: The Vikings took advantage of players falling to them in this draft. They desperately needed a big receiver and managed to come away with the one considered to be the best before the NFL Combine. Treadwell was a top-10 possibility at points and a first-half lock before questions of his speed came into play. Alexander might be an even more amazing slip, as he seemed like a top-20 pick after displaying elite cover skills at Clemson. He will now play across from Xavier Rhodes, with elite safety Harrison Smith between them. Also between them will be his teammate at Clemson Kearse, who plummeted down draft boards but will exist as a 6’4″ power safety for the Vikings. Often compared to Kam Chancellor, he might better fit the role head coach Mike Zimmer reserved for another tall safety–George Iloka–in Cincinnati. Beavers is a developmental piece who needs to develop, but Brothers is another slip of a guy who was the best tackler in the SEC the last two years who should be a starter next to Anthony Barr soon enough. They did take a chance on German receiver Boehringer and hoped to add pieces in Morgan and Weatherly who could make the team as special teamers.
Bottom Line: Treadwell was a really nice pick as the fourth receiver taken, but getting Alexander in round two could be a huge win for the Vikings. Brothers can also be a great get for a team looking to return to the playoffs.
Grade: A-
Green Bay Packers
Round 1, pick 27: Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA
Round 2, pick 48: Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana
Round 3, pick 88: Kyler Fackrell, LB, Utah State
Round 4, pick 131: Blake Martinez, LB, Stanford
Round 4, pick 137: Dean Lowry, DE, Northwestern
Round 5, pick 163: Trevor Davis, WR, California
Round 6, pick 200: Kyle Murphy, OT, Georgia
Analysis: The biggest need here was at inside linebacker and drafting Fackrell and Martinez gives them two chances at finding one starter in the middle of the draft. More likely they will be able to platoon the two and keep Clay Matthews on the edge. Drafting Clark in round one gives them a presence in the middle that they need after losing B.J. Raji and the three players should strengthen the run defense and the pass defense will get better because of it. Ted Thompson finished the draft by adding solid picks and trusting his coaches to develop the talent as usual.
Bottom Line: The Packers needed to come away from this draft solving a problem at inside linebacker, adding depth on the lines and hopefully a new weapon for Aaron Rodgers. Clark and Sprigss check one box, while Martinez and Fackrell check the other. Trevor Davis comes up a little short of box three.
Grade: B-
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1, pick 11: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
Round 2, pick 39: Noah Spence, EDGE, Eastern Kentucky
Round 2, pick 59: Roberto Aguayo, K, Florida State
Round 4, pick 108: Ryan Smith, CB, North Carolina Central
Round 5, pick 148: Caleb Nenenoch, OT, UCLA
Round 6, pick 183: Devante Bond, LB, Oklahoma
Round 6, pick 197: Dan Vitale, FB, Northwestern
Analysis: Any grading of the Buccaneers draft will likely start with the decision to trade up for a kicker in round two. Aguayo might have been one of the most decorated in the history of the position, but the Buccaneers weren’t exactly a kicker away from the playoffs and the position is such a crapshoot it doesn’t seem worth it with good players on the board and more holes on the roster. Hargreaves and Spence are good additions to the defense with their first two picks and they filled two big needs in getting them before making a high-upside pick on Smith, who was an FCS darling who had some rising buzz late in the process. Getting a linebacker and offensive tackle will help with their depth and hopefully they will be able to utilize Vitale at fullback to strengthen their running game.
Bottom Line: Hargreaves and Spence are huge gets for the Buccaneers, but adding a kicker in round two hurts the overall class. The third day of the draft doesn’t have any sure things in it for them either, with makes it a tough class for a team in year two of the rebuild.
Grade: C
New Orleans Saints
Round 1, pick 12: Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville
Round 2, pick 47: Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State
Round 2, pick 61: Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State
Round 4, pick 120: David Onyemata, DT, Canada
Round 7, pick 237: Daniel Lasco, RB, California
Analysis: They didn’t have a ton of picks to work with, but managed to come away with three contributors in the first two rounds. Rankinss was a highly thought of defensive tackle who should improve the pass rush from the interior and help take pressure off of Cameron Jordan. Thomas could be the best receiver in this class, as a physical specimen who underperformed at Ohio State. His teammate Bell will add himself to the group of safeties in New Orleans, but will likely get a chance to see the field early covering receivers in the slot. After the second round, they only had two more picks, using one on a Canadian defensive lineman which was a reach by most standards. Lasco in round seven was a shot in the dark, but with the struggles on defense this might have been the year to hoard picks and add seven or eight defenders with a chance to find some starters.
Bottom Line: The Saints whole draft comes on the strength of three picks. Lucky for them, those three picks look pretty strong. Unfortunately this is a team that could have used a lot more.
Grade: C+
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1, pick 17: Keanu Neal, S, Florida
Round 2, pick 52: Deion Jones, LB, LSU
Round 3, pick 81: Austin Hooper, TE, Stanford
Round 4, pick 115: De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Minnesota
Round 6, pick 195: Wes Schweitzer, OG, San Jose State
Round 7, pick 238: Devin Fuller, WR, UCLA
Analysis: The Falcons took some big swings in this draft, taking players in the first three rounds that were rising talents but have some flaws to their game. Neal wasn’t a top-30 player on most published big boards, but he was getting a lot of late-first round buzz anyway. Still, No. 17 was a little high when Karl Joseph was considered a reach by some three spots earlier. Jones is dicey as well. Dan Quinn may be trying to replicate the defensive speed of the Seahawks and Jones fits the bill but he is really undersized and raw as a linebacker. Lastly Hooper is a tight end the Falcons need, but he dropped a lot of passes at Stanford. Adding depth at linebacker and offensive line after that is wise, but this draft’s success will hinge on hitting the first three picks.
Bottom Line: With three projected starters taken in the first three rounds, the Falcons could have gotten better players where they were drafted. Getting something from the third day could be a boost.
Grade: D+
Carolina Panthers
Round 1, pick 30: Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech
Round 2, pick 62: James Bradberry, CB, Samford
Round 3, pick 77: Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia
Round 5, pick 141: Zack Sanchez, CB, Oklahoma
Round 7, pick 252: Beau Sandland, TE, Montana State
Analysis: The defending NFC Champions may not have had a ton of needs, but they certainly felt they had one at cornerback. By taking corners with their all three of their middle picks, they need to have found at least one starter to replace Josh Norman and hopefully also came away with someone to at least cover in the slot. Those three picks came after taking Butler in round one. Butler should be a good player, but it was far from an immediate need with Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei in the middle of the defense. He will likely take over with the Panthers unlikely to keep both long term, but with Sandland a depth pick in round seven, the Panthers won’t get add any starters in 2016 if one of Bradberry, Worley and Sanchez doesn’t take over for Norman right away.
Bottom Line: The Panthers might have been better off targeting one sure thing at corner in round one and then finding help elsewhere later in the draft. If they strike out with those three corners, this draft could be a disaster.
Grade: D
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1, pick 7: DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon
Round 1, pick 28: Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford
Round 3, pick 68: Will Redmond, CB, Mississippi State
Round 4, pick 133: Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU
Round 5, pick 142: Ronald Blair, DT, Appalachian State
Round 5, pick 145: John Theus, OT, Georgia
Round 5, pick 174: Fahn Cooper, OT, Ole Miss
Round 6, pick 207: Jeff Driskel, QB, Louisiana Tech
Round 6, pick 211: Kelvin Taylor, RB, Florida
Round 6, pick 213: Aaron Burbridge, WR, Michigan State
Round 7, pick 249: Prince Charles Iworah, CB, Western Kentucky
Analysis: Buckner was an obvious round-one selection if they weren’t going to take a shot on Laremy Tunsil and hopefully he lives up to his potential as Chip Kelly has recreated two-thirds of his Oregon defensive line. (Has anyone seen Dion Jordan lately?) Adding Garnett is a lot like the Giants taking Apple at No. 10–they got a good player even if it didn’t match up with the pick. Garnett wasn’t as much a huge reach as it was odd to see the 49ers give up so much to get him, especially since he isn’t a perfect scheme fit for Kelly’s offense and because Kelly seemed to jettison guards at a record pace in Philadelphia. Redmond is a good player, but a little smaller. He could guard slot receivers with upside on the outside and they added Robinson who could also compete at corner in 2016. Blair didn’t see top competition in college and they added a pair of depth tackles in Theus and Cooper, likely hoping one will rise to the occasion at right tackle. Driskel is a good gamble for Kelly to make with his pedigree from Florida before transferring and his physical abilities and the pair of Taylor and Burbridge are underrated offensive weapons Kelly could put to good use.
Bottom Line: Buckner has never been my favorite prospect, but he had good value where he is. Garnett I like, even if his value was off. The problem is that with this roster I should see a half-dozen or more potential starters right away and there are a lot of question marks on this board.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1, pick 1: Jared Goff, QB, California
Round 4, pick 110: Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky
Round 4, pick 117: Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina
Round 6, pick 177: Temarrick Hemingway, TE, South Carolina State
Round 6, pick 190: Josh Forrest, LB, Kentucky
Round 6, pick 206: Michael Thomas, WR, Southern Miss
Analysis: Like the Eagles, the Rams have bet their draft on one player. Higbee and Cooper have some upside due to their status as playmakers, but Goff’s success will determine the franchise’s success, both in the short and long term. It is good to see the Rams try to add offensive talent with limited resources due to the trade, but hoping to find one contributor between two tight ends in a bad class for the position will be tough. Cooper makes plays and (the other) Michael Thomas was one of the overlooked receivers in the class, so hopefully Goff has weapons to use. Forrest could even contribute at linebacker between Mark Barron and Alec Ogletree, where he will have athletes on each side. The problem for the Rams is that while they focused on bringing a better offense to Los Angeles, they failed to get better along the offensive line. That is a task when they only own one pick in the top 109, but it makes Goff’s job that much harder.
Bottom Line: Like the Eagles, the whole draft comes down to one player. Goff is more likely to live up to that pressure than Wentz in my opinion, but the Rams did even less than the Eagles with the rest of their picks. For that reason, they end up with the same disappointing grade.
Grade: C-
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1, pick 31: Germain Ifedi, OT, Texas A&M
Round 2, pick 49: Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama
Round 3, pick 90: C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame
Round 3, pick 94: Nick Vannett, TE, Ohio State
Round 3, pick 97: Rees Odhiambo, OG, Boise State
Round 5, pick 147: Quinton Jefferson, DT, Maryland
Round 5, pick 171: Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas
Round 6, pick 215: Joey Hunt, C, TCU
Round 7, pick 243: Kenny Lawler, WR, California
Round 7, pick 247: Zac Brooks, RB, Clemson
Analysis: The Seahawks did what no one thought they ever would by prioritizing the offensive line in round one. Yet with Ifedi being an underachiever in college and a project, it still felt underwhelming. Despite that, Tom Cable has made offensive linemen out of much rawer players and Ifedi might do better in a pro-style offense. To the Seahawks’ credit, they added good talent in rounds two and three. Grabbing potential first-round Reed in round two gives them their Red Bryant-type dominant run defender on the defensive line, which only helps studs like Michael Bennett, Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright. Round three is where they shined, taking Prosise who should be a great complement to Thomas Rawls and Nick Vannett who will do the same for Jimmy Graham. In between those two picks they added another quality lineman in Odhiambo, who could start along with Ifedi as rookies. Jefferson and Lawler represent depth picks who could see the field and taking Collins and Brooks gives them a full depth chart at running back. Collins particularly has feature-back potential. Picking Hunt in the sixth round adds even more to the offensive line and it isn’t out of the question that he could earn a starting spot as well.
Bottom Line: Three potential offensive linemen who can compete for starting jobs is great and needed in Seattle. Adding a lot of chances at running back is a great job as well and the all-around tight end can really help the offense. The draft lacks star power, but the Seahawks don’t really need it.
Grade: B
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1, pick 29: Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss
Round 3, pick 92: Brandon Williams, CB, Texas A&M
Round 4, pick 128: Evan Boehm, OG, Missouri
Round 5, pick 167: Marqui Christian, S, Midwestern State
Round 5, pick 170: Cole Toner, OT, Harvard
Round 6, pick 205: Harlan Miller, S, SE Louisiana
Analysis: The Cardinals didn’t have a ton of needs, especially after adding pass rusher Chandler Jones via a trade that cost them their second round pick. Taking Nkemdiche in round one gives them a nice four-man pass rush with Calais Campbell, Jones and Markus Golden. Adding three defensive backs isn’t out of character and at least two of them should see the field with some level of need at both corner and safety for the Cardinals. Adding Boehm and Toner looks like a wise allocation of assets. The center position is one they could stand to upgrade and they have taken two shots at finding value at the position. Each player could probably play either guard or center, so both will likely get a chance to compete for a starting spot.
Bottom Line: The Cardinals didn’t have a ton of needs, but if Nkemdiche hits and they manage to get an above average center, that would be enough for a success. That isn’t a sure thing, but they have a shot at it. They don’t need to find another under-the-radar contributor in the secondary, but their track record says they will anyway.
Grade: B-
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