2022 NFL Draft Grades

2022 NFL Draft Grades

NFL Draft Grades

The NFL Draft is finally over. It took three days to complete and the biggest surprise was that just one quarterback was taken through the first two rounds and just four in the first three rounds. This was not a great quarterback class on paper so the teams that desperately needed one, didn’t reach for a need (save for Pittsburgh).

Ben Hayes takes a look at how all 32 NFL teams fared in the draft in terms of getting value and filling needs.

Arizona Cardinals

Round 2, Pick 55: Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State

Round 3, Pick 87: Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State

Round 3, Pick 100: Myjai Sanders, DE, Cincinnati

Round 6, Pick 201: Keontay Ingram, RB, Southern California

Round 6, Pick 215: Lecitus Smith, G, Virginia Tech

Round 7, Pick 244: Christian Matthew, CB, Valdosta State

Round 7, Pick 256: Jesse Luketa, OLB, Penn State

Round 7, Pick 257: Marquis Hayes, G, Oklahoma

Let’s start with giving up a first-round pick and getting a third rounder for WR Hollywood Brown. Knowing that DeAndre Hopkins will miss the first six games due to violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug policy, now makes more sense. That’s a reach for the former Oklahoma speedster who re-unites with Kyler Murray. They did add tight end Trey McBride in the second round and third-rounder Myjai Sanders in the third. Sanders is undersized but explosive. McBride has a lot of potential. Cameron Thomas is versatile and should help with the pass rush. Now understand the Brown trade, but he’s not A.J. Brown.

Grade: C

Atlanta Falcons

Round 1, Pick 8: Drake London, WR, USC

Round 2, Pick 38: Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State

Round 2, Pick 58: Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State

Round 3, Pick 74: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

Round 3, Pick 82: DeAngelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky

Round 5, Pick 151: Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU

Round 6, Pick 190: Justin Shaffer, G, Georgia

Round 6, Pick 213: John FitzPatrick, TE, Georgia

Drake London is a big receiver who can run after the catch. Was he a reach when two of the Ohio State receivers were there? They are looking for the next Julio Jones and London was the closest to him in this deep WR draft. Ridder was a nice value pick in the third round and could eventually develop, though he has a lot of work to do. Atlanta ranked last in team pressure rate last season so adding Ebiketie should help. The wild card here is Andersen in the second round from FCS Montana State. He’s off-the-charts athletically.

Grade: B+

Baltimore Ravens

R1 (14 — S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame

R1 (25) — C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

R2 (45) — EDGE David Ojabo, Michigan

R3 (76) — DI Travis Jones, Connecticut

R4 (110) — T Daniel Faalele, Minnesota

R4 (119) — CB Jalyn Armour-Davis, Alabama

R4 (128) — TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State

R4 (130) — P Jordan Stout, Penn State

R4 (139) — TE Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina

R4 (141) — CB Damarion Williams, Houston

R6 (196) — Tyler Badie, Missouri

Baltimore likes to go for best player available and if there’s a knock on this draft, it’s that they didn’t address the wide receiver and pass rush issues. They didn’t necessarily need a safety, but they drafted Hamilton, who might be one of the best defensive players in the draft. They also drafted the best center in the draft by a mile in Linderbaum. Drafting David Ojabo in the second round was a genius move by Eric DeCosta, though he probably won’t produce much in 2022, since he’s coming off a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in March. They set a record with six fourth-rounders and drafted two “move” tight ends, who should help Lamar Jackson in the passing game. No receiver hurts this grade.

Grade: A-

Buffalo Bills

Round 1, Pick 23: Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida

Round 2, Pick 63: James Cook, RB, Georgia

Round 3, Pick 89: Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor

Round 5, Pick 148: Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State

Round 6, Pick 180: Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State

Round 6, Pick 185: Christian Benford, CB, Villanova

Round 6, Pick 209: Luke Tenuta, OT, Virginia Tech

Round 7, Pick 231: Baylon Spector, LB, Clemson

Buffalo didn’t have a lot of needs coming into this one. But they did need a cornerback and found one in Kaair Elam. He has all the tools to be a dominant corner. James Cook is the younger brother of Dalvin, so he has great genes. He can also catch passes which is important in this offense, though they could have used a bigger back. Khalil Shakir is a sleeper in the third round. Araiza (Punt God) just bombs punts and is a nice value in the sixth round. Bernard is an undersized linebacker with a lot of speed, but was a reach there.

Grade: B

Carolina Panthers

R1 (6) — G Ikem Ekwonu, NC State

R3 (94) — QB Matt Corral, Mississippi

R4 (120) — LB Brandon Smith, Penn State

R6 (189) — Edge Amare Barno, Virginia

R6 (199) — T Cade Mays, Tennessee

R7 (242) — CB Kalon Barnes, Baylor

The Panthers had just six picks, but they ended up with the best lineman in the draft in Ekwonwu from NC State. Matt Corral in the third round was good value though he’s going to take time and is not going to take over for Sam Darnold right away. Brandon Smith has the size and athleticism to be a good one, but has to show it on the field. They had just two picks in the first two rounds so it’s tough to improve your team that way.

Grade: B+

Chicago Bears

R2 (39) — CB Kyler Gordon, Washington

R2 (48) — S Jaquan Brisker, Penn State

R3 (71) — WR Velus Jones Jr., Tennessee

R5 (168) — T Braxton Jones, Southern Utah

R5 (174) — EDGE Dominique Robinson, Miami (OH)

R6 (186) — T Zachary Thomas, San Diego State

R6 (203) — RB Trestan Ebner, Baylor

R6 (207) — C Doug Kramer, Illinois

R7 (226) — T Ja'Tyre Carter, Southern University

R7 (254) — S Elijah Hicks, California

R7 (255) — P Trenton Gill, North Carolina State

The Bears had a solid, but unspectacular draft. They didn’t have a first-round pick due to trading it to the Giants to get QB Justin Fields. Gordon and Brisker improve the secondary right away. Gordon didn’t have great combine numbers, but he got the job done on the field. Velus Jones from Tennessee is 24-years old and with great speed, but lack of production. Not sure why the Beras didn’t add more help for Field. The rest of the draft is more about development, but that’s what happens when you have eight third-day picks and five selections in the sixth and seventh rounds.

Grad: C

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1, Pick 31: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan

Round 2, Pick 60: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska

Round 3, Pick 95: Zach Carter, DL, Florida

Round 4, Pick 136: Cordell Volson, OL, North Dakota State

Round 5, Pick 166: Tycen Anderson, S, Toledo

Round 7, Pick 252: Jeffrey Gunter, LB, Coastal Carolina

The Bengals were in the Super Bowl last season and are looking to win the first championship this season. They didn’t have a lot of needs, but did address the secondary needs with their first two picks. Dax Hill and DB Cam Taylor-Britt are versatile enough to play several different positions. Volson was a nice pick in the fourth round as North Dakota State is a great FCS program and they produce NFL players.

Grade: B-

Cleveland Browns

Round 3, Pick 68: Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State

Round 3, Pick 78: Alex Wright, DE, UAB

Round 3, Pick 99: David Bell, WR, Purdue

Round 4, Pick 108: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma

Round 4, Pick 124: Cade York, K, LSU

Round 5, Pick 156: Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati

Round 6, Pick 202: Mike Woods II, WR, Oklahoma

Round 7, Pick 223: Isaiah Thomas, DE, Oklahoma

Round 7, Pick 246: Dawson Deaton, OL, Texas Tech

The Browns did not have first or second-round pick, but it could be worth it if Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper leads them to the playoffs and beyond. Emerson is a long athlete with coverage skills. Winfrey was a strong pick in the fourth round who is a 3-technique tackle who should be able to move into the rotation this year. Alex Wright has long arms and has potential as a pass rusher. David Bell ran for poor 40 times, but produced big numbers in the Big 10.

Grade: C

Dallas Cowboys

Round 1, Pick 24: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa

Round 2, Pick 56: Sam Williams, DE, Mississippi

Round 3, Pick 88: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama

Round 4, Pick 129: Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin

Round 5, Pick 155: Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota

Round 5, Pick 167: DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State

Round 5, Pick 176: Damone Clark, LB, LSU

Round 5, Pick 178: John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas

Round 6, Pick 193: Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State

Dallas added a quality lineman with T/G Tyler Smith as their first pick. Not an exciting pick, but certainly something that was needed. He was a devastating run blocker and should be able to move into the left guard spot in Dallas’ zone scheme. Sam Williams is a raw talent in the second round who does fit a major need. But he’s also one-dimensional and struggles against the run so that’s a reach in the second round. Jalen Tolbert was a solid pick in the third round. He is a 6-2 deep threat and could eventually be in the mix at receiver.

Grade: B

Denver Broncos

R2 (64) — EDGE Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma

R3 (80) — TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA

R4 (115) — CB Damarri Mathis, Pittsburgh

R4 (116) — EDGE Eyioma Uwazurike, Iowa State

R5 (152) — S Delarrin Turner-Yell, Oklahoma

R5 (162) — WR Montrell Washington, Samford

R5 (171) — C Luke Wattenberg, Washington

R6 (206) — DI Matt Henningsen, Wisconsin

R7 (232) — CB Faion Hicks, Wisconsin

Denver picked up Russell Wilson in the offseason so they didn’t need a quarterback for the first time awhile. That deal cost them their first-round pick, so they needed to hit their second and third round picks. Bonitto could eventually replace Bradley Chubb, who is a free agent at the end of the season. He’s a solid fit for their 3-4 defense. Dulcich takes over at tight end with Noah Fant going to Seattle. He has all the tools to be a good one and was a steal in the third round. The whole draft is about getting some help for Wilson and improving defensively. It appears that they have done that.

Grade: B+

Detroit Lions

R1 (2) — EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

R1 (12) — WR Jameson Williams, Alabama

R2 (46) — EDGE Josh Pachal, Kentucky

R3 (97) — S Kerby Joseph, Illinois

R5 (177) — TE James Mitchell, Virginia Tech

R6 (188) — LB Malcolm Rodriguez, Oklahoma State

R6 (217) — EDGE James Houston IV, Jackson State

R7 (237) — CB Chase Lucas, Arizona State

Lions get lucky as the Jags took Travon Walker. Hutchinson has the motor and size to be a start EDGE rusher. They traded up from 32 to get Jameson Williams with the 12th overall pick. He’s a risk coming off a torn ACL, but he could be a star in the future due to great speed and route-running. Mitchell is another prospect who is coming off a torn ACL, but he could be ready by the beginning of the season. Josh Paschal is another pass rusher who could help one of the league’s worst pass rushes

Grade: A-

Green Bay Packers

Round 1, Pick 22: Quay Walker, LB, Georgia

Round 1, Pick 28: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia

Round 2, Pick 34: Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State

Round 3, Pick 92: Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA

Round 4, Pick 132: Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada

Round 4, Pick 140: Zach Tom, OT, Wake Forest

Round 5, Pick 179: Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina

Round 7, Pick 228: Tariq Carpenter, LB, Georgia Tech

Round 7, Pick 234: Jonathan Ford, DT, Miami

Round 7, Pick 249: Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State

Round 7, Pick 258: Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska

Aaron Rodgers is back, but once again, the Packers do not take a receiver in the first round or with their first two picks. Now, that Davante Adams is gone, Rodgers will have to develop chemistry with Christian Watson out of North Dakota State. The good news is that the 6-4 Watson has the size and speed to be a good one, but has to clean up the drops. Walker and Wyatt were both Georgia defenders and should be impact players. The only thing is that Walker was more reactor than one who makes plays in a great defense.

Grade: B-

Houston Texans

HOUSTON TEXANS

R1 (3) — CB Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

R1 (15) — G Kenyon Green, Texas A&M

R2 (37) — S Jalen Pitre, Baylor

R2 (44) — WR John Metchie III, Alabama

R3 (75) — LB Christian Harris, Alabama

R4 (107) — RB Dameon Pierce, Florida

R5 (150) — DI Thomas Booker, Stanford

R5 (170) —TE Teagan Quitoriano, Oregon State

R6 (205) — T Austin Deculus, LSU

Houston reached for Stingley Jr. with the third pick overall mainly because he was injured the last two seasons. When healthy, he could be a star with his great speed. Green should help on the offensive line, though he was a bit of a reach at 15. Pitre is another versatile safety who can play just about anywhere on the field. Metchie III is coming off an ACL injury and doesn’t have a ton of upside. He does run good routes though. The key here is Stingley Jr. and of course, Houston getting better but rebuilding with no proven QB.

Grade: B+

Indianapolis Colts

R2 (53) — WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati

R3 (73) — TE Jelani Woods, Virginia

R3 (77) — T Bernhard Raimann, Central Michigan

R3 (96) — S Nick Cross, Maryland

R5 (159) — DI Eric Johnson, Missouri State

R6 (192) — TE Andrew Ogletree, Youngstown State

R6 (216) — DI Curtis Brooks, Cincinnati

R7 (239) — S Rodney Thomas II, Yale

The Colts did not have a first-round pick thanks to a Carson Wentz deal last summer that didn’t work out. At least they did bring in Matt Ryan and gave him a weapon on Alec Pierce. He’s a big receiver who can go vertical and give Ryan another receiver on the outside. However, they did pass up Skyy Moore who might have been a better fit. Woods is another big, athletic tight end with questionable hands, but he can block. Cross is super athletic and a steal in the third round. Despite not having a first-round pick, it was a pretty good draft for GM Chris Ballard.

Grade: B

Jacksonville Jaguars

R1 (1) — EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia

R1 (27) — LB Devin Lloyd, Utah

R3 (65) — C Luke Fortner, Kentucky

R3 (70) — LB Chad Muma, Wyoming

R5 (154) — RB Snoop Conner, Mississippi

R6 (197) — CB Gregory Junior, Ouachita Baptist

R7 (222) — CB Montaric Brown, Arkansas

Tavon Walker will make-or break this draft. This was Trent Baalke’s guy and if he doesn’t work out and Aidan Hutchinson becomes a star, he should be fired. Fortunately, they spent money in free agency on WR Christian Kirk and G Brandon Scherff. Walker has the talent and length to become a star, so there is a great upside, but he didn’t produce a lot in college. They moved up in the first round to take Devin Lloyd, who is a leader, athletic and a solid player. They went offense in the third round with center Luke Fortner, who is very athletic. Muma is a weakside linebacker who can run and chance. He’s very good in coverage and might be the best pick for the Jags.

Grade: C-

Kansas City Chiefs

R1 (21) — CB Trent McDuffie, Washington

R1 (30) — EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue

R2 (54) — WR Skyy Moore, Western Michigan

R2 (62) — S Bryan Cook, Cincinnati

R3 (103) — LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin

R4 (135) — CB Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State

R5 (145) — T Darian Kinnard, Kentucky

R7 (243) — CB Jaylen Watson, Washington State

R7 (251) — RB Isaih Pacheco, Rutgers

R7 (259) — S Nazeeh Johnson, Marshall

The Chiefs are a good organization for a reason. They draft for needs, but they usually don’t reach. They moved up to get McDuffie, one of the top corners in the draft. He’ll probably start out in the slot. They also added Karlafis, an underrated edge rusher out of Purdue. Nobody expected for him to go 30th in the first round. They followed that with their biggest need on offense, which was receiver. Skyy Moore is only 5-10, but he is excellent after the catch, has huge hands and rarely drops passes. Cook is another huge need at safety, though he’s more of a box safety, but does have 4.45 speed. They knocked it out of the park.

Grade: A+

Las Vegas Raiders

R3 (90) — G Dylan Parham, Memphis

R4 (122) — RB Zamir White, Georgia

R4 (126) — DI Neil Farrell Jr., LSU

R5 (175) — DI Matthew Butler, Tennessee

R7 (238) — G Thayer Munford, Ohio State

R7 (250) — RB Brittain Brown, UCLA

The Raiders hosted the draft, but they didn’t have a pick until the third round. Getting Davante Adams certainly helps them go from playoff team to potential contender. The Raiders decided to go with line help as they took Parham from Memphis, who is a burly interior player, who should start right away. Zamir White will eventually take over for Josh Jacobs at running back. Pretty good draft considering they had no first-day picks.

Grade: B+

Los Angeles Chargers

R1 (17) — G Zion Johnson, Boston College

R3 (79) — S JT Woods, Baylor

R4 (123) — RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M

R5 (160) — DI Otito Ogbonnia, UCLA

R6 (195) — T Jamaree Salyer, Georgia

R6 (214) — CB Ja'Sir Taylor, Wake Forest

R7 (236) — CB Deane Leonard, Mississippi

R7 (260) — FB Zander Horvath, Purdue

Not a very exciting draft when you take a guard mid-way through the first round. But they seriously needed help up front, especially on the right side. They could still use a right tackle, but found a very good guard in Johnson who was the best guard in the draft. Spiller is a shifty back who can back up Austin Ekeler and provide a boost of the bench. Woods has the tools to be a starter down the line, but will start out in a depth role. He has to improve as a tackler, but did have six picks in his career.

Grade: C+

Los Angeles Rams

R3 (104) — T Logan Bruss, Wisconsin

R4 (142) — CB Decobie Durant, South Carolina State

R5 (164) — RB Kyren Williams, Notre Dame

R6 (211) — S Quentin Lake, UCLA

R6 (212) — CB Derion Kendrick, Georgia

R6 (235) — EDGE Daniel Hardy, Montana State

R7 (253) — S Russ Yeast, Kansas State

R7 (261) — T AJ Arcuri, Michigan State

Another team with no picks on the first day, but it was worth it to win a Super Bowl. Logan Bruss is probably the only rookie capable of starting. He’ll compete for a right guard spot. Kyren Williams is not only a good receiver, but he’s one of the rare young backs that can also pass block. They also gave up a 2023 first-rounder to trade for cornerback TroyHill. CBs Decobie Durant and Derion Kendrick and S Russ Yeast should help the secondary.

Grade: B-

Miami Dolphins

R3 (102) — LB Channing Tindall, Georgia

R4 (125) — WR Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech

R7 (224) — EDGE Cameron Goode, Cal

R7 (247) — QB Skylar Thompson, Kansas State

Not a lot you can do with four picks, but at least they wound up with star WR Tyreek Hill, so they had no first-round pick. Tindall is an excellent linebacker who can fly. He’s pretty good value in the third round, though he is raw. Ezukanma was another solid pick in the fourth round because he can run well after the catch. Thompson is an interesting pick up late in the draft because he can really run, though is not as fast as Taysom Hill.

Draft Grade: D+

Minnesota Vikings

R1 (32) — S Lewis Cine, Georgia

R2 (42) — CB Andrew Booth Jr., Clemson

R2 (59) — G Ed Ingram, LSU

R3 (66) — LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma

R4 (118) — CB Akayleb Evans, Missouri

R5 (165) — EDGE Esezi Otomewo, Minnesota

R5 (169) — RB Ty Chandler, North Carolina

R6 (184) — T Vederian Lowe, Illinois

R6 (191) — WR Jalen Nailor, Michigan State

R7 (227) — TE Nick Muse, South Carolina

The Vikes had the 12th pick to traded down to 32 to pick up a second and third and also traded the 46th pic. It’s interesting that they didn’t go with a quarterback and focused mainly on defense in the first day and second day picks. Lewis Cine, is shocking, another Georgia defender who ran a 4.37 40 and was arguably the second-best safety after Kyle Hamilton. He’s a very physical defender. Booth was a nice pick in the second round who can challenge for a starting job right away. He has the size and length and just needs polish. Ingram really moves people in the run game and should have an impact right away. Asamoah is a really good coverage linebacker and a nice pickup in the third round. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did a pretty good job for his first draft.

Grade: B

New England Patriots

R1 (29) — G Cole Strange, Chattanooga

R2 (50) — WR Tyquan Thornton, Baylor

R3 (85) — CB Marcus Jones, Houston

R4 (121) — CB Jack Jones, Arizona State

R4 (127) — RB Pierre Strong Jr., South Dakota State

R4 (137) — QB Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky

R6 (183) — RB Kevin Harris, South Carolina

R6 (200) — Edge Sam Roberts, Northwest Missouri State

R6 (210) — G Chasen Hines, LSU

R7 (245) — T Andrew Stueber, Michigan

Cole Strange was the perfect fit for this odd draft. Strange was not considered a first rounder and probably would have been a surprise if he was drafted in the second round. However, he still might develop into a starter. That’s usually not what you do with a first-round pick. Thornton is a burner who ran a 4.28 at the NFL combine, but doesn’t do much after the catch and rarely breaks tackles. Jones is a 5-8 corner but a very good athlete and can return kicks. At least he will be able to play in the slot. Some odd picks everywhere.

Grade: C-

New Orleans Saints

Round 1, Pick 11: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State

Round 1, Pick 19: Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa

Round 2, Pick 49: Alontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee

Round 5, Pick 161: D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State

Round 6, Pick 194: Jordan Jackson, DT, Air Force

The Saints wanted to add an extra first-round pick so they gave up next year’s first and a 2024 second-round pick. They found Olave, a vertical threat who is should be able to play alongside Michael Thomas. They also took one of the top tackles in Penning, who is a mauler who should have no problem replacing Terron Armstead. Alontae Taylor is fast and physical, who went from mediocre player to stud in 2021. The lack of instincts are a concern. Not a bad draft considering who few picks they had. But was it really worth it trading away so many assets?

Grade: C+

New York Giants

R1 (5) — EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

R1 (7) — OT Evan Neal, Alabama

R2 (43) — WR Wan'Dale Robinson, Kentucky

R3 (67) — G Joshua Ezeudu, North Carolina

R3 (81) — CB Cordale Flott, LSU

R4 (112) — TE Daniel Bellinger, San Diego State

R4 (114) — S Dane Belton, Iowa

R4 (146) — LB Micah McFadden, Indiana

R5 (147) — DI D.J. Davidson, Arizona State

R5 (173) — G Marcus McKethan, North Carolina

R6 (182) — LB Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati

Thibodeaux is the key here. He’s one of the most talented players in the draft and should be an impact player right away. Evan Neal is a player you can build your offensive line around. He was the best pure blocker in the draft. The rest of the draft was not great. The 5-8 Robinson is undersized and a reach in the second round. Ezeudu is a talented guard who was a slight reach but has potential and is athletic. The key was getting two potential stars in the first round.

Grade: A-

New York Jets:

Round 1, Pick 4: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati

Round 1, Pick 10: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State

Round 2, Pick 26: Jermaine Johnson II, DE, Florida State

Round 2, Pick 36: Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State

Round 3, Pick 101: Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State

Round 4, Pick 111: Max Mitchell, OT, Louisiana

Round 4, Pick 117: Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M

Gardner is a stud and should have been taken as the first corner. He has the size and athleticism to be a star. The addition of Wilson was a strong pick to help young Zach Wilson (no relation). Getting Jermaine Johnson at No. 26 was a steal. He’s a day-one starter who can be an elite pass rusher one day. Hall was the top running back though drafting runners that high is not a great move unless they are superstars. Hall will be good as he is very productive as a runner and receiver.

Grade: A+

Philadelphia Eagles

R1 (13) — DI Jordan Davis, Georgia

R2 (51) — C Cam Jurgens, Nebraska

R3 (83) — LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia

R6 (181) — Edge Kyron Johnson, Kansas

R6 (198) — TE Grant Calcaterra, SMU

Another team with limited picks. The Eagles used one of their multiple first-round picks to acquire WR A.J. Brown from the Titans. They went defense with their top pick, grabbing the very big and talented Jordan Davis. He’s 341 pound and should be able to replace Fletcher Cox as one of the premier run-stuffers in the league. Davis has the athleticism to eventually become a pass rusher, though didn’t show that often in Georgia. Jurgens is an athletic center and should bel able to replace Jason Kelce down the line. Nakobe Dean was a steal in the third round though he dropped due to medical reports.

Grade: A-

Pittsburgh Steelers

R1 (20) — QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh

R2 (52) — WR George Pickens, Georgia

R3 (84) — Edge DeMarvin Leal, Texas A&M

R4 (138) — WR Calvin Austin III, Memphis

R6 (208) — TE Connor Heyward, Michigan State

R7 (225) — LB Mark Robinson, Mississippi

R7 (241) — QB Chris Oladokun, South Dakota State

This whole draft is about Pickett, who was not the top quarterback of a poor class. The upside went to Malik Willis, but Pickett was the only QB drafted. Was he a hometown pick? The bigger concerns are not his small hands, but his inability to get the ball away quickly. Pickens could be a steal there in the second round, though his medical history is why he was available. Leal has talent, but regressed in his final season. Austin III is a small receiver, but just makes plays. He might wind up a better pick than Pickens.

Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

R2 (61) — EDGE Drake Jackson, USC

R3 (93) — HB Tyrion Davis-Price, LSU

R3 (105) — WR Danny Gray, SMU

R4 (134) — T Spencer Burford, UTSA

R5 (172) — CB Samuel Womack, Toledo

R6 (187) — T Nick Zakelj, Fordham

R6 (220) — DI Kalia Davis, UCF

R6 (221) — CB Tariq Castro-Fields, Penn State

R7 (262) — QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State

The 49ers traded away their first-round pick last season to trade up for Trey Lance. Hopefully for San Francisco, Lance works out. Jackson is a strong athlete who has a ways to go in terms of improving his moves to get to the quarterback. Davis-Price could be a stud at running back and a solid complement to Elijah Mitchell. Danny Gray was a reach in the third round. Burford is a great athlete who can play tackle or guard.

Grade: C-

Seattle Seahawks

R1 (9) — OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State

R2 (40) — EDGE Boye Mafe, Minnesota

R2 (41) — RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

R3 (72) — T Abraham Lucas, Washington State

R4 (109) — CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

R5 (153) — CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA

R5 (158) — EDGE Tyreke Smith, Ohio State

R7 (229) — WR Bo Melton, Rutgers

R7 (233) — TE Dareke Young, Lenoir-Rhyne

Cross was drafted a bit high but should start from Day One. Cross is a solid pass blocker considering he had no choice at Mississippi State, with Mike Leach throwing nearly every down. Mafe was an excellent pick up in the second round. He runs a 4.53 40 and has a 42-inch vertical so athletically he’s off the chart and also is a productive player. Kenneth Walker is another very productive runner but why draft a solid back in the second round when you already have Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny.

Grade: C+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

R2 (33) — DI Logan Hall, Houston

R2 (57) — T Luke Goedeke, Central Michigan

R3 (91) — RB Rachaad White, Arizona State

R4 (106) — TE Cade Otton, Washington

R4 (133) — K Jake Camarda, Georgia

R5 (157) — CB Zyon McCollum, Sam Houston State

R6 (218) — TE Ko Kieft, Minnesota

R7 (248) — EDGE Andre Anthony, LSU

The Bucs traded out of the first round and found Logan Hall in the second round. He is a long pass rusher who can play all over the line. He is more of a project though is a good fit in Todd Bowles’ defense. Goedeke is a right tackle who will end up at guard to replace Ali Marpet. Cade Otton is more of a blocker and a solid pick in the fourth round.

Grade: B-

Tennessee Titans

R1 (18) — WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas

R2 (35) — CB Roger McCreary, Auburn

R3 (69) — T Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio State

R3 (86) — QB Malik Willis, Liberty

R4 (131) — RB Hassan Haskins, Michigan

R4 (143) — TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, Maryland

R5 (163) — WR Kyle Philips, UCLA

R6 (204) — CB Theo Jackson, Tennessee

R6 (219) — LB Chance Campbell, Mississippi

The Titans traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles for the No. 18th and 101st pick. They replaced Brown with another big receiver in Treylon Burks from Arkansas. Burks is a big receiver with speed, who needs work on his route-running. But a good pickup. Now the big question will be who will throw him the ball in 2023? That might be Malik Willis, the Liberty quarterback, who was taken in the third round, which was a steal. At least he’ll have time to develop under Ryan Tannehill, but he certainly has the talent to be a starter one day. McCreay doesn’t have great arm length, but he produced extremely well at Auburn.

Grade: B+

Washington Commanders

R1 (16) — WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State

R2 (47) — DI Phidarian Mathis, Alabama

R3 (98) — RB Brian Robinson Jr., Alabama

R4 (113) — S Percy Butler, Louisiana

R5 (144) — QB Sam Howell, North Carolina

R5 (149) — TE Cole Turner, Nevada

R7 (230) — T Chris Paul, Tulsa

R7 (240) — CB Christian Holmes, Oklahoma State

Never sure what this team is doing. Washington took Dotson with the 16th pick, after trading out of the No. 11 spot. Chris Olave was the player they should have taken at No. 11 instead of trading down to get Dotson, who is solid, but more of a No. 2 receiver. The second round was a slightly better pick with Mathis, who is a long defender, but doesn’t make a huge impact. Robinson was a solid pick in the third round and is a physical runner, which the Commanders could use.

Grade: D+

Author Profile
Ben Hayes

Ben has been a sports writer for over 35 years, dabbling in college and pro basketball, college and pro football, baseball, college lacrosse, minor league baseball and even college gymnastics. He's also been involved in the gaming industry for nearly 30 years and has been looking to beat the books since he was 13! Ben has had great success in handicapping college football, the NFL, college basketball, the NBA and MLB for 27+ years. His Twitter handle is @BenHayesWAW