The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books, and it’s time to put our way-too-early spin on what happened over those three days in Detroit. Here’s the breakdown of the AFC draft classes, including favorite picks, least favorite picks and an overall grade for each team.
For individual team grades, click the team name. And check out our full NFC draft grades.
AFC East
Overall grade: C+
The Bills played this draft safe and took home 10 players, although only one wide receiver in Keon Coleman. Even though Coleman didn’t have the cleanest end to his season and a slow 40-yard dash time at the scouting combine, he still has shown serious talent in college football. Coleman will start right away for the Bills and will immediately have a chance to prove whether he can separate from NFL cornerbacks. The Bills had another solid pickup in Ray Davis, but other than that this draft class was just fine. Probably not too many movers and shakers, but some quality players at positions of need. It will be interesting to see what happens with Travis Clayton, a developmental offensive line prospect from England.
Favorite pick: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky (128th overall)
Davis is an older prospect, but man, he is the perfect player to pair with James Cook in the backfield. Davis is a punishing runner who doesn’t fear contact and has some wiggle to get away from defenders. He won’t be out-touching Cook as a rookie, but he should prove to be a valuable member of this offense.
Least favorite pick: DeWayne Carter, DL, Duke (95th overall)
Nitpicking here because this is a fine pick who fits Buffalo’s style of play up front. Maybe they could have gotten someone more disruptive, like Brandon Dorlus, with this pick. Still, it’s hard to complain here. Carter has the speed and explosion to be a disruptive presence up front — and the versatility on the interior to allow his new teammate Ed Oliver to be the best version of himself.
Draft picks
Round 2, Pick 33: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State
Round 2, Pick 60: Cole Bishop, S, Utah
Round 3, Pick 95: DeWayne Carter, DL, Duke
Round 4, Pick 128: Ray Davis, RB, Kentucky
Round 5, Pick 141: Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, OL, Georgia
Round 5, Pick 160: Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB, Washington
Round 5, Pick 168: Javon Solomon, LB, Troy
Round 6, Pick 204: Tylan Grable, OT, UCF
Round 6, Pick 219: Daequan Hardy, CB, Penn State
Round 7, Pick 221: Travis Clayton, OL, International Pathway Program (England)
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Overall grade: B+
It’s a strong draft haul for the Dolphins. They found a potential 10-sack edge rusher with Chop Robinson in the first round and grabbed a future starter at offensive tackle with Patrick Paul. Their trade-up for Jaylen Wright in the fourth was perplexing. Overall this is still a good group of players. Malik Washington and Tahj Washington are two wide receivers who had a lot of buzz in college and could compete for reps behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Favorite pick: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston (55th overall)
Loved this one. Paul is scratching the surface of how good he can be and comes with supreme athleticism in a 6-7, 330-pound body. He’s raw, but being a consistent NFL tackle is certainly within reach for him and he’ll make some incredible highlight-reel blocks in head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. This is one of those prospect-to-team matches that seems destined to work out.
Least Favorite pick: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee (120th overall)
Head coach Mike McDaniel is always going to place a premium on speed, but this might not be the back they’re looking for to spell De’Von Achane once Raheem Mostert eventually moves on. Wright is a blazer with inconsistent vision and ability to run between the tackles. Perhaps that’s less of a concern with McDaniel, but they may learn that not all fast backs are created equal.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 21: Chop Robinson, Edge, Penn State
Round 2, Pick 55: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
Round 4, Pick 120: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee
Round 5, Pick 158: Mohamed Kamara, DL, Colorado State
Round 6, Pick 184: Malik Washington, WR, Virginia
Round 6, Pick 198: Patrick McMorris, S, California
Round 7, Pick 241: Tahj Washington, WR, USC
Overall grade: A-
New England had a tough decision to make on how it wanted to start its rebuild and it ultimately turned down a boatload of draft picks to stay at the top of the draft and pick Drake Maye. Maye has ridiculous upside and gives the Patriots a playmaking option while they fill out the rest of their roster. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker should compete for starting reps in one of the weaker wide receiver rooms in the league. Joe Milton III is an intriguing pick in the sixth round and it’ll at least be fun to track his development. If just one of their offensive line picks hit, this could be the foundation for a new run of excellence in New England.
Favorite pick: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (3rd overall)
Home run. The Patriots didn’t overthink it and took the quarterback prospect who fell into their laps. Maye has all the same tools as the elite quarterbacks in the game today, with a much higher floor than people give him credit for. Most likely it’s going to be a difficult rookie year for him because the Patriots’ roster is so far away, but Jerod Mayo has his quarterback to work with to start his reign as the Patriots’ head coach.
Least favorite Pick: Layden Robinson, OL, Texas A&M (103rd overall)
The Patriots had to address their offensive line a couple times in this draft, but Robinson felt like a reach where he was taken. There were a few quality linemen on the board, but clearly their evaluation of Robinson had him ahead of the rest.
Draft Picks
Round 1, Pick 3: Drake Maye, QB, UNC
Round 2, Pick 37: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
Round 3, Pick 68: Caedan Wallace, OL, Penn State
Round 4, Pick 103: Layden Robinson, OL, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 110: Javon Baker, WR, UCF
Round 6, Pick 180: Marcellas Dial, CB, South Carolina
Round 6, Pick 193: Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee
Round 7, Pick 231: Jaheim Bell, TE, Florida State
Overall grade: B-
The Jets didn’t have a ton of draft capital to work with, but they still found some quality players, including a potential franchise tackle in Olu Fashanu from Penn State. He’ll be a fixture up front for a long, long time if the injury issues from last season don’t reappear. Wideout Malachi Corley will make fans happy early with his ability to run after the catch and Braelon Allen is a talented running back to develop behind Breece Hall. The trade up for QB Jordan Travis was baffling, but that was in the fifth round so no need to ding too much in the grand scheme of things.
Favorite pick: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State (11th overall)
Awesome pick for the Jets here. Fashanu was viewed as an elite prospect in last year’s class and would have been drafted higher than this if he wasn’t a little banged up during his senior season. He should start at right tackle this year across from Tyron Smith before eventually moving over to the left side. This also creates incredible depth for the Jets by allowing Morgan Moses to become one of the better swing tackles in the league.
Least favorite pick: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State (171st overall)
I normally don’t bother focusing on a pick this low, but this is an exception. Trading up for Travis didn’t make much sense. He’s coming off a brutal leg injury and was mostly viewed as a fringe NFL player. Trading up for Travis is confusing, but maybe he is the NFL-caliber player the Jets think he is.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 11: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
Round 3, Pick 65: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
Round 4, Pick 134: Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin
Round 5, Pick 171: Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State
Round 5, Pick 173: Isaiah Davis, RB, South Dakota State
Round 5, Pick 176: Qwan’tez Stiggers, CB, Toronto Argonauts
Round 7, Pick 257: Jaylen Key, S, Alabama
AFC North
Overall grade: B+
Once again, the Ravens walked away with a strong draft class after letting players fall right into their laps. They started things off with Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins and doubled back at the position with a potential huge steal by grabbing Iowa State cornerback T.J. Tampa in the fourth round. Tampa was projected to go much higher. The Ravens should also have a Day 1 starter at right tackle in Roger Rosengarten from Washington. They even found some quality depth they can develop on the edge with Penn State’s Adisa Isaac. The Ravens, as usual, didn’t overthink it and it looks like a great new crop of rookies.
Favorite pick: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington (62nd overall)
The Ravens needed a starter at offensive tackle after trading Morgan Moses to the Jets and they might have gotten one with Rosengarten. He is a fantastic athlete and should hold steady in pass protection even as a rookie. He needs to add some strength to deal with NFL defensive linemen, but it’s hard not to see the immediate skills as well as long-term upside.
Least favorite pick: Devontez Walker, WR, UNC (113th overall)
Baltimore needed depth at wide receiver, but Walker has a long way to go before he can contribute in the NFL. He has the speed to make big plays downfield, but everything else is a work in progress. For a team that will probably need a WR to produce as a rookie, the Ravens picked one who is not quite there yet. Playing with two time-MVP Lamar Jackson should allow for Walker to make some things happen as a rookie.
Ravens draft picks
Round 1, Pick 30: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
Round 2, Pick 62: Roger Rosengarten, OT, Washington
Round 3, Pick 93: Adisa Isaac, Edge, Penn State
Round 4, Pick 113: Devontez Walker, WR, North Carolina
Round 4, Pick 130: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
Round 5, Pick 165: Rasheen Ali, RB, Marshall
Round 6, Pick 218: Devin Leary, QB, Kentucky
Round 7, Pick 228: Nick Samac, OL, Michigan State
Round 7, Pick 250: Sanoussi Kane, S, Purdue
Overall grade: B+
The Bengals should be happy with how they played the first two days of the draft. Amarius Mims has the ability to be a decade-long starter at either tackle spot — if he can stay on the field. Kris Jenkins is a quality body on the defensive line and Jermaine Burton is an explosive playmaker who gives the Bengals flexibility at wide receiver. McKinnley Jackson might have been a reach to close the third round but the Bengals walked away with immediate impact and long-term potential at key spots.
Favorite pick: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia (18th overall)
Mims did not play a ton of football in college, but man, was he good when he was on the field. He has everything you want in a starting tackle from size, wingspan, athleticism and technique. Availability is going to be the only thing that can stop him from being a bulldozer up front for the Bengals. This was a foundational pick for the Bengals, shoring up their offensive line with a player who has elite upside.
Least favorite pick: McKinnley Jackson, DT, Texas A&M (97th overall)
The Bengals needed to add depth to the interior of their defense, but they could’ve squeezed more out of this pick. Jackson isn’t the most explosive guy. At the very least he’s steady and will help the Bengals stay fresh up front. He’ll probably be only a run-down player, which felt a bit rich for this point in the draft.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 18: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 49: Kris Jenkins, DL, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 80: Jermaine Burton, WR, Alabama
Round 3, Pick 97: McKinnley Jackson, DL, Texas A&M
Round 4, Pick 115: Erick All, TE, Iowa
Round 5, Pick 149: Josh Newton, CB, TCU
Round 6, Pick 194: Tanner McLachlan, TE, Arizona
Round 6, Pick 214: Cedric Johnson, Edge, Ole Miss
Round 7, Pick 224: Daijahn Anthony, S, Ole Miss
Round 7, Pick 237: Matt Lee, OL, Miami
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Overall grade: B
The Browns didn’t make their first pick until nearly the end of the second round, taking ultra-athletic defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. from Ohio State. They added offensive line depth, picked a wide receiver and found some dart throws on defense in the sixth and seventh rounds. You can’t be too mad given the amount of capital they held walking into the draft.
Favorite Pick: Michael Hall Jr., DT, Ohio State (54th overall)
Upside, upside, upside. Hall didn’t light up the stat sheet at Ohio State, but he has freakish athleticism to develop. It’s hard to find 300-pounders who run in the 4.7s and those guys usually end up being quality players.
Least favorite pick: Zak Zinter, OL, Michigan (85th overall)
This isn’t a bad pick. This is just the only other high pick that the Browns had. Zinter should come in and provide quality depth for now with future starting potential once they get to a crossroads with Joel Bitonio or Wyatt Teller. Zinter is coming off a serious leg injury suffered in the Wolverines’ win over Ohio State, giving pause on how much of an impact he’ll have early. It won’t matter if Teller and Bitonio stay healthy. This is really a pick for the future.
Draft picks
Round 2, Pick 54: Michael Hall Jr., DL, Ohio State
Round 3, Pick 85: Zak Zinter, OL, Michigan
Round 5, Pick 156: Jamari Thrash, WR, Louisville
Round 6, Pick 206: Nathaniel Wilson, LB, Mississippi State
Round 7, Pick 227: Myles Harden, CB, South Dakota
Round 7, Pick 243: Jowon Briggs, DL, Cincinnati
Overall grade: A
The Steelers looked at their offensive line from last year and emphatically said “never again!” Their two first draft picks were on the o-line and then they came back for a third time to kick off the fourth round. Payton Wilson has his concerns in terms of injury, but he was a great playmaker for NC State. Getting him with the 98th overall pick is a great spot for Pittsburgh. Quarterback will be the ultimate decider in how the Steelers’ season turns out, but they may have found two impact starters on the offensive line in Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier.
Favorite pick: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington (20th overall)
Fautanu played a massive role in Washington’s high-flying offense last season. He was a shutdown pass protector as left tackle while also moving people with ease in the run game. He projects as a guard for the Steelers, but he is skilled enough to be an NFL tackle. He’ll slide in next to Broderick Jones, last year’s first-round pick at tackle, and help the Steelers rediscover their offensive identity.
Least favorite pick: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan (84th overall)
Pittsburgh certainly needed a wide receiver in this draft and they got one in Wilson. He is solid but profiles more as a third WR option than a bona fide No. 2 across from George Pickens (who is probably a No. 2 wideout himself). Beggars can’t be choosers, which is certainly the position the Steelers were in. The immediate target vacuum Wilson is stepping into might be too much for where he is as a player. Even then, the Steelers had no choice but to spend a top-100 pick on a wide receiver given the state of their room.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 20: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
Round 2, Pick 51: Zach Frazier, C, West Virginia
Round 3, Pick 84: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 98: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State
Round 4, Pick 119: Mason McCormick, OL, South Dakota State
Round 6, Pick 178: Logan Lee, DL, Iowa
Round 6, Pick 195: Ryan Watts, CB, Texas
AFC South
Overall grade: C
The Jaguars’ offseason has been just OK and the draft followed suit. They did a great job moving down from their original spot in Round 1 of the draft while still landing a big-time wide receiver prospect, which they needed after clumsily letting Calvin Ridley walk to a divisional rival in free agency. Beyond that, it doesn’t seem like they got too much positive impact, but if Thomas is the final key that allows the Jaguars’ passing game to be consistent in the future, it’s fine. Getting Trevor Lawrence another receiver was priority No. 1 and they might have gotten the best of the second wave of wide receivers.
Favorite pick: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU (23rd overall)
Thomas has the ability to be a star deep threat in the NFL. He has the tools — size, speed, tracking ability — to scare defenses if he develops well. In Year 1, his skills might be a bit overlapped with the newly signed Gabe Davis, but Thomas is going to walk into the NFL as one of the best athletes in the league. That’s valuable.
Least favorite Pick: Maason Smith, DL, LSU (48th overall)
Smith has upside, but it’s been a long time since he’s played productive football. He had just 2.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss last year. The frame is something NFL teams will always fall in love with. Yet it’s tough to see his profile becoming something that hits in the NFL, even though he has the physical tools and traits to become a long-term starting defensive tackle. He could be Chris Jones or Ra’Shede Hageman, but has a long way to go to reach his peak.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 23: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Round 2, Pick 48: Maason Smith, DL, LSU
Round 3, Pick 96: Jarrian Jones, DB, Florida State
Round 4, Pick 114: Javon Foster, OT, Missouri
Round 4, Pick 116: Jordan Jefferson, DL, LSU
Round 5, Pick 153: Deantre Prince, CB, Ole Miss
Round 5, Pick 167: Keilan Robinson, RB, Texas
Round 6, Pick 212: Cam Little, K, Arkansas
Round 7, Pick 236: Myles Coles, Edge, Texas Tech
Overall grade: B
The Texans didn’t have a first-round pick, but they still grabbed a few quality players, including a starting nickel corner and developmental offensive tackle. Their first four picks have a chance to be immediate contributors, which is all you can ask for without a pick on the first day. It’s not the sexy draft that the Texans had last year when they nabbed C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., but it’s a draft that will help strengthen the team’s foundation.
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Favorite pick: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia (42nd overall)
Lassiter is going to feel right at home playing for DeMeco Ryans and the Texans. Lassiter is a physical corner with elite short-area quickness and strong tackling ability. His lack of long speed will probably leave him to the slot in the NFL, but that’s OK given the emergence of Derek Stingley Jr. as a premier cornerback. Lassiter gives the Texans another young, talented defensive back and is an unusually physical force for a cornerback.
Least favorite pick: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame (59th overall)
This pick has a chance to pay off in a massive way down the line but Fisher faces a steep learning curve early in his career. He turned 21 in March and is still physically growing into the type of player he can be down the road. Calling this a bad pick doesn’t feel right, but the floor is a bit lower on Fisher than some other tackles. However, he has the talent to be a huge boom pick for the Texans, even if it’s not right away.
Draft picks
Round 2, Pick 42: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 59: Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame
Round 3, Pick 78: Calen Bullock, S, USC
Round 4, Pick 123: Cade Stover, TE, Ohio State
Round 6, Pick 188: Jamal Hill, LB, Oregon
Round 6, Pick 205: Jawhar Jordan, RB, Louisville
Round 7, Pick 238: Solomon Byrd, DL, USC
Round 7, Pick 247: Marcus Harris, DL, Auburn
Round 7, Pick 249: LaDarius Henderson, OL, Michigan
Overall grade: C+
The Titans nailed their first pick, but could have done better the rest of the way. JC Latham is a “set it and forget it” type of offensive tackle who is already penciled in as a starter. It’ll be interesting to see how Latham handles being a left tackle in the NFL. He has enough talent to be successful. Getting Cedric Gray in the fourth round could be a long-term steal for the Titans, but overall it wasn’t a draft class to get excited about unless T’Vondre Sweat develops into a pass rusher.
Favorite pick: JC Latham, OT, Alabama (7th overall)
Latham was in contention for the fifth overall pick with the Chargers, so the Titans had to be thrilled to land their man with the seventh pick. Latham is a destructive force in the run game and will give Will Levis the time he needs to find Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins downfield. Easy pick. Great prospect at a position of need, not too complicated.
Least favorite pick: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas (38th overall)
Sweat is a big man at 366 pounds and his game is pretty much exactly what you would think. He’s a massive, early down run stuffer who doesn’t offer much by the way of pass rush for the NFL game. Even though he moved well at the NFL scouting combine, he would need to lose significant weight to be a three-down player in the NFL. It’s hard to see how the Titans felt like this was a valuable pick so early in the second round.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 7: JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Round 2, Pick 38: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas
Round 4, Pick 106: Cedric Gray, LB, North Carolina
Round 5, Pick 146: Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, Louisville
Round 6, Pick 182: Jha’Quan Jackson, WR, Tulane
Round 7, Pick 242: James Williams, S, Miami
Round 7, Pick 252: Jaylen Harrell, Edge, Michigan
Overall grade: B+
This was a productive draft class for the Colts. They found the edge rusher they needed in Laiatu Latu and may have gotten a steal with the Adonai Mitchell pick in the second round. Depth along the offensive line was a need they filled as well and Anthony Gould in the fifth round may be a steal at wide receiver. If Anthony Richardson can stay healthy and build on what he accomplished as a rookie, the Colts might be able to actually get into the playoffs with the additions in this draft class.
Favorite pick: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas (52nd overall)
The Colts had Mitchell fall right into their lap after many people had him projected for the first round. Mitchell is a dynamic talent when the ball is in the air and should pair well with Michael Pittman Jr. at wide receiver. This is the kind of depth the Colts needed at wideout, where a bunch of young players are now competing for playing time.
Least favorite pick: Tanor Bortolini, C, Wisconsin (117th overall)
Bortolini is a talented athlete, but he’s very far away from being a reliable NFL offensive lineman due to his lack of strength. If he can get significantly stronger without losing speed, he can be a starter for the Colts. He’s not ready for that now. Going against Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner in practice will put some hair on his chest.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 15: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Round 2, Pick 52: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas
Round 3, Pick 79: Matt Goncalves, OT, Pittsburgh
Round 4, Pick 117: Tanor Bortolini, C, Wisconsin
Round 5, Pick 142: Anthony Gould, WR, Oregon State
Round 5, Pick 151: Jaylon Carlies, S, Missouri
Round 5, Pick 164: Jaylin Simpson, S, Auburn
Round 6, Pick 201: Micah Abraham, CB, Marshall
Round 7, Pick 234: Jonah Laulu, DT, Oklahoma
AFC West
Overall grade: D
Sorry, Broncos fans. There’s no other way to slice this. The Broncos made some fantastic selections on the second and third days of the draft, but taking Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick is a head-scratcher. Nix wasn’t a prospect who was highly in demand and his ceiling appears limited in the NFL. Nix should win the starting job over Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, but Nix will need to develop a level of playmaking that wasn’t really there on his college tape. Maybe head coach Sean Payton is right and he can make Nix the next Drew Brees, but that’s selling the peak of Brees’ play awfully short. It’s a strange start for the Broncos as they kick off their rebuild. Outside of Nix, they may have found immediate, quality contributors with Utah edge rusher Jonah Elliss, Oregon WR Troy Franklin and Notre Dame RB Audric Estime. Franklin and Estime are younger prospects with legitimate upside.
Favorite pick: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame (147th overall)
Huge upside swing for the Broncos in the fifth round. Estime didn’t have the draft workouts he would have hoped for, but turn on the tape of him running away from players in college. He has some nice juice and long speed for a powerful runner and has starter potential in the NFL. At the very least, he has the talent to take some RB2 reps from Samaje Perine as a rookie.
Least favorite pick: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon (12th overall)
Nix is an NFL-quality quarterback without a doubt, and probably the best option on the Broncos’ roster. That didn’t mean the Broncos had to spend their first pick on him. Nix was extremely productive in his final year at Oregon, throwing 45 touchdowns to just three interceptions but he doesn’t have the top-end physical traits that the great quarterbacks possess nowadays. Perhaps head coach Sean Payton thinks he’ll build a quick passing game around Nix. He remains a questionable pick so early in the draft.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 12: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Round 3, Pick 76: Jonah Elliss, Edge, Utah
Round 4, Pick 102: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon
Round 5, Pick 145: Kris Abrams-Draine, CB, Missouri
Round 5, Pick 147: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
Round 7, Pick 235: Devaughn Vele, WR, Utah
Round 7, Pick 256: Nick Gargiulo, OL, South Carolina
Overall grade: A
Hell of a draft for the back-to-back defending champs. They added elite, gamebreaking speed with their selection of Xavier Worthy in the first round and might have found a franchise left tackle in the second. Jared Wiley and Jaden Hicks were quality pickups in Round 4 and they took a couple dart throws on the offensive line later on. Wiley has the potential to be the Chiefs’ starting tight end after Travis Kelce moves on, showing off rare movement ability for a 6-foot-6 player. Worthy, Kingsley Suamataia and Wiley may be cornerstones for the Chiefs’ offense when this is all said and done.
Favorite pick: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU (63rd overall)
This was one of the best picks in the entire draft. The Chiefs were slated to start Wanya Morris at left tackle, prompting them to trade up for the immensely talented Suamataia. The BYU product is raw, but he’s stout, incredibly strong and has an NFL-ready body to keep pass rushers away from Patrick Mahomes while he works on his technique. Suamataia has attainable All-Pro upside. This pick was awesome.
Least favorite pick: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas (28th overall)
Worthy is not a bad pick for the Chiefs here, but his size is concerning for the NFL, even though he will be one of the fastest players in the league. Worthy’s 4.21 speed comes with a 165-pound frame. He might not have the size to be a true No. 1 receiver in the NFL, but with Mahomes throwing him the ball for the next few years, anything is possible. Worthy’s frame and weight are the biggest concerns here.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 28: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Round 2, Pick 63: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU
Round 4, Pick 131: Jared Wiley, TE, TCU
Round 4, Pick 133: Jaden Hicks, S, Washington State
Round 5, Pick 159: Hunter Nourzad, OL, Penn State
Round 6, Pick 211: Kamal Hadden, DB, Tennessee
Round 7, Pick 248: C.J. Hanson, OL, Holy Cross
Overall grade: B
The Raiders got a couple of impact players on offense, even if the fit isn’t immediately clear. Brock Bowers has superstar potential in the NFL. Figuring out how he’ll mesh with Michael Mayer and where their skills can be used simultaneously will be an interesting challenge for the Raiders’ coaching staff. Jackson Powers-Johnson should be a good fixture on the offensive line for the next few years and Delmar Glaze may wind up being a starter too. Solid first Raiders draft for general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce. Now it’s time to figure out how the pieces fit together.
Favorite pick: Jackson Powers-Johnson, G, Oregon (44th overall)
Powers-Johnson played center at Oregon, but will be sliding over to guard in the NFL. That will probably be a fine transition for him as he already has the baseline traits to be an immediate starter along the interior of the line. Good, clean pick for the Raiders in a spot where they needed to upgrade.
Least favorite pick: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia (13th overall)
This has nothing to do with the prospect. Bowers was one of the best players in this year’s draft class. However, the Raiders have a promising tight end on the roster already in Michael Mayer, and there will be some overlap in their responsibilities. Bowers is a far more dynamic threat than Mayer, so he may just run to the slot and own that area of the field. This is going to need to be worked out in training camp. Ideally, the Raiders will find a way to get both of them working while also feeding targets to Davante Adams.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 13: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
Round 2, Pick 44: Jackson Powers-Johnson, G, Oregon
Round 3, Pick 77: Delmar Glaze, OT, Maryland
Round 4, Pick 112: Decamerion Richardson, CB, Mississippi State
Round 5, Pick 148: Tommy Eichenberg, LB, Ohio State
Round 6, Pick 208: Dylan Laube, RB, New Hampshire
Round 7, Pick 223: Trey Taylor, S, Air Force
Round 7, Pick 229: M.J. Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh
Overall grade: B+
People might not like the Chargers taking an offensive tackle over a wide receiver with the fifth overall pick, but this is not a team that was a player away from getting to the top. They went 5-12 last season for a reason, mainly because they weren’t that good. The Chargers needed help everywhere, including offensive tackle, and got a franchise player in Joe Alt. He and Rashawn Slater will form a tremendously talented tackle duo to protect Justin Herbert and help head coach Jim Harbaugh get his offense off the ground in Los Angeles. They still grabbed an explosive wide receiver at the top of the second and a speedy linebacker from Michigan in the third round. The Chargers will need time to restock their roster with talent.
Favorite pick: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia (34th overall)
The Chargers’ wide receiver room was a little bare before they added a good prospect in McConkey. There are injury concerns for McConkey, but he has excellent route-running ability and the speed to be dangerous with the ball in his hands. Herbert to McConkey should be a fun duo right away in Los Angeles.
Least favorite Pick: Justin Eboigbe, DL, Alabama (105th overall)
A rotational defensive lineman in the fourth round is fine, but L.A.’s first three picks were too good to place here. Sorry, Justin. If there was an area to be concerned, he’s not the best athlete despite being under 300 pounds and he’s not projected to be a pass rusher. This is nitpicking.
Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 5: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Round 2, Pick 34: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Round 3, Pick 69: Junior Colson, LB, Michigan
Round 4, Pick 105: Justin Eboigbe, DL, Alabama
Round 5, Pick 137: Tarheeb Still, CB, Maryland
Round 5, Pick 140: Cam Hart, CB, Notre Dame
Round 6, Pick 181: Kimani Vidal, RB, Troy
Round 7, Pick 225: Brenden Rice, WR, USC
Round 7, Pick 253: Cornelius Johnson, WR, Michigan
