2023 NFL Draft Team Grades

These are 2023 NFL Draft Team Grades. I’ll be posting them throughout Sunday. Follow @walterfootball for updates.

2023 NFL Draft Grades - Round: Picks 1-16 | Picks 17-32 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | NFL Draft Team Grades

Jacksonville Jaguars: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: Trevor Lawrence struggled last year. Part of the problem was Urban Meyer’s incompetence, while the other major issue was the lack of help. The Jaguars will take an edge rusher at No. 1 overall, but their other picks must be used to help the franchise quarterback.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I don’t like how the Jaguars handled the 2023 NFL Draft. They needed to obtain personnel to help Lawrence, but they spent just one pick in the first four rounds on someone who could aid him. That was Luke Fortner, who will likely take over at center for Brandon Linder. I liked the pick, but Jacksonville did nothing else offensively. No other blockers were acquired, and no draft choices were spent on receivers despite it being a strong class for the position.

Instead of helping Lawrence, the Jaguars drafted two linebackers. I like Devin Lloyd, but why was Chad Muma also taken when the Jaguars spent big bucks on other linebackers in free agency? This seemed so redundant. Furthermore, why did Jacksonville trade up for a power running back in Snoop Conner on Day 3? If anything, they should’ve traded down for him, or not obtained a power running back all together.

The Jaguars failed in their goal of helping Lawrence beyond Fortner. They’ll be better defensively because of Lloyd and Travon Walker, but Lawrence can’t be happy about this group.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jaguars pick.

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Detroit Lions: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Lions either believe in Jared Goff, or they don’t like the quarterbacks in this class. Given that Detroit has so many holes on its roster, it almost has to take the best player available with every selection.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Lions’ front office enjoyed a great start to the 2023 NFL Draft. Everyone knew they would land one of Travon Walker or Aidan Hutchinson, but what they did 10 picks later really set the tone for their weekend. Once it was announced that they traded up 20 spots for a receiver, I was set to criticize them for surrendering a future first-round selection for a non-quarterback. Instead, they barely gave up anything – a 12-spot move in the second frame and a third-round pick – which was a small price to pay for a dynamic talent like Jameson Williams.

The Lions obtained two cornerstones of their franchise within the first 12 picks. I wasn’t as crazy about their two second-day choices (Josh Paschal, Kerby Joseph), but it’s not like I hated them. I wanted to see better players fill greater positions of need, but those selections didn’t warrant poor grades.

There’s no doubt the Lions have improved under this new regime. They’ll still struggle next year because they have Jared Goff, and Williams won’t be 100 percent for a while, but things are really looking up in Detroit. We haven’t been able to say that for quite a while.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Lions pick.
Houston Texans: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Texans are the worst team in the NFL. They have holes at every position, so they must select the best player available at every choice. This means quarterback as well, though Houston seems willing to wait until 2023 NFL Draft to address the position.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Houston had a choice to make to begin the draft. They could either select Derek Stingley and then use its second opening-round choice on a tackle, or it could pick one of Ikem Ekwonu or Evan Neal, and then go after a cornerback at No. 13. They opted for the former even though Lovie Smith’s defenses don’t call for premium selections to be used on cornerbacks. As a result, the Texans got caught with their pants down when the top blockers were off the board. They had to settle for a guard in Kenyon Green at No. 15, and that was definitely a reach. Trent McDuffie would’ve been a great option had Houston picked a tackle initially.

This wasn’t the only time the Texans violated their goal of drafting the best available player. They also reached for both second-round picks, Jalen Pitre and John Metchie. Even worse, they traded up for Metchie, believing they had to leap the Ravens to obtain him. Perhaps this would’ve been the case during the Ozzie Newsome era, but Newsome is not the general manager of the Ravens anymore. It doesn’t seem as though Houston’s brass ever got the memo.

I liked some of the Texans’ picks like Christian Harris and Dameon Pierce, but in the end, this haul wasn’t enough to strengthen their roster very much. They’re still the worst team in the NFL, though with all the holes they had on the roster, I’m not sure how much upward mobility they had in the short term anyway.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Texans pick.

New York Jets: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: Zach Wilson was horrible in his rookie season. He needs as much help as possible, so the Jets need to give him better weapons and blocking. The defense must receive multiple upgrades as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Joe Douglas had an amazing draft. Somehow, Douglas arguably obtained the best cornerback, receiver and running back in this draft class, and that haul doesn’t even include a dynamic edge rusher!

The Jets got off to a fine start with Ahmad Gardner, who should have been chalk at No. 4. He’ll help a horrible secondary, while Garrett Wilson, expected by some teams to go in the top eight, was a decent value at No. 10 overall. He’ll provide Zach Wilson with a much-needed dynamic weapon, as will Breece Hall, who was an excellent choice in the second round. Hall is a great receiver out of the backfield, so Wilson will love having him at his disposal.

The best pick Douglas made was at No. 26 when he traded up for Jermaine Johnson. The Florida State star inexplicably fell after being projected in the top 10. Johnson dropped because of character concerns, but nothing could’ve been bad enough to have him plummet from the 8-12 range to No. 26. The Jets’ edge rush has struggled for quite some time, and Johnson’s presence will go a long way in bolstering it.

The Jets’ 2023 season will depend on Wilson’s progression, but Douglas’ great drafting means that the young quarterback won’t have any excuses. Douglas has put Wilson in the best possible position to succeed in his second year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jets pick.
New York Giants: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Giants are beginning anew with a fresh front office and coaching staff. Unfortunately for this group, they had to deal with a tough salary cap situation, thanks to the previous regime’s incompetence. The Giants have tons of holes as a result, so they just need to pick the best player available with most picks. The one exception is that an offensive lineman will need to be obtained at Nos. 5 or 7.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Giants were hoping to obtain Derek Stingley and an offensive line with their two initial picks, but thanks to Houston, New York had to settle for Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is a nice consolation prize. New York’s nice start derailed, however, as many of its Round 2-4 picks were quite dubious.

I didn’t mind Wan’Dale Robinson so much, though the Giants effectively created a need by declaring they would trade Kadarius Toney by making the pick. Robinson is a worse version of Toney, so New York downgraded itself with its third pick. Things only got worse after that, with the Giants committing egregious reaches by selecting Josh Ezeudu and Cordale Flott in the third round. Those players theoretically fill needs, but both were expected to be Day 3 choices.

Things weren’t much better on Saturday. Daniel Bellinger was a decent choice, and Darrian Beavers provided fine value in the sixth frame, but that’s about it. The Giants came away with a disappointing draft under the new regime, and it doesn’t appear as though they’ll escape the NFC East cellar anytime soon.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Giants pick.

Carolina Panthers: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Panthers have only one pick in the top 136 selections. They can’t accomplish much in the 2023 NFL Draft as a result. The only thing they must do is decide whether or not they want to draft a franchise quarterback with the sixth-overall pick.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: To quote a former NFL running back, the Panthers “ate their cake and ate it, too.” Carolina had to decide on whether it wanted to select a quarterback or a left tackle at No. 6 overall. As it turns out, the front office was able to acquire both.

Based on what happened, the Panthers made the right choice by selecting Ikem Ekwonu. All the quarterbacks, aside from Kenny Pickett, plummeted in the 2023 NFL Draft. I’m sure the Panthers didn’t expect to land Matt Corral toward the end of the third round, but they were able to do so by trading next year’s third for the Ole Miss product. Corral has some personality question marks, but his talent level was worthy of at least a second-round pick. He’ll be able to compete with Sam Darnold right away for the starting job, and if he wins it, he’ll have some nice protection from Ekwonu.

Carolina had four picks on Day 3, and all scored B+ or better. The two best selections were Amare Barno and Kalon Barnes, two defenders who should have been chosen earlier in the draft. Brandon Smith and Cade Mays were good picks as well.

I love what the Panthers did overall. They had a dilemma, and they found a way to choose both solutions by being patient. In the end, they came away with an excellent haul.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Panthers pick.
Chicago Bears: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Bears don’t have a first-round pick because of the Justin Fields trade last April. They must now build around Fields, and it’s safe to say that they have their work cut out for them; they have huge needs at receiver and on the offensive line.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: When I was writing my individual draft grades, I wrote that the Bears were setting up Justin Fields for failure when they spent their two second-round picks on defensive backs. Chicago obtained a couple of quality players in Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker, but Fields was given no help. Adding receivers and offensive linemen would’ve been the better course of action.

Chicago eventually got around to bolstering Fields’ supporting cast, but in the end, the front office drafted just one receiver. I like Velus Jones as a deep threat, but he should have been the second receiver the Bears chose in the 2023 NFL Draft. There were plenty of talented wideouts in the second frame, yet Chicago passed on all of them. As for the offensive line, the Bears spent four third-day choices on blockers. I liked some of the picks, particularly Braxton Jones, but as with the receivers, this area should have been addressed earlier with players who have a higher rate of expected success.

The Bears need Fields to thrive in order for everyone to keep their jobs. Thus, I really don’t understand why they failed to acquire help for him. It’s not like the receiver and offensive line prospects in this class were pedestrian. Chicago had plenty of viable options to choose from, yet passed on so many appealing choices.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bears pick.

Atlanta Falcons: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Falcons have decided to start over by trading Matt Ryan to the Colts. They have huge holes everywhere on their roster, so they should focus on obtaining the best player available. Trading down would make sense as well so they can fill all their needs.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The one thing you can say about the Falcons’ draft class is that they filled some of their needs. Of course, they needed help at every position except tight end, so that’s not saying much.

What Atlanta really needed to do was draft the best non-tight end available at every pick until very late on Saturday, and I don’t think that can be said. Drake London and Arnold Ebiketie were good choices, though I wasn’t a fan of Atlanta trading up for the latter. However, things went downhill from there. Troy Andersen was a bit of a reach toward the end of the second round, while Desmond Ridder was an underwhelming selection, especially with Malik Willis and Matt Corral on the board.

Rather than trading up for Ebiketie, the Falcons should have traded down because they have so many holes on their depleted roster. They failed to address running receiver (they needed multiple), offensive line (until late), defensive tackle and cornerback. They could have fixed more of these problems with extra selections, but they limited their haul because of their trade in the second round.

I don’t hate Atlanta’s draft class overall, but I have to say that the first two days were rather disappointing. I expected more from this new Falcons’ regime.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Falcons pick.
Denver Broncos: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Broncos have decided to go all in with Russell Wilson. They should add a blocker to get the most out of Wilson; otherwise, they’ll need to focus on filling some holes on defense, including cornerback and linebacker.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Denver didn’t quite obtain the blocker I wanted it to until late in the draft, so Wilson will have to operate with what he currently had on the roster. The Broncos at least found him a new tight end to replace Noah Fant. This was done with Greg Dulcich, and Denver was able to trade down to obtain him.

Most of Denver’s other picks were solid. This includes the initial choice, Nik Bonitto, who will provide needed edge-rushing depth to combat all the other talented quarterbacks in the AFC. The same can be said of fourth-round cornerback Damarri Mathis, who was a decent value when Denver picked him.

I didn’t like some of the Broncos’ other selections like Eyioma Uwazurike and Montrell Washington. I wish the Broncos used those picks to help Wilson in some way. I’m sure Wilson feels similarly, given the horrible offensive lines he endured during his time in Seattle. With that in mind, I can’t grade Denver’s draft too favorably, though I like some of the picks they made, and I’m a fan of how they traded down in order to acquire more depth.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Broncos pick.

Seattle Seahawks: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Seahawks have a talented roster, but no quarterback at the moment. This could change via a Baker Mayfield trade. If so, the Seahawks will need to make sure Mayfield succeeds, and that would entail bolstering the offensive line. The pass rush needs tons of help, too.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I like most of the picks the Seahawks made in the 2023 NFL Draft. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are two athletic tackles who will make Russell Wilson envious. Kenneth Walker is arguably the best running back in this class. Boye Mafe and Tyreke Smith were solid choices who will provide a much-needed injection into the pass rush. Cornerback was addressed as well with Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen. The latter, in particular, provided tremendous value in the fifth round.

With so many excellent draft choices, the Seahawks would have received an “A” grade under normal circumstances. However, there’s one major hole in their draft haul, and that would be quarterback. They had multiple opportunities to select whomever they wanted between Malik Willis, Matt Corral and Sam Howell, and they declined to pick any of them. I believe at least one of them will turn out to be a solid starter, so the Seahawks should have used a pick on their favorite of the three to compete with Drew Lock and Geno Smith.

The Seahawks could always trade for Baker Mayfield, and if they do, this concern will be completely nullified. For now, however, things look bleak for the Seahawks because it appears as though they’ll be entering the 2023 season with two very underwhelming options at quarterback.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Seahawks pick.
Washington Redskins: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Redskins traded for Carson Wentz, so they’ll need to give him some receiving help; otherwise, he may struggle to catch on in Washington. The Redskin defense needs to shore up their woeful secondary as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I often like it when teams trade down and accumulate draft capital, but I’m not a fan of the Redskins’ decision to do so in the 2023 NFL Draft. They moved down five spots, but in doing so, they missed out on some of the top prospects in this class. Chris Olave, Jameson Williams and Kyle Hamilton all would have been terrific picks for Washington at No. 11. Wentz would have especially liked throwing to Olave and Williams. Instead, he’ll have to settle for Jahan Dotson. I like Dotson, but there’s a huge disparity between him and the other two wideouts.

The Dotson pick scored a “C,” as did the next three picks. Washington’s two second-day choices provided little value and no need, as Phidarian Mathis and Brian Robinson were questionable picks. The Redskins should have focused on positions they needed to address, such as cornerback, safety and linebacker. Instead, they drafted two players who won’t start for them anytime soon.

The Sam Howell selection in Round 5 saved the Redskins a bit. Howell won’t start this year either, but he may push Wentz down the road if the journeyman quarterback continues to make YOLO passes downfield. Howell was a steal in the fifth frame, and he provides a bit of optimism in what was a bleak draft class otherwise.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Redskins pick.
Minnesota Vikings: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Vikings have just two picks between Nos. 12 and 156, so they’ll likely want to trade down. Thanks to Kirk Cousins’ albatross of a contract, the Vikings have several big needs, including cornerback, guard, linebacker and the interior defensive line.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Someone needs to tell the Vikings’ new front office that it’s a bad idea to give talented players to other teams in the division. This happened not once, but twice, as Minnesota dealt with both Detroit and Green Bay, gift wrapping Jameson Williams and Christian Watson to them, respectively.

I don’t need to tell you that this will be a total disaster if both receivers live up to their potential. Making matters worse, the Vikings may not have the personnel to cover them, though Andrew Booth helps. Booth was a terrific pick in the middle of the second round, given that he was projected to be chosen in the opening frame. Lewis Cine, obtained at the end of Thursday night, was a very good pick as well.

In fact, I liked most of Minnesota’s picks, giving only two of them a grade lower than a “B.” The best of the non-defensive back picks was Ed Ingram, who will provide some much needed blocking for Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook. He, Booth and Cine are a nice trio, and the Vikings got a great haul overall, thanks to their willingness to trade down. However, they didn’t get full value in the deal with the Lions, and both Williams and Watson could easily come back to haunt them for many years. I have to punish the Vikings for this reason.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Vikings pick.
Cleveland Browns: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Browns don’t have a first-round pick as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade. However, they still have three picks in the top 100. They can use at least one of those to bolster their weak receiving corps. The defensive line needs some help as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I wrote that the Browns’ second-day picks felt like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The first pick, Martin Emerson, didn’t fill a need at cornerback, but provided value. The second selection, Alex Wright, fill a need for a pass rusher, but he was a reach. Cleveland’s final choice on Day 2 was just right. David Bell was just taken in the right spot and may fill a need if he can separate, which is a big question mark for him.

I was expecting the Browns to use two significant draft choices on receivers to help Watson, but that never happened. Bell is the only viable receiver they added to their roster, so Watson won’t have much to throw to beyond Amari Cooper. At the very least, the Browns addressed their defensive line well. On top of Wright, they added Perrion Winfrey, who was a steal in the fourth round.

Unfortunately for the Browns, they squandered some other draft picks, opting to use a fourth-round selection on a kicker and then taking yet another running back with the next pick, which seems like a waste. As you can tell, I wasn’t a big fan of what Cleveland accomplished.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Browns pick.
Baltimore Ravens: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Ravens have a ton of resources, owning nine picks in the first four rounds. They’ll be able to fortify their roster, especially at some major positions of weakness like the offensive line, secondary and linebacking corps.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Ravens often assemble one of the best draft classes each year, and this haul was no different. They made 11 picks, and seven of them scored A- or higher!

Of course, part of the reason the Ravens had 11 selections was because they traded Marquise Brown. They dealt Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, and even worse, they failed to replace him with one of the talented wideouts in this class. That will certainly hurt Baltimore’s overall grade.

That said, I can’t go down too far because I loved so many of the picks. Tyler Linderbaum, used with the pick acquired for Brown, should be a rock-solid center for years to come. David Ojabo was a top-10 talent acquired in the second frame because of his injury. Travis Jones was a mega steal in the third round as a potential first-round nose tackle. I also really liked the Jalyn Armour-Davis and Charlie Kolar picks.

The Ravens would have scored an “A” grade for this class, if it weren’t for the Brown ordeal. Once again, I can’t go very high because the Ravens put Jackson in a poor position without much receiving help. I understand trading Brown because of financial situations, but how did Baltimore not find a viable replacement for him?

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Ravens pick.
Miami Dolphins: D Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Dolphins have just two picks in the first six rounds, and none in the top 100. They won’t be able to do much to help their roster any further. Something that could help is trading down a couple of times from Nos. 102 and 125.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Miami did not trade down, after all. It’s unclear if the Dolphins attempted to do so and failed, but they picked just twice in the seventh round, landing Channing Tindall and Erik Ezukanma.

Tindall was a solid selection, but Ezukanma was a waste. Receiver was the last thing the Dolphins needed, so Ezukanma won’t contribute offensively anytime soon unless there are injuries. The Dolphins should have looked in another direction with the pick, provided they couldn’t trade down.

One of Miami’s seventh-rounders was thrown away as well; it was used on quarterback Skylar Thompson, who might be used like Taysom Hill. Given that Hill hurt the Saints when he was on the field, the Dolphins should have done something differently here as well.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Dolphins pick.
Indianapolis Colts: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Colts traded two early picks for Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. They still have three selections in the first four rounds, so they’ll be able to plug some areas of need, including left tackle, cornerback and receiver.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Despite lacking a first-round pick, the Colts made out pretty well with their draft haul. They used their initial three second-day choices on players who can help Matt Ryan, which was a good strategy. My two favorite picks were Alec Pierce and Bernhard Raimann. Pierce is an athletic receiver who will take over for T.Y. Hilton in the near future, while Raimann might be a permanent replacement for the retired Anthony Castonzo. The other pick was used on tight end Jelani Woods, who has a very high ceiling.

All but one of the Colts’ other choices were used on defense. Many of them were in the late rounds, so they’re not worth mentioning, though I think they obtained good value with Eric Johnson in the fifth frame. Safety Nick Cross also figures to be a good player, though Indianapolis made the mistake of surrendering a 2023 third-round choice to get him.

Despite this one blunder, the Colts should be graded highly for what they accomplished. They gave themselves a good chance to win the division with the players they obtained, which is impressive because they didn’t pick until the middle of the second round.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Colts pick.
Los Angeles Chargers: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Chargers did a great job of bolstering their roster in free agency, but they still have some weak spots. This includes right tackle and cornerback. Those positions must be plugged. Otherwise, the Chargers can take the best player available.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Given the terrific free agency period the Chargers enjoyed, I had high hopes for them in the 2023 NFL Draft. They let me down, however, thanks to their decision to eschew all value with their first two picks.

When Trevor Penning and Jermaine Johnson dropped to the Chargers at No. 17, I considered both slam-dunk options for them, yet they opted for Zion Johnson instead. I like Johnson as a prospect, but selecting a guard with the 17th pick was a reach, especially when considering who was available. Quality guards are always found in the middle rounds, so taking one so early is not a good strategy. After that, the Chargers reached for J.T. Woods in the third frame. I had him projected in the fifth round. Even worse, Woods didn’t really fill any sort of need.

The Chargers made some amends for their early blunders on Day 3 when they obtained better value with Isaiah Spiller, Otito Ogbonnia and Jamaree Salyer, though Spiller didn’t really fill a need either. This was a disappointing draft overall for the Chargers, as it could have been handled far better by Tom Telesco and company.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chargers pick.
New Orleans Saints: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Saints traded away a 2023 first-round pick to obtain another selection this April, so they’re going all in for some reason. The Saints’ roster is weaker than it was last year, so they have more needs to fill. Primary, New Orleans must find a left tackle and a receiver to strengthen the offense.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: New Orleans continued to go all in, trading up from No. 16 to 11 to secure Chris Olave. The talented receiver would not have been available at the Saints’ 16th spot, so moving up for him was essential in what is a continuing quest to go all in for this season. I don’t agree with this strategy, but I commend New Orleans for following through with it.

The Saints continued to address their pressing offensive needs at No. 19 with Trevor Penning. This was also an excellent pick, given that Penning could have easily gone half-a-dozen selections earlier. Penning will fill a huge hole on the blind side, created by Terron Armstead’s departure.

This concluded the offensive portion of New Orleans’ draft. The team spent its remaining three choices on defense, and I liked all the picks, grading them all “B” or better. The three choices addressed each level of the defense, which was a good strategy.

Though the Saints ultimately had five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, they did extremely well and should be graded appropriately for it.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Saints pick.
Philadelphia Eagles: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Eagles traded away one of their three first-round picks for a 2023 opening-round selection, so they’ll rebuild over these two offseasons. The Eagles have plenty of needs, including receiver and interior offensive line. They’ll need to address these areas so that they’ll know for sure if Jalen Hurts is the long-term solution.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Howie Roseman put together a dreadful draft class in 2020, thanks to his selection of Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson. It took two years, but he finally made amends for that. He found a superstar receiver by trading for A.J. Brown. The Eagles didn’t even surrender their earliest selection for Brown, a young, superstar wideout who could easily put the Eagles over the top in the division.

Roseman also obtained two talented players for the front seven of his defense. Jordan Davis is a 350-pound monster who runs faster than Patrick Mahomes, while linebacker Nakobe Dean was a steal in the third round. Dean fell because of some injury issues that happened to be news to him, but regardless, he was well worth the risk at pick No. 83.

The Eagles had a stellar draft class, worthy of an A+ grade. Brown and center Cam Jurgens will provide a huge boost for the offense, while Davis and Dean shored up problems on the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback wasn’t addressed, but Roseman did a great job of injecting tons of talent into his roster.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Eagles pick.
Pittsburgh Steelers: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Steelers want Malik Willis, but there’s a growing possibility that he won’t fall to them. The Steelers may trade up for him. If not, they’ll have to figure out which quarterback they want to pick in the second round. They’ll also need to bolster their offensive line to make sure this new signal-caller has all the protection he needs.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Steeler front office and coaching staff reportedly wanted Willis, yet they ended up with Kenny Pickett. It appeared as though ownership made the decision, as the Rooneys once promised that they would never eschew another Pittsburgh quarterback after passing on Dan Marino. Ownership forcing its hand is often a dubious proposition for any team, and this decision was illogical because Pickett would still be the same quarterback if he played in Atlanta, San Francisco or even Bangkok rather than Pittsburgh.

Pickett isn’t even a good fit for the Steelers, as the cold December and January games will expose his small hands. While Pickett played at Pitt, the college football regular season doesn’t extend past Thanksgiving, so he didn’t have to deal with this issue. Yet, he still fumbled 37 times while in college! Furthermore, Pickett’s 17 Wonderlic score is problematic as well. As you can tell, I absolutely hated this pick, especially when considering that all the other quarterbacks fell to the third round. The Steelers effectively outbid themselves in an auction.

It’s a shame I despise the pick so much because the rest of the Steelers’ draft picks were excellent values. George Pickens, DeMarvin Leal and Calvin Austin all should have gone prior to where they landed. That said, it was a mistake for Pittsburgh to avoid addressing the offensive line. Perhaps it could have done that with Tyler Linderbaum at No. 20, allowing them to take a quarterback in the second round.

The Steelers received a “B” grade or higher for all their individual picks, save for the Pickett selection. The Pickett mishap will drag down this grade, as will Pittsburgh’s reluctance to fix the blocking.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Steelers pick.

New England Patriots: D- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Patriots traded for DeVante Parker, so they’re not hurting for receiving help like they were entering the offseason. Still, they could stand to add a wideout and a new blocker. Otherwise, the Patriots will have to fill some needs on the defensive side of the ball.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: In the eternal words of Dr. Samuel Becket, “Oh boy.” What was Bill Belichick smoking when he entered draft weekend? Most of his picks made no sense. His opening-round choice, Cole Strange, was a third-round prospect at best. Tyquan Thornton, taken in the second frame, was projected to go at some point on Day 3.

And yet, that was just the beginning of the calamity known as the Patriots’ 2023 draft class. Two selections were spent on running backs when New England already had a log jam at the position on the roster. A fourth-rounder was used on Bailey Zappe, a quarterback with no upside.

I thought hard about giving the Patriots an F/Millen for their overall grade, but I decided on a D- because Belichick at least tried to help Mac Jones by giving him several new blockers and a receiver with some upside. He also tried to fix the secondary with third- and fourth-round selections. It wasn’t all a complete failure, but it was close.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Patriots pick.
Las Vegas Raiders: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Raiders made a huge splash move this offseason, trading their first-round pick for Davante Adams. They have just two selections in the top 163, and none until No. 86. They won’t be able to improve their roster very much as a result, but they can still use a third- or fourth-round choice to bolster the offensive line.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Raiders did a good job of navigating the draft. They entered it with five picks and came away with six players because they were willing to trade down. This was crucial, given their lacking draft capital entering the weekend.

As for their actual picks, I liked all of them, save for the throw-away choice spent on a running back in the seventh frame. Otherwise, the Raiders scored B- or better with all of their picks, and that includes the top choice, used on Dylan Parham. The Memphis product can play center and guard, and his versatility will be key, given the dearth of talent on the blocking unit.

The Raiders spent three other picks addressing the trenches. Another guard, Thayer Munford, could help open up running lanes for Josh Jacobs or Zamir White, while the two defensive tackles, Neil Farrell and Matthew Butler, were needed to help slow down all the high-powered offenses in the division. Butler was a steal toward the end of the fifth frame.

Despite not picking until No. 90, the Raiders made out well in the 2023 NFL Draft. They didn’t land any superstars, but the same can be said of most teams in this underwhelming draft class.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Raiders pick.

Arizona Cardinals: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Cardinals have way more holes now than they did last year at this time, thanks to some key players leaving via free agency. They’ll need to replace Chandler Jones, Christian Kirk and Chase Edmonds. They also have their regular weak spots that must be filled, including guard and cornerback.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Would you rather have Marquise Brown or Tyler Linderbaum? That’s a legitimate question, and it’s one Arizona was faced with when it discussed a trade with Baltimore. Brown is a proven, talented receiver, while Linderbaum is an unknown commodity. Brown, however, is very expensive, especially for a team with a quarterback who will need to be paid a large sum of money in the near future. Linderbaum, conversely, will protect this quarterback, and he’ll be incredibly cheap for four years.

I would have picked Linderbaum at No. 23 rather than trading the pick for Brown, but it’s an interesting debate. Regardless, something that can’t be debated was how bad Arizona’s second-round pick was. It was wasted on a tight end when the Cardinals already have Zach Ertz and Maxx Williams on the roster. This was a wasted selection, and it could have been used on a blocker for Murray.

On the bright side, Arizona had seven other picks, and six of them scored a B+ or higher. The team added Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders to help the pass rush, while Keontay Ingram could end up being a nice replacement for Chase Edmonds.

This was a mixed draft for the Cardinals. I loved their picks from the third round onward, but hurting the team’s salary cap, wasting a pick on a tight end, and eschewing a blocker until the end of the sixth round were all mistakes.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Cardinals pick.
Dallas Cowboys: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Cowboys lost some important players this offseason, as Amari Cooper, La’el Collins, Connor Williams and Randy Gregory are all gone. These players will need to be replaced somehow. Fixing the offensive line is especially important, as we’ve seen Dak Prescott struggle when he’s missing personnel up front.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Cowboys had three prospects in mind for the 24th-overall pick – Zion Johnson, Kenyon Green, Treylon Burks – but all of them were plucked off the board before they could pick. Determined to upgrade the offensive line, Dallas still selected Tyler Smith. He was a fine selection, but I wonder if it would have been better to draft Jermaine Johnson and then use the second-round choice on a blocker rather than Sam Williams. I like Williams, but Johnson is a special talent who happens to have much higher upside than Smith.

Still, I don’t mind what the Cowboys did. They obtained a pair of promising prospects to begin the draft while filling big needs in the process. They continued this trend with their mid-round selections as well. My two favorite picks were Jalen Tolbert, a receiver with big-play ability, and Matt Waletzko, an offensive lineman with some upside.

Aided by some terrific fifth-round picks, used on Damone Clark and John Ridgeway, the Cowboys’ overall draft grade must be positive. The draft board didn’t fall their way to begin the weekend, but they still did a good job of acquiring talent and filling needs.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Cowboys pick.
Buffalo Bills: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Bills arguably have the best roster in the NFL, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have needs. Cornerback, guard and linebacker are problem areas Buffalo will need to address in the 2023 NFL Draft.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Buffalo didn’t get to upgrade thier guard situation, but it found help at cornerback and linebacker. In fact, the Bills used their opening-round pick on the former position, selecting Kaiir Elam to be a nice upgrade across from Tre’Davious White. Buffalo seemed to make a mistake by trading up ahead of Dallas, given that the Cowboys weren’t going to select a cornerback, but this was only a small error.

The Bills acquired nice values in the second, third and fifth rounds. Terrel Bernard is the linebacker the Bills needed to join Matt Milano. James Cook will be an intriguing weapon out of the backfield Josh Allen will love to utilize. Khalil Shakir didn’t fill a need at receiver, but he was a steal to begin the fifth frame.

I wouldn’t say the Bills’ draft class was perfect, or anything, given that they unnecessarily traded up, failed to find a guard, and made some dubious picks in the sixth round, but I like what they did overall. They definitely helped themselves in their attempt to finally overcome the Chiefs and win the Super Bowl.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bills pick.
Tennessee Titans: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Titans know that Ryan Tannehill isn’t the answer. The problem is that they are probably not in a position to draft a quarterback. Unless Kenny Pickett or Malik Willis falls to them, Tennessee will have to just continue to strengthen their roster by adding to their pass rush and receiving/tight end corps. Tennessee will have to find a quarterback at some point as well.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: If you were to tell anyone ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft that the Titans would draft Malik Willis after he fell to them, the consensus reaction would be, “That’s a steal at No. 26.” And yet, Tennessee was able to obtain him in the third round! Willis falling that far – 20 picks after Kellen Mond was drafted the prior year – was absolutely absurd. There’s no reason he should have been there, yet the Titans were able to greatly benefit from this. Willis was one of the two steals of the draft, with Nakobe Dean being the other.

This would automatically push me toward giving the Titans an A+, but I can’t do that because of what happened the prior day. Tennessee traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles for a pick in which they used on Treylon Burks. I like Burks as much as the next guy, but jettisoning Brown because of Ryan Tannehill’s contract was a huge blunder by the front office. The Titans basically conceded the AFC South to the Colts with this transaction, but I suppose it’s OK because they now can look toward the future with Willis.

I liked most of Tennessee’s other picks, including Nick Petit-Frere in the third round. The Titans had to find offensive line help for Derrick Henry, and the Ohio State product will certainly help. It should have been a positive weekend overall for the Titans, who now have a bright future, but giving up Brown was crushing blow to both the fan base and those in the organization who were surprised by the trade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Titans pick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Buccaneers didn’t lose a single starter last offseason. That’s not the case this time, as Tampa Bay will need to find replacements at guard, receiver, defensive tackle and outside linebacker. Tampa Bay is all in now, so it makes no sense to make picks for the future (i.e. a successor at quarterback).

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: If anything, Tampa Bay did a good job of addressing its needs. The team found replacements for Ndamukong Suh, Ali Marpet, Ronald Jones and Rob Gronkowski (potentially) in succession with their first four picks. Suh’s replacement, Logan Hall, is an athletic defensive lineman who provided good value because the Buccaneers traded down to obtain him. Tampa Bay was willing to draft him at No. 27, so picking up extra resources was astute maneuvering by the front office.

Aside from Hall, my favorite Tampa picks in the Round 2-4 range were Luke Goedeke, who will provide better protection for Tom Brady, and Cade Otton, who will offer some nice insurance in case Gronkowski doesn’t return. I also loved the Zyon McCollum selection in the fifth frame because he provided a ton of value at that juncture.

The Buccaneers’ goal entering the 2023 NFL Draft was to strengthen their roster while filling the appropriate needs that were essential to win one more Super Bowl with Tom Brady. They managed to do so, all while acquiring extra resources in the process. It was a terrific draft, save for the fourth-round pick used on a punter. It’s one small error, but that choice could have been used on someone else who would help Tampa Bay this year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Buccaneers pick.
Green Bay Packers: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Packers almost have to address their receiving corps, right? There are no excuses this time, as Green Bay has two first-round picks in a class that features some talented wideouts. Otherwise, Green Bay must fill needs in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Aaron Rodgers must not have been a happy camper after Thursday night. The Packers, once again, failed to address their massive hole at receiver. They spent two selections on defensive players instead. However, the top six receivers in this class were all off the board until No. 18. The Packers probably should have traded up for Treylon Burks – Rodgers’ preferred target – but perhaps this just wasn’t possible.

The best the Packers could’ve done at receiver with Burks and Jahan Dotson off the board was Christian Watson at No. 22. Rather than picking him there – or at No. 28 – they obtained him in the second round. Watson was a steal there; he’s an extremely athletic receiver with massive upside. Rodgers should be able to make great use of him, as well as fourth-round rookie Romeo Doubs, who was a nice value where Green Bay picked him.

Green Bay’s front office also addressed Rodgers’ blocking, which was crucial. Sean Rhyan and Zach Tom could both provide major upgrades in the interior of the blocking unit, though Tom may play tackle. These picks, along with the Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt choices that will bolster the defense, means that the Packers walked away from the 2023 NFL Draft with a very strong class, despite things looking bleak after Thursday night. My only complaint was that the Packers didn’t trade up for Burks, as Rodgers requested.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Packers pick.
San Francisco 49ers: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The 49ers have one of the best rosters in the NFC. They’ll need to strengthen their secondary, pass rush and interior offensive line, as well as receiver if they trade Deebo Samuel. Otherwise, they can go with the best player available because they don’t have many needs.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: San Francisco didn’t have a first-round selection, but it made three picks on Day 2. I was a fan of two of them. Drake Jackson seemed like a great value at the bottom of the second round, while Danny Gray was a fine choice to close out the third frame. Gray’s value wasn’t great, but he’s some insurance for Samuel.

However, the 49ers whiffed with their other second-day choice. They reached for Tyrion Davis-Price, who didn’t even fill any sort of a need. Also, the 49ers used a fifth-round pick on Samuel Womack, who wasn’t projected to be drafted.

I’d say these were the only two poor selections the 49ers made, though a premium pick was used on Davis-Price. That choice should have been used on a cornerback, a position that wasn’t addressed until late in the fifth round. Conversely, I liked some of the 49ers’ third-day picks, including Spencer Burford, who provided strong value toward the end of the fourth frame.

Overall, the 49ers had a mixed result. Some picks were strong, but there were enough mistakes were made to weigh down the grade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single 49ers pick.
Kansas City Chiefs: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Chiefs took a step backward in the AFC arms race when they traded Tyreek Hill. They already had some needs to fill – primarily pass rush and cornerback – but now they’ll have to somehow replace Hill’s production. One of the team’s two first-round picks will be used to try to do that.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Like the Packers, the Chiefs weren’t in a position to draft a viable receiver without trading up. I wonder, however, if they could’ve sweetened the pot compared to what the Lions offered the Vikings to move up for Jameson Williams. With 12 picks, Kansas City had to use some selections to move up anyway.

The Chiefs ended up trading up, getting Trent McDuffie instead of a wide receiver. McDuffie will fill a big need in the secondary, and he was a nice value at 21 because he easily could’ve been chosen as early at No. 12 or 13. George Karlaftis was also a steal at No. 30. He and McDuffie will bolster Kansas City’s weak defense.

Kansas City finally found its receiver in the middle of the second round when it selected Skyy Moore. Like McDuffie and Karlaftis, Moore was obtained later than expected. This was a running theme for the Chiefs throughout the weekend, as they acquired great values by choosing Leo Chenal, Joshua Williams, Darian Kinnard and Jaylen Watson as well.

I loved the Chiefs’ draft, but I wish they would have beaten the Lions to the punch for Williams. Still, Kansas City came away with an excellent haul.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chiefs pick.
Cincinnati Bengals: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: Prior to free agency, it was thought that the Bengals would use many of their picks to fix the offensive line. Cincinnati has already done that with some great signings in the open market, so the team must now focus on strengthening the defense at all levels.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Bengals were hoping that George Karlaftis or Devonte Wyatt would fall to them at No. 31. Both prospects were snatched off the board right before Cincinnati picked, which had to be disappointing to them. This forced the Bengals to address their lackluster secondary with Daxton Hill, a solid choice who can play anywhere in the defensive backfield.

The Bengals were not done addressing their secondary, picking Cam Taylor-Britt and Tycen Anderson. I was a fan of both choices, and I felt the same way about Zachary Carter in the third round. Among all of Cincinnati’s picks, the Carter selection provided the most value, though almost all the choices were graded B+ or better.

I actually only disliked one of the Bengals’ selections, which was the fourth-rounder used on Cordell Volson. Otherwise, the Bengals did a great job of bolstering their defense. Pairing what it did with the offensive line in free agency, Cincinnati has put together an amazing offseason, giving it a tremendous chance of winning the Super Bowl this year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bengals pick.

Los Angeles Rams: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2023 NFL Draft: The Rams don’t have any picks in the top 100, but they own eight choices the rest of the way. Perhaps they’ll be able to package some of these selections to move up in order to draft someone who can make an impact in 2023, which will be crucial because the Rams’ Super Bowl window won’t be open very long.

2023 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Los Angeles never traded up, though it’s unclear if it tried to do so. Instead, the team stood pat at No. 104 and picked Logan Bruss, a talented lineman who can play tackle or guard.

Meanwhile, the only other two picks the Rams had in the top 200 were used on cornerback Cobie Durant and running back Kyren Williams. I didn’t really get either selection. Durant was a reach in the fourth round, while Williams doesn’t address any sort of need. The Rams should have tried to fix their edge rush or linebacking corps instead.

Aside from Bruss and two sixth-round picks, every grade I gave the Rams was between a “B” and a “C.” It was a fairly mediocre draft for the Rams, though that was expected with no capital in the top 100.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Rams pick.