2020 NFL Draft Team Grades

These are 2020 NFL Draft Team Grades. I’ll be posting them throughout Sunday. Follow @walterfootball for updates.

2020 NFL Draft Grades - Round: Picks 1-16 | Picks 17-32 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | NFL Draft Team Grades

Cincinnati Bengals: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Bengals will obtain their new franchise quarterback with the first-overall pick. What they do after that is almost as imperative. They must protect Joe Burrow as well as possible, and that would entail selecting two offensive linemen in the 2020 NFL Draft. Cincinnati also must address its dreadful pass defense in Rounds 3-5.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Bengals obviously improved their roster with Joe Burrow, but I wasn’t a fan of their draft overall. I was disappointed that they didn’t address their offensive line until the sixth round. That was a huge mistake because protecting Burrow will be essential. Sure, they get Jonah Williams back from injury, but they also lost Cordy Glenn this offseason. That’s a lateral move, at best, so Burrow is likely to struggle with protection as a rookie. It would be a shame if Burrow got hurt because Cincinnati couldn’t figure out that it had to shield its rookie quarterback.

Rather than reaching on Tee Higgins, who can’t separate, the Bengals should’ve selected a pass protector at No. 33. The other picks were fine – the linebackers were nice choices, and they will help the Bengals not be completely embarrassed by Lamar Jackson for a change – but I can’t help but be underwhelmed by what the Bengals accomplished outside of obtaining their franchise quarterback, who just fell into their laps because the Dolphins won some meaningless games late in the year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bengals pick.
Washington Redskins: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Redskins have no desire to trade down, as they love Chase Young. The Ohio State star doesn’t fill a need, but he’s the best player available, by far, and the Redskins just need talent. Thus, they’ll have to address needs later in the draft. They must find some weapons and protection for Dwayne Haskins, as well as some talent for their secondary and linebacking corps.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: As with the Bengals, the Redskins had a top-two prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft fall into their laps because other teams (i.e. Giants) won meaningless games late in the year. The Redskins didn’t need an edge rusher, but Young will make the stop unit so much better.

Given that the Redskins obtained Young, it was far from surprising that they spent their next four picks on offense. I wasn’t particularly keen on the Antonio Gibson pick, but I liked the other ones, Antonio Gandy-Golden in particular. Saahdiq Charles was a nice add as well, and he could take over for the traded Trent Williams at some point in 2020.

Besides the Gibson selection, the only thing I can find wrong with the Redskins’ haul is that they didn’t address their secondary until the final round. However, they did a decent job overall.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Redskins pick.

Detroit Lions: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Lions are in a difficult position. Their front office and coaching staff needs to do everything in its power to win now, but that conflicts with the health and status of Matthew Stafford. The long-time Detroit quarterback has a bad back and doesn’t seem like he’ll be available to play much longer. It’ll be tough for Detroit to balance immediate success with a long-term answer. What they can do is trade down from No. 3 to accumulate more draft capital.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Detroit fans have to be very upset that the front office couldn’t move down from No. 3. It may have been difficult for teams to wheel and deal on draft day – there were just four trades in the first round – but the Lions had two months to make a trade happen. Other teams can get a pass for not trading, but not the Lions. They would have easily obtained Jeff Okudah at No. 5 or 6. They should have taken anything, even if it was a fifth-round pick or a box of doughnuts.

It’s a shame the Lions didn’t trade down because that spoiled what was an impressive class otherwise. Okudah will be a terrific player, while De’Andre Swift was a steal atop Round 2. Julian Okwara and Logan Stenberg were also solid choices. I wasn’t a fan of the Jonah Jackson pick, mostly because the Lions unnecessarily traded up for him.

The Lions are better than they were prior to the draft. If Matthew Stafford can remain healthy, Detroit can take the division with the Packers and Vikings in decline. However, this draft would’ve been so much better had the Lions just been more aggressive in acquiring more assets.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Lions pick.

New York Giants: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Giants must build around Daniel Jones, which entails finding him some better protection. Once that is achieved, the Giants must address their woeful pass defense by adding some edge rushers and defensive backs. Another talented linebacker to go along with Blake Martinez wouldn’t hurt either.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It came down to Andrew Thomas versus Tristan Wirfs, and the former won. Either way, the Giants couldn’t go wrong. They obtained a blue-chip pass blocker for Daniel Jones, which will help their young quarterback develop. They also spent a third-round pick on another tackle, Matt Peart, who may take over for Nate Solder in a year or two, as well as guard Shane Lemieux, who could start on the interior in the near future. There are no excuses for Jones to fail.

The Giants also addressed their defense quite well. They didn’t find a talented edge rusher, but they spent two early selections on defensive backs Xavier McKinney and Darnay Holmes. Both were excellent picks, especially McKinney. It’ll be more difficult to throw on the Giants next year, and not just by default.

I loved the Giants’ draft as a whole. The only issue is the lack of edge-rushing talent added, but Jadeveon Clowney and Yannick Ngakoue are still available.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Giants pick.
Miami Dolphins: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Dolphins obviously need to decide whom they want as their franchise quarterback and then build around him. Their offensive line is dreadful, so they need at least two new blockers. They also must find a new running back to pair with their franchise-signal caller. The defense must be addressed as well, particularly the weak pass rush.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Dolphins general manager Chris Grier won the ultimate game of draft chicken when he refused to trade up to No. 3 or 4 despite there being rumors that the Jaguars were attempting to do the very same thing. Grier remained at No. 5 and snatched the player the Dolphins wanted ever since they began tanking, Tua Tagovailoa.

Rebuilding is a two-year project by default because Tagovailoa probably won’t be able to play in 2020. Despite this, Miami still used two of its next three selections on offensive linemen Austin Jackson and Robert Hunt. Jackson was an underrated commodity because he struggled after donating bone marrow to his sister in 2019. Hunt is versatile and can upgrade at either right tackle or guard. And speaking of upgrades at guard, fourth-rounder Solomon Kindley could provide just that.

The Dolphins didn’t draft a running back, which was a surprise, but they traded for Matt Breida. The former 49er is a talented player, but has an extensive injury history. If he doesn’t pan out, the Dolphins can just use a 2021 choice on a replacement. Meanwhile, Miami added some defensive talent like Noah Igbinoghene, Raekwon Davis and Brandon Jones. The Davis pick was nice, but I think the Dolphins reached for the other two players.

Nevertheless, I like what the Dolphins did overall. They appear to have missed with some picks, but not surrendering anything for Tagovailoa and providing blocking for him is considered a win.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Dolphins pick.

Los Angeles Chargers: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Chargers don’t have a viable starting quarterback on their roster right now, so that must be addressed at No. 6 overall (or earlier via a trade). Adding a left tackle and a running back to replace Russell Okung and Melvin Gordon, respectively, is also essential. The Chargers don’t have any pressing needs outside of those three areas, so they can focus on adding the best talent available.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I’m not the biggest Justin Herbert fan, but the Chargers needed to draft him. With Herbert, they now have a viable starting quarterback on their roster. Besides, as we learned with Josh Rosen, teams are no longer heavily punished for using a first-round pick on a quarterback. If Herbert is terrible, and the Chargers suffer tons of injuries and earn the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft as a consequence, they can just pull an Arizona and select Trevor Lawrence.

The Chargers added a running back, Joshua Kelley, to pair with Herbert, but they didn’t obtain a left tackle at all. That was a mistake in a tackle-heavy class, and it was made possible by the trade in the first round. The Chargers moved up for Kenneth Murray at No. 23, which seemed like a mistake. If they are going to spend such a high resource on a quarterback, they should be building around him.

Excluding the first and last selections (K.J. Hill being the latter), the Chargers didn’t score higher than a “B” on any pick. They can’t be graded highly, but I didn’t hate their draft either.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chargers pick.
Carolina Panthers: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: Despite the signing of Teddy Bridgewater, the Panthers are in rebuild mode. They have holes all over their roster that must be addressed, including the offensive line, defensive backfield, defensive line, and most of all, linebacker in the wake of Luke Kuechly’s retirement. This draft is all about the Panthers just adding as much talent as possible so they can begin winning again in 2021.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Panthers became the first NFL team in the modern era to have seven or more picks in a draft and use them all on the same side of the ball. This draft class was all about Carolina bolstering its defense, and rightfully so. Except for the offensive line, all of the holes the Panthers had on their roster were on the defensive side.

Carolina began with a tremendous pick, snatching the best prospect in this class, excluding Chase Young, at No. 7 overall. Derrick Brown will join Kawann Short, Brian Burns and second-rounder Yetur Gross-Matos in what could end up being the best defensive line east of San Francisco. Both Brown and Gross-Matos were outstanding picks, as was Jeremy Chinn, who was a steal at the very end of the second frame.

The Panthers made some nice choices on Day 3 as well, namely former XFL star Kenny Robinson. None of the picks helped the linebacking corps, but I don’t believe there was any scenario in which Carolina was in a position to replace Luke Kuechly. For example, both Jordyn Brooks and Patrick Queen were snatched off the board before the Panthers were on the clock at No. 38. With that in mind, I believe Carolina deserves an “A” for its haul.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Panthers pick.

Arizona Cardinals: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Cardinals did a great job of helping Kyler Murray this offseason, as they traded for DeAndre Hopkins and re-signed both of their free agent tackles. They still need help offensively, but this draft class should be focused on improving one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Cardinals had every intention of trading out of the No. 8 overall pick, but they couldn’t believe that Isaiah Simmons fell to them. Simmons is exactly what they needed to improve their dreadful defense against tight ends. Simmons, who can play all over the defense, will be able to lock down tight ends if asked to. His presence alone will tremendously improve Arizona’s stop unit.

Arizona made another great pick after that, getting a steal with Josh Jones in the third round. Both tackles were re-signed, but both also happen to be very injury-prone. Jones is a nice insurance policy, and he should be able to take over as a starter at some point.

The rest of Arizona’s draft was solid, but unspectacular. All third-day choices earned grades in the B+/B range. I wish Arizona spent a resource on the secondary, but the team should be happy with its 2020 class.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Cardinals pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Jaguars have traded almost everyone away, so it’s clear that they’re either “tanking for Trevor” or “losing for Lawrence.” They should still add the best talent available in this draft so that Lawrence is surrounded by a solid supporting cast once he enters the NFL in 2021. One specific thing Jacksonville must address is the offensive line, which was particularly dreadful last year.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Some teams rated C.J. Henderson above Jeff Okudah, so the Jaguars certainly didn’t reach at No. 9 as some might speculate. Henderson was a way for Jacksonville’s secondary to begin anew, and he’ll have aid from a pass rush featuring K’Lavon Chaisson. The LSU edge player was expected to go No. 17 or slightly earlier, but he slipped because CeeDee Lamb fell to the Cowboys. Chaisson will replace Yannick Ngakoue, who will be traded soon.

The Jaguars had five picks in the top 120, and all of them earned B+ grades or higher. They found two steals by snatching Laviska Shenault and Ben Bartch off the board in the second and fourth rounds, respectively. Shenault was once seen as a top-10 prospect, but injuries derailed his draft stock.

I didn’t like several of Jacksonville’s third-day choices, but that’s not a huge deal. I also thought that the Jaguars should’ve spent more than one pick on an offensive lineman, but they’ll be able to bolster their protection for Trevor Lawrence during the 2021 offseason.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jaguars pick.

Cleveland Browns: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Browns were the most disappointing team in the NFL for most people last year, but their struggles weren’t a surprise to those who paid attention to how bad their offensive line was. They must fix their blocking even though they’ve already added Jack Conklin, as two new linemen will need to be acquired. Cleveland must also address its poor linebacking corps.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: There was some nonsense reported prior to the 2020 NFL Draft about the Browns loving Ezra Cleveland. I was so fearful the Browns would be so smitten with Cleveland that I slotted him to them in the video mock draft at No. 10 overall. Fortunately, this turned out to be bogus, as the Browns made the right move and selected a player some teams viewed as the top tackle in the class, Jedrick Wills.

The Wills selection was the first of three consecutive “A” grades the Browns earned to kick off the 2020 NFL Draft. They scored high marks with Grant Delpit and Jordan Elliott, both of whom were steals in the second and third rounds, respectively. In fact, the only choice the Browns made that earned worse than a “B” was Donovan Peoples-Jones in the sixth frame.

The Browns appear to have done a great job in this first draft of their brand new regime. They improved their offensive line with Wills and potentially Nick Harris, and they added some key pieces to the middle of their defense, which they sorely needed to do. New general manager Andrew Berry should be commended for his first draft.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Browns pick.
New York Jets: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Jets must fix some parts of their defense – namely the cornerbacks and edge rushers – but this draft must be about strengthening Sam Darnold’s supporting cast. Darnold’s protection and receiving corps are both weak points, so both areas absolutely must be addressed with multiple selections.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: New general manager Joe Douglas’ first three picks look great on paper to some, as he was able to select Mekhi Becton, Denzel Mims and Ashtyn Davis in the top 70. Davis was just OK, though Mims was a steal in the second round. Becton is the big name, but he carries lots of risk. There’s a non-zero chance that he eats himself out of the league. He has immense upside, but I think he was too much of a gamble for some teams at No. 11 overall, especially with someone like Tristan Wirfs available. Don’t get me wrong; I didn’t hate the start of the Jets’ draft, but it was risky and may not pan out.

That said, most of the Jets’ class was graded as a B- or higher. This includes fifth-rounder Bryce Hall, who was an absolute steal. He fell because of injury, but if he pans out, he’ll provide an upgrade at cornerback.

Overall, I like what the Jets did. I wish they spent one more pick on an offensive lineman, and I would have preferred it if they didn’t waste a pick on a punter, but Douglas had a fine first draft.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jets pick.
Las Vegas Raiders: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Raiders are ready to contend now. They have some major needs, like receiver, linebacker and cornerback, but they have a pair of first-round picks to fill two of those. Whatever they do, they must come out of the 2020 NFL Draft with a repaired receiving corps after what transpired with Antonio Brown last year.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: There were reports heading into the 2020 NFL Draft that the Raiders loved CeeDee Lamb. It turned out that Lamb was available for them, but they decided not to select him. They went with Henry Ruggs instead, which seemed like a very dubious decision. Countless 4.2X receivers have busted in the NFL, and Ruggs isn’t nearly as refined of a receiver as Lamb is. Meanwhile, the other first-round pick, Damon Arnette, was a huge reach at No. 19. He was expected to be a second-round pick.

Despite selecting Ruggs at No. 12 overall, the Raiders spent their next two picks on receivers, Lynn Bowden and Bryan Edwards. I don’t mind either prospect, but it seemed ridiculous to use three selections in the first three rounds on wideouts when Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow were on the roster. The Raiders had one other pick in the third frame, and that was another reach, Tanner Muse.

It’s nice that the Raiders addressed some of their needs, but I don’t understand their strategy of either taking raw players or reaching on prospects. They did this last year with Clelin Ferrell and it didn’t pan out, so for those who will criticize this grade, there is precedent for this formula failing.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Raiders pick.
Indianapolis Colts: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Colts traded the 13th-overall pick for DeForest Buckner, which was a great deal for them. Because they’ve addressed the defensive line, they can now look to helping Philip Rivers by giving him a new weapon or two. The secondary must be upgraded as well.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I don’t know whether or not to make this grade with the DeForest Buckner deal in mind because this haul looks much different with Buckner. Because I’ve already graded the Buckner trade elsewhere, I’ll leave him out of consideration. Things would get too tricky like having to grade the Bears with taking Khalil Mack halfway into account because he counted for two first-round picks.

Even without Buckner, the Colts did a fine job of assembling some talent. Michael Pittman went a bit too early for my taste at No. 34, but he’s a solid prospect and should be able to take over as the No. 2 receiver at some point. Jonathan Taylor, conversely, was a steal later in the second round. The Colts made a smart move by leaping Jacksonville to get him. The rival Jaguars may have been interested because they need to replace Leonard Fournette, of course.

Besides Taylor, only one Indianapolis pick earned more than a B+, and that would be guard Danny Pinter in the fifth round. Otherwise, the Colts scored mostly in the “B” range. That’s the grade I’ll give them, as they were able to accomplish their goal of surrounding Rivers with more weapons.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Buccaneers have gone “all in” on winning this year by acquiring Tom Brady. Thus, they need to make sure he has the appropriate talent around him to win a Super Bowl. This includes a new right tackle to replace Demar Dotson and a new running back to pair with Ronald Jones. The Buccaneers could use some pieces on their defense as well, but they should focus on the offense in this draft.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It’s unbelievable that the Buccaneers were able to obtain Tristan Wirfs at No. 13 overall. Wirfs was one argument away from being the fourth pick in the draft, and yet he somehow slipped all the way down to Tampa in the early teens. That’s crazy, but the Buccaneers won’t be complaining. They obtained a huge upgrade at right tackle to help protect Tom Brady.

The good fortune didn’t end there. The Buccaneers landed another steal at No. 45 when Antoine Winfield Jr. fell to them. Winfield is an excellent safety prospect who could have been chosen in the first round without any complaints. It would be odd to see him slip to the middle of second frame, but all of the safeties fell. Nevertheless, Tampa managed to find another big upgrade.

Tampa Bay waited until the third round to find its running back. Ke’Shawn Vaughn was a solid pick, as was fifth-rounder Tyler Johnson, who will provide some needed depth at receiver in the wake of Breshad Perriman’s departure.

The Buccaneers had a tremendous draft overall. They were already enjoying an unreal offseason in which they landed two future Hall of Famers, and now they have a great draft class to complement Brady and Rob Gronkowski.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Buccaneers pick.
Denver Broncos: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Broncos have an inexperienced quarterback at the helm in Drew Lock, so they must make sure that he has plenty of talent around him. The pass protection must improve, and a speed receiver to complement Courtland Sutton must be added as well. Defensively, the Broncos have to find a replacement at cornerback for the departed Chris Harris.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I’m pretty sure John Elway read the goal mock draft I posted prior to the weekend because he certainly took it to heart. He spent numerous selections making sure Drew Lock has plenty of talent at his disposal.

The headliner was the Jerry Jeudy selection. A strong case can be made that Jeudy was the top receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, and yet he was taken at No. 15 overall. The Broncos continued to add talent at the position, selecting K.J. Hamler as the speed threat they needed to complement Courtland Sutton and now Jeudy. Albert Okwuegbunam was a nice bonus in the fourth round as a second tight end for Lock.

The Broncos didn’t spend as much energy on pass protection, but they added two quality linemen, Lloyd Cushenberry and Netane Muti. Cushenberry could start right away at center, while Muti was a steal in the sixth round. He has second-round talent, but injuries pushed him toward the end of the draft.

I didn’t like some of the defensive picks the Broncos made -Michael Ojemudia, McTelvin Agum, Justin Strnad – but the Broncos did a great job of accomplishing their goal of allowing Lock to have the best chance of succeeding.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Broncos pick.

Atlanta Falcons: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Falcons finished 6-2 down the stretch, buying Dan Quinn and the front office another year. They need to do everything in their power to save their jobs, which they can do by reaching the playoffs. Thus, making sure they have a great defensive front and cornerback group to combat Drew Brees and Tom Brady is imperative.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Falcons addressed their secondary and defensive front with their first two picks, as asked. The problem is that they were expected to add more juice to their roster. They reportedly wanted to get a deal done to move up for a Javon Kinlaw or C.J. Henderson, but couldn’t get a deal done. Once that didn’t happen, they received an offer to move down from the Eagles, but didn’t take it.

I like A.J. Terrell and Marlon Davidson just fine, but they’re not going to help the Falcons compete with the Saints or the Buccaneers. Making matters worse, the Falcons wasted some early third-day selections when they took Mykal Walker and Jaylinn Hawkins.

My favorite pick of the Falcons, relative to where it took place, was Matt Hennessy. Protecting Matt Ryan is crucial as he enters the latter stages of his career, and Hennessy provided great value in the third round. Still, it didn’t save the Falcons from having a somewhat underwhelming haul.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Falcons pick.

Dallas Cowboys: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Cowboys lost several key members of their defense this offseason. They must find multiple replacements up front and in the secondary. They also have to get a new center in the wake of Travis Frederick’s unexpected retirement.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Cowboys stole the Eagles’ soul in the 2020 NFL Draft. Philadelphia tried to move up to No. 16 to select CeeDee Lamb, but couldn’t get a deal done. Dallas jumped on the opportunity to obtain someone many deemed to be the top receiver in the entire class. Then, if that wasn’t enough, the Cowboys moved into Philadelphia’s spot in the fourth round to take their replacement for retired center Travis Frederick, Tyler Biadasz.

These weren’t the only excellent moves the Cowboys made during draft weekend. They also stole Trevon Diggs in the middle of the second frame. Diggs was someone the Cowboys considered a Plan C behind Lamb and K’Lavon Chaisson at No. 17, and yet they somehow obtained him with the 51st-overall selection to fill a huge need, vacated by the Miami-bound Byron Jones. Fourth-round cornerback Reggie Robinson is another talented player who was added to the position.

The Cowboys had a terrific draft. I wouldn’t go as far as comparing to what they have to Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin like Steve Smith did on NFL Network following the third-day broadcast, but there’s no doubt that Dallas improved its roster tremendously.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Steelers don’t have a first-round pick as a result of the Minkah Fitzpatrick trade, so they must somehow find two new players for their backfield: one being a successor (and insurance) for Ben Roethlisberger, and the other being an upgrade over James Conner. Some help for the blocking and edge rush wouldn’t hurt either.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: In a bizarre turn of events, the Steelers didn’t address their backfield until the middle of the fourth round. I thought this was a big mistake. They had several talented running backs fall to them in the middle of the second frame, but they passed on them. One of them, J.K. Dobbins, ended up going to Baltimore. This is something the Steelers may regret for a long time.

The Steelers finally took a running back at No. 124, Anthony McFarland Jr., which was a mediocre pick at best. It was one of two “C” grades the Steelers received in their first three picks, with the other being Chase Claypool. I don’t know if Claypool will transition to tight end, but if not, he’ll be in a very crowded receiving corps. Edge rusher Alex Highsmith was taken in between, and that earned a “B.”

The Steelers had a very lackluster draft overall. Not having a first-round pick played a part, but it’s mostly that they didn’t alter their backfield at all, which is something they very much needed to do.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Steelers pick.
Chicago Bears: D Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Bears made some mistakes in free agency, and they don’t have enough draft capital to rectify those blunders at the end of this month. What they can do is add some offensive line talent to make sure Nick Foles is protected as well as possible. They could also stand to add another weapon for Foles.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: One of the mistakes the Bears made in free agency was signing Jimmy Graham to a substantial contract. The last thing the Bears needed was a tight end, and yet that’s exactly the position they used with their first choice, selecting Cole Kmet at No. 43. Kmet wasn’t even the consensus No. 1 tight end prospect, so Chicago wasted that selection.

The Bears did better with Jaylon Johnson at No. 50, but that was the only selection of theirs that scored above a B+. Making matters worse, Chicago didn’t even touch its offensive line until the seventh round. It’s almost as if Ryan Pace has no idea why his offense declined so much in 2019. The tackles regressed, while Kyle Long suffered an injury and subsequently retired. Nick Foles’ pass protection will be poor in 2020, and thus Chicago won’t win many games.

This was almost a failure. The Bears made some nice picks like Johnson and Trevis Gipson, but they were very close to earning an “F” grade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bears pick.
Los Angeles Rams: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Rams’ dire cap situation prevented them from bolstering their offensive line, which was a dire issue for them last year. They don’t have a first-round pick, but three of their four selections on Day 2 could be used to help this area. The Rams also must find a new running back to replace the departed Todd Gurley.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I argued that the Rams should spend three day-two picks on offensive linemen if they wanted to return to prominence. Instead, they didn’t even touch the blocking unit until their very last selection, No. 250 overall. It’s not like there weren’t any good blockers available, so Los Angeles completely failed in their objective to revamp the roster as a result.

This team grade won’t earn an “F,” however, because the Rams obtained some nice prospects. I liked the Cam Akers pick, as he figures to be a viable replacement for Todd Gurley. Terrell Lewis was a steal in the third frame, and he should be able to replace Dante Fowler quite well. Jordan Fuller and Clay Johnston were nice bargains on Day 3.

Overall, however, the Rams didn’t do enough to ensure a bounce-back 2020 campaign. The offensive line was the primary reason why the Rams were so good in 2017 and 2018, but it doesn’t seem like they understand that. Instead, Jared Goff will continue to regress behind a poor blocking unit.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Rams pick.
Philadelphia Eagles: D Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Eagles did nothing to cure their receiving woes in free agency, so they should think about spending two early selections on the position. Even moving up for CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy would be a great decision. Aside from receiver, the positions of major need are cornerback, linebacker and safety. Some offensive line depth should be added as well.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I’ve been covering the NFL Draft for 20 years after building this Web site in the fall of 1999. In those 20 years, I’ve never seen a draft pick worse than the Eagles’ selection of Jalen Hurts. I tried, but can’t think of one. I discussed this with FantasyJabber in this video, so I won’t rehash it:

The NFC East is a very tight three-horse race, and the Eagles need as many quality starters as possible to beat the Cowboys and Giants. Hurts won’t allow them to do that. Their inability to find a starter in the second round, or use that pick to move up for CeeDee Lamb automatically disqualifies them from having a grade above a “C,” especially when their reluctance to part with No. 53 allowed the Cowboys to secure Lamb. Making matters worse, the Eagles gifted the Cowboys their new starting center on Day 3.

Elsewhere, Jalen Reagor may end up being a good player, but he was a slight reach at No. 21. Some teams expected Reagor to be available on Day 2 after his poor combine performance. Still, that was an acceptable pick if the Lamb situation is disregarded. However, Reagor wasn’t the only reach, as Davion Taylor can be described as such at No. 103.

I won’t completely fail the Eagles because they made some nice selections on Day 3, including K’Von Wallace, Shaun Bradley, Casey Toohill and Quez Watkins. However, Philadelphia allowed Dallas to improve twice during the 2020 NFL Draft, which was just a disastrous series of events.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Eagles pick.
Buffalo Bills: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Bills don’t have a first-round pick as a result of the Stefon Diggs trade, but based on how many positive transactions they had in March, it could be argued that they don’t even need one. The Bills don’t have many holes on their roster, but they could stand to add some more offensive line help, as well as a new running back to complement Devin Singletary.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I can’t believe A.J. Epenesa fell to Buffalo at No. 54. Granted, Epenesa isn’t a great athlete, but he still should’ve been chosen in the 22-40 range. The Bills, who had the luxury of selecting the best player available, obtained a prospect some may have projected to them when they once had the No. 22 overall pick!

Epenesa kicked off what appears to be a stellar draft class for the Bills. Five of their seven selections earned a “B” grade or better. This includes Zack Moss, the running back complement I spoke of, as well as Gabriel Davis, who was a great bargain in Round 4.

There are just two things I didn’t like about the Bills’ haul. One was that they drafted a kicker in Round 6, and the second was that they didn’t address the offensive line. These two items, however, won’t prevent me from grading Buffalo very favorably.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bills pick.
New England Patriots: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Tom Brady era is over. The Patriots must now find a replacement for the best quarterback in NFL history, which is not going to be very easy. They could opt to select Jordan Love, Jake Fromm or Jacob Eason, but perhaps New England is considering a trade up if Tua Tagovailoa falls as a result of his injury concerns. If Tagovailoa falls past the Chargers, Bill Belichick may make a move to acquire his next franchise quarterback. Regardless of whether that happens or not, the Patriots will undoubtedly be seeking some help at receiver, as well as some future replacements for old defensive players.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It was a tale of two drafts for the Patriots. They made some sharp decisions, but other picks were far more dubious.

Beginning with the former, Kyle Dugger was a solid choice at No. 37, as he’s the sort of versatile play-making weapon Bill Belichick likes having in his defense. Anfernee Jennings, who is also very versatile, was a great bargain in the third frame. A couple of third-day choices are promising as well.

Conversely, the Patriots traded up twice in the third round to select a pair of tight ends who weren’t even the best players at their position. Even worse, a fifth-round selection was used on a kicker, who, again, wasn’t the top prospect at his position.

So, what happened? Call me crazy, but could this have had something to do with it?

Dogs are great pets, but they’re awful drafters. Belichick should’ve thought twice before entrusting half of his 2020 NFL Draft class to his canine.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Saints have just five draft picks, so it’s a good thing they don’t have very many needs. They could stand to find upgrades at receiver, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback, but there’s nothing pressing that New Orleans must do. Perhaps trading down and acquiring depth will be the way to go.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Saints began the weekend with five picks, but ended up with just four prospects because of a third-round trade. Despite this, they came away with yet another impressive draft class.

Many criticized the Cesar Ruiz pick, but that’s because they are highly uninformed about the Saints. Larry Warford, whose pass protection has regressed a bit lately, is slated to enter free agency soon. Drew Brees hates the interior rush much more than edge pressure, so adding a versatile and talented interior lineman like Ruiz at No. 24 made lots of sense. It wasn’t a great pick, but it was a very solid one that will help the Saints win in 2020.

That said, I liked New Orleans’ next two selections more. Zack Baun was a steal at No. 74. Baun easily could’ve been chosen at the end of the first round without many complaints, so I don’t know how the Saints obtained him in the third round. The same can be said of future Jared Cook replacement Adam Trautman, who was graded by some teams as the top tight end in the class. Granted, that’s not saying very much, but Trautman should’ve been long gone before No. 105.

The Saints are one of the best drafting teams in the NFL, and this was yet another success. Despite coming away with just four players, they deserve to be graded very highly.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Saints pick.
Minnesota Vikings: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Vikings lost several talented players this offseason as a result of Kirk Cousins’ horrendous contract. They now have plenty of needs, ranging from the offensive line to the receiving corps. They must also find a new starting receiver, defensive end and defensive tackle. The silver lining is that the Vikings have a whopping 12 picks to make this happen.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I loved what the Vikings did in the first round. Justin Jefferson somehow fell to them even though one team in the teens would’ve considered him if a certain prospect wasn’t available. I’m sure the Vikings weren’t planning on having Jefferson on the board, but he fell into their lap as a replacement for Stefon Diggs. Minnesota then traded out of No. 25 to pick up an extra resource. It parked itself right in front of the Chiefs, who wanted Jeff Gladney, and selected the very same prospect to help repair their poor secondary.

The Vikings’ great drafting continued into Day 2. They snatched future left tackle Ezra Cleveland at No. 58 even though he was drawing some first-round consideration. Cameron Dantzler was also a steal in the third frame. He and Gladney will go a long way in improving a poor pass defense.

Minnesota had some clunkers on Saturday, including Harrison Hand and K.J. Osborn, so things weren’t perfect for them. However, there were also some excellet third-day choices mixed in, such as James Lynch, Troy Dye and Kenny Willekes.

I loved the Vikings’ draft. They obtained some very promising prospects, filled needs and acquired assets by trading. I think they deserve a rare A+.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Vikings pick.
Houston Texans: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The true goal the Texans should have is to fire Bill O’Brien and then to re-hire their former great scouting department, which would routinely find steals late in the draft like Arian Foster, A.J. Bouye and Christian Covington. That’s not realistic, however, so Houston fans should just pray that O’Brien recognizes that Deshaun Watson needs lots of help. Watson’s protection must be upgraded. Defensive improvements at cornerback and the edge rush are also essential. However, the Texans have just two picks in the first four rounds because of O’Brien’s incompetence, so Houston won’t be able to upgrade its roster very much.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I couldn’t believe my eyes when the Texans selected Ross Blacklock and Jonathan Greenard with their first two picks. They actually weren’t terrible decisions. I expected Bill O’Brien to trade one of those choices for Rex Burkhead, but he actually made some good moves to bolster a defensive line that lost D.J. Reader and improve a pass rush that missed Jadeveon Clowney. Even a blind nut finds a squirrel sometimes, as a Hall of Fame running back once said.

I really only disliked one pick of Chief O’Brien’s, which was John Reid. That wasn’t a big deal, however, and it pales in comparison to not really improving the offensive line. Houston snatched Charlie Heck in the fourth round, which was a decent choice, but the team needed to find more upgrades up front.

Still, O’Brien didn’t completely embarrass himself, which is a victory for the franchise. I’m sure there will be more horrible transactions to come, but the Texans are saved from yet another poor grade on this day.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Texans pick.
Seattle Seahawks: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: Will this finally be the year that the Seahaws address Russell Wilson’s poor pass protection? It’s frustrating to see Wilson constantly running for his life, so perhaps Seattle will be able to bolster the offensive line. The Seahawks also need some defensive help, namely on the defensive line and at safety.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Seahawks surprisingly didn’t address the trenches with their initial pick. Jordyn Brooks was not someone many were expecting at No. 27, mainly because Seattle snapped its 8-year streak of trading down. Many considered Brooks a reach, but I didn’t hold that opinion. Some teams were hoping to land him in the early portion of the second round. Brooks, however, doesn’t fill an immediate need, which is a problem for a team looking to contend this year.

Seattle addressed its pass rush and offensive line with the next two picks. However, Darrell Taylor was acquired via a trade, which seemed unnecessary. The Seahawks squandered a resource with that move, but they at least made up for it with the Damien Lewis pick in the third frame. Lewis should definitely help Russell Wilson’s pass protection.

The Lewis choice was the only pick of Seattle’s graded above a “B.” In fact, Lewis and DeeJay Dallas were the only two selections that earned the Seahawks another better than a C+. It wasn’t a horrible draft, but it was underwhelming to say the least.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Seahawks pick.
Baltimore Ravens: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Ravens have some defensive needs, like edge rush and linebacker, but they should focus on their offense in the 2020 NFL Draft. Lamar Jackson needs help at receiver mostly, but talent must be added to the offensive line and running back rotation. Jackson’s protection was elite last year, but Marshal Yanda’s unexpected retirement has greatly changed things.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Ravens are masters at drafting, and their 2020 class wasn’t any worse than the standard we’ve grown accustom to. They dominated the 2020 NFL Draft, from start to finish.

I never expected Patrick Queen to drop to No. 28, but the Ravens, laughing at incompetent teams as always, were able to have him fall into their lap. The same thing happened in the second round when J.K. Dobbins plummeted to the 55th spot, and also Justin Madubuike at No. 71. I expected the Ravens to use one of their three picks on a receiver, but how could they with all of this great talent dropping to them?

Baltimore finally addressed wideout at No. 92 with Devin Duvernay, which was a solid choice. Another receiver, James Proche, was a terrific steal in the sixth round. Proce earned an A+ grade, which was one of five A+ marks the Ravens earned in this class. Ben Bredeson, who also earned this high distinction, should be able to step in and replace Marshal Yanda.

The Ravens had the top 2020 NFL Draft class out of every team in the league. Considering that they had the best record in the NFL last year, it’s scary to wonder how good they’ll be with some terrific rookie reinforcements improving their roster.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: Tennessee made an unexpected run to the AFC Championship, but things will be much more difficult in 2020. The Titans won by bullying their opponents in the trenches, but with Jack Conklin and Jurrell Casey gone, they won’t be as imposing on the offensive and defensive lines. Tennessee needs to make sure it replaces those key free agents, while also adding some talent to the offense.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: We were all shocked by what occurred in Mike Vrabel’s household during the draft, but Tennessee’s draft plans were far more predictable. It was the least-surprising thing in the world to see the team use its first-round choice on a blocker. Isaiah Wilson is a massive lineman, but isn’t limited athletically. He should be able to take over at right tackle at some point in the near future as a replacement for Jack Conklin.

The Titans also addressed their defensive line, albeit in Round 5. Still, they were able to get a nice value in Larrell Murchison. In between, the Titans addressed needs at cornerback and running back with Kristian Fulton and Darrynton Evans, respectively. Fulton was my least-favorite addition, as he was frequently torched last year. Still, the “C” the Titans were slapped with for him was the worst grade they received all weekend.

Tennessee didn’t have a spectacular or sex draft by any means, but this rock-solid haul was emblematic of the values this franchise holds.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Titans pick.
Green Bay Packers: F Grade

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: Aaron Rodgers is entering the twilight of his career, so it’s rather disappointing that the Packers don’t have any viable receiving threats for him outside of Davante Adams and maybe Allen Lazard. The Packers’ top priority is to give Rodgers a couple more weapons. They also must make sure they upgrade their porous run defense.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Packers were in the NFC Championship last year. It could be argued that they didn’t deserve to be there, but they were, and if they had more help at receiver and a player or two to help stuff the run, they may have beaten the 49ers. With the Packers being so close to another Super Bowl, logic dictated that they would add weapons around Aaron Rodgers to help put them over the top.

Instead, the opposite happened, as they reached for Jordan Love, doing so via a trade where they hopped over teams that didn’t need quarterbacks. This was an irresponsible decision that in no way mirrored Green Bay’s pick of Rodgers in 2005. Back then, Brett Favre was flip-flopping back and forth about his retirement decision, and Rodgers was a prospect who was considered to be in play for the No. 1 overall pick. Rodgers has said nothing of retirement, so using a first-round pick on a raw quarterback was irresponsible. If the Packers wanted a worse version of Jameis Winston, they should have just signed Jameis Winston.

Things somehow didn’t get any better on Day 2. The Packers wasted a pick on fourth-round plodding running back A.J. Dillon when they had no need at the position. They then used their third-round choice on a seventh-round fullback prospect. It’s almost as if the Packers outsourced their drafting decisions to Bill Belichick’s dog.

The Packers made some fine selections on Saturday, but nothing they could’ve done in Rounds 4-7 could make up for their disastrous first half of the 2020 NFL Draft. They deserve an “F” for their absolutely atrocious drafting.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The 49ers have two first-round selections, but don’t pick again until No. 156. They don’t have any major needs outside of receiver and center, so they should trade down multiple times in order to acquire some depth.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It was surprising that the 49ers didn’t trade down with either of their first-round picks, aside from shifting down one spot from No. 13 to 14. Instead, they actually moved up from No. 31, which was even more shocking. This was unnecessary, as there were plenty of talented receivers available at that juncture. San Francisco could have secured Brandon Aiyuk or someone similar with the 31st pick, or better yet, in the 35-45 range.

Luckily, the 49ers did very well with their other first-round choice. They were able to acquire a resource and still select Javon Kinlaw. Their original plan was to take Henry Ruggs, but with the Alabama receiver off the board, they actually made the smarter decision by obtaining a replacement for DeForest Buckner.

I wasn’t crazy about the 49ers’ final three picks, though Colton McKivitz provided some nice value in the fifth round. Overall, I think the 49ers should have acquired more resources by moving down, but the end result wasn’t too bad.

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

Goals Entering the 2020 NFL Draft: The Chiefs are fresh off their Super Bowl victory, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have business to take care of in the NFL Draft. They need to bolster their defense, particularly their edge rush, linebackers and cornerbacks. It also wouldn’t hurt to upgrade the offensive line and find a running back to pair with Damian Williams. With just five selections, the Chiefs will think about trading out of the No. 32 pick.

2020 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Andy Reid typically doesn’t like drafting running backs in the first round, and taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire wasn’t the original plan. Reid wanted Jeff Gladney, but when the Vikings plucked him off the board, Reid went with an alternative route and selected Edwards-Helaire. The LSU product is a perfect fit in his offense, and he’ll make the Chiefs even more explosive.

Reid spent five of his final six picks on defense, with the lone exception being tackle Lucas Niang. This was the correct strategy, as Kansas City has plenty of holes defensively. I thought the Chiefs took Willie Gay Jr. a bit too early at No. 63, but he’ll certainly help a horrid linebacking corps. Defensive back L’Jarius Sneed, conversely, was nice value toward the end of the fourth frame.

I didn’t like the Chiefs’ picks after that, but I think they did an OK job of improving their roster in the 2020 NFL Draft. It would have been more ideal to move down from No. 32, but I’m excited to see what Patrick Mahomes can do with Edwards-Helaire lining up in the backfield with him.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chiefs pick.