2019 NFL Draft Team Grades

These are 2019 NFL Draft Team Grades. I’ll be posting them throughout Sunday. Follow @walterfootball for updates.

2019 NFL Draft Grades - Round: Picks 1-16 | Picks 17-32 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | NFL Draft Team Grades | Supplemental

Arizona Cardinals: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Cardinals have to either trade the first-overall pick or select Kyler Murray. The latter isn’t an option just because Josh Rosen doesn’t care about football. It’s because the Cardinals would be losing out on a valuable asset by selecting Nick Bosa. If they choose Murray, they can turn Rosen into a second-round pick. They won’t acquire that extra selection by going with Bosa. Once Arizona drafts Murray, it’ll have to protect him and give him some weapons, as last year’s supporting cast was lackluster.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Though there were some reports leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft that the Cardinals wouldn’t select Murray, they ultimately made the right decision and found a huge upgrade over last year’s first-round draft bust. And as speculated, they turned that bust into a second-round selection, giving themselves an extra asset to build around their new franchise signal-caller.

The Cardinals added some receivers to complement Murray, making sure the cupboard won’t be bare aside from Christian Kirk once Larry Fitzgerald retires. Arizona drafted Andy Isabella for the slot, then selected Hakeem Butler, who was a big-time steal in the fourth round. However, the offensive line wasn’t addressed until late, which was a disappointment. The Cardinals will have better blocking next year because of the Marcus Gilbert signing, but it’ll still be an issue.

Despite not adding an appropriate number of blockers, the Cardinals’ draft haul can still be considered a success. They’ve given themselves a new, better offensive identity, and they also acquired a couple of new pieces to their defense (Byron Murphy, Zach Allen), which should be much better in 2019.

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

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The 49ers are close to becoming a playoff team once more. First, they must improve their defense, particularly their pass rush (via Nick Bosa) and secondary. They’ll also have to give Jimmy Garoppolo another talented receiver to throw to.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Nick Bosa was an easy pick. The 49ers haven’t boasted a potent edge rush since the early part of this decade, and Bosa will change that. He’ll help an ailing secondary that was torched relentlessly last year.

The 49ers, however, didn’t add to their secondary like they were supposed to. Instead, they wasted picks on a second receiver (Jalen Hurd) and a punter, which was absolutely inexcusable. There’s no reason to draft a punter prior to the seventh round. Punters grow on trees and can be found anywhere. Talented cornerbacks, conversely, are not in ample supply.

Outside of the Hurd and punter gaffes, San Francisco had a solid draft. It could have been better with a couple of defensive backfield upgrades, but the offense at least was given a jolt with the selection of Deebo Samuel atop Round 2.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single 49ers pick.
New York Jets: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Jets signed Le’Veon Bell this offseason, but that doesn’t mean that they’re done building around Sam Darnold. They must give Darnold some upgrades at receiver and the offensive line. Meanwhile, the defense is solid, but needs help at edge rusher and cornerback.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Jets were given offers to trade down, and they should have taken them. Quinnen Williams is an outstanding prospect, but New York could have used the extra assets to build around Darnold, given that it had just two selections in the top 90. Also, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams wanted a different player for his line (Ed Oliver), so the Williams selection didn’t make sense from that perspective.

Still, the Jets made two solid choices early to improve their front seven, acquiring Williams and Jachai Polite, a talented player with motivational issues. The offense was addressed after that, with the Jets drafting a tackle (Chuma Edoga) and tight end (Trevon Wesco). That was it, however. No receivers were acquired, and only one offensive lineman was obtained. This is exactly why the Jets needed to trade down.

I’d say the Jets had a middling weekend overall. They certainly improved their roster, especially if Polite lives up to his ability. However, failing to address both receiver and cornerback should leave a sour taste in the mouths of Jets fans.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jets pick.

Oakland Raiders: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Raiders obviously have to upgrade their defense, which still has huge holes all over the place. They’ll also be on the lookout for a new running back, some interior offensive line help and a quarterback to groom behind Derek Carr, but this draft must focus on improving one of the worst stop units in the NFL.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Much was made of the shocking Clelin Ferrell selection. Lost in it is the fact that Ferrell will likely be a good player for the Raiders over the next decade. It seems as though people are forgetting that. The problem, of course, was that the Raiders could’ve traded down and still obtained him, hence the “F” grade for that pick.

The rest of Oakland’s draft was solid. Five of the first six selections were used to upgrade the horrid defense. Two were edge rushers, with the underrated Maxx Crosby joining Ferrell. The other three were secondary players, most prominently safety Johnathan Abram, who was arguably the top player at his position in the entire class. Cornerback Trayvon Mullen should upgrade the other area in the secondary. No picks were used on linebackers, but it’s not like the Raiders could’ve addressed all of their needs.

Despite the initial gaffe, I liked the Raiders’ draft overall. They should’ve obtained more value from the No. 4 slot, and I’m not crazy about using a first-round pick on a running back, but Oakland added good players and improved its defense. It’s also worth noting that many of the Raiders’ selections were used on team captains and other high-character players, so it’s a good sign that Mike Mayock recognizes how important it is to have a positive locker room.

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

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Buccaneers need help on every level of their defense, so they must use most of their draft choices on fixing their woeful stop unit. The offense could use a new running back and some offensive line help, but this must be a defensive-centric draft for Tampa Bay.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It was not a surprise in the slightest that the Buccaneers used their first five picks on defense. They began by obtaining the new centerpiece of their stop unit, linebacker Devin White. The next three selections all addressed the anemic secondary, with Jamel Dean being the best of the bunch. Of those three choices, none individually scored worse than a “B” grade. Tampa’s fifth and final initial defensive choice also was graded highly, as the Anthony Nelson pick deserved an “A” because of its tremendous value.

I didn’t like what the Buccaneers did after that, as their final three picks were underwhelming. The worst of the bunch was the fifth-round choice on Matt Gay. You’d think the Buccaneers would’ve learned their lesson by now about using non-seventh-round picks on kickers. Maybe they’ll understand that concept one day.

That said, the end of the draft shouldn’t spoil Tampa’s earlier accomplishments. The Buccaneers put together an impressive draft class, one that should greatly elevate their defense.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Buccaneers pick.

New York Giants: D Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Everyone says the Giants need a new quarterback, and they do, but they should wait until the 2020 NFL Draft to obtain a franchise signal-caller. We know that general manager Dave Gettleman loves Justin Herbert, so why would he take a far-lesser prospect at the position when he can load up on defensive front-seven talent from this class? I suspect the Giants will add two front-seven players in the early stages. After that, they’ll need to rebuild their secondary and receiving corps.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The concept that the Giants couldn’t afford to wait for their quarterback at No. 17 overall is nonsense. There’s a good chance Daniel Jones would’ve been available then, but even if that didn’t prove to be the case, there are far better quarterback prospects available in 2020 (see the 2020 NFL Mock Draft.) General manager Dave Gettleman is adamant that Eli Manning can play for two or three more years, so there should have been no hurry to obtain his successor. Instead, the Giants passed on an elite front-seven player in favor of a pedestrian quarterback prospect.

Things weren’t much better after that, at least not until the end of the third round. The next pick was used on a two-down lineman rather than a blocker for the new quarterback. The Dexter Lawrence selection wasn’t bad though, especially when compared to what the Giants did next. They traded up needlessly for cornerback DeAndre Baker when there were so many similar corners available. This didn’t make any sense, as the Giants recklessly surrendered a valuable resource to move up.

The Giants salvaged their draft with some nice selections in Rounds 3-6. Most notably, Julian Love was a steal atop the fourth frame. Oshane Ximines, meanwhile, figures to be a potent edge rusher. However, the blunders New York made in the early stages of the 2019 NFL Draft far overshadow the front office’s late-draft heroics.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Giants pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Jaguars paid a ton of money to Nick Foles, so they better make sure they protect him. The Vikings made the mistake of not shielding Kirk Cousins well enough, so the Jaguars would be foolish to make the same blunder with Foles. In addition to upgrading the offensive line, Jacksonville must also give Foles some weapons to work with; the receiving corps is lackluster, while the running game is a question mark, given Leonard Fournette’s injuries and off-the-field problems.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The offensive line was the obvious area to address early in the 2019 NFL Draft, but plans changed when an elite prospect like Josh Allen dropped to Jacksonville. Utilizing the supposed strategy of one of his successors in New York, Tom Coughlin picked the player the Giants should have, plucking the dynamic edge rusher off the board. There’s nothing wrong with strengthening a strength when presented with great value, so there’s a good chance the Jaguars’ defense will return to its glory days of 2017 next year.

The Jaguars ended up addressing Nick Foles’ blocking in the second round, when they obtained Jawaan Taylor. The Florida prospect dropped because of knee concerns and some off-the-field issues, but there’s no denying that he was a steal at No. 35 overall.

The rest of Jacksonville’s draft class was mixed. There were some nice choices like tight end Josh Oliver in the third frame. Quincy Williams, on the other hand, was a mega reach later that round. All in all, however, the Jaguars came away with a stellar class that will absolutely improve their roster and make them contenders in the AFC South once again.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Jaguars pick.

Detroit Lions: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Lions are never going to have great success the way they are currently built, so they need to trade Matthew Stafford and begin from scratch. They won’t do that, however, so the very best they can hope for next year is an 8-8 result. They’ll continue to spin their tires and attempt to upgrade the many holes on their roster. There are very few areas that don’t need to be upgraded, so “best player available” at every spot makes sense.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: For a team that styles itself to be the Patriots of the midwest, the Lions don’t do a very good job of emulating the NFL’s current dynasty. I don’t ever recall Bill Belichick using a first-round pick on a tight end, yet that’s exactly what the Lions did, spending the eighth-overall selection on T.J. Hockenson. It’s likely that the Iowa product will end up being a nice weapon for Matthew Stafford and whichever quarterback replaces him in the future, but using a top-eight choice on a tight end, especially when there was a blue-chip prospect like Ed Oliver still available, seemed like a massive blunder.

The rest of the Lions’ draft class actually wasn’t too bad. The front office spent multiple selections on high-character players who filled needs. The four choices following Hockenson were all used to upgrade the defensive side of the ball, and the two best picks were safety Will Harris and cornerback Amani Oruwariye. None of these four selections, by the way, scored worse than a B- grade.

The Lions made some mistakes late in the draft, but most of their picks were graded favorably. That said, it feels like Detroit missed a golden opportunity to really bolster their roster with the eighth-overall selection, which will hurt the overall grade of this class.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Lions pick.
Buffalo Bills: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Josh Allen doesn’t have nearly enough talent around him. The Bills signed a couple of receivers in free agency, but that’s not enough. They need help at receiver, tight end, running back and the offensive line. The defense is almost an afterthought at this rate, though Buffalo must find a replacement for the newly retired Kyle Williams.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Bills discussed trading up as high as No. 3 overall to obtain Ed Oliver. It turns out that was completely unnecessary, as Oliver dropped to them, thanks to the sheer incompetence of two teams in front of them. Buffalo won’t complain, as it obtained a top-three prospect in this class with the eighth-overall selection. Luck had a factor in this, but credit the Bills for not panicking and having faith that they could obtain their man.

Amazingly, the Bills landed another steal with their next selection. It was shocking that Cody Ford fell to them early in the second round. Ford, who could’ve gone as high as No. 14 without any criticism, was grand larceny at the 38th pick. He’ll provide a much-needed massive upgrade on the offensive line.

These two picks set the tone for how Buffalo’s draft would go. The Bills ended up with one of the top hauls in the entire 2019 NFL Draft. All of their picks in the top 180 earned a B+ or higher. None of their selections overall was marked as worse than a “B.” The Bills filled needs with great value selections, which is why they’re getting a well-deserved A+.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bills pick.

Denver Broncos: A+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Broncos could choose a quarterback early, but they’re better off waiting for the superior 2020 NFL Draft class to address the position. Instead, Denver should focus on addressing the many pressing needs on its roster, particularly linebacker, the secondary, the offensive line and the receiving corps.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Broncos did a good job of finding a trade partner when the players they coveted weren’t available at No. 10 overall. Some reported that they desired Devin Bush, but this was not true. T.J. Hockenson was the final player they wished to land at No. 10 overall, which is why they moved down when the Lions took him with the eighth pick.

Trading down was nice, but the Broncos would ultimately have to draft good prospects with their extra selections. They began with Noah Fant, which was a fine decision at No. 20. I criticized the Lions’ selection of T.J. Hockenson, but that was with a top-eight choice. It was much more reasonable to take his teammate with the 20th-overall selection. Meanwhile, the Broncos fared better in the second round. Dalton Risner is a high-character player who can start at every position up front. It’s likely that he’ll replace the departed Matt Paradis at center. He’ll block for Joe Flacco in the present and then eventually Drew Lock, who was a steal at No. 42. It would’ve been a mistake for the Broncos to use a first-round pick on Lock, but getting him in the second frame, with the choice acquired from the Steelers, was a nice move.

Amazingly, Denver’s first five picks all graded “A” or higher. Only one selection was lower than that, and that was a mere sixth-round pick. I absolutely loved the Broncos’ draft class, as they accumulated great-value prospects and extra resources throughout the weekend, all while filling needs. Very well done.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Broncos pick.
Cincinnati Bengals: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Bengals have one of the worst rosters in the NFL. They have needs at almost every position, so it makes sense for them to trade down on multiple occasions in the 2019 NFL Draft.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: I was very pessimistic about what the Bengals would do in the draft, given how poorly they butchered free agency. As it turns out, Cincinnati did a decent job on draft weekend for the most part.

That said, I wasn’t too thrilled with the Bengals’ initial two selections. Taking Jonah Williams drew some praise from the media, but Williams’ arms are too short to play tackle, and he’s not strong enough to hold up inside. He seems like a better version of Connor Williams, which is not good. Meanwhile, the Bengals used a second-round pick on blocking tight end Drew Sample, which was an insanely stupid decision. Blocking tight ends grow on trees. In fact, I’m looking out the window in my office, and there are eight blocking tight ends on the tree in my backyard. I think I’ll go pluck one off the tree when I’m done typing this. I’m not sure what I’ll do with this blocking tight end, but at least I didn’t use a second-round pick to get it.

Fortunately for the Bengals, their results improved considerably after the Sample blunder. Germaine Pratt, Ryan Finley, Renell Wren, Trayveon Williams and Rodney Anderson were all steals where the Bengals obtained them. These mega bargains salvaged what would’ve been a poor overall grade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bengals pick.
Green Bay Packers: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Packers will be a playoff team if Aaron Rodgers is healthy next year. They need to make sure that happens by improving his pass protection. Otherwise, Green Bay should just select the best player available to give itself a chance to make a run at the Super Bowl this season.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Rather than picking the best player available, the Packers often went with the best athlete available. This was not very smart, namely in the opening round. Rashan Gary was a lazy player at Michigan who never lived up to his supreme physical talent. What’s to stop him from slacking off once he has an NFL contract? Darnell Savage, meanwhile, was not worth trading up for. He could be a good pro, but Green Bay recklessly surrendered resources for him when he or a similar player would’ve been available at No. 30 overall.

Things improved for the Packers following the opening night. They selected good values like center/guard Elgton Jenkins, tight end Jace Sternberger and late-round linebacker Ty Summers. The positions acquired made sense, though it was a bit disappointing that Green Bay found just one new blocker for Aaron Rodgers.

I can’t say I like Green Bay’s draft class very much, mostly because of the first-rounders. I can’t grade the Packers favorably as a consequence, but their second- and third-day acquisitions prevent this from earning a poor grade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Packers pick.
Miami Dolphins: B- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Dolphins have the worst roster in the NFL. Remarkably, they have a need at every single area of their depth chart. Yet, they have just five draft choices in the first six rounds. Miami absolutely must trade down on multiple occasions to acquire as much talent as possible.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Dolphins did as I requested in the goals section. They moved down from their second-round pick and acquired a second-round choice to use in the vastly superior 2020 NFL Draft class. Their initial selection, Christian Wilkins, was a stellar pick. Everything was going well, and then the Dolphins remembered that they were, in fact, the Dolphins.

Miami squandered a second-round choice in a trade for Josh Rosen. This was a horrible decision, as Rosen has zero passion for football and would rather party his life away, much like Blake Bortles. Sure, the Dolphins got a “discount” on Rosen after trading down, but this is like someone offering to sell you a stick of sugarless gum for $100 after initially offering $150. You’re getting 33 percent off, but who cares!?

It’s a shame the Rosen trade happened because it spoiled an otherwise successful weekend for the Dolphins. They drafted mostly solid values, including Wilkins and third-rounder Michael Deiter. They added two offensive linemen to help Tua Tagovailoa in 2020, which is important because they won’t want their next quarterback to get killed. Miami still has plenty of needs to fill, but this was a nice start, save for the poor trade.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Dolphins pick.
Atlanta Falcons: C- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Atlanta’s defense was decimated by injuries last year, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t need upgrades on its stop unit. The defensive line in particular is very soft, so multiple draft choices must be used to strengthen that area. Meanwhile, the offensive line needs help as well for the offense to return to its 2016 glory days.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Atlanta’s plan this offseason has been very clear. The team wanted to get tougher in the trenches, especially on the offensive side of the ball. They signed two guards, then used two first-round selections on offensive linemen. They executed their plan, but took a flawed approach in doing so.

The problem is that the Falcons obtained poor values. Chris Lindstrom was a borderline first-round prospect who was projected to go No. 23 at the earliest. Yet, the Falcons used the 14th-overall choice on him. Taking a guard that early doesn’t seem very wise. Meanwhile, Kaleb McGary was an even greater reach at the end of the opening frame, especially when considering that the Falcons traded up for him. There were several talented tackles still available, so there was no reason for Atlanta to surrender resources.

Furthermore, the Falcons used just one pick on a defensive lineman. It was a good one, as John Cominsky was a bargain at the end of the fourth round. However, there weren’t enough upgrades added to the defensive front. I liked some of the late picks, but when considering the two reaches and the lack of focus on the defensive line in a class packed with great players in that area, I can’t get behind what Atlanta did on draft weekend.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Falcons pick.
Washington Redskins: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Redskins are in a very difficult position because they have such a big need for a quarterback, yet this is the wrong time to have a huge void at the position, given how bad those prospects are in the 2019 NFL Draft class. They would be better off tanking for Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Fromm or Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft. As for this draft, they need to find some new receivers, interior offensive linemen and cornerbacks.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: As I wrote in the goals section, the Redskins would’ve been better off waiting for a quarterback in the 2020 class, but they at least obtained some good value with Dwayne Haskins at No. 15 overall. There were reports suggesting that Washington would trade up for Haskins, which would’ve been disastrous. I don’t really have an issue with the Redskins taking Haskins at No. 15, as he was once viewed as the top quarterback in this class before Kyler Murray measured in at 5-10 instead of the speculated 5-8.

Washington’s best move was trading up into the end of the first round for Montez Sweat. The dynamic edge rusher probably would’ve been a top-10 pick if he weren’t misdiagnosed with a heart condition. Sweat was reportedly cleared the day of the draft, so I thought it was possible that he would be chosen much earlier than No. 26. He wasn’t, and the Redskins snatched a major steal as a result.

The rest of Washington’s haul was impressive, as the team filled needs with good values. The two picks I questioned were Bryce Love (adding an injury-prone running back to a roster with an injured running back didn’t make much sense) and Wes Martin (a complete unknown), but they weren’t enough to spoil what happened to be one of the best draft classes in the NFL this year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Redskins pick.

Carolina Panthers: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Panthers absolutely must protect Cam Newton, given his shoulder issues. Failing to do so could cut his career short, which would be extremely unfortunate. Meanwhile, the defense needs personnel for its new 3-4 scheme. Carolina’s pass rush was lackluster this past season, so that must change. The secondary is also in need of help.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Panthers began the draft well, landing Brian Burns with the 16th-overall pick. There was speculation leading up to the draft that Burns could be chosen earlier than that, so credit Carolina for staying put and ultimately getting its man. Burns will provide a big boost on the edge, which was a lacking area in the new 3-4 scheme.

Things soured for the Panthers after that, however. While they didn’t panic and trade up for Burns, they did just that in acquiring Greg “Mr. Reliable” Little, who is a raw prospect who probably won’t be able to help Carolina this season. The Panthers then wasted a pick on Will Grier when they already had a superior, young quarterback on their roster in Kyle Allen. The third poor selection was Jordan Scarlett, a mediocre running back who happens to be a bad character guy to have in the locker room.

Carolina made some nice picks in addition to Burns, particularly Christian Miller, who will be another threat on the edge. However, they weren’t enough to offset some of the unwise decisions the Panthers made throughout the weekend.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Panthers pick.
Cleveland Browns: C+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Cleveland’s options are limited in the 2019 NFL Draft because it doesn’t have a first-round pick. The team has some areas it needs to address, including cornerback and linebacker. Luckily for the Browns, the depth at those positions seems to be plentiful on Day 2.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Browns targeted some of their greatest needs with their initial selections. They obtained good value with Greedy Williams in the middle of the second frame, and then they found a new linebacker and safety by choosing Sione Takitaki and Sheldrick Redwine, respectively. I thought these two choices, unlike Williams, were reaches (especially Takitaki.)

Meanwhile, I liked what the Browns did on Day 3, for the most part. Two of their first three selections earned an A- grade, with linebacker Mack Wilson and guard Drew Forbes providing good value for where they were obtained. Sandwiched in between those two picks, however, was Austin Seibert, a kicker. There’s no reason to waste non-Round 7 draft capital on a kicker. It’s amazing how some teams don’t realize this.

Remarkably, the Browns weren’t graded in the “B” range for any of their picks. It was either hit or miss, with the hits and misses being distributed evenly. Thus, Cleveland should be graded as a whole accordingly.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Browns pick.

Minnesota Vikings: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Vikings made a big mistake by paying Kirk Cousins so much guaranteed money. They then compounded that error by failing to protect Cousins. They can’t do anything about Cousins’ contract for a while, but they can at least make sure that he’s shielded well for a change. Multiple selections must be used on blockers. Meanwhile, the linebacking corps and defensive line should be addressed as well.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It was hardly a surprise that the Vikings used two of their initial four selections on offensive linemen. Garrett Bradbury figures to provide a big upgrade at center, while guard Dru Samia was obtained for good value early in the fourth round. Tackle wasn’t addressed until late, but the Vikings at least made what looks like two quality upgrades on the blocking unit.

Minnesota’s highest-graded selection came in between the two offensive linemen picks. That was the second-rounder used on tight end Irv Smith Jr. Kyle Rudolph is heading for free agency soon, and Smith offered great value at pick No. 50. I also liked some of the Vikings’ late choices, particularly defensive tackle Armon Watts and cornerback Kris Boyd.

The Vikings made some mistakes on draft weekened, notably reaching for running back Alexander Mattison and taking a redundant player in Cameron Smith, who won’t solve any problems. However, this was a positive draft for Minnesota overall. The team didn’t come away with a great class, but it looks to be a solid group that could potentially get the Vikings back over the playoff hump.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Vikings pick.
Tennessee Titans: A Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Titans gave some help to Marcus Mariota this offseason by signing Rodger Saffold and Adam Humphries. Those were nice moves, but they weren’t enough. The Titans need one more receiver, a tight end and another blocker. Meanwhile, their pedestrian pass rush absolutely must be upgraded.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The locals who attended the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville had to be thrilled regarding what their team did this weekend. Every single pick of Tennessee’s was graded as a “B” or higher.

Perhaps the one thing that some may complain about is the Jeffery Simmons selection. Simmons had been cleared for negative character traits stemming from the infamous video of his, so the only concern is his torn ACL. He likely won’t take the field in 2019, but he’ll be a stellar player in 2020 and beyond. The Titans grabbed some players who could help afterward, obtaining an outright steal in A.J. Brown and good bargains like Nate Davis and Amani Hooker. Brown will be a much-needed weapon across from Corey Davis for Marcus Mariota to utilize, while Nate Davis should be able to start as a rookie in the interior of Tennessee’s offensive line, which surrendered 11 sacks in a single game last year. Tennessee made some excellent late-round picks as well, including edge rusher D’Andre Walker.

If I had one criticism of the Titans’ draft class, it’s that the team didn’t draft a second offensive lineman. Still, Tennessee did extremely well in the 2019 NFL Draft.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Titans pick.
Pittsburgh Steelers: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Steelers will be hoping for Devin Bush to fall to them at No. 20, as they’ll be able to replace Ryan Shazier’s production. They must also find other players to take over for departed Pittsburgh players. Wide receiver (Antonio Brown), right tackle (Marcus Gilbert), safety (Sean Davis, eventually) and edge rusher (Bud Dupree, eventually) are other prominent areas of need, as is cornerback.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Steelers may have hoped that Devin Bush would drop to them, but they were realistic about it. They were well aware that they had to trade up to obtain a new defensive leader, and that’s exactly what they did. Trading up for players is often unwise, but it was completely necessary in this instance. Pittsburgh’s defense has been a shell of its former self ever since Ryan Shazier suffered his horrible spinal injury. Now, the Steelers can return to their former glory with Bush as a replacement.

While Bush earned an “A” grade, another selection of Pittsburgh’s was marked even higher. Justin Layne at No. 83 could’ve been constituted as grand larceny, as there was some speculation that he could be chosen late in the opening frame. The Steelers obtained a major steal with Layne, who figures to solve the problems his new team had at cornerback. Conversely, Pittsburgh was guilty of some minor reaches when it took wide receiver Dionate Johnson and tight end Zach Gentry too early.

Aside from the two reaches, the Steelers had a great weekend. They filled several needs with talented prospects for the most part, and as a result, Pittsburgh could be back in playoff contention after being absent from the postseason last year.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Steelers pick.
Seattle Seahawks: D Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Seahawks just made Russell Wilson the highest-paid player in the NFL. With so much of the cap allocated to one player, they must draft extremely well. The problem is that they have four draft choices this April, and only two in the top 123. They’ll have to trade down on several occasions to acquire more resources. Some of those resources must be used on the offensive line, which has been a major problem for years, as well as the defensive front, which lost some players to free agency recently.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Seattle came into the draft with just four picks, yet thanks to all of the trades they made, it ended up making 11 selections. This was absolutely necessary, given the poor depth on its roster.

The Seahawks did a good job of wheeling and dealing throughout the 2019 NFL Draft, but the end result of their selections was mostly lackluster. Their lone opening-round choice, defensive end L.J. Collier, was graded on Day 3 by some teams. The same can be said of second-day selections Marquise Blair and Cody Barton. Those players address needs at safety and linebacker, respectively, but they, like Collier, were massive reaches. The Seahawks could’ve obtained all of those players much later than when they were drafted.

It wasn’t all negative for Seattle, as the front office obtained some good values in wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, guard Phil Haynes and safety Ugo Amadi. Those were some positive moments, but they couldn’t offset the horrible value decisions the Seahawks made on the first two nights of the draft.

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

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: It’s all about building around Lamar Jackson. The electrifying quarterback has all the talent in the world, but isn’t surrounded by much. Offensive line help, improved receivers and another running back to complement Mark Ingram are all necessities. Meanwhile, the defense lost some key players like Terrell Suggs, C.J. Mosley and Za’Darius Smith, who will need to be replaced.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Ravens apparently agreed that their primary objective needed to be building around Lamar Jackson. Four of their initial five selections were used on offensive players to complement the young quarterback.

It all began when the Ravens traded down three spots and then obtained wide receiver Marquise Brown, an explosive player who can go the distance any time he touches the ball. Miles Boykin, chosen in the third round, will complement Brown in the receiving corps as a tall presence in the end zone. Running back Justice Hill is a nice back to pair with Mark Ingram, as he adds explosion and receiving ability to Ingram’s tough running. Guard Ben Powers might end up starting early in his career. All of these picks, aside from Powers, were graded as an A+ or an “A.”

Additionally, the Ravens bolstered their defense with a steal in the third round, picking edge rusher Jaylon Ferguson. I didn’t like some of Baltimore’s late-round decisions, particularly Trace McSorley, but the Ravens put together a terrific haul in their first attempt to build around Jackson.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Ravens pick.
Houston Texans: F Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Texans have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. They may actually have the worst blocking unit in the league if whatever abomination the Dolphins have is excluded. This must change, as Deshaun Watson will suffer more brutal hits if the blocking doesn’t improve. Elsewhere, the Texans must find help at running back, tight end and cornerback.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Texans once had one of the best front offices in the NFL. They’d routinely find steals like Christian Covington or Arian Foster. That’s no longer the case, as Bill O’Brien decided to gut his entire personnel department because he wanted to be surrounded by nothing but “yes men.” The results of this were quite apparent in the 2019 NFL Draft, as the Texans came away with arguably the worst draft class this year.

I have to wonder if Houston had any sort of Plan B at No. 23 overall. It seemed like Andre Dillard would fall to them, but the Eagles traded up and snatched the Washington State tackle off the board. With Dillard gone, the Texans panicked and made a major reach, selecting Alabama State tackle Tytus Howard, who easily could’ve slipped to the third round. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the Texans followed that up with two horrible reaches in the second frame, taking cornerback Lonnie Johnson and guard Max Scharping too early as well.

Of Houston’s seven picks, only two were graded above a “C.” This is the sort of thing that happens when a power-hungry individual dismisses all of his talented personnel men. The sooner the Texans fire O’Brien, the better off they’ll be.

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

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Bears don’t draft until the third round, so there’s not much they can do in the 2019 NFL Draft to improve their roster. One thing is possible, however, and that’s finding an upgrade at running back, which Chicago sorely needs. Cornerback depth must be replenished as well.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It’s difficult to analyze the Bears, as they made just three selections prior to the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft. As expected, they went after a running back and a cornerback with two of those picks. The runner was Iowa State’s David Montgomery, who is a nice prospect who could be productive in Chicago’s offense. However, the Bears traded up for him, which didn’t seem very necessary. Already lacking resources, Chicago should’ve preserved its picks.

The cornerback choice, Duke Shelley, would’ve been chosen earlier if it wasn’t for an injury. As for the third pick prior to Round 7, wide receiver Riley Ridley was a huge steal in the fourth frame. He easily could’ve been taken early on Day 2 without any sort of criticism.

The Bears did a fine job in the 2019 NFL Draft when factoring in their limited resources. Trading up was the lone egregious error.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Bears pick.
Philadelphia Eagles: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: One of the primary reasons the Eagles won the Super Bowl at the conclusion of the 2017 season is because they had one of the top offensive lines in the NFL. They better make sure that continues to be the case, as they need help in their interior. Philadelphia must also find replacements for departed players in their linebacking corps and running back stable.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Eagles don’t have much of a window remaining in regard to Carson Wentz’s rookie contract, so they should have used their first-round pick on a player who could help them win this year. While Andre Dillard is a talented prospect, he likely won’t be able to contribute, barring injuries to either Jason Peters or Lane Johnson. Dillard was drafted to be Peters’ successor, but the Eagles already had one in Jordan Mailata. Thus, even though Philadelphia was making a terrific selection in terms of value, it was a move used on a redundant player and didn’t seem very necessary.

Aside from the Dillard gaffe, the Eagles did pretty well in the 2019 NFL Draft. Their best pick was one of their second-rounders, running back Miles Sanders. The Penn State product will complement Jordan Howard very well and could emerge as the primary back in the Eagles’ committee. Wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was a fine choice, and he could allow the Eagles to move the overpaid Nelson Agholor. On Day 3, highly intelligent quarterback Clayton Thorson will be a nice successor for Nick Foles as Wentz’s insurance policy. If Thorson had been surrounded by viable Division I-A players at Northwestern, he probably would’ve been chosen in the second round.

Of the Eagles’ five picks, three were graded “B” or better, and two earned A+ marks. My only criticism was the Dillard move, as the Eagles should’ve picked a player who could help them win in 2019. Otherwise, general manager Howie Roseman did very well once again.

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

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Outside of receiver, the Colts don’t really need to do much offensively. They must instead focus on their defense. They have to find better edge rushers and defensive backs. Luckily for them, they have three selections in the top 60 picks to improve their stop unit.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Colts appeared to completely agree with the goals I wrote for them prior to the draft. Of their eight picks prior to the seventh round – made possible via some nice trades they made – seven were used on defensive players, while the eighth saw Indianapolis grab a receiver.

Indianapolis’ first pick came on the second night, as the team traded out of the opening round. The Colts took a cornerback in Rock Ya-Sin, who easily could’ve been chosen as high as No. 20 overall. He, as well as safeties Khari Willis and Marvell Tell, should be able to aid an ailing secondary that struggled versus the pass last year. Ben Banogu, taken with the 49th pick, figures to help the edge rush, though he was selected a bit prematurely. Linebacker Bobby Okereke should be a nice complement to Darius Leonard in the middle of the defense. Meanwhile, the non-defensive player was Parris Campbell, who will give the Colts another explosive receiver to go along with T.Y. Hilton. Campbell was a steal at the end of Round 2.

The Colts did extremely well in the 2019 NFL Draft. Only one of their picks – fifth-round linebacker E.J. Speed – was graded poorly. Indianapolis otherwise did a good job of filling big needs with good values.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Colts pick.
Dallas Cowboys: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Jerry Jones recently spoke about finding a capable backup behind Ezekiel Elliott. That’s a need, but Dallas has larger voids on its roster, particularly in the secondary. The defensive line also must be addressed, thanks to various off-the-field problems players in that area have dealt with recently.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It was hardly a surprise that the Cowboys selected defensive tackle Trysten Hill, as the two had been linked throughout the pre-draft process. However, Hill was a bit of a reach, and Dallas could have chosen a better prospect, namely another one it had been interested in, safety Juan Thornhill.

As a result of passing on Thornhill, the Cowboys didn’t get to address their secondary until the fifth round, which was a mistake. The fourth-rounder, used on a kick returner, should have been utilized on a defensive back. That said, Dallas made some nice selections as well. Interior lineman Connor McGovern will be a much-needed upgrade on the blocking unit, while cornerback Michael Jackson and running back Mike Weber offered tremendous value on Day 3.

The Cowboys came away with a middling result in the 2019 NFL Draft. While they made some decent choices, they also were guilty of reaching on several occasions. Outside of the McGovern pick, I’m not sure the Cowboys did much to improve their chances of winning this upcoming season.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Cowboys pick.
San Angeles Chargers: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The Chargers really struggled in the trenches during their loss to the Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. They couldn’t protect Philip Rivers or stop the run. The offensive and defensive lines must be addressed. San Angeles also must acquire some help at cornerback.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: As expected, two of the Chargers’ first three picks were used to upgrade the trenches. Jerry Tillery was the first choice, and he’ll provide a nice inside rush to help rattle opposing quarterbacks. Meanwhile, third-round tackle Trey Pipkins has tremendous upside and could take over the blind side in a year or two.

The Chargers didn’t have any selections that graded worse than a C+. Their two best choices were second-round safety Nasir Adderley, who has tremendous coverage ability and play-making skills, and linebacker Drue Tranquill, who would’ve been chosen earlier had it not been for injuries.

I’d say San Angeles had a very solid draft overall, as it addressed big needs with nice values. An overall grade of something like a B+ makes sense.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chargers pick.
Kansas City Chiefs: C Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Kansas City’s defense was a mess last year, and now it’s even worse because the team’s top two edge rushers from 2018 are gone. The Chiefs are moving to a 4-3 defense, meaning they must find lots of new personnel for that scheme. Offensive line and running back must also be addressed, but most of Kansas City’s draft choices must be used on defensive players.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The pre-draft goals were written before the Tyreek Hill audio tape was brought to light. As a result of it being made public, the Chiefs felt as though they needed to find a replacement for the troubled receiver. The problem is that they both reached and needlessly traded up for Mecole Hardman. Not only could they have waited for Hardman at the end of the second round; they probably could have obtained him in the third frame! This was an extremely poor decision that reeked of panic.

The Hardman blunder was awful, but the Chiefs did well otherwise. Both safety Juan Thornhill and defensive tackle Khalen Saunders provided good value after that on Day 2. It was disappointing to see Kansas City fail to address both defensive end (beyond Frank Clark) and cornerback, but with so many needs, they just couldn’t afford to do everything.

This should be considered an underwhelming draft for the Chiefs. It’s never a good thing when a team panics, especially with its first pick. Unfortunately circumstances prompted the desperation decision, however.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Chiefs pick.
New Orleans Saints: B+ Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: What the Saints need most is an officiating crew that doesn’t screw them over in big games. That’s not available in the draft, however, so they must instead focus on the few areas of weakness they have on their roster. Wide receiver, defensive tackle and cornerback must all be addressed, but those needs pale in comparison to center, thanks to the surprising retirement of Max Unger.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: It can’t have been a surprise that the Saints used their first selection on a replacement for the retired Max Unger. What was shocking was that Erik McCoy was available. We heard that McCoy received some consideration from teams in the late teens, so watching him fall to No. 48 didn’t make any sense. Credit the Saints for trading up and finding an amazing value to fill their greatest need.

The Saints had just two other picks outside of the seventh round, so they’re difficult to grade overall. However, safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was a tremendous find in the fourth round. Gardner-Johnson is another player who could have been chosen much earlier.

Though New Orleans didn’t have much to work with, the team did extremely well with the resources it had. The front office deserves a good grade as a result.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Saints pick.
Los Angeles Rams: B Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: The offensive line has been a major reason why the Rams have been so successful the past two years. The blocking unit took some hits, however, losing Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan this offseason, so Los Angeles must find some blockers this offseason. It also has some areas to address on defense. Cornerback and edge rusher were issues last year, and now the team must replace Ndamukong Suh. A new running back must be obtained as well because of Todd Gurley’s concerning knee problems.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Rams entered the weekend with no selections after No. 31 overall until the end of the third round. They were desperate to trade down, and they did just that. Repeatedly. In fact, they didn’t make a selection until No. 61 overall.

It was worth the wait for Rams fans, as their front office obtained some stellar values in 61-79 range. They began with safety Taylor Rapp, who was a steal at the end of Round 2. Running back Darrell Henderson and cornerback David Long were also solid choices. Henderson provides a nice insurance policy for Todd Gurley and his troubled knees, while Long could contribute as a rookie at the Rams’ problematic cornerback position.

The Rams didn’t address their offensive line until their fourth pick, which was a reach in Bobby Evans. Another lineman, David Edwards, was not a good selection in the fifth round because he resembled a human turnstile at Wisconsin last year. Because of the Rams’ inability to help improve their offensive line, they can’t be graded very highly. However, they did very well otherwise, particularly in regard to obtaining more resources.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Rams pick.
New England Patriots: A- Grade

Goals Entering the 2019 NFL Draft: Outside of Julian Edelman, the Patriots don’t have any offensive play-makers in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. Two will need to be acquired in the 2019 NFL Draft to help Tom Brady. And speaking of Brady, the Patriots should find his successor, given that he turns 42 in August. As for the defense, New England will have to find a replacement for the departed Trey Flowers.

2019 NFL Draft Accomplishments: The Patriots didn’t end up using two picks on downfield play-makers for Tom Brady, and they shockingly didn’t spend a single selection on a tight end. However, their first-round choice was used on a receiver, N’Keal Harry. The talented Arizona State product should replace the suspended Josh Gordon as Brady’s top downfield threat. Another weapon should have been added, but perhaps the Patriots have their eye on a tight end who could hit free agency following this weekend, like the Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph, who is being replaced by Irv Smith Jr.

Including the Harry pick, three of New England’s first four choices were graded as an A+ or an “A.” This includes high-effort edge rusher Chase Winovich, who out-produced Rashan Gary at Michigan, as well as running back Damien Harris, who could have been taken off the board an entire round prior to No. 87. The lone criticism I have of the Patriots’ first two days was the pick used on cornerback Joejuan Williams. That wasn’t a horrible decision by any means, but it was a bit of a reach.

It was hardly a surprise that the Patriots put together a great draft class. Aside from wasting a pick on a punter, all of their moves were logical, and they deserve an overall grade to reflect that.

See NFL Draft Grades for every single Patriots pick.