Hoodie Network
Let’s just jump right into it. I’m going to be grading every pick of rounds 1-3 and then going over my favorite picks of the rest of the draft. And just for some context, this draft has more players with 2nd and 3rd round grades than there are 2nd and 3rd round picks, so you’ll see a lot of “this is good value for this player, but I have higher ranked prospects available at the position”.
Round 1
1 (1). Jacksonville Jaguars – EDGE Travon Walker, Georgia | Grade: A-
Personally, I am not as high on Travon Walker as everybody else. I have him as EDGE 5 in this class. I do love his upside, but I don’t think his career will live up to his unbelievable Combine performance. Still, if this is your guy, you go get him. And that’s what the Jaguars did.
2 (2). Detroit Lions – EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan | Grade: A+
My EDGE 1. He’s just so smart and has all the tools to be a phenomenal pass rusher for 10+ years. Plus, he’s from Michigan, he played at Michigan, he’s staying in Michigan. The Lions are thrilled that the Jaguars let him fall to pick 2.
3 (3). Houston Texans – CB Derek Stingley Jr, LSU | Grade: A-
I have Sauce Gardner as the best corner in the class, and I even have Trent McDuffie as CB2. Stingley Jr has missed lots of time with injury. And when he did play, he didn’t look nearly the same as he did in 2019, when he was the best corner college football had scene in quite some time. All of that considered, this pick still gets an A-. That shows just how ridiculous his potential is. He has “don’t even think of throwing it to this side of the field” type potential.
4 (4). New York Jets – CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Cincinnati | Grade: A+
The Jets needed CB help and they get the best one in the class after one CB has already been drafted. Sauce Gardner has all of the upside that Stingley Jr has, without the questions about health and bad play. This guy is a stud!
5 (5). New York Giants – EDGE Kavyon Thibodeaux, Oregon | Grade: A-
I actually don’t like the draft strategy here from the Giants. I think everyone knew that Carolina was going tackle with the next pick, so if Thibodeaux is your guy, he’ll be there at pick 7. The Giants should have taken a tackle here to ensure that they got the one they had at the top of their draft board. The only reasoning I can think of to not do so is that they didn’t care which tackle they got, so they secured their pass rusher first.
6 (6). Carolina Panthers – OT Ikem Ekwonu, North Carolina State | Grade: A
The only reason this isn’t an A+ is because I have Evan Neal ranked slightly ahead of him. Ekwonu does have more guard flexibility than Neal, but he’s going to be the LT of the future.
7 (7). New York Giants – OT Evan Neal, Alabama | Grade: A+
My highest rated tackle. Evan Neal is a giant of a man and he’s incredibly agile for his size. He’ll step in as the starting tackle to help protect Daniel Jones, or whoever is playing quarterback for the Giants next season.
8 (8). Atlanta Falcons – WR Drake London, USC | Grade: A
Atlanta needed to add a receiver. You can’t go into a season with a WR room consisting of Olamide Zaccheaus, Frank Darby, and Damiere Byrd. No disrespect to them, but they are WR2s at absolute max, most likely WR3s. Drake London instantly comes in as the best WR, and he and Kyle Pitts should make an amazing tandem for whoever is playing QB for the Falcons in the future. The only reason this isn’t an A+ is because I have 2 other WRs ranked just barely ahead of London.
9 (9). Seattle Seahawks – OT Charles Cross, Mississippi State | Grade: A+
The last of the top tier tackles, Cross will fill in immediately at LT for Seattle. He might end up as a guard for his career, but he’s got the talent to start from Day 1 at tackle. A great pick that keeps Drew Lock protected.
10 (10). New York Jets – WR Garrett Wilson, Ohio State | Grade: A+
Again, the Jets get the best player at the position after one has already been drafted. The Jets are either extremely lucky or they are doing some insanely weird, and probably illegal, cult-like rituals.
11 (11). New Orleans Saints – WR Chris Olave, Ohio State | Grade: A
The Saints trade up to get in on the run on WRs. Chris Olave is their guy, and they don’t mind spending a 3rd and a 4th to make sure they get him. The Saints are always aggressive in the draft, and this time they get a deep threat to go along with the route running specialist Michael Thomas. I like it.
12 (12). Detroit Lions – WR Jameson Williams, Alabama | Grade: A+
My WR2. The Lions weren’t about to let the WR run happen without them, so they trade up to take Alabama speedster Jameson Williams. I love this pick.
13 (13). Philadelphia Eagles – DL Jordan Davis, Georgia | Grade A+
Everybody was mocking Jordan Davis to the Ravens. It made perfect sense. Well, Howie Roseman and the Eagles say, “NUH UH!” They trade up and take the man who blew everyone away at the Combine. In the words of Adam Lefkoe and Jason Kelce, “Why not take the biggest, fastest, strongest player?” I think their reaction tells you everything you need to know.
14 (14). Baltimore Ravens – S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame | Grade: A+
How do you bounce back from the Eagles stealing the “perfect fit” prospect? Easy – just get the perfect prospect period. Kyle Hamilton is the best player in this class. He is incredibly versatile and the only reason he’s available here is because teams don’t value his position that highly. Well, now the league is going to have to reap what they sow. This Baltimore secondary is going to terrorize the NFL for years to come.
15 (15). Houston Texans – IOL Kenyon Green IOL, Texas A&M | Grade: B+
This is a classic “love the player, hate the spot they were drafted”. I love Kenyon Green. He is going to start at guard and probably make plenty of Pro Bowls in his career. I just think that the Texans have bigger needs and should be taking the best player available. If they are set on going interior OL, Tyler Linderbaum is a better prospect.
16 (16). Washington Commanders – WR Jahan Dotson, Penn State | Grade: B+
Jahan Dotson is a hell of a player. The Commanders needed a WR across from Terry McLaurin. I just think that Dotson was the clearly the 6th best of the top 6 receivers of this class, which sounds harsher than it truly is. He’s a round 1 guy, he just doesn’t have the traits for me to take him this high. Treylon Burks has those traits to me. I would have liked a trade back or a different pick.
17 (17). Los Angeles Chargers – IOL Zion Johnson, Boston College | Grade: A-
Why is this pick graded higher than the Texans pick, even though they both passed on Tyler Linderbaum? Because the only hole on the Chargers offense is RG (and maybe RT, but Trey Pipkins should be alright there). By taking Zion Johnson, the Chargers are pretty much set on offense.
18 (18). Tennessee Titans – WR Treylon Burks, Arkansas | Grade: B+
The Titans traded away A.J. Brown in order to get this pick. Umm, am I missing something? The Titans finished 1st in the AFC last year. Why are we trading away A.J. Brown to take… A.J. Brown? As Connor Rogers pointed out: if everything goes right, Treylon Burks turns out to be A.J. Brown. My only guess is they didn’t want to pay Brown, but I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Ask the 49ers if they regret trading away DeForest Buckner to draft Javon Kinlaw back in the 2020 NFL Draft.
19 (19). New Orleans Saints – OT Trevor Penning, Northern Iowa |Grade: B+
This is right around where I expected Trevor Penning to go. I have Bernhard Raimann ranked ahead of him, even though Raimann is already 24, but most people do not. Good value, I just have my questions about Penning.
20 (20). Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh | Grade: A-
Pickett was my QB1, strictly because of Malik Willis’ struggles under pressure. A question for the Steelers: is Pickett going to start right away? If so, then good pick. If you want him to wait and learn behind Mitchell Trubisky, then why not take Willis, who has the higher potential. My guess is he starts right away because the Steelers are in “win now” mode.
21 (21). Kansas City Chiefs – CB Trent McDuffie, Washington | Grade: A+
McDuffie was a Tier 1 corner, along with Sauce Gardner, for me. These two have very high floors and “best in the league” potential. For context, Stingley Jr has the same potential but a lower floor, which is why he was a Tier 1b corner for me. The Chiefs trade up and take one of my favorite prospects.
22 (22). Green Bay Packers – LB Quay Walker, Georgia | Grade: F
You trade away Davante Adams, Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target. Everybody in the world knows that you need to get Rodgers some help. You have two 1st round picks. Do you package those picks together to trade up into the WR run? No. A.J. Brown was traded for pick 18. Do the Packers match that value? No. What do you do? Draft the third best linebacker out of Georgia in this draft. Not to mention Aaron said on Pat McAfee’s show he expected Davante Adams to be there when he made his decision to return.
23 (23). Buffalo Bills – CB Kaiir Elam, Florida | Grade: A
The Cardinals traded this pick for Hollywood Brown (which makes the A.J. Brown trade look like a steal), and the Bills trade up with the Ravens to take Kaiir Elam. I have him ranked 32nd, but he’s the next best corner on my board. They spend a 4th rounder to make sure that the Cowboys don’t take Elam before they can. Great pick for a Bills team that has almost no weaknesses.
24 (24). Dallas Cowboys – OT Tyler Smith, Tulsa | Grade: A-
The Cowboys take Tyler Smith, a tackle who might be better suited shifting inside to guard. I like this pick. The Cowboys line is getting older, and Tyron Smith has missed games consistently. Tyler Smith can learn behind a stellar Cowboys line and fill in at tackle when Tyron Smith inevitably misses games.
25 (25). Baltimore Ravens – IOL Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa | Grade: A+
Ravens get a top 10 player in the draft and everyone asks, “How do we keep letting this happen?” Tyler Linderbaum got knocked for positional value and having shorter arms than some teams want. I’ve got a question: did you even watch his tape? He dominates when he’s on the field. He is a game changer. He played in the Big 10, where they have defenders with the all-powerful long arms that should have stopped Linderbaum in his tracks. Lots of teams overthought this one and the Ravens reap the benefits.
26 (26). New York Jets – EDGE Jermaine Johnson II, Florida State | Grade: A+
I love this pick. The Jets continue their amazing start to the draft. Jermaine Johnson should have come off the board 10 picks sooner, and the Jets trade up and get a phenomenal pass rusher.
27 (27). Jacksonville Jaguars – LB Devin Lloyd, Utah | Grade: A+
The Jags needed an overhaul of the LB room, and they spend a few Day 3 picks to move up a few spots and take the best one in the draft. I would consider this a bit of a fall for Lloyd, but I’ll chalk it up to positional value. Lloyd is a Day 1 impact player and a leader on this defense.
28 (28). Green Bay Packers – DL Devonte Wyatt, Georgia | Grade: B+
This grade would be higher if they had already secured a receiver for Aaron Rodgers. This pick itself is good. I like Wyatt and I like this fit, but not using either 1st rounder on pass catching talent, through draft or trade, is a headscratcher.
29 (29). New England Patriots – IOL Cole Strange, Chattanooga | Grade: D-
I hate this. Not only do I hate this pick, but it makes me say bad things about a player I really like. Yes, the Patriots need interior line help since losing Ted Karras to the Bengals in free agency and trading away Shaq Mason to Tom Brady and the Bucs, but the value here is terrible. I really like Cole Strange, but who was about to take him that made it impossible to trade back and still get him? Bill Belichick is a HOF head coach, but he is just not a good GM.
30 (30). Kansas City Chiefs – EDGE George Karlaftis, Purdue | Grade: A+
When I made my mock draft, I had the Chiefs taking S Daxton Hill and EDGE David Ojabo. The Chiefs decided they wanted a better defensive back and a better pass rusher. They killed this 1st round.
31 (31). Cincinnati Bengals – S Daxton Hill, Michigan | Grade: A+
I love Daxton Hill. He can play all over this Bengals defense and have immediate impact.
32 (32). Minnesota Vikings – S Lewis Cine, Georgia | Grade: A-
I like this pick, but I think they need help more at corner than safety. I would have taken Andrew Booth Jr. Either way, Cine should start alongside Harrison Smith, who is getting older and should make for a great mentor.
Round 2
1 (33). Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DL Logan Hall, Houston |
Grade: A
There aren’t many holes on this roster, but the Bucs get a great player in
Logan Hall. Hall has flexibility to play inside or outside on the defensive
line. Great pick to add depth and an eventual 3 down starter.
2 (34). Green Bay Packers – WR Christian Watson, North
Dakota State | Grade: B+
It’s almost like the Packers had a full day to listen to everyone clown them
over their first day of the draft. They trade up to get a WR. This is right
around where I expected Watson to go, end of 1st/start of 2nd. I was lower on
him, having him as a end of 2nd/start of 3rd guy, but I recognize that I’m
lower on him than most people were. Good value here, but it’s hard to be happy
with Christian Watson as your WR1 when looking at all the ammo you had to get a
Tier 1 guy.
3 (35). Tennessee Titans – CB Roger McCreary, Auburn |
Grade: B+
I agree with the position, I just have two other guys ranked higher: Andrew
Booth Jr and Kyler Gordon. I think McCreary is a high-floor guy, but doesn’t
have the potential that the other two have.
4 (36). New York Jets – RB Breece Hall, Iowa State | Grade:
B+
I really like Michael Carter. I don’t think he’s a bell cow RB, but I’d have
liked to see him run behind a better offensive line this year before making him
RB2. Make no mistake, Breece Hall is the best RB on that team now. He can run
and make plays as a receiver. We’ve seen teams be successful with 2 good RBs, I
just hope they don’t forget how good Michael Carter is.
5 (37). Houston Texans – CB Jalen Pitre, Baylor | Grade:
B
I have Pitre as a CB, not S, because I view him as a slot CB with more versatility.
He was so successful in the slot it would be bad football to move him off that.
He is also a good safety, but the Texans should use him in a way that maximizes
his ability. I’m not sure I trust the Texans with that responsibility yet, and
I also think they could have gotten better value with this pick.
6 (38). Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Arnold Ebiketie, Penn
State | Grade: B+
I like Ebiketie, but I have other EDGE prospects rated ahead of him. Still, he
will help a Falcons defense that desperately needs EDGE talent.
7 (39). Chicago Bears – CB Kyler Gordon, Washington |
Grade: B+
I still prefer Andrew Booth Jr, but even more I would have liked them to
address Justin Fields. They desperately need offensive line help and a WR1.
They choose to go defense, and Kyler Gordon has lots of potential.
8 (40). Seattle Seahawks – EDGE Boye Mafe, Minnesota |
Grade: A-
This is good value for Mafe, and the Seahawks need help at pass rusher.
9 (41). Seattle Seahawks – RB Kenneth Walker III,
Michigan State | Grade: B-
Don’t expect much pass catching from Walker III. He is a pure runner, and he’s
really good at it. He’ll be a solid RB, but I’m not sure the plan here. Chris
Carson and Rashad Penny are already here, so they must have questions about
their health.
10 (42). Minnesota Vikings – CB Andrew Booth Jr, Clemson
| Grade: A+
Remember a couple picks ago when I said the Vikings should have taken Andrew
Booth Jr? Well they did! I have Booth Jr as a fringe 1st rounder and
getting him here is great value.
11 (43). New York Giants – WR Wan’Dale Robinson, Kentucky
| Grade C+
Wan’Dale Robinson is my 109th ranked player. Drafting him this high is
really bad value. It’s obvious they are trying to replace Kadarius Toney, who
they have been actively trying to trade. They are very similar players and
Robinson doesn’t have the character concerns that Toney is said to have, but
Toney has more shake in his game and doesn’t have the size concerns that
Robinson does.
12 (44). Houston Texans – WR John Metchie III, Alabama |
Grade: B+
I think this is a bit too high for John Metchie III. I like his speed and
fluidness, but I think there are better players to draft at this spot
considering the Texans need all the talent they could get. I have him ranked 60th and
he’s picked at 44. I would like this pick if he was filling a hole on a roster
ready to compete, but that’s not the case for the Texans.
13 (45). Baltimore Ravens – EDGE David Ojabo, Michigan |
Grade: A+
I have a 1st round grade on Ojabo. To get him in the 2nd is great
value, but what makes this an A+ as opposed to just an A is the fact that the
Ravens can afford to draft him and stash him until he’s fully healthy. They
aren’t desperate for pass rush need, but when he’s able to play he becomes part
of an amazing defensive front.
14 (46). Detroit Lions – EDGE Josh Pascal, Kentucky |
Grade: B
I think this is an overdraft. My 78th ranked player at 46. I like that
Detroit is attacking their needs, though.
15 (47). Washington Commanders – DL Phidarian Mathis,
Alabama | Grade: A-
Good value. Washington gets depth in the interior defensive line, where Daron
Payne is set to be a FA next year if they don’t resign him.
16 (48). Chicago Bears – S Jaquan Brisker, Penn State |
Grade: B+
Chicago doubles down on the secondary. They get good value for the player, but
again I’d like to see them address the offense.
17 (49). New Orleans Saints – CB Alontae Taylor,
Tennessee | Grade: B+
A little high for my 65th ranked player, but he is the
best remaining corner. If you are set on taking a corner at this spot, you
might not want to risk trading back and having your guy taken from you.
18 (50). New England Patriots – WR Tyquan Thornton,
Baylor | Grade: F
Welp… he’s fast! Thornton didn’t make my Top 120 players and has a 4th round
grade for me. He’s fast, but I’m not sure he can do much more than that. The
Pats not only overdraft him, but trade up to do so. Bill Belichick the GM
strikes again!
19 (51). Philadelphia Eagles – IOL Cam Jurgens, Nebraska
| Grade: B-
I have a 3rd round grade on him. However, when you see what Jason
Kelce said about him, it’s hard not to spend this pick on him. Even if it’s
an overdraft, you trust what your Hall of Fame center says about this guy and
make sure you get him.
20 (52). Pittsburgh Steelers – WR George Pickens, Georgia
| Grade: B-
It’s hard to not give the Steelers an A+ no matter what receiver they take, considering
their track record. They just get it right. However, George Pickens has some
major red flags for me. Admittedly, I’m lower on him than almost everybody (101st),
but I think his character concerns and lack of effort on certain tape is too
damning to instantly proclaim this pick a win.
21 (53). Indianapolis Colts – WR Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
| Grade: C
I have a 3rd round grade on him, and I have 7 WRs ranked ahead of him. I
just don’t know if he has the juice to succeed at the next level. Some people
think that Desmond Ridder didn’t allow him to shine, so I’ll give him the
benefit of the doubt. I still think a 2nd round pick is too high for him.
22 (54). Kansas City Chiefs – WR Skyy Moore, Western
Michigan | Grade: B+
Kansas City traded away Tyreek Hill, and here they get a WR to replace him. No,
he’s not Tyreek. No one is, but Skyy Moore is just always open. I can already
see him converting 3rd down passes from Mahomes. I liked Jalen Tolbert
better, but I’m not mad at the selection because Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid
will find a way to utilize him properly.
23 (55). Arizona Cardinals – TE Trey McBride, Colorado
State | Grade: B
Trey McBride is a hell of a player, but I don’t think adding a third TE
alongside Zach Ertz and Maxx Williams addresses the needs of this Cardinals
roster. I would have liked to see a defensive pick here.
24 (56). Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Sam Williams, Ole Miss |
Grade: C+
I like the position, but I have 7 EDGEs ranked higher than him.
25 (57). Tampa Bay Buccaneers – IOL Luke Goedeke, Central
Michigan | Grade: A
The Bucs lost their two starting guards to retirement and free agency. They
fill them by trading for Shaq Mason and drafting Luke Goedeke here. He played
right tackle in college, but he’ll start right away at guard. The Bucs are
primed to make one last run at the Lombardi trophy.
26 (58). Atlanta Falcons – LB Troy Anderson, Montana
State | Grade: C-
I really do like Troy Anderson’s potential. He should become a good starting LB
one day, but right now I have 8 LBs ranked ahead of him.
27 (59). Minnesota Vikings – IOL Ed Ingram, LSU | Grade:
C
I’ve got a late 3rd round grade and 9 other interior o-lineman ranked
ahead of him. I don’t like the value here.
28 (60). Cincinnati Bengals – CB Cam Taylor-Britt,
Nebraska | Grade: B-
Taylor-Britt was on the verge of making my top 120 players. I have four CBs
ranked one tier ahead of him, though. When I was evaluating Taylor-Britt, I
wanted to put him as a mid-2nd round guy, but there were other people who
kept pushing him down the board. However, I like that the Bengals are doubling
down on secondary.
29 (61). San Francisco 49ers – EDGE Drake Jackson, USC |
Grade: A-
I like this pick. Dee Ford isn’t his former self, and they would need EDGE help
even if he was. Drake Jackson was a polarizing prospect, but I have him as a
middle 2nd round prospect.
30 (62). Kansas City Chiefs – S Bryan Cook, Cincinnati |
Grade: B+
When they made this pick, they expected to lose Tyrann Mathieu. At the time of
this article, it’s official. The Chiefs get a starting caliber safety who will
try to minimize the gaping hole that Tyrann Mathieu leaves in this Chiefs
defense.
31 (63). Buffalo Bills – RB James Cook, Georgia | Grade:
A-
I have Isaiah Spiller and James Cook neck-and-neck in my rankings, so I’m not
going to knock the Bills for not taking the guy I have ahead of Cook by the
thinnest of margins. The Bills are a team with a roster that is nearly perfect.
Some people had them taking a RB in the 1st round, but here they get James
Cook, who I think has the potential to take over most of the snaps for this
backfield.
32 (64). Denver Broncos – EDGE Nik Bonitto, Oklahoma |
Grade: A-
Good value for the Broncos. Their offense is set, apart from TE. They must
continue adding talented pieces to the defense.
Round 3
1 (65). Jacksonville Jaguars – IOL Luke Fortner, Kentucky
| Grade: B
The Jaguars add a center who will help protect Trevor Lawrence. I have two
prospects ranked higher than him on the interior o-line, but the value here is
still good.
2 (66). Minnesota Vikings – LB Brian Asamoah, Oklahoma |
Grade: B+
The value for Brian Asamoah here is good, but I have other LBs ranked higher
than him. Maybe my LB rankings are crazy or maybe the league just doesn’t value
the other prospects as high as I do.
3 (67). New York Giants – IOL Joshua Ezeudu, North
Carolina | Grade: C+
This is honestly pretty good value for Ezeudu, but I have 7 prospects rated
higher. I would have liked to see a defensive pick or maybe even TE.
4 (68). Cleveland Browns – CB Martin Emerson, Mississippi
State | Grade: C+
I don’t like this pick. I have Martin Emerson as a late 3rd round pick,
and I have 10 corners ranked ahead of him. However, the Browns have strict age
guardrails that they follow. If a prospect is 23 years old by the time of the
draft, the Browns will not draft him. There are only 3 corners ranked ahead of
Martin Emerson that fall into this category. I’m not one to argue with success,
but this time the guardrails caused them to overdraft Martin Emerson. Still, he
should be a good rotational DB for this strong Browns secondary.
5 (69). Tennessee Titans – OT Nicholas Petit-Frere, Ohio
State | Grade: A-
This is really good value on a prospect that could contend for a starting job
at right tackle. Petit-Frere had his ups and downs, but I believe he could
develop into a good starter.
6 (70). Jacksonville Jaguars – LB Chad Muma, Wyoming |
Grade: B+
Other people were higher on Chad Muma than I was, and they’ll be quick to give
this pick an A+. I still love this pick, just not as much. Jacksonville pairs
Muma with Devin Lloyd, who they drafted earlier. As Connor Rogers said, “This
tells me that they will use Devin Lloyd as a pass rusher as well.” This pick
opens up Lloyd to have even more influence on this Jaguars defense.
7 (71). Chicago Bears – WR Velus Jones Jr, Tennessee |
Grade: C
If the Bears had drafted Jalen Tolbert here, I would give them an A+. They
instead draft Velus Jones Jr, a prospect who will be 25 years old as a rookie
who never really produced in college. He does have the tools and traits to be
successful in the league, but they value here is not good.
8 (72). Seattle Seahawks – OT Abraham Lucas, Washington
State | Grade: A-
The Seahawks add two starting tackles in this draft in Charles Cross and
Abraham Lucas. The interior offensive line might still need work, but the
outside should be set.
9 (73). Indianapolis Colts – TE Jelani Woods, Virginia |
Grade: B-
I have a 3rd round grade on Woods, but based on how the board fell this is
bad value. Only one TE has been taken so far, and I have 8 guys ranked ahead of
him. I really would have liked to see them take Charlie Kolar to replace Jack
Doyle, who retired this offseason.
10 (74). Atlanta Falcons – QB Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
| Grade: B+
I love the value here for Desmond Ridder, but why isn’t this Malik Willis.
Ridder isn’t going to start right away, so you might as well take Willis who
has tremendously more potential than Ridder. With Kyle Pitts and Drake London,
I’d have loved if they took the strong arm of Willis.
11 (75). Houston Texans – LB Christian Harris, Alabama |
Grade: A
I love this pick. The Texans needed to upgrade their LB room, and they bring in
a guy who started three years at Alabama.
12 (76). Baltimore Ravens – DL Travis Jones, Connecticut
| Grade: A+
The Ravens are racking up A+ grades. This is almost as ideal of a match that
can be made between prospect and team. The goliath known as Travis Jones
somehow falls all the way to Baltimore, who just keep finding great pieces in
this draft.
13 (77). Indianapolis Colts – OT Bernhard Raimann,
Central Michigan | Grade: A+
I have a late round 1 grade on Raimann, and the Colts get him in the 3rd. I
think he starts at LT from day 1 and replaces Erik Fisher.
14 (78). Cleveland Browns – EDGE Alex Wright, UAB |
Grade: A-
Good value here for Alex Wright. The Browns are uncertain if Jadeveon Clowney
will resign. They add EDGE depth, which is great whether they bring back
Clowney or not.
15 (79). Los Angeles Chargers – S JT Woods, Baylor | Grade:
B-
I have 5 other safeties ranked ahead of him, and I really would have liked to
see a different defensive pick here. There’s good value at interior defensive
line and linebacker.
16 (80). Denver Broncos – TE Greg Dulcich, UCLA | Grade:
B
This is good value for Dulcich, but as I said before there are much better TEs
left to draft.
17 (81). New York Giants – CB Cordale Flott, LSU | Grade:
B-
I like Flott, but not this high. There are 8 guys ranked ahead of him on my
draft board.
18 (82). Atlanta Falcons – EDGE Deangelo Malone, Western
Kentucky | Grade: A-
One of my favorite picks. Falcons get really good value on one of the best EDGE
rushers left in this class. The Falcons are doing a great job at revamping
their pass rush in this draft.
19 (83). Philadelphia Eagles – LB Nakobe Dean, Georgia |
Grade: A+
Nakobe Dean dropped because of medical questions. The Eagles get my 16th overall
prospect with the 83rd pick. Insane value.
20 (84). Pittsburgh Steelers – DL DeMarvin Leal, Texas
A&M | Grade: A-
The Steelers get a player that was a Top-10 lock before his very average season
this past year. Using a 3rd round pick and betting on the upside. I love
it.
21 (85). New England Patriots – CB Marcus Jones, Houston
| Grade: A-
The first good pick by the Patriots this draft. Actually, it’s their first pick
that is even in the realm of defensible. They get a good slot cornerback, who
just so happens to also be a dangerous return man. Like Devin Hester type
dangerous.
22 (86). Tennessee Titans – QB Malik Willis, Liberty |
Grade: A+
The Titans get their QB of the future who somehow (!!!) fell this far. Willis
will learn behind Ryan Tannehill. If Willis is ready to start next year, the
Titans can move on from Tannehill and continue to contend for championships.
23 (87). Arizona Cardinals – EDGE Cameron Thomas, San
Diego State | Grade: B-
Some people like Cameron Thomas wayyy more than I do. He’s a good player, but
there are other EDGEs I like more.
24 (88). Dallas Cowboys – WR Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
| Grade: A+
I have Tolbert ranked 55th overall. He could have immediately helped a
team as a WR2. Instead, he goes to the Cowboys where he can start as WR3. This
gives him time to adjust to the jump from FCS to NFL. He could not have landed
in a better spot. Also, the Cowboys will eventually have a very good WR2 across
from CeeDee Lamb.
25 (89). Buffalo Bills – LB Terrel Bernard, Baylor |
Grade: C+
I like the position, but there are better LBs remaining in this draft.
26 (90). Las Vegas Raiders – IOL Dylan Parham, Memphis | Grade:
A
I have Parham ranked as a mid 2nd rounder. To get him in the late 3rd is
really good value. I like him to start at guard for the Raiders.
27 (91). Tampa Bay Buccaneers – RB Rachaad White, Arizona
State | Grade: C-
Rachaad White is a polarizing prospect. I liked 7 other RBs better than him and
think he lacks the vision to really succeed at the next level.
28 (92). Green Bay Packers – IOL Sean Rhyan, UCLA |
Grade: A-
The Packers need help at interior o-line. Sean Rhyan has a chance to start at
RG.
29 (93). San Francisco 49ers – RB Ty Davis-Price, LSU |
Grade: D
I have 10+ RBs ranked higher than him. Also, he doesn’t really fit their
running scheme. Also also, running back is not their biggest need. However, at
the rate that RBs get hurt in San Francisco, I guess the depth doesn’t hurt.
30 (94). Carolina Panthers – QB Matt Corral, Ole Miss |
Grade: A
Carolina gets their project QB of the future. Great value for a QB with good
upside.
31 (95). Cincinnati Bengals – EDGE Zachary Carter,
Kentucky | Grade: B-
Cincy gets a good value at EDGE, but just like the Cam Thomas pick, I like
other EDGEs more.
32 (96). Indianapolis Colts – S Nick Cross, Maryland |
Grade: B+
Very good value on a safety that has the traits to become a starter. I really
like this pick.
*33 (97). Detroit Lions – S Kerby Joseph, Illinois |
Grade: B
The Lions get my next ranked safety after Nick Cross, but Kerby Joseph doesn’t
have the experience to start in the NFL right away.
*34 (98). Washington Commanders – RB Brian Robinson Jr,
Alabama | Grade: C
Washington gets a good RB, but again I have many other RBs ranked higher.
*35 (99). Cleveland Browns – WR David Bell, Purdue |
Grade: B+
I would have preferred Khalil Shakir here. David Bell has amazing ball skills,
and I think he’ll make his living on jump balls and back shoulder fades. On the
other hand, there isn’t any shred of defender manipulation to his game. He
relies on being able to snatch the ball away from the defender. If Amari Cooper
can teach him some defender manipulation and route running, he could be really
good.
*36 (100). Arizona Cardinals – EDGE Myjai Sanders,
Cincinnati | Grade: A-
This is really good value for the Cardinals. Much better than the Cameron
Thomas pick.
*37 (101). New York Jets – TE Jeremy Ruckert, Ohio State
| Grade: B+
I like other TEs better than Ruckert, but he is the perfect TE3. He is an
amazing blocker, but he also has catching ability that wasn’t really needed in
a studded Ohio State offense. The Jets can utilize his blocking ability as he
learns behind C.J. Umozah and Tyler Conklin.
*38 (102). Miami Dolphins – LB Channing Tindall, Georgia
| Grade: A-
I have Tindall as a 2nd rounder, so getting him at the very end of round 3
is tremendous value.
*39 (103). Kansas City Chiefs – LB Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
| Grade: A-
Chenal is a great pick-up at the end of the 3rd round. He has a late 2nd/early
3rd round grade from me.
*40 (104). Los Angeles Rams – IOL Logan Bruss, Wisconsin
| Grade: A
The Rams lost Austin Corbett to free agency, and they draft a guy who I gave a
2nd round grade. He should immediately start at RG.
*41 (105). San Francisco 49ers – WR Danny Gray, SMU |
Grade: B-
Again, I would have really liked to see Khalil Shakir taken here.
That’s every pick through 3 rounds. Now I’m just going to highlight my favorite picks from the rest of the draft since a lot of these picks are just for depth.
Round 4
1 (106). Tampa Bay Buccaneers – TE Cade Otton, Washington | Grade: A
Tampa Bay gets one of the best TEs in this class. He doesn’t have much juice speed-wise, but Tom Brady is used to playing with a TE with limited juice in Rob Gronkowski.
3 (108). Cleveland Browns – DL Perrion Winfrey, Oklahoma | Grade: A-
Winfrey has some question marks, but his pass rushing ability is not one of them. He can rush the passer from the interior, which is immensely valuable to a team with interior d-line worries. Plus, the AFC is loaded with QB talent and adding pieces to disrupt the pocket never hurts.
4 (109). Seattle Seahawks – CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati | Grade: A-
Very solid CB that adds depth to a shaky secondary in Seattle.
5 (110). Baltimore Ravens – OT Daniel Faalele, Minnesota | Grade: A-
Great value on a tackle who can back up Ronnie Stanley, who’s been injured a lot lately, and Morgan Moses, who they signed to replace Alejandro Villanueva.
6 (111). New York Jets – OT Max Mitchell, Louisiana | Grade: A+
A 2nd round player for me, the Jets get a guy who has tackle-guard flexibility. They have been publicly upset with Mekhi Becton, and I think Mitchell can step in and start at right tackle if need be. Love this pick.
17 (122). Las Vegas Raiders – RB Zamir White, Georgia | Grade: A
Insanely great value for a RB here. The only reason it’s not an A+ is because he doesn’t add much as a pass catcher, and they already have Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake.
18 (123). Los Angeles Chargers – RB Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M | Grade: A+
This is potentially one of the best picks of the entire draft. Spiller is immediately RB2 and gives the Chargers two RBs who both can run and catch. I love this!
23 (128). Baltimore Ravens – TE Charlie Kolar, Iowa State | Grade: A+
Charlie Kolar has a 2nd round grade for me. I have been waiting for him to come off the board and, of course, it’s to the Ravens. Nobody has let top players fall to them like the Ravens.
30 (135). Kansas City Chiefs – CB Joshua Williams, Fayetteville State | Grade: A
I expected to Joshua Williams to go way higher than this. The Chiefs continue to add great depth in the secondary.
Round 5
2 (145). Kansas City Chiefs – IOL Darian Kinnard, Kentucky | Grade: A+
My 79th overall player. The Chiefs continue to have one of the best drafts I’ve ever seen. Kinnard doesn’t have to start right away and can learn behind some of the best veterans in the league.
5 (148). Buffalo Bills – WR Khalil Shakir, Boise State | Grade: A+
I am a Khalil Shakir stan. He is just always open. He will have an immediate impact as a Cole Beasley replacement in the slot.
13 (156). Cleveland Browns – RB Jerome Ford, Cincinnati | Grade: A
Jerome Ford has a late 2nd round grade for me. The Browns love having multiple RBs that can produce, and Kareem Hunt is set to be a FA after this season.
33 (176). Dallas Cowboys – LB Damone Clark, LSU | Grade: A+
I have Clark as the 5th best LB in this draft. He has injury concerns and will miss his rookie season, but to get him at the end of the 5th is ridiculously good value.
36 (179). Green Bay Packers – EDGE Kingsley Enagbare, South Carolina | Grade: A
I love Kingsley’s pass rush potential. He goes to the Packers, where he can learn behind Preston Smith and Rashan Gary.
Round 6
18 (196). Baltimore Ravens – RB Tyler Badie, Missouri | Grade: A+
Guess who? It’s the Ravens again. It’s actually starting to piss me off how good their draft has been because that means the Browns will have to face all of these amazing players twice a year for the next decade. Tyler Badie has insane production as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Combine that with J.K. Dobbins and the rest of that backfield getting healthy and they might have one of the most dynamic RB rooms in the league.
Round 7
17 (238). Las Vegas Raiders – OT Thayer Munford Jr, Ohio State | Grade: A+
I’m surprised other teams didn’t spend a higher pick solely based on what he did at LT in 2020. I think that Munford Jr has guard-tackle flexibility and has the potential to be an above average starter in the NFL.
28 (249). Green Bay Packers – OT Rasheed Walker, Penn State | Grade: A
Phenomenal value to get a swing tackle late in the 7th round. I really like Walker’s potential.
35 (256). Arizona Cardinals – LB Jesse Luketa, Penn State | Grade: A+
Luketa offers LB and EDGE rusher versatility, and the Cardinals get him over 100 picks after I thought he should be drafted.
Undrafted Free Agents
These are going to be players that I have 3rd round grades on. There’s a lot of players that I thought would be drafted that weren’t, but I’m going to focus on the best of the best. In [brackets] is the team that signed them as UDFAs.
Offense
QB
[PHI] Carson Strong, Nevada
[IND] Jack Coan, Notre Dame
RB
[NO] Abram Smith, Baylor
[PHI] Kennedy Brooks, Oklahoma
[MIA] ZaQuandre White, South Carolina
WR
[JAX] Kevin Austin Jr, Notre Dame
[KC] Justyn Ross, Clemson
[CIN] Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina
[BAL] Makai Polk, Mississippi State
TE
[BUF] Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M
OT & IOL
N/A
Defense
DL
[TEN] Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
EDGE
[DEN] Christopher Allen, Alabama
LB
[IND] JoJo Domann, Nebraska
[DAL] Aaron Hansford, Texas A&M
[BAL] Zakoby McClain, Auburn
[KC] Mike Rose, Iowa State
[LV] Darien Butler, Arizona State
CB
[NO] Vincent Gray, Michigan
[PHI] Josh Jobe, Alabama
S
[MIA] Verone McKinley III, Oregon
[DAL] Juanyeh Thomas, Georgia Tech
[NO] Smoke Monday, Auburn
Best Overall Drafts
- Baltimore Ravens
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New York Jets
- Buffalo Bills
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Detroit Lions
- Seattle Seahawks
- Jacksonville Jaguars
Tier 1: The Ravens, Chiefs, and Jets had far and away the best drafts this year. They simply acquired the most talent and had the most value in each of their picks.
Tier 2: The Bills, Eagles, and Raiders didn’t have a ton of picks in this draft, but they got incredible value on the prospects they did select.
Tier 3: The Lions, Seahawks, and Jaguars both got a lot of talent in this draft, but they also had a lot of draft capital in order do so. Great job of executing on their picks (which cannot be said about other teams), but they didn’t exceed expectations.