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From watching film and grading each players, to studying prospects and watching the draft unfold, a four month grind finally comes to a close. Thousands of hours of tape have been watched, almost all 250 of my prospects have found their future home, and every team is ready to attack the 2024 season with their new rosters.
So...where does that leave us?
Today, I'll be grading every teams draft based on how well they filled out their needs, how valuable each pick was from a film/production standpoint, and where their team stands after the dust has settled.
You could argue giving out grades right after the draft is redundant, since we haven't seen any of these guys take a snap yet, but I believe that my work - and thousands of other draft analysts' time and dedication - should be recognized by releasing a snapshot of how I view each team's draft performance. You may not agree with my grades, and that's okay; this gig would be a lot more boring if there weren't different opinions on each incoming rookie.
For one last time, let's take a look at the incoming rookies, and how each team performed in the 2024 NFL Draft!
32. Atlanta Falcons
Draft Grade: D-
This grade and ranking should shock no one. The Falcons' process was hypocritical, flawed, and outright bad. They traded up and took less valuable players than others at the positions they drafted. Atlanta looked incredibly disorganized in assessing their needs, as they drafted three interior defensive linemen and no corners, despite cornerback being the more pressing need. They did a good job of letting the board fall their way, but the selections themselves were questionable.
Favorite Pick: JD Bertrand (Round 5, Pick 143)
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
Draft Grade: C-
The Jags started off hot, taking Brian Thomas Jr. and Maason Smith with their first two picks. They quickly fizzled out after, ignoring true positions of need and not giving Trevor Lawrence enough support outside of BTJ and Javon Foster.
Favorite Pick: Brian Thomas Jr. (Round 1, Pick 23)
30. New York Jets
Draft Grade: C
Olu Fashanu is going to be a great addition to the Jets OL, and Malachi Corley fits in perfectly at slot for the time being. The rest of Gang Green's draft was pretty subpar. They drafted two similar RBs in back-to-back rounds, and didn't do much to address holes at safety and tight end. I graded them this low due to their process rather than the picks themselves, but even then, they won't have much positional versatility at the older spots on their roster.
Favorite Pick: Malachi Corley (Round 3, Pick 82)
29. Carolina Panthers
Draft Grade: C
This was a massive draft for Carolina, and they loaded up at the positions they needed to, I just wasn't overly impressed with the players they selected. Xavier Legette, Jonathon Brooks, and JT Sanders all have different red flags as prospects, and I had other players ranked higher that were available at those selections. I think they'll all do fine for the system they've joined, but it seemed like the Panthers could've hit some home runs and opted for singles.
Favorite Pick: Michael Barrett (Round 7, Pick 209)
28. Tennessee Titans
Draft Grade: C
Although I didn't have JC Latham ranked in my top 20, I think it was a good pick given how high NFL circles were on him. Cedric Gray was also a nice pick from a process perspective, but nothing else really made the Titans any better from last season. I'll feel differently if T'Vondre Sweat becomes the dominator he's made out to be, but I think that's less than likely.
Favorite Pick: JC Latham (Round 1, Pick 7)
Photo: Paul Sancya/AP Photo
27. Denver Broncos
Draft Grade: C
If I can be fully transparent, taking Bo Nix at 12th overall killed the Broncos grade for me. I actually liked most of the players for the value they were selected at, and I'll give them credit for pairing Troy Franklin back up with his college QB. Kris Abrams-Draine will fit in nicely to their secondary, and Jonah Elliss will be a good rotational pass rusher for them as well. However, Bo Nix graded out as a fringe 2nd/3rd rounder for me, and reaching nearly two rounds higher for the 6th best at his position dropped their grade down a full letter.
Favorite Pick: Troy Franklin (Round 4, Pick 102)
26. Baltimore Ravens
Draft Grade: C+
According to differing sources, the Ravens wanted Wiggins all along, and sprinted the pick in once they were on the clock. I loved the pick, as well as the Adisa Isaac selection later on, even though they are already pretty deep at edge. I think Roger Rosengarten was a decent selection given his age and ceiling, but all of their day 3 picks were poor in my eyes. They're also missing one, if not two, players for their offensive interior, and they could've used more depth at linebacker.
Favorite Pick: Nate Wiggins (Round 1, Pick 30)
25. Kansas City Chiefs
Draft Grade: C+
KC knew they needed a dynamic threat at receiver, and they got one in Xavier Worthy. They also found replacements for Travis Kelce and L'Jarius Sneed in Jared Wiley and Kamal Hadden, and added some solid OL depth with CJ Hanson and Hunter Nourzad.
So why the low mark? I feel like KC didn't do a good job of addressing their immediate needs outside of wide receiver, and they are lacking some depth across the defensive line. I'm admittedly not a fan of Kingsley Suamataia either, but I'm hopeful he develops and the pick works out for them.
Favorite Pick: Kamal Hadden (Round 6, Pick 211)
24. Miami Dolphins
Draft Grade: C+
The Dolphins' process was bizarre. They drafted two edge rushers and added another as an undrafted free agent, and although I was a fan of all of their tape, they already had three solid edge defenders on their roster, with one on a big contract, and another expecting a big pay day. I was a fan of taking Malik Washington and Tahj Washington as slot receiver options with solid upside, and taking Patrick Paul to develop behind Terron Armstead was good process as well.
Favorite Pick: Tahj Washington (Round 7, Pick 241)
23. Los Angeles Rams
Draft Grade: C+
The Rams had a fine draft in terms of who they drafted, I just didn't love where they were taken. Blake Corum seems to be a clone of Kyren Williams, Braden Fiske has a tall glass to fill to play the Aaron Donald role in that defense, and they just added depth pieces when they needed starters. Jared Verse and Kamren Kinchens are good picks, and should be the highlights of this Rams class in five years.
Favorite Pick: Kamren Kinchens (Round 3, Pick 99)
22. Green Bay Packers
Draft Grade: B-
The Packers added some good players at their biggest positions of need. Where they still lack is nickel and interior DL, and instead of picking those spots up in day 3, they mainly added backups to the positions they took across the first two days. I don't hate it, but they could've gotten more bang for their buck. Side note: Kalen King in the 7th round could be great value if he reaches the heights of his 2022 season.
Favorite Pick: Javon Bullard (Round 2, Pick 28)
21. Buffalo Bills
Draft Grade: B-
The Bills made quite a few splash picks in Keon Coleman, Cole Bishop, and Javon Solomon. I would have liked them to take a true outside cornerback and some more pieces across the interior of their OL, but that can be solved in next years' draft.
Favorite Pick: Cole Bishop (Round 2, Pick 60)
20. Dallas Cowboys
Draft Grade: B-
The only gripe I had with the Cowboys draft is they didn't take a running back despite needing one. I loved the additions of Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe to the offensive line, and Ryan Flournoy is going to be a day 3 steal as a receiver for them.
Favorite Pick: Tyler Guyton (Round 1, Pick 29)
Photo: Gareth Patterson/AP Photo
19. Washington Commanders
Draft Grade: B-
It's no secret I'm not the biggest fan of Jayden Daniels, which was my least favorite pick in the Commanders' class. They made up for it by selecting Johnny Newton, Mike Sainristil, and Ben Sinnott all with their next three picks - all of whom were ranked inside my top 40 prospects for this class.
Favorite Pick: Mike Sainristil (Round 2, Pick 50)
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Draft Grade: B-
The Bucs did a good job addressing their pressing needs. They let Graham Barton, Tykee Smith, and Jalen McMillan fall to them as great value for where they were selected. They also added Bucky Irving in day 3, who will provide some efficient carries; exactly what their rushing attack lacked in 2023.
Favorite Pick: Tykee Smith (Round 3, Pick 89)
17. Seattle Seahawks
Draft Grade: B-
If Seattle added an edge rusher and a better center, they would have knocked this draft out of the park. Despite this, drafting multiple depth defenders like DJ James and Nehemiah Prichett, and key offensive pieces like AJ Barner and Christian Haynes, will shape this roster wonderfully for the foreseeable future.
Favorite Pick: DJ James (Round 6, Pick 192)
16. Minnesota Vikings
Draft Grade: B-
The Vikings moving around in the first round paid off, as they landed their future franchise QB in JJ McCarthy. They also added a high-ceiling edge rusher in Dallas Turner, beefed up their secondary with Khyree Jackson, and added to the OL with Walter Rouse. With that, they gave up a ton of draft compensation for 2025, which left them with just one first rounder and two fifth rounders.
Favorite Pick: JJ McCarthy (Round 1, Pick 10)
15. Cincinnati Bengals
Draft Grade: B-
Cincinnati swung for the fences through days 1 and 2, hitting a dinger with each one. Amarius Mims and Jermaine Burton will have to overcome their red flags, but they could be top 5 players at their positions without them. Additionally, Kris Jenkins is a perfect replacement for DJ Reader. Day 3 was decent for Cincy, as they added depth at important positions.
Favorite Pick: Kris Jenkins (Round 2, Pick 49)
Photo: Ryan Meyer/Cincinnati Bengals
14. San Francisco 49ers
Draft Grade: B
Ricky Pearsall was one of my biggest head-scratchers of this draft. I think he's a fine player, but not first-rounder. Regardless, the 49ers got some great players throughout the next three rounds, with Isaac Guerendo being the most interesting of the bunch. His skillset will be wonderful in Shanahan's system.
Favorite Pick: Renardo Green (Round 2, Pick 64)
13. New Orleans Saints
Draft Grade: B
For all of the holes they had, the Saints did a great job of filling them. They found Carr's successor in Spencer Rattler, picked a versatile offensive tackle in Taliese Fuaga, and got a steal in the secondary in Kool-Aid McKinstry. They added some solid depth pieces as well, and this might be the class that helps get the Saints out of cap room hell.
Favorite Pick: Taliese Fuaga (Round 1, Pick 14)
12. New York Giants
Draft Grade: B
This was the first draft I thought the Giants tackled methodically and wisely since the pre-Gettleman days. They were shallow in the secondary, so they drafted defensive backs. They needed a change of pace back, so they got one. They needed uber-athletic pass catchers, so they took them. All-in-all, this was a good draft for the Giants, which sounds strange as far as draft classes go.
Favorite Pick: Andru Phillips (Round 3, Pick 70)
11. Houston Texans
Draft Grade: B
The Texans didn't have many needs coming into the draft, and they just let the board fall to them to get the guys they wanted. The only true need they have after this weekend is maybe another linebacker, but that's it. DeMeco Ryans and Nick Caserio have done an awesome job filling out this roster.
Favorite Pick: Blake Fisher (Round 2, Pick 59)
10. Indianapolis Colts
Draft Grade: B
Indy had multiple needs, especially on the defensive side of the ball, coming into Thursday night. With the addition of Laiatu Latu and Jaylin Simpson, they addressed some of their biggest holes in the defense and beefed up the offense. Indy has set themselves up nicely during the cheap portion of Anthony Richardson's career.
Favorite Pick: Laiatu Latu (Round 1, Pick 15)
9. Las Vegas Raiders
Draft Grade: B+
On paper, the Raiders had a somewhat weird draft, but I think it's better than it seems. Brock Bowers will most likely play the majority of his snaps from the slot, while Michael Mayer takes over as the full time tight end. They also got a steal in JPJ, Trey Taylor, and of course, Dylan Laube. The only questionable picks were Delmar Glaze and Tommy Eichenberg, but the rest were great for the value they were at.
Favorite Pick: Dylan Laube (Round 6, Pick 208)
8. New England Patriots
Draft Grade: B+
New England played the board as best as they could to load up on talent. Getting Drake Maye at third overall will go down as a bargain, they added two different receiver types in Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, and they continued to build depth around the offense. The foundation the Pats have laid out for Drake Maye is strong.
Favorite Pick: Ja'Lynn Polk (Round 2, Pick 37)
Photo: John Smolek/Icon Sportswire
7. Detroit Lions
Draft Grade: B+
The Lions needed to improve their secondary and add OL depth, and that's exactly what they did. Getting Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., two of the most physical corners in this class, were some of the biggest steals of the first two rounds. Add in Christian Mahogany and Mekhi Wingo on day 3, and Detroit made out very nicely for themselves.
Favorite Pick: Terrion Arnold (Round 1, Pick 24)
6. Arizona Cardinals
Draft Grade: A-
The Cardinals had the most picks in this year's draft, and they made good on them. The only pick I didn't love was Isaiah Adams, as I thought there were better interior OL prospects available in the 3rd round. Regardless, getting MHJ as Kyler's new WR1 was all I asked for, and they got better at nearly every position of need.
Favorite Pick: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Round 1, Pick 4)
5. Los Angeles Chargers
Draft Grade: A-
The Chargers couldn't have asked for a better draft to kick off the Jim Harbaugh era. Beefing up the OL with Joe Alt and Sedrick Van Pran was great, and LA got them at solid value. On top of that, they added three receivers and a solid all-around running back. Additionally, they added some of my favorite defenders in Junior Colson and Cam Hart. This was a killer draft for the Chargers.
Favorite Pick: Cam Hart (Round 5, Pick 140)
4. Chicago Bears
Draft Grade: A-
The Bears didn't have many picks, but they cashed in almost all of them. The potential career long connection of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze is going to feed families. On top of that, bringing Kiran Amegadije and Austin Booker to help out the OL and DL respectively will pay dividends in the long run. To spice things up, they drafted punter Tory Taylor in the 4th round. I love Tory, but drafting a special teamer usually isn't worth the price, and is the main reason the Bears didn't get an A or A+.
Favorite Pick: Austin Booker (Round 5, Pick 144)
3. Cleveland Browns
Draft Grade: A-
The Browns entered this draft with only two glaring needs on the DL and at LB, and they potentially filled both. Michael Hall Jr. is one of my favorite players in this class, and he has the ability to become a starter during his rookie season. They also beefed up the offense with Zak Zinter on the OL, and Jamari Thrash at WR. Add in Myles Harden as the potential replacement for Greg Newsome II, and the Browns had a great draft.
Favorite Pick: Michael Hall Jr. (Round 2, Pick 41)
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Draft Grade: A
Howie Roseman works his magic once again. The Eagles got two perfect players for Vic Fangio's defense in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Additionally, they added two offensive linemen, two receivers, a project edge rusher, and two Clemson studs. This was a near perfect draft for the Eagles, as they look menacing once again.
Favorite Pick: Quinyon Mitchell (Round 1, Pick 22)
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Draft Grade: A+
The Steelers get the top grade for the second straight year. They solved their biggest issues on the OL by draft three potential starters in Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, and Mason McCormick. They also got great value by selecting Roman Wilson and Payton Wilson in the third round. Add in some solid 6th round flyers in Logan Lee and Ryan Watts, and the Steelers may have put together one of their best draft classes in recent memory.
Favorite Picks: Troy Fautanu & Zach Frazier (Round 1, Pick 20 & Round 2, Pick 51)
Photo: Alika Jenner/NFL.com
Final Notes
We're finally through draft season, and onto the start of the 2024 NFL Season! I'll be away for a few weeks on vacation, taking some much needed time off from pumping out football content.
When I return, we'll be diving into where each team stands heading into the 2024 Season, starting with the Panthers and wrapping up with the Chiefs. We'll look at coaching changes, player additions and losses, and how they'll fare going into this year. I won't be making record predictions yet, but that'll come about a week or so before the season starts.
Thank you all so much for reading along these past few months. Whether you have been here since my very first blog in 2020 - covering running back committees and their Super Bowl implications (I may be revising that one), or you joined this year's journey at any point throughout the draft process, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read these blogs, reach out via social media, join us on our live streams, and everything in between. You guys are what makes doing this special, and I couldn't ask for better viewers and readers to write for.
Stay tuned for more NFL content come June!
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