They say it takes at least 3 years to truly grade an NFL draft, and the Atlanta Falcons might want to ask for even longer to judge their Michael Penix Jr. pick, which was the shock of the 2024 NFL draft.
However, we are not going to be so kind right now, because so much of an instant NFL draft grade is judging the process of the picks. Did the team get good value, did it fill some main needs, or did the team just make poor choices left and right?
We are focusing more on the process of these picks in grading a team’s draft rather than how good all the players might be. No one truly knows that until a few years down the road. But we know what the expectations were for these picks from the consensus big boards, and we know what the teams needed and ultimately gave away to acquire these players. That’s what we are grading on right now for the 2024 NFL draft.
Did your team make the honor roll with a good grade, did they merely just pass, or did they outright fail? Let’s get to the grades in descending order from best to worst before heading to the NFL betting sites for the upcoming season.
Note: References to where a prospect ranked at their position is likely attributed to NFL Mock Draft Database unless otherwise stated.
The Honor Roll (A+ to A-)
Pittsburgh Steelers (Grade: A)
No one knows if the Steelers truly hit gold with either quarterback acquisition this year. But we know Russell Wilson and Justin Fields both have a playing style that requires their offensive linemen to block longer, so GM Omar Khan attacked that unit by adding tackle Troy Fautanu (Washington) in the 1st round and center Zach Frazier (West Virginia) in the 2nd round. Both should be Week 1 starters and fit along nicely with last year’s pick, tackle Broderick Jones.
The Steelers also acknowledged their other needs. They landed inside linebacker Payton Wilson (NC State) in the 3rd round, great value for a player many had ranked as the best at his position in this draft. They also did their classic pick of a Day 2 wide receiver, nabbing Roman Wilson (Michigan) in the 3rd round. He could complement George Pickens well from the slot.
Chicago Bears (Grade: A)
It may have been an easy choice to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick, but let’s give the Bears credit for making sure they are building around him. Even after trading a 4th-round pick to the Chargers for Keenan Allen during free agency, the Bears were not done adding weapons for their latest attempt at a franchise quarterback.
With the No. 9 pick, in past years you could have counted on the Bears to draft an offensive lineman or a defensive player. Something to facilitate running the football better or playing stronger defense. But they bucked tradition and took the best wide receiver on the board in Rome Odunze (Washington), who should fit in wonderfully with Allen and D.J. Moore this year as he gets comfortable.
The Bears didn’t have a 2nd-round pick because they traded that to Washington for Montez Sweat, who was likely better than any 2nd-round pick they could have used on an edge in this draft class. However, the Bears did use their 3rd-round pick on offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie (Yale), who will have a shot to develop on this roster along with the other young offensive pieces.
For once, we are excited to watch the Bears play offense this season.
Philadelphia Eagles (Grade: A)
While the Eagles made a ton of trades in later rounds, they stood in place in the 1st round and had their choice of cornerbacks with the No. 22 pick. They made the right move and took Quinyon Mitchell, the top-ranked prospect from Toledo. The hope is he can turn into their younger version of Darius Slay.
However, not to be outdone by that, the Eagles moved up to the No. 40 pick and also grabbed Cooper DeJean, who many had ranked as the No. 3 corner in this draft. He can return punts too and may have great value in that area as well.
The strategy to take 2-of-3 top corners in this draft is certainly respectable in a league where you always need to invest in that position. The Eagles basically doubled their chances of finding a Pro Bowler at that important position.
They also took a chance on a potentially productive pass rusher in the 3rd round in Jalyx Hunt, the 1st player drafted from Houston Chrisitan. They also drafted Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the son of their 4-time Pro Bowl linebacker they drafted in 1998. However, don’t call it nepotism because Trotter Jr. was the 4th-ranked inside linebacker in this draft and they got him in the 5th round.
Washington Commanders (Grade: A)
Did the Commanders finally have a good draft? It will hinge on how good Jayden Daniels (LSU) is at quarterback, but he was the high-ceiling pick they needed to make at No. 2 for a position they’ve had nothing at for years.
Still, this draft should produce quite a few starters for Washington. Ben Sinnott (Kansas State) could take over as the new tight end, a position they’ve been often injured at in Washington (Logan Thomas). Third-round pick Luke McCaffrey (Rice) is Christian’s brother and could be a good slot receiver in this offense. Brandon Coleman (TCU) was a 3rd-round pick who could start in Week 1 on the offensive line, either at guard or tackle.
Dan Quinn’s defense also got some upgrades with a top 40 corner in Mike Sainristil (Michigan), who they got with the No. 50 pick. They also snatched Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois) with the No. 36 pick after he had a 1st-round grade and was considered the 2nd-best defensive tackle in the class.
The Commanders got a great mixture of potential, value and hit on key needs.
Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: A)
Not only did the rich possibly get richer, but the Chiefs traded up with arguably their 2 biggest rivals in the Bills and 49ers to make their top 2 picks in this draft. They moved from No. 32 to No. 28 in the 1st round to take Xavier Worthy, the Texas wide receiver who broke the combine record with a 4.21 second 40-yard dash.
Simply playing with Patrick Mahomes does not guarantee Worthy is a stud in the NFL as Mecole Hardman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Kadarius Toney have shown. You still have to run good routes and catch the ball. But giving an offensive coach like Andy Reid, who coached DeSean Jackson and Tyreek Hill, this type of speed could potentially be deadly for the Chiefs and for the rest of the NFL.
They also beefed up their offensive line with BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia, who was considered one of the top 2nd-round prospects at tackle. There’s also a chance they develop 4th-round pick Jared Wiley (TCU) to fill Travis Kelce’s shoes at tight end in a few years. It’s not likely, but that’s a good fit for them to try.
Los Angeles Chargers (Grade: A)
Drafts need to be judged by the whole package instead of the top pick. Some scoffed at the Chargers passing on wide receiver Malik Nabers for Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 pick, but they showed they had a plan all along Friday night when they took Georgia wideout Ladd McConkey with the No. 34 pick in a trade up. Think of McConkey as the Chargers getting a Cooper Kupp type for Justin Herbert to throw to. That should do well to replace the loss of Keenan Allen.
Getting the best tackle prospect in the draft and McConkey is likely better for the Chargers than if they took Nabers at No. 5 and settled for one of the 2nd-round tackles after so many were picked over already. The Chargers did it right.
They also grabbed Junior Colson with the No. 69 pick. He was considered the 3rd-best off-ball linebacker in this draft and he played for Jim Harbaugh at Michigan, so there will be system familiarity there right away.
Indianapolis Colts (Grade: A)
The Colts broke the ice in the 2024 NFL draft by taking the 1st defensive player with the No. 15 pick. It was a good pick too since UCLA’s Laiatu Latu is a very productive player who could be the team’s best edge rusher since Robert Mathis. They needed that type of consistent threat.
In the 2nd round, the Colts stopped the freefall for Texas wideout Adonai Mitchell, who fell to the No. 52 pick after having a late 1st-round grade. There was a report days before the draft that Mitchell has diabetes and needs a lot of help managing it and doesn’t always do the best job at that. Colts GM Chris Ballard refuted the report and took him anyway.
The Colts needed another reliable weapon outside of Michael Pittman Jr., so if they believe Mitchell is the real deal, they should be happy with getting him where they did. They already got Latu at a position they probably didn’t think he’d be available at.
Arizona Cardinals (Grade: A-)
No qualms at all with the Cardinals holding onto the No. 4 pick and taking the best wide receiver prospect (Marvin Harrison Jr.) in the draft. This could be the team’s best pick this high since taking Larry Fitzgerlad in 2004, a franchise-defining player.
The Cardinals also did not trade their No. 27 pick in the 1st round, settling on edge rusher Darius Robinson (Missouri). He’s less polished than some of the other rushers at the top of this draft, but this team’s needed a player like this since J.J. Watt retired after 2022. It was a good pick for the defense.
Arizona traded down from No. 35 to No. 43 with Atlanta and picked up a 3rd-round pick in the process. Not sure they nailed this one though. There was a run on corners at 40-43 with Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Kamari Lassiter all going ahead of the Cardinals, who settled with Max Melton (Rutgers). The team seemed to like Melton all along, so maybe that one will work out, but the other corners were rated higher.
Also, they used their 3rd-round pick on tight end Tip Reiman (Illinois), who may not carve out a big role with Trey McBride emerging as a star in Arizona at that position.
Passing Grade (B+ to C+)
Detroit Lions (Grade: B+)
Similar to the Eagles, the Lions doubled up at corner with their top 2 picks, taking Terrion Arnold (Alabama) and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Missouri). It was a major position of need for the Lions, who allowed 5 straight quarterbacks to pass for over 340 yards late last season.
The Lions traded up from No. 29 to No. 24 to make sure they got Arnold, who some thought was the best corner prospect in the draft. Experts are all over the map in what they think of Rakestraw but getting him at No. 61 was worth a shot.
With all their moves, these were the only picks the Lions made in the top 125 picks of the 2024 NFL draft. However, they were at an important position and one where the Lions definitely needed more quality players.
Baltimore Ravens (Grade: B+)
Some thought the Ravens might go in the trenches for their top pick, but with the way the corners slid, Nate Wiggins (Clemson) was still there at the No. 30 pick. Corner wasn’t a dying need for the Ravens, but you can never have enough good players at that position, so it’s hard to knock that pick even if it doesn’t feel like a slam dunk. Wiggins was the No. 4-ranked corner prospect at NFL Mock Draft Database.
The Ravens did go for an offensive tackle with Roger Rosengarten, the other Washington tackle, in the 2nd round. That was maybe a little higher for him, but some mocked him to the early 2nd round.
Baltimore also grabbed Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac with the 93rd pick in the 3rd round. He will probably back up Kyle Van Noy this year.
Los Angeles Rams (Grade: B)
The Rams finally made their initial 1st-round pick of the Sean McVay era, and surprisingly, they took a defensive player. Yet, it was hard to argue with Florida State edge rusher providing solid value at the No. 19 pick. He was the No. 2 edge rusher for most people.
Aaron Donald retired in the offseason, so the Rams have a big hole to fill that most drafts are never going to be able to fill. Donald was a special player. But going the more traditional edge rusher route makes sense, and the Rams did trade up to No. 39 to get defensive tackle Braden Fiske, who also went to FSU. They gave up a 2025 2nd-round pick to do that, however.
Was it a little too much to move up to get another Florida State player? We’ll see, but the Rams needed the defensive help. They also added Michigan running back Blake Corum in the 3rd round, though with how well Kyren Williams, a 2022 5th-round pick, ran the ball last year, I’m not sure they needed to do that one either.
New England Patriots (Grade: B)
The days of giving the Patriots the benefit of the doubt in making moves like this are over. But the 1st draft and season without Bill Belichick since 1999 seems to have gotten off to a logical start at least.
Drake Maye over J.J. McCarthy felt like the right quarterback move to make, especially when the Patriots are still limited in talent and need someone who can play some hero ball like Maye showed at North Carolina.
They also made sure to get him some help with wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (Washington) high in the 2nd round and offensive tackle Caedan Wallace (Penn State) high in the 3rd round. They should contribute early this year.
Not fully sold on Maye becoming a franchise quarterback, but it was the necessary and right move in this draft. Next year’s quarterback class doesn’t look any better.
Cincinnati Bengals (Grade: B)
There were a lot of tackles to sort through in the 1st round, so we’ll see if the Bengals took the right one by drafting Georgia’s Amarius Mims over Washington’s Troy Fautanu, who went to Pittsburgh. Add that to the AFC North rivalry this year.
The Bengals have obviously been trying to build up the offensive line in front of Joe Burrow. He also lost his big slot receiver in Tyler Boyd, so the 3rd-round selection of Jermaine Burton (Alabama) may be a pick to fix that.
The Bengals also took Kris Jenkins (Michigan), who was a top 5 defensive tackle in this class. It’s not the most exciting class for the Bengals, but it should be serviceable to their needs.
New York Giants (Grade: B)
Props to the Giants for not drinking the J.J. McCarthy Kool-Aid with the No. 6 pick. The only sad part is they are still stuck with Daniel Jones’ contract. Yet, to make the best of it, they finally got a solid wide receiver pick with Malik Nabers (LSU). He could be the Stefon Diggs in this offense that a Brian Daboll-coached unit badly needs.
The Giants also used the No. 47 pick on Tyler Nubin (Minnesota), the top-ranked safety prospect for most people. Surprisingly, the Giants did not use a single pick on an offensive lineman, their worst unit last season.
New Orleans Saints (Grade: B)
The Saints bolstered their offensive line with a new left tackle in the 1st round, selecting Taliese Fuaga from Oregon State. Derek Carr should be happy about that move.
However, Carr probably won’t be happy that the team drafted Spencer Rattler with the 150th pick in the 5th round, making him the 7th quarterback in this draft. If any of the quarterbacks in the late rounds this year have a shot to be a starter down the road, it would be Rattler.
Otherwise, the only other high pick the Saints made was Alabama corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, who went with the No. 41 pick. That was a solid move too for a savvy veteran corner.
Green Bay Packers (Grade: B)
The Packers put in a solid, workmanlike draft class that saw them get a lot of good athletes at positions of need with 5 selections in the first 3 rounds alone. After finally cutting ties with left tackle David Bakhtiari, the Packers have quickly found their replacement in 1st-round pick Jordan Morgan (Arizona).
Otherwise, the picks mostly went to the defense. Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M) was considered the best off-ball linebacker in this class and the Packers got him at No. 45.
They also took Javon Bullard, a top-ranked safety from Georgia, with the No.58 pick.
Minnesota Vikings (Grade: B-)
The Vikings were the only team to pull off trades in the top 23 picks this year. They made sure they did whatever was necessary to find their new quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) and edge rusher (Dallas Turner) after losing Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter in free agency.
If you’re going to trade up like that, then quarterback and edge rusher are the positions to target. McCarthy may be a polarizing prospect with a questionable fit in Minnesota’s offense that loves to throw, but he’ll have talent around him at the skill positions.
As for getting Turner, it did cost a price to move up from No. 23 to No. 17, but it is hard to fault the move too much if Turner delivers. The Vikings ended up giving away a 5th-round pick and then 3rd and 4th-round picks in the 2025 draft to get Turner. But if he can have an impact like Will Anderson Jr. did for the Texans last year as another Alabama edge rusher who was the top ranked in his class, then the Vikings will feel fine.
Still, this class is going to be all about McCarthy and Turner, because none of the other Minnesota picks were in the top 100 picks. Actually, we shouldn’t say it’s all about those 2 players because they used a 6th-round pick on kicker Will Reichard. The history of Minnesota kickers is something to behold.
Seattle Seahawks (Grade: B-)
The Seahawks only made 2 picks in the top 100 picks in the 2024 NFL draft. They still did what should have been expected of them by adding a defensive player with the No. 16 pick in this rookie season for defensive coach Mike Macdonald.
Byron Murphy (Texas) was the top-rated defensive tackle in the draft, and now he’ll hope to emerge as the best at his position in this division under Macdonald’s system now that Aaron Donald has retired in Los Angeles.
The Seahawks did not have a 2nd-round pick, but they used their 3rd-round pick on Christian Haynes (UConn), who will have a shot to be the new right guard in Seattle.
New York Jets (Grade: B-)
The Jets had a ton of trades in the draft, but in the end, they came out of this with a potential left tackle for the future (Penn State’s Olu Fashanu) and maybe a 3rd-round slot receiver in Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky).
Those ended up being the only players they took in the top half of the draft. With Fashanu, they were able to trade down a spot from No. 10 to No. 11 and still get their tackle. The offensive line was a mess last year, so this was a necessary move even if the team signed some veterans who may start first like Tyron Smith from the Cowboys.
Corley might prove some value in the slot unless Aaron Rodgers insists the team gets Allen Lazard on the field as much as possible.
Houston Texans (Grade: B-)
The Texans did a respectable job of not making any picks until No. 42 in the 2nd round. They took corner Kamari Lassiter (Georgia) during that run of corners. He’ll have a chance to start right away in that defense for DeMeco Ryans.
Houston also drafted Blake Fisher in the 2nd round from Notre Dame, and he could be the team’s new right tackle as they look to protect C.J. Stroud. Finally, the Texans grabbed USC safety Callen Bullock with the 78th pick, and he could eventually replace Jimmie Ward in that spot.
The Texans hit their homeruns in last year’s draft with Stroud, Will Anderson Jr. and Tank Dell. This was just about filling out the roster more a year after already making the playoffs in Year 1 of this new regime.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Grade: B-)
The Buccaneers did not end up getting Chop Robinson in the 1st round, but they still found an edge rusher with potential in Chris Braswell (Alabama) in the 2nd round.
When it was Tampa’s turn at No. 26, the logical move was to take Duke center Graham Barton. He should be a Week 1 starter.
It’s not the most exciting draft, but the Buccaneers already spent a bulk of money on retaining players such as Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Lavonte David and Antoine Winfield Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars (Grade: C+)
The Jaguars had their shot at any corner they wanted, but they traded down from No. 17 to No. 23 and took Brian Thomas Jr., the big and speedy receiver from LSU. It’s not the greatest pick since the team already signed Gabe Davis from Buffalo to kind of fill that role, but Thomas might have a higher ceiling.
We’ll have to see Trevor Lawrence excel with a different wideout than Christian Kirk as that trade for Calvin Ridley did not exactly work out in 2023, hence this pick of Thomas Jr. Yet, at least they didn’t let the Bills get him since that’s probably who they would have taken at No. 28 if he was available.
The Jaguars went to LSU again for their 2nd-round pick, defensive tackle Maason Smith. But that’s the pick that is getting criticized since he was ranked as the No. 8 defensive tackle and No. 92 pick overall. Not sure that should have ever been the 48th pick this year.
Buffalo Bills (Grade: C+)
It would have been nice to see the Bills try something new and take a speed receiver like Xavier Worthy from Texas with the 28th pick. However, they ended up trading that pick to Kansas City, their arch nemesis, who promptly took Worthy. We’ll see if that backfires.
Then the Bills traded down again from No. 32 to No. 33 with Carolina, which took Xavier Legette. There goes the 5th-year option you get with a 1st-round pick. Finally, Buffalo took Florida State receiver Keon Coleman to start the 2nd round. He ran one of the slowest 40-yard dash times at the combine, but he should play faster in games and he seems like a likable kid.
However, you just wonder if getting an absolute burner for Josh Allen’s big arm would have been the sweeter move here. Buffalo’s only other top-90 pick was safety Cole Bishop in the 2nd round. That might have been a reach too, though at least he could start this year.
Miami Dolphins (Grade: C+)
The Dolphins were probably disappointed that the Steelers stole offensive tackle Troy Fautanu from them at No. 20. So, they settled for Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson, or the poor man’s Micah Parsons. Hopefully, he can contribute to the pass rush right away.
Miami did dip into the offensive tackle pool with the 55th pick, taking Houston’s Patrick Paul. He had a 2nd-round grade for some and a 3rd-round grade for others.
Miami didn’t pick again until No. 120 when they took speedy Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright. It certainly fits their style, but they already took De’Von Achane last year. Did they really need another back like that? Still, Raheem Moster is on the wrong side of 30, so maybe this works out as a steal for them.
Failed (C or Worse)
Las Vegas Raiders (Grade: C)
The Raiders lost out on the quarterback market as all 6 of the top prospects went in the 12 picks before they had their No. 13 pick. But it makes you wonder why the Raiders never took a shot on South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler, who was long considered the next-best prospect in this draft.
Rattler fell to No. 150 to the Saints in the 5th round, but the Raiders passed him up with picks No. 112 and No. 148. Maybe they won’t regret it at all, but that sure seemed like a pick worth exploring instead of a forgettable corner or linebacker.
But with that No. 13 pick, the Raiders took Georgia’s Brock Bowers, the best tight end in the draft. But why would they do that when they are building up a team that wins with running and defense? They don’t throw enough to justify Bowers, especially a year after they traded up and took Michael Mayer with the No. 35 pick. Where does his career go now?
It just felt like the Raiders should have used that No. 13 pick on the top pass rusher (Dallas Turner) or corner (Quinyon Mitchell). Give Maxx Crosby some help up front with the pass rush or add someone with swagger to the secondary like Mitchell.
Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson was probably a good value at No. 44 in the 2nd round, but just not feeling the Bowers pick and wasting the opportunities to get a blue chip defender and give Rattler a shot.
San Francisco 49ers (Grade: C)
We know the 49ers have a great roster, but you can still manage the board better than this for value. They used the No. 31 pick on Florida wideout Ricky Pearsall. Good player and possibly would have been the best wideout taken in the 2nd round, but the 2nd round is where most saw him going. They drafted Pearsall over the likes of Ladd McConkey, Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Legette and Keon Coleman.
At the end of the 2nd round, the 49ers let the Chiefs, their Super Bowl nemesis, trade up a spot and take their potential franchise left tackle in Kingsley Suamataia. That could have been a player the 49ers drafted to eventually replace Trent Willaims.
Instead, the 49ers picked corner Renardo Green (Florida State), who was not ranked as a top 100 prospect, so that was more like a 4th-round pick reached for at the end of the 2nd round.
Dallas Cowboys (Grade: C)
Things started well with Dallas trading down with Detroit from No. 24 to No. 29 and still getting a logical Tyron Smith replacement in Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma.
However, on Day 2, Dallas never got the running back it was expected to get. The Cowboys settled for Western Michigan edge Marshawn Kneeland with the 56th pick, which is about where he was projected to go.
The Cowboys went with Cooper Beebe (Kansas State) in the 3rd round, and he could be a center for them down the road.
Outside of perhaps Guyton, it just doesn’t feel like a lot of instant impact for a Dallas team that is seeing its window closing on this Dak Prescott era if they flop in the playoffs again.
Denver Broncos (Grade: C-)
Would the Broncos have taken Bo Nix at No. 12 if the Falcons didn’t blow everyone’s mind by taking Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8? We’ll never know for sure, but Nix was not projected to go this high.
He was probably the best fit for the Broncos in this class out of the quarterbacks they were likely to get. But it just feels like the better move would have been to take a pass rusher like Dallas Turner or Laiatu Latu, then try to maneuver later for Nix.
Denver didn’t pick again until No. 76 in the 3rd round when it took Jonah Elliss, an edge rusher from Utah. Still, Denver’s best mid-round pick could be Oregon wideout Troy Franklin, who fell to No. 102 after some had a 2nd-round grade on him.
Still, this class will float or sink with how Nix performs in Sean Payton’s offense.
Tennessee Titans (Grade: C-)
A lot of people expected the Titans to take Joe Alt with the No. 7 pick. But when the Chargers interfered and took Alt off the board at No. 5, Alabama tackle JC Latham became the backup plan for a Tennessee offense that is going to want to address the offensive line right away. This is the position that failed coach Brian Callahan in Cincinnati where he was the offensive coordinator.
Latham should be fine, but Alt would have been nicer. Tennessee made less interesting choices later as defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat felt like a panic move at No. 38 after Jer’Zhan Newton went off the board a few picks earlier. Sweat was only the 77th-ranked prospect this year, so that one was a reach and it was Tennessee’s only other top-100 pick besides Latham.
Carolina Panthers (Grade: C-)
The Panthers are likely going to remember this draft as the year they could have had Caleb Williams if they managed things better in 2023. Still, they made their bed with Bryce Young, so this draft was about helping him out.
Did they do it? Basically, but it wasn’t the best use of their resources. They traded up into the 1st round a spot to take Xavier Legette, a wide receiver the Bills apparently didn’t want anyway since they took Keon Coleman. Legette didn’t show much in college outside of last year. They may have had better picks available like Adonai Mitchell, Ladd McConkey and Coleman.
They also took a running back before anyone with Jonathon Brooks at No. 46. There is no denying they could use an upgrade at running back, but that’s a high pick for a team that still needs a lot of help.
They also took an off-ball linebacker with the No. 72 pick in Trevin Wallace (Kentucky), so that was another underwhelming use of their resources in this draft, which were already diminished because of the trade to get Young last year.
Cleveland Browns (Grade: D+)
The Browns didn’t have many draft picks because of their trades for Deshaun Watson and Jerry Jeudy, which are not exactly shining moments in franchise history. Still, the Browns only drafted 2 players in the top 150 picks, and neither is likely to make much of an impact this year.
Defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State) will likely back up Shelby Harris this year. Guard Zak Zinter (Michigan) was not a highly-ranked guard prospect, and he’ll probably back up Joel Bitonio this year.
Atlanta Falcons (Grade: D-)
Who else would be last other than Atlanta? Let’s pretend for a moment that Kirk Cousins was not making obscene money with his Atlanta contract (4 years, $180 million) this year, which feels like what happened to the Falcons on draft night. They forgot they had him and thought they were still going into a season with Desmond Ridder as QB1.
Even then, this is a draft class where the Falcons:
- Reached for QB4 (at best) at No. 8 despite having their choice of any defensive player, a top wide receiver (Rome Odunze), a top tight end (Brock Bowers) and several offensive tackles available.
- Traded up to the No. 35 pick to take a low-production defensive tackle (Ruke Orhorhorro) who had 12 sacks in 5 years while someone with a 1st-round grade at that position (Jer’Zhan Newton) was still on the board.
- That would be 1-of-3 defensive tackles the Falcons drafted in 2024.
- The only other top 100 pick for the Falcons was edge rusher Bralen Trice (Washington), who was the No. 9 edge rushing prospect.
Just on that display, this would have been in the running for the bottom draft class this year. But when you factor in that they are paying Cousins big money, this class is just absolutely asinine.
If the Falcons wanted to help the defense, take Dallas Turner at No. 8 and Jer’Zhan Newton at No. 35. Don’t trade up for a project like Orhorhorro. If the Falcons wanted to help Cousins win a Super Bowl, take Odunze at No. 8 to give him another weapon, and take a corner in the 2nd round. There was a big run on them near Atlanta’s original pick.
Finally, if you’re going to draft a quarterback for the future, you don’t spend the No. 8 pick on someone who is 24 years old this season. If you think this is another Green Bay situation a la Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, then you just used the No. 8 pick on a quarterback who will be 27 years old when he’s ready to take over as your quarterback from Cousins in 2027.
By then, you’ll get exactly 1 season to determine if you want to take him up on his 5th-year option. You will have paid Cousins handsomely, so you weren’t even getting any benefit of the cheap rookie quarterback contract since you had to pay top dollar for Kirk.
It’s just a ridiculous pick and direction to put this team under. Nothing short of Penix being an elite quarterback in Atlanta (when he finally plays) will make up for this mistake. If they happen to win a Super Bowl with Cousins, don’t get it twisted. This pick will have done nothing to help achieve that.
