NFL Draft Grades

The NFL Draft is now complete and we now know what rookies went where. The question is, did each team make the right moves during the draft or not? We go thorough all 32 teams and give them each a grade for their drafts. How did your team do?

Arizona Cardinals

Draft Grade: C

It is no secret whatsoever that I love the Zaven Collins pick. He’s got the size and strength to be a game changer in the NFL. He can run through blocks and attack the run, as well as cover the entire field sideline to sideline. He and Isaiah Simmons should be an extremely difficult pair to deal with for opposing offenses next season. Then they follow up that great pick with a bit more of a risky choice in Rondale Moore. He could turn out fine, or he could be the new John Ross. I’m very torn on this pick. Either way, for the value, you can’t hate it too much, but you might ask yourself what a team with Hopkins, Green, and Kirk are doing drafting another WR. And I would not have an answer for you on that one. Then they had a long layoff in picks, almost 100 total, before selecting what I think is their principal need in this draft, a CB, in Marco Wilson. Brother of Quincy Wilson, was long considered the better of the two brothers, but his career never took off after his freshman year. Could this be a cockiness thing? Maybe. Could it be a lack of motivation? Sure. But no matter how you slice it, Wilson is more than likely not the solution for the Cards to replace Patrick Peterson. With Farley and Newsome still on the board before they made their first round pick, I think either of those guys would have been better and fit more of a need than the Zaven Collins pick, no matter how much I love the LB as a player. The Cardinals may have had a “best available” mindset rather than the “fill a need” approach, but in this case I think exiting the draft without a top tier CB option to slot in on a secondary that has some holes is a huge miss. Did they kill themselves with this draft? No. Did they position themselves to be atop the NFC West? No.

Players Selected: Zaven Collins, LB Rondale Moore, WR Marco Wilson, CB Victor Dimukeje, OLB Tay Gowan, CB James WIggins, S Michael Menet, C

Team Need (Primary): CB, RB, OG, C, LB

Team Need (Secondary): DL, TE

Atlanta Falcons

Draft Grade: B+

Quite possibly one of my favorite drafts in the league this year. I’ll come right out and say it. Pitts should be a game changer for this offense, and the Falcons backed up what they had been saying all along, they still have faith in Matty Ice to lead them to the promised land. So, you instantly pair Julio, Ridley, Pitts, Hurst, and…. Ito Smith? Brian Hill? So they still need a RB, which they have not addressed, but with where they picked and who they grabbed I don’t think you can make the case that they *should* have gone RB at any point. Where they picked, to take Carter or Gainwell would have been a bit of a reach in most people’s eyes, and by the time the value was right, they were off the board. So I am choosing not to hold skipping on a RB against them, and maybe they think Mike Davis can shoulder the load, or maybe they intend to bring in another veteran, or even just bring back Gurley to help him out. Who knows? What I do know, is that Richie Grant at 40 is a superb pick (although Moerig on the board would have been a better pick), Jalen Mayfield at 66 is a steal and should help whoever is going to run the ball in ATL (same comment to Drew Dalman at 114, I think he is criminally underrated for a young C, he’s got size issues, but in ATL’s zone run scheme he should be okay with the right strength programming). The rest of the picks don’t necessarily wow me, but they fill holes and add depth for Atlanta, a team that has struggled to keep their OL and Defense healthy year after year. Very impressed with the draft, let’s see if they can improve the product on the field in 2021.

Players Selected: Kyle Pitts, TE Richie Grant, S Jalen Mayfield, OT Darren Hall, CB Drew Dalman, C Ta’Quan Graham, DT Adetokunbo Ogundeji, DE Avery Williams, CB Frank Darby, WR

Team Need (Primary): RB, S, CB, OT, Edge, QB

Team Need (Secondary): TE, LB, DL

Baltimore Ravens

Draft Grade: A

The Ravens finally got a WR! And a hell of a good one. Bateman should slot in instantly to play a good complementary role to Hollywood and Watkins. I will be very interested to see how this impacts the Ravens passing attack in 2021. They also added a second first rounder in the trade with KC, and turned that into an absolute stud of a DE/Edge Rusher/LB in Jayson Oweh, who will now be going by his given name Odafe. Oweh put on a show at his pro day and shot up draft boards, and for good reason. A man his size should not move that well, yet he does. He fits the mold of the perfect Raven OLB, and is the reason he is the first one selected in the first round by Baltimore since Terrell Suggs so many years ago. He should be a great fit on the squad and will have every chance to succeed, especially with the void left to fill by the talent they lost this offseason. They then added Ben Cleveland, who is one of the less talked about OL in the draft, but who has been solid his entire career and should be a good fit on a BAL team that loves to run and shuffle linemen about. They then started to look for depth, and if we know anything about the Ravens and Ozzie Newsome, pretty much all these guys will pan out. I’m never going to give the Ravens a bad draft grade because years down the line I will just look like a fool. They’ve got it dialed in over there.

Players Selected: Rashod Bateman, WR Jayson Oweh, LB Ben Cleveland, OG Brandon Stephens, CB Tylan Wallace, WR Shaune Wade, CB Daelin Hayes, DE Ben Mason, FB

Team Need (Primary): Edge, WR, S, OT

Team Need (Secondary): OG, C, LB, TE

Buffalo Bills

Draft Grade: A

With the Bills picks you can clearly see what they have identified as a need, and it is directly in line with what TSF indicated they needed as well. Edge rushers were at the top of their list, and they add two in the first two rounds, presumably to replace their aging DE’s. Rousseau had a big 2019 and was thought by many to be guy to watch as first off the board at the position whenever he declared, pending his 2020 season, but then he opted out due to COVID. If he can get anywhere near his 2019 caliber of play…the Bills will be in good shape. They then spent a couple picks to bolster their OL, certainly a need after a lackluster rushing game hampered them throughout the 2020 NFL season. They rounded out their picks with some depth at already strong positions (WR, S) and took a flier on CB prospect Rachad Wildgoose, which is an ELITE name. He’s very raw but shows a high end understanding when the ball is in the air of where he needs to be and how to attack not only the ball but the receiver, within the confines of the rules. The problem most scouts identify with him is that he’s a bit susceptible to ball fakes and head fakes, so veteran QBs will likely move him around at will early on. But, if he can learn from Tre’Davious White and Josh Allen in practice, he has a high ceiling. Overall, a beautiful draft for the Bills who look to stay atop the AFC East for years to come.

Players Selected: Gregrory Rousseau, DE Carlos Basham Jr., DE Spencer Brown, OT Tommy Doyle, OT Marquez Stevenson, WR Damar Hamlin, S Rachad Wildgoose, CB Jack Anderson, OG

Team Need (Primary): Edge, RB, TE, CB

Team Need (Secondary): DL, LB, OT, OG, C

Carolina Panthers

Draft Grade: B-

Panthers did a decent job in this draft, but I feel they reached on Jaycee Horn at pick 8. At that point, Surtain was still there who we all had ranked higher. They also could have used an OT at that pick and there were still plenty top OTs to pick from, but they did fill a need. The pick I did love was in the late second round in Marshall Jr. I was shocked he fell that far and they got an absolute steal. Robby Anderson is on the final year of his contract, so if they do not resign him, Marshall is a great replacement. This also shows they want to surround newly acquired Sam Darnold with as much talent as possible, which is a great confidence boost for the young QB. Grabbing an OT was great with their 3rd pick, but the Hubbard pick confused me. For the team, it is great as CMC gets a good backup, but for fantasy, I was hoping he went somewhere else to try and get that 2019 college form back. After that, they filled some team needs and took another CB as well to try and get that secondary stronger. We will see how well the Panthers do this year.

Players Selected: Jaycee Horn, CB Terrace Marshall Jr., WR Brady Christenson, OT Chuba Hubbard, RB Daviyon Nixon, DT Keith Taylor, CB Deonte Brown, OG Shi SMith, WR Thomas Fletcher, LS Phil Hoskins, DT

Team Need (Primary): OT, CB, TE, OG, C, LB

Team Need (Secondary): QB, DL, S, Edge

Chicago Bears

Draft Grade: A

The Bears finally do the exact right thing and take Justin Fields (via trade with the Giants) at no. 11 overall. This instantly elevates the entire offense, and should placate ARob for at least one more season. Depending how that goes, maybe he will re-sign with a smile on his face. And one of the other bumps I don’t think people are talking about is the boost it should give to David Montgomery. He now has defenses unable to stack the box against him, as they have to respect the mobile QB and his ability to throw at all times from all angles. A completely different style of QB than Foles and Trubisky. All around fantastic pick. With their second pick they take Teven Jenkins (the guy I, Cory) guessed they would take with their original number 20 overall. While Fields helps Monty passively, Jenkins helps him directly. A skilled lineman who can play multiple positions, on both sides of center, he should slot in day one and solve some of the problems Chicago has had on OL as of late. The rest of their draft is lackluster in terms of the names off the board, but Borom should be a solid depth OL piece and Khalil Herbert will likely spell Monty/Cohen if needed, and probably contribute on special teams as well. Dazz Newsome is a dart throw of a WR that has been up and down boards all year. Depending who you ask he’s either the best to ever do it or an absolute bust, take your pick. I think he has upside, and his addition is likely a death sentence for Anthony Miller, but time will tell.

Players Selected: Justin Fields, QB Teven Jenkins, OT Larry Borom, OT Khalil Herbert, RB Dazz Newsome, WR Thomas Graham Jr., CB Khyiris Tonga, DT

Team Need (Primary): QB, OT, WR, CB, OG, C

Team Need (Secondary): DL, Edge, LB

Cincinnati Bengals

Draft Grades: A-

I think I would say this was the most shocking pick in the draft to me. Chase reunites with Burrow and they look to dominate the league together, but I think most people coming in would have told you the Bengals were looking at Sewell to solve their OL problems. Apparently, they decided a 3rd elite WR was more needed. Chase, Boyd, and Higgins should be damn fun to watch, let’s just hope Burrow is upright long enough to make a throw. Their second pick they used to take Jackson Carman, who is a fine, suitable, NFL caliber OT, but he’s not Sewell, not even close. They spent the rest of the draft grabbing some run stuffing DL guys, another tackle (Smith) who some say is a bit of a project but could be a fantastic player in due time, and a couple other not so exciting picks. They also picked a kicker… so that’s fun. But Chase is the story here, huge pick, huge risk, but if it pays off, they will look like geniuses. Joe Mixon loved the pick, instantly tweeting out “can’t stack the box now!!”, so at least their franchise RB is on board with them going WR over OL. That’s a start, considering he’s the one who is gonna get mangled at the line now.

Players Selected: Ja’Marr Chase, WR Jackson Carman, OT Joseph Ossai, DE Cameron Sample, DT Tyler Shelvin, DT D’Ante Smith, OT Evan McPherson, K Trey Hill, C Chris Evans, RB Wyatt Hubert, DE

Team Need (Primary): OT, OG, C, Edge, WR, LB

Team Need (Secondary): CB, S, DL

Cleveland Browns

Draft Grade: A

A team that didn’t need much, filled the needs they had. One at corner, drafting Newsome at 26, which I think is a steal for them as he should have gone much sooner. And then Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah fell to them at 52, and they snagged an absolutely elite athlete who could be a game changer on defense with just a little bit more polish to his game. This is a great situation for both player and team. Next they took the flyer in Anthony Schwartz, who can blow the top off any defense with his blazing speed. After that it was OT, DT, backup LB, backup S, and a ST destined WR, but overall a fantastic draft for a team who has really seemed to figure out the whole drafting thing in the last few years.

Players Selected: Greg Newsome II, CB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Anthony Schwartz, WR James Hudson, OT Tommy Togiai, DT Tony Fields II, LB Richard LeCounte, S Demetric Felton, WR

Team Need (Primary): DL, LB, CB

Team Need (Secondary): WR, OG, C

Dallas Cowboys

Draft Grade: C –

The Cowboys missed out on Patrick Surtain, who EVERYBODY had falling to them at 10. But when the Broncos snagged him at 9, they needed a new plan. I think taking Parsons was the right move, he should be an anchor in the middle of that defense, and should pair well with the other talent in their front 7. BUT, they left the first round without an elite CB prospect, and many of their issues were in the secondary, and I am not sure the Kelvin Joseph, Nahshon Wright, or Israel Mukuamu picks will be enough to shore up a weak spot on their D. Joseph has good measurables, but can be a liability in coverage. He excels at stuffing the run, gets off blocks well, and has a great compete level. But at Kentucky he was caught off balance far too often and it cost them. I don’t see this changing quickly at the pro level, but he does seem to be very coachable according to all reports I’ve read, so if the Cowboys think he is moldable, maybe they have a steal in the second. After this, they filled various positions with extra depth, but one of my favorite picks was Jabril Cox at 115. He transferred to LSU in 2020, and didn’t skip a beat. He is fast, athletic, strong, and has great size for the NFL game, although he may have issues early on against NFL size run blockers, as even in college he was all too often eliminated in 1-on-1’s. But he is a sideline to sideline LB and is even good against the pass, so he could be a steal at this point in the 4th round where the Boyz snagged him. Overall, it was a fine draft for Dallas, but missing out on a Surtain or another elite corner in Round 1 is a big miss for me.

Players Selected: Micah Parsons, LB Kelvin Joseph, CB Osa Odighizuwa, DT Chauncey Golston, DE Nahshon Wright, CB Jabril Cox, LB Josh Ball, OT Simi Fehoko, WR Quinton Bohanna, DT Israel Mukuamu, CB Matt Farniok, OG

Team Need (Primary): CB, Edge, DL, LB, TE

Team Need (Secondary): OT, OG, C, S

Denver Broncos

Draft Grade: B

Patrick Surtain was regarded as one of the best CBs in the draft and the Broncos made multiple picks to improve that defense which is why I am giving them a B grade. Drafting Javonte Williams in the second round at pick 35 could be an absolute steal. While also grabbing the 6′ 3″ 320 lb offensive guard at pick 98 Quinn Meinerz. Overall, I love the draft for the Broncos as a football team, but their draft might do more harm than good to the fantasy value of their offensive pieces. Better defense could equal more opportunities for Drew Lock/Teddy Bridgewater and Co. to score fantasy points, but neither QB has shown the ability to support 2-3 WRs (Sutton, Jeudy, Patrick) and now Melvin Gordon will likely have less oppotunities with Javonte Williams trying to get reps. Overall, the Broncos got better as a football team but I’m not sure from a fantasy perspective much changes.

Players Selected:  Patrick Surtain II, CB Javonte Williams, RB Quinn Meinerz, OG Baron Browning, LB Caden Sterns, S Jamar Johnson, S Seth Williams, WR Kary Vincent Jr., CB Jonathan Cooper, DE Marquiss Spencer, DE

Team Need (Primary): QB, LB, CB, DL

Team Need (Secondary): OT, OG, C, Edge

Detroit Lions

Draft Grade: C-

The Lions draft was…interesting. Nailed their first pick with Sewell, whether they’re invested in Jared Goff or not, whoever is under center there needs to be standing to have a shot to succeed. And not to mention, the strength of this team will begin on the ground, so adding a blocker for Swift is huge. This is where things got a bit weird. They go DT back to back, not a major need for them, as they have Brockers and Hand who both shift inside regularly, with Flowers and Okwara on the outside. So very odd they determined they needed two interior defensive lineman at this point in the draft, when they have no WRs and holes at other defensive positions. Then they finally take a CB at the end of the 3rd round in Ifeatu Melifonwu, who I like as a solid corner who can make an impact with his size and freakish athleticism, but who admittedly might need some work to become NFL ready. I had him going to a much more established defense where he could play the slot and learn from some vets while he waited to blossom. Next they finally take a WR in Round 4, so there will be one person not names TJ Hockenson to throw to (I know they have Perriman and Tyrell Williams…but like cmon, those aren’t your guys). So they take Amon-Ra St. Brown, ELITE name, and honestly a very high upside WR, but perhaps a little undersized for the role he may be asked to play at only 5’11”. He was guilty of dropping some easy catches at USC, so they will need that to stop quickly if he will succeed at the pro level. I’m not sure how much fantasy value he will bring with him this season, but he is very worthy of a dynasty selection or a deep stash if your league format allows with your roster space. He could be the WR2 on the team if Tyrell Williams has yet another injury.

Players Selected: Penei Sewell, OT Levi Onwuzurike, DT Alim McNeil, DT Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR Derrick Barnes, LB Jermar Jefferson, RB

Team Need (Primary): WR, CB, OT, QB, MLB, DL

Team Need (Secondary): S, Edge

Green Bay Packers

Draft Grade: A-

Another year, another draft, another Aaron Rodgers diva freak out. The Packers say lol we are not taking a WR in the first round, deal with it, and do what’s best for the team and take a CB. Eric Stokes is very solid, and will benefit by being on a good team in a smart system, and playing the secondary corner to Jaire Alexander, who has been on a tear the last couple seasons. This is a great fit all around. Next, they took a Center, and you can never fault a team who just invested heavily in their franchse running back when they take OL, whether the player projects as a day 1 starter or a depth pick. So kudos to GB as well. In round 3 they finally take a WR for Rodgers, and he’s named Rodgers too! Amari Rodgers. Amari comes out of Clemson, a pro system, who is used to playing in the spot light with big name QB Trevor Lawrence throwing him the ball. Aaron Rodgers should not and will not intimidate this kid. His height would seem like he’s undersized, at only 5’9″, but at 212 pounds a good comp for him is Steve Smith, and we all saw the career he had. If you can slot him into this offense with Adams and MVS/Lazard taking the outside stuff, Tonyan in the intermediate routes, and Amari taking all the short stuff and racking up YAC all game? The GB offense could be a force, even more so than it already is. They proceeded to add a DT, CB, OT, LB, and RB, none of which move the needle a ton, but they fill needs for the teama and should see the field a fair amount. Kylin Hil, their last pick at 256 overall, is actually an interesting little (he’s not that little, 5’10” 214 lbs) prospect and could slot in beautifully to replace the departed Jamaal Williams, in a much smaller role since we all expect AJ Dillon to be the main beneficiary of that departure. But he has the ability to contribute in an NFL offense, glad to see he got picked after a down year at Mississippi State.

Players Selected: Eric Stokes, CB Josh Meyers, C Amari Rodgers, WR Royce Newman, OG Tedarrell Slaton, DT Shemar Jean-Charles, CB Cole Van Lanen, OT Isaiah McDuffie, LB Kylin Hill, RB

Team Need (Primary): OT, WR, CB, DL, LB, OG

Team Need (Secondary): S, TE, RB

Houston Texans

Draft Grade: F

The Texans last two seasons have been a joke, and with this draft nothing will change. They did not have a pick until the third round, and they used it on a QB in Davis Mills. Now I know everything that is going on with Watson is concerning and there is a world where we do not see him play this season. If that is the case, they can get by with Tyrod, and given the way the team looks, they will be competing for the worst record in the NFL. With that pretty much being a fact, why not wait until next year when you will likely have a top 3 pick in the draft to get a QB then? They follow this pick up with a WR, which I am fine with, but then add a TE. I do not understand the TE move at all, as they typically just use several TEs on the roster every season. They had several needs and every pick they made failed to make this team any better, in my opinion. They will likely need to rely on these late round defensive guys to start right away, which is a recipe for disaster.

Players Selected: Davis Mills, QB Nico Colins, WR Brevin Jordan, TE Garret Wallow, LB Roy Lopez, DT

Team Need (Primary): CB, DL, WR, OL, TE, Edge

Team Need (Secondary): LB, S

Indianapolis Colts

Draft Grade: C+

The Colts did a decent job in this draft, and I did like their first round pick in Kwity Paye, but the next 2 picks I was not in love with. We have said how their line is great in our podcasts, but they did not take another offensive lineman until their last pick. I believe they should have picked one over Odeyingo and Granson, but they did not. The main factor in keeping a strong line is to keep drafting those types of players, as they will not be able to afford all those guys when their contracts are up. They took a QB late in Ehlinger, which I do not mind because there was no one there at the time to backup Wentz. I don’t think this is the ‘heir’ to Wentz by any means, but you do need a backup at some point. I also thought they would take a WR earlier, but they waited until their second to last pick to take Strachan. Not the best draft, but they made up for it with their offseason moves.

Players Selected: Kwity Paye, DE Dayo Odeyingbo, DE Kylen Granson, TE Shawn Davis, S Sam Ehlinger, QB Mike Strachan, WR Will Fries, OT

Team Need (Primary): WR, OT, CB

Team Need (Secondary): TE, Edge, LB, S, QB

Jacksonville Jaguars

Draft Grade: A-

It is hard to not give them a high grade, because Lawrence alone deserves it. No need to talk too much about that pick, but with their second pick in the first, they reached and took Travis Etienne. As much as I love this player, and I do love the landing spot for him, there were more options and needs available at that point in the draft. They did make up for it in the second by taking a CB and OT, but I wish that CB was Asante Samuel Jr. instead. They followed it up by working on the secondary to add to an already impressive one. I love Lawrence and Etienne teaming up once again and I know people are saying that Etienne will be used as the third-down back, but you do not spend a first round pick on a ‘third-down back’. I see him taking over James Robinson sooner rather than later, and you should be excited for him landing here.

Players Selected: Trevor Lawrence, QB Travis Etienne, RB Tyson Campbell, CB Walker Little, OT Andre Cisco, S Jay Tufele, DT Jordan Smith, DE Luke Farrell,, TE Jalen Camp, WR

Team Need (Primary): QB, OT, WR, S, RB

Team Need (Secondary): CB, TE, DL, Edge

Kansas City Chiefs

Draft Grade: B+

Considering the Chiefs traded pick 31 to the Ravens for OT Orlando Brown, I would say the rich got richer. We saw in the Super Bowl that Mahomes was public enemy number one and he had zero protection. If the Chiefs went into 2021 without addressing that offensive line, every team in the NFL would use the blueprint Tampa laid out on how to beat the Chiefs. Their first pick came at pick 58 where they took Nick Bolton, a LB out of Missouri. He seems like an undersized LB at 6′ 0″ and 231 lbs, but bolstering that defense is another step in the right direction. They then followed that up with picking C Creed Humphrey at pick 63. They went on to grab other ancillary pieces, but overall the 2021 draft should be viewed as a success. From our perspective, things remain the same for the Chiefs, however CEH could be an absolute steal in fantasy drafts with the addition of Orlando Brown and Creed Humphrey. Many people will look at CEH and say that 2020 was a bust, which it was in some respects, but the one thing an RB needs to suceed, a good offensive line, just got better.

Players Selected: Nick Bolton, LB Creed Humphrey, C Joshua Kaindoh, DE Noah Gray, TE Cornell Powell, WR Trey Smith, OG

Team Need (Primary): WR, LB, OL, OT

Team Need (Secondary): OL, DL, TE

Oakland Raiders

Draft Grade: C-

After demolishing his offensive line, John Gruden made a very headscratching pick, taking Alex Leatherwood (OT) out of Alabama at 6′ 6″ 312 lbs. The reason I say this is headscratching is because here at TSF we did not have him as a Round 1 Tackle, and most mainstream experts agreed. What we do like to see is a team committing to improving their offense, especially since we need offenses to do well to score fantasy points. This is a step in the right direction and hopefully Gruden can figure out that offensive line to help Jacobs and Drake become a formidable 1 – 2 punch. They then addressed defense, A LOT OF DEFENSE. In fact, they did not take a single offensive player again until pick 230, Jimmy Morrissey, a C who will likely be lucky to make the practice squad. We were hoping the Raiders would have taken a WR to help Carr with some weapons but it appears Ruggs and John Brown will man the outside while Waller plays the TE/Slot. Carr was an underrated passer in 2020, so an additional weapon for him would have been nice, however in order for the offense to get repeated attempts at scoring opportunities, they need the defense to force turnovers. Let’s hope these picks help the Raiders do just that. For now, the Raiders get an average grade for an average draft.

Players Selected: Alex Leatherwood, OT Trevon Moehrig, S Malcom Koonce, LB Divine Deablo, S Tyree Gillespie, S Nate Hobbs, CB Jimmy Morrissey, C

Team Need (Primary): OT, OG, C, Edge, WR, CB

Team Need (Secondary): S, DL, LB, QB

Los Angeles Chargers

Draft Grade: B+

Here at TSF we like to look at the whole team, and boy do I think the Chargers got a solid pick in Rashawn Slater, an OT standing at 6′ 3″ 315 lbs. He is an athletic tackle who will be protecting Justin Herbet and helping in that run game. Allowing Herbert more time will help Allen and Williams get open, and this will be crucial. There is no more Hunter Henry for Herbert, so improving that OL and letting him make correct reads only increases Allen and (probably to a greater extent) Williams, who is 2 years removed from a 20 yards per catch season. Additionally, Eckler gets a bump from a much improved offensive line. I don’t expect Josh Palmer (WR) or Tre’ McKitty (TE) to be huge factors, but the team is at least acknowledging that Herbert will benefit from more options. What I really love about the Chargers draft is grabbing Asante Samuel Jr. to help that defense! Typically when we look at a high scoring and productive offense, we want them to have a bad defense so we can have high scoring games. However, in this case, I think allowing the offense to catch its breath, reset in between drives, and potentialyl increase its turnover rate, is a massively positive thing. The Chargers are going to be a team we here at TSF hammer to get many pieces of in 2021.

Players Selected: Rashawn Slater, OT  Asante Samuel Jr., CB Josh Palmer, WR Tre’ McKitty, TE Chris Rumph II, LB Brendan James, OT Nick Niemann, LB Lary Rountree III, RB Mark Webb, S

Team Need (Primary): Edge, CB, TE, S, OT

Team Need (Secondary): WR, LB, DL, OG, C, RB

Los Angeles Rams

Draft Grade: C+

Blah! Feels a bit underwhemling for me, but the Rams went heavy in their effort to get Matt Stafford, so when we factor that in, they should probably get a higher grade. I would have liked to see more OL selected than defensive players, but McVay elected to go with Ernest Jones (LB) at pick 103, Bobby Brown (DT) at pick 117, and Robert Rochell (CB) at pick 130. The Rams will have a handful of expiring contracts on the defensive side of the ball in a few years, so this makes sense. However from a fantasy perspective, I don’t see much changing. They did add Tutu Atwell with their first pick at 57 overall, a burner of a WR out of Louisville who can help spread the field since they lost Josh Reynolds. What I am going to be very concerned with is how the Rams employ their running game this year. They didn’t do much to improve their offensive line. They added a better QB in Stafford, but this ultimately leads me to believe that McVay wants to get close to that 600 passing attempt mark, which leaves little room for any sort of committee between Akers and Henderson, and with no improvement in the offensive line it could be a long year for the young RBs.

Players Selected: Tutu Atwell, WR Ernest Jones, LB Bobby Brown III, DT Robert Rochell, CB Jacob Harris, WR Earnest Brown IV, DE Jake Funk, RB Ben Showronek, WR Chis Garrett, LB

Team Need (Primary): OT, OL, TE, LB, Edge

Team Need (Secondary): CB, WR, OT

Miami Dolphins

Draft Grade: C

Chase goes to Cincy, and the Fins, who were apparently set on taking a WR, select Jaylen Waddle. I think he fits in with Fuller and Parker, and mostly eliminates the need for Preston Williams, but I do think they were a bit too jumpy with this pick and could have waited, traded back, and added more assets and still landed him. That being said, still a fine pick on a guy I think will succeed at the pro level. I think I (Cory) am in the minority when I said before I liked him coming off the board before DeVonta Smith, as his game and body are more pro-ready than Smith’s at this point in time. Then they took Jaelan Phillips, a guy with some MAJOR injury concerns (enough concussions that he briefly retired) with their second pick in the first. If he stays healthy, it’s a great pick, as he is one of the best DE/Edge rush talents in the draft. But this is a big risk, and even Phillips would admit he was shocked to come off the board so soon. Beyond this, they filled a few more spots that they perceived as needs (OL, S, backup TE), but they left the draft without an elite or even suitable backup caliber RB. Gerrid Doaks is not even on my radar. So this is either a massive confidence boost for the current MIA runners, or a glaring misstep by Miami. For a team that has drafted well of late, I will say that I will trust in Flores and the front office and say they just like the guys they have there already and they weren’t going to spend the capital to reach on someone else. Fair enough.

Players Selected: Jaylen Waddle, WR Jaelan Phillips, DE Jevon Holland, S Liam Eichenburg, OT Hunter Long, TE Larnel Coleman, OT Gerrid Doaks, RB

Team Need (Primary): RB, OG, C, Edge, LB, WR

Team Need (Secondary): OT, S, CB, DL, TE

Minnesota Vikings

Draft Grade: A

Darrisaw slipping to 23 I never saw coming, absolute steal for the Vikings at this point in the first round. Kellen Mond in the beginning of the 3rd feels like a bit of a reach, but the Vikings need the eventual heir to Kirk Cousins, so it makes sense to snag a low risk prospect when you don’t have a ton of needs elsewhere. I may have liked to see them go LB here, but with their next pick they landed Chazz Surratt, so looks like they know a bit more than I do about where he would fall. When you look at what they filled vs. what they needed and who was available when they drafted them, you have to conclude the Vikes had a great draft. They had a nice mixutre of depth selection and guys who will likely be Week 1 starters, and that’s what you like to see out of a team. They clearly put an emphasis on the OL, which we talked about on the podcast pre-draft and said this needed to be an area of focus for them, so good to see they listened to us. One of the more surpring picks for me was Jaylen Twyman. He fell all the way to pick 199, and I think a lot of that were due to concerns with his lack of size, at 6’2″ 290 lbs he is small for the NFL DT position, but he has always made up for that lack of stature with hustle and strength. I think he will find a way to get it to convert at the next level and this will end up being a steal for the Vikings as well.

Players Selected: Christian Darrisaw, OT Kellen Mond, QB Chazz Surratt, LB Wyatt Davis, OG Patrick Jones II, DE Kene Nwangwu, RB Camryn Bynum, CB Janarius RObinson, DE Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR Zach Davidson, TE Jaylen Twyman, DT

Team Need (Primary): OG, C, OT, CB, Edge, DL, S

Team Need (Secondary): QB, LB, WR, TE

New England Patriots

Draft Grade: B+

Patriots fan here! Checking in! *That’s my disclaimer for this one* All in all, I think the Pats had a fine draft. I was not a fan of the Mac Jones pick (at least at first), because my thought process is that if it’s between moving up for Fields at 11 or waiting til 15 to get Jones, you have to be the team to move up and get Fields. They had the assets to get it done, and chose not to. But maybe Mac Jones was just their guy. Belichick has a well known relationship with Nick Saban, and maybe he gave the sign off on the kid. Jones was rumoured to be in the mix for 3rd overall vs. Trey Lance, so if you got a possible 3rd overall pick talent at 15, that’s a solid win. Jones led the all college QBs in overall PFF grade last year, and an even more interesting stat I saw was that his “adjusted completion rate of 84.2% is the highest PFF has ever seen” – From PFF. So… I’m less critical than I once was, but I still think Fields is the better talent. Moving on, Barmore is a steal at pick 38, could be the best pick of the draft if he keeps his head on straight. There is no denying his talent, it’s all between the ears for him, so a regimented team like New England will either be the best or worst thing for him. Only time will tell, but on talent alone this is a home run. Perkins is a nice addition, another one that dropped with “character issues” but his talent should be fine at the pro level, and with how the Pats filter DL in and out they need a lot of these guys. Stevenson at 120 is an odd pick since the Pats have 198 running backs now, but he is a guy who brings a different style than any other back on the team, plus they just declined Sony’s fifth year option, so more RBs on the squad means they have more leverage in negotiation if Sony wants to stay in NE. Beyond that, they mostly drafted for depth, Cameron McGrone is an undersized Michigan linebacker who plays with all the heart in the world, even when his body might not be able to back it up. If you’re surprised by this pick by Belichick, you haven’t been paying attention the last 20 years. Solid draft for NE overall, filled some holes, they are a team who doesn’t need much outside of a QB, and they got one, we just won’t know if it’s the right one for a little while longer.

Players Selected: Mac Jones, QB Christian Barmore, DT Ronnie Perkins, DE Rhamondre Stevenson, RB Cameron McGrone, LB Joshua Cledsoe, S William Sherman, OT Tre Nixon, WR

Team Need (Primary): QB, WR, LB, DL, Edge

Team Need (Secondary): S, RB, OT, OG

New Orleans Saints

Draft Grade: C

The Saints lost Drew Brees, as well as other great players since they were far over the salary cap. I give them a knock because with their first pick, they reached and took Payton Turner. Although they did need a defensive lineman, he was not the best available at that spot. The fact that they did not take Christian Barmore and let him slip to the second round is mind blowing. Sure, they filled a need, but not the right guy there. I am fine with the next few rounds and they did fill a few more needs, but picking QB Ian Book made zero sense to me. They are paying Winston and Hill large salaries this year at the QB position, and Book is more of a Taysom Hill clone, which should not be used as a QB. I just think it was a wasted pick there and they should have used that pick to fill a bigger need instead. Overall, I did not like this draft by the Saints.

Players Selected: Payton Turner, DE Pete Werner, LB Paulson Adebo, CB Ian Book, QB Landon Young, OT Kawaan Bake, WR

Team Need (Primary): CB, S, Edge, LB, DL

Team Need (Secondary): WR, TE, OT, QB

New York Giants

Draft Grade: C

While a lot of us thought the Giants would be looking at WRs with their first pick, I’m not sure how many people had Toney going this high. That being said, I don’t hate the pick at all. I think this gives them exactly what/who they need to play off of Shepard, Golladay, and Engram. Toney is a fantastic and dynamic receiver who brings a lot to the table. Daniel Jones no longer has any excuse not to perform. So he is likely on the hot seat this season. They added Ojulari in the second, which shocked me to see him last that long, and I think adding some LB help is much needed for the Giants, whose LBs have been a hole in their D for far too long. Robinson is an interesting choice at CB, he’s a Bama transfer who ended up at UCF, so you’d think he would go there and be a stud, instead he played nickel corner for them and struggled at times, often looking a little lost. He could be a decent project for the Giants, but NY needs him on the field soon. They need more depth at corner and if this is their solution, they need to get to work. He is raw, physically gifted, but he lacks the elite instincts of an NFL DB and most scouts have pointed this out alongside his inability to play with his back to the ball. He struggles any time he is not face up on the receiver. That’s a problem.

Players Selected: Kadarius Toney, WR Azeez Ojulari,, LB Aaron Robinson, CB Elerson Smith, LB Gary Brightwell, RB Rodarius Williams, CB

Team Need (Primary): Edge, CB, LB, OT

Team Need (Secondary): OG, C, WR, TE, S

New York Jets

Draft Grade: A

Hand up, I (Cory) thought this would be Fields. I could TASTE it. But okay moving on. The Jets take Wilson and this is a more than fine pick. He should have a great NFL career, as long as the Jets don’t mess him up. They also gave him some OL help, smart move, very un-Jets-like. And some WR help (Elijah Moore), another uncommon Jets move. So if they’re actually going to support him with some talent surrounding him, they could be in a good position to win some games. They also added Michael Carter in the 5th round, which I think is probably where most thought he would go, but I still think he will outplay that draft selection if he lands on a team that chooses to let him play and give him enough snaps. Luckily, he lands with Saleh, from the Niners coaching system, so we have to assume he is going to use the same run-heavy approach they employed out there to great success. None of the other picks do much for me, but they did grab a couple safeties, likely hoping to fill the Jamal Adams sized gap in their secondary, but certainly some nice depth pieces added as well. Could this be a new era of intelligent and effective drafting for the Jets? Lol sometimes I say crazy things.

Players Selected: Zach Wilson, QB Alijah Vera-Tucker, OG/T Elijah Moore, WR Michael Carter, RB Jamien Sherwood, S Michael Carter II, S Jason Pinnock, CB Hamsah Nasirldeen, S Brandin Echols, CB Jonathan Marshall, DT

Team Need (Primary): QB, CB, Edge, RB, LB, OL

Team Need (Secondary): WR, TE, S

Philadelphia Eagles

Draft Grade: B-

Positionally, they added what they needed to add, and that’s good. Is DeVonta Smith alongside Jaelen Reagor the recipe for success? I’m not sure. But the former Heisman trophy winner reunites with Jalen Hurts in Philly, after spending two seasons in Bama together in 2017 and 2018. Could this have influenced the pick? Oh heck yeah. Then the Eagles grabbed an OL to make sure Hurts is upright long enough to throw the ball to anyone, a DT since they can see the writing on the wall with some of their high priced DL leaving when they realize the Eagles are hamstrung by the cap due to the Carson Wentz fiasco, a depth corner piece who will be the starter by the end of the year based on the Philly DB injury history year after year, and Kenneth Gainwell, a very interesting young prospect who I think is a steal in the 5th round. Beyond that they added some nice depth pieces, and I think a very solid but fairly uneventful draft. They did what they should do, nothing more, nothing less.

Players Selected: DeVonta Smith, WR Landon Dickerson, C Milton Williams, DT Zech McPhearson, CB Kenneth Gainwell, RB Marlon Tuipulotu, DT Tarron Jackson, DE JaCoby Stevens, S Patrick Johnson, LB

Team Need (Primary): WR, TE, CB, S, OG, C, OT

Team Need (Secondary): LB, DL, Edge, QB, RB

Pittsburgh Steelers

Draft Grade: A

We all saw this coming, Harris to the Steelers. Just what the doctor ordered. They go from one of the worst rushing teams last year to immediately projected to be one of the best. They were also kind enough to use their 3rd round pick to draft an OG, Kendrick Green, who should be able to solidify the interior of that line a bit more and open up even more running lanes for Harris. The nabbed TE Pat Freiermuth in round 2, instantly replacing Vance, so they’ll still have 2 TE sets to run, even though Freiermuth is much more of a blocking TE than a receiving threat at this stage of his NFL career. After they continued to make solid picks that addressed needs of the franchise, another depth OT, and DT in case they can’t afford their expensive vets in another year or two, a couple speedy LBs that Pitt loves to draft, a CB who could grow into a nice depth piece, and then a punter, which I won’t talk about. Overall a very solid draft, but a little bit shocked we didn’t see them go for even a backup QB, in case Big Ben says this is his last year. Unless they really do think Haskins could be the future, which I won’t rule out at all.

Players Selected: Najee Harris, RB Pat Freiermuth, TE Kendrick Green, OG Dan Moore Jr., OT Buddy Johnson, LB Isaiahh Loudermilk, DT Quincy ROche, LB Tre Norwood, CB Pressley Harvin III, P

Team Need (Primary): CB, OT, OG, C, LB, Edge, QB

Team Need (Secondary): DL, TE, RB

San Francisco 49ers

Draft Grade: A

I think the 49ers smashed this draft. Personally, I am a Justin Fields guy, however what we saw was Shanahan saying “this is my guy”. Lance’s hype picked up like a locomotive heading into draft day, and the 49ers reaffirmed that hype. They then followed that up with Aaron Banks (OG) and what is probably going to be a major sleeper heading into 2021 from a fantasy perspective, Trey Sermon (RB). I really see the 49ers offense getting back on track. I think Lance gives hope to Samuel and Aiyuk having significant increases in production. This, however, all comes from the idea that Lance is the starter. If Shanahan decides to slow play Lance and we get a 2021 Jimmy G filled season…eeek! For dynasty players, this is a team to buy into early and often.

Players Selected: Trey Lance, QB Aaron Banks, OG Trey Sermon, RB AMbry THomas, CB Jaylon Moore, OG Talanoa Huganga, S Elijah Mitchell, RB

Team Need (Primary): QB, OG, C

Team Need (Secondary): Edge, S, CB, WR, LB, RB

Seattle Seahawks

Draft Grade: D

3 picks for the Seahawks who had a miserable defense in 2020, and they decided to go with D’Wayne Elkridge (WR). A team that already has DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and tries to be a run oriented team added a third WR. I understand why with them losing David Moore, but it just seems like an odd pick. Their draft really didn’t do anything for me, and I really don’t have much else to add. Your 2020 Seahawks will be your 2021 Seahawks. A Playoff team chasing a Super Bowl.

Players Selected: D’Wayne Elkridge, WR Tre Brown, CB Tone Forsythe, OT

Team Need (Primary): OL, DL, WR

Team Need (Secondary): WR, S, TE

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Draft Grade: B

I give the Bucs a B and that is no knock on the Bucs, but it is due to the fact that they really did not have a hole to fill on their entire team. They brought back literally everyone from the Super Bowl winning team, and last year they proved they had one of the best defenses and offenses in the entire NFL. They picked Joe Tyron in the first, and as much as I think there were better players at that position, it made sense for the team to develop a guy like that with plenty of veterans behind him. Did they take Tom Brady’s replacement in the 2nd round? We don’t know if that is what it means yet, but Trask can sit behind the greatest of all time for the next 2 or 15 years to learn from the best. I also think it was a big F-U to other teams who tried to wait and take a QB in the third, and Trask was a guy teams were targeting (sorry Houston). Other than that, they just added to an already elite roster and they did nothing to hurt the team. Go win another ring Tommy.

Players Selected: Joe Tyron, LB Kyle Trask, QB Robert Hainsey, OG Jaelon Darden, WR K.J. Britt, LB Chris Wilcox, CB Grant Stuard, LB

Team Need (Primary): OT, RB, OG, C

Team Need (Secondary): QB, WR, LB, Edge, S

Tennessee Titans

Draft Grade: B

The Titans had the 22nd pick in this draft and this was a make or break pick in my mind. They nailed it by taking Caleb Farley (CB) who we all had going much earlier in the first round. Their biggest need with all the players they lost in free agency was CB and they filled it right away with a day 1 starter. They needed help on the line, and they filled that need in the second round, but that was the only OT they took in the entire draft. Great pick, but they still should have taken more later for depth. Like I said before, they lost a lot of that secondary and many others on defense from last year, and they focused on that in the draft by selecting 5 of their 7 picks from the defensive side of the ball. A player to keep an eye on is the last round WR Racey McMath. This is mainly due to Josh Reynolds being the current number 2 WR, which opens a path for McCath to take that number 3 role.

Players Selected: Caleb Farley, CB  Dillon Radunz, OT Monry Rice, LB Elijah Molden, CB Rashad Weaver, DE Racey McMath, WR Brady Breeze, S

Team Need (Primary): CB, WR, OT, S, TE

Team Need (Secondary): LB, DL, Edge, OG, C

Washington Football Team

Draft Grade: A

We talked about them for a while on the podcast heading into the draft, they aren’t a team who needed a ton of talent to add through their 2021 picks. But, I think the guys they did add will be a big help going forward. Jamin Davis is a very talented LB prospect, I had him going to Miami with the previous pick in my personal mock, but him on the board at 19 is a great value add. They plug him into their LB corps behind their ultra-elite down linemen and edge rushers, and they are instantly a force to be reckoned with. Not that they weren’t already. They use their next selection on Samuel Cosmi, one of the OT’s that was creeping up draft boards, and I think their return on value for a second rounder will be high. They are a team that should still look to set a lot up off their rushing attack, and Cosmi should help not only with that, but with some pass blocking on PA’s and standard dropbacks. He is a well round prospect and should contribute early and often. St-Juste is intriguing for a lot of reasons, but the WFT certainly made this selection based primarily on need. He is oversized for a CB at 6’3″ and 202 lbs, think like a Brandon Browner type, and he plays a similr style at the line. If he can translate this to the pro level, teams will struggle mightily with jammed WRs and a pash rush that only need a slight delay in timing to get to the QB for the sack. Naturally the issue he will have is with penalties, but if he can reign that in, he could be elite. Another issue is that while he was lined up outside at Minnesota, he graded out like an elite prospect. When he was asked to play the nickel corner role, however, he struggled. If the WFT intends to use him like this, they have some work to do. Dyami Brown should fill in well as a depth WR and certainly has upside, anyone can break into this starting WR lineup at any time, so I would look for him to make a name for himself in camp and preseason (God-willing we have both). The rest are great depth picks, they even added a longsnapper, so Washington clearly has a direction they are heading and it looks like they are finally on track to compete atop the NFC East.

Players Selected: Jamin Davis, LB Samuel Cosmi, OT Benjamin St-Juste, CB Dyami Brown, WR John Bates, TE Darrick Forrest, S Camaron Cheeseman, LS William Bradley-King, DE Shaka Toney, DE Dax Milne, WR

Team Need (Primary): OT, QB, LB, S

Team Need (Secondary): OG, C, CB, RB, WR, TE