AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Rd 2: Ronald Darby (CB, Florida State, 50th overall), Rd 3: John Miller (G, Louisville, 81st overall), Rd 5: Karlos Williams (RB, Florida State, 155th overall), Rd 6: Tony Steward (OLB, Clemson, 188th overall), Nick O’Leary (TE, Florida State, 194th overall) Rd 7: Dezmin Lewis (WR, Central Arkansas, 234th overall)
The Bills had no first-round pick in this draft, dealing that away when they traded up to grab Sammy Watkins last year, but spent half of the six selections they did have left over on Florida State alums. None are obvious first-year starters, although O’Leary – who won the John Mackey award as college football’s outstanding tight end in 2014 – was certainly a nice pick-up in the sixth. Louisville’s Miller helps fill a need at guard, but weaknesses at safety and on the defensive line were overlooked. Grade: C
Miami Dolphins
Rd 1: DeVante Parker (WR, Louisville, 14th overall), Rd 2: Jordan Phillips (DT, Oklahoma, 52nd overall), Rd 4: Jamil Douglas (G, Arizona State, 115th overall), Rd 5: Bobby McCain (CB, Memphis, 145th overall), Jay Ajayi (RB, Boise State, 149th overall), Cedric Thompson (S, Minnesota, 150th overall), Tony Lippett (WR, Michigan State, 156th overall)
The draft started well for Miami and kept getting better from there. Parker proved at the Scouting Combine that he has the deep speed to go with his imposing size, and should form a potent tandem opposite Kenny Stills. Phillips’s 329lb frame can occupy blockers and leave Ndamukong Suh to wreak havoc. British-born Ajayi was a brilliant value pick in the fifth round – a player whose talent might have placed him as high as the second, were it not for evaluators’ concerns about his right knee. Grade: A-
New England Patriots
Rd 1: Malcom Brown (DT, Texas, 32nd overall), Rd 2: Jordan Richards (S, Stanford, 64th overall), Rd 3: Geneo Grissom (DE, Oklahoma, 97th overall), Rd 4: Trey Flowers (DE, Arkansas, 101 overall), Tre’ Jackson (G, Florida State, 111 overall), Shaq Mason (C, Georgia Tech, 131st overall), Rd 5: Joe Cardona (LS, Navy, 166th overall), Rd 6: Matthew Wells (LB, Mississippi State, 178th overall), AJ Derby (TE, Arkansas, 202nd overall) Rd 7: Darryl Roberts (CB, Marshall, 247th overall), Xzavier Dickson (OLB, Alabama, 253rd overall)
New England could not have been happier to see Brown fall into their laps at No32 – an explosive and disruptive defensive tackle who brings a different skillset to the departed Vince Wilfork, but who will certainly help fill the void left by the latter player’s departure. As usual, Bill Belichick found room for a draft-day trade (his 54th in 16 years), doing a two-for-three deal with the Browns that left him with an enormous haul of picks on day three. Grade: B
New York Jets
Rd 1: Leonard Williams (DE/DT, USC, 6th overall), Rd 2: Devin Smith (WR, Ohio State, 37th overall), Rd 3: Lorenzo Maudlin (OLB, Louisville, 82nd overall), Rd 4: (Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor, 103rd overall), Rd 5: Jarvis Harrison (G, Texas A&M 152nd overall), Rd 7: Deon Simon (DT, Northwestern St (LA) 223rd overall)
No franchise quarterback for the Jets, but Williams is a pretty phenomenal consolation prize. Many people considered the USC defensive lineman to be the top talent in this draft, so to find him at No6 was a delight for new Jets GM Mike Maccagnan. Smith adds a deep threat to an increasingly solid receiver corps, and Petty’s physical tools make him an intriguing mid-round add. The Baylor QB still needs a lot of time to develop, which the New York media will not give him, but that should not stop the Jets from trying. Swapping a seventh-rounder for disgruntled Rams running back Zac Stacy was also a nice opportunistic move. Grade: A-
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Rd 1: Breshad Perriman (Wide receiver, Central Florida, 26th overall), Rd 2: Maxx Williams (TE, Minnesota, 55th overall), Rd 3: Carl Davis (DT, Iowa, 90th overall), Rd 4: Za’Darius Smith (DE, Kentucky, 122nd overall), Javorius Allen (RB, USC, 125th overall), Tray Walker (CB, Texas Southern, 136th overall) Rd 5: Nick Boyle (TE, Delaware, 171st overall), Robert Myers (G, Tennessee State, 176th overall) Rd 6: Darren Walker (WR, Georgia Tech, 204th overall)
Few GMs spend their mid-round picks as effectively as Ozzie Newsome, and the strength of the Ravens’ draft once again appears to be in its depth. Williams was the best tight end in this year’s class, and fills an area of need. Davis is a 320lb behemoth who does not just clog up lanes but also gets after opposing passers. Walker adds depth to a thin group at cornerback. The pick I’m least sold on, personally, is Perriman, who dropped eight of 54 catchable passes last season. But many analysts had him going higher. Grade: B+
Cincinnati Bengals
Rd 1: Cedric Ogbuehi (OT, Texas A&M, 21st overall), Rd 2: Jake Fisher (OT, Oregon, 53rd overall), Rd 3: Tyler Kroft (TE, Rutgers, 85th overall), Paul Dawson (LB, TCU, 99th overall) Rd 4: Josh Shaw (CB, USC, 120th overall), Marcus Hardison (DE/DT, Arizona State, 135th overall), Rd 5: CJ Uzomah (TE, Auburn, 157th overall), Rd 6: Derron Smith (S, Fresno State, 197th overall), Rd 7: Mario Alford (WR, West Virginia, 238th overall)
Eyebrows were raised at Cincinnati’s decision to take offensive tackles with both of their first two picks, but this was sound long-term planning. Both of the teams’ incumbent starters will see their contracts expire at the end of the 2015 season. Fisher might actually contribute sooner than Ogbuehi, who is coming off an ACL injury. Hardison is an intriguing fourth-round add for the defense, his 10 sacks last season at Arizona State representing 50% of the total that Cincinnati’s defenders registered between them in 2014. Grade: B
Cleveland Browns
Rd 1: Danny Shelton (DT, Washington, 12th overall), Cameron Erving (C, Florida State, 19th overall), Rd 2: Nate Orchard (DE, Utah, 51st overall) Rd 3: Duke Johnson (RB, Miami, 77th overall), Xavier Cooper (DT, Washington State, 96th overall) Rd 4: Ibraheim Campbell (S, Northwestern, 115th overall), Vince Mayle (WR, Washington State, 123rd overall) Rd 6: Charles Gaines (CB, Louisville, 189th overall), Malcolm Johnson (TE, Mississippi State, 195th overall), Randall Telfer (TE, USC, 198th overall) Rd 7: Hayes Pullard (LB, USC, 219th overall), Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
With two first-round picks at their disposal, the Browns were the best-positioned of all the quarterback-needy teams to make a play for Marcus Mariota. Their decision not to do so makes this a tricky draft to judge. Shelton was the right pick at No12 for a team that owned the league’s worst rush defense in 2014, while Erving is a gifted and versatile lineman who I had going one spot higher in my mock. But if Mariota does develop into an elite NFL quarterback, regrets are certain to linger.
Grade: Check back with me in two years’ time. (OK, fine, B-)
Pittsburgh Steelers
Rd 1: Bud Dupree (OLB/DE, Kentucky, 22nd overall), Rd 2: Senquez Golson (CB, Mississippi, 56th overall), Rd 3: Sammie Coates (WR, Auburn, 87th overall), Rd 4: Doran Grant (CB, Ohio State, 121st overall), Rd 5: Jesse James (TE, Penn State, 160th overall), Rd 6: Leterrius Walton (DT, Central Michigan, 199th overall), Anthony Chickillo (DE, Miami, 212th overall), Rd 7: Gerod Holliman (S, Louisville, 239th overall)
Pittsburgh shied away from their greatest need – cornerback – in the first round, but that was justifiable when as able a pass rusher as Dupree was still available. The Steelers did make the defensive backfield a priority thereafter, adding Golson in the second and Grant in the fourth. Both are shorter than scouts would ideally prefer but each is a playmaker, and together they racked up 15 interceptions last season. Frankly, both might have better hands than Coates, who had an extraordinary 19.1% drop rate in 2014. Grade: B
AFC South
Houston Texans
Rd 1: Kevin Johnson (CB, Wake Forest, 16th overall), Rd 2: Benardrick McKinney (LB, Mississippi State, 43rd overall), Rd 3: Jaelen Strong (WR, 70th overall), Rd 5: Keith Mumphery (WR, Michigan State, 175th overall), Rd 6: Reshard Cliett (OLB, South Florida, 211th overall), Christian Covington (DT, Rice, 216th overall) Rd 7: Kenny Hillard (RB, LSU, 235th overall)
I had the Texans’ three biggest needs as linebacker, wide receiver and cornerback, and those were the positions they addressed with their top three selections (even if not in that order). Johnson and McKinney are both solid picks, rather than spectacular ones, but Strong had been graded by many observers (myself included) as a first-round talent. Grade: B+
Indianapolis Colts
Rd 1: Phillip Dorsett (WR, Miami, 29th overall), Rd 3: D’Joun Smith (CB, Florida Atlantic, 65th overall), Henry Anderson (DE, Stanford, 93rd overall), Rd 4: Clayton Geathers (S, Central Florida, 109th overall), Rd 5: David Parry (DT, Stanford, 151st overall), Rd 6: Josh Robinson (RB, Mississippi State, 205th overall), Amarlo Herrera (LB, Georgia, 207th overall) Rd 7: Denzell Goode (OT, Mars Hill, 255th overall)
Colts GM Ryan Grigson felt that Dorsett was the best player available at No29, but to me this felt like a missed opportunity. Adding another playmaker on offense is all well and good, but this team will not go to the Super Bowl until it learns to stop the run. Malcom Brown and Eddie Goldman were both still on the board, and the Colts could even have sought to trade down a few spots before picking up the latter player. Anderson and Parry may contribute, but for me this was too little, too late. Grade: C-
Jacksonville Jaguars
Rd 1: Dante Fowler Jr (DE/OLB, Florida, 3rd overall), Rd 2: TJ Yeldon (RB, Alabama, 36th overall), Rd 3: AJ Cann (G, South Carolina, 67th overall), Rd 4: James Sample (S, Louisville, 104th overall), Rd 5: Rashad Greene (WR, Florida State, 139th overall), Rd 6: Michael Bennett (DT, Ohio State, 180th overall), Rd 7: Neal Sterling (WR, Monmouth (NJ), 220nd overall), Ben Koyack (TE, Notre Dame, 229th overall)
It has been a long time since the Jaguars got this much right in a single weekend. All of their top three picks could start by week one, and the same might be true of their fourth- and sixth-round selections as well. That is, in part, a reflection of the state of their current roster, but Fowler was the consensus top pass rusher in this draft, Yeldon brings the sudden acceleration that Jacksonville’s backfield lacked and Cann was a model of consistency at South Carolina. Sample is a hard tackling safety who could also contribute on special teams, while Bennett has the first-step burst to generate pass rush from the defensive tackle position. The Jags have addressed need while continuing to get excellent value throughout. I don’t know that they could have done much better. Grade: A
Tennessee Titans
Rd 1: Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon, 2nd overall), Rd 2: Dorial Green-Beckham (WR, Missouri, 40th overall), Rd 3: Jeremiah Poutasi (G, Utah, 66th overall), Rd 4: Angelo Blackson (DT, Auburn, 100th overall), Jalston Fowler (FB, Alabama, 108th overall) Rd 5: David Cobb (RB, Minnesota, 138th overall), Rd 6: Deiontrez Mount (OLB, Louisville, 177th overall) Andy Gallick, C, Boston College, 208th overall), Rd 7: Tre McBride (WR, William & Mary, 245th overall)
The Titans went with Mariota at No2, and I believe that was the right call. Will he need time to adjust to the professional game? Certainly. Is he an obvious fit for Ken Whisenhunt’s offense? Not really. But when you coexist in a division with Andrew Luck and the Colts, you are going to need to win the occasional shoot-out and Mariota gives the Titans a better chance to do that, in the medium-term, than Zach Mettenberger ever could. I am less excited about the rest of Tennessee’s draft class. Others might enthuse about Green-Beckham but, even leaving aside the receiver’s off-field issues, he never impressed me as much at Missouri as his physical gifts suggested he should. Grade: B-
AFC West
Denver Broncos
Rd 1: Shane Ray (OLB, Missouri, 23rd overall), Rd 2: Ty Sambrailo (OT, Colorado State, 59th overall), Rd 3: Jeff Heuerman (TE, Ohio State, 92nd overall), Rd 4: Max Garcia (C, Florida, 133rd overall), Rd 5: Lorenzo Doss (CB, Tulane, 164th overall), Rd 6: Darius Kilgo (DT, Maryland, 203rd overall), Rd 7: Trevor Siemian (QB, Northwestern, 250th overall), Taurean Nixon (DB, Tulane, 251st overall), Josh Furman (DB, Oklahoma State, 252nd overall)
Leaving aside the obvious jokes about Shane Ray finding a home in a state where marijuana is legal, I am tempted to ask whether the Mizzou player is really such a good fit for the Broncos. Elite pass rushers are always in demand in the NFL, but Denver already had Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware on their books. The priority should have been doing more to protect Peyton Manning. Sambrailo is a step down from the offensive linemen available at the end of the first round – and perhaps even from others who were taken late in the second. Grade: C+
Kansas City Chiefs
Rd 1: Marcus Peters (CB, Washington, 18th overall), Rd 2: Mitch Morse (OL, Missouri, 49th overall), Rd 3: Chris Conley (WR, Georgia, 76th overall), Steven Nelson (CB, Oregon State, 98th overall) Rd 4: Ramik Wilson (LB, Georgia, 118th overall), Rd 5: DJ Alexander (OLB, Oregon State, 172nd overall), James O’Shaughnessy (TE, Illinois State, 173rd overall) Rd 6: Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DT, Southern Miss, 217th overall), Rd 7: Da’Ron Brown (WR, Northern Illinois, 233rd overall)
Did the Chiefs nab one of the best players in this entire draft at No18, or was this a wasted pick? Only time will tell whether Peters is prepared to knuckle down and make the most of his talent now in the NFL, having been kicked out of Washington’s football program after clashing with coaches. Few evaluators had expected Morse to be come off the board so early, but Conley was a useful (and necessary) add at receiver. Grade: B
Oakland Raiders
Rd 1: Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama, 4th overall), Rd 2: Mario Edwards Jr (DT, Florida State, 35th overall), Rd 3: Clive Walford (TE, Miami, 68th overall), Rd 4: Jon Feliciano (G, Miami, 128th overall), Rd 5: Ben Heeney (LB, Kansas, 140th overall), Neiron Ball (LB, Florida, 161st overall) Rd 6: Max Valles (LB, Virginia, 179th overall), Rd 7: Anthony Morris (OT, Tennessee State, 218th overall), Andre Debose (WR, Florida, 221st overall), Dexter McDonald (CB, Kansas, 242nd overall)
It is easy to get excited about Cooper, a thrilling playmaker, right up until you remember that Oakland still have Derek Carr throwing him the ball. Perhaps the Raiders were right to take a long-term view and make sure they grabbed their top-ranked player at No4, but I do wonder how much of a difference he can make on the field until they upgrade at quarterback. The same goes, to a lesser extent for Walford. Meanwhile, Edwards was a reach so early in the second round. Grade: C+
San Diego Chargers
Rd 1: Melvin Gordon (RB, Wisconsin, 15th overall), Rd 2: Denzel Perryman (LB, 48th overall), Rd 3: Craig Mager (CB, 83rd overall), Rd 5: Kyle Emanuel (OLB, North Dakota State, 153rd overall), Rd 6: Darius Philon (DT, Arkansas, 192nd overall)
The Chargers had just five picks left by the time they had traded up to No15, meaning that their draft will be judged first and foremost on one player. Gordon should be an immediate upgrade at tailback for a team that needs greater offensive balance, but how much difference can he make given the failure to reinforce a flimsy offensive line? Grade: C+
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys
Rd 1: Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut, 27th overall), Rd 2: Randy Gregory (OLB, Nebraska, 60th overall), Rd 3: Chaz Green (OT, Florida, 91st overall), Rd 4: Damien Wilson (LB, Minnesota 127th overall), Rd 5: Ryan Russell (DE, Purdue, 163rd overall), Rd 7: Mark Nzeocha (OLB, Wyoming, 236th overall), Laurence Gibson (OT, Virginia Tech, 243rd overall), Geoff Swaim (TE, Texas, 246th overall)
By failing to draft a replacement for DeMarco Murray, Dallas have effectively put their faith in Darren McFadden to take over as the team’s starting tailback. The latter player’s injury history suggests this decision is likely to backfire. Jones will bring much-needed athleticism to the Cowboys’ secondary, while Gregory had been projected as a top-15 talent before his positive test for marijuana at the Combine, allied to surprising offseason weight loss, caused him to slip down teams’ draft boards. He is theoretically worth the gamble at No60, but perhaps not when you consider the opportunity cost to Dallas of not adding a running back with the same pick. Grade: C+
New York Giants
Rd 1: Ereck Flowers (OT/G, Miami, 9th overall), Rd 2: Landon Collins (S, Alabama, 33rd overall), Rd 3: Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE, UCLA, 74th overall), Rd 5: Mykkele Thompson (S, Texas, 144th pick overall), Rd 6: Geremy Davis (WR, Connecticut, 186th pick overall), Rd 7: Bobby Hart (G, Florida State, 226th pick overall)
Flowers was not the best player available with the ninth pick. Many would contend that he was not even the best at his position. But after seeing their top target, Brandon Scherff, scooped up by a division rival, the Giants remained intent on upgrading a porous offensive line. Despite some sluggishness getting out of his stance, Flowers did not give up a single sack at Miami last season. Collins was a good value at No33, although, like Thompson, he defends the run better than he does the pass. Grade: C+
Philadelphia Eagles
Rd 1: Nelson Agholor (WR, USC, 20th overall), Rd 2: Eric Rowe (CB, Utah, 47th overall), Rd 3: Jordan Hicks (OLB, Texas, 84th overall), Rd 6: JaCorey Shepherd (CB, Kansas, 191st overall), Randall Evans (CB, Kansas State, 196th overall), Rd 7: Brian Mihalik (DE, Boston College, 237th overall)
For all the pre-draft chatter about Philadelphia trading up to land Mariota, the reality is that Chip Kelly has had his heart set on Agholor for some time. The Eagles head coach worked the receiver out in Tampa Bay before the draft, and had been keeping tabs on him since high school. A precise route runner who will make defenders miss in the open field, Agholor will be a nice fit for Kelly’s offense – as long as the Eagles can get production out of one of Sam Bradford or Mark Sanchez (let’s not talk about Tebow). Rowe is a great pick-up on the other side of the ball, capable of slotting in at corner or safety – both positions of need. Grade: B-
Washington
Rd 1: Brandon Scherff (G, Iowa, 5th overall), Rd 2: Preston Smith (DE, Mississippi State, 38th overall), Rd 3: Matt Jones (RB, Florida, 95th overall), Rd 4: Jamison Crowder (WR, Duke, 105th overall), Arie Kouandjio (G, Alabama, 112th overall), Rd 5: Martrell Spaight (LB, Arkansas, 141st overall), Rd 6: Kyshoen Jarrett (S, Virginia Tech, 181st overall), Tevin Mitchel (CB, Arkansas, 182nd overall), Evan Spencer (WR, Ohio State, 187th overall) Rd 7: Austin Reiter (C, South Florida, 222nd overall)
Washington sprung the first big surprise of this draft when they took Scherff at No5. Although the top-rated offensive lineman in this draft, few had him going quite so early. At a few days’ distance, it is possible to see why the pick makes sense. New GM Scot McCloughan was making a relatively safe bet on a player who Washington believe can start immediately at right tackle, but the pick was also a statement about the physical, aggressive mentality that he and head coach Jay Gruden want to instill in their team. It was a thread maintained throughout the draft. McCloughan brought in hard grafters more than playmakers, but right now that is probably what Washington need. Grade: B
NFC North
Chicago Bears
Rd 1: Kevin White (WR, West Virginia, 7th overall), Rd 2: Eddie Goldman (DT, Florida State, 39th overall), Rd 3: Hroniss Grasu (C, Oregon, 71st overall), Rd 4: Jeremy Langford (RB, Michigan State, 106th overall), Rd 5: Adrian Amos (S, Penn State, 142nd overall), Rd 6: Tayo Fabuluje (OT, TCU, 183rd overall)
Chicago are said to have been among the teams who contacted Tennessee about trading up for the No2 pick, offering Jay Cutler as part of a package to land Mariota. Shockingly, they were rebuffed. Instead, Smokin’ Jay got a new receiver to throw to. White is a more than adequate replacement for the departed Brandon Marshall, who, weirdly, was one of the first in line to praise the pick. In Goldman, the Bears have also picked up the nose tackle they needed as they transition to a 3-4 defense. Chicago could perhaps have done with picking up a safety sooner than the fifth round. Grade: B+
Detroit Lions
Rd 1: Laken Tomlinson (G, Duke, 28th overall), Rd 2: Ameer Abdullah (RB, Nebraska, 54th overall), Rd 3: Alex Carter (CB, Stanford, 80th overall), Rd 4: Gabe Wright (DT, Auburn, 113rd overall), Rd 5: Michael Burton (FB, Rutgers, 168th overall), Rd 6: Quandre Diggs (CB, Texas, 200th overall), Rd 7: Corey Robinson (OT, South Carolina, 240th overall)
Detroit needed help up front and they got it early, parlaying one first-round pick into two offensive linemen. By trading down with Denver, they were able to pick up Laken Tomlinson at No28, as well getting Broncos center/guard Manny Ramirez into the deal. The latter can be a versatile backup, but Tomlinson is expected to slot straight in and start at guard. Abdullah looks like a natural replacement for Reggie Bush – an elusive back who can offer a change of pace from Joique Bell. Carter and Wright were each projected to go higher, and add depth at positions where the Lions were thin. Grade: B+
Green Bay Packers
Rd 1: Damarious Randall (S, Arizona State, 30th overall), Rd 2: Quinten Rollins (CB, Miami (Ohio), 62nd overall), Rd 3: Ty Montgomery (WR, Stanford, 94th overall), Rd 4: Jake Ryan (OLB, Michigan 129th overall), Rd 5: Brett Hundley (QB, UCLA, 147th overall), Rd 6: Aaron Ripkowski (FB, Oklahoma, 206th overall), Christian Ringo (DE, Louisiana-Lafayette, 210th overall), Kennard Backman (TE, UAB, 213th overall)
By preserving the vast majority of the roster that came within a whisker of Super Bowl XLIX, the Packers ensured that their needs come draft day were few. Fresh bodies were sought in the secondary, and arrived in the persons of Randall and Rollins. The latter is the one of the more intriguing players in this draft, a converted basketball player with only a single (highly impressive) season of college football under his belt. The one regret here is over the Packers’ failure to pick up the inside linebacker who might have allowed them to move Clay Matthews back outside. Grade: B-
Minnesota Vikings
Rd 1: Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State, 11th overall), Rd 2: Eric Kendricks (LB, UCLA, 45th overall), Rd 3: Danielle Hunter (DE, LSU, 88th overall), Rd 4: TJ Clemmings (OT, Pittsburgh, 110th overall), Rd 5: MyCole Pruitt (TE, Southern Illinois, 143rd overall), Stefon Diggs (WR, Maryland, 146th overall) Rd 6: Tyrus Thompson (OT, Oklahoma, 185th overall), BJ Dubose (DE, Louisville, 193rd overall), Rd 7: Austin Shepherd (OT, Alabama, 228th overall), Edmond Robinson (OLB, Newberry, 232nd overall)
Minnesota divided opinion by selecting Waynes at No11. The corner’s size (6ft 1in) and blistering straight-line speed (4.31 40-yard time) make him ideally suited for eliminating an opponent’s deep threat, but some scouts have accused him of lacking the fluidity to change direction when receivers break out on underneath routes. Less contentious was the selection of Kendricks, arguably the best inside linebacker in this class, at No45. If Clemmings, a converted defensive linemen with explosive power, can overcome the foot injury that seems to have spooked some teams, his potential is enormous. Grade: B+
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
Rd 1: Vic Beasley (OLB, Clemson, 8th overall), Rd 2: Jalen Collins (CB, LSU, 42nd overall), Rd 3: Tevin Coleman (RB, Indiana, 73rd overall), Rd 4: Justin Hardy (WR, East Carolina, 107th overall), Rd 5: Grady Jarrett (DT, Clemson, 137th overall), Rd 6: Jake Rodgers (OT, Eastern Washington, 225th overall), Akeem King (DB, San Jose State, 249th overall)
Dan Quinn’s overhaul of the Falcons’ defense continues apace, with Beasley the pass rushing threat that the head coach could not find in free agency. Don’t overlook the value of his Clemson team-mate Jarrett – an undersized but disruptive interior presence – in the fifth round, either. Coleman, with his sub-4.4sec 40-yard time, can provide the running game with a big-play threat on third downs – so long as that patchy offensive line can give him enough time to get out of the backfield. Grade: B
Carolina Panthers
Rd 1: Shaq Thompson (OLB/S, Washington, 25th overall), Rd 2: Devin Funchess (WR, Michigan, 41st overall), Rd 4: Daryl Williams (G, Oklahoma, 102nd overall), Rd 5: David Mayo (LB, Texas State, 169th overall), Cameron Artis-Payne (RB, Auburn, 174th overall)
A novel approach from Carolina, who neither opted for the best player available nor a position of need with their first pick. They instead added Thompson, an exceptionally versatile player who lined up at running back for Washington at times last year (and who formerly enjoyed a brief and heroically hapless career in minor league baseball) but who could conceivably have fallen to them a round later. Cam Newton ought to be livid at seeing his team overlook the offensive line until the fourth round. Giving up three picks for Funchess is also hard to justify, especially when his skillset is so similar to Kelvin Benjamin. A more explosive player would have provided the Panthers with greater offensive balance. Grade: D
New Orleans Saints
Rd 1: Andrus Peat (OT, Stanford, 13th overall), Stephone Anthony (LB, Clemson, 31st overall), Rd 2: Hau’oli Kikaha (OLB, Washington, 44th overall), Rd 3: Garrett Grayson (QB, Colorado State, 75th overall), PJ Williams (CB, Florida State, 78th overall) Rd 5: Davis Tull (LB, Tennessee-Chattanooga, 148th overall), Tyeler Davison (DT, Fresno State, 154th overall), Damian Swann (CB, Georgia, 167th overall), Rd 7: Marcus Murphy (RB, Missouri, 230th overall)
Saints fans might have hoped to see the first-round pick that their team received in the Jimmy Graham trade reinvested in a player who could get their pulses racing. Instead, it was spent on an inside linebacker. Anthony is a decent enough prospect, although far from being the consensus No1 at his position. Peat should develop into a fine NFL tackle – possibly via a stint at guard – and the Saints’ commitment to protecting Drew Brees better is wise. But have they given him enough weapons to work with now that Graham and Kenny Stills are gone? Grade: C+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rd 1: Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State, 1st overall), Rd 2: Donovan Smith (OT, Penn State, 34th overall), Ali Marpet (C, Hobart & William Smith, 61st overall), Rd 4: Kwon Alexander (OLB, LSU, 124th overall), Rd 5: Kenny Bell (WR, Nebraska, 162nd overall), Rd 6: Kaelin Clay (WR, Utah, 184th overall), Rd 7: Joey Iosefa (FB, Hawaii, 231st overall)
To no one’s surprise, Tampa Bay took Winston with the first overall pick. It was at once the right thing to do and a huge gamble. Opportunities to pick up a franchise quarterback come along all too rarely, and therefore must be seized. But not even the most diligent scout could say with certainty whether Winston will translate his talents into a dominant professional career. The Bucs sought to improve his odds by spending their next two picks on linemen to protect him, although Smith’s athleticism has been questioned and Marpet will face a steep learning curve after playing his college football in Division III. Grade: B-
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals
Rd 1: DJ Humphries (OT, Florida, 24th overall), Rd 2: Markus Golden (DE, Missouri, 58th overall), Rd 3: David Johnson (RB, Northern Iowa, 86th overall), Rd 4: Rodney Gunter (DT, Delaware State, 116th overall), Rd 5: Shaquille Riddick (DE, 158th overall), JJ Nelson (WR, UAB, 159th overall), Rd 7: Gerald Christian (TE, Louisville, 256th overall)
Upgrading the offensive line has been a priority for Arizona this offseason, and Humphries was a sensible choice at No24. Only five NFL offensive tackles gave up more sacks than the Cardinals’ Bobby Massie last season, and Humphries will aim to replace him swiftly in the line-up. With both Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon disappearing off the board long before Arizona picked, it made sense to wait a little longer for a running back. The 224lb Johnson has surprisingly soft hands and could be a nice complement to the smaller Andre Ellington. Grade: B
San Francisco 49ers
Rd 1: Arik Armstead (DT, Oregon, 17th overall), Rd 2: Jaquiski Tartt (S, Samford, 46th overall), Rd 3: Eli Harold (OLB, Virginia, 79th overall), Rd 4: Blake Bell (TE, Oklahoma 117th overall), Mike Davis (RB, South Carolina, 126th overall), DeAndre Smelter (WR, Georgia Tech, 132nd overall) Rd 5: Bradley Pinion (P, Clemson, 165th overall), Rd 6: Ian Silberman (G, Boston College, 190th overall), Rd 7: Trenton Brown (G, Florida, 244th overall), Rory Anderson (TE, South Carolina, 254th overall)
The 49ers had a lot to do on defense after their spate of offseason departures and retirements (we still do not know if Justin Smith will return), so it was no surprise to see them spend all of their first three picks on that side of the ball. If there is a concern, it is that Armstead – whilst a phenomenal athlete – is extremely raw, and might take time to thrive at this level. Harold was a steal in the third round, but the 49ers’ decision not to add a corner with any of their 10 picks is perplexing. Grade: B-
Seattle Seahawks
Rd 2: Frank Clark (DE, Michigan, 63rd overall), Rd 3: Tyler Lockett (WR, Kansas State, 69th overall), Rd 4: Terry Poole (G, San Diego State, 130th overall), Mark Glowinski (G, West Virginia, 134th overall), Rd 5: Tye Smith (CB, Towson, 170th overall), Rd 6: Obum Gwacham (DE, Oregon State, 209th overall), Kristjan Sokoli (DT, Buffalo, 214th overall) Rd 7: Ryan Murphy (DB, Oregon State, 248th overall)
How to grade the Seahawks’ draft? The selection of Clark, kicked out of Michigan’s team after a domestic violence incident last November, has not been received well in Seattle, and the four picks they surrendered to move up and grab Lockett in the third round seemed an excessive price to pay. On the other hand, their first-round pick formed part of the Jimmy Graham trade – which was clearly the defining move of the Seahawks’ offseason. I liked that deal a lot. The draft itself, not so much. Grade: C+
St Louis Rams
Rd 1: Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia, 10th overall), Rd 2: Rob Havenstein (OT, Wisconsin, 57th overall), Rd 3: Jamon Brown (OT, Louisville, 72nd overall), Sean Mannion (QB, Oregon State, 89th overall) Rd 4: Andrew Donnal (OT, Iowa, 119th overall), Rd 6: Bud Sasser (WR, Missouri, 201st overall), Cody Wichmann (G, Fresno State, 215th overall) Rd 7: Bryce Hager (LB, Baylor, 224th overall), Martin Ifedi (DE, Memphis, 227th overall)
Gurley had better be as good as the Rams think he is (and fully recovered from his knee injury, to boot). After three consecutive seasons of putting out a competitive team but always finishing up with a losing record, head coach Jeff Fisher has understandably taken a shot on a player who might just be enough of a game-changer to get his team over the hump. Unfortunately, the Rams followed up with a pair of offensive tackles who belonged much later in this draft. Grade: C
