Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

NFL Draft Quick-Snap Grades

Kyle Hamilton

Kyle Hamilton

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Note: My grades are based on pick quality – value in slots, and addressing team needs. They do not factor in trades.


Arizona Cardinals: C+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
2.55 Trey McBride TE1 55 Dallas Goedert 8.2 6035 245
3.87 Cameron Thomas ED15 81 Carl Nassib 8.69 6041 267
3.100 Myjai Sanders ED18 91 Ben Banogu 8.72 6052 247
6.201 Keaontay Ingram RB28 295 Chris Ivory 8.69 5116 220
6.215 Lecitus Smith iOL21 244 Nate Davis 6.52 6033 313
7.244 Christian Matthew CB88 N/A 8.46 6022 195
7.256 Jesse Luketa ED24 132 Ola Adeniyi 5.65 6027 257
7.257 Marquis Hayes iOL17 188 Larry Warford 6.4 6047 318

I wouldn’t have traded a first-rounder for Hollywood Brown, but we’re not grading trades, here. In the slots they picked in, Arizona got solid value. The McBride pick was a bit of a surprise with Zach Ertz on the roster, but Kliff Kingsbury should be able to leverage McBride’s versatility to get him on the field early. EDGE was a huge need and the Cardinals attacked it with a pair of strong selections at the end of Round 3.


Atlanta Falcons: B+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.8 Drake London WR1 9 Mike Evans 6037 219
2.38 Arnold Ebiketie ED6 29 Shaq Barrett 8.91 6026 247
2.58 Troy Andersen LB8 77 Baron Browning 10 6034 243
3.74 Desmond Ridder QB3 38 Marcus Mariota 9.61 6033 213
3.82 Deangelo Malone ED16 82 Tyus Bowser 9.05 6032 239
5.151 Tyler Allgeier RB14 197 Alex Collins 7.4 5106 221
6.190 Justin Shaffer iOL23 272 John Simpson 7.53 6040 319
6.213 John FitzPatrick TE10 186 Jack Doyle 6071 262

Strong work by the Falcons this weekend. Atlanta kicked off the record-setting receiver run we saw in R1 in the 1.8 slot with Drake London, who I agreed was the best prospect at that position in the class. Sorely needed infusion to the league’s worst receiving corps – expect London to have a big rookie season. Liked the value on Ebiketie and Ridder at positions of need. Also appreciated that Atlanta refused to reach throughout.


Carolina Panthers: A

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.6 Ikem Ekwonu OT2 5 Trent Williams 8.51 6040 328
3.94 Matt Corral QB2 21 Jake Plummer 6015 215
4.120 Brandon Smith LB12 139 Germaine Pratt 9.97 6034 244
6.189 Amare Barno ED19 101 Eli Harold 9.17 6045 247
6.199 Cade Mays iOL18 202 Matt Slauson 7.56 6046 311
7.242 Kalon Barnes CB22 166 Brandin Echols 6.39 5114 183

The Panthers entered the draft without much equity past the 1.6 slot. They managed to make lemonade in Las Vegas. We knew Carolina was leaning towards taking a tackle in R1 – but who could have guessed that Ikem Ekwonu, a top-5 overall prospect in the class and a local product, would fall to No. 6? I loved the dart throw on Matt Corral in R3 for a team that desperately needed a talent infusion in the QB room. While I don’t think Corral is a viable option to start immediately, I like his odds of turning into a quality starter down the line. I really liked the Day 3 plan. Why not roll the dice on Brandon Smith, Amare Barno, and Kalon Barnes’ ridiculous physical packages (or Mays’ pedigree)?


Chicago Bears: C-

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
2.39 Kyler Gordon CB6 45 Byron Jones 9.69 5114 198
2.48 Jaquan Brisker S5 57 Vonn Bell 9.14 6013 206
3.71 Velus Jones Jr. WR26 185 Pharoh Cooper 7.16 5116 204
5.168 Braxton Jones OT12 121 Matt Peart 8.44 6054 307
5.174 Dominique Robinson ED17 86 Benson Mayowa 9.74 6051 252
6.186 Zachary Thomas iOL26 306 Graham Glasgow 9 6047 305
6.203 Trestan Ebner RB31 305 Tony Pollard 4.83 5106 209
6.207 Doug Kramer iOL36 375 Tyler Orlosky 8.46 6020 299
7.226 Ja’Tyre Carter OT25 248 Dakota Dozier 6033 312
7.254 Elijah Hicks S31 408 Quinten Rollins 5107 198
7.255 Trenton Gill P5 N/A 6043 220

The Bears have one of the NFL’s worst rosters and lacked a Round 1 pick. But all the holes meant they had true freedom to stick to a BPA ethos throughout the weekend. No argument with the first two picks, solid secondary options in the slots they picked. I thought Velus Jones was an enormous reach in Round 3. With such a shoddy offensive line in front of Justin Fields, I was surprised the Bears didn’t pick a prospect at that position until Round 5. That said, Braxton Jones was a strong developmental stab at that point.


Dallas Cowboys: D+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.24 Tyler Smith OT5 31 Donovan Smith 8.77 6047 327
2.56 Sam Williams ED12 65 Pernell McPhee 9.72 6035 258
3.88 Jalen Tolbert WR10 58 Gabriel Davis 8.62 6015 193
4.129 Jake Ferguson TE7 140 Dalton Schultz 6.75 6046 245
5.155 Matt Waletzko OT17 164 Larnel Coleman 9.96 6067 305
5.167 DaRon Bland CB47 414 Amani Oruwariye 8.17 6002 197
5.176 Damone Clark LB17 213 Ja’Whaun Bentley 9.87 6030 239
5.178 John Ridgeway DL9 155 Harrison Phillips 4.73 6052 320
6.193 Devin Harper LB34 410 Quentin Poling 9.51 6002 234

If you’re going to assume risk in a transaction, you can’t extend yourself to do so. More so than anything, that was my issue with this class. I love Smith’s ability, but he’s a penalty machine who has a lot to work on. I had one of the highest grades on Williams in the industry... and Dallas reached over it on a Greg Hardy-like upside gamble. Clark’s career will be delayed -- and it might even be in jeopardy -- due to a spine injury.


Detroit Lions: A-

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.2 Aidan Hutchinson EDGE1 2 Joey Bosa 9.88 6065 268
1.12 Jameson Williams WR3 12 Jerry Jeudy 6014 180
2.46 Josh Paschal ED11 62 John Franklin-Myers 9.7 6025 270
3.97 Kerby Joseph S7 85 Steven Parker 6007 203
5.177 James Mitchell TE14 264 Charles Clay 6040 248
6.188 Malcolm Rodriguez LB14 180 Ben Burr-Kirven 9.27 5110 236
6.217 James Houston IV ED42 421 Arthur Moats 7.92 6002 244
7.237 Chase Lucas CB21 161 Shaun Wade 8.89 5114 188

Fortune gifted Detroit with a pair of opportunities early and they seized each. The Lions capitalized on Jacksonville’s mistake in the top slot to keep local hero Aidan Hutchinson in the state of Michigan. Then, Detroit made a dramatic trade with a division rival to move up 20 slots to grab Jameson Williams right as receivers started flying off the board... at a price the Jimmy Johnson and Rich Hill charts suggested was a bargain. There weren’t any more fireworks in the class, but Detroit found good value in its slots and didn’t reach.


Green Bay Packers: B+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.22 Quay Walker LB6 64 Anthony Walker Jr. 9.63 6036 242
1.28 Devonte Wyatt DL2 27 Tommie Harris 9.59 6027 304
2.34 Christian Watson WR6 32 Javon Walker 9.96 6041 208
3.92 Sean Rhyan iOL10 83 Jack Anderson 8.17 6046 323
4.132 Romeo Doubs WR24 173 Quintez Cephus 6016 204
4.140 Zach Tom iOL13 114 David Quessenberry 9.59 6042 307
5.179 Kingsley Enagbare ED13 70 Brian Orakpo 6.21 6040 271
7.228 Tariq Carpenter S27 374 Brandon King 8.92 6027 230
7.234 Jonathan Ford DL24 326 Eddie Goldman 3.59 6051 338
7.249 Rasheed Walker OT13 127 Bobby Massie 6055 324
7.258 Samori Toure WR43 297 Kenny Bell 6.14 6007 191

We knew one NFL team had become enamored with Quay Walker in the week lead-up to the draft because Walker’s odds to go in the first round went from more than 10-to-1 to 1-to-2 in mere days. It turned out that was the Packers. I hated the pick. Walker was outperformed in his own position group by Round 3 pick Channing Tindall last year. The rest of the class, however, was legitimately slick work from Brian Gutekunst. Swooping in to grab Watson was inspired, via a shocking trade with the archrival Vikings. As was stealing Tom, Enagbare, and Walker.


Los Angeles Rams: F

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
3.104 Logan Bruss iOL15 150 Austin Corbett 8.76 6050 308
4.142 Decobie Durant CB29 209 Buster Skrine 5.14 5095 183
5.164 Kyren Williams RB18 246 Demetric Felton 3.49 5092 199
6.211 Quentin Lake S22 309 Jordan Poyer 6014 199
6.212 Derion Kendrick CB25 183 Darius Phillips 1.55 6001 205
7.235 Daniel Hardy EDGE71 N/A 9.33 6017 235
7.253 Russ Yeast S36 455 Bryce Torneden 5.47 5100 192
7.261 AJ Arcuri OT41 483 Jay Humphrey 6.97 6070 308

The Rams made a show in the lead-up to the NFL Combine that they would not be sending their GM and head coach. During the team’s Super Bowl celebration, GM Les Snead wore a shirt reading “[Expletive] them picks.” The Rams have shown there is more than one way to skin a cat. But their lack of scouting effort stuck out like a sore thumb this weekend. This is a non-athletic class with almost zero upside – I see a lot of summer cuts.


Minnesota Vikings: C+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.32 Lewis Cine S2 24 Adrian Amos 9.92 6022 202
2.42 Andrew Booth CB5 36

Marlon Humphrey

6002 194
2.59 Ed Ingram iOL12 103 Jonah Jackson 7.42 6035 312
3.66 Brian Asamoah LB9 90 David Long 8.9 6000 226
4.118 Akayleb Evans CB16 120 Ahkello Witherspoon 9.55 6020 201
5.165 Esezi Otomewo ED27 187 LaVar Edwards 6.65 6053 284
5.169 Ty Chandler RB24 281 Xavier Jones 6.38 5112 203
6.184 Vederian Lowe OT18 174 Isaiah Prince 5.71 6045 310
6.191 Jalen Nailor WR28 194 Andre Roberts 8.08 5112 192
7.227 Nick Muse TE29 N/A Ben Koyack 8.8 6044 258

Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s first two picks were strong, and both targeted a leaking secondary crying out for help. Cine joins Harrison Smith in what will become the hardest-hitting safety duo in the NFL. After that, it was hit-and-miss. I’m confused by the Ingram pick. It felt like the Vikings reached for a prospect with a serious off-field concern in his past by at least a round, a prospect who doesn’t have the ceiling to justify the reach. The Asamoah pick was similarly odd. If you wanted to take an undersized linebacker, by all means. But why Asamoah over Nakobe Dean? Minnesota could have traded down half a round and still picked the latter.


New Orleans Saints: B-

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.11 Chris Olave WR2 11 Terry McLaurin 8.68 6004 185
1.19 Trevor Penning OT4 22 Kyle Turley 9.95 6071 333
2.49 Alontae Taylor S9 111 Shaquill Griffin 9.06 6001 199
5.161 D’Marco Jackson LB15 193 Duke Riley 8.26 6006 234
6.194 Jordan Jackson DL21 293 Doug Worthington 9.14 6044 294

I really liked what the Saints did on Thursday. I was surprised Olave didn’t get more love during the pre-draft process, but the Saints saw what I saw. Penning in New Orleans is one of the coolest fits in the draft – he’s Kyle Turley 2.0 but in a bigger package. I have to ding the grade, though, because I didn’t think the Saints did much with their final three selections in comparison to what they could have.


New York Giants: B+

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.5 Kayvon Thibodeaux EDGE2 3 Jadeveon Clowney 9.63 6040 256
1.7 Evan Neal OT1 4 Jordan Mailata 6074 345
2.43 Wan’Dale Robinson WR12 80 Elijah Moore 7.36 5080 178
3.67 Joshua Ezeudu iOL34 364 Royce Newman 8.33 6042 313
3.81 Cordale Flott CB20 152 Rashard Robinson 7.46 6004 178
4.112 Daniel Bellinger TE8 149 Kahale Warring 9.66 6047 250
4.114 Dane Belton S12 136 Amani Hooker 9.42 6006 205
5.146 Micah McFadden LB18 220 Tony Fields II 9.47 6011 234
5.147 D.J. Davidson DL19 275 Tedarrell Slaton 4.1 6035 328
5.173 Marcus McKethan iOL30 329 Matt Feiler 7.1 6064 341
6.182 Darrian Beavers LB13 148 K.J. Wright 9.6 6036 243

What an incredible turn of events in the first round to walk away with both Thibodeaux and Neal. Both are former five-stars who more than lived up to the billing in college. To boot, they happened to plug the Giants’ two-biggest needs coming in. I wasn’t as big of a fan of the rest of the class. But it’s hard to argue too much with bringing in two guys that I believe will be NFL stars, both of whom address critical needs.


Philadelphia Eagles: B

Pick Pos Rk Name HT WT RAS Comp
1.13 Jordan Davis DL1 18 Haloti Ngata 10 6063 341
2.51 Cam Jurgens iOL6 63 Richie Incognito 9.94 6027 304
3.83 Nakobe Dean LB2 28 Jessie Tuggle 5113 231
6.181 Kyron Johnson LB28 322 Shaquem Griffin 8.41 6003 231
6.198 Grant Calcaterra TE13 254 Kylen Granson 8.16 6037 243

I had zero problems with the Jordan Davis pick. Multiple teams in front of Philadelphia at least gave passing thoughts to taking him, and Davis almost assuredly would have been taken by Baltimore had the Eagles not pounced. Nakobe Dean was one of the draft’s biggest steals. The Eagles didn’t so much in the draft on Day 3, but spoiler alert: They were busy in the UDFA sweepstakes and came out with a haul. More on that in my upcoming UDFA class rankings.


San Francisco 49ers: D

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
2.61 Drake Jackson ED14 73 Shillique Calhoun 8.6 6025 273
3.93 Tyrion Davis-Price RB15 212 Devontae Booker 6.7 6006 219
3.105 Danny Gray WR22 159 Kenny Stills 6.81 5117 197
4.134 Spencer Burford OT16 158 Antonio Garcia 6.7 6041 301
5.172 Samuel Womack CB49 431 Josiah Scott 7.62 5090 189
6.187 Nick Zakelj OT26 280 Colby Gossett 9.83 6061 316
6.220 Kalia Davis DL10 163 Trysten Hill 6010 302
6.221 Tariq Castro-Fields CB18 133 Ka’Dar Hollman 9.73 6005 197
7.262 Brock Purdy QB16 302 Jake Browning 4.48 6005 212

The 49ers didn’t have much equity. We don’t penalize for that. But the 49ers did little of note in their slots. I was confused by the strategy, and by the picks themselves.


Seattle Seahawks: A

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.9 Charles Cross OT3 16 Andre Dillard 7.58 6046 311
2.40 Boye Mafe ED7 34 Kwity Paye 9.92 6036 257
2.41 Kenneth Walker III RB2 41 DeAngelo Williams 9.26 5092 209
3.72 Abraham Lucas OT8 76 Jake Fisher 9.73 6063 316
4.109 Coby Bryant CB12 97 Jalen Mills 5.59 6013 193
5.153 Tariq Woolen CB9 72 Ifeatu Melifonwu 9.7 6041 205
5.158 Tyreke Smith ED21 117 Shareer Miller 7.15 6033 255
7.229 Bo Melton WR17 131 John Brown 9.25 5110 190
7.233 Dareke Young WR58 384 Cody Latimer 9.93 6020 224

I wasn’t the biggest Cross fan in the industry, and Seattle took him top-10. Regardless, I love this class. The value Seattle squeezed out of its picks on Friday and Saturday is going to infuse a roster that needed a talent upgrade with exactly that. I was a little confused that the Seahawks didn’t take a QB, but I can’t argue with the players they brought to town.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C-

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
2.33 Logan Hall ED9 44 Margus Hunt 9.4 6061 285
2.57 Luke Goedeke iOL7 69 Mark Glowinski 6050 313
3.91 Rachaad White RB7 135 David Johnson 9.88 6006 215
4.106 Cade Otton TE2 87 Austin Hooper 6050 245
4.133 Jake Camarda P3 332

Steve Weatherford

6010 193
5.157 Zyon McCollum CB13 102 Kevin King 10 6021 199
6.218 Ko Kieft TE51 N/A 3.66 6043 259
7.248 Andre Anthony EDGE54 N/A 5.95 6031 245

I liked the values the Bucs got on Otton and McCollum on Day 3. And I understand why the Bucs paid a small premium for White, one of the two elite receiving backs in this class (the other one, James Cook, went off the board late-R2). Didn’t like the strategy in the other slots.


Washington Commanders: D-

Pick Name Pos Rank Comp RAS HT WT
1.16 Jahan Dotson WR5 25 Tyler Lockett 6.34 5105 181
2.47 Phidarian Mathis DL6 74 DaQuan Jones 6042 310
3.98 Brian Robinson Jr. RB9 146 Chris Carson 6.62 6015 224
4.113 Percy Butler S15 184 Chris Culliver 7.35 6002 194
5.144 Sam Howell QB6 99 C.J. Beathard 6005 224
5.149 Cole Turner TE9 168 Colby Parkinson 7.38 6064 250
7.230 Chris Paul iOL20 238 Larry Borom 9.45 6037 328
7.240 Christian Holmes CB66 N/A 9.09 5117 201

I didn’t understand why the Commanders traded out of 1.11, bypassing the chance to take Chris Olave or Jameson Williams, to take Dotson at 1.16. You picked up two extra picks... and did what with them? The only pick of the entire bunch that I saw as a value was Howell… and I was one of the industry’s lowest on him.


Next page: AFC grades