The 2024 NFL Draft was wrapped up a few weeks ago now, with all the draft pundits and NFL analysts giving their takes on the best and worst hauls, surprise picks and overall draft grades.
All this is mostly speculative, however, as none of these players have played a single snap on an NFL football field yet. Inevitably some players will prove much better than we thought and others will disappoint us, dramatically altering our perceptions of various teams’ draft classes.
Common draft wisdom suggests you can’t truly grade a draft class until they’ve played three years in the league. That’s not to say player trajectories are locked in after three years, but with the majority of their rookie contracts in the books, we have a fair idea of how each team shaped their future through that draft class.
With this in mind, let’s look back three years to the 2021 draft and re-grade each team’s haul. What was our initial grade, and how has it changed over the years? What surprised us, disappointed us, or was about what we expected? Let’s dive right in:
Arizona Cardinals
Round 1, Pick 16: Tulsa LB Zaven Collins
Round 2, Pick 49: Purdue WR Rondale Moore
Round 4, Pick 136: Florida CB Marco Wilson
Round 6, Pick 210: Duke ED Victor Dimukeje
Round 6, Pick 223: Central Florida S Tay Gowan
Round 7, Pick 243: Cincinnati S James Wiggins
Round 7, Pick 247: Penn State OG Michal Menet
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: D+
Collins was widely considered to be overdrafted at the time, and he struggled mightily at linebacker in the years following. Arizona moved him to edge rusher this past season with mixed results and did not pick up his fifth-year option.
Moore is the best player from this class, but he struggled with injuries during his time in Arizona and was traded to the Falcons earlier this offseason. Wilson started at corner for a time but was a consistent weak link in the secondary and was released towards the end of 2023.
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1, Pick 4: Florida TE Kyle Pitts
Round 2, Pick 40: Central Florida S Richie Grant
Round 3, Pick 68: Michigan OG Jalen Mayfield
Round 4, Pick 108: San Diego State CB Darren Hall
Round 4, Pick 114: Stanford C Drew Dalman
Round 5, Pick 148: Texas DT Ta’Quon Graham
Round 5, Pick 182: Notre Dame ED Adetokunbo Ogundeji
Round 5, Pick 183: Boise State CB Avery Williams
Round 6, Pick 187: Arizona State WR Frank Darby
Original Grade: B-
3-Year Grade: D
This class was anchored by Pitts, and unfortunately for the Falcons he hasn’t been the impact player they drafted him to be at No. 4. After a promising rookie campaign, Pitts has been hampered by injuries and poor quarterback play. There’s hope he can turn it around in 2024 in a new system with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, but he has underwhelmed thus far.
Grant has started a lot of games at safety but hasn’t played very well when on the field. Mayfield was a disaster at guard and none of the Day 3 picks turned into serious contributors with the exception of Dalman, who starts at center now. He and Pitts are the only players keeping this grade from an F, and you could argue it should be even lower given the players drafted after Pitts.
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1, Pick 27: Minnesota WR Rashod Bateman
Round 1, Pick 31: Penn State ED Odafe Oweh
Round 3, Pick 94: Georgia OG Ben Cleveland
Round 3, Pick 104: SMU CB Brandon Stephens
Round 4, Pick 131: Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace
Round 5, Pick 160: Ohio State CB Shaun Wade
Round 5, Pick 171: Notre Dame ED Daelin Hayes
Round 5, Pick 184: Michigan FB Ben Mason
Original Grade: B-
3-Year Grade: B
Bateman and Oweh were both drafted to be stars, and while neither has quite achieved that, both have become productive players. Bateman has missed a ton of time throughout his career with injuries, but he’s been a reliable possession receiver with big-play ability when healthy. Oweh is an athletic freak who has developed into an okay starter on the edge.
Elsewhere, Cleveland has been a middling starting guard and Stephens had a breakout year in 2023 after being forced into the starting lineup due to injuries. The later rounds failed to yield significant results, but the first four picks being solid hits is a good baseline.
Buffalo Bills
Round 1, Pick 30: Miami ED Gregory Rousseau
Round 2, Pick 61: Wake Forest ED Boogie Basham
Round 3, Pick 93: Northern Iowa OT Spencer Brown
Round 5, Pick 161: Miami (OH) OT Tommy Doyle
Round 6, Pick 203: Houston WR Marquez Stevenson
Round 6, Pick 212: Pittsburgh S Damar Hamlin
Round 6, Pick 213: Wisconsin CB Rashad Wildgoose
Round 7, Pick 236: Texas Tech OT Jack Anderson
Original Grade: A
3-Year Grade: C
Rousseau and Basham were the headliners here, as they were expected to revitalize Buffalo’s pass rush and nail down the starting edge rusher spots for years. They failed to live up to that hype. Rousseau has been a volatile, up-and-down producer, but has flashed his eye-popping upside on several occasions. Basham has mostly been a deep reserve in the Bills’ rotation.
Brown has started at right tackle for the Bills since his rookie year but has largely been a liability there for three years. He showed some signs of improvement this past season, so the Bills seem to be hoping that is a sign of things to come for a player who was projected to need significant development coming out of college. Hamlin has started games as well, though he’s mostly been a depth piece and is not a lock to make the roster in 2024.
Carolina Panthers
Round 1, Pick 8: South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
Round 2, Pick 59: LSU WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
Round 3, Pick 70: BYU OG Brady Christensen
Round 3, Pick 83: Notre Dame TE Tommy Tremble
Round 4, Pick 126: Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard
Round 5, Pick 158: Iowa DT Daviyon Nixon
Round 5, Pick 166: Washington CB Keith Taylor
Round 6, Pick 193: Alabama OG Deonte Brown
Round 6, Pick 222: Alabama LS Thomas Fletcher
Round 7, Pick 232: Kentucky DT Phil Hoskins
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: C
Horn has been excellent when available to play, but he’s missed much of his rookie contract with a series of injuries. There were questions about how NFL-ready he was coming out of college, but he’s put those concerns to rest — he just needs to stay healthy. Marshall Jr. had a lot of hype as a potential WR2 in the league but has failed to make much of an impact despite Carolina’s desperate need for receivers with a pulse.
Christensen has gotten a lot of run at various spots on the interior of the offensive line, though he’s never solidified himself as a worthy starting option. Hubbard might be the most consistently impactful contributor of this entire class, as he’s outperformed multiple other higher-profile backs the Panthers have brought in.
Chicago Bears
Round 1, Pick 11: Ohio State QB Justin Fields
Round 2, Pick 39: Oklahoma State OT Teven Jenkins
Round 5, Pick 151: Missouri OT Larry Borom
Round 6, Pick 217: Virginia Tech RB Khalil Herbert
Round 6, Pick 221: North Carolina WR Dazz Newsome
Round 6, Pick 228: Oregon CB Thomas Graham
Round 7, Pick 250: BYU DT Khyiris Tonga
Original Grade: A
3-Year Grade: C
This is a tricky class to grade. Fields failing to develop into a franchise quarterback in Chicago obviously hurts, but it’s hard to penalize them too much for grabbing an elite quarterback prospect as he started to slide. For what it’s worth, Fields showed more promise than most of the other quarterbacks in this draft.
Jenkins ended up moving to the interior and has been a plus player at guard, though he’s dealt with some injuries. Borom proved to be a decent spot starter at times. Herbert has been excellent since entering the league and has been a featured part of this backfield for the last few seasons.
Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1, Pick 5: LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase
Round 2, Pick 46: Clemson OT Jackson Carman
Round 3, Pick 69: Texas ED Joseph Ossai
Round 4, Pick 111: Tulane ED Cameron Sample
Round 4, Pick 122: LSU DT Tyler Shelvin
Round 4, Pick 139: East Carolina OT D’Ante Smith
Round 5, Pick 149: Florida K Evan McPherson
Round 6, Pick 190: Georgia OG Trey Hill
Round 6, Pick 202: Michigan RB Chris Evans
Round 7, Pick 235: Kansas State ED Wyatt Hubert
Original Grade: B-
3-Year Grade: B+
The three-year verdict in the “Penei Sewell vs. Ja’Marr Chase” debates is…both are phenomenal players? We’ll get to Sewell later, but Chase has been everything the Bengals hoped he’d be when they drafted him. He’s been an All-Pro caliber receiver and has elevated this entire offense to new heights.
Carman was largely unplayable at both guard and tackle, but Ossai has become a solid rotational edge rusher. Drafting kickers is always incredibly risky business, but McPherson has proven himself one of the more reliable and high-upside kickers in the league.
Cleveland Browns
Round 1, Pick 26: Northwestern CB Greg Newsome II
Round 2, Pick 52: Notre Dame LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Round 3, Pick 91: Auburn WR Anthony Schwartz
Round 4, Pick 110: Cincinnati OT James Hudson
Round 4, Pick 132: Ohio State DT Tommy Togiai
Round 5, Pick 153: West Virginia LB Tony Fields
Round 5, Pick 169: Georgia S Richard LeCounte
Round 6, Pick 211: UCLA RB Demetric Felton
Original Grade: A-
3-Year Grade: B
The Browns’ first two picks in this draft were excellent. Newsome II has been surpassed somewhat in the depth chart as Cleveland has continued to draft in the secondary, but he’s been mostly excellent when on the field, and you can never have too many good corners (a philosophy the Browns certainly ascribe to). Owusu-Koramoah has started at linebacker since his rookie year and has developed into one of the best coverage linebackers in the league.
Schwartz, on the other hand, never developed reliable hands to go with his blazing speed and was cut from the team after two seasons. Hudson and Togiai have been good depth options for the Browns as later-round picks.
Dallas Cowboys
Round 1, Pick 12: Penn State LB Micah Parsons
Round 2, Pick 44: Kentucky CB Kelvin Joseph
Round 3, Pick 75: UCLA DT Osa Odighizuwa
Round 3, Pick 84: Iowa ED Chauncey Golston
Round 3, Pick 99: Oregon State CB Nahshon Wright
Round 4, Pick 115: LSU LB Jabril Cox
Round 4, Pick 138: Marshall OT Josh Ball
Round 6, Pick 192: Kentucky DT Quinton Bohanna
Round 6, Pick 227: South Carolina S Israel Mukuamu
Round 7, Pick 238: Nebraska OG Matt Farniok
Original Grade: C
3-Year Grade: B+
What a find. Parsons was drafted as one of the best off-ball linebacker prospects in years and instead became one of the league’s premiere edge rushing talents. A year after flashing considerable upside as a blitzer and true hand-in-the-dirt pass rusher, the Cowboys moved him to edge defender full-time in 2022, and boy did that pay off. He’s on the yearly shortlist for Defensive Player of the Year.
Joseph was a miss, but Odighizuwa enjoyed somewhat of a breakout campaign in 2023, outplaying some of the more prestigious interior defenders ahead of him. Golston, Wright, and Cox have all flashed at times in depth roles, as well.
Denver Broncos
Round 1, Pick 9: Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
Round 2, Pick 35: North Carolina RB Javonte Williams
Round 3, Pick 98: Wisconsin-Whitewater OG Quinn Meinerz
Round 3, Pick 105: Ohio State LB Baron Browning
Round 5, Pick 152: Texas S Caden Sterns
Round 5, Pick 164: Indiana CB Jamar Johnson
Round 6, Pick 219: Auburn WR Seth Williams
Round 7, Pick 237: LSU CB Kary Vincent Jr.
Round 7, Pick 239: Ohio State ED Jonathan Cooper
Round 7, Pick 253: Mississippi State ED Marquiss Spencer
Original Grade: B
3-Year Grade: A-
The Broncos were heavily criticized at the time for passing on QB Justin Fields, a decision that looks pretty good in hindsight, especially considering who they drafted instead. Surtain II has been elite. He flashed immediately as a rookie and by his second year became one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.
Williams dealt with a major knee injury in 2022 but has been productive when healthy, if not really what Denver drafted him to be at No. 35. Meinerz has started at center and developed well — as has Browning, who moved to edge rusher and used his burst and bend very effectively. Sterns and Cooper were good depth finds in this draft.
Detroit Lions
Round 1, Pick 7: Oregon OT Penei Sewell
Round 2, Pick 41: Washington DT Levi Onwuzurike
Round 3, Pick 72: North Carolina State DT Alim McNeill
Round 3, Pick 101: Syracuse S Ifeatu Melifonwu
Round 4, Pick 112: USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Round 4, Pick 113: Purdue LB Derrick Barnes
Round 7, Pick 257: Oregon State RB Jermar Jefferson
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: A
In many ways, you can point to this draft class as one of the catalysts that kickstarted the Lions’ current run. Sewell got off to a rocky start his first few weeks but has been one of the best offensive tackles in football since then. Onwuzurike has been injured and ineffective, but Detroit made up for it with the McNeill pick. McNeill has become an excellent interior defender with some pass-rushing chops and is clearly the second-best player on the Lions’ defensive line.
If that wasn’t enough, St. Brown is now one of the best receivers in the NFL. He and Sewell both secured massive contracts this offseason and are two of the faces of Detroit football for the foreseeable future. Barnes is an effective run-defending linebacker with range in coverage, someone who has started a number of games for Detroit. Even Melifonwu has been a good depth safety. This was one of the very best classes of the 2021 draft.
Green Bay Packers
Round 1, Pick 29: Georgia CB Eric Stokes
Round 2, Pick 62: Ohio State C Josh Myers
Round 3, Pick 85: Clemson WR Amari Rodgers
Round 4, Pick 142: Ole Miss OG Royce Newman
Round 5, Pick 173: Florida DT Tedarrell Slaton
Round 5, Pick 178: Appalachian State CB Shemar Jean-Charles
Round 6, Pick 214: Wisconsin OG Cole Van Lanen
Round 6, Pick 220: Boston College LB Isaiah McDuffie
Round 7, Pick 256: Mississippi State RB Kylin Hill
Original Grade: B
3-Year Grade: C
Stokes was a surprise selection at the end of the first round. He impressed with a strong rookie campaign before coming back down to earth in the years since, fighting through injuries and middling play. He recently had his fifth-year option declined. Myers has started since the jump but enters his contract year needing to take another step to keep his place going forward.
Rodgers had a lot of hype from Packers fans when he was selected, but he never earned the trust of former Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers and was cut during his second season and is now out of the league. Of the later-round picks, Newman has proven himself a good backup guard who can start in a pinch.
Houston Texans
Round 3, Pick 67: Stanford QB Davis Mills
Round 3, Pick 89: Michigan WR Nico Collins
Round 5, Pick 147: Miami TE Brevin Jordan
Round 5, Pick 170: TCU LB Garret Wallow
Round 6, Pick 195: Arizona DT Roy Lopez
Original Grade: D
3-Year Grade: B+
Despite being a very small class, the 2021 group for Houston exceeded expectations. Mills started in Houston for the better part of two seasons, significantly outperforming his draft slot. He still could be the long-term backup in Houston.
Collins enjoyed a massive breakout campaign in 2023, dominating the league and asserting himself on the national stage. He’s expected to be a premier weapon for QB C.J. Stroud this season. Jordan has flashed as a move tight end and Lopez stuck as a depth piece, albeit for Arizona.
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1, Pick 21: Michigan ED Kwity Paye
Round 2, Pick 54: Vanderbilt ED Dayo Odeyingbo
Round 4, Pick 127: SMU TE Kylen Granson
Round 5, Pick 165: Florida S Shawn Davis
Round 6, Pick 218: Texas QB Sam Ehlinger
Round 7, Pick 248: Penn State OT Will Fries
Round 7, Pick 229: Charleston WR Mike Strachan
Original Grade: C
3-Year Grade: B
Indianapolis attacked a major need at edge rusher with both their first- and second-round selections. Paye has developed into a plus starter as one of the better run-defending edge rushers in the league, and while he was drafted to be more, that’s still quite valuable. Odeyingbo spent most of his rookie season recovering from an injury sustained in the pre-draft process, but since then has become a versatile and productive third pass rusher.
Granson is a reliable move tight end with a knack for big plays and Ehlinger has been the Colts’ third quarterback every year since being drafted. Fries shifted to the interior and is the current starter at right guard.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1, Pick 1: Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence
Round 1, Pick 25: Clemson RB Travis Etienne
Round 2, Pick 33: Georgia CB Tyson Campbell
Round 2, Pick 45: Stanford OT Walker Little
Round 3, Pick 65: Syracuse S Andre Cisco
Round 4, Pick 106: USC DT Jay Tufele
Round 4, Pick 121: UAB ED Jordan Smith
Round 5, Pick 145: Ohio State TE Luke Farrell
Round 6, Pick 209: Georgia Tech WR Jalen Camp
Original Grade: C
3-Year Grade: B+
While he was the clear and obvious choice at No. 1 overall, Lawrence is still the only quarterback drafted in the first round in 2021 to still be with the team that drafted them. While his performance has been more up-and-down than Jaguars fans would like, he’s flashed the traits that made him such a coveted quarterback prospect and is in line for a big extension before too long.
Drafting running backs in the first round is rarely a good idea, but to his credit, Etienne has been an excellent offensive piece in the Jacksonville backfield. Campbell developed into a quality cornerback in his second season. Little and Cisco have both become league-average starters or better.
Kansas City Chiefs
Round 2, Pick 58: Missouri LB Nick Bolton
Round 2, Pick 63: Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey
Round 4, Pick 144: Florida State ED Joshua Kaindoh
Round 5, Pick 162: Duke TE Noah Gray
Round 5, Pick 181: Clemson WR Cornell Powell
Round 6, Pick 226: Tennessee OG Trey Smith
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: A
Nobody understood the assignment more than the Chiefs. They had a mission to accomplish with their picks and did exactly what they needed to. Bolton is a game-changer at linebacker, flying around in both coverage and run defense. Humphrey stepped right into the starting lineup and was immediately one of the best centers in the league.
Gray is a good backup tight end. Perhaps most impressively, Smith started at right guard as a rookie and held his own, since becoming one of the better guards in football. The Chiefs got three of the best players at their respective positions in this draft, a very impressive feat.
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1, Pick 17: Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood
Round 2, Pick 43: TCU S Tre’von Moehrig
Round 3, Pick 79: Buffalo ED Malcolm Koonce
Round 3, Pick 80: Virginia Tech LB Divine Deablo
Round 4, Pick 143: Missouri S Tyree Gillespie
Round 5, Pick 167: Illinois CB Nate Hobbs
Round 7, Pick 230: Pittsburgh C Jimmy Morrissey
Round 7, Pick 252: Concordia-St. Paul ED Chris Garrett
Original Grade: D+
3-Year Grade: C-
Look away, Raiders fans. The Leatherwood pick was blasted at the time as being a massive reach, and he proved to be completely unplayable at both tackle and guard and is now out of the league. Moehrig is a good safety, at least, one of a few reliable players currently employed in the Raiders’ secondary.
Koonce is starting on the edge opposite Maxx Crosby now and Deablo is a good cover linebacker. Hobbs had a terrific rookie season and has still kept a hold on the starting slot job. Getting four starters is a good draft haul, but the Leatherwood pick was so bad it drags this grade down significantly.
Los Angeles Chargers
Round 1, Pick 13: Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater
Round 2, Pick 47: Florida State CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Round 3, Pick 77: Tennessee WR Josh Palmer
Round 3, Pick 97: Georgia TE Tre’ McKitty
Round 4, Pick 118: Duke ED Chris Rumph
Round 5, Pick 159: Nebraska OG Brenden Jaimes
Round 6, Pick 185: Iowa LB Nick Niemann
Round 6, Pick 198: Missouri RB Larry Roundtree III
Round 7, Pick 241: Georgia S Mark Webb
Original Grade: A-
3-Year Grade: B+
Slater stepped into the starting lineup on day one and turned himself into a premiere pass-protecting left tackle right away. All the questions about whether he could stick at tackle fell away in an instant. He missed much of 2022 with an injury but was right back to his old lockdown ways in 2023.
Samuel Jr. has essentially been a league-average starting corner with the occasional flashy play. Palmer has been the Chargers’ third receiver most of his career but is expected to step into a larger role this season. None of the rest of Los Angeles’s picks have made much of an impact in the NFL so far in their careers.
Los Angeles Rams
Round 2, Pick 57: Louisville WR Tutu Atwell
Round 3, Pick 103: South Carolina LB Ernest Jones
Round 4, Pick 117: Texas A&M DT Bobby Brown
Round 4, Pick 130: Central Arkansas CB Robert Rochell
Round 4, Pick 141: Central Florida WR Jacob Harris
Round 5, Pick 174: Northwestern ED Earnest Brown IV
Round 7, Pick 233: Maryland RB Jake Funk
Round 7, Pick 249: Notre Dame WR Ben Skorownek
Original Grade: D
3-Year Grade: C-
Atwell looked like a major bust his first two years before showing signs of life this past season, stepping in for the injured Cooper Kupp and putting up big numbers. Jones is the gem from this class, though, as the team’s starting middle linebacker for the past few seasons.
Rochell and Skorownek both produced when forced into starting lineups, though neither are still with the Rams. Los Angeles failed to get a major hit with one of their late-round picks, but Jones in particular redeems this class a little.
Miami Dolphins
Round 1, Pick 6: Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle
Round 1, Pick 18: Miami ED Jaelan Phillips
Round 2, Pick 36: Oregon S Jevon Holland
Round 2, Pick 42: Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg
Round 3, Pick 81: Boston College TE Hunter Long
Round 7, Pick 231: Massachusetts OT Larnel Coleman
Round 7, Pick 244: Cincinnati RB Gerrid Doaks
Original Grade: A
3-Year Grade: A-
It’s hard to say if Waddle has lived up to being the sixth overall pick, but he’s been an excellent receiver in this Miami offense. His speed is game-changing and his after-the-catch ability opened up a lot of options for the Dolphins. Phillips turned out to be the best pass rusher in this class not named Micah Parsons, and Holland is an All-Pro at safety.
Eichenberg flamed out quickly, as he just didn’t have the flexibility to play tackle nor the core strength to play guard. Long was a solid backup tight end for Miami before being traded to the Rams. Not much to speak of after the first three picks, but those three players have all been spectacular.
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, Pick 23: Virginia Tech OT Christian Darrisaw
Round 3, Pick 66: Texas A&M QB Kellen Mond
Round 3, Pick 78: North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt
Round 3, Pick 86: Ohio State OG Wyatt Davis
Round 3, Pick 90: Pittsburgh DT Patrick Jones II
Round 4, Pick 119: Iowa State RB Kene Nwangwu
Round 4, Pick 125: California CB Camryn Bynum
Round 4, Pick 134: Florida State ED Janarius Robinson
Round 5, Pick 157: Iowa WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Round 5, Pick 168: Central Missouri State TE Zach Davidson
Round 6, Pick 199: Pittsburgh DT Jaylen Twyman
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: C
Darrisaw is as good as advertised. He dealt with some injuries early in his career but has since stabilized into one of the best left tackles in the game. Mond was never able to stick on the roster, although it’s hard to fault teams for taking fliers on quarterbacks.
Bynum transitioned to safety, where he’s been a good starting player with a nose for the football. He seems to have a hand in many of the Vikings’ big defensive plays. No one else in this class really managed to stick, but Darrisaw and Bynum are impact guys.
New England Patriots
Round 1, Pick 15: Alabama QB Mac Jones
Round 2, Pick 38: Alabama DT Christian Barmore
Round 3, Pick 96: Oklahoma ED Ronnie Perkins Jr.
Round 4, Pick 120: Oklahoma RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Round 5, Pick 177: Michigan LB Cameron McGrone
Round 6, Pick 188: Missouri S Joshuah Bledsoe
Round 6, Pick 197: Colorado OT William Sherman
Round 7, Pick 242: Central Florida WR Tre Nixon
Original Grade: C+
3-Year Grade: C-
Jones flamed out in New England spectacularly after a promising start as a rookie. He led the Patriots to a wildcard berth as a rookiebefore being blown out in the first round by the Bills and never really recovering. He developed a bit of a poor reputation in the league for some of his on-field conduct and fell apart along with the roster around him.
Barmore is an excellent interior defender who just signed a massive second contract. Stevenson never seems to fully earn the trust of his coaches, but he’s a fantasy football darling with a lot of production to his name.
New Orleans Saints
Round 1, Pick 28: Houston ED Payton Turner
Round 2, Pick 60: Ohio State LB Pete Werner
Round 3, Pick 76: Stanford CB Paulson Adebo
Round 4, Pick 133: Notre Dame QB Ian Book
Round 6, Pick 206: Kentucky OT Landon Young
Round 7, Pick 255: South Alabama WR Kawaan Baker
Original Grade: C
3-Year Grade: C
Turner failed to live up to his draft pedigree, becoming largely a non-factor on a Saints defensive line that really needed playmakers. New Orleans’ Day 2 picks were better, however, with both Werner and Adebo making plays. Werner is a bit of an energizer bunny at linebacker, undersized but speedy and smart. Adebo starts opposite Marshon Lattimore at cornerback and is an underrated quality cover corner in his own right.
New York Giants
Round 1, Pick 20: Florida WR Kadarius Toney
Round 2, Pick 50: Georgia ED Azeez Ojulari
Round 3, Pick 71: Central Florida CB Aaron Robinson
Round 4, Pick 116: Northern Iowa DT Elerson Smith
Round 6, Pick 197: Arizona RB Gary Brightwell
Round 6, Pick 201: Oklahoma State CB Rodarius Williams
Original Grade: A-
3-Year Grade: D
Ouch. This class has not aged well. Toney was injured most of his rookie year, though he did flash major upside in the few games he could play. He had high expectations going into year two and just flamed out, with off-field issues contributing to New York trading him to Kansas City midway through the season.
The only good pick in this class was Ojulari, who found a home as a pass rushing specialist on the Giants’ defensive line.
New York Jets
Round 1, Pick 2: BYU QB Zach Wilson
Round 1, Pick 14: USC OG Alijah Vera-Tucker
Round 2, Pick 34: Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore
Round 4, Pick 107: North Carolina RB Michael Carter
Round 5, Pick 146: Auburn LB Jamien Sherwood
Round 5, Pick 154: Duke CB Michael Carter II
Round 5, Pick 175: Pittsburgh S Jason Pinnock
Round 6, Pick 186: Florida State LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Round 6, Pick 200: Kentucky CB Brandin Echols
Round 6, Pick 207: Arkansas DT Jonathan Marshall
Original Grade: C+
3-Year Grade: C
It’s hard to fault the Jets for taking the consensus QB2 in this class, especially when there wasn’t a home run quarterback pick later in the draft, but boy did the Wilson selection not work out. He looked overwhelmed and overmatched most of his time in New York, finally being mercifully traded to Denver this offseason.
Vera-Tucker has been a stalwart on the Jets’ offensive line, playing both tackle and guard as needed due to injuries and excelling everywhere he’s played. Moore clashed with HC Robert Saleh in 2022 and was traded, though both Carters became solid players.
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1, Pick 10: Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
Round 2, Pick 37: Alabama OG Landon Dickerson
Round 3, Pick 73: Louisiana Tech DT Milton Williams
Round 4, Pick 123: Texas Tech CB Zech McPhearson
Round 5, Pick 150: Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell
Round 6, Pick 189: USC DT Marlon Tuipulotu
Round 6, Pick 191: Coastal Carolina ED Tarron Jackson
Round 6, Pick 224: LSU S JaCoby Stevens
Round 7, Pick 234: Tulane ED Patrick Johnson
Original Grade: A
3-Year Grade: A-
The only reason this is an A- is because the Eagles didn’t really find any gems on Day 3. The top of this draft was spectacular. Smith is one of the best WR2s in the league and just received a massive payday. Dickerson stepped into a starting guard role right away and has been exemplary in that spot.
Williams is one of the better rotational defensive tackles out there, and Gainwell has been a solid backup running back.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1, Pick 24: Alabama RB Najee Harris
Round 2, Pick 55: Penn State TE Pat Freiermuth
Round 3, Pick 87: Illinois OG Kendrick Green
Round 4, Pick 128: Texas A&M OT Dan Moore Jr.
Round 4, Pick 140: Texas A&M LB Buddy Johnson
Round 5, Pick 156: Wisconsin ED Isaiahh Loudermilk
Round 6, Pick 216: Miami ED Quincy Roche
Round 7, Pick 245: Oklahoma CB Tre Norwood
Round 7, Pick 254: Georgia Tech P Pressley Harvin III
Original Grade: C
3-Year Grade: C-
While Harris to Pittsburgh had its supporters in the media, most knowledgeable people knew it wouldn’t go the way the Steelers wanted. He’s a good back, but the Pittsburgh offense had many problems a running back couldn’t fix. On the plus side, Freiermuth has been a very good tight end basically since his rookie season.
Green didn’t work out and has since been traded. Moore Jr. has started a lot of games at left tackle, though he’s been a liability there and was just replaced in the 2024 draft.
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1, Pick 3: North Dakota State QB Trey Lance
Round 2, Pick 48: Notre Dame OG Aaron Banks
Round 3, Pick 88: Ohio State RB Trey Sermon
Round 3, Pick 102: Michigan CB Ambry Thomas
Round 5, Pick 155: Western Michigan OT Jaylon Moore
Round 5, Pick 172: Oregon CB Deommodore Lenoir
Round 5, Pick 180: USC S Talanoa Hufanga
Round 6, Pick 194: Louisiana RB Elijah Mitchell
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: C+
This is another tough draft to grade. Lance had a very short career in San Francisco, starting three games over two years before going down with a season-ending injury during his sophomore campaign and being traded away the following offseason. Not his fault, but a lot of resources went into that pick for very little return.
The rest of this draft was excellent. Banks is the 49ers’ starting left guard, Thomas and Lenoir have both started and held up at cornerback, and Hufanga developed into one of the better safeties in the NFL. Mitchell has been productive as well.
Seattle Seahawks
Round 2, Pick 56: Western Michigan WR D’Wayne Eskridge
Round 4, Pick 137: Oklahoma CB Tre Brown
Round 6, Pick 208: Florida OG Stone Forsythe
Original Grade: B
3-Year Grade: C-
Only having three picks won’t save this class from a harsh grade. Eskridge has barely played since being drafted, for a variety of reasons, but primarily among them is he hasn’t been very good. Brown and Forsythe have both started games, though neither has been good in starting roles. Both project better as depth pieces.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1, Pick 32: Washington ED Joe Tryon-Shoyinka
Round 2, Pick 64: Florida QB Kyle Trask
Round 3, Pick 95: Notre Dame OG Robert Hainsey
Round 4, Pick 129: North Texas WR Jaelon Darden
Round 5, Pick 179: Auburn LB K.J. Britt
Round 7, Pick 251: BYU CB Chris Wilcox
Round 7, Pick 259: Houston LB Grant Stuard
Original Grade: B-
3-Year Grade: C+
Tryon-Shoyinka headlined this class as the Buccaneers tried to get younger on the edge. He’s played a ton of snaps for them over the last three years but failed to establish himself as a major player. Trask was a fine flier on a Day 2 quarterback, though he hasn’t shown the potential to be more than a career backup.
Hainsey is a passable interior offensive lineman and Britt has flashed when asked to play significant minutes at linebacker. Stuard is a good special teamer, though he was traded to Indianapolis before his second season.
Tennessee Titans
Round 1, Pick 22: Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley
Round 2, Pick 53: North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz
Round 3, Pick 92: Georgia LB Monty Rice
Round 3, Pick 100: Washington CB Elijah Molden
Round 4, Pick 109: Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick
Round 4, Pick 135: Pittsburgh ED Rashad Weaver
Round 6, Pick 205: LSU WR Racey McMath
Round 6, Pick 215: Oregon S Brady Breeze
Original Grade: B+
3-Year Grade: C-
Farley was a risky first-round pick, as he had some injury concerns coming out of Virginia Tech. Those concerns proved valid, as Farley has barely played since entering league and failed to find his footing as a result. He could still pan out to be a good player, but it’s looking more like he’ll do that somewhere besides Tennessee.
Radunz struggled at tackle before moving inside and struggling at guard. Molden is a quality slot corner, though he’s the only consistently positive contributor from this class.
Washington Commanders
Round 1, Pick 19: Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
Round 2, Pick 51: Texas OT Samuel Cosmi
Round 3, Pick 74: Minnesota CB Benjamin St-Juste
Round 3, Pick 82: North Carolina WR Dyami Brown
Round 4, Pick 124: Boise State TE John Bates
Round 5, Pick 163: Cincinnati S Darrick Forrest
Round 6, Pick 225: Michigan LS Camaron Cheeseman
Round 7, Pick 240: Baylor ED William Bradley-King
Round 7, Pick 246: Penn State ED Shaka Toney
Round 7, Pick 258: BYU WR Dax Milne
Original Grade: A-
3-Year Grade: B-
Washington’s Day 2 saves this draft for them. Davis is an athletic specimen but has struggled to play football well, failing to develop into the impact linebacker the Commanders hoped he could be. Cosmi moved to guard and played well, cementing himself as one of the pieces of Washington’s future offensive line.
St-Juste has been a bit boom-or-bust, but he’s had his moments and generally been a positive starter on the back end. Brown has mostly been limited to a deep threat role, playing the WR4 in Washington’s offense as he takes the top off defenses.
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