2024 NFL Draft Grades: Only 2 Teams Earn an A

It’s been a little over a week since the conclusion of the NFL Draft and has given us all some time to process things. We’ll be looking at every team’s picks from the draft and giving them a grade. 

Arizona Cardinals: A

The Arizona Cardinals had their eyes set on Marvin Harrison Jr from the get-go and he’s going to be a generational talent. MHJ was our #1 overall prospect in this draft and will be the #1 receiver for the Cardinals for many years to come. The Cardinals also killed the draft with getting a top 5 EDGE late in the 1st, a top 10 corner in the 2nd, and a top 3 running back in the 3rd. Even in the later rounds, the Cardinals landed a solid tackle in Christian Jones. 

Atlanta Falcons: D

Arguably the biggest question mark of draft choices was the Atlanta Falcons. They shocked the world with their selection of Michael Penix Jr with the #8 overall spot. They have Kirk Cousins locked down to a multi-year deal with a no trade clause which made this very confusing. They followed that confusing pick with multiple reaches on day 2 of the draft. This was an overall head scratcher of a draft for Atlanta and earned them one of the worst grades. 

Baltimore Ravens: B

The Ravens already had one of the best secondaries in the NFL and made it even stronger with the additions of Nate Wiggins and TJ Tampa. Getting TJ Tampa all the way at the #130 pick when he was a projected top 50 selection was one of the biggest steals of the draft. Outside of those two, the Ravens had an okay draft, but the two defensive backs stole the show for the Ravens. 

Buffalo Bills: B+

We agree with the Buffalo Bills decision to trade down as there were still several solid wide receiver prospects remaining and knew they could snag one, but we disagree with their decision to let their biggest rival in Kansas City, be the one that they trade with and get the better receiver in Xavier Worthy. Outside of that decision, the Bills had a rather good draft. They got a new #1 wideout in Keon Coleman and with having more picks than normal, they were able to get a lot of depth across the board, specifically on defense. 

Carolina Panthers: B+

The Panthers were fleeced in the trade to get Bryce Young forcing them to give up serious draft capital this year which included the #1 overall pick in this year’s draft. Putting that aside and focusing on what the Panthers were able to do with this draft, they made the best out of the situation. They got a receiver, a tight end, and the top running back in this year’s class. They are building around Bryce Young which included some key offseason additions including Diontae Johnson to the offense. The Panthers didn’t make the best choice at receiver with Adonai Mitchell & Keon Coleman still available, but getting Legette was still a big step in the right direction if they want Bryce Young to succeed. 

Chicago Bears: A-

The Bears only had 5 picks in this year’s draft with two of them being in the first 9 picks. Those two picks were used on the new face of the franchise and his new #1 receiver. The Bears did exactly what they needed there, but the rest of the picks could’ve used some work and felt like reaches. 

Cincinnati Bengals: B-

We don’t love the selection of Mims in the 1st, he’s a boom or bust pick, but we’re seeing this closer to the latter. We do however love the Kris Jenkins and the Tanner McLachlan selections. The remaining picks weren’t anything too noteworthy. 

Cleveland Browns: B-

The Browns are still hurting in draft capital from the Deshaun Watson trade which was arguably the worst move in franchise history. Their first selection was pick #54 which they used on a defensive tackle and their biggest need in the draft. He was the best tackle available at this point, but we think they had enough picks later on in the draft to make a move up 10 spots or so to get a significantly better tackle like Fiske or Smith. They got good value late in the 6th with linebacker Nathaniel Watson, but the rest of the draft felt like it could’ve gone a lot better. 

Dallas Cowboys: B+

For the last few years, the Cowboys have passed on getting a #2 receiver to go alongside CeeDee Lamb. This draft was no different which was one thing we wished they did, but they opted to address other needs. They did get some serious talent in Tyler Guyton, Marshawn Kneeland, and Cooper Beebe. They had a very solid day 1 & 2 when we take drafting a receiver out of the equation, but the day 3 picks with the exception of Caelen Carson didn’t hit the mark. 

Denver Broncos: C+

After 5 quarterbacks were taken in the first 10 picks, the Broncos felt the need to take one at #12 and drafted Bo Nix. This was a massive reach as he wasn’t even projected to go in the first round on most boards. Nix might have the highest floor, but lowest ceiling of all the quarterback prospects from this year’s class. Nix was a reach, but getting a wide receiver he’s already familiar with in Troy Franklin on day 3 was a good bargain. We also like the pickup of Notre Dame back Audric Estime in the 5th to slot in one of the weaker running back rooms in the league. 

Detroit Lions: B+

With the plethora of offensive players taken in the first round, the Lions traded up to take Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold which was their best move of the draft. This was a spot the Lions struggled with and got the 2nd best corner in the draft without having to give up much to get him. They added a couple more players to their secondary in the draft and we like the versatility of Sione Vaki in the 4th and he’ll be an interesting player to watch how the Lions utilize him. 

Green Bay Packers: B

The Green Bay Packers are in the Jordan Love era and they’re happy with the weapons surrounding him but did bolster the line with one of their top selections. Love showed he can succeed with those around him which is why most of the focus was on the defense. They did very well in the first 3 rounds of the draft, but their day 3 selections didn’t have the value we’d like to see compared to what they were picking in the first 2 days of the draft. 

Houston Texans: B+

The Texans didn’t have a first in this year’s draft which is perfectly fine as they’ve done a lot of additions in the offseason including Stefon Diggs & Joe Mixon to help Stroud out. They brought even more firepower to the offense with the selection of Cade Stover in the 4th. Adding another lineman with their second selection was also smart to commit to Stroud’s health which other teams with top quarterbacks have failed to do. A couple other picks we liked for the Texans were the defensive selections of Marcus Harris in the 7th and Kamari Lassiter with their first selection in the 2nd. The Texans did well with the picks they had and should be a contender in the AFC.

Indianapolis Colts: A-

Landing Latu & Mitchell with where they did, the Colts landed two huge steals. These picks made perfect sense & should both be day 1 starters. Rounds 3 through 5 were also very strong for the Colts adding a pair of linemen and safeties. The Colts get dinged for not taking a cornerback, but if they add Justin Simmons or Xavien Howard via free agency who are still available, then their score for this draft will be even better.

Jacksonville Jaguars: B-

After bringing in Gabe Davis to complement Christian Kirk, the Jaguars still selected a wide receiver with their first pick in the draft. With how deep of a receiver class this is and several top corners like Terrion Arnold or Nate Wiggins still on the board, we wished they focused on the more pressing need. The cornerbacks they did end up grabbing later on are likely to never start as they missed out on all the quality ones. The pick from the Jaguars we did like was Maason Smith who’s a big body for their defensive front. 

Kansas City Chiefs: A-

With Rashee’s Rice status in question, the Chiefs made the right decision in prioritizing getting a receiver. To top things off, they swapped this pick with the Bills and got one before they did. Xavier Worthy is a boom or bust candidate and with Kelce aging, Rice’s unlikeliness to play for a full season, Mahomes could truly turn Worthy into a star. Worthy was a nice selection, but our favorite pick from the Chiefs was landing Jaden Hicks all the way at the end of the 4th. They didn’t need a safety, but with him sliding down, they couldn’t pass up the value. 

Las Vegas Raiders: C-

After drafting one of the top tight end prospects in Michael Mayer last year, the Raiders deciding to select Brock Bowers this year had a lot of us scratching our heads wondering why. The answer is the Raiders organization is notoriously bad at drafting and the trend continues. Brock Bowers is incredibly talented, but with already having Mayer and needing many other positions, this decision came out of left field. The only selection of the Raiders that we liked was Jackson Powers-Johnson in the 2nd giving them a solid interior lineman. 

Los Angeles Chargers Draft Grade: A-

With the departures of most of the offensive weapons, many people wanted the Chargers to grab Malik Nabers with their first pick. Nabers has a lot of potential, but getting a future Pro Bowler in Joe Alt was the wise decision. It wasn’t flashy, but getting Alt and then opting for a receiver like McConkey in a deep receiver class was the best decision they could make. We wished they grabbed another offensive weapon in the first 5 rounds, but we understand not being able to pass up on the talent available with Junior Colson and Cam Hart. 

Los Angeles Rams: B+

Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald retired this offseason leaving the team with an irreplaceable hole on their defense. The Rams used their first two picks to draft defensive lineman that can look to get starting roles early on. Neither will be able to get anywhere close to Donald’s talent, but working on their biggest needs instead of going for the best talent available was a step in the right direction for the future of the franchise. 

Miami Dolphins: C+

This wasn’t the Dolphins best draft as they decided to draft value over need. Chop Robinson is someone who will have success in the league, but choosing him over the many offensive lineman available at this point was not what was ideal for the Dolphins. With Terron Armstead likely to retire after this year and the Dolphins already struggling with line injuries, this was not the best move. They also traded up to draft a running back with speed demons, Achane & Mostert on the roster which left us a bit confused. The best bargain the Dolphins got was getting EDGE Mohamed Kamara in the 5th. 

Minnesota Vikings: C+

The Vikings didn’t need to trade up to take JJ McCarthy, he was going to be there when they picked. They didn’t give up much in that trade up, but they didn’t need to do that at all as he is a late 1st / early 2nd worth talent and not a top 10 selection. Their second trade up of the draft was much better, getting EDGE Dallas Turner who slipped down and the Vikings made the right move in getting him. The rest of the draft told the same story as the McCarthy pick in reaching up more than they should. 

New England Patriots: C+

The Patriots saw enough of former 1st round selection Mac Jones and decided it was time to move on. The Patriots haven’t been able to succeed in the post-Brady era and are hoping that Drake Maye, the #3 overall selection in this year’s draft is the answer. Maye was a quality player at UNC but translation that into the NFL is going to be a different story. It also doesn’t help that the Patriots have one of the worst wide receiver rooms in the NFL and the two receivers they drafted aren’t blowing anyone away. The lineman they also drafted with their 3rd & 4th selections were also not very impressive. If they want Maye to succeed, they need to do more to help him and this just wasn’t enough. 

New Orleans Saints: B+

New Orleans was working with limited draft capital this year as they didn’t have any picks in rounds 3 or 4. That wasn’t a problem for them as they still got 3rd/4th round talent with their 5th round selections in a solid linebacker in Jaylan Ford out of Texas and a top backup quarterback in Spencer Rattler. Their earlier picks were solid as well, getting Kool-Aid McKinstry who should’ve been selected in the 1st round and a new starting offensive lineman in Fuaga. Fuaga wasn’t the best lineman available which was our main complaint from the Saints draft, but they still addressed a need which is better than nothing. 

New York Giants: B-

The Giants passed on taking a quarterback and got a lot of slack from the fans who are sick of seeing Daniel Jones. This was the right decision as they got a top 5 receiver from this class and an instant playmaker for Daniel Jones. Nabers will be the best receiver that Jones will have worked with and brings new life into their offense. We do wish they continued the trend of building the offense with selecting a running back like Trey Benson or trading up in the 2nd to get Jonathon Brooks, but instead didn’t take one until the 6th who will likely sit on the bench behind Devin Singletary. This was a miss on their part as the offense was the biggest weakness.

New York Jets: B

It was a tough decision to pass on Brock Bowers here, but we understand why they did after seeing Aaron Rodgers go down on the first drive of the season last year. Fashanu was one of the better lineman in this class and they continued to try to help Rodgers by getting wideout Corley in the 3rd and added a sleeper back in Braelon Allen in the 4th who should see some carries behind Breece Hall. Overall, this was a solid draft with nothing flashy from gang green.

Philadelphia Eagles: A

Without trading up, the Philadelphia Eagles were able to land the best defensive back in this draft in Quinyon Mitchell. In the 2nd round, they traded up to double down on their 31st ranked secondary in 2023 with Cooper DeJean. The Eagles were able to address their needs and walk away with some significant talent in this draft. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: A-

The Steelers killed this draft by getting a top interior lineman in Fautanu and then a solid center in Zach Frazier. Both should see the opportunity to start at some point this season on the line. Both Wilson’s, Roman and Payton could jump into a starting position. With Diontae Johnson gone, Roman Wilson could be a big steal for the Steelers and be a big-time target for Russell Wilson. The day 3 picks were good value adds for the Steelers for where they were at and overall should feel happy walking away from this year’s draft.

San Francisco 49ers: D+

This entire draft by the 49ers left us with question marks wondering why they would reach so high for so many players. Pearsall was not a 1st round talent, a mid round back when they had CMC and Mitchell was a miss, getting a cornerback in the 2nd who isn’t even a top 150 player in the draft was a shock out of left field. The 49ers just dropped the ball after doing so well for many years in the draft.

Seattle Seahawks: A-

Sticking in the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks fared a bit better than the 49ers as they had a solid draft. The Seahawks really committed to the offensive line drafting 3 including getting a steal in Sataoa Laumea in the 6th. On the other side of the ball, they did just as well including their first round selection of Byron Murphy who is going to be a force to be reckoned with for opposing lines. Overall, a solid draft from the Seahawks. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+

The Buccaneers played their first round selection very safe with the selection of Graham Barton. The rest of the draft didn’t feel very safe as they took some flyers on some boom or bust players like Tykee Smith. If the Buccaneers wanted to play it safe, they should’ve stuck with that theme for the whole draft.

Tennessee Titans: C-

The Cedric Gray selection in the 4th was an excellent choice, but outside of that, this draft was full of reaches. There were multiple lineman better than Latham available in the 1st round, multiple tackles better than Sweat available in the 2nd, and their late picks just felt like they were throwing at a dart board. The Titans just fell flat with this year’s draft.

Washington Commanders: C

Moving on from Sam Howell was not the answer for the Commanders. Sam Howell couldn’t do anything with the league’s worst offensive line. The Commanders wanted a new quarterback who will run into the same problems that Howell did, but at least Jayden Daniels can scramble better. They did not draft a single offensive tackle in the draft and only a single guard. Their best selection was Johnny Newton in the 2nd which we understood why they grabbed him as he should have been a 1st rounder, but passing up on an offensive tackle with your other 2nd rounders is just despicable.