New York Jets +1400

• Will McDonald IV (EDGE – Iowa State) – 19^th
• Joe Tippman (C – Wisconsin) – 43^rd
• Carter Warren (OT – Pittsburgh) – 120^th
• Israel Abanikanda (RB – Pittsburgh) – 143^rd
• Zaire Barnes (LB – Western Michigan) – 184^th
• Jarrick Bernard-Converse (CB – LSU) – 204^th
• Zack Kuntz (TE – Old Dominion) – 221st

Maybe a slight reach for the Jets, but outside the top-15, Will McDonald was still a top 1^st-round pick product. The Jets don’t get an A after Round 1 because they still need to address the offensive line after falling victim to a Patriots-Steelers trade knocking them out of the top tackle market. Classic Patriots.

Gang Green added a center to fill a massive hole on their roster in Round 2, with Wisconsin’s Joe Tippman. A team can never go wrong drafting OL from the Badgers. Per Sports Info Solutions, Tippman generated the 3rd-most yards before contact per attempt (2.6) on gap rush attempts. He also has a desirable size at 6-foot-6 with massive hands at 10 3/4 inches (97 percentile).

All in all, the Jets did the best that they could with the limited draft capital as a result of the Aaron Rodgers trade.

After losing out in the tackle market early, the Jets finally got OT help in Round 4 with Carter Warren. Warren boasts massive arm length (88^th percentile) with a ton of playing experience at left tackle. He likely fell into Day 3 due to a season-ending injury last year that limited him to four games.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: B

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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS

Philadelphia Eagles +900

• Jalen Carter (DT – Georgia) – 10^th
• Nolan Smith (Edge – Georgia) – 30^th
• Tyler Steen (OT – Alabama) – 66th
• Sydney Brown (S – Illinois) – 67^th
• Kelee Ringo (CB – Georgia) – 105^th
• Tanner McKee (QB – Stanford) – 188th
• Moro Ojomo (DT – Texas) – 249th

The Eagles gave up a 2024 4^th to move up one spot to draft the best player in the draft in Jalen Carter. Elite maneuver by a Super Bowl contender. It’s the best landing spot with so many Georgia defenders already on Philly’s roster. And the rich got richer with the Eagles snagging a falling Nolan Smith with the 30^th overall pick. Cannot believe this team drafted Carter/Smith after participating in the Super Bowl just a few months ago. The NFC has been put on notice. The time is now to bet the Eagles to win the NFC East (+115 per DraftKings Sportsbook) and/or NFC (+350 per DraftKings Sportsbook) while they remain at plus-money odds.

In Round 3, the Eagles added OL and safety help. Tyler Steen is a proven starter amassing 45 games in the SEC between Vanderbilt and Alabama. Nice depth piece for the Eagles to develop, as they tend to do. Sydney Brown has the potential to be a starter in the Philly defense after losing key safeties during free agency. Brown operated as Illinois’ primary box safety lining up inside at a 56% clip — the highest of any safety in the class last season. His PFF coverage grade (89.3) also ranked second in the draft class.

Philly’s reign over the draft continued on Day 3, with the selection of Kelee Ringo. Yes, another Georgia defender to the Eagles. Ringo was commonly mocked in the first round in many pre-draft publications, so Roseman got yet another steal. CBs at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds with 4.36 wheels should not be available on Day 3 of the draft. If Ringo hits, it makes it much easier for the team to move on from veterans Darius Slay and James Bradberry.

The Eagles also placed on the cherry on the top of their draft by sending a 2025 fifth (swapped this year’s sevenths) to acquire ex-Lions running back D’Andre Swift. Yes, Swift also went to Georgia. We can’t let this keep happening.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A+

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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS

Pittsburgh Steelers +6000

• Broderick Jones (OT – Georgia) – 14^th
• Joey Porter Jr. (CB – Penn State) – 32^nd
• Keeanu Benton (DT – Wisconsin) – 49^th
• Darnell Washington (TE – Georgia) – 90^th
• Nick Herbig (LB – Wisconsin) – 132^nd
• Cory Trice Jr. (CB – Purdue) – 241^st
• Spencer Anderson (IOL – Maryland) – 251st

Pittsburgh traded up with the Patriots to draft Broderick Jones in Round 1, a savvy transaction to acquire additional protection for quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Steelers wisely moved up ahead of the Jets to grab the last tackle before the tier break at the position. Pittsburgh has tremendously improved its offensive line this offseason, as they look for their QB to take a second-year leap.

The front office also snagged another first-round talent with the 32nd overall pick in Joey Porter Jr. Not only is it perfect from a real-life perspective – like father like son — but cornerback was a must-need for the Steel Curtain. Porter Jr. was a pass-breakup machine in 2022, posting college football’s second-highest forced incompletion rate (41%).

The Steelers bolstered their defensive line with Keeanu Benton, who some pegged as a potential back-end first-round player. Benton finished 10th in PFF passing grade among his 2023 DT class, finishing 2nd in QB hits. Expect him to wreak havoc.

Tight end Darnell Washington fell into the Steelers’ laps at 90^th overall, based on medical red flags. But taking on the risk of a player with first-round talent was well worth the price Mike Tomlin and co. paid to draft the Georgia product. I think his dramatic fall and landing spot behind Pat Freiermuth completely remove him from the fantasy tight end discussion, but there’s little doubt that he will help the Steelers’ real-life offense as a blocker.

The Steelers continued to kill this draft into Day 3, scooping up another insane value in the form of linebacker Nick Herbig. Herbig was more of an edge rusher than a traditional linebacker at Wisconsin, racking up the highest sack rate (6.7%) among pass rushers in the 2023 draft class per Sports Info Solutions. His 20% pressure rate ranked third and his pressure rate over expectation ranked 4th.

CB Cory Trice was also one of my favorite picks in Round 7. The 6-foot-3 and 206-pound cornerback missed 2021 with a torn ACL but came back strong with an impressive 2022 campaign. Using his size to his advantage he finished the year as PFF’s 8th-highest-graded tackling cornerback among his draft class. Trice also allowed the 11th-lowest passer rating when targeted (51.3).

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: A+

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San Francisco 49ers +900

• Ji’Ayir Brown (S – Penn State) – 87th
• Jake Moody (K – Michigan) – 99^th
• Cameron Latu (TE – Alabama) – 101^st
• Darren Luther (CB – South Alabama) – 155^th
• Robert Beal (EDGE – Georgia) – 173^rd
• Dee Winters (LB – TCU) – 216^th
• Brayden Willis (TE – Oklahoma) – 247^th
• Ronnie Bell (WR – Michigan) – 253rd
• Jalen Graham (LB – Purdue) – 255th

Ji’Ayir Brown ran a slow 40-time (4.65) which likely caused his fall into the late 3^rd round. However, the slow time did not seem to bother the 49ers, who traded up to acquire Brown. They had a need for safety after losing Jimmie Ward in free agency. Brown operated very close to the line of scrimmage at times in Penn State’s defense boasting the No. 1 blitz rate, lowest aDOT and most pressures per game in the safety class. He’s not overly athletic but makes up for it with leadership and football IQ.

The 49ers also needed a replacement for Robbie Gould and got the best kicker in the draft, Jake Moody, with the 99^th overall selection. Considering the team doesn’t have a ton of needs as a Super Bowl contender, I am okay with the selection. However, I am not okay that SF did not add any OL or primary CBs with their top picks, opting to draft a backup tight end with Cameron Latu late in the third round.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: C-

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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS

Seattle Seahawks +4500

• Devon Witherspoon (CB – Illinois) – 5^th
• Jaxon Smith-Nijgba (WR – Ohio State) – 20^th
• Derrick Hall (EDGE – Auburn) – 37^th
• Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA) – 52^nd
• Anthony Bradford (IOL – LSU) – 108^th
• Cameron Young (DT – Mississippi State) – 123^rd
• Mike Morris (EDGE – Michigan) – 151^st
• Jerrick Reed II (S – New Mexico) – 198^th
• Kenny McIntosh (RB – Georgia) – 237th

Seattle comes with a surprise at pick 5, selecting CB Devon Witherspoon over both Tyree Wilson and Jalen Carter. Impossible to knock it too much based on Witherspoon’s projection as a top-tier cover cornerback, but an edge rusher fits Seattle’s need more. Witherspoon will start opposite Tariq Woolen in the Seahawks revamped secondary.

But I am in love with the Jaxon Smith-Njigba pick. The value of getting the No. 1 WR in the class at pick 20 is “chef’s kiss.” His addition allows Seattle to run more 3WR sets, which Geno Smith should find success with. Smith was one of the better QBs passing from 11 personnel in 2022, ranking 10th in yards per attempt (7.2), seventh in TD-INT ratio, and sixth in passer rating. But Seattle ran it at the seventh-lowest rate without any worthwhile third-receiving option. That changes with the addition of No.3 WR JSN.

Seattle is putting the NFC on notice as a low-key playoff contender to make a run in a conference with major question marks outside the Eagles. The 49ers are also facing major question marks at QB (along with a lackluster draft) making my favorite offseason bet on Seattle winning the NFC West at +300 per BetMGM.

They added additional defensive firepower on the edge in the form of Derrick Hall in Round 2, which might seem like a slight reach to some. However, I like Hall’s profile a lot. He brings speed off the tackle with a 4.55 40-yard dash (94th percentile) and 93rd percentile broad jump weighing at an extremely light 254 pounds. With 84th percentile arm length to boot, Hall finished last season 12th in QB hits and 16th in pressures among his draft class as a strict outside edge rusher.

But the good times did not keep rolling for Seattle as they selected a running back with the 52^nd overall selection. Not ideal for Zach Charbonnet because he won’t see a full workload with Kenneth Walker entrenched as the team’s starter. And it just doesn’t make any sense for Seattle to draft a running back AGAIN in Round 2, after doing so last season. They easily could have waited to draft a different RB with pass-catching chops (which they did in Round 7) or just sign somebody dirt-cheap in free agency. As a team that looks poised to make a legitimate playoff run, I really wish they didn’t blow the 52^nd pick on a luxury position. They really could have drafted one of the top centers in the draft with John Michael Schmitz instead.

They eventually would select LSU’s Anthony Bradford to bolster the interior guard position, but he doesn’t project to be a center. Bradford is a strong run blocker, finishing first in the class in positive run rate generated when run behind (64%) per Sports Info Solutions.

Seattle went back to edge with Mike Morris in Round 5, to double down on pass rushers. Morris’ 22% true pressure rate tied for first in the 2023 edge class. The sheer production is impressive considering Morris’ size — 77th percentile weight, 87th percentile height.

The Seahawks potentially landed a starting center in Round 5, with another Michigan Wolverine, Olusegun Oluwatimi. Oluwatimi spent 2019-2021 with the Virginia Cavaliers finishing as a finalist in the voting as the best center in the country during his last season. He then transferred to Michigan as a graduate student and was recognized as the nation’s best center/interior offensive lineman with two separate awards. It was well deserved as his .6% blown block rate tied for second-best in the nation. He also operated as a mauler in the run game, creating holes for his RBs to charge through. The former Wolverine generated the most yards before contact to their gap per game (57.6) per Sports Info Solutions.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: B

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers +7500

• Calijah Kancey (DT – Pittsburgh) – 19^th
• Cody Mauch (OT – North Dakota State) – 48^th
• YaYa Diaby (EDGE – Louisville) – 82nd
• SirVocea Dennis (LB – Pittsburgh) – 153^rd
• Payne Durham (TE – Purdue) – 171^st
• Josh Hayes (DB – Kansas State) – 181^st
• Trey Palmer (WR – Nebraska) – 191^st
• Jose Ramirez (EDGE – Easter Michigan) – 196th

Calijah Kancey fits a need and was one of the best players left on the board in Round 1 for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay showed restraint by holding back for a tackle despite the need. They are rewarded with a super productive albeit undersized interior disruptor that can be a staple in Todd Bowles defense. TB would eventually add an offensive lineman in Round 2 in the form of a trade-up for Cody Mauch. It was a great selection for an OL-needy team, and Mauch offers dual-ability as a tackle/guard. His strengths are highlighted in the run game which is music to the ears of Rachaad White fantasy managers (as is the fact that Tampa added zero RBs during the draft).

Tampas also addressed another need for edge rusher, with YaYa Diaby. Diaby was a mega-disruptor at Louisville, compiling the 4th-best pressure rate in the defensive tackle class (12%) while finishing 2nd in overall pressures per game (2.5) — the same as Georgia defensive tackle, Jalen Carter. Diaby also possesses top-tier athletic traits, hanging 86th percentile or better marks in the 40-yard dash, 10-yard split and vertical jump.

On Day 3, the Buccaneers went with a linebacker with a do-it-all linebacker in SirVocea Dennis. He could easily be a starter for Tampa in Year 1. Tampa likes to play fast on defense and got three guys that can deliver exactly that.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: B

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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS

Tennessee Titans +8500

• Peter Skoronski (OT – Northwestern) – 11^th
• Will Levis (QB – Kentucky) – 33^rd
• Tyjae Spears (RB – Tulane) – 83^rd
• Josh Whyle (TE – Cincinnati) – 147^th
• Jaelyn Duncan (OT – Maryland) – 186^th
• Colton Dowell (WR – Tennessee-Martin) – 228th

The Titans’ OL needed some fine-tuning after going under a massive overhaul at the start of the offseason. I like the fit of Peter Skoronski whether the Titans play him at guard or at tackle. Tennesse also addressed their glaring hole at quarterback by selecting Will Levis at the top of the second round. They traded up with Arizona for essentially the cost of a 2024 third-round pick. Great value for a quarterback, whether Levis hits or not. When a healthy Levis played in an NFL-style offense under former Rams offensive coordinator Liam Coen in 2021, the Kentucky product finished as PFF’s 10th-highest-graded QB in the Power Five.

The Titans tied a bow on Day 2 with the selection of RB Tyjae Spears. Spears gives the Titans a solid backup option for Derrick Henry, but I’d be wary about his long-term prospects. He was projected to go higher than 83^rd overall but fell because of worrisome issues concerning the health of his knees.

On Day 3, I was not a huge fan of the Titans drafting Jaelyn Duncan. Among the 2023 tackle class, no player allowed more blown pass blocks per game than Duncan. With 33″ inch arms (13th percentile) and pass protection issues, he might struggle.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: B+

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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAC | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS

Washington Commanders +6000

• Emmanuel Forbes (CB – Miss State) – 16^th
• Jartavius Martin (CB – Illinois) – 47^th
• Ricky Stromberg (C – Arkansas) – 97^th
• Braeden Daniels (OT – Utah) – 118^th
• K.J. Henry (EDGE – Clemson) – 137^th
• Chris Rodriguez (RB – Kentucky) – 193^rd
• Andre Jones Jr. (EDGE – Louisiana) – 223^rd

Emmanuel Forbes was my 7^th-ranked cornerback, and the Commanders took him with Christian Gonzalez still on the board. The 166-pound DB was severely over-drafted by Washington. Woof. And to follow up Round 1 with another defensive back in Round 2 is just not what anybody would like to see. Jartavius Martin is a clear slot cornerback with sure-tackling ability but taking him inside the top 50 was another big reach by Washington.

The Commanders ended Day 2 with center Ricky Stromberg. But again, not necessarily a dire need with multiple interior offensive linemen added during the free agency period.

My favorite pick Washington made was at the start of Round 4, with tackle Braeden Daniels. Daniels is an uber-athletic tackle from Utah, that tested off the charts at the NFL Combine. He hit the 81st percentile or higher in all drills. His size at 294 pounds suggests he might be better off blocking inside, but his movement ability will make him a great depth piece. Per Sports Info Solutions, no tackle generated a higher positive run percentage when run behind than Daniels (60%).

Edge rusher K.J. Henry played alongside the freaky Myles Murphy but made a name for himself along Clemson’s defensive line ranking 5th in QB hits and 14th in hurries in 2022. It’s expected that the 24-year-old was productive with so much more experience, but numbers suggest he can get to the QB. He won’t be scaring offensive coordinators anytime soon, but he has the tools and pedigree to provide solid pass-rush depth.

The Commanders addressed their needs during the draft, but I couldn’t disagree more with the players they came away with. As a result, they earn my lowest draft grade among all 32 teams.

FINAL DRAFT GRADE: D

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