2015 NFL Draft: Grades

Here we go. It took me a little bit longer to get this out, but we got here and it was an interesting draft. I liked a good number of drafts and was stupified by a couple. So read through, tell me what I missed, where I missed and who's gonna make me look stupid.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles 

A-

Small draft for the Eagles who had just six draft picks this year. I thought they nailed rounds 2 & 3 with Rowe and Hicks but would like to have seen a little more WR help found for Bradford or whomever is the quarterback.

Best Pick: Erick Rowe, CB, Utah

Worst Pick: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC (Because I had to pick one.)

Dallas Cowboys

C+

Dallas hit the top of the draft well, with Jones being a very good fit in a man coverage scheme and Gregory was a damn steal at 60. The late rounds found some solid talent with LBs Damien Wilson & Mark Nzeocha. Their class is going to hinge on Gregory’s growth as a person and Jones being able to translate his freak athleticism.

Best Pick: Randy Gregory, Edge, Nebraska

Worst Pick: Chaz Green, OT, Florida

New York Giants

C+

The Giants had limited upside on their draft when they started out with Flowers who I just can’t get behind as a top ten pick. They rebounded nicely adding Collins and Odighizuwa who were both first round talents on my board. Thye also did well to find to high upside players with both Geremy Davis and Bobby Hart.

Best Pick: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DL, UCLA

Worst Pick: Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (FL)

Washington Redskins

D+

The best thing about the Redskins draft was the way in which they added value and picks in draft day trades. Scherff is a low upside talent at 5 and that hurts the overall value of the selection but should be a stalwart over the next 5 years or so on that offensive line. Most of their draft were high floor low ceiling players who just didn’t excite. This grade will almost assuredly look foolish in 3-5 years.

Best Pick: Preston Smith, Edge, Mississippi State

Worst Pick: Matt Jones, RB, Florida

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings

A

I know Clemmings has a foot injury but he’s a steal in the third round, Kendricks pairs up with old teammate Barr who was drafted last seasons by the Vikings. Waynes is good but I would have taken a few other CBs that have a little more upside and more palatable questions. Stefon Diggs and Tyrus Thompson were really nice upside picks in the fifth and they did good on trades to pick up value.

Best Pick: T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh

Worst Pick: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State (Because I had to.)

Chicago Bears

B-

I loved the White pick, Goldman is nice and Grasu should improve the interior of the line, especially from an athleticism standpoint. Tayo Fabuluje from TCU may be my favorite pick from this draft. Fabuluje was an athletic sleeper for me this year and he and Amos should provide great value from this draft when we look back for the Bears.

Best Pick: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

Worst Pick: Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State

Detroit Lions

C+

There isn’t much to say for the Lions here, Quandre Diggs and Corey Robinson are very good value in the 6^th and 7^th and Alex Carter should start right away. That all being said it’s a solid draft without that mouth-watering upside.

Best Pick: Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

Worst Pick: Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers

Green Bay Packers

D-

Where to start, Randall is another Micah Hyde, Rollins may slot in a position like that as well, Montgomery can’t catch a pass with any consistency, Ryan could start inside early, Hundley is great value that is offset by the value given up in the trade and the Packers picked a FB named Ripkowski. There should be no question about what I think of this draft.

Best Pick: Jake Ryan, OBLB, Michigan

Worst Pick: Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

A-

The only things that drag this grade down are value lost in trades and the last couple picks. The top of their draft is as good as anyone’s and Hardy and Jarrett are steals in the 4^th and the 5^th. Really nice start for Dan Quinn and company in Atlanta.

Best Pick: Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson

Worst Pick: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU (Because I have to)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

B-

Good draft for a team with a bunch of holes. Winston is a great place to start, Donovan Smith may turn into a premiere, or at least passable, left tackle, and I don’t think anyone had a better 4^th-7^th rounds.

Best Pick: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Worst Pick: Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State

New Orleans Saints

C+

Stephone Anthony could have had been had in the second or later but they got the guy they wanted. Tyeler Davison was a favorite of mine out of Fresno and will be a fun watch the next couple of years. Outside of Davison it’s a very solid draft that will make me look silly if Peat is elite and Kikaha stays healthy.

Best Pick: Tyeler Davison, DT, Fresno State

Worst Pick: Stephone Anthony, OBLB, Clemson

Carolina Panthers

F+

When you only have five picks, get a lot of meh talnet, don’t really address your needs and trade away three times as much value as anyone else in the draft you get an F+. And only get an F+ because you drafted a high upside OT to at least look like you care about Cam Newton’s safety.

Best Pick: Daryl Williams, OL, Oklahoma

Worst Pick: Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers

B-

Needed to fill a lot of holes, needed some stability and they got it. In other places I may have been a little unimpressed but I thought the 9ers did a good job of at least stabilizing through depth. Add to that a job well done getting extra pick value and you got yourself a nice little draft.

Best Pick: Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon

Worst Pick: Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson

Arizona Cardinals

C

Really liked the value and upside of Johnson who popped athletically but needs a little time to grow into the beast he could be. Humphries and Golden should be contributors early and they got some freaks late to add depth and production.

Best Pick: David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa

Worst Pick: Rodney Gunter, DT, Delaware State

St. Louis Rams

C-

Pretty meh early. Gurley is a great talent but running backs don’t bring the boom top 10 like other positions. Havenstein should be a good RT but round 2 was probably a round too early for the big tackle out of Wisconsin. The rest of the draft was fine but nothing to shake a stick at.

Best Pick: Jamon Brown, OL, Louisville

Worst Pick: Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin

Seattle Seahawks

D-

Not a big fan of what Seattle did in this year’s draft. Lockett and Glowinski were really nice gets in the third and fourth rounds and Obum Gwacham was a favorite sleeper of a lot of very good draftniks. Clark as the headliner has already brought negative press stemming from his domestic violence incident and cracks are already showing the Seahawks investigation story.

Best Pick: Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State

Worst Pick: Terry Poole, OT, San Diego State

AFC East

New England Patriots

B-

Loved the Brown pick as it was a ridiculous steal at the end of the first. They then went on to lose all that good will with low upside reaches in rounds two and three but nailed the fourth picking up favorites of mine in Trey Flowers and Shaq Mason.

Best Pick: Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas

Worst Pick: Joe Cardona, LS, Navy

Miami Dolphins

C+

Love Devante Parket and Jay Ajayi and think both contribute rather early. Jordan Phillips and Jamil Douglas have questions but nice upside but they’re question marks until they prove otherwise.

Best Pick: Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State

Worst Pick: Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma

New York Jets

C+

Williams was a great surprise at 6 with my only concern being where they play all their bodies. Devin Smith gives you the downfield threat that Marshall and Decker don’t and Jarvis Harrison is a big athletic guard who should help in both run and pass. For me the biggest problem is Petty in the fourth. You waited ‘til 103 to take him which means you don’t think he’s a starter or franchise guy, but you didn’t wait ‘til the 6^th or 7^th to denote him as a project.

Best Pick: Leonard Williams, DL, USC

Worst Pick: Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

Buffalo Bills

D+

They hit the end of the draft really well, with the Dezim Lewis and Nick O’Leary picks but the problem was after Darby they didn’t help themselves or left superior players on the board.

Best Pick: Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State

Worst Pick: Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers

A-

Where they got Dupree was a huge bargain and a pick I'm sure they weren't planning on in the morning. Golson and Coates where nice additions and Anthony Chickillo in late in the 6th made this a really nice draft for the Steelers.

Best Pick: Bud Dupree, Edge, Kentucky

Worst Pick: Jesse James, TE, Penn State

Baltimore Ravens

B+

I love the top of this draft, Perriman, Maxx Williams & Carl Dais were all home run picks. Perriman replaces Torrey Smith, Williams is a playmaker (think Todd Heap) and Davis is a versatile DT who was a steal in the third. The middle of the draft keeps this from an A.

Best Pick: Carl Davis, DT, Iowa

Worst Pick: Tray Walker, CB, Texas Southern

Cleveland Browns

B

I’m a big fan of Erving and his potential, added with the rocky relationship with Mack this pick makes a lot of sense. The rest of their draft is pretty nice too. The next three picks all got B+ and they got one of the best talents at DB in Ifo Ekpre-Olumu. The only picks I was down on were the TEs taken in the 6^th round.

Best Pick: Cameron Erving, C, Florida State

Worst Pick: Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi State

Cincinnati Bengals

C

Ogbuehi is an intriguing talent with concern about injury and where the RT we saw a couple years back went. Paired with Fisher they have a chance to be a dynamic pair in the near future. Picking up Derron Smith and Mario Alford in the 6^th and 7^th were very nice finds and upside picks.

Best Pick: Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon

Worst Pick: Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers

AFC South

Tennessee Titans

B-

I was glad to see Mariota go his rightful second but here’s to hoping Wisenhunt doesn’t screw it up. Green-Beckham is the receiver headliner both on and off the field but Tre McBride their 7^th round pick may be the jewel of this draft. Mariota will have talent to work with at receiver with the aforementioned rookie duo and Wright, Hunter, Nicks and Douglas already waiting in Nashville.

Best Pick: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

Worst Pick: Angelo Blackson, DT, Auburn

Jacksonville Jaguars

C-

Fowler was a fine pick but a bit higher than I was comfortable with and Yeldon was taken before a number of more dynamic running backs. That said they rebounded nice with A.J. Cann, Rashad Greene, and Michael Bennett were great value picks in the 3^rd, 5^th and 6^th respectively.

Best Pick: Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State

Worst Pick: T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama

Indianapolis Colts

D+

Don’t completely get what the Colts were doing here. Dorsett doubles up what Hilton already brings, D’Joun Smith will need time to grow into his role and they didn’t address the line at all. That said I loved the get of Henry Anderson and Danielle Hunter to bolster the defensive line and Amarlo Herrera which was a steal in my mind in the 6^th round.

Best Pick: Amarlo Herrera, OBLB, Georgia

Worst Pick: Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (FL)

Houston Texans

D+

Another draft that’s solid but gave up a bunch of value in trades. Strong was a great value in round 3, Johnson is a high floor pick and McKinney should be a nice addition behind that front 3.

Best Pick: Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Worst Pick: Rishard Cliett, OBLB, South Florida

AFC West

Oakland Raiders

C

I have a B- or higher on five of the first seven picks for the Raiders. Cooper will be really good, Edwards should be solid and a fine NT at worst, Heeney in the fourth and Valles are nice additions alongside Mack. The only pick I was overly down on was Ball the LB out of Florida because I think it was the waste of a fourth round pick.

Best Pick: Clive Walford, TE, Miami (FL)

Worst Pick: Neiron Ball, OBLB, Florida

Kansas City Chiefs

C-

I’m a huge fan of Nunez-Roches and think he’s got a chance to make an impact early year one. The rest of their draft is solid with good talent but there isn’t anything that makes you get overly excited.

Best Pick: Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT, Southern Miss

Worst Pick: D.J. Alexander, OBLB, Oregon State

San Diego Chargers

D

I actually like the chargers draft quite a bit but they gave up a bunch of value to move up in this draft and only got five players in the class. The lowest draft grade I have here is Gordon at a C+ but they just gave up too much value for an above average grade.

Best Pick: Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas

Worst Pick: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (Not that bad of a pick)

Denver Broncos

F+

Denver gave up a pretty significant amount of value in draft trades, which in and of itself isn’t the worst thing but the class as a whole is pretty meh. That all stems from my trepidation with Shane Ray and his athletic ability.

Best Pick: Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane

Worst Pick: Shane Ray, Edge, Missouri