Grading each team’s 2023 NFL Draft class

The 2023 NFL Draft is winding down. We have made it through five rounds and some teams are already done for the day. Sure, they could trade back in trying to find a late-round darling, but it doesn’t hurt to go ahead and start summarizing drafts and judging team’s on their performances. And frankly, a late seventh round addition isn’t going to sway the draft grade.

We break down each team’s draft below as they complete their picks on Saturday.

2023 NFL Draft grades, by team

Arizona Cardinals: A

Round 1: No. 6 overall — Paris Johnson Jr., OT, Ohio State
Round 2: No. 41 — BJ Ojulari, Edge, LSU
Round 3: No. 72 — Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse
Round 3: No. 94 — Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford
Round 4: No. 122 — Joe Gaines II, OG, UCLA
Round 5: No. 139 — Clayton Tune, QB, Houston
Round 5: No. 168 — Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn
Round 6: No. 180 — Kei’Trel Clark, CB, Louisville
Round 6: No. 213 — Dante Stills, DT, West Virginia

Arizona is trying to restructure things under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon and set itself up nicely for the future. The Cardinals traded down from No. 3 to No. 6 and not only ended up with the top tackle prospect in Johnson, but also received the Houston Texans’ first-round pick for next year. Ojulari is a solid edge rusher who some projected as a first-rounder and the likes of Williams and Wilson can make solid contributions as rookies this year. For taking a handful of players that will immediately contribute and having a treasure trove of future draft assets, AZ comes out of the weekend with an A. — NS

Atlanta Falcons: C-

Round 1: No. 8 overall — Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
Round 2: No. 38 (from Colts via Raiders): Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
Round 3: No. 75 — Zach Harrison, DE, Ohio State
Round 4: No. 113 — Clark Phillips II, CB, Utah
Round 7: No. 224 (from Raiders) — DeMarcco Hellams, S, Alabama
Round 7: No. 225 — Jovaughn Gwyn, OG, South Carolina

Ok, listen Bijan Robinson is going to monster in the NFL. I’m not here to dispute his selection as a top 10 pick. But for the Falcons specifically, they needed help across the defensive line and Jalen Carter was staring them right in the face. They then chose to wait until the third round to address their pass rush, but chose a prospect in Harrison that fell short of being the next dominant defensive end at Ohio State. I will credit them for taking a DUDE with Phillips in round four, but it felt like they didn’t properly address their needs in this draft. — NS

Baltimore Ravens: A

Round 1: No. 22 overall — Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Round 3: No. 86 — Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Round 4: No. 124 — Tavius Robinson, OLB, Ole Miss
Round 5: No. 157 — Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford
Round 6: No. 199 — Malaesala Aumave-Laulu, OT, Oregon
Round 7: No. 229 — Andrew Vorhees, OG, USC

UPDATE: The Ravens dealt back into the seventh round to draft Vorhees. He tore his ACL during the NFL Combine and so will sit out his rookie year. But he’s got the kind of upside that could turn him into a steal.

The Ravens knew what they needed coming in, and they went out and got it where they could. They grabbed one of the best receivers in the draft right off the bat to give the recently re-signed Lamar Jackson a full slate of top receivers. Simpson was the best player still on the table, and will be an asset right off the bat to their defense. While Kelly was a solid choice to fill their cornerback void, they will need to sign a more veteran CB, but still grabbed a solid developmental choice here. Baltimore started strong, and despite having mostly Day 3 picks, did an excellent job with what they had. — GM

Buffalo Bills: B+

Round 1: No. 25 overall (from Jaguars via Giants) — Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah
Round 2: No. 59 — O’Cyrus Torrance, OL, Florida
Round 3: No. 91 — Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
Round 5: No. 150 (from Commanders) — Justin Shorter, WR, Florida
Round 7: No. 230 — Nick Broeker, OG, Ole Miss
Round 7: No. 252 — Alex Austin, CB, Oregon State

A strong, consistent contender like the Bills have the luxury of sitting back and go best player available and they added some solid pieces that could make some early contributions. Kincaid has been heralded as the arguably the best pass-catching tight end in this draft and the combination of him and Dawson Knox in 12 personnel should give Josh Allen even more options. They were able to scoop up what some considered the best interior offensive line prospect in Torrence near the end of the second round while the likes of Williams and Shorter could prove to be steals. B+ for you Buffalo, nicely done. — NS

Carolina Panthers: A-

Round 1: No. 1 overall (from Bears) — Bryce Young, QB, Alabama
Round 2: No. 39 — Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
Round 3: No. 80 — D.J. Johnson, LB, Oregon
Round 4: No. 114 — Chandler Zavala, OG, NC State
Round 5: No. 145 — Jammie Robinson, S, Florida State

The Panthers addressed a lot of team needs in the draft. Young should play the biggest role in next year’s team, assuming he can beat out Andy Dalton in training camp. Mingo provides another pass-catcher for Young to target, and don’t be surprised if Carolina has an above-average offense next year. The only reason this doesn’t come in as an A is that they could have used an interior linebacker more than a safety in the fifth. — TR

Chicago Bears: B

Round 1: No. 10 overall (from Eagles via Saints) — Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
Round 2: No. 53 (from Ravens) — Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida
Round 2: No. 56 (from Jaguars) — Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
Round 3: No. 64 — Zacch Pickens, DT, South Carolina
Round 4: No. 115 (from Saints) — Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Round 4: No. 133 (from Eagles) — Tyler Scott, WR, Cincinnati
Round 5: No. 148 (from Patriots through Ravens) — Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon
Round 5: No. 165 (from Eagles through Saints) — Terell Smith, CB, Minnesota
Round 7: No. 218 — Travis Bell, DL, Kennesaw State
Round 7: No. 258 — Kendall Williamson, S, Stanford

This was a very meat and potatoes draft for the Bears as they they decided to use their top two picks two address both sides of the lines. Wright and Dexter have a chance to contribute for the rebuilding franchise right away, as well as their Stevenson at cornerback. They probably could’ve added a receiving weapon much earlier the the fourth round, but I’ll still give them a solid B overall. — NS

Cincinnati Bengals: B

Round 1: No. 28 — Myles Murphy, EDGE, Clemson
Round 2: No. 60 — DJ Turner, CB, Michigan
Round 3: No. 95 — Jordan Battle, S, Alabama
Round 4: No. 131 — Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue
Round 5: No. 163 — Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
Round 6: No. 206 — Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton
Round 7: No. 217 — Brad Robbins, P, Michigan
Round 7: No. 246 — DJ Ivey, DB, Miami

Cincinnati has used the previous two years of free agency to address the offensive line, so they got to sit back and mostly go best player available in this draft. Murphy is a solid selection at No. 28 and the Bengals are hoping he can eschew some of the negative perceptions about defensive line prospects from Clemson. Nabbing Brown in the fifth round could prove to be a steal for Cincy, especially with the speculation of Joe Mixon’s run there coming to an end soon. It was a solid, B-grade level draft for the Bengals this year. — NS

Cleveland Browns: D+

Round 3: No. 74 — Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee
Round 4: No. 98 — Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor
Round 4: No. 111 — Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State
Round 4: No. 126 (from Vikings) — Isaiah McGuire, EDGE, Missouri
Round 5: No. 140 (from Rams) — Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
Round 5: No. 142 — Cameron Mitchell, CB, Northwestern
Round 6: No. 190 — Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State

Cleveland’s price for acquiring Deshaun Watson and Elijah Moore was not making a single selection until the third round. Tillman and Ika are the only players that could carve out a decent number of snaps for themselves as rookies while the rest will be fighting to simply stick as members of the 53-man roster. Again, this was by design on the Browns’ part, as they went all in on Watson. But they better hope it’s worth turning in an underwhelming draft class. — NS

Dallas Cowboys: B

Round 1: No. 26: Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Round 2: No. 58: Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Michigan
Round 3: No. 90 — DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
Round 4: No. 129 — Viliami Fehoko, DE, San Jose State
Round 5: No. 169 — Asim Richards, OT, North Carolina
Round 6: No. 178 (from Bears through Dolphins and Chiefs) — Eric Scott Jr., CB, Southern Miss
Round 6: No. 212 — Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State
Round 7: No. 244 — Jalen Brooks, WR, South Carolina

Not a sexy draft for Jerry Jones and company, but the picks they made near the top could pay immediate dividends. Smith and Overshown should provide solid depth to an already strong front seven for the Cowboys. As for tight end, it was thought that they would use their first rounder on Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer. Instead, they turned to another Michigan man in Schoonmaker and given Dak Prescott’s rapport with his tight ends, he should see some targets as a rookie. A solid B for Dallas. — NS

Denver Broncos: C

Round 2: No. 63 — Marvin Mims, WR, Oklahoma
Round 3: No. 67 — Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Round 3: No. 83 — Riley Moss, CB, Iowa
Round 6: No. 183 — JL Skinner, S, Boise State
Round 7: No. 257 — Alex Forsyth, C, Oregon

Denver didn’t check into the draft until the end of the second round thanks to the Russell Wilson trade. The Broncos were able to add an explosive wide receiver in Mims to the offense and he has a good shot at getting plenty of run as a rookie. Behind him, Sanders, Moss, and Skinner are depth additions and will most likely be rotational pieces as rookies. They were able to get some experienced tight end depth towards the end of the draft as they forked over a sixth round pick to the New Orleans Saints for Adam Trautman. However, I can’t give the Broncos any higher than a C here. — NS

Detroit Lions: A-

Round 1: No. 12 (from Cardinals via Texans) — Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
Round 1: No. 18 — Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa
Round 2: No. 34 (from Cardinals) — Sam Laporta, TE, Iowa
Round 2: No. 45 (from Packers) — Brian Branch, S, Alabama
Round 3: No. 68 — Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Round 3: No. 96 (from Cardinals) — Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky
Round 5: No. 152 — Colby Sorsdal, OT, William and Mary
Round 7: No. 219 (from Eagles) — Antoine Green, WR, North Carolina

At the time that it happened, Detroit’s selecting of Gibbs at No. 12 was a head-scratching move. Since then, they have traded away D’Andre Swift, so Gibbs and David Montgomery will hold down the backfield this year. For as bad as the first round looked for the Lions, they made much better picks in the middle rounds. Getting LaPorta, Branch and Hooker should help out the team this year and in the future. Overall, it turned into a good draft for Detroit. — TR

Green Bay Packers: B-

Round 1: No. 13 (from Jets): Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa
Round 2: No. 42 (from Browns through Jets): Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
Round 2: No. 50 (from Buccaneers): Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State
Round 3: No. 78 — Tucker Kraft, TE, South Dakota State
Round 4: No. 116 — Colby Wooden, DT, Auburn
Round 5: No. 149 — Sean Clifford, QB, Penn State
Round 5: No. 159 (from Jaguars through Falcons, Lions) — Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia
Round 6: No. 179 (from Texans through Buccaneers) — Karl Brooks, DE, Bowling Green
Round 6: No. 207 (from 49ers through Texans, Jets) — Anders Carlson, PK, Auburn
Round 7: No. 232 — Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky
Round 7: No. 235 (from Lions through Rams) — Lew Nichols III, RB, Central Michigan
Round 7: No. 242 (from Jaguars) — Anthony Johnson Jr., DB, Iowa State
Round 7: No. 256 — Grant DuBose, WR, Charlotte

Just because Aaron Rodgers is no longer the quarterback doesn’t mean that Green Bay should use a first round pick on a pass-catcher. Van Ness was a reach in the first, but the Packers recovered with Musgrave and Reed in the second. Things then got confusing as they went on to select another tight end, two more wide receivers and Clifford. There are some solid pieces here, but just because they selected 13 players in the draft, doesn’t mean they were all hits.

Houston Texans: A+

Round 1: No. 2: CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State
Round 1: No. 3 (from Cardinals): Will Anderson Jr, LB, Alabama
Round 2: No. 62 (from Eagles): Juice Scruggs, C, Penn State
Round 3: No. 69 — Tank Dell, WR, Houston
Round 4: No. 109 (from Raiders) — Dylan Horton, DE, TCU
Round 5: No. 167 (from Rams) — Henry To’oTo’o, ILB, Alabama
Round 6: No. 201 (from Vikings) — Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame
Round 6: No. 205 (from Bills) — Xavier Hutchinson, WR, Iowa State

Wheeling and dealing early in the first round, the Texans were aggressive and were able to net two of the top prospects off the board. They have their franchise QB in Stroud and Anderson was thought by many to be the top defensive player in this class. They made other shrewd moves later on in the draft, including taking a pair of under-the-radar receiver prospects in Dell and Hutchinson as well as a potential fifth-round steal in To’oTo’o. Encouraging start to the DeMeco Ryans era in H-Town. They get an A+ here. — NS

Indianapolis Colts: A-

Round 1: No. 4 overall: Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida
Round 2: No. 44 (from Falcons): Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
Round 3: No. 79 (from Commanders) — Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina
Round 4: No. 106 — Blake Freeland, OT, BYU
Round 4: No. 110 (from Falcons via Titans) — Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern
Round 5: No. 138 — Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
Round 5: No. 158 (from Vikings) — Daniel Scott, S, California
Round 5: No. 162 (from Bills) — Will Mallory, TE, Miami
Round 5: No. 176 (from Cowboys) — Evan Hull, RB, Northwestern
Round 7: No. 211 (through Vikings) — Titus Leo, ILB, Wagner
Round 7: No. 221 — Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
Round 7: 236 (from Bucs): Jake Witt, OT, Northern Michigan University

Did the Colts just solve the quarterback conundrum that has plagued them since the retirement of Andrew Luck? Picking Florida’s Anthony Richardson, whose upside is through the roof after a spectacular combine, made too much sense, and he gives new head coach Shane Steichen his vertical passing weapon with a big arm. The Colts also had a massive need in the secondary and added nice depth with Brents, Rush, and Jones, with the latter grading much higher than his seventh-round draft selection. — PH

Jacksonville Jaguars: B

Round 1: No. 27 overall (from Bills): Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma
Round 2: No. 61 (from 49ers through Bears): Brenton Strange, TE, Penn State
Round 3: No. 88 — Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn
Round 4: No. 121 (from Bucs) — Ventrell Miller, ILB, Florida—
Round 4: No. 130 (from Bills) — Tyler Lacy, DE, Oklahoma State
Round 5: No. 136 (from Bears) — Yasir Abdullah, OLB, Louisville
Round 5: No. 160 (from Giants) — Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M
Round 6: No. 185 (from Jets) — Parker Washington, WR, Penn State
Round 6: No. 202 — Christian Braswell, CB, Rutgers
Round 6: No. 208 (from Eagles) — Erick Hallett II, S, Pittsburgh
Round 7: No. 226 (from Panthers) — Cooper Hodges, G, Appalachian State
Round 7: No. 227 (from Saints) — Raymond Vohasek, DT, North Carolina
Round 7: No. 240 (from Giants via Ravens) — Derek Parish, FB, Houston

Well, the Jags had volume this year, if nothing else. They filled out the offense around Trevor Lawrence in the first four picks, adding protection and receiving options. Bigsby should help fill out the run game around Travis Etienne, and Harrison can be added to the rotation to protect Lawrence with Cam Robinson potentially suspended. Whether they needed all those seventh-round picks remains to be seen, but they have some solid options to add depth at lots of different positions. —GM

Kansas City Chiefs: C+

Round 1: No. 31 overall: Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State
Round 2: No. 55 (from Lions via Vikings): Rashee Rice, WR, SMU
Round 3: No. 92 (from Bengals) — Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma
Round 4: No. 119 (from Lions via Vikings) — Chamarri Conner, S, Virginia Tech
Round 5: No. 166 — BJ Thompson, OLB, Stephen F Austin
Round 6: No. 194 (from Lions) — Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas
Round 7: No. 250 — Nic Jones, CB, Ball State

The defending Super Bowl champions were once again in a position where they could sit back and go best player available. Given their already stacked roster, most of these selections will start off as rotational pieces. Anudike-Uzomah will most likely be behind Charles Omenihu on the depth chart and have to fight him for reps. Meanwhile, Rice has the potential to become a nice piece for the dynamic Chiefs offense right out the gate. KC gets a C+ here. — NS

Las Vegas Raiders: B+

Round 1: No. 7 overall: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
Round 2: No. 35 (from Colts): Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Round 3: No. 70 — Byron Young, DL, Alabama
Round 3: No. 100 (from Chiefs through Giants) — Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
Round 4: No. 104 (from Texans) — Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Round 4: No. 135 (from Patriots) — Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue
Round 5: No. 170 (from Packers through Jets) — Christopher Smith, S, Georgia
Round 6: No. 203 (from Giants through Texans) — Amari Burney, OLB, Florida
Round 6: No. 231 — Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State

The Raiders recently added QB Jimmy Garoppolo after getting rid of Derek Carr, and they did a solid job filling things out around him. Michael Mayer was a second-round steal and will add to both blocking and the receiving game. Wilson was a much-needed addition to a team that struggled to penetrate the backfield, and Young should be able to work in some snaps early on in the season, as well. The Raiders need help at almost every position and had a very solid first three rounds with big-name talent still on the board. They also got a backup in O’Connell, which was a good choice later in the draft. —GM

Los Angeles Chargers: C-

Round 1: No. 21 overall: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU
Round 2: No. 54: Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC
Round 3: No. 85 — Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
Round 4: No. 125 — Derius Davis, WR, TCU
Round 5: No. 156 — Jordan McFadden, OG, Clemson
Round 6: No. 200 — Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State
Round 7: No. 239 — Max Duggan, QB, TCU

Johnson’s size could make him a fun target for Justin Herbert with some more refining through NFL-level coaching. However, concerns about speed and consistency are legitimate, and this was an early pick to use on Johnson. The addition of another WR after that was somewhat confusing, though they did fill in some much-needed depth in the pass rush. They grabbed plenty of rotational guys, but no one who feels like an automatic impact-maker on this team. —GM

Los Angeles Rams: B

Round 2: No. 36: Steve Avila, G, TCU
Round 3: No. 77 (from Patriots through Dolphins) — Byron Young, DE, Tennessee
Round 3: No. 89 — Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest
Round 4: No. 128 (from Giants) — Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
Round 5: No. 161 — Nick Hampton, OLB, Appalachian State
Round 5: No. 174 (from Raiders through Texans) — Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia
Round 5: No. 175 (from Buccaneers) — Davis Allen, TE, Georgia
Round 5: No. 177 — Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
Round 6: No. 182 — Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
Round 6: No. 189 (from Titans) — Ochaun Mathis, DE, Nebraska
Round 6: No. 215 (from Bills) — Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
Round 7: No. 223 — Ethan Evans, P, Wingate
Round 7: No. 259 (from Saints) — Desjuan Johnson, EDGE, Toledo

The Rams had clear holes to address at edge rusher, cornerback, and tight end given the number of veteran departures throughout the offseason. Avila fits in nicely with a skillset that allows him to thrive in both pass and run blocking, so he provides a nice addition for Sean McVay. Young is a tremendous talent whose 4.4 speed should serve him well as a rusher, though he has some limitations as a run defender. It would have been nice to invest more heavily in the secondary given Jalen Ramsey’s departure, though picking up Bennett makes sense as the Rams were vocal in upgrading their backup QB depth. — PH

Miami Dolphins: C+

Round 2: No. 51: Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
Round 3: No. 84 — Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
Round 6: No. 197 — Elijah Higgins, TE, Stanford
Round 7: No. 238 — Ryan Hayes, OT, Michigan

The Achane pick is an absolute steal, and a match made in heaven, for a Dolphins offense that already predicated itself on speed. The Aggie should thrive in Mike McDaniels’ scheme while also providing nice production as a kick returner on special teams. The Smith pick might be a head-scratcher on the surface given the fact that Miami already traded for Jalen Ramsey, but the Gamecock is a sneaky pick given his ability to play in coverage and against the run. Still, the clear priority is protecting Tua Tagovailoa, and drafting Hayes in the seventh round still won’t address what has been an injury-prone Dolphins o-line. — PH

Minnesota Vikings: B

Round 1: No. 23: Jordan Addison, WR, USC
Round 3: No. 102 — Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC
Round 4: No. 134 (from Lions) — Jay Ward, S, LSU
Round 5: No. 141 (from Raiders through Vikings) — Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU
Round 5: No. 164 — Jaren Hall, QB, BYU
Round 6: No. 211 — DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB

The Vikings started strong with Jordan Addison, who had showed up in several mocks as the perfect guy to pair with Justin Jefferson. They filled some major needs in the secondary with Blackmon and Ward, grabbed a solid Kirk Cousins backup in Jaren Hall, and may have gotten Roy and McBride at a steal in these later rounds. They may not have gotten any stars, but they grabbed some solid options to fill in some struggling positions and added to their depth chart. — GM

New England Patriots: B+

Round 1: No. 17 (from Steelers): Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
Round 2: No. 46: Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech
Round 3: No. 76 (from Panthers) — Marte Mapu, LB/S, Sacramento State
Round 4: No. 107 (from Rams) — Jake Andrews, C, Troy
Round 4: No. 112 (from Jets) Chad Ryland, PK, Maryland —
Round 4: No. 117 — Sidy Sow, OG, Eastern Michigan
Round 4: No. 135 — Aidan O’Connell, QB, Purdue
Round 5: No. 144 (from Falcons through Raiders) — Atonio Mafi, OG, UCLA
Round 6: No. 187 (from Panthers) — Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU
Round 6: No. 192: Bryce Baringer, P, Michigan State
Round 6: No. 210 — Demario Douglas, WR, Liberty
Round 6: No. 214 (from Raiders) — Ameer Speed, CB, Michigan State
Round 7: No. 245 — Isaiah Bolden, DB, Jackson State University

The Pats made a hefty 13 selections in this year’s draft and that increases the chances of at last a few of them sticky. Gonzalez was projected in some circles as a top 10 pick, so getting him at 17 is incredible value. We’ve seen Belichick find diamonds in the rough through later rounds, so it wouldn’t be a shock if someone like Douglas or Bolden ended up being important contributors for the organization. I’ll tag New England with a B+. — NS

New Orleans Saints: B

Round 1: No. 29 (from 49ers through Dolphins) — Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Round 2: No. 40: Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame
Round 3: No. 71 — Kendre Miller, RB, TCU
Round 4: No. 103 (from Bears) — Nick Saldiveri, OT, Old Dominion
Round 4: No. 127 (from Jaguars) — Jake Haener, QB, Fresno State
Round 5: No. 146 — Jordan Howen, S, Minnesota
Round 6: No. 195 (from Eagles) — AT Perry, WR, Wake Forest

The Saints are trying to pull off a one-year rebuild without committing to a lengthy process. Quarterback Derek Carr should put the team in a more competitive place from the jump. Adding a defensive staple like Bresee and Foskey helps out the defensive front. Miller was brought in as assurance if Alvin Kamara is suspended. New Orleans added helpful depth with Haener, Perry and Saldiveri. Overall, a solid draft without too many splashy picks. — TR

New York Giants: A-

Round 1: No. 24 (from Jaguars): Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Round 2: No. 57 — John Michael-Schmitz, C, Minnesota
Round 3: No. 73 — Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee
Round 5: No. 172 — Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma
Round 6: No. 209 (from Chiefs) — Tre Hawkins III, CB, Old Dominion
Round 7: No. 243 — Jordan Riley, DT, Oregon
Round 7: No. 254 — Gervarrius Owens, S, Houston

Giants fans can rejoice as the dark days of Dave Gettleman being GM are quickly behind them. Joe Schoen hit the ball out of the park as Maryland CB Deonte Banks fits perfectly into Wink Martindale’s press man coverage scheme. On day two, the Giants snagged John Michael-Schmitz who was a 2022 AP All-American Center at Minnesota and 16 picks later, Fred Biletnkoff Award winner Jalin Hyatt was selected by New York. Hyatt is a high wire speedster who can get open often. To round out the picks, Eric Gray was a two-year starter at Oklahoma who can support Saquon Barkley in the backfield, Tre Hawkins is yet another athletic cornerback, Jordan Riley is a physical tackle from Oregon, and Gervarrius Owens is a nice piece for the secondary. — MT

New York Jets: B-

Round 1: No. 15 (from Packers): Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
Round 2: No. 43: Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin
Round 4: No. 120 (from Steelers through Patriots): Carter Warren, OT, Pittsburgh
Round 5: No. 143 — Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
Round 6: No. 184 (from Raiders through Patriots) — Zaire Barnes, OLB, Western Michigan
Round 6: No. 204 (from Cowboys through Raiders) — Jarrick Bernard-Converse, CB, LSU
Round 7: No. 220 (from Raiders) — Zach Kuntz, TE, Old Dominion

Despite picking up Aaron Rodgers in a pre-draft trade, the Jets seemed content continuing the trend of not giving him weapons from the early rounds of the NFL Draft. McDonald should be a solid player, but was a reach at No. 15. Tippman and Warren are solid offensive line pieces. The addition of Abanikanda feels like it should’ve been a wide receiver with Breece Hall and Michael Carter already on the roster. The sleeper in this class for New York will be Kuntz. — TR

Philadelphia Eagles: A

Round 1: No. 9 (from Bears via Panthers) — Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia
Round 1: No. 30 — Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
Round 3: No. 65 — Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama
Round 3: No. 66 (from Cardinals) — Sydney Brown, S, Illinois
Round 4: No. 105 (from Cardinals through Houston) — Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
Round 6: No. 188 (from Saints through Texans) — Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford
Round 7: No. 249 — Moro Ojomo, DE, Texas

Insert an Eagles being the new Georgia Bulldogs joke here. Laugh all you want, but the strategy is a smart one. They picked up Carter, Smith and Ringo who could all contribute this season, but certainly should be expected to start in 2024. Steen helps to improve the offensive line, with Brown helping to shore up the secondary. They also acquired D’Andre Swift, so surprise, surprise, the Eagles are going to be good again. — TR

Pittsburgh Steelers: A

Round 1: No. 14 (from Patriots): Broderick Jones, OT, Georgia
Round 2: No. 32 (from Bears): Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Round 2: No. 49: Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin
Round 3: No. 93 — Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
Round 4: No. 132 (from 49ers through Panthers) — Nick Herbig, OLB, Wisconsin
Round 7: No. 241 (from Vikings through Broncos)— Cory Trice, CB, Purdue
Round 7: No. 251 (From Rams) — Spencer Anderson, OG, Maryland

The Steelers’ draft started about as well as they could’ve hoped for. They traded up to get Jones, who will start Week 1 on the offensive line. Porter Jr., a team legacy, fell into their laps at the start of the second round. Benton should be someone they can develop on the interior of the defensive line. Washington fell due to injury concerns and could be a steal. Herbig, Trice and Anderson all address team needs, so despite no flashy picks, they nailed it. -TR

San Francisco 49ers: C+

Round 3: No. 87 (from Vikings) — Ji’Ayir Brown, S, Penn State
Round 3: No. 99 — Jake Moody, K, Michigan
Round 3: No. 101 — Cameron Latu, TE, Alabama
Round 5: No. 155 (from Dolphins) — Darrell Luter, Jr., CB, South Alabama
Round 5: No. 173 — Robert Beal, Jr., DE, Georgia
Round 6: No. 216 — Dee Winters, ILB, TCU
Round 7: No. 247 — Brayden Willis, TE, Oklahoma
Round 7: No. 253 — Ronnie Bell, WR, Michigan
Round 7: No. 255 — Jalen Graham, OLB, Purdue

The 49ers did not have any picks in the first two rounds, so they had to make do with the remaining players on the board. They took an early kicker to replace Robbie Gould, filled out their secondary, and added a pass-catching tight end who can run-block with their first four picks. Darrell Luter has real breakout potential in the secondary, and he and Ji’Ayir Brown should both be able to work into the defensive rotation early. Overall, though, it’s a fairly average group here. The Niners are comfortable sticking with most of last year’s starters heading into 2023. —GM

Seattle Seahawks: A-

Round 1: No. 5 (from Broncos): Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois
Round 1: No. 20: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Round 2: No. 37 (from Broncos): Derick Hall, DE, Auburn
Round 2: No. 52: Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
Round 4: No. 108 (from Broncos) — Anthony Bradford, OG, LSU
Round 4: No. 123 — Cameron Young, DT, Mississippi State
Round 5: No. 151 (from Steelers) — Mike Morris, DE, Michigan
Round 5: No. 154 — Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
Round 6: No. 198 — Jerrick Reed II, S, New Mexico
Round 7: No. 237 — Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia

The Seahawks put together a very solid draft here. With Geno Smith sticking around at QB, they had plenty of early draft picks to choose from. Devon Witherspoon will fill out the secondary alongside Tariq Woolen, Smith-Njigba gives Smith an excellent receiving option who can start right away, and they added some depth to their offensive and defensive lines, which is never a bad idea. The one questionable choice was adding two running backs just a year after rookie Kenneth Walker had a breakout season and earned the RB1 position in Seattle. It’s also interesting that they did not choose to grab one of the QBs remaining on the board to back up Smith, but they have some stars in the making here. — GM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B+

Round 1: No. 19 overall — Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
Round 2: No. 48 — Cody Mauch, OL, North Dakota State
Round 3: No. 82 — YaYa Diaby, DE, Louisville
Round 5: No. 153 — SirVocea Dennis, ILB, Pittsburgh
Round 5: No. 171 (from Packers through Jets) — Payne Durham, TE, Purdue
Round 6: No. 181 (from Colts) — Josh Hayes, CB, Kansas State
Round 6: No. 191 (from Packers via Rams, Texans, Eagles) — Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Round 6: No. 196 — Jose Ramirez, OLB, Eastern Michigan

Despite some calls for them to take a quarterback, the primary objective for the Tampa Bay was to add depth in the trenches and it did just that. Kancey was a shrewd defensive tackle selection at No. 19 who has drawn some have drawn comparisons to his Pitt predecessor in Aaron Donald. Putting him next to Vita Vea on the interior defensive line is going to create problems for offensive linemen should he pan out. They then went with Mauch in the second round and while he’ll most likely start on the interior, there’s a chance that he could eventually be starting opposite Tristan Wirfs at tackle. Overall, a solid meat and potatoes draft for the Bucs as they begin the post-Tom Brady era. B+. — NS

Tennessee Titans: C

Round 1: No. 11: Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern
Round 2: No. 33 (from Cardinals): Will Levis, QB, Kentucky
Round 3: No. 81 (from Cardinals) — Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
Round 5: No. 147 — Josh Whyle, TE, Cincinnati
Round 6: No. 186 (from Falcons) — Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
Round 7: No. 228 — Colton Dowell, WR, UT Martin

The Titans’ draft looks a lot like their outlook in the 2023 season: meh. Skoronski is a solid addition and should at least help the offensive line improve, as it’s tasked with blocking for Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill. Levis is a fine choice in the second but it practically means that Malik Willis doesn’t have a future here. Spears has talent, but it’s hard to see him take over for Henry down the line. It could be argued that Skoronski, Whyle and Duncan are the best picks in this draft, and two of them came after 146 other players were taken. — TR

Washington Commanders: C+

Round 1: No. 16: Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Round 2: No. 47: Jartavius Martin, CB, Illinois
Round 3: No. 97 — Ricky Stromberg, C, Arkansas
Round 4: No. 118 — Braeden Daniels, OG, Utah
Round 5: No. 137 (from Cardinals through Bills) — KJ Henry, DE, Clemson
Round 6: No. 193 — Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky
Round 7: No. 233: Andre Jones Jr., EDGE, Louisiana

The Commanders still have a huge question mark at the quarterback position, despite the confidence the team may exude about second-year signal-caller Sam Howell. Forbes’ ball skills are good, but his play style fits as a nickel corner and at 166 pounds there are serious question marks around his ability to last long-term. Stromberg is another OL whose positional limitation makes him a curious pick for Washington. — PH