Lance's 2024 Draft Grades

Quick explanation for how this works and then I'll jump into the grades:

-A draft pick got 3 points if I had a Day 1 grade on the player and they were drafted on day 3 (there weren't too many of those this year).

-A pick got 2 points if they had a Day 1 or Day 2 grade and were taken on day 2 or day 3 respectively; OR they had a Day 1 or Day 2 grade and were taken on that day, while also filling a major need for the team that drafted them.

-A pick got 1 point for a few reasons. One, they had a Day 1 or Day 2 grade and were taken on that day but didn't necessarily fill a big need. Two, they had a Day 3 grade and were drafted on day 3. Or three, they had a Day 2 or Day 3 grade and were drafted one day earlier than that but filled a big need for the team that drafted them.

-A pick got 0 points if they were taken a day early and didn't fill a need, or had a Day 3 grade taken on day 1 but they filled a major need.

-A pick got -1 points if they had a Day 3 grade and were taken on day 1, and didn't fill a major need; OR if they had an Undrafted grade and went in the 7th round.

-And lastly, a pick got -2 points if they had an Undrafted grade and went in a round earlier than the 7th.

After I get all that figure out, I add up a team’s total score and divide by the number of draft picks made, that gives them a score between -2 and 3. Then, I put a grade to everyone’s score.

Included with each team’s grade is my favorite and least favorite pick they made.

Team: New England Patriots

Score: 1.50 Grade: A-

Favorite Pick: WR Ja'Lynn Polk (Washington)/ OT Caedan Wallace (Penn State)/TE Jaheim Bell (Florida State)

It's pretty simple: each of these picks should immediately aid in Drake Maye's development. I would argue that Polk is an upgrade over any Receiver currently on the roster. Jaheim Bell is a weapon that can be moved around, the Pats should have fun finding ways to get him involved. And Wallace was a sleeper Right Tackle prospect. My only concern with Wallace is that they may try to move him over to Left Tackle and that could hinder his immediate growth.

Least Favorite Pick: QB Drake Maye (North Carolina)

This is in no way a knock against Maye, he was my QB1 after all. But he just landed in the worst situation out of all 6 of the first-round rookie QBs (and yes, that is taking into account Penix's situation in Atlanta). I was an advocate for the Patriots taking Joe Alt, going WR in the second round and targeting the O-Line again in the third with another Receiver mixed in there later on. Basically, build the team up for a rookie in next year's class. That's not what happened and I am a little worried for Maye's future. To New England's credit, they did spend most of the rest of their picks adding offensive pieces to try and help Maye, but he and they are going to have to hope that the rookies develop quickly.

Team: New York Giants

Score: 1.50 Grade: A-

Favorite Pick: RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. (Purdue)

My sleeper back landed in a spot that could yield immediate results. I love the opportunity for high volume, though he will have to hope that the Giants O-Line is much improved after last year's debacle.

Least Favorite Pick: Not grabbing a Quarterback

I thought the Giants had a very solid draft. But not getting their QB in round 1 means sticking with Daniel Jones, and that's definitely the most disappointing outcome of their draft picks.

Team: San Francisco 49ers

Score: 1.50 Grade: A-

Favorite Pick: WR Jacob Cowing (Arizona)

Lots of question marks around Aiyuk and Samuel. Lots of injury concerns around Samuel and Kittle. To sum up, the Niners needed to add to their receiving corps and they did with Ricky Pearsall in the first, and Cowing in the fourth. Cowing should give them a boost out of the Slot. I would expect Pearsall to play out of the Slot to start though, so Cowing's value will remain limited until an injury or a trade occurs.

Least Favorite Pick:

I thought the Niners had a really good draft.

Team: Miami Dolphins

Score: 1.43 Grade: B+

Favorite Pick: WR Malik Washington (Virginia)

I loved the day 3 portion of Miami's draft. A Day 1 grade on Washington with him landing in the 6th round gave him the edge for favorite pick over Jaylen Wright, Mohamed Kamara and Tahj Washington. He's a technician out of the Slot with great acceleration, a perfect compliment to Hill and Waddle.

Least Favorite Pick: Edge Chop Robinson (Penn State)

I get that their starting Edge Rushers were coming off injuries, but that doesn't make Robinson any less of a reach. Their interior O-Line was the bigger need in my opinion, so Graham Barton or Jackson Powers-Johnson would have been the better picks, or a trade down even. Robinson is another athletically gifted Edge that failed to produce in college despite that athleticism, not worth a first-round pick but was inevitably going to end up there.

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Score: 1.43 Grade: B+

Favorite Pick: OG Mason McCormick (South Dakota State)

McCormick had a Day 1 grade, Pitt took him in the fourth round and should he be given a chance to compete this summer he could very well unseat James Daniels. LOVED this pick.

Least Favorite Pick: OL Troy Fautanu (Washington)

I like Fautanu, but I like him as a Guard, and I although I only had a Day 3 grade on him, I still think he could be a long-term starter at Guard as a pro. But this pick has an Ereck Flowers feel to it. Flowers was definitely a better Guard prospect coming out of college, but the Giants needed a Left Tackle. They got poor play out of him and his early career struggled because of the position they put him in. Pitt needs a Left Tackle, and I'll be surprised if that's not where they slot Fautanu in at. I won't be surprised if Fautanu struggles until he goes to a team willing to give him a shot on the inside.

Team: Carolina Panthers

Score: 1.14 Grade: B

Favorite Pick: RB Jonathon Brooks (Texas)

Carolina used free agency to shore up the interior of their O-Line, and their first pick was used on a Receiver. All moves to better help Bryce Young. I love that. The Brooks pick was also that kind of move. Hopefully he's ready to go by the start of the season because he really is the most talented runner in this class, and an upgrade over Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard.

Least Favorite Pick: TE Ja'Tavion Sanders (Texas)

I was unsure of Sanders coming out, and after the numbers he posted in his athletic testing he really took a tumble down my board. I like that they also wanted to add an interior outlet for Young, I just didn't like the execution.

Team: New York Jets

Score: 1.14 Grade: B

Favorite Pick: QB Jordan Travis (Florida State)

I had a Day 1 grade on Travis, but did note that if I was running a team, I wouldn't take him until day 3 because of the injury. This is the perfect situation for him. With the Jets he will get to heal up and learn (as long as Rodgers is good to go). Plus, he gets a team that made it a point to improve their offense in this draft.

Least Favorite Pick: RB Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) and RB Isaiah Davis (South Dakota State)

My brother-in-law, a proud coach of Breece Hall in our dynasty league and Braelon Allen fan, messaged immediately following that pick to ask if the Jets have something against Hall and Abanikanda. I told him I didn't get the pick either. In the fourth round they could've added more O-Line depth, or added to their D-Line, or even taken another Receiver. And then, in the following round, they added yet another Running Back, someone I had highly rated, Isaiah Davis. Baffling picks in my book, and as an avid fantasy football coach, pretty disappointing moves.

Team: Detroit Lions

Score: 1.00 Grade: B

Favorite Pick: CB Terrion Arnold (Alabama)

I don't often like to add first rounders as my favorite pick, but the Lions landing Arnold as late in the first as they did after moving up just a little was one of the biggest steals of the first round.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Giovanni Manu (British Columbia)

I'm all for grabbing raw talent with not a whole lot of a football background, but taking Manu in the 4th round was way too rich for my taste. If that's what they wanted, and they were afraid someone was going to take him first, then they should've let that team pay the price and targeted someone like Travis Clayton later (he went in the 7th round to the Bills).

Team: Los Angeles Chargers

Score: 0.89 Grade: B-

Favorite Pick: RB Kimani Vidal (Troy)

They may have waited longer than I expected, but they did land someone, unlike another team that needed to add a young back to their depleted group, not naming names...Dallas. They got a good one in Vidal. He's got good speed (4.46 forty) considering his weight (213), plus he showed explosiveness with his 38" vert and 10' broad jump. The Chargers improved their O-Line, and Vidal could outplay Edwards for the primary role early.

Least Favorite Pick: LB Junior Colson (Michigan)

I had an undrafted grade on Colson. I just don't see what the buzz was about. Personally, this pick felt like Harbaugh only saw his Michigan guy and ignored the actual talent at the position.

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Score: 0.89 Grade: B-

Favorite Pick: CB Cooper DeJean (Iowa)

DeJean shouldn't have fallen to the second round, and he absolutely should not have gone to a stacked Philly team. If Slay and Bradberry struggle, their replacements will be waiting in the wings ready to take over.

Least Favorite Pick: Edge Jalyx Hunt (Houston Christian)

One of the mock drafts I read leading up to the draft had Philly taking Hunt in the third round. They basically said exactly why I have this listed as my least favorite pick, Hunt should not go this early because he's a developmental player, but he's got good size and athleticism and that's what Philly likes. A reach in the third round.

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Score: 0.86 Grade: B-

Favorite Pick: CB Khyree Jackson (Oregon)

By my own rules I shouldn't say McCarthy and Turner if there is someone else I can list here. So, I'll just name drop them and then go into Jackson. I was thrilled with Minnesota's draft (with one exception just below). Jackson, a player I had a Day 1 grade on, was a steal in the fourth. I get why he lasted that long, he's really only had one full season starting, so he'll likely need a little time to grow, but he's definitely got starter potential. Honorable mention, Michael Jurgens.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Walter Rouse (Oklahoma)

I have an undrafted grade on Rouse, but the 6th round isn't all that bad of a place to grab someone like him, so I'm kind of nitpicking. But my bigger problem with this is the amount of talent, at areas of need, that was still sitting there. Logan Lee went with the next pick, Malik Washington would've been a nice Slot option for McCarthy and he went 7 picks after Rouse, and of course competition for our starting Guard positions was needed and Christian Mahogany was still available. Not a fan of Rouse, made worse by what we could have had.

Team: Chicago Bears

Score: 0.80 Grade: B-

Favorite Pick: Edge Austin Booker (Kansas)

Anyone that followed my draft boards knows that I was high on Booker. The Bears got a real good player in the fifth round that will have the potential to start opposite Montez Sweat.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Kiran Amegadjie (Yale)

Before I get any further into this, I should probably note that I felt this Tackle class was largely overrated. That should explain a decent chunk of my least favorite picks. Amegadjie falls right into that overrated label. I do understand Chicago reaching for him in the third though, since they didn't have any guaranteed picks beyond their fourth rounder, so planning to snag a project in the 6th or 7th was not a possibility barring a trade in.

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Score: 0.70 Grade: C+

Favorite Pick: DL Braden Fiske (Florida State)

I went back and forth between Beaux Limmer and Fiske, but Fiske wins out because he fills an immediate hole. He is a slightly undersized Defensive Tackle with freakish athleticism. Yes, I get where people will be coming from with the Aaron Donald comps. And yes, those comps are unfair. Donald was a more polished, pro ready player coming out of college. Fiske is going to need some time to round out his game, but he should be a beast on pass downs early on.

Least Favorite Pick: WR Jordan Whittington (Texas)

The Rams needed Receiver help. Instead they waited for the 6th round and added Whittington. The ESPN draft analysts put it best: Whittington wasn't productive at Texas, but he's great to have as a blocker out wide in the run game. The Rams already have a guy they like to use like that, his name is Ben Skowronek. They needed someone who can be a consistent presence in the pass game. Kupp has missed 13 games in the last two years, Atwell almost just completed his first full season in his three years as a pro. If they both struggle with injuries, which obviously isn't out of the question, Nacua will need someone else to help take attention away from him.

Team: Washington Commanders

Score: 0.67 Grade: C+

Favorite Pick: TE Ben Sinnott (Kansas State)

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this pick! Outside of Bowers, Sinnott was the only other Tight End on my board with a Day 1 grade. You want to help your young passer? Get him a solid outlet he can look to when he's under heavy pressure. That's Sinnott. I look forward to seeing that connection grow.

Least Favorite Pick: DL Jer'Zhan Newton (Illinois)

I wasn't a Newton fan. If he ran he might have gotten out of the undrafted range and into a Day 3 grade, but he was dealing with an injury so that didn't happen. The real reason I didn't like this pick is because they already have two of the best interior Defensive Lineman in the league. Daron Payne just signed a big four year contract, and Jonathan Allen is heading into the third year of his big four year deal. Getting out of either deal would hurt the cap. This team was not a third Defensive Lineman away from taking over the NFC East. Not to mention, they already had that third D-Lineman, the previous regime took Phidarian Mathis in the second round in 2022, so the new regime has already made their decision on him.

Team: Buffalo Bills

Score: 0.60 Grade: C+

Favorite Pick: OT Tylan Grable (UCF)

This comes with a little caveat. Grable was a Left Tackle in college. Buffalo needs someone who can push Spencer Brown at Right Tackle, if not take over the starting spot altogether. Obviously that's not what they'd be expecting out of a sixth round pick, but I think Grable is a better prospect than where he was drafted, and if he can switch from left to right, I wouldn't be surprised if he takes Brown's job.

Least Favorite Pick: WR Keon Coleman (Florida State)

I really can't knock this pick that much. They targeted an area of need, and I had a Day 2 grade on him (they took him with pick 33). However, I think they would've been better off with Ladd McConkey (pick 34), Malachi Corley (pick 65, to the Jets no less), or Troy Franklin (pick 102). He'll definitely be given the opportunities to prove this take wrong, but seeing Coleman's name hit the screen first thing Friday was a little bit of a letdown to me.

Team: Atlanta Falcons

Score: 0.50 Grade: C+

Favorite Pick: DL Brandon Dorlus (Oregon)

The Ruke Orhorhoro pick in the second round was kind of meh in my book. The Dorlus pick in round 4 was where it was at. The problem is, unless I'm misjudging one of them, I feel like they'll be competing for the same spot on the Defensive Line in Morris' scheme. If that does end up being the case, don't be surprised if Dorlus outplays Orhorhoro (even if he does have the cooler name).

Least Favorite Pick: QB Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)

I really like Penix. I had a Day 1 grade on him and thought those analysts saying he's a round 2 guy were full of it. I could not believe my ears when Adam Schefter said right before this pick that Atlanta was seriously considering a Quarterback. I really couldn't believe it when Penix's name was announced. Atlanta should've traded back and gone defense, or stayed put and drafted Rome Odunze so their expensive new QB from free agency had another weapon. Their GM said something to the effect of, if he sits for four years then that's a good problem to have. If that's the case then they should've taken McCarthy. If McCarthy sat for four years then he'd be 25 when he hit the field for them. Penix will be 28 in four years.

Team: Las Vegas Raiders

Score: 0.50 Grade: C+

Favorite Pick: C Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon)

They did re-sign Andre James this offseason who, by my system, is coming off his best season as a starter and it's not even close. That's not a problem though. At worst, it means JPJ gets a little time to sit and learn before dominating. At best, it means he wins the starting Guard spot opposite Dylan Parham.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Delmar Glaze (Maryland)

The first word out of my mouth when I saw this pick was "reach." They're probably wanting a training camp battle at RT this summer, but Glaze was not the right pick if that was the case.

Team: New Orleans Saints

Score: 0.43 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: OT Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State)

Fuaga has stud Tackle written all over him, and the Saints did a fantastic job in not wavering on the position they took with their first round pick, that's why this was my favorite pick. The only questions are will they try to move Fuaga to Left Tackle, and if they do, can he make the transition with ease? They could easily keep him on the right side if Penning steps up this preseason, that would be the best case scenario.

Least Favorite Pick: QB Spencer Rattler (South Carolina)

I can't remember who said it, but I remember reading a quote a while back where the person said "you should continue to draft Quarterbacks even if you already have your franchise guy, because you never know what might happen." So, the Saints strategy the last several years makes sense. However, they don't have their franchise guy, and taking players like Rattler isn't going to get them there. If they wanted a Day 3 QB they should've gone with Jordan Travis, Michael Pratt, or even Joe Milton who they could turn into the next Taysom Hill if he didn't pan out at QB.

Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

Score: 0.33 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: OT Javon Foster (Missouri)

My highest rated Tackle after the big three (Alt, Fashanu and Fuaga). The Jaguars need to keep taking swings at Tackle until they hit and this, in my opinion, was their best swing yet. Cam Robinson was awful last year, so if Foster shows even the inkling of being a better option immediately, they need to make that switch.

Least Favorite Pick: DL Maason Smith (LSU)

D-Tackle was a need. Smith in the second round was a horrible "well maybe he'll reach the potential everyone saw coming out of high school" pick. Jordan Jefferson in the fourth round was a better pick than this one.

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Score: 0.30 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: DL Kris Jenkins (Michigan)

To Cincinnati's credit, when Byron Young went a few picks before them, they didn't panic and take Darius Robinson or Jer'Zhan Newton. And it really paid off when they landed Jenkins in the second round.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Amarius Mims (Georgia)

To Cincinnati's discredit, they may not have taken Robinson or Newton, but Mims was the worst pick of the first round. Per PFF, Mims played 682 total snaps over the last two seasons because of injuries. For comparison, his two starting QBs in those years combined for 1,849 snaps, so he played 36.9% of their snaps. I get it, they want to make sure Burrow is protected. But is drafting an injury prone Right Tackle really the best answer? I don't think so. They signed Trent Brown to a one year deal, they could've targeted someone next year, and/or extended Brown if he worked out this season.

Team: Denver Broncos

Score: 0.29 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: WR Troy Franklin (Oregon)

Unlike some people, I loved the Bo Nix pick. He's a better option than anyone they have on the roster right now, and I firmly believe he is the perfect fit in Sean Payton's offense. That said, Franklin was the smartest pick they made in the entire draft. Want to know a great way to help your young QB out right away? Giving him a player he had success with in college and already has the rapport built.

Least Favorite Pick: RB Audric Estime (Notre Dame)

Javonte Williams is entering a pivotal post-injury season. He either gets back to the form we saw pre-injury or he doesn't. So, drafting a rookie insurance policy made a lot of sense. Estime was the wrong pick. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Blake Watson, an undrafted free agent the Broncos signed, is a better RB1 replacement option than Estime.

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Score: 0.29 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: WR Xavier Worthy (Texas)

Yea, first round pick and I shouldn't, but I can't help myself. The Chiefs finally spent the draft capital on a guy who can be Mahomes' next Receiving star. The fantasy world cheered, while every non-Chiefs fan screamed in anger.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Kingsley Suamataia (BYU)

Tackle is an immediate need. Suamataia is a project that they took in the second round, so not only is he going to need time to become a starter he's not going to be given the leisure of sitting back and waiting. Not by the fans, and not by the media.

Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Score: 0.29 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: Edge Chris Braswell (Alabama)

Just about every mock draft I looked at had the Bucs taking an Edge Rusher in the first round. Maybe they would have if one of the big four fell to them, but when their pick came around they didn't panic and reach at Edge, they instead filled that massive hole at Center. That allowed them to target an up-and-coming pass rusher in Braswell in the second round. I don't expect some DROY season in 2024, but I won't be surprised if he finds himself in the first round of re-draft mocks in three years.

Least Favorite Pick: RB Bucky Irving (Oregon)

Not spending big money on a contract for your Running Back who's coming off their rookie deal is the fad and it's not going anywhere. So, drafting a possible replacement early on Day 3 a year or two before that guy's contract comes up makes a lot of sense. That's the situation here. I don't like Bucky Irving as the guy to take over. At least they have two years before Rachaad White's contract ends so they can take another swing in the 2025 draft.

Team: Tennessee Titans

Score: 0.29 Grade: C

Favorite Pick: Edge Jaylen Harrell (Michigan)

I was stunned that Harrell lasted until the 7th round. I viewed him as an early Day 3 guy, so this would be a steal in my book. Arden Key is not the long-term answer opposite Harold Landry. Harrell could be.

Least Favorite Pick: DL T'Vondre Sweat (Texas)

I had Sweat as a Day 3 player, so there is that aspect to this pick. But it's the DWI legal trouble that gets to me. I'm trying to find the right way to put this in to words and feel like I'm coming up short, but I think the best I can do is say, had he tumbled to the fourth round I think he would've been given that eye-opening message about how his decisions impact his future (i.e. Dak Prescott anyone?). Him going right about where he was expected to, to me, it's like telling him his actions and decision making that night weren't that big of a deal, and that concerns me. I hope he did learn his lesson, but I don't like the surface look of how Tennessee handled this.

Team: Indianapolis Colts

Score: 0.22 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: CB Micah Abraham (Marshall)

In my opinion, Corner should've been a very high area of need on Indy's board, so them waiting until the 6th round was very surprising. Micah Abraham was a good late-round execution of filling that need though. His athletic testing at his pro day wasn't outstanding, but his coverage grades as a part of his production score were really good. He could be a household name in a few years.

Least Favorite Pick: WR Adonai Mitchell (Texas)

Count me as one of the few that wasn't sold on Indy having to target Receiver early. Also, I'll go on record as saying Mitchell is essentially the same player as Alec Pierce, and I don't see him as being a much better version of that player. They could have (should have) gone with Ben Sinnott instead.

Team: Green Bay Packers

Score: 0.09 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: S Javon Bullard (Georgia)

Absolutely loved this pick. He can start at Safety, or if one of the other two Safeties they drafted (I really like Oladapo too) show promise in training camp they could move Bullard down to the Slot. Lots of potential here.

Least Favorite Pick: RB MarShawn Lloyd (USC)

They signed Josh Jacobs this offseason and brought A.J. Dillon back. Even if Dillon's deal was only for one year, this pick still felt extremely forced in round 3. Even more so when you consider Lloyd's fumbling issues.

Team: Arizona Cardinals

Score: 0.08 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: CB Elijah Jones (Boston College)

Everybody knew Arizona needed to address Corner in the draft, and they did with two very good picks in rounds 2 and 3. Max Melton in round 2 was a fantastic start, but Elijah Jones in round 3 was the cherry on top. I would love to see Jones and Melton starting on the outside for Arizona right away.

Least Favorite Pick: Edge Xavier Thomas (Clemson)

Edge was another big need for Arizona, which is why I was a bit surprised to see them not address the position until the fifth round. I believe Darius Robinson demonstrated at the Combine that he doesn't have the athleticism to line up outside as a pro. That makes Thomas their first and only pick used on an Edge Rusher. They should have targeted the position earlier, and if they were adamant about waiting there were a half a dozen different players they could've taken instead of Thomas at the top of the fifth round. To be upfront so people can make fun of me later if I'm wrong, those six were: Austin Booker, Javon Solomon, Mohamed Kamara, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Jaylen Harrell, and Brennan Jackson.

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Score: 0.00 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: CB T.J. Tampa (Iowa State)

I viewed Tampa as an early Day 3 player and that's exactly where Baltimore took him. A solid job of addressing a major area of need in the fourth round despite having addressed it earlier in their draft as well. Honorable mention goes to Tez Walker.

Least Favorite Pick: CB Nate Wiggins (Clemson)

I also had a Day 3 grade on Wiggins, but not as high as Tampa, which is why taking him in the first was too rich for me. I think he could develop into a solid starter, which is why my main problem with the pick is that using a first on him isn't going to allow for much wiggle room in that development.

Team: Cleveland Browns

Score: 0.00 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: DL Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State)

When you don't have a first the best way to start out your draft is taking a talented player at a top position of need. That's what the Hall pick represents.

Least Favorite Pick: OG Zak Zinter (Michigan)

And it's also what the Zinter pick doesn't represent. Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller are two of the best Guards in the league. They also both have two years left on their deals, and unless Cleveland re-works those deals they'll each count as $12 mill+ cap hits in three years. Which means the Browns, a team that isn't a backup Guard away from a Super Bowl run, used their second pick in the draft on a backup Guard that's unlikely to start for at least two season, with the possibility of that being three years.

Team: Seattle Seahawks

Score: 0.00 Grade: C-

Favorite Pick: LB Tyrice Knight (UTEP)

Knight was one of my sleeper Linebackers, and I think he could immediately compete with Tyrel Dodson who just signed a one-year $4.26 million deal with Seattle. If Dodson wins the job, there's still a chance Seattle lets him walk next offseason in favor of Knight.

Least Favorite Pick: TE A.J. Barner (Michigan)

I put him here fully prepared to put my foot halfway into my mouth because he's the perfect example of a Seattle Tight End. He underperformed in college despite his talent ceiling. Nobody is going to mistake Will Dissly for a successful high-end Tight End, but they will say he was a solid player in Seattle over the last six years. To me, that's Barner's ceiling here, which is why he's my least favorite pick as a fourth rounder.

Team: Houston Texans

Score: -0.11 Grade: D

Favorite Pick: TE Cade Stover (Ohio State)...kind of

I mentioned it above with Denver, anytime a team can get their young passer a college teammate they threw to, it's a win. Having said that, Houston also just re-signed Dalton Schultz to a three year deal, Nico Collins broke out last season, Tank Dell looked like a star in the making and they just traded for Stefon Diggs, so I'm not exactly sure what Stover's role is going to be here.

Least Favorite Pick: OT Blake Fisher (Notre Dame)

I don't know what the hype was all about with Fisher. I just don't see it. So, once again, the Texans use a high pick on an Offensive Lineman that I'm very low on.

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Score: -0.50 Grade: D

Favorite Pick: C Cooper Beebe (Kansas State)

Dallas needed Line help. They took Guyton in the first round, who I had a Day 3 grade on. I wasn't impressed with the selection, but I get it. He's a Left Tackle and if he pans out he'll allow Tyler Smith to stay inside at Guard. Beebe's addition shores up the hole at Center. He was an outstanding Guard at Kansas State, but his arm length is going to force him inside to Center as a pro, where I think he'll continue to be an outstanding player. Hopefully he's able to transition quickly.

Least Favorite Pick: LB Maris Liufau (Notre Dame) or the fact they didn't draft a RB

First, Liufau, a Linebacker that I had an Undrafted grade on. Linebacker was definitely a need for Dallas, but perhaps it's less of a need with the Marshawn Kneeland pick? I'm thinking Kneeland could allow Parsons to go back to alternating playing Edge and off-ball. Anyways, Liufau, bad pick, could've had Payton Wilson or Cedric Gray or Jaylan Ford. They also did not draft a Running Back which was frustrating to watch as the draft wore on. I don't know what they think they've seen, but nothing about Dowdle's game suggests to me that a Dowdle/Vaughn backfield is going to take pressure off Prescott. On top of that, they gave Dowdle a one-year deal this offseason, which makes it an even bigger question mark going into 2025.