Lance's Round 1 Draft Grades
I usually just wait for the end of the draft to evaluate how everyone did, but I'm doing a certification course for work today and I get a 10 minute break every hour, so I figured why not. Here are my grades for everyone that had a first round pick in alphabetical order:
Arizona Cardinals
Pick: #6 OT Paris Johnson Jr. (Ohio State)
Grade: B
Reason: I felt they had bigger needs along the Defensive Line, but I respect the decision to fix what's in front of your high priced, returning from an injury, QB. B instead of a B+ because I had a higher score on Peter Skoronski.
Atlanta Falcons
Pick: #8 RB Bijan Robinson (Texas)
Grade: B-
Reason: I love Robinson, I expect him to have a great career, but what is Atlanta doing? First off, your young QB could use more talent at Receiver to help him out as a passer downfield. Second of all, your defense is far from fixed. And lastly, Tyler Allgeier just ran for over 1,000 yards at nearly 5 YPC as a rookie, so this doesn't even fill a major need. Is Robinson a better talent than Allgeier? Sure. But you're improving on an already strong part of your wall while ignoring the hole right next to it. That's not something a team picking in the top ten should be doing unless they're up there because of a trade!
Baltimore Ravens
Pick: #22 WR Zay Flowers (Boston College)
Grade: D+
Reason: I appreciate the effort to improve their Receiving corps, but I don't feel like Flowers was the best available at this point. I had a day 3 grade on him. I would've felt more comfortable with him going in the second round than the first. Plus, are we expected to believe that Jackson is going to throw the ball more often? I think if they were wanting to help Jackson out more they should have addressed their O-Line.
Buffalo Bills
Pick: #25 TE Dalton Kincaid (Utah)
Grade: B+
Reason: I was a little surprised by this move. Kincaid was the only Tight End on my board to get a Day 1 grade, but I didn't expect Buffalo to pick him given they have Dawson Knox, and Josh Allen doesn't use Knox as much as he does his WR1 and WR2. But as a buddy of mine pointed out, Kincaid is a much better talent than Knox. And as the analysts pointed out, Kincaid could end up playing more of a slot role, which is a spot Allen does like to target. Hence, the + after the B.
Carolina Panthers
Pick: #1 Bryce Young (Alabama)
Grade: A
Reason: Loved Young at Alabama, and I love the idea of him being coached up by Reich. Really looking forward to seeing him as a pro, and really happy the reports that Carolina was going to take Levis at 1 were false.
Chicago Bears
Pick: #10 OT Darnell Wright (Tennessee)
Grade: D
Reason: I applaud them for addressing their need at Right Tackle, but I don't understand the hype around Wright. I felt he was a day 3 guy that is going to need time to develop. Bypassing on Skoronski was mistake, but if they actually believe Skoronski is a Left Tackle and they wanted a Right Tackle specifically then they should've traded down and taken Dawand Jones. Not a fan of this pick.
Cincinnati Bengals
Pick: Edge Myles Murphy (Clemson)
Grade: C-
Reason: Technically had a day 3 grade on Murphy, but I said in my Edge Rusher Draft Board article, I feel like Murphy is one of those guys that will outplay my grade. He needs to work on his technique, and in Cincinnati he'll have the benefit of working behind Hendrickson and Hubbard. Still, I felt like Cincinnati had bigger needs, i.e. Corner, Tight End, Interior Defensive Line.
Dallas Cowboys
Pick: #26 DT Mazi Smith (Michigan)
Grade: B
Reason: Solid pick. I had a Day 2 grade on him, but I he fills a need for Dallas.
Detroit Lions
Pick: #12 RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama) & #18 LB Jack Campbell (Iowa)
Grade: C
Reason: For those that read my draft boards, you know I had an undrafted grade on Gibbs. It's made even worse by the fact that they are overvaluing a position that they just signed a player at (David Montgomery) and still have a solid starter when healthy (Swift). I just don't get that choice. Honestly, my biggest problem with Gibbs is he's not a good runner as a Running Back, I think it would behoove Detroit to move him to a Slot Receiver role and use him as a gadget runner, but we'll see. Loved the Campbell pick though. Had a day 1 grade on him, and the Lions continue to shore up a Linebacker corps that was a major problem for them for years.
Green Bay Packers
Pick: Edge Lukas Van Ness (Iowa)
Grade: D
Reason: Do they want to give Jordan Love a chance to succeed? Cause I, as well as others I'm sure, would argue that Receiver, Tight End and Offensive Line were all bigger needs than Edge. How Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Dalton Kincaid do as pros is going to heavily weigh into this pick as these guys all play out their careers.
Houston Texans
Pick: #2 QB C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) & #3 Edge Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama)
Grade: A+
Reason: I LOVED what the Texans did. They stuck with Stroud because between the remaining three he is the most pro ready, and he couples his arm talent with accuracy and good reads. And then they went back up and got the guy that they reportedly loved from the get go. Remember in the movie "Draft Day" when Kevin Costner's character asks Denis O'Leary's character if this is a team he can see himself coaching? This is a team I would love to coach. Now go find your new QB a bonafide WR1.
Indianapolis Colts
Pick: #4 Anthony Richardson
Grade: D
Reason: I've said from the get go that Richardson is a project QB and that I wouldn't pick him before the fourth round. My feelings haven't changed in the last 24 hours. This is a make or break pick for the brand new Head Coach and a GM that's at the end of any excuses he had left. And for everyone that keeps saying "but Steichen helped build Jalen Hurts," Hurts had a 65% completion rate in college not a 53.9% like Richardson, and Hurts played in 56 games in college, unlike Richardson who played in 22 games. It's not the same thing.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick: #27 OT Anton Harrison (Oklahoma)
Grade: C-
Reason: Harrison had a day 3 grade for me, however, I bumped the grade up to a C- because of the news that came out about Cam Robinson. I think improving at Left Tackle was a big need anyway, so this just helps them along with that process.
Kansas City Chiefs
Pick: #31 Edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas State)
Grade: D
Reason: I'm all for improving your pass rush, this grade has more to do with how low I am on the Edge Rushers in this class. I think they probably still could've gotten someone of Anudike-Uzomah's caliber in the second or third and snagged a Receiver like Josh Downs, or Tackle like Dawand Jones at 31 instead.
Las Vegas Raiders
Pick: #7 Edge Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech)
Grade: C
Reason: I'm up in the air on Wilson. I think he has tons of potential, and probably could've helped himself out in my system if he had done his athletic testing. That's why they still get a C despite him having a day 3 grade on my board. He should have an even better chance to excel starting opposite Maxx Crosby.
Los Angeles Chargers
Pick: #21 WR Quentin Johnston (TCU)
Grade: D
Reason: I'm sticking with my Josh Doctson comp for Johnston. Johnston will have a better chance at success playing in this offense than Doctson had in Washington's, but I still worry about the injuries and the inconsistent play.
Minnesota Vikings
Pick: #23 WR Jordan Addison (USC)
Grade: B
Reason: I think they should've drafted Deonte Banks with this pick, and I'm a little salty about it. Besides that, I really like Addison and I think he's a great fit in this offense.
New England Patriots
Pick: #17 CB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)
Grade: B
Reason: Didn't surprise me one bit that the Patriots went Corner rather than Receiver. Gonzalez had top 5 hype coming into the draft and the Pats basically ran their card up. I like this addition to their secondary, especially in that division with Diggs, Hill, Waddle and Wilson, but Deonte Banks was still on the board and that's who I would've gone with here.
New Orleans Saints
Pick: #29 DT Bryan Bresee (Clemson)
Grade: C
Reason: Bresee had a day 3 grade for me, but similar to Tyree Wilson, he has a really high ceiling. Plus, if you know his story, you can't help but root for him.
New York Giants
Pick: #24 CB Deonte Banks (Maryland)
Grade: A
Reason: I fully expected the Giants to go Receiver. Maybe the run on them between picks 20-23 made them switch gears, maybe it was never their plan. Whatever the case, Banks is a future star and the fans are going to love having him for years to come.
New York Jets
Pick: #15 Edge Will McDonald IV (Iowa State)
Grade: F
Reason: Not only is he an undersized Edge Rusher, he's an undersized Edge Rusher that ran an average forty time. I had him removed from my board. And given their need on the O-Line and that new QB of theirs you would think they would've gone in a different direction.
Philadelphia Eagles
Pick: #9 DT Jalen Carter (Georgia) & #30 Edge Nolan Smith (Georgia)
Grade: D+
Reason: I have my concerns over Carter, but I think he's landing in a great situation to keep him on track. It's the Nolan Smith pick that really drags this down for me. In order for him to succeed in the pros I think he'll need to transition to an off-ball Linebacker role. I'm just not a big fan.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pick: #14 OT Broderick Jones (Georgia)
Grade: B
Reason: They addressed one of the big issues on their O-Line like they looked like they would all along and they didn't have to move up quite as far as I projected them to in my mock.
Seattle Seahawks
Pick: #5 CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) & #20 WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)
Grade: A-
Reason: The Witherspoon pick caught me completely by surprise, but I still loved it. Putting him opposite Woolen is going to help them get back to making their secondary the strength of their team. Receiver may not have been their biggest need, but it was still a need and JSN was a solid answer. I'm still surprised he slid as far as he did.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick: #19 DL Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh)
Grade: A-
Reason: Absolutely torn on this grade. Kancey is the #2 player on my draft board so A+ pick at #19, but the Bucs NEEDED to address their O-Line. Still, Kancey is going to be a nightmare for the NFC South for years to come.
Tennessee Titans
Pick: #11 OT Peter Skoronski (Northwestern)
Grade: A-
Reason: I loved that the Titans didn't trade up to draft a QB. I loved that they stayed put and let the draft come to them. And I loved that they took BPA at a position of need instead of reaching for a player like Will Levis.
Washington Commanders
Pick: #16 CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)
Grade: B+
Reason: Forbes had the highest score in my system out of all the Corners. I personally still would've ranked him third behind Banks and Witherspoon respectively, but first round felt right to me. I think there were a few different directions they could've gone here, Corner was one of those directions and they nailed it.
