Grades and Rank: For
this feature, I am going through all of the 1st round draft picks
and providing a grade for the pick and then also ranking them from 1 (best
pick) to 32nd (worst pick) to differentiate the quality of pick. This
is all based on quality of player and where they were picked with a small
factoring of if the team traded up for them to get to that pick.
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1
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Cardinals
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Kyler Murray
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The issue here is that the Cardinals showed their cards (no pun
intended) too early and now they are going to receive 25 cents to the dollar
on Rosen. It is a huge gamble here and the Cardnials are going all in. Rank: 16
Grade: B
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2
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49ers
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Nick Bosa
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The 49ers made a smart move here. I thought they may go with
Josh Allen or trade down but standing pat, they got either the best or second
best player in the draft and probably the safest pick in the draft. Rank:
2 Grade: A
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3
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Jets
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Quinnen Williams
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Not a sexy pick here but he will be a major contributor and put
pressure on the QB. I like the pick. Rank: 5 Grade: A
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4
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Oakland
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Clelin Ferrell
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I am not sure what the Raiders were doing here. Ferrell is such
an average player that played on a very good line. Good dude but he is not
going to ever be dynamite. Rank: 24
Grade: C+
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5
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Buccaneers
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Devin White
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I do not know what to think of Devin White. Part of me thinks he
is a little too intense but he is a good football player. He also has some
injury history that could be scary. The Bucaneers needed him here so it was a
good pick for them. Rank: 12 Grade: B+
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6
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Giants
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Daniel Jones
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Unlike Giant fans, I like this pick. Jones is going to develop
for a year or two and then step in and look very good. I do not think he will
be as successful as Eli Manning but he will be very good. Sure, it was a
little higher than we think it should be but you never know if other teams
were jockying to trade up for him. Rank: 10 Grade: A-
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7
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Jaguars
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Josh Allen
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The Jaguars got the first official steal of the draft. Allen
could very well be the best player in this entire draft and the Jags sat back
and grabbed him. He is such a high motor and talented player. Rank: 1
Grade: A+
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8
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Lions
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TJ Hockenson
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While TE was not the greatest need for the Lions, they went with
a high end player who blocks like an OT. Hockenson looks to be the best TE to
come out since Rob Gronkowski. Rank: 3 Grade: A
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9
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Bills
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Ed Oliver
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I am really torn on Oliver, I really like him but I also think
that some of his maturity issues are concerning. I am not as concerned with
his last season being a slight disappointment. Very high ceiling. Rank: 14
Grade: B+
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10
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Steelers
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Devin Bush
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I like Bush a lot but I am not sure if the Steelers really need
to panic this much and trade up this far. Regardless, I think it was a solid
pick and the type of MLB you want to have on your team even if he is a little
short. Rank: 13 Grade: B+
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11
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Bengals
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Jonah Williams
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The Bengals made a good pick on a high character player. I
repeat, HIGH character player. I was not awared that they were allowed to do
so. I think Williams is going to be a solid starter for a decade. Williams is
not ever going to be the best OT in the league but he will be very good.
Think Joe Staley type of career. Rank: 8 Grade: A-
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12
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Packers
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Rashan Gary
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I think this is an odd fit for the Packers but apparently he was
the apple of their eye. All potential here, if he legit just wanted to be out
of high school for 3 years then it is a good pick, if we saw his maximum
effort in college, then it is not a good pick. Rank: 21 Grade: B-
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13
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Dolphins
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Christian Wilkins
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I do not feel that Wilkins is an elite player. So, this is not
going to be a great pick. With that being said, he is a high character guy so
he will be decent for them. Rank: 25 Grade: C+
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14
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Falcons
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Chris Lindstrom
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Lindstrom was considered one of the top two Gs in this draft so
it is a pick your flavor situation. He is more athletic and should fit the
Falcons system well. Guards are not a sexy pick but that does not mean that
it was the wrong pick. I like Lindstrom a lot and the Falcons need offensive
line help bad. Rank: 9 Grade: A-
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15
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Redskins
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Dwayne Haskins
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The Redskins apparently coveted Haskins and they let him fall to
them. There is little pressure for him to start right away. Haskins makes a
lot of impressive throws and to get him at 15 is a steal. Nice pick. Rank:
7 Grade: A
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16
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Panthers
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Brian Burns
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I am not the biggest fan of Burns, he plays at hyper speed 100%
of the time but he tends to just use speed to get past the blocker. He has a
lot of tools and athelticism but the question is, can he move on from just
being a better athlete than his opponent? A real Boom or Bust here. Rank:
27 Grade: C+
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17
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Giants
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Dexter Lawrence
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I like the player a lot here as Lawrence is going to be a top
notch run stuffer and his athleticism is underrated. With that being said,
this is an absolute head scratcher of a pick to me. They needed a pass-rusher
bad and they missed out on a few really solid ones by taking Lawrence
here. Rank: 18 Grade: B-
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18
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Vikings
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Garrett Bradbury
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The Vikings made a very good move here by not taking a defender
(NO MORE CBs) and building up their line that needs a lot of help. Bradbury
is versatile so they will figure out his best position but either way,
instant starter for them. Nice pick. Rank: 6 Grade: A
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19
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Titans
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Jeffery Simmons
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Stunningly odd pick to me. Simmons is a good but not great
football player and the Titans need some instant help. Long-term maybe it
pays off but they really need to think about the present. I am also not
convinced that he is going to even be good once he comes back. Rank: 30
Grade: C-
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20
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Broncos
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Noah Fant
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Fant is one of the bigger boom or bust picks in the first round.
Was Hockenson that much better than him or was Fant just a tease in college?
His skills dictate that he is worth the gamble, but is this really what the
Broncos needed here? Rank: 20
Grade: B-
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21
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Packers
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Darnell Savage
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I am not sure that the Packers needed to trade up to get Savage
but they must have had some inclination right? With that being said, the fit
of Savage and the Packers is perfect. When I watched Savage's tape my first
reaction was, "Earl Thomas" and I am going to stick to that. I love
the player but the price was a little high. Still, you are better off having
a player you love. Rank: 4 Grade: A
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22
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Eagles
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Andre Dillard
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The Eagles got aggressive and traded up for a player they
wanted. I like Dillard but I think he is a bit of a gamble and I am not sure
that the Eagles needed an OT this bad. Still, not a bad pick. Rank: 19 Grade: B
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23
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Texans
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Tytus Howard
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This feels like a reactive reach here. I like Howard but to
project him into a starting role as a rookie from Alabama State is going to
be a bit of a stretch. A huge boom or bust situation that was probably not
necessary. Rank: 31 Grade: C-
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24
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Raiders
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Josh Jacobs
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David Montgomery was the RB that made more sense here for the
Raiders so I was a bit surprised. I want Jacobs to be good in the NFL but
want and reality might be two different things. Still, he is a talented high
character player. Rank: 23 Grade:
C+
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25
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Ravens
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Marquise Brown
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Brown scares me because its so hard to imagine that he is going
to be able to hold up over time. I like the player but its tough to draft
this much of a boom or bust in the first round. Huge gamble here when they
could have taken a sturdier receiver. Rank: 22 Grade: C+
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26
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Redskins
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Montez Sweat
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The Redskins trade back in and get a steal here. I hear that
Sweat's attitude dropped him a bit which is understandble but the guy oozes
talent and drive. I feel like he is a guy that will mature in the NFL so I
like this pick a lot. Rank: 15 Grade: B+
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27
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Raiders
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Johnathan Abram
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This pick was the moment where I turned to Chris and said,
"The Raiders really have had an uninspiring draft for having three
picks" and Abram is the scariest of them all. You have to wonder if he
will be able to control himself a bit more in the NFL than college. Talent is
there so it may work out but he needs to scale his game back a little bit. I
am not a huge fan of this pick. Rank:
Grade: C
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28
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Chargers
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Jerry Tillery
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I had heard the Tillery was moving up the boards and he had good
stats but I am not too sure about him. I do not think he will be a bust but I
also feel like he may just be average at best. Strange pick to me. Rank: 26
Grade: C
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29
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Seahawks
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LJ Collier
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Speaking of confusing picks and moving up boards, here is
another guy. Sometimes the Seahawks grab an odd bird and I am like,
"Yeah okay, I get it, I like this guy" then they grab a guy and I
am like, "Super average at best" this is the latter. I do not
really like this pick but he will be okay. Rank: 28 Grade: C
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30
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Giants
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Deandre Baker
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The Giants trade back up, credit the Seahawks for trading out
here, and go after…a CB? A little surprising considering that they really
need a pass-rusher or even pass-catcher, but they grabbed a solid player. Rank:
17 Grade: B
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31
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Falcons
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Kaleb Mcgary
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The Falcons make a shrewed move and jump back into the first
round to really strengthen up their offensive line. I like the player, I like
the strategy, and it instantly made the Falcons better. Really nice pick. Rank:
11 Grade: B+
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32
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Patriots
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N'Keal Harry
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N'Keal Harry is one of my least favorite players in this draft.
Oozing with talent but low on effort and he telegraphs run plays. The
Patriots are not going to put up with that so maybe he makes it, but this is
my least favorite pick in the first round hands down. Rank: 32 Grade: D+
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