2021 NFL Draft grades for every team: Browns and Bears crush it, Cowboys flop

Grading all 32 teams on the entirety of their 2021 NFL Draft classes to see which teams came out on top and which didn’t move the needle.

Over the course of three days and seven rounds, the NFL Draft tends to see excitement levels wane as it goes on. That’s only natural as, especially in the first round, you see the big names come off the board. For instance, we know that Trevor Lawrence going to the Jacksonville Jaguars will have a big impact on their future after the 2021 NFL Draft.

While hitting on first-round picks is hugely important, making the most of the rest of a draft class can be just as — if not more — impactful. That’s why you see a team like the Dallas Cowboys jubilant that they got Dak Prescott in the middle rounds. And it’s also simply why the draft isn’t just three rounds or even one round.

So that’s the focus of today. With a bit of time to measure it all out, we’re reviewing the full 2021 NFL Draft class of all 32 teams and handing out grades. Going in alphabetical order, we start with the Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B

• Round 1, Pick 16: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
• Round 2, Pick 49: Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
• Round 4, Pick 136: Marco Wilson, CB, Florida
• Round 6, Pick 210: Victor Dimukeje, EDGE, Duke
• Round 6, Pick 223: Tay Gowan, CB, UCF
• Round 7, Pick 243: James Wiggins, S, Cincinnati
• Round 7, Pick 247: Michal Menet, IOL, Penn State

Frankly, I almost could’ve pushed this grade into the A-range if not for the Zaven Collins pick. The rest of the class makes a ton of sense for the Cardinals, adding high-upside players with value in the secondary while getting some beef for the trenches and an explosive playmaker with Rondale Moore.

But it comes back to Collins. The Cardinals, for whatever reason, have an affinity for positionless linebackers. That’s not a bad thing if they have a track record of success, but Arizona doesn’t, Isaiah Simmons notwithstanding. This wasn’t a primary need they should’ve been addressing at No. 16.

Atlanta Falcons 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A

• Round 1, Pick 4: Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
• Round 2, Pick 40: Richie Grant, S, UCF
• Round 3, Pick 68: Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
• Round 4, Pick 108: Darren Hall, CB, San Diego State
• Round 4, Pick 114: Drew Dalman, IOL, Stanford
• Round 5, Pick 148: Ta’Quon Graham, IDL, Texas
• Round 5, Pick 182: Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE, Notre Dame
• Round 5, Pick 183: Avery Williams, CB, Boise State
• Round 6, Pick 187: Frank Darby, WR, Arizona State

Hats off in my book to the Falcons for not overthinking the No. 4 overall pick and taking Kyle Pitts, the most talented player on the board. And beyond that, they continued to address needs and find value.

Richie Grant went in the proper spot, they got a bit of value with Jalen Mayfield then took some high-upside swings on talented players in the fifth and sixth round. Outside of Pitts, this isn’t a draft class full of exceptional prospects. But it’s a class that could be filled with solid contributors across the board, which is what Atlanta needed to come away with.

Baltimore Ravens 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A+

• Round 1, Pick 27: Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
• Round 1, Pick 31: Odafe Oweh, EDGE, Penn State
• Round 3, Pick 94: Ben Cleveland, IOL, Georgia
• Round 3, Pick 104: Brandon Stephens, CB, SMU
• Round 4, Pick 131: Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
• Round 5, Pick 160: Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State
• Round 5, PIck 171: Daelin Hayes, EDGE, Notre Dame
• Round 5, Pick 184: Ben Mason, FB, Michigan

Taking a fullback aside — although, that’s right on brand for the Ravens — this is one of my high-key winners of the 2021 NFL Draft. Not only landing Rashod Bateman but also Tylan Wallace should give Lamar Jackson and the passing offense a tremendous boost, which was a primary goal of this class.

Beyond that, Odafe Oweh gives the team a necessary possible star off the edge and Daelin Hayes is great depth. Shaun Wade could also be one of the best value picks of the draft as he was a projected first-rounder at one point who simply struggled in 2020. The talent is still there somewhere.

Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B-

• Round 1, Pick 30: Gregory Rousseau, EDGE, Miami (FL)
• Round 2, Pick 61: Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest
• Round 3, Pick 93: Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa
• Round 5, Pick 161: Tommy Doyle, OT, Miami (OH)
• Round 6, Pick 203: Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston
• Round 6, Pick 212: Damar Hamlin, S, Pittsburgh
• Round 6, Pick 213: Rachad Wildgoose, CB, Wisconsin
• Round 7, Pick 236: Jack Anderson, IOL, Texas Tech

Taking two high-upside edge defenders early makes sense for the Bills and the upside of Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr. is enticing. However, doubling up was a curious strategy with a need for high-end cornerback depth, which knocks the Buffalo grade down slightly.

Moreover, Spencer Brown is a sensible answer to long-term tackle depth as he needs development but offers a ton of future upside. But doubling up with Doyle also doesn’t make a ton of sense.

All told, the Bills drafted some talented players who fill long-term needs but their overall strategy left some things to be desired.

Carolina Panthers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A+

• Round 1, Pick 8: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
• Round 2, Pick 59: Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
• Round 3, Pick 70: Brady Christensen, OT, BYU
• Round 3, Pick 83: Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame
• Round 4, Pick 126: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Oklahoma State
• Round 5, Pick 158: Daviyon Nixon, IDL, Iowa
• Round 5, Pick 166: Keith Taylor Jr., CB, Washington
• Round 6, Pick 193: Deonte Brown, IOL, Alabama
• Round 6, Pick 204: Shi Smith, WR, South Carolina
• Round 6, Pick 222: Thomas Fletcher, LS, Alabama
• Round 7, Pick 232: Phil Hoskins, IDL, Kentucky

While Jaycee Horn may not have been my top cornerback in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is still a top-end prospect who will be an immediate starter for the Panthers. And the same could be said of so many players in this draft class, which is why it’s hard not to love what Carolina was able to do in this class.

Throughout the first five rounds, it’s not hard to see any of those players playing key roles for this team in 2021 and beyond. And even the sixth-round picks could qualify as well. This is extremely well done for a team trying to lead the Sam Darnold redemption tour.

Chicago Bears 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A+

• Round 1, Pick 11: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
• Round 2, Pick 39: Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
• Round 5, Pick 151: Larry Borom, IOL, Missouri
• Round 6, Pick 217: Khalil Herbert, RB, Virginia Tech
• Round 6, Pick 221: Dazz Newsome, WR, North Carolina
• Round 6, Pick 228: Thomas Graham Jr., CB, Oregon
• Round 7, Pick 250: Khyiris Tonga, IDL, BYU

Speaking of another draft class that was just spot on, the Chicago Bears did exactly what they needed to in order to potentially save the jobs of general manager Ryan Pace and head coach Matt Nagy. That, of course, starts with trading up to take a falling Justin Fields. Giving up a future first-round pick hurts but not if they can answer the issues at quarterback.

Being aggressive was the theme as they traded up to get the long-term offensive tackle they needed as well, taking Teven Jenkins. Those are two home-run picks that would’ve graded the class out strongly. But finding value with players like Dazz Newsome and Khyiris Tonga late only strengthens that.

Cincinnati Bengals 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C+

• Round 1, Pick 5: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
• Round 2, Pick 46: Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
• Round 3, Pick 69: Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas
• Round 4, Pick 111: Cameron Sample, EDGE, Tulane
• Round 4, Pick 122: Tyler Shelvin, IDL, LSU
• Round 4, Pick 139: D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina
• Round 5, Pick 149: Evan McPherson, K, Florida
• Round 6, Pick 190: Trey Hill, IOL, Georgia
• Round 6, Pick 202: Chris Evans, RB, Michigan
• Round 7, Pick 235: Wyatt Hubert, EDGE, Kansas State

When you look at the overall talent pool that the Bengals added, it’s not bad. There are players fans in Cincinnati should be excited about and who will play key roles for the team, especially on defense. However, this grade really comes down to what they did in the first and second round, which I believe was a botch.

Ja’Marr Chase is a great player and will continue to be great with Joe Burrow. But passing up on Penei Sewell to make that selection given the state of the offensive line is jarring. To make that worse, they then traded out of a run on tackles that could’ve made up for that early in Round 2 so they could reach on Jackson Carman. That’s bad value and team-building, which I can’t be in on.

Cleveland Browns 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A+

• Round 1, Pick 26: Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
• Round 2, Pick 52: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
• Round 3, Pick 91: Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
• Round 4, Pick 110: James Hudson, OT, Cincinnati
• Round 4, Pick 132: Tommy Togiai, IDL, Ohio State
• Round 5, Pick 153: Tony Fields II, LB, West Virginia
• Round 5, Pick 169: Richard LeCounte III, S, Georgia
• Round 6, Pick 211: Demetric Felton, WR, UCLA

Bar none, the Cleveland Browns came away with the best class in the 2021 NFL Draft and you won’t convince me otherwise. They landed a Day 1 starter at cornerback with Greg Newsome II in the first round, another defensive starter with unreal value as a second-round pick in the ultra-versatile Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and continued to find weapons.

It might have been a bit of a reach on Anthony Schwartz but, given his speed and the fact that he’s still just 20 years old, that’s the type of player you reach on in the 90s. The Browns also could’ve added EDGE depth but they’re fine for 2021. This is a draft class that could legitimately take them from playoff team to viable contender.

Dallas Cowboys 2021 NFL Draft Grade: D+

• Round 1, Pick 12: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
• Round 2, Pick 44: Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky
• Round 3, Pick 75: Osa Odighizuwa, IDL, UCLA
• Round 3, Pick 84: Chauncey Golston, EDGE, Iowa
• Round 3, Pick 99: Nahshon Wright, CB, Oregon State
• Round 4, Pick 115: Jabril Cox, LB, LSU
• Round 4, Pick 138: Josh Ball, OT, Marshall
• Round 5, Pick 179: Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford
• Round 6, Pick 192: Quinton Bohanna, IDL, Kentucky
• Round 6, Pick 227: Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina
• Round 7, Pick 238: Matt Farniok, IOL, Nebraska

It was incredibly and unfortunately obvious that the Dallas Cowboys didn’t consider the notion of Patrick Surtain II or Jaycee Horn not making it to the No. 10 pick. Because when both corners went off the board, they panicked, traded down to No. 12 with the Eagles and then took a linebacker, which was hardly their biggest need.

There is some nice value with Jabril Cox, Simi Fehoko and Israel Mukuamu late in the draft but, otherwise, the Cowboys reached on nearly every one of their early picks outside of Parsons who didn’t match an immediate need. Throw in taking several guys with character concerns and a cornerback in Kelvin Joseph who doesn’t look ready to start Week 1 and this was a flop by Dallas.

Denver Broncos 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B

• Round 1, Pick 9: Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 35: Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
• Round 3, Pick 98: Quinn Meinerz, IOL, Wisconsin-Whitewater
• Round 3, Pick 105: Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State
• Round 5, Pick 152: Caden Sterns, S, Texas
• Round 5, Pick 164: Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana
• Round 6, Pick 219: Seth Williams, WR, Auburn
• Round 7, Pick 237: Kary Vincent Jr., CB, LSU
• Round 7, Pick 239: Jonathon Cooper, EDGE, Ohio State
• Round 7, Pick 253: Marquiss Spencer, DL, Mississippi State

There are some people losing their minds over how good the Broncos draft class is and, to be sure, the collection of talent they acquired should be lauded. They got the top cornerback in the class, one of the three top running backs, steals with Quinn Meinerz and Baron Browning and found some nice value swings late.

But while that’s all true, I’m not sure how much better this draft class actually makes Denver right now with a roster that seems like it could win a Super Bowl if they upgraded at quarterback. So not taking Justin Fields weighs heavily into this grade. That said, if they pull off a trade for Aaron Rodgers, maybe that changes the opinion in the end.

Detroit Lions 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A

• Round 1, Pick 7: Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
• Round 2, Pick 41: Levi Onwuzurike, IDL, Washington
• Round 3, Pick 72: Alim McNeill, IDL, NC State
• Round 3, Pick 101: Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
• Round 4, Pick 112: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC
• Round 4, Pick 113: Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue
• Round 7, Pick 257: Jermar Jefferson, RB, Oregon State

Let’s be honest, the Detroit Lions weren’t going to win many games in the 2021 season no matter what they did in the draft. Subsequently, the goal should’ve been to start laying the foundation for when they are able to adequately upgrade from Jared Goff and actually start putting wins on the board.

To me, they did that wonderfully. New head coach Dan Campbell is now infamous for his “biting kneecaps” mentality he wants to instill with the Lions and this is a class that fits right into that. These are some fighters that address key positions on both sides of the ball, including starting the draft with Penei Sewell. Once the Lions rebuild is further along, this draft class will truly start to be appreciated.

Green Bay Packers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C

• Round 1, Pick 29: Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
• Round 2, Pick 62: Josh Myers, IOL, Ohio State
• Round 3, Pick 85: Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson
• Round 4, Pick 142: Royce Newman, IOL, Ole Miss
• Round 5, Pick 173: Tedarrell Slaton, IDL, Florida
• Round 5, Pick 178: Shemar Jean-Charles, CB, Appalachian State
• Round 6, Pick 214: Cole Van Lanen, IOL, Wisconsin
• Round 6, Pick 220: Isaiah McDuffie, LB, Boston College
• Round 7, Pick 256: Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State

It’s hard not to color the Packers’ draft class without looking at it while the Aaron Rodgers cloud hangs over it. But if they went into the draft with their MVP quarterback questioning his future, then this draft made even less sense. But overall, I’m not just not a fan of how they addressed needs.

Eric Stokes could be a good player but an offensive lineman at that spot would’ve been better value, especially when they could’ve followed that up with a Round 2 receiver and then gotten a slipping cornerback in the third round, especially if they were already willing to trade up. And as for the late-round picks, hardly any of them even moved the needle, which is not what you want to see.

Houston Texans 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B-

• Round 3, Pick 67: Davis Mills, QB, Stanford
• Round 3, Pick 89: Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
• Round 5, Pick 147: Brevin Jordan, TE, Miami (FL)
• Round 5, Pick 170: Garret Wallow, LB, TCU
• Round 6, Pick 195: Roy Lopez, IDL, Arizona

What were the Texans really supposed to do when they didn’t have a first- or second-round pick? Though there may have been better value plays with their pair of third-round picks, taking the high-upside Davis Mills is a smart move given the ongoing situation with Deshaun Watson and the fact that he may not play in the 2021 season according to reports.

Outside of the Mills selection, both Nico Collins and Brevin Jordan could be long-term weapons in the passing game, which would be great to see from them. The final two picks don’t do much for me but that’s okay. Houston had their backs against the wall for this draft due to the sins of the previous regime (a.k.a. Bill O’Brien) and performed decently in that spot.

Indianapolis Colts 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B-

• Round 1, Pick 21: Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan
• Round 2, Pick 54: Dayo Odeyingbo, EDGE, Vanderbilt
• Round 4, Pick 127: Kylen Granson, TE, SMU
• Round 5, Pick 165: Shawn Davis, S, Florida
• Round 6, Pick 218: Sam Ehlinger, QB, Texas
• Round 7, Pick 229: Mike Strachan, WR, Charleston (WV)
• Round 7, Pick 248: Will Fires, IOL, Penn State

Who am I to fully doubt Colts general manager Chris Ballard at this point? Frankly, this was a C+ until I considered that Ballard often has a plan and consistently executes that vision at a pretty high level. But looking at this class, it’s hard not to see the glaring issue with the prospects they ultimately picked.

Even if Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo are the future on the edge, taking players like the gadgety H-back Kylen Granson or quarterback Sam Ehlinger look worse when you consider that they lost their starting left tackle, Anthony Castonzo, to retirement and haven’t replaced him. That’s curious, to say the least. That said, there is plenty of talent within this draft class.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A-

• Round 1, Pick 1: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
• Round 1, Pick 25: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
• Round 2, Pick 33: Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
• Round 2, Pick 45: Walker Little, OT, Stanford
• Round 3, Pick 65: Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
• Round 4, Pick 106: Jay Tufele, IDL, USC
• Round 4, Pick 121: Jordan Smith, EDGE, UAB
• Round 5, Pick 145: Luke Farrell, TE, Ohio State
• Round 6, Pick 209: Jalen Camp, WR, Georgia Tech

There are plenty of critics of what Urban Meyer and Trent Baalke did with the Jaguars draft class and the knocks on it are warranted. Taking a running back in the first round, even one as talented as Travis Etienne, is ill-advised — especially when they had an extremely valuable commodity in James Robinson, an undrafted back who rushed for 1,000 yards. Then they also took some big injury risks with Walker Little and Andre Cisco.

At the end of the day, though, the Jaguars made their team better. Trevor Lawrence is the future not just in Jacksonville but in the league as a whole. Tyson Campbell can form a stud cornerback duo with C.J. Henderson. Then they found great value with Jay Tufele, Jordan Smith and ultra-athletic Jalen Camp. On the whole, the goal is to get better and this team did that in a big way.

Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A

• Round 2, Pick 58: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
• Round 2, Pick 63: Creed Humphrey, IOL, Oklahoma
• Round 4, Pick 144: Joshua Kaindoh, EDGE, Florida State
• Round 5, Pick 162: Noah Gray, TE, Duke
• Round 5, Pick 181: Cornell Powell, WR, Clemson
• Round 6, Pick 226: Trey Smith, IOL, Tennessee

Especially if you want to do the exercise where you say that the Chiefs used their first-round pick on Orlando Brown Jr. since that’s who they traded it for, it’s hard not to think that Kansas City did a good job in the draft. But even without that consideration, the back-to-back AFC champions did a really quality job of identifying talent that will help them.

Nick Bolton and Creed Humphrey could legitimately be Week 1 starters at positions of need for the Chiefs. Meanwhile, guys like Joshua Kaindoh, Cornell Powell and Trey Smith are all perfect Day 3 picks as they possess clear upside but fell down for either health or production related reasons. If Kansas City can hit on all or any of those, though, this is a winner for the Chiefs.

Las Vegas Raiders 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C

• Round 1, Pick 17: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 43: Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
• Round 3, Pick 79: Malcolm Koonce, EDGE, Buffalo
• Round 3, Pick 80: Divine Deablo, S/LB, Virginia Tech
• Round 4, Pick 143: Tyree Gillespie, S, Missouri
• Round 5, Pick 167: Nate Hobbs, CB, Illinois
• Round 7, Pick 230: Jimmy Morrissey, IOL, Pittsburgh

At this point, we should really just expect the Las Vegas Raiders to do the siilliest possible thing in the first round only to make up for it in the second round. Because taking Alex Leatherwood, a second-round pick in most projections, was one of the biggest reaches of the first round. But then getting Trevon Moehrig was one of the best values of the second round.

Overall, though, not getting value in the first round and then reaching on Malcolm Koonce and Divine Deablo while also not finding any sleepers late (by my book, at least) doesn’t do this class any favors. Leatherwood and Moehrig could undoubtedly work out for the Raiders and that’s fine. But in the immediate aftermath, this is another strange haul for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden.

Los Angeles Chargers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B+

• Round 1, Pick 13: Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
• Round 2, Pick 47: Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State
• Round 3, Pick 77: Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee
• Round 3, Pick 97: Tre’ McKitty, TE, Georgia
• Round 4, Pick 118: Chris Rumph II, EDGE, Duke
• Round 5, Pick 159: Brenden Jaimes, OT, Nebraska
• Round 6, Pick 185: Nick Niemann, LB, Iowa
• Round 6, Pick 198: Larry Rountree, RB, Missouri
• Round 7, Pick 241: Mark Webb, DB, Georgia

If we were basing these draft grades just on the first two picks, the Los Angeles Chargers might be at the top of the board. Rashawn Slater at No. 13 is great value and a perfect player for a team that has long needed offensive line help and does even more so now with the emergence of Justin Herbert. Then to get Asante Samuel Jr., a terrific coverage cornerback, in the mid-second round is even better.

The grade is docked a bit, however, because the Chargers somewhat dropped the ball thereafter. While I like the upside of Josh Palmer and Tre’ McKitty, both players were reaches in the third round. Moreover, the only player who really moved the needle in Rounds 5-7 would be Brenden Jaimes, and even he needs some development.

Los Angeles Rams 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C-

• Round 2, Pick 57: Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville
• Round 3, Pick 103: Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina
• Round 4, Pick 117: Bobby Brown III, IDL, Texas A&M
• Round 4, Pick 130: Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas
• Round 4, Pick 141: Jacob Harris, WR, UCF
• Round 5, Pick 174: Earnest Brown IV, DL, Northwestern
• Round 7, Pick 233: Jake Funk, RB, Maryland
• Round 7, Pick 249: Ben Skowronek, WR, Notre Dame
• Round 7, Pick 252: Chris Garrett, EDGE, Concordia-St. Paul

While not having a first-round pick or a third-round pick outside of a compensatory selection makes things difficult, you would’ve hoped that the Rams would come away with something better than this. And it starts with the Tutu Atwell pick.

The diminutive receiver out of Louisville has the chance to be a great weapon. But a great weapon was hardly the most pressing need for the Rams, nor was it great value at the 57th pick. And throughout the draft, that continued to be a theme.

To be sure, there are players I like in this group, Atwell and Robert Rochell included. However, the lack of value for the Rams in addition to the whiff in the second round for what they needed just doesn’t allow me to see this class favorably.

Miami Dolphins 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A

• Round 1, Pick 6: Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
• Round 1, Pick 18: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL)
• Round 2, Pick 36: Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
• Round 2, Pick 42: Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
• Round 3, Pick 81: Hunter Long, TE, Boston College
• Round 7, Pick 231: Larnel Coleman, OT, UMass
• Round 7, Pick 244: Gerrid Doaks, RB, Cincinnati 

Because of the way the draft was constructed for the Dolphins, how it gets graded should weigh heavily on their three selections within the first 81. The seventh-round picks may hit or may not but that’s not important. This class should be assessed based on the players they added early and, in that department, Miami hit a home run.

Jaylen Waddle is the perfect piece for what the passing offense needs. Jaelan Phillips is an ideal pass-rusher to add to this defense under Brian Flores. Then the additions of Jevon Holland and Liam Eichenberg both represent solid value with players who can fill holes. Hunter Long also has some upside and opens up options for the offense. Overall, this is a terrific haul for an ascending team that should only help them climb higher.

Minnesota Vikings 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B+

• Round 1, Pick 23: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
• Round 3, Pick 66: Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
• Round 3, Pick 78: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
• Round 3, Pick 86: Wyatt Davis, IOL, Ohio State
• Round 3, Pick 90: Patrick Jones II, EDGE, Pittsburgh
• Round 4, Pick 119: Kene Nwangwu, RB, Iowa State
• Round 4, Pick 125: Camryn Bynum, CB, California
• Round 4, Pick 134: Janarius Robinson, EDGE, Florida State
• Round 5, Pick 157: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa
• Round 5, Pick 168: Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri
• Round 6, Pick 199: Jaylen Twyman, IDL, Pittsburgh

The Vikings offered one of the most difficult classes for me to evaluate. It seemed like for every one or two picks that they made that I liked quite a bit, Minnesota would make one that didn’t hit the mark for me. So while guys like Christian Darrisaw, Chazz Surratt and Wyatt Davis made a ton of sense early, the Kellen Mond, Patrick Jones II and Kene Nwangwu picks were mistakes.

At the end of the day, though, the Vikings ended up with a strong collection of talent that will help them both now and moving forward. On top of that, they did take some nice swings on fliers in the later rounds. This should be viewed favorably, but it could’ve been more so without some glaring misfires.

New England Patriots 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A

• Round 1, Pick 15: Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 38: Christian Barmore, IDL, Alabama
• Round 3, Pick 96: Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma
• Round 4, Pick 120: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, Oklahoma
• Round 5, Pick 177: Cameron McGrone, LB, Michigan
• Round 6, Pick 188: Joshuah Bledsoe, S, Missouri
• Round 6, Pick 197: Will Sherman, OT, Colorado
• Round 7, Pick 242: Tre Nixon, WR, UCF

After an aggressive offseason in regards to free agency, the Patriots were expected to trade up for a quarterback — they didn’t. Instead, they stayed put and got Mac Jones, a player who would’ve been a reach at No. 3 for the 49ers but is perfectly placed at No. 15 for New England — and perfectly placed in this offense.

Beyond being super into the Jones pick, the defensive value throughout the draft was great. Christian Barmore has first-round upside, Ronnie Perkins can be an impact player and the likes of Cameron McGrone and Joshuah Bledsoe could be starters by year two. This would’ve been an A+ if the Pats had taken more offensive talent I’m a fan of but this is a definite win, still, for New England.

New Orleans Saints 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C+

• Round 1, Pick 28: Payton Turner, EDGE, Houston
• Round 2, Pick 60: Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
• Round 3, Pick 76: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
• Round 4, Pick 133: Ian Book, QB, Notre Dame
• Round 6, Pick 206: Landon Young, OT, Kentucky
• Round 7, Pick 255: Kawaan Baker, WR, South Alabama

So this doesn’t sound like I’m absolutely dogging the Saints and their draft class, we’re going to start with the positives. Being able to grab Paulson Adebo in the third round is tremendous for New Orleans and fills a big need in the secondary. Pete Werner can also be a nice player and was taken at the right spot. And Payton Turner could be a good NFL player as well.

Having said all of that, Turner was an even bigger reach than the Raiders taking Leatherwood, which needs to be mentioned more. Additionally, Ian Book was a waste of a book as he has no future as an NFL quarterback. Then the final two selections were fliers, so that’s fine, but it wasn’t inspiring.

New York Giants 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B+

• Round 1, Pick 20: Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
• Round 2, Pick 50: Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, Georgia
• Round 3, Pick 71: Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF
• Round 4, Pick 116: Elerson Smith, EDGE, Northern Iowa
• Round 6, Pick 196: Gary Brightwell, RB, Arizona
• Round 6, Pick 201: Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State

Everyone made fun of Giants general manager Dave Gettleman for never trading down in the draft and he apparently took that to heart, trading back twice in the first two rounds. While I’m not huge on the Kadarius Toney pick, that was roughly the range many people expected him to go.

After that, though, New York got commendable value with both Azeez Ojulari — albeit with his injury red flags that emerged in the pre-draft process — and Aaron Robinson. But this draft does get knocked a grade because of the Day 3 picks, all three of which were a bit head-scratching. Due to the strength of the early selections, however, this still grades out well for me.

New York Jets 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A-

• Round 1, Pick 2: Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
• Round 1, Pick 14: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
• Round 2, Pick 34: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
• Round 4, Pick 107: Michael Carter, RB, North Carolina
• Round 5, Pick 146: Jamien Sherwood, S, Auburn
• Round 5, Pick 154: Michael Carter II, CB, Duke
• Round 5, Pick 175: Jason Pinnock, CB, Pittsburgh
• Round 6, Pick 186: Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
• Round 6, Pick 200: Brandin Echols, CB, Kentucky
• Round 6, Pick 207: Jonathan Marshall, IDL, Arkansas

You’d be hard-pressed to find a team that pulled off a better first four picks to help their needs than what the New York Jets did. Zach Wilson resets their quarterback room with a ton of potential and they ensure that they can protect him by trading up for Alijah Vera-Tucker. What’s more, Elijah Moore can come in and immediately be the reliable target Wilson needs in the passing offense and Michael Carter can be a viable RB1.

The late-round picks for the Jets weren’t much to write home about, outside of Hamsah Nasirildeen, a prospect who is one of my draft crushes and I believe is a steal in the sixth round. However, the strength at the top in relation to their needs should, overall, help Gang Green keep building.

Philadelphia Eagles 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B-

• Round 1, Pick 10: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 37: Landon Dickerson, IOL, Alabama
• Round 3, Pick 73: Milton Williams, IDL, Louisiana Tech
• Round 4, Pick 123: Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech
• Round 5, Pick 150: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis
• Round 6, Pick 189: Marlon Tuipulotu, IDL, USC
• Round 6, Pick 191: Tarron Jackson, DL, Coastal Carolina
• Round 6, Pick 224: JaCoby Stevens, S, LSU
• Round 7, Pick 234: Patrick Johnson, EDGE, Tulane

DeVonta Smith has the opportunity to be a real game-changer for the Eagles offense moving forward. His ability to get open at all levels of the field is hugely important to the development of Jalen Hurts. Moreover, I like the favorable projections for guys like Landon Dickerson, Milton Williams, Kenneth Gainwell and more.

At the end of the day, though, taking a player like Dickerson early in the second round when his injury history is so rocky is tough to swallow, especially when it’s not an immediate position of need. Moreover, there were other needs — the secondary, mostly — that Philadelphia ignored to take Dickerson and Williams. This is another instance of the prospects being fine but the process being a bit flawed.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C+

• Round 1, Pick 24: Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
• Round 2, Pick 55: Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
• Round 3, Pick 87: Kendrick Green, OG, Illinois
• Round 4, Pick 128: Dan Moore Jr., OT, Texas A&M
• Round 4, Pick 140: Buddy Johnson, LB, Texas A&M
• Round 5, Pick 156: Isaiahh Loudermilk, DL, Wisconsin
• Round 6, Pick 216: Quincy Roche, EDGE, Miami (FL)
• Round 7, Pick 245: Tre Norwood, CB, Oklahoma
• Round 7, Pick 254: Pressley Harvin III, P, Georgia Tech

If the Pittsburgh Steelers had taken Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth in the first two rounds of any draft prior to 2021, I would’ve loved it — even with a running back going in the first round. That would’ve been a winning combo that fits the Pittsburgh blueprint like a glove. The problem is that it’s 2021 and those players aren’t offensive linemen.

Kendrick Green isn’t ready to start Week 1 by my measure and they still don’t have a certain answer at left tackle. That’s a problem for this team that the talent of Harris and Freiermuth aren’t going to solve. Moreover, outside of getting a steal with Quincy Roche and drafting Pressley Harvin III, who should be your new favorite NFL player, the fliers they took were lackluster as well.

San Francisco 49ers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: C+

• Round 1, Pick 3: Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
• Round 2, Pick 48: Aaron Banks, IOL, Notre Dame
• Round 3, Pick 88: Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State
• Round 3, Pick 102: Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
• Round 5, Pick 155: Jaylon Moore, OL, Western Michigan
• Round 5, Pick 172: Deommodore Lenoir, CB, Oregon
• Round 5, Pick 180: Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC
• Round 6, Pick 194: Elijah Mitchell, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette

Taking Trey Lance was the right call for the San Francisco 49ers. And I’m almost inclined to give the team an A for the draft just because of how expertly they pulled off the Mac Jones smokescreen with the No. 3 pick. But having said all of that, it needs to be said that, after Lance, this was an extremely weird and hard-to-follow class for the 49ers.

After dealing with crowded running back rooms, the Niners used two more picks on backs. And while they took nice swings on two corners I like in Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir, they reached on Aaron Banks and Trey Sermon — and probably on Jaylon Moore too. Overall, the plan felt flawed after they got their guy in Lance.

Seattle Seahawks 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B-

• Round 2, Pick 56: D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan
• Round 4, Pick 137: Tre Brown, CB, Oklahoma
• Round 6, Pick 208: Stone Forsythe, OT, Florida

With only three selections, you would’ve liked to see the Seahawks address offensive line with one of their early picks. But with the way things ultimately played out for Seattle, this draft class actually looks quite impressive for how limited their capital was coming into the proceedings.

D’Wayne Eskridge can be the David Moore type in this offense with his ability to attack down the field and Tre Brown might be able to see some early reps in the secondary. More importantly, being able to get Stone Forsythe, a tackle who could also play right away, in the sixth round is what really salvages the class and, in the end, earns Seattle an above-average grade for the trio they added.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A-

• Round 1, Pick 32: Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington
• Round 2, Pick 64: Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
• Round 3, Pick 95: Robert Hainsey, OT, Notre Dame
• Round 4, Pick 129: Jaelon Darden, WR, North Texas
• Round 5, Pick 176: K.J. Britt, LB, Auburn
• Round 7, Pick 251: Chris Wilcox, CB, BYU
• Round 7, Pick 259: Grant Stuard, LB, Houston

Operating from a position of power in the NFL Draft is always a nice luxury to have and the Buccaneers, a team bringing every starter back from a Super Bowl-winning roster, are proof of that. With no real needs, they were able to just cherry-pick players they liked at solid value points and go from there. For my money, they did well in trying to accomplish that.

Joe Tryon could be a perfect pick to eventually replace Jason Pierre-Paul while Kyle Trask has some upside to develop while Tom Brady is still in town. Moreover, the Bucs got some good depth at key spots on both sides of the ball. Overall, this was just a smart, solid draft by the champs as they look to keep this train rolling fast.

Tennessee Titans 2021 NFL Draft Grade: B+

• Round 1, Pick 22: Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
• Round 2, Pick 53: Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
• Round 3, Pick 92: Monty Rice, LB, Georgia
• Round 3, Pick 100: Elijah Molden, CB, Washington
• Round 4, Pick 109: Dez Fitzpatrick, WR, Cincinnati
• Round 4, Pick 135: Rashad Weaver, EDGE, Pittsburgh
• Round 6, Pick 205: Racey McMath, WR, LSU
• Round 6, Pick 215: Brady Breeze, S, Oregon

As the Titans often do, this might got a bit under the radar as to how well they did in the 2021 NFL Draft but it was a solid showing. After diminishing the bodies in the secondary this offseason, taking the gamble on Caleb Farley and then landing Elijah Molden were both good moves. Moreover, Dillon Radunz should be able to play right away at right tackle to plug a hole.

For as good as this class was, though, it’s hard to think that they didn’t miss a little bit with the wide receiver picks. I like Dez Fitzpatrick but this was a bit early for him and they traded up to take him. Just as importantly, that’s a position Tennessee needs help with right away and I’m not sure they got that here. But even then, this is still a quality haul for the Titans.

Washington Football Team 2021 NFL Draft Grade: A-

• Round 1, Pick 19: Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
• Round 2, Pick 51: Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
• Round 3, Pick 74: Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota
• Round 3, Pick 82: Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina
• Round 4, Pick 124: John Bates, TE, Boise State
• Round 5, Pick 163: Darrick Forrest, S, Cincinnati
• Round 6, Pick 225: Camaron Cheeseman, LS, Michigan
• Round 7, Pick 240: William Bradley King, EDGE, Baylor
• Round 7, Pick 246: Shaka Toney, EDGE, Penn State
• Round 7, Pick 258: Dax Milne, WR, BYU

If I were more sold on Jamin Davis, this would be an easy A for me. I love Samuel Cosmi to Washington in the second round to fill their need and the third-round combination of Benjamin St-Juste and Dyami Brown is spot-on for what this team needs. On top of that, I even like most of the late-round fliers they were able to take.

That said, I’m not there on Davis. Recognizing how athletic he is and what his potential could be, in addition to the need for the Football Team, this was a reach for me. He’s a Round 2 prospect for what he is coming out of college and there were better options for Washington on the board. Still, fans in the nation’s capital should feel confident in the overall class they added to the mix.