The 2022 NFL Draft is officially in the books. Which teams won and which teams lost?
Well, that depends on who you ask.
The NFL Draft is anything but an exact science. 10 different people will have 10 different opinions about each respective class, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
With that being said, we’re going to take a stab at giving grades to all 32 NFL Draft classes in 2022. Which teams won this year’s draft?
Jacksonville Jaguars 2022 NFL Draft class grade: B+
1. Travon Walker, EDGE, Georgia
27. Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
65. Luke Fortner, OL, Kentucky
70. Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming
154. Snoop Conner, RB, Ole Miss
197. Gregory Junior, CB, Ouachita Baptist
222. Montaric Brown, CB, Arkansas
There’s a lot to like about the Jacksonville Jaguars’ draft class in 2022.
Obviously, this team owned the first overall pick in the Draft and they swung for the fences by taking Travon Walker instead of Aidan Hutchinson despite Hutchinson perhaps having a more consistent body of work over the last couple of years.
Ultimately, Walker’s athleticism was far too enticing to pass on for Trent Baalke and Doug Pederson.
Later in the first round, the Jaguars landed another tremendous value with Devin Lloyd at pick 27 overall. They had to trade up to get him, but Lloyd gives that Jacksonville defense a versatile weapon that makes one game-changing play after another.
On day two, the additions of Luke Fortner and Chad Muma will be expected to come in and be starters right away for the Jaguars.
Jacksonville moved up on Day 3 to select Ole Miss running back Snoop Conner, an absolutely punishing runner who could be a fun player to watch as well.
Detroit Lions 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
2. Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan
12. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama
46. Josh Paschal, EDGE, Kentucky
97. Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois
177. James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech
188. Malcolm Rodriguez, LB, Oklahoma State
217. James Houston, EDGE, Jackson State
237. Chase Lucas, CB, Arizona State
The Detroit Lions had a really good draft.
Everyone expected the Aidan Hutchinson pick at no. 2 overall when it became clear that Travon Walker was going first overall.
Hutchinson is a home run pick for the Lions and he will become the cornerstone piece of their defensive rebuild.
The Jameson Williams pick is a fascinating one. The Lions got to move up 20 spots with a division rival in the first round at a rather discounted rate, which may be the best part of the whole trade in general.
Jameson Williams could also very well end up being the number one overall receiver in this draft class when all is said and done, but there is the looming issue of the torn ACL he suffered just a couple of months ago.
Obviously, recovery seems to be going t for Williams, and I like the pick here for the Lions, but there’s plenty of additional risk involved given his injury.
In round two, I think the Lions added another intriguing pass rush/edge option in Josh Paschal who is going to come in and contribute immediately. He doesn’t have ideal length but he makes up for that with his overall athletic traits.
Kerby Joseph is an explosive athlete at the safety position — and there were many of those in this draft. He will get great coaching from Aaron Glenn in Detroit.
On day three, the Lions selected a former Florida transfer who played for Deion Sanders this past year at Jackson State and absolutely dominated. James Houston is a name to watch.
Houston Texans 2022 NFL Draft grade: B-
3. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU
15. Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
37. Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor
44. John Metchie III, WR, Alabama
75. Christian Harris, LB, Alabama
107. Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida
150. Thomas Booker, DL, Stanford
170. Teagan Quiatoriano, TE, Oregon State
205. Austin Deculus, OL, LSU
The Houston Texans are run by Nick Caserio and Patriots people have never really cared about public perception or consensus opinions when it comes to the picks they make.
When everyone else was saying Sauce Gardner, the Texans were saying Derek Stingley Jr.
When everyone is saying Zion Johnson, the Texans are saying Kenyon Green.
The Texans are in a total rebuilding mode which is barely out of phase one if you can even truly say it’s out of phase one. We started to see more aggressiveness this offseason from Nick Caserio with the capital he acquired in the blockbuster deal for Deshaun Watson he’s now got to work with in the coming years.
The Texans traded up for players like John Metchie and Christian Harris, two underrated Alabama players in this class who could come in and make substantial early impacts.
Metchie, in particular, will be expected to contribute heavily in the rotation at receiver which now features Brandin Cooks on a new contract and 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins expected to make a jump.
On day three, the Texans finally landed a running back in Dameon Pierce who will be highly popular in fantasy football dynasty leagues as well as the super-athletic and versatile defensive lineman Thomas Booker.
New York Jets 2022 NFL Draft grade: A+
4. Sauce Gardner, CB, Cincinnati
10. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State
26. Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, Florida State
36. Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
101. Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
111. Max Mitchell, OT, Louisiana-Lafayette
117. Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M
You look at the Jets’ 2022 NFL Draft class and ask yourself the question — could they have done better?
I don’t know that the answer to that question can legitimately be yes.
The Jets got arguably the top cornerback in this draft with Sauce Gardner at pick no. 4 overall. They landed arguably the top wide receiver in the draft in Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson.
As the first round started to wind down, they broke the fall of Jermaine Johnson who was projected to go in the top 10 picks by almost everybody.
Then they trade up to pick 36, jumping the Houston Texans, and get Iowa State running back Breece Hall, who checks every box you look for from a featured running back.
I think the Jets’ draft could have ended there and been a home run, but they added Jeremy Ruckert, Max Mitchell, and Micheal Clemons before the top 120 picks were even in the books.
Short of acquiring a franchise QB with one of your first-round picks, it’s hard to earn the coveted A+ grade but I don’t think the Jets could have done any better at all with this draft.
New York Giants 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
5. Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, Oregon
7. Evan Neal, OT, Alabama
43. Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky
67. Joshua Ezeudu, OL, North Carolina
81. Cordale Flott, CB, LSU
112. Daniel Bellinger, TE, San Diego State
114. Dane Belton, S, Iowa
146. Micah McFadden, LB, Indiana
147. DJ Davidson, DL, Arizona State
173. Marcus McKethan, OL, North Carolina
182. Darrian Beavers, LB, Cincinnati
If the Giants didn’t make any picks after the first round, they would have improved their roster substantially.
The fact that they had 11 total picks to add to this roster in Joe Schoen’s first class with head coach Brian Daboll?
It was a fantastic class.
Kayvon Thibodeaux may have gone up and down on the pre-draft hype rollercoaster, but he’s a good player who will significantly upgrade the Giants’ pass rush right away.
Evan Neal was hyped as potentially being the first overall pick for months before the Jaguars settled on edge players as their primary targets. Getting him to come in and bookend Andrew Thomas with Mark Glowinski on the interior is massive.
Not only that, but the Giants then turned right around in round three and landed Joshua Ezeudu, who made 28 starts at North Carolina including 20 at left guard. He will start from day one.
In round two, the Giants prioritized Wan’Dale Robinson, which was an interesting pick because no Kadarius Toney trade happened before or during the Draft, and it seems like those two guys would play the same or a very similar role.
The Giants kicked off day three with one of the best blocking tight ends in the class, San Diego State’s Daniel Bellinger.
Dane Belton brings outstanding athleticism to the safety position as well as versatility and special teams abilities.
Micah McFadden also could be a special teams ace for the Giants and a potential starter down the road.
Overall, this class was outstanding and Schoen deserves a round of applause.
Carolina Panthers 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
6. Ikem Ekwonu, OT, North Carolina State
94. Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
120. Brandon Smith, LB, Penn State
189. Amaré Barno, EDGE, Virginia Tech
199. Cade Mays, OL, Tennessee
242. Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor
The Carolina Panthers managed to turn a really bad situation into a really decent one in this year’s NFL Draft.
Heading into the Draft, the Panthers had the sixth pick overall, and then after that, nothing for the next couple of rounds. Given the fact that this team didn’t have a resolution at the quarterback position coming in, and Matt Rhule is presumably on the hot seat a bit, it felt like the Panthers were headed for a losing situation no matter what.
And then the board fell how it did.
The Panthers managed to land Ikem Ekwonu at pick number six overall, a scenario that hasn’t really presented itself in mock drafts for at least a month, if not longer.
Some people thought Matt Corral was an option for the Panthers at six overall, and they managed to get him at pick number 94 after trading up.
It’s hard to argue with the value the Panthers got at picks 6 and 94, even if you don’t love Corral’s pro projection. That’s a dart worth throwing.
The Panthers then traded up to pick 120 overall and landed ultra-athletic linebacker Brandon Smith out of Penn State who should be able to contribute immediately defensively and on special teams.
The real wild card pick of this class is Virginia Tech pass rusher Amaré Barno, a ridiculously fast pass rusher with an elite first step.
Even if he’s not a full-time starter, Barno should be able to have a role.
Overall, it’s tough to say the Panthers did anything but a solid job with this class overall and especially given what they started with.
Chicago Bears 2022 NFL Draft grade: C
39. Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
48. Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State
71. Velus Jones Jr., WR, Tennessee
168. Braxton Jones, OT, Southern Utah
174. Dominique Robinson, EDGE, Miami (OH)
186. Zachary Thomas, OL, San Diego State
203. Trestan Ebner, RB, Baylor
207. Doug Kramer, C, Illinois
226. Ja’Tyre Carter, OL, Southern
254. Elijah Hicks, S, Cal
255. Trenton Gill, P, North Carolina State
Free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft have now passed, and I’m still left wondering…what is Ryan Poles going to do to surround Justin Fields?
A third-round pick (Velus Jones Jr.) is probably not going to cut it.
The Bears let Allen Robinson walk in free agency. They didn’t go out and sign any of the top offensive linemen in free agency.
They traded Khalil Mack.
It wasn’t a popular start to the offseason to begin with for Chicago, but then they didn’t have a first-round pick because of the Justin Fields trade last year.
Even armed with two picks in the second round, the Bears went with defensive backs. There is nothing wrong with Kyler Gordon or Jaquan Brisker. In fact, I think both are going to be really good players.
But the Bears hired a defensive coach, they were conservative in free agency, and they went with defensive players with their top two picks.
We can complain all we want, I suppose, but what about the picks?
Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker are going to help give the Bears an enviable, young secondary for years to come. I love Gordon’s versatility and athletic traits and I think he’s a starter from Day 1, even if he starts out as a nickel.
Velus Jones Jr., if he hits, has a chance to really make Ryan Poles look smart in this class. He’s built like a running back and has blazing speed. The Bears obviously think extremely highly of him and didn’t think his age (Jones will be 25 this year) was anything worth dropping him down a round or two in his overall grade.
I love the offensive line investments on Day 3 for the Bears and I think a couple of them have a really good chance to hit. The interior players may have a better shot at immediate playing time but Braxton Jones is a high-upside player at the tackle position with tremendous athleticism and length.
Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
8. Drake London, WR, USC
38. Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State
58. Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State
74. Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
82. DeAngelo Malone, EDGE, Western Kentucky
151. Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU
190. Justin Shaffer, OL, Georgia
213. John FitzPatrick, TE, Georgia
The Drake London selection may have been slightly surprising to some, but the Falcons’ wide receiver room was an embarrassment before this draft and frankly, I’m surprised that was their only pick at the position.
But I do love it.
London has a massive catch radius and will give Marcus Mariota a pair of huge targets along with Kyle Pitts to spread the ball to.
I shouldn’t speak too quickly, though. It could be Desmond Ridder, a third-round pick by the Falcons in this class, throwing those passes.
I absolutely love the Ridder pick and I think he was way under-drafted at 74 overall. That’s about the spot Kellen Mond went to the Vikings last year and I like Ridder more coming out this year compared to Mond by a pretty wide margin.
The Falcons got a couple of desperately needed pass rushers in Arnold Ebiketie and DeAngelo Malone who should be able to step into prominent roles immediately.
Tyler Allgeier at pick 151 overall is one of my favorite values in this draft. He is an absolute bully at the running back position.
The Falcons capped off a solid class with two prospects in Justin Shaffer and John FitzPatrick who will stay close to home.
Denver Broncos 2022 NFL Draft grade: A+
64. Nik Bonitto, EDGE, Oklahoma
80. Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA
115. Damarri Mathis, CB, Pittsburgh
116. Eyioma Uwazurike, DL, Iowa State
152. Delarrin Turner-Yell, S, Oklahoma
162. Montrell Washington, WR, Samford
171. Luke Wattenberg, OL, Washington
206. Matt Henningsen, DL, Wisconsin
232. Faion Hicks, CB, Wisconsin
The Denver Broncos get an A+ for their 2022 NFL Draft class because they traded their top two picks for Russell Wilson.
There are some who probably don’t agree with the automatic A+ for acquiring a star quarterback, but there’s no better use of draft assets if you can make it happen.
On top of getting Russell Wilson, the Broncos managed to upgrade their pass rush by adding Nik Bonitto with the 64th overall pick, as well as adding a pass-catching tight end in Greg Dulcich to replace Noah Fant.
Those two picks will have an impact early on for the Broncos, but they might have got their best values at 115 and 116 overall with Damarri Mathis and Eyioma Uwazurike, who could both be starters in Denver’s defense by 2023.
The remaining day three picks were spent on depth and potential “down-the-road” starters but the Broncos dug deep for a player who will help them in the return game — Samford’s Montrell Washington.
The team traded up for Luke Wattenberg, an interior lineman out of Washington, so perhaps they see starting potential there as well.
Seattle Seahawks 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
9. Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
40. Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota
41. Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan St
72. Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State
109. Coby Bryant, CB, Cincinnati
153. Tariq Woolen, DB, UTSA
158. Tyreke Smith, EDGE, Ohio State
229. Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers
233. Dareke Young, WR, Lenoir-Rhyne
So, the Denver Broncos got an A+ for acquiring Russell Wilson. What did the Seattle Seahawks do with their first installment of payment in the form of draft capital?
Well, they did an exceptional job.
Charles Cross is considered by many to be the best pass protecting tackle in the circuit, which makes sense because he pretty much did that exclusively in the Mike Leach air raid offense.
Cross has elite athletic talents and is refined in his pass protecting technique. He’s going to be a staple at the left tackle position and that’s an outstanding use of a first-round pick.
In round two, the Seahawks took a shot on the upside of Boye Mafe, another elite athlete (there will be a theme in this class of high-level athletes).
I like Mafe and I think he’s going to have a real shot with his length and explosiveness to make a huge difference early on.
Kenneth Walker was arguably the best running back in college football this past season and the Seahawks will now give Drew Lock a pair of super-athletic young backs to hand the ball to a lot this season.
Abraham Lucas was one of the top right tackle prospects in this draft and the Seahawks got two of the best pass protectors in the class to be their new bookends in Shane Waldron’s offense.
Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen to start Day 3 was a dream come true for some Seahawks fans. Those guys should be starters by 2023 if not sooner.
Tyreke Smith can play a base defensive end role and he should contribute early.
Bo Melton went way too late in this draft in my opinion and I love that the Seahawks always take a shot at some point in the draft on an obscure college wide receiver who looks like Calvin Johnson. Dareke Young is that guy this year.
Washington Commanders 2022 NFL Draft grade: C+
16. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State
47. Phidarian Mathis, DL, Alabama
98. Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Alabama
113. Percy Butler, S, Louisiana
144. Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
149. Cole Turner, TE, Nevada
230. Chris Paul, OL, Tulsa
240. Christian Holmes, CB, Oklahoma State
The Washington Commanders did well to get Carson Wentz another weapon early on in this draft.
Jahan Dotson wasn’t a popular mock draft selection to the Commanders because he was typically projected by the machines to go in the late 20s, but he was one of the more improved playmakers in college football last year.
I think he’s a good pick and will pair well with Terry McLaurin right away.
Phidarian Mathis in round two was a weird pick. The Commanders are always obsessed with taking Alabama players early on, but they had such a strong defensive front going in I think they could have made much better use of this pick.
Brian Robinson Jr. was another odd selection. Washington already had Antonio Gibson Jr. and Jerick McKinnon back this year.
Percy Butler should contribute on special teams, which will be nice.
I think the picks to be most excited about from this group are Sam Howell and Cole Turner at 144 and 149.
Howell was pegged as a potential number one overall pick for the longest time and Cole Turner is a matchup nightmare in the red zone.
I just don’t love this class. I think the Commanders wasted their picks in the second and third rounds on positions they didn’t need just because they had Alabama players higher on their board.
Minnesota Vikings 2022 NFL Draft grade: D
32. Lewis Cine, S, Georgia
42. Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson
59. Ed Ingram, OL, LSU
66. Brian Asamoah, LB, Oklahoma
118. Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri
165. Esezi Otomewo, EDGE, Minnesota
169. Ty Chandler, RB, North Carolina
184. Vederian Lowe, OL, Illinois
191. Jalen Nailor, WR, Michigan State
227. Nick Muse, TE, South Carolina
As I’m putting together these draft grades, the Vikings are not the last team on my list, but they might end up with the worst grade when all is said and done.
The players the Vikings selected keep this from being an “F” grade from me.
Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth should be starters very soon for Ed Donatell but I think the Vikings could have gotten much better value by just staying put with their original picks and getting Kyle Hamilton and then trading up a couple of spots for Booth.
Ed Ingram is a good fit for Kevin O’Connell’s offense but the Vikings fell prey to the run on interior offensive line that was happening and they took him a round early.
Brian Asamoah was a solid pick as an off-ball linebacker coming in, another option for Ed Donatell’s new-look defense.
Esezi Otomewo will give the Vikings’ defense another option at the defensive end position with length.
Ty Chandler has speed at the linebacker position and I think he was one of the best picks the Vikings made on Day 3.
The reason this team gets a D grade is simply the process of new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
He traded the 12th overall pick and 26th overall pick to the Detroit Lions for picks 32, 34, and 66. That is a loss of a high third-round pick on the trade value chart, which is not a small gap in value. Not only did he lose tremendous value in the trade back, but he also got a worse player than he otherwise could have gotten and he allowed a division rival to get a playmaker they coveted.
If once wasn’t enough, the Vikings made sure everyone knew they didn’t have opposition to trading with division rivals, sending the 34th overall pick to the Green Bay Packers so they could select Christian Watson.
I think these were two of the dumbest trades I have ever seen in the draft not only in terms of the value coming back to the Vikings but also the fact that they allowed their division rivals to select coveted weapons for their offenses.
The players in this class need to hit, but Adofo-Mensah’s trades bring this grade down extremely low for me.
Cleveland Browns 2022 NFL Draft grade: C-
68. Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State
78. Alex Wright, EDGE, UAB
99. David Bell, WR, Purdue
108. Perrion Winfrey, DL, Oklahoma
124. Cade York, K, LSU
156. Jerome Ford, RB, Cincinnati
202. Michael Woods, WR, Oklahoma
223. Isaiah Thomas, DE, Oklahoma
246. Dawson Deaton, C, Texas Tech
This is going to seem hypocritical because other teams on this list landed franchise QBs in blockbuster trades and got an automatic A+.
The Browns are getting no such treatment because the addition of Deshaun Watson comes with too many issues and question marks. I absolutely hate that they blew the QB market to the moon with a fully guaranteed $230 million deal.
After trading their top pick to move down and acquire more picks, the Browns used their top selection on Mississippi State’s Martin Emerson, who doesn’t have an interception since 2019.
There can be a variety of reasons for that, but I don’t love his athletic profile or production enough to make him a top pick in my draft class.
I do like the picks of Alex Wright and David Bell at 78 and 99. There’s some redemption there for the Browns and Wright, in particular, could be an interesting rookie to watch.
The best value from this class came from round four with Perrion Winfrey, the MVP of the Senior Bowl and an interior rusher with big-time length and explosiveness.
The remaining day three picks for the Browns aren’t moving the needle.
I get why the Browns got desperate for Watson but I can’t give them above a C- grade for this draft overall.
Baltimore Ravens 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
14. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame
25. Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa
45. David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan
76. Travis Jones, DL, Connecticut
110. Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
119. Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB, Alabama
128. Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State
130. Jordan Stout, P, Penn State
139. Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina
141. Damarion Williams, CB, Houston
196. Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri
The Baltimore Ravens did it again.
Should we expect anything less from them?
We should stop grading the Ravens on the curve of what everyone else is doing and maybe start grading their drafts comparing back to their own class last year.
Even still, the Ravens would probably still get high marks. Eric DeCosta is almost always in alignment with the consensus regarding draft prospects and it makes it seem like the Ravens are always landing the absolute best player on the board no matter when they select.
Kyle Hamilton was considered by some to be the best overall player in this draft.
Tyler Linderbaum is the top interior offensive lineman in the draft and will be a decade-long starter for Baltimore.
David Ojabo was a very worthwhile risk for the Ravens at pick 45 overall and should be a starter in 2023 when he is fully healthy.
Travis Jones was projected to go in the late first round, early second round, and the Ravens got him at 76.
Daniel Faalele is another top 75 player in this draft who is reminiscent of Orlando Brown Jr. as a fit with the Ravens.
To cap off this class with Tyler Badie is a microcosm of how much value the Ravens truly got all throughout this draft.
Another home run of a class.
Miami Dolphins 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
102: Channing Tindall, LB, Georgia
125: Erik Ezukanma, WR, Texas Tech
224. Cameron Goode, LB, Cal
247. Skylar Thompson, QB, Kansas State
You have to factor the trade for Tyreek Hill into the overall grade for the Dolphins here, and frankly, that probably brings it up quite a bit.
Channing Tindall was a decent value at pick 102 for Miami and could wind up being a rookie starter.
Erik Ezukanma is a possible steal and one of the top receivers in this draft class at creating yardage after the catch.
The Dolphins got a couple of undrafted graded players in Cameron Goode and Skylar Thompson to round out this minuscule class.
The prize here is Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins invested so much in Hill, it had better work out for them.
Hill is certainly one of the most dynamic players in the NFL, but how effective is he going to be without Patrick Mahomes?
I think he will help Tua Tagovailoa but the jury is still out on Tua.
You can’t fault the Dolphins for making the biggest splash they possibly could but I’m staying reserved in my judgment of that move until we see some actual success out on the field.
Philadelphia Eagles 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
13. Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
51. Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska
83. Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
181. Kyron Johnson, LB, Kansas
198. Grant Calcaterra, TE, SMU
It seems like opinions are split on the grade the Philadelphia Eagles deserve for this draft.
Some feel like the Eagles should have just taken Treylon Burks and saved the $25 million per year rather than trading for AJ Brown, but I like the move for a proven player and we’ve been waiting for something like that from Howie Roseman all offseason.
Some don’t like the pick of Jordan Davis because he wasn’t a full-time player at Georgia and was taken with a premium pick. Others feel like the Eagles got the freakiest freak of a defensive lineman the NFL may ever see.
In round two, everyone’s trying to figure out why the Eagles re-signed Jason Kelce only to draft Cam Jurgens, and then it comes out that Kelce basically hand-picked him.
Some love the Nakobe Dean pick and call it the best value in the draft while others criticize the Eagles for taking a player that could need a redshirt as a rookie, at least according to some of the buzz going around during the draft.
Ultimately, I fall somewhere in the middle. I don’t love the picks the Eagles made but I love the trade for AJ Brown. I think if you have a QB on a rookie deal, you can be aggressive like that and Howie Roseman is giving his young QB the best chance to succeed by putting a proven receiver on the field with DeVonta Smith.
Indianapolis Colts 2022 NFL Draft grade: B+
53. Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati
73. Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
77. Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
96. Nick Cross, S, Maryland
159. Eric Johnson, DL, Missouri State
192. Andrew Ogletree, TE, Youngstown State
216. Curtis Brooks, DL, Cincinnati
239. Rodney Thomas II, DB, Yale
Once again, the trade of a quarterback will factor into a team’s overall NFL Draft grade, this time for the Indianapolis Colts with Matt Ryan.
The Colts got Ryan for basically pennies on the dollar, so I love the trade for them and it’s a worthwhile risk to take for a roster that has proven itself to be playoff-caliber.
With their top pick, the Colts took ascending prospect Alec Pierce out of Cincinnati, another big body at the position with vertical speed.
They also got one of the most impressive athletes in this draft with Jelani Woods, a converted quarterback who can stretch the field as a tight end.
My favorite pick in this class for the Colts is Bernhard Raimann at pick 77 overall. He is probably going to step into the starting left tackle role for them from day one.
The Colts traded up for athletic safety prospect Nick Cross and as such, he will be expected to play a big role early on as well.
On day three, I really like some of the small-school prospects like Eric Johnson out of Missouri State, a player who ran extremely well at over 6-foot-4, 299 pounds.
Andrew Ogletree is a big, strong dude at the tight end position with underrated explosiveness.
Rodney Thomas had an insane 41-inch vertical jump in the pre-draft process.
Los Angeles Chargers 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
17. Zion Johnson, OL, Boston College
79. JT Woods, DB, Baylor
123. Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M
160. Otito Ogbonnia, DL, UCLA
195. Jamaree Salyer, OG, Georgia
214. Ja’Sir Taylor, CB, Wake Forest
236. Deane Leonard, CB, Mississippi
260. Zander Horvath, FB, Purdue
The Los Angeles Chargers knew they had to upgrade the offensive line in the 2022 NFL Draft after Justin Herbert traveled home from the team’s disappointing regular season finale with a completely green uniform.
Zion Johnson will slide right into the lineup next to Rashawn Slater and give the Chargers a mauling duo of young linemen to dominate on the left side for years to come.
JT Woods is a versatile defensive back out of Baylor who will add yet another dynamic to Brandon Staley’s revamped defense. He had nine interceptions over the last two years and ran a 4.36 in the pre-draft process.
At pick number 123 overall, I don’t know that you could have gotten a much better value than Isaiah Spiller. He’s got three-down abilities and should have a substantial role in the Chargers’ offense right away.
Otito Ogbonnia and Jamaree Salyer are going to upgrade the trenches on both sides of the ball for the Chargers right away and I like that the Chargers added even more depth to the secondary in Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard later on.
New Orleans Saints 2022 NFL Draft grade: B-
11. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
19. Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa
49. Alontae Taylor, CB, Tennessee
161. D’Marco Jackson, LB, Appalachian State
194. Jordan Jackson, DL, Air Force
The New Orleans Saints always march to the beat of their own drum.
There’s nothing wrong with that, but you don’t have to like it.
The Saints target specific players every year and they are willing to make trades that don’t make sense on paper to go and get them.
It seems like they almost intentionally want to have tiny draft classes sometimes and again — there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.
It just flies in the face of conventional thinking that the more picks you have, the better chance some of them have of hitting. It’s just playing the odds.
The Saints got a good receiver in round one after trading up and I think Chris Olave is going to bring a new element to that offense they have desperately been missing.
With Michael Thomas coming back from injury and Chris Olave getting picked, the Saints will have arguably the most drastically different-looking receiver group in the NFL this season.
Trevor Penning is a good player who will slide into the spot vacated by Terron Armstead immediately and give the Saints a bookend of bash brothers at the tackle positions.
Alontae Taylor was probably a reach in the second round but again — the Saints target very specific guys. He’s got good size and athleticism and joins a revamped Saints secondary which now also includes Tyrann Mathieu.
D’Marco Jackson was the Sun Belt defensive player of the year last year and had a whopping 19 tackles for loss.
Jordan Jackson out of Air Force is going to bring some quickness to the interior defensive line as well.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL Draft grades: B-
20. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh
52. George Pickens, WR, Georgia
84. DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M
138. Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis
208. Connor Heyward, FB, Michigan State
225. Mark Robinson, LB, Ole Miss
241. Chris Oladokun, QB, South Dakota State
The Pittsburgh Steelers, in general manager Kevin Colbert’s final draft with the team, landed the player they hope can be the long-term replacement for Ben Roethlisberger.
After signing Mitchell Trubisky in free agency, it felt like the Steelers had backed them into a corner during the draft at the quarterback position but it turned out that they got the chance to take the first one off the board.
Kenny Pickett had an outstanding final season at Pitt but it wasn’t good enough for a complete Joe Burrow-like rise up the draft board.
Still, he went from being a Day 3 pick to a top 20 pick and the Steelers have to be confident he can play from day one.
George Pickens in round two comes with some level of risk, but I love the process by the Steelers, always using premium picks on potential weapons for their offense.
DeMarvin Leal could be a great value on day three and was projected much of the last year as a first-round player.
Calvin Austin is a fun pick in round four and could come in and return punts and kicks immediately. He’s a small player but has outstanding athleticism.
The Steelers made some intriguing picks late on Day 3 including taking Cam Heyward’s brother Connor at the fullback position.
Quarterback Chris Oladokun is a very interesting late-round flyer.
New England Patriots 2022 NFL Draft grade: C-
29. Cole Strange, IOL, Chattanooga
50. Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor
85. Marcus Jones, CB, Houston
121. Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State
127. Pierre Strong Jr., RB, South Dakota State
137. Bailey Zappe, QB, Western Kentucky
183. Kevin Harris, RB, South Carolina
200. Sam Roberts, DE, Northwest Missouri State
210. Chasen Hines, OL, LSU
245. Andrew Stueber, OL, Michigan
Bill Belichick doesn’t care about draft grades. He doesn’t care about perceived value.
He cares only about getting guys he wants in the building, no matter what it looks like to everyone else.
Cole Strange at pick 29 overall is a prime example of that. Nobody expected Strange to go before the third round, but the Patriots prioritized him in the late first round.
After taking Strange, the Patriots then got another receiver in Tyquan Thornton who ran a sub-4.3 in the 40-yard dash but who was also expected to go potentially on Day 3. Although Thornton is a speed threat at receiver, he has tiny 8 1/4-inch hands and that raises at least some level of concern.
I do love the Marcus Jones pick in round three and the Patriots not only got a playmaker in the secondary there but also the best return specialist in the Draft.
Jack Jones was a five-star prospect once upon a time who played at USC, was dismissed from the team due to academics, and resurfaced at Arizona State where he rehabbed his stock.
My favorite Day 3 pick for the Patriots was undoubtedly Pierre Strong out of South Dakota State. It just feels like the Patriots have way too many running backs, but again, they don’t care about the perception.
Bailey Zappe is a fascinating pick to come in and be the backup to young Mac Jones as well.
Las Vegas Raiders 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
90. Dylan Parham, IOL, Memphis
122. Zamir White, RB, Georgia
126. Neil Farrell, DL, LSU
175. Matthew Butler, DL, Tennessee
238. Thayer Munford, OL, Ohio State
250. Brittain Brown, RB, UCLA
For the short term at least, the Raiders made one of the most impactful additions to their roster using their primary draft capital.
Trading for Davante Adams is absolutely huge. They got one of the most impactful offensive weapons in the NFL for the price of a first and second-round pick.
Reuniting Adams with his college QB Derek Carr could prove to be one of the biggest moves of the entire 2022 offseason, so how could you not give the Raiders an A for that investment?
Not only that, but they didn’t have to give up any future capital for Adams.
Dylan Parham out of Memphis is another great value pick at 90 overall as well. He is a super-athletic interior offensive lineman who should be a day one starter.
The Zamir White pick is fascinating because the Raiders were seemingly set at the running back position, but we know how much Patriots guys love Georgia Bulldogs.
Matthew Butler will be another good fit for the Raiders on that defensive line with some really good quickness off the snap. He’s explosive and translated that into career highs in sacks and TFL last year for the Vols.
Thayer Munford was a nice value in round seven and the Raiders obviously felt like they couldn’t live without UCLA’s Brittain Brown in round seven despite their depth at running back.
Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft grade: B+
55. Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State
87. Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State
100. Myjai Sanders, EDGE, Cincinnati
201. Keaontay Ingram, RB, USC
215. Lecitus Smith, OL, Virginia Tech
244. Christian Matthew, CB, Valdosta State
256. Jesse Luketa, LB, Penn State
257. Marquis Hayes, OL, Oklahoma
Do we love the trade for Hollywood Brown?
I think the Cardinals should be very pleased with it because it makes Kyler Murray happy, which makes everyone in that organization happy.
Brown just hasn’t been consistent enough for me to be worth a first-round pick, and even with the Cardinals getting a pick back in addition to the first-rounder, I can’t help but feel like that was an overpay to keep Murray on their good graces.
At the end of the day, I applaud them for doing what it takes to keep their young QB happy, because that could keep the franchise in contention or sink the ship.
In round two, the Cardinals got one of the best values in Trey McBride to join recently re-signed Zach Ertz. I love that duo for them and you can’t help but love the all-around group of weapons the Cardinals have now assembled for Murray to spread the ball to.
Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders will play right away for Arizona, which lost Chandler Jones in free agency. Thomas might be playing more on the line than off the edge, so I think we could see them both playing together in 2022.
With some of their later picks, I feel like the Cardinals got solid value in Keaontay Ingram out of USC and Marquis Hayes later on.
Dallas Cowboys 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
24. Tyler Smith, OL, Tulsa
56. Sam Williams, EDGE, Ole Miss
88. Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
129. Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
155. Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
167. DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State
176. Damone Clark, LB, LSU
178. John Ridgeway, DL, Arkansas
193. Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
The Dallas Cowboys came into this draft with three pretty prominent needs and they addressed them one by one with their top three picks, taking the best player on their board at each spot.
In the first round, they landed Tyler Smith who will likely start off as a left guard or right tackle. He needs to clean up his technique as he was flagged for way too many penalties last year, but the upside to be a long-term starter is certainly there.
In round two, the Cowboys got a speedy edge player in Sam Williams who can really get after the quarterback. After losing Randy Gregory in free agency, they needed to add someone off the edge and Williams is coming off of a season in which he racked up 12.5 sacks.
He also ran a blazing 4.46 in the pre-draft process.
Jalen Tolbert is a great value in round three and gives the Cowboys another intriguing option at receiver along with CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and newcomer James Washington.
On day three, the Cowboys got some intriguing value and players they obviously felt were great fits for their specific schemes.
Matt Waletzko is probably the most interesting day three pick for them with 36-inch arms and some wild testing scores for his size.
Damone Clark is another very solid pick and the former LSU linebacker could make an impact early on. He joins another former LSU Tiger in the Cowboys’ linebacker group with Jabril Cox, a 2021 pick who is expected to make an impact this season.
Buffalo Bills 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
23. Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida
63. James Cook, RB, Georgia
89. Terrel Bernard, LB, Baylor
148. Khalil Shakir, WR, Boise State
180. Matt Araiza, P, San Diego State
185. Christian Benford, CB, Villanova
209. Luke Tenuta, OT, Virginia Tech
231. Baylon Spector, LB, Clemson
The Buffalo Bills needed to address the secondary early on in this draft class, and they did exactly that by taking Florida’s Kaiir Elam with the 23rd overall pick.
Elam is an outstanding athlete whose stock had slightly cooled off in recent weeks, but he’s undoubtedly a good fit for the Bills and is a seemingly rare prospect in this draft class that is not yet 21 years old. He will be 21 on May 5, but most prospects in this class were 23 or older, it feels like.
James Cook in the second round could muddy the waters for fantasy football players but it just gives the Bills’ offense another dynamic option out of the backfield who can catch passes and play all three downs.
The Kyle Brandt announcement of the Terrel Bernard selection was one of the top moments of the Draft, and Bernard is a good player. He was a highly-productive three-year starter for Baylor.
The Bills were big winners on day three with two selections.
First of all, they got Khalil Shakir, another very underrated receiver to add to their talented skill position group. That selection reminds me so much of their Gabe Davis pick a couple of years ago.
The Bills then turned around at pick 180 and landed a fan favorite in this draft — Matt Araiza, the punt god.
Tennessee Titans 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
18. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
35. Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn
69. Nicholas Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State
86. Malik Willis, QB, Liberty
131. Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan
143. Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Maryland
163. Kyle Philips, WR, UCLA
204. Theo Jackson, S, Tennessee
219. Chance Campbell, LB, Ole Miss
Teams around the NFL are certainly drawing lines in the sand with their wide receivers these days.
With another year on his rookie deal plus the potential of the franchise tag, the Titans gave away AJ Brown way too easily for my liking.
Brown is a proven stud receiver and the Titans traded him away for a rookie who can do similar things, but he’s obviously unproven.
The financial savings had better prove to be worth it, because I don’t love that trade at all.
After trading out of the first round, the Titans landed one of the top cornerbacks in the SEC in Roger McCreary, who likely fell out of round one because he doesn’t have ideal length at the position. He is still a good, starting-caliber player.
Nicholas Petit-Frere should have a starting role as a tackle or guard immediately for the Titans depending on where they project former second-round pick Dillon Radunz.
Malik Willis, to me, is obviously the best value of this class. Quarterbacks are currency in the NFL. Just because the league decided to pass on these QBs way longer than they probably should have doesn’t mean they are destined for failure or anything.
I think getting Willis at pick 86 overall was one of the biggest steals of this draft and it bumps the Titans’ draft up a full letter grade for me.
I like the pick of Chigoziem Okonkwo on day three and he gives the Titans an athletic option at the position where they needed depth, but my favorite pick of day three was Kyle Philips.
The Titans landed a Hunter Renfrow clone with that pick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2022 NFL Draft grade: B+
33. Logan Hall, DL, Houston
57. Luke Goedeke, IOL, Central Michigan
91. Rachaad White, RB, Arizona State
106. Cade Otton, TE, Washington
133. Jake Camarda, P, Georgia
157. Zyon McCollum, DB, Sam Houston State
218. Ko Kieft, TE, Minnesota
248. Andre Anthony, EDGE, LSU
When you look at this class for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, there’s very little not to like. You could argue value at some spots, but the Buccaneers were picking late in most rounds and didn’t have the luxury of waiting for certain guys to fall to their picks in respective rounds.
At the top of round two after trading down a handful of picks, the Bucs got someone I feel is going to be a clear first-round value anyway in Logan Hall. The Houston star has tremendous versatility on the front and he will be a weapon for Todd Bowles.
Luke Goedeke was underrated throughout this process and he will step in as a starting guard this year along with newcomer Shaq Mason from the Patriots. The Bucs offensive line has been effectively reset.
Rachaad White was one of my favorite picks in day three of mock draft scenarios I put together, but that’s only because I felt like he presented a day two value on day three. The Bucs got him at 91 and didn’t let him last to day three. He’s a ridiculous athlete who will play a prominent role early.
Cade Otton was the first pick of Day 3 and the Bucs broke his fall. He was a true “Y” tight end at Washington and has untapped potential as a receiver. With Rob Gronkowski’s situation up the air, Otton could play a big role.
I’m here for the Jake Camarda selection and the Bucs will be able to really flip the field whenever their offense struggles.
Zyon McCollum is the star of Day 3 for this class in my opinion. He was an outstanding playmaker for the last handful of years at the FCS level and he got a perfect 10 in the RAS department.
Green Bay Packers 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
22. Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
28. Devonte Wyatt, DL, Georgia
34. Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State
92. Sean Rhyan, OL, UCLA
132. Romeo Doubs, WR, Nevada
140. Zach Tom, OL, Wake Forest
179. Kingsley Enagbare, EDGE, South Carolina
228. Tariq Carpenter, LB/S, Georgia Tech
234. Jonathan Ford, DL, Miami
249. Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State
258. Samori Toure, WR, Nebraska
Early on, the Green Bay Packers were making questionable decisions once again.
I still don’t love the process of their offseason in general, but I can appreciate how well-rounded this draft class is.
I initially hated the fact that the Packers traded Davante Adams to the Raiders only to spend the pick they got in return for him on an off-ball linebacker, but Quay Walker is a good player who upgrades the team speed for the Packers defensively.
Devonte Wyatt is an explosive interior defensive lineman who is going to be impactful as a rookie. Although Jordan Davis got much more fanfare, some people liked Wyatt better overall.
In round two, the Packers got one of my favorite dudes in this draft in North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson. There are going to be some ridiculously unfair expectations thrust upon Watson because he’s the most prominent receiver the Packers have added in the post-Adams era, but perhaps that’s deserved.
Watson is going to need to adapt rather quickly, and I think he will.
Sean Rhyan is a versatile lineman who could end up starting this year at guard or tackle for the Packers.
In round four, the Packers landed Romeo Doubs out of Nevada and in combination with the Christian Watson selection, I am more and more in love with this draft for Green Bay. Again, you’re asking a lot out of rookies, but Doubs was a consistent big-play threat at Nevada.
Zach Tom is a good athlete on the interior offensive line who is going to be an eventual starter, in my opinion.
Kingsley Enagbare didn’t test well in the pre-draft process but he was a wildly productive pass rusher at South Carolina and there’s a better chance this pick hits than doesn’t.
Rasheed Walker and Samori Toure were both outstanding picks to close out this draft from the Big Ten. Toure is a smaller receiver than his peers in this class but he’s got plenty of speed, quickness, and explosiveness.
San Francisco 49ers 2022 NFL Draft grade: B+
61. Drake Jackson, EDGE, USC
93. Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU
105. Danny Gray, WR, SMU
134. Spencer Burford, OL, UTSA
172. Samuel Womack, DB, Toledo
187. Nick Zakelj, OT, Fordham
220. Kalia Davis, DL, UCF
221. Tariq Castro-Fields, CB, Penn State
262. Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State
The jury is very much out on Trey Lance, and obviously, the 49ers didn’t pick until late in round two as a result of their trade to acquire him last year. With that being said, this was a good class for the 49ers.
For the majority of the last year, we’ve been talking about Drake Jackson as a possible first-round pick. To get him at 61 is a great value and I think he’s going to be able to contribute off the edge for San Francisco immediately. You can never have too many pass rushers.
At pick number 93 overall, the 49ers took yet another running back. This is a fascinating selection given the team used a day two pick last year on Ohio State running back Trey Sermon.
Sermon made virtually no impact as a rookie but sixth-round pick Eli Mitchell emerged as the RB1 of the future. Perhaps it will be Mitchell and Davis-Price going forward.
In round four, I love the pick of Spencer Burford. He was the first four-star prospect ever to commit to UTSA and he has guard/tackle versatility.
Samuel Womack is a small defensive back that led the MAC in passes defended each of the last three seasons. He’s a productive defender when the ball is thrown his direction and he could be a sleeper nickel option for the future.
Nick Zakelj was one of the most athletic offensive linemen in this year’s draft and he played both left tackle and right tackle at Fordham.
Kalia Davis could be a big-time steal on the interior defensive line and was projected to go much earlier on day three than the 49ers got him.
Tariq Castro-Fields has upside to become something and Brock Purdy rounded out this class as Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Kansas City Chiefs 2022 NFL Draft grade: A
21. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
30. George Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue
54. Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan
62. Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati
103. Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin
135. Joshua Williams, CB, Fayetteville State
145. Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky
243. Jaylen Watson, CB, Washington State
251. Isaih Pacheco, RB, Rutgers
259. Nazeeh Johnson, S, Marshall
After the Tyreek Hill trade, the Kansas City Chiefs started this draft with 12 picks. They wound up with 10, and they got no shortage of impact players on board.
Starting with Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs addressed probably their biggest overall need as a team and they did so with a tremendous value pick.
I didn’t think McDuffie would get out of the teens and for the Chiefs to get him at 21 is a steal. He’s going to be a starter for them on the outside immediately after the departure of Charvarius Ward who signed with the 49ers in free agency.
At pick no. 30 overall, the Chiefs broke the fall of George Karlaftis, a high-effort pass rusher who doesn’t have ideal length, but he should have a lengthy NFL career with his work habits and ability to hold up on the edge.
At pick 54, the Chiefs got Skyy Moore out of Western Michigan and Moore is probably one of the best values of this class.
He could have gone to Kansas City in round one and no one would have batted an eye, but Kansas City got him at 54 and he’s going to be a stud in their offense.
Bryan Cook, Leo Chenal, and Joshua Williams were all home run picks for a defense that desperately needed an infusion of youth, especially in the defensive backfield.
The Chiefs killed their need for defensive backs with fire in this class, landing five defensive backs among their 10 total picks.
Cincinnati Bengals 2022 NFL Draft grade: B
31. Daxton Hill, DB, Michigan
60. Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska
95. Zachary Carter, DL, Florida
136. Cordell Volson, OL, North Dakota State
166. Tycen Anderson, DB, Toledo
252. Jeffrey Gunter, LB, Coastal Carolina
The reigning AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals set out to improve their offensive line in free agency, and they did exactly that.
They added Ted Karras, La’El Collins, and Alex Cappa to help protect Joe Burrow, and they’re also expecting progression in year two from 2021 second-round pick Jackson Carman next to left tackle Jonah Williams.
With the offensive line taken care of, the Bengals were able to focus on other need areas, specifically attacking the defensive backfield pretty heavy in this year’s class.
Starting with Daxton Hill, the Bengals got themselves a scheme versatile defensive back who can come in and fit as a deep safety, nickel corner, dime ‘backer — he can do it all and excel.
Cam Taylor-Britt can also play inside or outside and between he and Dax Hill, the Bengals are getting two extremely tough, aggressive playmakers on the back end who are going to help this unit continue to set the tone.
Zachary Carter had 17.5 sacks over the last three seasons at Florida and while he may have been a bit of a reach to some at pick 95, he’s got a chance to play right away with the departure of Larry Ogunjobi.
On day three of the Draft, the Bengals got a potential special teams ace in Tycen Anderson, a speedy safety out of Toledo.
Los Angeles Rams 2022 NFL Draft grade: A+
104. Logan Bruss, OL, Wisconsin
142. Decobie Durant, CB, South Carolina State
164. Kyren Williams, RB, Notre Dame
211. Quentin Lake, S, UCLA
212. Derion Kendrick, CB, Georgia
235. Daniel Hardy, EDGE, Montana State
253. Russ Yeast, S, Kansas State
261. AJ Arcuri, OT, Michigan State
On the surface, is there really anything special about this draft class for the Los Angeles Rams?
No, it isn’t.
Top pick Logan Bruss must have been a real thrill for every Rams fan waiting through the 103 selections for their team to finally make a pick.
That selection was followed up by Decobie Durant, who is a small, speedy cornerback from a small school.
Kyren Williams is an intriguing pickup at the running back position with three-down capabilities.
On Day 3, the Rams went after more guys that most people putting together mock draft scenarios had never heard of, except for Derion Kendrick, who had a horrendous pre-draft workout.
On the surface, there’s very little to “love” about this Rams draft class, but they get an A+.
Why?
Because the Rams spent their top picks in this draft on quarterback Matthew Stafford and Von Miller, who helped deliver them a Super Bowl this past season.
Of course, it’s easy to look at draft selections and be underwhelmed, but the Rams rightfully put themselves up in a luxury mansion for the weekend after investing their draft picks the way they should be — in the most impactful players possible.