» Round 1: (No. 1 overall)
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma.

» Round 2: (No. 33)
Byron Murphy, CB, Washington; (No. 62)
Andy Isabella, WR, Massachusetts.

» Round 3: (No. 65)
Zach Allen, DE, Boston College.

» Round 4: (No. 103)
Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State.

» Round 5: (No. 139)
Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama.

» Round 6: (No. 174)
Keesean Johnson, WR, Fresno State; (No. 179)
Lamont Gaillard, C, Georgia.

» Round 7: (No. 248)
Joshua Miles, OT, Morgan State; (No. 249)
Michael Dogbe, DT, Temple; (No. 254)
Caleb Wilson, TE, UCLA.

There’s a time and place to discuss Arizona’s handling of
Josh Rosen, but this ain’t it. Could GM Steve Keim have done a better job shopping around last year’s No. 10 overall pick, thus allowing him to receive a better return on his (brief) investment? Quite possibly. But the moment the
Cardinals made the hyper-bold hire of Kliff Kingsbury, they owed it to the coach (and themselves) to go all in on the Air Raid. And despite what Kingsbury
initially tried to convince us, Rosen is not the ideal triggerman for this attack. But Murray sure could be. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner might be the most electric running quarterback we’ve seen enter the NFL since Michael Vick. More importantly, he’s a high-level passer who excels inside the pocket
and outside of structure. In addition to the absurd traditional passing numbers in his lone season as OU’s starter (69 percent completion rate, 42:7 TD-to-INT ratio, 11.6 yards per attempt), Murray posted the exact same Pro Football Focus grade as his predecessor in Norman,
Baker Mayfield. That guy’s game plays pretty well on Sundays, no? Keim also nabbed a cadre of new toys for Murray to play with: a speed merchant (Isabella), a towering playmaker (Butler) and a smooth route runner with great hands (Johnson). Add that trio to
Larry Fitzgerald and
Christian Kirk (Murray’s former teammate at Texas A&M), and Arizona’s poised to make a massive leap up the charts from last season’s 32nd-ranked passing attack. Defensively, the Cards nabbed a highly talented corner to stick opposite
Patrick Peterson (Murphy), a versatile D-lineman whose motor is always running hot (Allen) and a potential fifth-round steal at safety (Thompson).

» Round 1: (No. 15 overall)
Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State; (No. 26)
Montez Sweat, OLB, Mississippi State.

» Round 3: (No. 76)
Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State.

» Round 4: (No. 112)
Bryce Love, RB, Stanford; (No. 131)
Wes Martin, OG, Indiana.

» Round 5: (No. 153)
Ross Pierschbacher, OG, Alabama; (No. 173)
Cole Holcomb, LB, North Carolina.

» Round 6: (No. 206)
Kelvin Harmon, WR, N.C. State.

» Round 7: (No. 227)
Jimmy Moreland, CB, James Madison; (No. 253)
Jordan Brailford, OLB, Oklahoma State.

In the days leading up to the draft, there were
reports of
a division within
the Redskins’ war room, with owner Dan Snyder/president Bruce Allen holding prospect viewpoints that conflicted with many on the coaching/scouting staffs, particularly when it came to the potential QB targets at No. 15. Garafolo reported last Wednesday that Snyder was so hot on Haskins that
Washington could trade into the top five to secure the local prospect, who also just happened to go to school with Snyder’s son. Honestly, it felt like one of the NFL’s most capricious organizations was potentially headed for a draft-day debacle. But the ‘Skins exhibited unexpected patience and just let Haskins come to them. Then Washington
did make a move, vaulting up from No. 46 to No. 26 to land Sweat. Although the
Redskins had to give up their 2020 second-rounder in order to make the 20-slot leap, it felt like a savvy decision. A few weeks ago, no one expected Sweat,
the No. 5 overall player on Gil Brandt’s Hot 150, to be available in the 20s. But then
news of a heart condition surfaced and Sweat’s stock came into question. Well, on draft day, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that
Sweat might have been misdiagnosed. By the end of Round 1, the
Redskins had nabbed a pair of top-tier talents without using a top-10 pick or mortgaging the future to an absurd degree. As the draft continued to play out over the weekend, Washington added a number of enticing pieces, including burner receiver/special teams extraordinaire
Terry McLaurin, home-run-hitting RB
Bryce Love, contested-catch specialist
Kelvin Harmon and ball-magnet DB
Jimmy Moreland. Magnificent work,
Redskins — whoever was calling your shots.

» Round 1: (No. 19 overall)
Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State.

» Round 2: (51)
A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi.

» Round 3: (82)
Nate Davis, OG, North Carolina-Charlotte.

» Round 4: (116)
Amani Hooker, S, Iowa.

» Round 5: (168)
D’Andre Walker, OLB, Georgia.

» Round 6: (188)
David Long, LB, West Virginia.

The return on investment here could be bountiful. Simmons
had the second-highest grade of the 500-plus prospects Zierlein scouted this spring. Now, he might need a redshirt year after tearing his ACL in February (part of the reason he was still available at No. 19), but given his rare physical ability and upside, it seems that wise scouting minds won’t be surprised if he turns out to be the best player from this class. The idea of Simmons and
Jurrell Casey bringing the ruckus from the interior can’t be a pleasant thought for division rivals. A huge season awaits
Marcus Mariota, so good on Jon Robinson for adding another slot weapon in Brown, who seems like an excellent fit. Between
Corey Davis,
Adam Humphries,
Taywan Taylor and Brown, that receiving corps is starting to look sexy. Davis could be starting at guard within a year or two. The same goes for Hooker, an instinctive guy with some limitations when it comes to athletic traits. Walker and Long were nice values. Walker could make an immediate impact as a situational pass rusher, and, per Zierlein, an NFC executive had high praise for the highly productive Long: “I would rather have
David Long over
Devin Bush for a round or two discount. They have about the same size but Long is more productive and maybe less prone to injury.” All in all, this is a very promising group. It won’t be a surprise if Tennessee comes away with four or five starters from this bunch.

» Round 1: (No. 32 overall)
N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State.

» Round 2: (45)
Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt.

» Round 3: (77)
Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan; (87)
Damien Harris, RB, Alabama; (101)
Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia.

» Round 4: (118)
Hjalte Froholdt, OG, Arkansas; (133)
Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn.

» Round 5: (159)
Byron Cowart, DE, Maryland; (163)
Jake Bailey, P, Stanford.

» Round 7: (252)
Ken Webster, CB, Mississippi.

BREAKING: Bill Belichick knows how to collect talent. He did as fine a job of it as anyone in the 2019 draft, entering with a league-high 12 selections and leaving with 10 picks that are hard to quarrel with (… although we will in a second, because we don’t take the easy way out here). Harry isn’t the fastest or most explosive receiver, but he is a big, physical target who can be a go-to guy on third down and in the red zone. The team needed that in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement. Gil Brandt
called him a Michael Irvin type, and the former
Cowboys executive drafted Irvin back in ’88. He knows of what he speaks. However, the real work of art by New England in this draft lies in how it navigated the board for its next couple of picks. The Pats traded up to land a CB with rare size in Williams, and somehow Winovich fell into their lap in Round 3. Harris is a really solid addition who can pick up tough yards, catch the ball and pass-protect. Dante Scarnecchia will probably develop Cajuste into an All-Pro. Now, as for the quarreling — they didn’t pick a tight end, which was not surprising (it’s
so Belichick to not address the position that seems to be in such obvious need of addressing). However, it leaves the team with the rag-tag group of
Austin Seferian-Jenkins,
Stephen Anderson,
Matt LaCosse and
Ryan Izzo on the depth chart. Also, it’s not always advisable to spend a pick on a punter, but we’ll give New England the benefit of the doubt with the Bailey selection.

» Round 1: (No. 20 overall)
Noah Fant, TE, Iowa.

» Round 2: (41)
Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State; (42)
Drew Lock, QB, Missouri.

» Round 3: (71)
Dre’Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State.

» Round 5: (156)
Justin Hollins, OLB, Oregon.

» Round 6: (187)
Juwann Winfree, WR, Colorado.

Just when you all were ready to cast John Elway into the ether as a guy the game had passed by, he showed the football world he knows exactly what he’s doing. Sure,
Devin Bush would have been nice at No. 10, but trading down to Pick 20, collecting a couple selections from the
Steelers
and then landing Fant is some mighty fine maneuvering that deserves our respect and admiration. The
Broncos have a bunch of tight ends already, but none of them have the athletic ability of Fant, who will be
Joe Flacco‘s best friend (before he becomes Lock’s best bud later). Elway was just getting started, though. Coming back in Round 2 for Risner and Lock back-to-back? That’s good value! Those two might be handling the center-QB exchange for a decade, although it sounds like Risner will start off at right guard. He has experience at every spot on the offense line. The big-armed Lock slipped into Round 2, defying the conventional wisdom that highly touted QBs go higher than their talent warrants in the draft. The opposite took place here, and the
Broncos are the beneficiaries. His upside is tantalizing, but he certainly has issues to work out, from footwork to putting better touch on his throws, before he can be considered for the QB1 job. Flacco will keep the seat warm for him. The
Broncos flipped over to the defense in Round 3, where the highly athletic Jones was a nice find. Hollins provides depth at a position of strength and will get a chance to learn from
Von Miller and
Bradley Chubb.

» Round 1: (No. 22 overall)
Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State.

» Round 2: (No. 53)
Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State; (No. 57)
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford.

» Round 4: (No. 138)
Shareef Miller, DE, Penn State.

» Round 5: (167)
Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern.

What do you get for the roster that has everything? High-level depth, with an eye toward the near future. Dillard projects as an ideal 2020 replacement for 37-year-old
Jason Peters, who signed a one-year deal in March and could very well start his Canton countdown clock by retiring after the coming season. Not only that, but Dillard is a spectacular insurance policy for 2019 if Peters’ body really starts to break down — and he’ll likely get some spot duty, as Peters failed to finish a number of games last season. Sanders might’ve struck some as an unnecessary addition to a crowded backfield — at least, at first blush — but
Jordan Howard and
Wendell Smallwood are ticketed for unrestricted free agency in 2020, while
Corey Clement‘s in line to become a restricted FA. Not to mention, Doug Pederson clearly favors a fully loaded committee backfield. Sanders is a versatile RB without much wear, as he spent his first two seasons at Penn State backing up
Saquon Barkley and only logged 276 total college carries. This is the kind of pick that drives fantasy owners crazy, but the myriad options in Philly’s backfield will be a nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators, too. Arcega-Whiteside is a contested-catch wizard who’ll produce immediately over the middle of the field and in the red zone. He also injects youth into a position group that’s led by 29-year-old
Alshon Jeffery and 32-year-old
DeSean Jackson, with
Nelson Agholor in the last year of his rookie contract and
rumored to be on the trade block. Roseman made the fewest selections in the division (5), but Philly certainly got a lot of bang for the buck.

» Round 1: (No. 16 overall)
Brian Burns, DE, Florida State.

» Round 2: (No. 37)
Greg Little, OT, Mississippi.

» Round 3: (No. 100)
Will Grier, QB, West Virginia.

» Round 4: (No. 115)
Christian Miller, DE, Alabama.

» Round 5: (No. 154)
Jordan Scarlett, RB, Florida.

» Round 6: (No. 212)
Dennis Daley, OT, South Carolina.

» Round 7: (No. 237)
Terry Godwin, WR, Georgia.

Stop me if you’re heard this before … It’s a quarterback league. No, seriously, though:
Everything revolves around the position, as evidenced by the
Panthers‘ first three picks of this draft. Carolina snatched up Burns to pressure opposing quarterbacks — something he did quite well last season, leading all Power Five pass rushers with 69 pressures by Pro Football Focus’ count. Considering Carolina ranked 27th in sacks last year and Julius Peppers retired this offseason, the
Panthers need immediate returns from the No. 16 overall pick with the shotgun-blast get-off and bag o’ pass-rushing tricks. In Round 2, Carolina traded up and nabbed an athletic offensive tackle to protect its most valuable investment. The
Panthers must do everything to safeguard
Cam Newton, whose body has taken quite a beating over eight NFL campaigns, with the QB having just undergone his second shoulder surgery in three years. During his final two seasons at Ole Miss, Little allowed a grand total of 26 pressures over 993 pass-blocking snaps. (Even stats-hostile GM Marty Hurney’s
impressed by that figure!) Then in Round 3, Carolina snagged a backup quarterback in Grier. Remember a few sentences ago, when we discussed Newton’s unclean bill of health? Not the worst idea to upgrade the rest of the QB room. It’s a quarterback league, after all.

» Round 1: (No. 9 overall)
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston.

» Round 2: (38)
Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma.

» Round 3: (74)
Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic; (96)
Dawson Knox, TE, Mississippi.

» Round 5: (147)
Vosean Joseph, LB, Florida.

» Round 6: (181)
Jaquan Johnson, S, Miami.

» Round 7: (225)
Darryl Johnson, edge, North Carolina A&T; (228)
Tommy Sweeney, TE, Boston College.

The Oliver pick was, quite simply, one of the best selections in the entire draft. Bravo,
Bills. They shrewdly shifted their focus back to adding help for second-year QB
Josh Allen with the next three choices, building a very solid foundation to their draft class and a fine coda to what’s been a strong offseason for the front office. Ford was a first-round value early in Round 2, so the club traded up a couple spots for him, giving up just a fifth-rounder in the swap. (The
Bills had even considered trading back into Round 1 for him on Thursday night.) He has the versatility to start at guard or right tackle. Singletary’s timed speed didn’t help him during the evaluation process, but he’ll be a good complementary piece in a rotation that includes
LeSean McCoy,
Frank Gore and
T.J. Yeldon. Think
Kyle Rudolph when it comes to Knox,
per NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein. That’s the cherry on top of the team’s quality work in the first two days of the draft, and Buffalo added some promising depth on Day 3, including the speedy Joseph. Now, it would have been nice to throw another physical receiver with size into the mix —
Kelvin Harmon in Round 6, perhaps? — but all in all, this is a nice haul.

» Round 1: (No. 5 overall)
Devin White, LB, LSU.

» Round 2: (No. 39)
Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan.

» Round 3: (No. 94)
Jamel Dean, CB, Auburn; (No. 99)
Mike Edwards, S, Kentucky.

» Round 4: (No. 107)
Anthony Nelson, DE, Iowa.

» Round 5: (No. 145)
Matt Gay, K, Utah.

» Round 6: (No. 208)
Scott Miller, WR, Bowling Green State.

» Round 7: (No. 215)
Terry Beckner Jr., DT, Missouri.

The White selection was the least surprising pick of this draft. Any mock that
didn’t have the Bucs taking the LSU linebacker at No. 5 was produced by a Russian troll farm. What was at least mildly surprising, though, was Tampa Bay taking defensive players with its first five picks. Not saying this was the wrong approach — the bulk of this team’s needs were indeed on the defensive side of the ball — but those were the first five picks of the Bruce Arians era. We’re talkin’ Mr. No Risk It, No Biscuit here, an offensive guru through and through. That said, Tampa’s defense has been a mess for years, giving up the second-most points in the NFL last season, so Arians essentially didn’t have a choice. White is the obvious crown jewel — and one of the most widely approved prospects in this entire draft class — as a do-it-all middle linebacker who will become the heartbeat of this defense in short order. New defensive coordinator Todd Bowles likes long corners with press-man ability, so that’s what Jason Licht got him in Bunting and Dean. Bowles also relies heavily on safety versatility, seeking cerebral guys who can cover, play an aggressive enforcer role
and get after quarterbacks via the blitz. That’s basically the scouting report on Edwards. Nelson posted some impressive testing numbers at the combine, but the Iowa defensive end didn’t always display his athletic gifts on tape. As for drafting a kicker early in the fifth round? Well, at least it
wasn’t the second round.

» Round 1: (No. 11 overall)
Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama.

» Round 2: (52)
Drew Sample, TE, Washington.

» Round 3: (72)
Germaine Pratt, LB, N.C. State.

» Round 4: (104)
Ryan Finley, QB, N.C. State; (125)
Renell Wren, DT, Arizona State; (136)
Michael Jordan, OG, Ohio State.

» Round 6: (182)
Trayveon Williams, RB, Texas A&M; (210)
Deshaun Davis, LB, Auburn; (211)
Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma.

» Round 7: (223)
Jordan Brown, CB, South Dakota State.

Watching the
Steelers trade in front of them to land
Devin Bush — who would have been a good fit at a position of need — wasn’t an ideal start, but these
Bengals were resilient. They rebounded and put together a really nice haul, starting with Williams. The decision to re-sign
Bobby Hart seems a lot less offensive now that he can move into a backup role and Williams can start at right tackle. Williams might be even better at guard than he is at tackle, but they got a plug-and-play guy who’ll be a starter on the O-line for the next decade. That’s solid work.
Tyler Eifert is back on another one-year deal, but you can’t count on him to stay healthy, so the Sample pick makes sense, although it was probably a little early to take him. He’s likely to be much more effective as a blocker than receiver off the bat, but don’t sleep on his potential as a pass catcher. They finally turned their attention to the biggest area of need with the selection of Pratt, a former safety who’ll bring some thump to a division where you can never have enough of it at LB. It’s hard not to like what they did to start Day 3, adding Finley, Wren and Jordan in Round 4. If all three guys are starting within a couple years, I won’t be surprised, although Finley’s odds are a little longer than the other two (he’s a solid backup at worst, which would still make him a fine value). Williams and Anderson (if he can stay healthy) provide depth at a position where Cincinnati needed it following the release of
Mark Walton.

» Round 2: (No. 61 overall)
Taylor Rapp, S, Washington.

» Round 3: (No. 70)
Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis; (No. 79)
David Long, CB, Michigan; (No. 97)
Bobby Evans, OL, Oklahoma.

» Round 4: (No. 134)
Greg Gaines, DT, Washington.

» Round 5: (No. 169)
David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin.

» Round 7: (No. 243)
Nick Scott, S, Penn State; (No. 251)
Dakota Allen, LB, Texas Tech.

For the third straight draft, the
Rams didn’t make a first-round selection. L.A. actually came into Thursday night with the penultimate pick of the first round, but the
Rams traded out, kicking off a dizzying game of musical draft slots in which the organization didn’t make a single pick in one of its original spots until late in the fifth round. But it’s hard to argue with the draft class produced by Les Snead’s pick-swapping extravaganza. NFL scouts-turned-NFL.com draftniks Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks waxed poetic about Rapp throughout the entire pre-draft process, 40 time be damned! Jeremiah had Rapp as
his No. 39 overall player, while Brooks ranked the Washington product as
the second-best safety in the class. Snead got him near the end of Round 2. That’s a bona fide value pick for the secondary, and it wasn’t the only one! Long produced some eye-popping numbers, both as a player at Michigan and as a physical specimen at the combine. According to Pro Football Focus, the corner logged 595 coverage snaps during his three-year college career, giving up a grand total of 18 catches (on 60 targets) for 130 yards. Then in Indy, Long recorded the top marks in the three-cone drill (6.45) and the 20-yard shuttle (3.97), displaying the kind of next-level agility that comes in quite handy at the cornerback position. Snead got him midway through the third round, after eight other corners had already been picked. In Round 4, the
Rams hopped on Gaines, a 312-pound, high-motor plugger who enthusiastically takes on blocks and blows up running lanes. Sounds like a fine running mate for
Aaron Donald. On offense, Snead added quality depth in the backfield (Henderson’s the most explosive running back in this entire class) and the offensive line (Evans and Edwards were both three-year starters on stellar college O-lines). Prudent planning, considering
Todd Gurley‘s health and the offensive line’s offseason attrition (as well as
Andrew Whitworth‘s age). A center might’ve been nice, though.

» Round 1: (No. 25 overall)
Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma.

» Round 3: (85)
Jaylon Ferguson, OLB, Louisiana Tech; (93)
Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame.

» Round 4: (113)
Justice Hill, RB, Oklahoma State; (123)
Ben Powers, OG, Oklahoma; (127)
Iman Marshall, CB, USC.

» Round 5: (160)
Daylon Mack, DT, Texas A&M.

» Round 6: (197)
Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State.

Highly respectable start for Eric DeCosta in his first draft as GM in Baltimore, home to a team that got a lot faster on draft weekend. The
Ravens played things just right in the first round, trading down a few spots to pick up some extra draft capital and still landing Hollywood Brown, who has drawn comparisons to
DeSean Jackson due to his speed and size (weighs just 166 pounds). He’s the weapon this team needed to find to help second-year QB
Lamar Jackson. They didn’t stop there when it came to stocking up for their young signal-caller. Yeah, the track-team building continued.
Zierlein’s comp for Hill is
Phillip Lindsay. If the explosive RB lives up to that billing, he’ll be a perfect sidekick for
Mark Ingram in the backfield. Boykin isn’t twitchy like Hollywood or Hill, but he provides a nice balance as a pass catcher with size and length. Powers fits the
Ravens‘ mold as a rugged guard with nasty to his game. The team began to rebuild after an offseason of change on defense with the wildly productive Ferguson (FBS all-time leader in sacks with 45) seeing his slide come to an end in Round 3. He was once considered a potential first-rounder, but a disappointing offseason sullied his stock. Ferguson will be an interesting developmental pass rusher to watch. There’s a debate about whether Marshall is a better fit for corner or safety, but he was worth a shot in Round 4 as a guy who can contribute on special teams and possibly earn playing time in the secondary down the road. The lingering question is who will replace
C.J. Mosley at ILB — the
Ravens didn’t draft one, which was a bit surprising.

» Round 2: (No. 34 overall)
Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple; (49)
Ben Banogu, DE, TCU; (59)
Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State.

» Round 3: (89)
Bobby Okereke, LB, Stanford.

» Round 4: (109)
Khari Willis, S, Michigan State.

» Round 5: (144)
Marvell Tell, S, USC; (164)
E.J. Speed, LB, Tarleton State.

» Round 6: (199)
Gerri Green, edge, Mississippi State.

» Round 7: (240)
Jackson Barton, OT, Utah; (246)
Javon Patterson, C, Mississippi.

This strikes me as a really good (but not quite great) draft, although we’re probably unwise to question any decision by GM Chris Ballard after the way he nailed picks a year ago, paving the way for the team’s resurgence with a healthy
Andrew Luck. The
Colts picked up a second-round pick in next year’s draft by trading out of Round 1, and still landed a first-round value at No. 34 in Ya-Sin, one of the great names
and talents available in 2019. He has only season of FBS experience, having transferred from Presbyterian College as a graduate student, but with a little coaching, he could develop into a longtime quality starter. Banogu was a little bit of a head-scratcher because we thought he’d go a couple rounds later in the draft. But again, I’m no Chris Ballard. If Banogu adds a few more moves to his pass-rush arsenal, he could be a nice sub-package piece. It’s easy to envision Luck pitching Campbell the ball on jet sweeps that go for touchdowns. He adds a speedy element to Indy’s attack. Okereke, while lacking ideal size, has the range Ballard wants from his LBs. It made sense to look for safety help on Day 3, with
Clayton Geathers on a one-year deal. This was a solid haul that will look even better in a year or two if Banogu maxes out on his potential.

» Round 1: (No. 18 overall)
Garrett Bradbury, C, N.C. State.

» Round 2: (No. 50)
Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama.

» Round 3: (No. 102)
Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise State.

» Round 4: (No. 114)
Dru Samia, OG, Oklahoma.

» Round 5: (No. 162)
Cameron Smith, LB, USC.

» Round 6: (No. 190)
Armon Watts, DT, Arkansas; (No. 191)
Marcus Epps, S, Wyoming; (No. 193)
Olisaemeka Udoh, OT, Elon.

» Round 7: (No. 217)
Kris Boyd, CB, Texas; (No. 239)
Dillon Mitchell, WR, Oregon; (No. 247)
Olabisi Johnson, WR, Colorado State; (No. 250)
Austin Cutting, LS, Air Force.

Was there a more obvious first-round fit than Bradbury to the
Vikings? The uber-athletic center was born to play in
Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme.
Reach-blocking savvy? Check!
Second-level road-grading chops? Check-plus! Some question how the former tight end’s anchor will hold up at the NFL level, but he fared just fine in multiple games against Clemson’s dynamic DT duo of
Christian Wilkins and
Dexter Lawrence (the 13th and 17th overall picks of this draft). And given all of Mike Zimmer’s griping about the run game last season, it came as no surprise that GM Rick Spielman wasn’t done on this front, spending his third- and fourth-round picks on a running back and an offensive guard. Meanwhile, the second-round pick was interesting. Was Smith drafted to complement
Kyle Rudolph or
replace him? The veteran tight end is heading into the final year of his contract and trade rumors have been swirling. Smith lined up all over the field at Alabama, from inline to H-back to split out wide. But at 6-2 and 242 pounds, with a 4.63 40 to his name, Smith projects as a move tight end in the NFL. So it’s not hard to imagine the Vikes keeping their 29-year-old “Y” for another season. Lastly, seventh-round picks are undoubtedly low-yield lottery tickets, but keep an eye on Boyd and Mitchell, two talented guys who could have staying power.

» Round 1: (No. 29 overall)
L.J. Collier, DE, TCU.

» Round 2: (No. 47)
Marquise Blair, S Utah; (No. 64)
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Mississippi.

» Round 3: (No. 88)
Cody Barton, LB, Utah.

» Round 4: (No. 120)
Gary Jennings, WR, West Virginia; (No. 124)
Phil Haynes, OG, Wake Forest; (No. 132)
Ugo Amadi, CB, Oregon.

» Round 5: (No. 142)
Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington.

» Round 6: (No. 204)
Travis Homer, RB, Miami; (No. 209)
Demarcus Christmas, DT, Florida State.

» Round 7: (No. 236)
John Ursua, WR, Hawaii.

The
Seahawks entered draft week with a league-low four picks. They left Nashville with an 11-man draft class. That’s the kind of magic trick that demands a network television debunking. Or I can just quickly explain it here. (Sorry, John Schneider — your secrets
aren’t safe with me.) Seattle picked up valuable draft currency by
trading Frank Clark two days before the draft kicked off, and then the ‘Hawks executed seven of the NFL-record 40 draft-day trades. What kind of talent did Schneider and Co. net from
working the draft to its limits? The first-round selection of Collier addressed a massive need area, D-line. While he doesn’t possess any extraordinary athletic traits, the TCU product appears to be a high-floor base end who’ll immediately step into the starting lineup. And the 12s are undoubtedly embracing all those
Michael Bennett being tossed around. (We’ll see.) Wide receiver was another position that needed attention — especially with the news that
Doug Baldwin could be hanging it up — and the
Seahawks snagged a pair of big-bodied burners in Metcalf and Jennings. Neither is stylistically similar to Baldwin, who will leave massive shoes to fill if he does indeed retire, but it’s obviously wise to infuse the WR corps with some fresh talent. And with Metcalf and
Tyler Lockett on the field at the same time, Seattle will vertically stretch defenses into a different area code. Lastly, the ‘Hawks filled another hole at the safety position with Blair. OK, that’s not fair: Blair isn’t
Earl Thomas. Nobody is. But Seattle threw some valuable draft capital at the void created by Thomas’ free agency departure. Advertised as a nasty hitter with range, Blair projects as the kind of versatile safety Pete Carroll lives for.

» Round 1: (No. 13 overall)
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson.

» Round 3: (78)
Michael Deiter, OG, Wisconsin.

» Round 5: (151)
Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, Wisconsin.

» Round 6: (202)
Isaiah Prince, OT, Ohio State.

» Round 7: (233)
Chandler Cox, FB, Auburn; (234)
Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington.

The grade here is helped quite a bit by the acquisition of
Josh Rosen, which cost Miami just a late second-round pick (No. 62 overall) this year and a 2020 fifth-round selection. As you might have heard by now, it’s a low-risk deal with three years and about $6.4 million remaining on the former
Cardinals QB’s contract. Rosen still has plenty of upside and could go down as the steal of the 2019 draft. Oh, I also like everything about the Wilkins pick. Offering greatness on the field and off, the former Clemson DT fills one of the team’s many glaring needs and will energize new head coach Brian Flores’ defense. The
Dolphins couldn’t have asked for a better building block at No. 13. Deiter was a fine pick that makes plenty of sense. I’m not exactly in love with the rest of Miami’s draft, as Van Ginkel seems like a reach in Round 5. Hopefully Prince can use his length to become a quality right tackle. Given their widespread needs, the
Dolphins weren’t going to be able to check every box with one class, but there’s still a screaming need for more pass-rush help, even with the addition of Wilkins.

» Round 1: (No. 4 overall)
Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson; (24)
Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama; (27)
Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State.

» Round 2: (40)
Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson.

» Round 4: (106)
Maxx Crosby, DE, Eastern Michigan; (129)
Isaiah Johnson, CB, Houston; (137)
Foster Moreau, TE, LSU.

» Round 5: (149)
Hunter Renfrow, WR, Clemson.

» Round 7: (230)
Quinton Bell, DE, Prairie View A&M.

It’s still a couple years too early to tell if Jon Gruden is a genius or a silly man for dealing away
Khalil Mack and
Amari Cooper, but we all know the fate of his 2019 draft picks, the three first-rounders in particular, will play a huge role in history’s judgment of those decisions. It seems Gruden and Mayock did a nice job of setting a new foundation, although taking Ferrell at No. 4 was stunning, considering Kentucky’s
Josh Allen and Houston’s
Ed Oliver were still on the board (and might have been a better solution to the squad’s pass-rushing woes). I have no doubt that Ferrell will be a good player, but they might have passed on better players to play it safe. That’s odd whiplash from the way Gruden seems to have embraced rolling the dice in personnel decisions (maybe it’s the Mayock effect?). Anyhow, it’s hard not to like the Jacobs and Abram picks. That’s the top RB and safety in the draft. The Jacobs selection is looking especially handy with the news Wednesday that
Isaiah Crowell will miss the season
with a torn Achilles. Mullen fills a need, too, and should compete for a starting job. Oakland took a shot on a couple developmental pass rushers on Day 3 (meaning there’s still a need off the edge in the short term), but I like the Johnson and Renfrow picks a lot. I’m intrigued by the upside of Johnson, who played receiver for his first two seasons before switching to defense, and the likelihood that Renfrow will continue to be Mr. Clutch even while he looks more like Mr. Rogers.

» Round 1: (No. 12 overall)
Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan; (No. 21)
Darnell Savage, S, Maryland.

» Round 2: (No. 44)
Elgton Jenkins, C/OG, Mississippi State.

» Round 3: (No. 75)
Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M.

» Round 5: (No. 150)
Kingsley Keke, DE, Texas A&M.

» Round 6: (No. 185)
Ka’Dar Hollman, CB, Toledo; (No. 194)
Dexter Williams, RB, Notre Dame.

» Round 7: (No. 226)
Ty Summers, LB, TCU.

Gary was one of the most polarizing prospects in this class. Some people saw a 277-pounder who ran a 4.58 40-yard dash, oozing elite traits and untapped potential. Others saw an edge rusher who logged 10 sacks in three college seasons and was consistently overshadowed on the Michigan defense by
Devin Bush and
Chase Winovich. Count this draft grader among those in the latter group. But alas, the report card got a major boost from the next four picks! Savage, a hyper-rangy playmaker who flies
to the football and
through the ball carrier, is the perfect complement at safety to the more box-friendly
Adrian Amos. Jenkins played all across the offensive line at Mississippi State, but his professional home will be on the interior — an area where Green Bay definitely needed some help. Sternberger, who led all FBS tight ends with 10 touchdowns last season while averaging a whopping 17.3 yards per catch, looks like the mismatch weapon the Pack thought they were getting in
Jimmy Graham. And Keke, who showed flashes as a versatile D-lineman in College Station, is exactly the kind of raw, traitsy project that makes sense in Round 5.

» Round 1: (No. 28 overall)
Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame.

» Round 2: (60)
Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware.

» Round 3: (91)
Trey Pipkins, OT, Sioux Falls.

» Round 4: (130)
Drue Tranquill, LB, Notre Dame.

» Round 5: (166)
Easton Stick, QB, North Dakota State.

» Round 6: (200)
Emeke Egbule, OLB, Houston.

» Round 7: (242)
Cortez Broughton, DT, Cincinnati.

This is a solid haul for GM Tom Telesco. The
Chargers addressed one of their biggest needs with decent value in the tall and long Tillery, who should be a high-impact inside disruptor from Day 1 as long as he doesn’t encounter any issues in his return from the shoulder surgery he underwent before the draft. Adderley might be one of the weekend’s bigger bargains. He was a borderline first-round value
on Jeremiah’s board (ranked No. 34), yet the Bolts snagged him late in Round 2. With good range and ball skills, the former Blue Hen should be a fine complement at safety to last year’s first-rounder,
Derwin James. The
Chargers could use a right tackle who’s ready to play right now — better protection for
Philip Rivers is vital to this team’s success — but Pipkins is more of a developmental prospect as he transitions from Division II. Telesco continued to pull the trigger on high-upside types who might prove worth the investment in time on Day 3. Tranquill will have to make it as a core special-teamer at first, but he has a ”
beach-body build,” per Zierlein, so the ex-ND LB landed in the right place. It will be fun to see how L.A. utilizes Stick,
with Telesco not ruling out a Taysom Hill-like role for the former
Carson Wentz backup.

» Round 1: (No. 14 overall)
Christopher Lindstrom, OG, Boston College.

» Round 2: (No. 31)
Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington.

» Round 4: (No. 111)
Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio State; (No. 135)
John Cominsky, DE, Charleston (WV).

» Round 5: (No. 152)
Qadree Ollison, RB, Pittsburgh; (No. 172)
Jordan Miller, CB, Washington.

» Round 6: (No. 203)
Marcus Green, RB, Louisiana-Monroe.

Since turf toe sidelined him for a pair of games as a second-year pro back in 2009,
Matt Ryan hasn’t missed a single start. Counting the postseason, that’s 156 straight games for the Iceman. But seasons like 2018 — when the
Falcons couldn’t keep their franchise QB upright, as Ryan took the second-most sacks of his NFL career (42) — threaten to end the streak. Thomas Dimitroff knew this, making offensive line the priority of the entire offseason. After signing guards
Jamon Brown and
James Carpenter in free agency, the
Falcons GM scooped up a pair of O-linemen in Round 1 — only the fifth time that’s happened in the common draft era. Lindstrom and McGary are road graders, too, boosting an Atlanta ground game that ranked just 27th last season. Related note: The
Falcons also brought aboard Ollison, a power back who’ll compete for carries behind
Devonta Freeman and
Ito Smith. On the defensive side of the ball, Dimitroff spent a pair of fourth-round picks on traitsy projects: Sheffield’s a blazing-fast CB with unrefined coverage skills, while Cominsky’s a workout warrior who’ll need time to make the transition from Division II to the NFL.

» Round 2: (No. 46 overall)
Greedy Williams, CB, LSU.

» Round 3: (80)
Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU.

» Round 4: (119)
Sheldrick Redwine, S, Miami.

» Round 5: (155)
Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama; (170)
Austin Seibert, K, Oklahoma.

» Round 6: (189)
Drew Forbes, OG, Southeast Missouri.

» Round 7: (221)
Donnie Lewis, CB, Tulane.

This grade would be a C if it were based solely on the picks they made, but we’re taking the OBJ trade into account, which bumps it up. He was well worth the price of their first- and third-rounder (and Jabrill Peppers) this year. As for the picks, Williams was easily the best one Cleveland made. He was a first-round value in Round 2, so John Dorsey traded up a few spots to get the long, speedy CB, despite the concerns about whether he’ll be competitive enough in run support. If you would have told
Browns fans back in January that we’re going to take your top three picks and turn them into OBJ and
Greedy Williams, they would be ecstatic, to say the least. Aside from Greedy, though, we’re not sure there’s a starter in this bunch for Cleveland. It was a surprise to see Takitaki come off the board so early given his ups and downs in college and tweener traits, but he could become a core special-teamer and backup. We’re a little higher on the Redwine pick, which gave them a versatile guy who can also become a key cog on special teams. Wilson saw his stock plummet this offseason, but he could turn out to be a steal if he puts it all together. Seibert was the draft’s top kicker and could prove worthy of the pick. There’s just not a lot here to have major confidence in, but it bears repeating — OBJ!

» Round 2: (No. 58 overall)
Trysten Hill, DT, Central Florida.

» Round 3: (90)
Connor McGovern, OG, Penn State.

» Round 4: (128)
Tony Pollard, RB, Memphis.

» Round 5: (158)
Michael Jackson, CB, Miami; (No. 165)
Joe Jackson, DE, Miami.

» Round 6: (213)
Donovan Wilson, S, Texas A&M.

» Round 7: (218)
Mike Weber, RB, Ohio State; (No. 241)
Jalen Jelks, DE, Oregon.

The
Cowboys were widely ridiculed last October when, sitting at 3-4, they
sent their first-round pick to Oakland in exchange for
Amari Cooper. It was a move that smacked of senseless desperation. Or so we thought. Then Dallas went 7-2 down the stretch to nab their third division title in the past five years. Cooper undoubtedly gave the Dallas offense some much-needed juice at receiver, and the
Cowboys certainly don’t regret flipping a 1 for Cooper’s services, though it made them the only team in the division absent from last Thursday night’s proceedings. Maybe Dallas’ usage of that first-round pick — and the public whiplash that it spawned — is instructive when it comes to the assessment of the team’s second-round pick. Like Cooper’s tenure in Oakland,
Trysten Hill‘s career at Central Florida started out quite promising … before mysteriously descending. Hill started his first 26 games on campus, earning second-team All-AAC honors after his sophomore year. But after Scott Frost left for Nebraska, Hill fell out of favor with the new Josh Heupel-led coaching staff, starting just one game this past season while logging ample time in the doghouse. After barely playing in UCF’s Fiesta Bowl loss to LSU, Hill expressed his displeasure and — just hours later — declared for the NFL draft. When Dallas tapped at him 58th overall to help replace
the departed David Irving, many Twitter draftniks screamed “REACH!” But is this the Cooper situation all over again, where a healthy dose of critics will be forced to consume a hefty portion of crow? The ‘Boys say they
did their homework on Hill, and defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli appears smitten with the 6-foot-3, 308-pound disruptor. Getcha popcorn ready!*

*Yep, T.O.
dusted off his decade-old catchphrase while announcing a pick over the weekend, so this hack writer will lazily follow suit.

» Round 2: (No. 48 overall)
Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M.

» Round 4: (No. 105)
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida.

» Round 6: (No. 177)
Saquan Hampton, S, Rutgers.

» Round 7: (No. 231)
Alize Mack, TE, Notre Dame; (No. 244)
Kaden Elliss, LB, Idaho.

Although the
Saints lacked a first-round pick — thanks to last year’s draft-day trade for
Marcus Davenport — they did a fine job addressing their most pressing need.
The unexpected retirement of Pro Bowler Max Unger back in March left a gaping hole at center. New Orleans signed OG/C
Nick Easton in free agency, but his presence clearly didn’t put the pivot question to bed. And on Friday night, the
Saints vaulted up from No. 62 to 48 in order to draft McCoy. Ranked as the No. 2 center prospect and a top-40 overall player
by Daniel Jeremiah and
Gil Brandt, McCoy appears to be the total package at center, combining premium athleticism with a sturdy anchor. According to PFF, he allowed one sack during his entire Texas A&M career, spanning 1,445 pass-block snaps. A couple rounds later, New Orleans picked up Gardner-Johnson, a Swiss Army Knife DB who was projected to be long gone by Day 3. Despite the fact that Sean Payton, Mickey Loomis and Jeff Ireland entered last weekend with the least draft capital in the division, the
Saints came away with two players who could be major contributors in Year 1.

» Round 1: (No. 3 overall)
Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama.

» Round 3: (68)
Jachai Polite, DE, Florida; (92)
Chuma Edoga, OT, USC.

» Round 4: (121)
Trevon Wesco, TE, West Virginia.

» Round 5: (157)
Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota.

» Round 6: (196)
Blessuan Austin, CB, Rutgers.

There was a lot of talk about the
Jets‘ interest in trading down from No. 3 heading into the draft, but general manager Mike Maccagnan ultimately stayed there and smashed one over the fence by playing it safe with Williams. Some viewed him as the draft’s top prospect. He could be dominant playing alongside
Leonard Williams. Maccagnan did the opposite of playing it safe in Round 3, adding a pair of boom-or-bust types. Polite was considered a likely first-round pick back in January, but a poor offseason, including a disastrous NFL
Scouting Combine, sank the pass rusher’s stock. If defensive coordinator Gregg Williams finds a way to maximize his potential, we’ll look back at this pick as a steal. As for the undersized Edoga, the questions are tied to his strength, maturity and durability,
per Zierlein. If he can put it all together, he should become a successful starter. Wesco can help right away as a blocker, but it could take some time before he’s a reliable factor as a pass catcher, and Cashman is a decent find as a backup/special-teamer. I’m intrigued by Austin’s sleeper potential and like the idea of taking a flyer on him in Round 6.

» Round 1: (No. 7 overall)
Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky.

» Round 2: (35)
Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida.

» Round 3: (69)
Josh Oliver, TE, San Jose State; (98)
Quincy Williams, LB, Murray State.

» Round 5: (140)
Ryquell Armstead, RB, Temple.

» Round 6: (178)
Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State.

» Round 7: (235)
Dontavius Russell, DT, Auburn.

The
Jaguars had me but then they lost me. I don’t think Duval County could have dreamed up a better start than having Allen fall to them in Round 1 only to have Taylor drop into their laps in Round 2. This is the stuff A+ drafts are made of. Allen, the consensus No. 3 player in the draft, went seventh because some teams drafting ahead of Jacksonville got cute, and Taylor’s slide was one of the biggest mysteries of draft weekend, with chatter of knee issues floating about the interwebs. GM Dave Caldwell says there are
no major concerns about Taylor’s health (are there minor ones?), so, yippee! I think. Anyway, this squad got Jeremiah’s No. 2 OT in the draft with the 35th pick, and Allen has the makings of a Pro Bowler off the edge. Then things got weird in Round 3. I understand wanting to bring in a tight end who can catch the ball, as it was certainly a need and Oliver can do that, but why not go with Texas A&M’s
Jace Sternberger — the more highly regarded pass-catching tight end by Zierlein and many others — if they were set on addressing the position? It seems they could have gotten better value out of that pick. The selection of
Quincy Williams — brother of No. 3 overall pick
Quinnen Williams — caught many by surprise. He’ll either become one of the draft’s biggest steals — he has
some fun highlights — or biggest reaches. We have to wonder if Jacksonville could have gotten him much later. Those third-rounders bring down the grade here. Armstead is a downhill runner who will fit right in with
Leonard Fournette‘s style, although we wouldn’t have minded seeing them fill the need at the position earlier with a player who would have brought a more diverse skill set to the table (
Darrell Henderson in Round 3, for example). Minshew will probably be a serviceable 10-year backup in the league. He can develop and learn behind
Nick Foles. There’s a lot to like (and not like) here.

» Round 1: (No. 10 overall)
Devin Bush, LB, Michigan.

» Round 3: (66)
Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo; (83)
Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State.

» Round 4: (122)
Benny Snell, RB, Kentucky.

» Round 5: (141)
Zach Gentry, TE, Michigan.

» Round 6: (175)
Sutton Smith, OLB, Northern Illinois; (192)
Isaiah Buggs, DT, Alabama; (207)
Ulysees Gilbert, LB, Akron.

» Round 7: (219)
Derwin Gray, OT, Maryland.

This draft started with a bang for Pittsburgh and kind of petered out after that, with some interesting swings along the way. I like the idea of identifying a massive need, finding a fit and then doing whatever it takes to land your target. That’s exactly what Kevin Colbert did by trading up 10 spots for Bush. There was such a dramatic dropoff at the position after
Devin White (the fifth overall pick) and Bush that the team felt the Michigan Man was the guy they had to get. Good call. They turned the picks they acquired in the
Antonio Brown trade into Johnson and Gentry. I’m not feeling super great right now about the payoff for one of the greatest receivers of our time, but given Colbert’s track record, it won’t be surprising if he’s found another gem or two between the two of them.
Zierlein’s comp for Johnson is former Steeler
Emmanuel Sanders. Gentry’s an intriguing player due to his combination of size (6-8) and athleticism, but drops have been an issue for him. Now, there’s plenty to like about the Layne and Snell picks. Layne was a great value in Round 3, and Snell is a perfect fit for the Steel City as a power back who can pound the rock between the tackles. The defenders they took flyers on in Round 6 don’t have athletic traits that are going to generate a lot of excitement, but they were highly productive college players.

» Round 2: (No. 56 overall)
Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia; (63)
Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia.

» Round 3: (84)
Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois.

» Round 6: (201)
Rashad Fenton, CB, South Carolina; (214)
Darwin Thompson, RB, Utah State.

» Round 7: (216)
Nick Allegretti, OG, Illinois.

The
Chiefs were without a first-round pick after sending it to Seattle in the
Frank Clark trade. I’m still befuddled by the decision to invest
major draft capital and a massive long-term deal in Clark rather than sticking with
Dee Ford, who had received the franchise tag. Clark will have to prove to be a major upgrade over Ford for that price to seem reasonable, and it’s just not a move I would have made. I did like the team’s first three picks, though. Hardman fills a glaring need given the uncertainty surrounding
Tyreek Hill’s future in the NFL. Hardman is raw, but he has the field-stretching speed Kansas City is going to need.
Zierlein wrote in his scouting report that Hardman “could develop into a lesser version of
Tyreek Hill with his playmaking potential after the catch, on deep balls and as a returner.” Thornhill can play corner or safety, and the
Chiefs will be able to move him all over the field, giving them a pair feisty ballhawks with the Honey Badger in tow. Saunders is one of our favorite players in the draft —
the 324-pound man does a mean backflip — and should fit nicely into Steve Spagnuolo’s rotation up front.

» Round 1: (No. 2 overall)
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State.

» Round 2: (No. 36)
Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina.

» Round 3: (No. 67)
Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor.

» Round 4: (No. 110)
Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah.

» Round 5: (No. 148)
Dre Greenlaw, LB, Arkansas.

» Round 6: (No. 176)
Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford; (No. 183)
Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt; (No. 198)
Tim Harris, CB, Virginia.

San Francisco fans who spent the back half of last season rooting for losses — do we still call them Niner Faithful? — were NOT pleased when
Nick Mullens quarterbacked the team to back-to-back December wins, dropping the
49ers out of the No. 1 overall pick. Fortunately, San Francisco still ended up with the No. 2 pick — and seeing how Arizona ended up taking a quarterback (a position the Jimmy Garoppolo-led Niners had no interest in), John Lynch was ultimately able to select the top player on his board. Hard to argue with the Bosa pick. San Francisco had already used three straight first-round picks on interior D-lineman from 2015-17, which sapped the allure of
Quinnen Williams. And thinking about the
49ers‘ defensive front — with Bosa rushing off one edge,
Dee Ford off the other and
DeForest Buckner coming up the gut — it’s safe to assume San Francisco won’t rank 22nd in sacks again. So, yeah, kind of a no-brainer at No. 2 overall. The
49ers‘ second-round pick of
Deebo Samuel made a ton of sense, as well. San Francisco lacked this kind of catch-and-run weapon. Deebo and Kyle Shanahan will make sweet music together. But after the first two picks, the
49ers‘ draft went in ways that I don’t entirely understand. Hurd, who initially starred at running back for Tennessee before transferring to Baylor and transitioning to wide receiver, feels like the kind of gimmick player who’s a lot better in concept than reality. Then San Francisco spent an early fourth-rounder on a punter. With
apologies to Rich Eisen, this does not seem like the best usage of draft capital. Think you let your jealousy of Seattle’s leg cannon (Michael Dickson) get the best of you, Mr. Lynch. The Niners came into this draft with a crying need for secondary help, yet they didn’t draft a DB until their final pick. There was plenty of CB/S talent available when Lynch got cute in Rounds 3 and 4.

» Round 3: (No. 73 overall)
David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State.

» Round 4: (No. 126)
Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia.

» Round 6: (No. 205)
Duke Shelley, CB, Kansas State.

» Round 7: (No. 222)
Kerrith Whyte, RB, Florida Atlantic; (No. 238)
Stephen Denmark, CB, Valdosta State.

Tied for the lowest number of picks in this year’s draft (five), Chicago didn’t get on the clock until Round 3 because of last year’s blockbuster trade for
Khalil Mack and a 2018 draft-day move for
Anthony Miller. (By the way, those two players aren’t factored into this grade, as this feels like an exercise in exploring the
new talent joining the fray. I’m sure
Bears fans are just fine with
Khalil Mack, as opposed to a first-round pick that could’ve boosted this wildly subjective grade.) Having
traded Jordan Howard in March,
Bears GM Ryan Pace got a promising replacement by moving up 14 spots for Montgomery, the No. 2 running back in the class according to both
Daniel Jeremiah and
Bucky Brooks. A rock-solid rusher with a well-rounded game, Montgomery led college football last season in forced missed tackles, per PFF. The
Bears‘ only other pick in the top five rounds was another weapon for third-year QB Mitch Trubisky. Like his older brother, Calvin,
Riley Ridley is known for precise route running. Unlike his older brother, Riley didn’t rack up premium college production and didn’t post a 40-yard dash in the 4.4s.

» Round 1: (No. 8 overall)
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa.

» Round 2: (No. 43)
Jahlani Tavai, LB, Hawaii.

» Round 3: (No. 81)
Will Harris, S, Boston College.

» Round 4: (No. 117)
Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson.

» Round 5: (No. 146)
Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State.

» Round 6: (No. 184)
Travis Fulgham, WR, Old Dominion; (No. 186)
Ty Johnson, RB, Maryland.

» Round 7: (No. 224)
Isaac Nauta, TE, Georgia; (No. 229)
P.J. Johnson, DT, Arizona.

Over the past 11 NFL drafts, 10 tight ends have been selected in the first round, including three by Detroit: Brandon Pettigrew (No. 20 overall in 2009),
Eric Ebron (No. 10 in 2014) and now Hockenson (No. 8). Pettigrew and Ebron didn’t quite work out as planned. (Not sure if you’re aware of this,
Lions fans, but Ebron was taken three picks before
Aaron Donald and two before
Odell Beckham Jr. Wild, right??!) So you can understand why a healthy dose of Detroiters appear diametrically opposed to hitting the position again in Round 1, particularly in the top 10. They don’t want to hear about how the reigning Mackey Award winner’s all-around game can boost the
Lions‘ offense via the pass
and run. They don’t want to be told that Daniel Jeremiah had Hockenson as
the fourth-best prospect in the entire draft class, with Gil Brandt ranking him
sixth. They just want to instinctively shout those three pejorative words:
Same. Old. Lions. And when the franchise follows up a first-round tight end with a second-round linebacker
NOBODY saw coming, the SOLs fly fast and furious. Look,
Lions fans are wounded animals, following a franchise that’s logged one playoff win since 1957. Give them some space. Or throw them a bone, like … I think getting Oruwariye in the fifth round could end up being one of the steals of this draft.

» Round 1: (No. 23 overall)
Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State.

» Round 2: (54)
Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky; (55)
Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois.

» Round 3: (86)
Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State.

» Round 5: (161)
Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas.

» Round 6: (195)
Xavier Crawford, CB, Central Michigan.

» Round 7: (220)
Cullen Gillaspia, FB, Texas A&M.

We’re all in agreement that the
Texans
had to make protecting
Deshaun Watson the focus of their draft after he was sacked a league-high 62 times last season. Unfortunately, the
Eagles knew that, too, and beat Houston to the punch. Yes, Philly traded one spot ahead of the
Texans in Round 1 to land the draft’s top tackle,
Andre Dillard. That stings, and Houston should have seen it coming. The
Texans could have traded up for Dillard and no one would have argued with spending a little extra draft capital to fill such a monumental need, but instead they ended up with what seems like a reach in Howard at No. 23 — he was ranked as the 50th-best prospect by both
Jeremiah and
Brandt. You like the upside with Howard, a former quarterback (
yes, really), but you just wonder about the value. Bill O’Brien has to hope the Alabama State product and second-rounder Scharping develop and do so more quickly than some expect or this draft could go down as an epic fail. That said, I like the Johnson and Warring picks. Johnson’s size and length are his calling card. He had a great
Senior Bowl week. Warring is going to need some time to acclimate and work on his blocking, but his athletic traits are tantalizing. Omenihu was a nice value in the fifth round. I’m puzzled and intrigued by this group.

» Round 1: (No. 6 overall)
Daniel Jones, QB, Duke; (No. 17)
Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson; (No. 30)
Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia.

» Round 3: (95)
Oshane Ximines, OLB, Old Dominion.

» Round 4: (108)
Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame.

» Round 5: (143)
Ryan Connelly, LB, Wisconsin; (No. 171)
Darius Slayton, WR, Auburn.

» Round 6: (180)
Corey Ballentine, CB, Washburn.

» Round 7: (232)
George Asafo-Adjei, OT, Kentucky; (No. 245)
Chris Slayton, DT, Syracuse.

By now, you’ve heard more than enough about the
Daniel Jones pick elsewhere. Here’s my succinct takeage: The
Giants definitely should’ve waited until No. 17 (at least) to scoop him up. Speaking of No. 17, the
Giants‘ decision there was another head-scratcher. Yes, I know Lawrence is the hog molliest of the hog mollies, checking in at 6-4 and a whopping 342 pounds, so Dave Gettleman’s attraction is predictable. But run-stuffing DTs with minimal pass-rushing production (10 sacks in three years at Clemson, including just 3.5 over the past two seasons) aren’t valued like they used to be. And even if you acknowledge Lawrence’s potential growth in this area, given his freakish athleticism for a man of his size, his placement on this roster appears somewhat redundant. Over the previous two drafts, New York spent top-70 picks on DTs
Dalvin Tomlinson and
B.J. Hill, and both players have provided positive returns. Could all three start in James Bettcher’s 3-4 defense? Maybe. But where will the unit turn for edge pressure? The
Giants waited until late in the third round to address that pressing need, taking a slight-framed, small-school star in Ximines. One need area Big Blue hit hard: cornerback. The
Giants traded back into the first round to make Baker the first CB off the board. The Georgia product acquitted himself quite well over four years in the SEC, but the pre-draft pageant didn’t go nearly as swimmingly. Immediately following the pick, Daniel Jeremiah echoed the sentiments that have dogged Baker over the past few months: “This is somebody, on tape and the film, (who) was clearly the best corner in this year’s draft class.
Did not have a great process going through the spring, in terms of some of the workouts, the combine and (I) heard from folks that met with him, it didn’t go as well as you’d hope, but the ability is outstanding.”
Giants fans who are still shook from the
Eli Apple experience could use a hug right about now. That said, Love might end up being a steal in Round 4 — the 12th cornerback off the board was a finalist for the 2018 Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football’s top defensive back (which, by the way, went to Baker). So that’s a positive note! But this class’ grade is a reflection of the uncertainty surrounding Gettleman’s big-picture planning, which is hazy at best, crazy at worst.