NFC Draft Grades

Click here for 2015 AFC Draft Grades

Arizona Cardinals: B-
Best Pick: David Johnson, RB, N. Iowa(3rd round) --Johnson isn't the bruiser between the tackles the team was looking for, but he is a big back that can run and catch the football. There are some similarities to Matt Forte, and with Andre Ellington needing some help staying fresh, Johnson is an excellent pick. He will play early and make an impact.
Keep an eye on: Shaquillie Riddick, OLB, West Virginia(5th round). --An FCS All American at Gardner-Webb before he transferred to West Virginia last year, Riddick is all upside. He is long and lean, but is athletic with the burst upfield to make an impact as a pass rusher off the edge for the Cardinals. He will need time to add some strength and bulk to his frame, but the skills are there to make an impact in the NFL.
Overall: DJ Humphries is a solid pick in the first round, and after years of poor blocking up front, the Cards have put together an excellent collection of talent on the offensive line. Markus Golden(2nd round) is a bit of a reach and may lack the athleticism to stand up in a 34 defense but he will provide depth. RB Johnson(3rd round) was a great pick, matching need and value. Shaquille Riddick(5th round) is a bit of a project, but he had seven sacks despite limited playing time in the first half of the season after transferring in from the FCS level. He has real upside.

Atlanta Falcons: A
Best Pick: Vic Beasley, DE/LB, Clemson(1st round). --When selecting in the top ten, your first pick should be your best pick. Beasley is a game changer off the edge, something the Falcons have been looking for for years. Even at 8, it was an excellent value pick. He's the best pass rusher in the draft.
Keep an eye on: Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana(3rd round). --The Falcons are looking for a lead back and found it in the third in Coleman. He is a big play back with good receiving ability, and may be in line for 20 touches a game as a rookie.
Overall: The Falcons nailed this draft, and could have four contributors as rookies with their first four picks. Beasley is exactly what they were looking for off the edge, and Jalen Collins(2nd round) is the type of DB that can thrive in Dan Quinn's defense. RB Coleman(3rd round) was a steal in the third. WR Justin Hardy(4th round) is an ideal slot receiver, and with a veteran QB and big play receivers flanking him, he could step in and make an impact early on. DT Grady Jarrett(5th round) provides depth, and 7th rounders DB Akeem King and OT Jake Rodgers have long term potential. Great draft.

Carolina Panthers: D+
Best Pick: Darryl Williams, OL, Oklahoma(4th round. --The Panthers needed offensive line help badly and didn't get any help until the fourth round. Williams is big, strong, and physical and could immediately help inside at guard. Long term he might be able to play right tackle.
Keep an eye on: Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn(5th round). --Jonathan Stewart isn't the most durable back in the world, and the Panthers lack depth behind him. Artis-Payne has surprising speed for his build, and can turn the corner consistently. He's a downhill runner that isn't afraid of finishing runs, and if pressed into action as a rookie, should acclimate himself pretty well.
Overall: The Panthers stubbornly ignored the offensive line with their first two picks, while also failing to add some speed and playmaking ability to their receiving corps. Some teams draft based on need, others on best player available. The Panthers seemingly did neither with most of their picks. LB Shaq Thompson is a playmaker at LB but was a reach in the first round. Devin Funchess is a solid talent, but has a lot of similarities to last year's top pick, WR Kelvin Benjamin. A quicker, faster WR was the bigger need. OL Williams in the fourth was solid value and he will be forced to help right away, which may not be a good thing. Some talent was added, but the Panthers needed more.

Chicago Bears: A
Best Pick: Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida St(2nd round). --Goldman was arguably the best player available and filled a huge need. The Bears lacked key personnel to handle their switch to a 34 defense, one of which was a nose tackle. Goldman is a load in the middle and can step right in and fill that role from day one.
Keep an eye on: Adrian Amos, S, Penn St(6th round). --The safety position has been a problem for the Bears in recent years. Some upgrades have been made, but Amos gives them depth and upside with his size, athleticism, and range in coverage.
Overall: The Bears may have landed three rookie starters with their first three picks, and improved depth at RB with Jeremy Langford(4th round) and at safety with Amos in the sixth. Kevin White will add more big play ability than Brandon Marshall, while Goldman and 3rd round C Hroniss Grasu are great picks on the both sides of the line.

Dallas Cowboys: C
Best Pick: Byron Jones, DB, UConn(1st round). --Jones blew up the combine with his athletic prowess, and became a hot commodity. He can play corner or safety, and will play right away, filling a big need for the Cowboys.
Keep an eye on: Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska(2nd) --Gregory was the biggest story of players drafted this year. His fall is related to character and some speculated mental issues. Whatever the case, he's a top ten talent obtained near the end of the second round. Even if he is just a situational pass rusher, this is a great pick.
Overall: The Cowboys landed two playmakers with big time upside with their first two picks, but there was a lot left to be desired with the rest of the draft. OL Chaz Green(3rd round) provides depth, but that may be it. The decision to not select a running back may come back to haunt the Cowboys. As reliant as they were on the run last year, to not add a player in this deep RB class was a mistake.

Detroit Lions: C+
Best Pick: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska(2nd round). --With Reggie Bush moving on, the team needed some speed out of the backfield. Adbullah brings many of the same traits as Bush, just in a much younger package.
Keep an eye on: Corey Robinson, OL, South Carolina(7th round). --Robinson is a massive frame with surprising agility, but needs some refinement. He played left tackle in college, but won't in the pros. He has the skills to play right tackle, or could move inside to guard.
Overall: Laken Tomlinson is a solid player, but a reach in the first round. Abdullah(2nd round) will provide an impact right away. CB Alex Carter(3rd round) and DT Gabe Wright(4th round) provide depth at need positions. 7th round OT Corey Robinson has more upside than your typical 7th rounder.

Green Bay Packers: B+
Best Pick: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA(5th round). --Hundley has starting talent and work ethic. He didn't develop as expected at UCLA, but he also did not have much in the way of help. Playmakers at the skill positions and talent on the offensive line just were not there. The ability to sit and learn behind Aaron Rodgers is the perfect situation.
Keep an eye on: Jake Ryan, ILB, Michigan(4th round). --Ryan has the ability to play inside or out, but will definitely play inside for the Pack. This is a team that needed ILB help badly, and Ryan will provide it. He's a hard worker with surprising speed, and may help out earlier than expected.
Overall: The Packers improved their secondary with their first two selections, S Damarious Randall(1st round) and CB Quinten Rollins(2nd round). It's hard to argue with the Packers ability to identify and develop WR talent, and Ty Montgomery(3rd round) is a playmaker. LB Ryan(4th round) is immediate depth at a need spot, and QB Hundley(5th round) is a tremendous developmental QB prospect.

Minnesota Vikings: A
Best Pick: Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA(2nd round) --Some had Kendricks going in the late first, but he's excellent value in the mid second. He's a day one starter.
Keep an eye on: TJ Clemmings, OT, Pitt(4th round). --Clemmings has the talent to play every spot up front but center. He'll need time at tackle, but is guard ready. Some injury concerns pushed him down boards, but even if he was forced to sit out an entire year, he's well worth a day three selection.
Overall: CB Trae Waynes(1st round) and LB Kendricks(2nd round) are immediate starters. DE Danielle Hunter(3rd round) has big time upside, as does 4th round OL Clemmings. Both could be starters down the road. The 5th round provided the team with depth and upside with TE MyCole Pruitt and WR Stefon Diggs.

New Orleans Saints: B
Best Pick: PJ Williams, CB, Florida St(3rd round). --Williams has the skills to be a starting corner or free safety in the NFL. For a team that has struggled to find secondary talent in recent years, that versatility is a boost. He slid a bit for some off the field concerns, but the talent is real.
Keep an eye on: Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado St(3rd round). --He isn't going to blow you away physically, but neither does Drew Brees. Learning under Sean Payton and Drew Brees is the perfect place for Grayson to develop his skills. He is the heir apparent to Brees.
Overall: After trading Jimmy Graham, the Saints had two picks to work with the in the first round. OT Andrus Peat was a decent selection, as was ILB Stephone Anthony. OLB Hau'oli Kikaha(2nd round) led the nation in sacks, but some questions around his athleticism and health of his knees clouded his draft stock. QB Grayson and CB Williams provide depth and upside out of the third round.

New York Giants: B
Best Pick: Landon Collins, S, Alabama(2nd round). --The Giants traded up to the top pick on day two to select Collins. Collins is the draft's top safety, and had no business falling out of the first round. He's a leader, a force against the run, and underrated in coverage.
Keep an eye on: Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA --Odighizuwa has the size, speed, and motor to be an impact defensive lineman. There are some questions about the health of his hips, as well as his flexibility on the field, but in the third round, he's a great pick. At worst, he's a valuable reserve but there is legit starting potential there.
Overall: Ereck Flowers(1st round) gives them a new starting RT in week one, and could be the future at left tackle. Collins was a great pick in the second, and Odighizuwa was good value in the third. That's really all the draft consisted of, as the day three picks are roster filler at best.

Philadelphia Eagles: B
Best Pick: Eric Rowe, DB, Utah(2nd round) --Many expected Rowe to hear his name called in round one, so the Eagles were elated to find him in the middle of round two. His ability to play corner or safety fills one of the Eagles biggest needs.
Keep an eye on: JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas(4th round). --Shepherd has the athleticism and ball skills to be a playmaker in the NFL. Hes a former wide receiver with only two years experience at corner, but he's taken to the position quickly and has big time upside.
Overall: WR Nelson Agholor(1st round) adds much needed playmaking to the WR unit, and 2nd round DB Eric Rowe is a versatile threat in the secondary. Depth at CB was a necessity in the draft, and after Rowe, the Eagles landed Shepherd in the fourth.

San Francisco 49ers: C+
Best Pick: Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia(3rd round). --Harold is a a top 40 talent drafted outside the top 75. He will start one day and be a force off the edge. Excellent value pick.
Keep an eye on: Busta Anderson, TE, South Carolina(7th round). --Anderson has the athleticism and speed to be a real threat as a receiving tight end at the next level. He's had some trouble staying healthy, and needs to bulk up, but has the athletic traits you cannot teach.
Overall: The 9ers added some talent, but much of it carrying the dreaded potential tag. 1st round DL Arik Armstead is an athletic freak but the on field production does not match up. 2nd round S Jaquiski Tartt is a hitter with great size, but is making the league from the FCS level. Day three added some long term potential and depth to the roster. TE's Blake Bell(4th round) and Anderson(7th round) are projects, but have the tools. RB Mike Davis(4th round) may need to battle to stay in shape, but he's a productive runner between the tackles that fits the system well.

Seattle Seahawks: C+
Best Pick: Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas St(3rd round). --The Seahawks have not had much playmaking ability at WR in recent years, especially after Golden Tate left town. Lockett has the big play ability as a receiver and return man to add another dimension to the offense.
Keep an eye on: Obum Gwacham, DE, Oregon St(6th round) --Pete Carroll loves trying to mold players with athletic tools into football players, and he has a perfect specimen in Gwacham. He's a former WR and track athlete that has off the charts athleticism for a defensive end. With just one season on the defensive line, he's a major project, but one with major upside.
Overall: The Seahawks traded their first rounder for Jimmy Graham, but that isn't a part of this evaluation. They reached on character risk DE Frank Clark(2nd round), although he has some talent. WR Lockett(3rd round) was a great pick. Day three improved depth on the offensive line(Terry Poole and Mark Glowinski in the 4th round) and added upside picks on defense(5th round CB Tye Poole, 6th round DE Gwacham, and 7th round S Ryan Murphy).

St. Louis Rams: C
Best Pick: Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia(1st round). --Gurley comes with some questions, as he's recovering from an ACL injury. Durability is a real question mark, but on the field, he is a beast. He's a workhorse and a playmaker. Once healthy, he will be the man the offense is built around.
Keep an eye on: Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor(7th round). --Hager does not have imposing size, but he has a nose for the football. With the talent the Rams have on the defensive line, he'll get the protection he needs up front to fly to the football.
Overall: The Rams clearly wanted to upgrade their run game. Gurley is an elite talent, but does come with a bit of risk. OT Rob Havenstein(2nd round) and OG Jamon Brown(3rd round) fill need spots on the offensive line, but both were small reaches. QB Sean Mannion(3rd round) gives the team some depth but is yet another reach. He can throw the football, but lacks mobility and makes questionable decisions with the ball. Day three may saw some depth on the offensive line, but not much expectation with the picks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
Best Pick: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida St(1st round) --Winston was the top overall pick, so that has to be their best pick. He's the second best QB on my board, but he does fit the Bucs offense better than Marcus Mariota. As long as his head is on straight, he's the franchise QB the team has been looking for.
Keep an eye on: Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart(2nd round). --Marpet might have been a slight reach in the second, considering the jump he is making but he was the teams best selection on the offensive line on the day. He's athletic, tough, intelligent and versatile. There may be some bumps out of the gate jumping from Division III, but he'll get going quickly.
Overall: The Bucs were sold on Winston for months, despite his obvious risks. The talent is real, but so are the character concerns. OT Donovan Smith(2nd round) is talented, but doesn't always battle. OG Marpet(2nd round) has the attitude Smith does not. Day three landed the Bucs two developmental WR's in Kenny Bell(5th round) and Kaelin Clay(6th round). This draft will ultimately be decided on how focused Jameis Winston can become.

Washington Redskins: C-
Best Pick: Brandon Scherff, OL, Iowa --The Skins had a need on the offensive line, and they grabbed the draft's best available talent. Scherff may have the ability to play all five spots up front, but he's set at the RT spot for now.
Keep an eye on: Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke(4th round). --Crowder is small and not very fast, but he's a dynamic slot receiver and return man. He has excellent quickness and change of direction ability. Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson can get down field and draw a lot of attention, which will leave space for Crowder to operate and thrive out of the slot.
Overall: Scherff was a great start to the draft for the Skins, but it was downhill from there. DE Preston Smith(2nd round) is a good player and good value in the 2nd Ð for a 43 team. He was announced as an OLB, and the Skins expect him to stand up. He is already 270+lbs and lacks the speed and athleticism to thrive in that role. He may grow into a five technique one day, but that appears to be his best fit in that defense. Then they passed on much more talented backs for RB Matt Jones in the third, a full two rounds too early. Outside of Crowder on day three, they don't appear to have landed anyone that should impact the team long term, either.