nfl draft grades

1. panthers

🔥Rod Kimball: Jaycee Horn

🐓Squeak Scolari: Thomas Fletcher

😴Keep an eye on: Deonte Brown

What’s not to like about the Panthers’ draft? Jaycee Horn was the No. 2 corner on our board, and he gives Carolina an aggressive, alpha outside guy who can actually matchup with Julio Jones, Mike Evans, Michael Thomas (lol), and now Kyle Pitts. Brady Christensen is a solid early starter type who can man left tackle for Sam Bradford Darnold, and if Terrace Marshall is healthy, he’s an absolute steal who brings size to the WR corps.

Chuba Hubbard was a very underrated runner in this class, one of the only three down guys left after the top three, and both Deonte Brown and Daivyon Nixon are hard-to-move guys who add strength and attitude to both lines. If Darnold pans out, this is a playoff team with CMC back healthy.

2. bears

🔥Rod Kimball: Justin Fields

🐓Squeak Scolari: Larry Borom

😴Keep an eye on: Thomas Graham

There was no other move Chicago could’ve made that would energize both the fanbase and the actual team (remember them) more than moving up to take Justin Fields. The Vikings actually wanted Fields at 14, and without Chicago’s intelligent aggressiveness, they might’ve gotten him. Excellent move to get their guy, who was our No. 2 overall prospect.

Thomas Graham might’ve been the most underrated player in the entire class, and will push to start before the season ends. Teven Jenkins gives the Bears a mauler on the right side to help th erun game, and Dazz Newsome can hopefully erase the pick of Anthony Miller, which is looking more and more like a miss.

3. bengals

🔥Rod Kimball: Ja’Marr Chase

🐓Squeak Scolari: Jackson Carman

😴Keep an eye on: Cam Sample

I don’t care what anyone says, taking Ja’Marr Chase over Penei Sewell was the right move. Joe Burrow held the ball too long last year and missed deep when he tried. His trust in Chase, and Chase’s deep ball abilities solve those issues better than Sewell, and he was an absolutely elite talent in this class.

I was not a fan of the Jackson Carman pick, especially considering they moved down and missed on better OL prospects, but he could compete for a guard spot. Grabbing Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample injects some upside into the pass rush, D’Ante Smith is a better pick up front in the fourth than Carman was in the second, and Chris Evans has upside as a Gio Bernard replacement. Excellent draft.

4. browns

🔥Rod Kimball: Jeremiah O-K

🐓Squeak Scolari: Tony Fields

😴Keep an eye on: Demetric Felton

Hard to argue with anything the Browns did the entire offseason, and this draft was no exception. Greg Newsome was a top 10 player on my board, and although his injury history is a little scary, especially for a secondary with as many medical problems as Cleveland’s, he was the right pick that late in the first. I don’t have any idea why JOK slipped as far as he did. Wild fall that will be proven incorrect as he shuts down tight ends and blitzes from anywhere.

Demetric Felton has upside even in a crowded backfield as a real pass-catching threat who can line up all over the field. Anthony Schwartz can fly, and adds a second speed element, while James Hudson and Tommy Togiai represent solid depth and role players in the trenches, at the very least.

5. broncos

QB • BYU

No reason to overthink this, either. Wilson has a cannon, creates off-script, and has a knack for making wild plays. He’ll be great, even if he’s a notch below Lawrence. There’s some chatter about a surprise Fields selection here, but it’s not happening. Wilson gets the keys in NY, and Robert Saleh gets his guy.

3. niners: mac jones

QB • Alabama

Ok I give up. I’d take Fields, Lance seems like a fit, but there is too much of a Daniel-Jones-to-NYG feel to ignore this. I like Mac, and apparently so does SF. The Shanahan and Lynch comments of late seem to be setting up for easing the perceived pain, and with it narrowed to Lance or Jones, I’m sticking Jones.

4. falcons: kyle pitts

TE • Florida

Blank wants to maximize Ryan’s window, and although it’s a prime spot for a QB, hard to see Arthur Smith passing on a rare tight end prospect if his boss agrees. Pitts is no consolation prize, though. He’ll transform this offense, regardless of Julio Jones’ potential trading. A top four player lands at pick four. Easy math.

5. bengals: ja’marr chase

WR • LSU

Yep, the Bengals need to protect Joe Burrow, but he also needs to be more accurate on deep passes, and Chase is harder to replicate in the 2nd round than OL. Burrow also struggled with holding the ball too long, and the trust built between he and Chase could lead to quicker triggers, behind an already improved OL.

6. dolphins: penei sewell

OT • Oregon

I went back and forth here between Sewell, a receiver, and trading down, but ultimately believe Sewell is the pick. Robert Hunt is moving to right guard, Tua was excellent from a clean pocket last year, and Sewell will be protecting a left-handers blind-side from the right tackle spot. Excellent player who is still young and getting better.

7. patriots: justin fields

🚨TRADE🚨 QB • Ohio State

There is no way the Patriots, after an unusually aggressive offseason and watching Tom Brady win a Super Bowl, go into 2021 with the same exact quarterback setup that led to a dismal season in 2020. It won’t happen. I could see Lance as a target, as well, but Fields learning behind one-year-contract Cam Newton fits.

8. panthers: rashawn slater

OT • Northwestern

Outside of Deadmau5, no one has more famously mentioned ghosts in the past 20 years than Darnold. Getting him his own Peter Venkman should help quickly. I could see a receiver here, or even a top corner, but the Panthers had a ton of success with the last OT they drafted in the eight slot (Jordan Gross), and they need the help.

9. denver: trey lance

QB • North Dakota State

The Broncos’ new management clearly isn’t sold on Drew Lock. You don’t go after Matt Stafford if you think you have the answer already on your roster, especially when he’s cheaper. That said, I think Denver is comfortable letting the board fall, and if Lance makes it to nine, he’ll be an easy pick to give new energy to this franchise.

10. cowboys: patrick surtain

CB • Alabama

Dallas needs to draft a corner. Their linebackers are awful, and they have an aging offensive line, but the need at corner is too glaring to ignore when they have their pick of this year’s crop. Surtain or Horn would provide a massive upgrade here, and despite Mike McCarthy’s familiarity with the Horn family, I’m leaning Surtain.

11. giants: jaylen waddle

WR • Alabama

This is one of the hardest picks to estimate. They could go EDGE, LB, CB, WR, OL… for a team hoping to make a playoff push, they have a ton of holes. Still, where value meets need happens at the WR spot. Golladay and Ross are oft-injured guys, Shepard is a concussion from retiring, and Slayton isn’t a one-man-show guy. Waddle it is.

12. eagles: jaycee horn

CB • South Carolina

The NFC East is so bad it’s difficult to select one need for any of them. Still, the Eagles couldn’t cover anyone last year, and I have a hard time seeing them go after another slight receiver after Jalen Reagor didn’t pan out. I know Smith is a wildly better player, but Horn is no slouch, and do you really want Avonte Maddox starting against anyone?

13. chargers: alijah vera-tucker

IOL • USC

Gotta protect Justin Herbert. Maybe the Chargers really do believe in Trey Pipkins (doubt it), but worst case AVT ends up inside at guard and you really protect your QB. Doesn’t sound too bad. Still, my bet is that he gets his shot at LT, and Herbert does even more damage behind a stronger line in 2021.

14. dolphins: devonta smith

🚨TRADE🚨 WR • Alabama

I’m not a Dolphins fan, even though reading this mock you might think I am. I do, however, believe that Tua looked precariously close to a bust last year, and if I’m Miami I’m swinging hard to give him every chance to prove me wrong. Smith fits really well alongside their current WR group, and moving up won’t cost much if he does fall.

15. lions: micah parsons

🚨TRADE🚨 LB • Penn State

The reason the Dolphins moving to 14 makes so much sense is that if Smith starts to fall, they’ll have to get ahead of Detroit to snag him. The Lions, in this scenario, turn toward a tone-setting defensive player with elite traits who fills a major hole on a defense going through a major transition. It’s not perfect, but he’s a start, along with the extra picks.

16. cardinals: greg newsome

CB • Northwestern

I know Kingsbury is apparently enamored with all the receivers, but guess what so are the other teams ahead of them. Moving up isn’t a one-way street. Instead, for a team looking to get into the playoffs and win now, taking a chance on a ready man cornerback is worth the risk his medical profile provides. Lotta good QBs in this division.

17. raiders: azeez ojulari

EDGE • Georgia

How do you beat the Chiefs? Pressure the hell out of Pat Mahomes. So if you’re pass rushers consist of Cle Ferrell, Maxx Crosby, and Yannick Ngakoue, I think it’s fair to consider additional help. The Raiders severely lacked playmakers on defense last year, and a true freshman captain from an SEC team fits their mold in more ways than one.

18. vikings: kwity paye

🚨TRADE🚨 EDGE • Michigan

Once one edge rusher goes, a run could start. The Vikings will be kissing each other (something Vikings do) if Paye lasts this long. They have no one to rush the passer, and they can’t beat the Packers without pressure. Paye is an elite physical talent who just needs a little refinement and should start day one.

19. wash: jeremiah owusu-koramoah

LB • Notre Dame

Everywhere Ron Rivera has been he’s had a speedy safety/linebacker hybrid type like Thomas Davis or Shaq Thompson. There is a need at left tackle, but the class is deeper than the elite tight-end-covering linebacker group, and if JOK makes it this far (big if), he’ll step right into a LB corps lacking his versatility.

20. bears: christian darrisaw

OT • Virginia Tech

Might as well protect Andy Dalton from defenses since you can’t protect him from fans. Darrisaw could go earlier, but he’s not exactly a refined pass blocker, and this class has some interesting depth that could cause a short fall. Still, Chicago has to invest in the offensive line, finally. Sorry no QBs made it. You can have Kellen Mond next round.

21. vikings: teven jenkins

🚨TRADE🚨 OT • Oklahoma State

If the Vikings do move down earlier, they’ll have even more picks to deal with than the 10 they’re starting this draft with. That will allow them to move back up and go heavy on round one talent, and filling two glaring holes at OT and edge rusher should make them feel ok about not picking again til day three. Jenkins fits their offensive identity.

22. titans: elijah moore

WR • Ole Miss

Tennessee lost a ton of pass-catching help this offseason. Derrick Henry rightly gets the bulk of credit for this offense’s success, but you can’t go fully one-dimensional and finish top five in scoring in the NFL. Moore is nearly every team’s WR4 in this class, and pairing him with AJ Brown and Josh Reynolds keeps the wheels on after the RTs are gone.

23. jets: zaven collins

LB • Tulsa

The Jets need some interior OL help, and they haven’t solved the issue of weapons around their new QB, but that defense is just plain bad right now. Robert Saleh always had good linebackers in SF, and the ones he’s picked up so far in NY don’t fully solve the need for a versatile, coverage-able, WILL guy, which his defense sorely needs.

24. steelers: najee harris

RB • Alabama

Sometimes late fits that you see in every single mock are absolutely guaranteed NOT to happen. Sometimes they make too much sense to ignore. If the Steelers want to win right now, and they do, and they want to stop throwing it 55 times a game, and they do, they need a ground game. Najee is incredibly underrated as a modern pro back.

25. jaguars: christian barmore

DT • Alabama

The Jags aren’t short on needs, but they can’t continue to lack any sort of push from the inside of the defensive line. Barmore is the best IDL in this class by a mile, and there’s no one behind him who can come in and be a three down player early on. The Jags need offensive help, too, but they can’t pass up a chance to add Barmore here.

26. browns: tyson campbell

CB • Georgia

Grant Delpit, Denzel Ward, and Greedy Williams are all unreliable medically, so the Browns need to add a warm body to their secondary who doesn’t run as blatant a risk of missing time. Campbell is long, fast, and has smooth hips to stay glued in man. Greater coverage ability helps the improved pass rush, and vice versa.

27. ravens: alex leatherwood

OT • Alabama

Everyone in the world thinks Baltimore wanted two picks to secure another target for Lamar, but doesn’t it feel (that’s) so Ravens to pick a big mauler on the O-Line from Alabama? I believe they’ll look to build on current strengths vs address deficiencies that they may be more than a receiver away from solving anyway now that Orlando is gone.

28. saints: jamin davis

LB • Kentucky

Yes, NO needs a corner, and yes the two guys from Georgia and Asante Samuel are still on the board. But they’ve tried for years to add speed to their LB corps, and they haven’t had any luck. Davis is overrated, and has much more growing to do than some will have you believe, but damn he’s fast and fills a need at a shallower position group than CB.

29. jaguars: travis etienne

🚨TRADE🚨 RB • Clemson

Urban Meyer couldn’t have been happy with the Jags offseason acquisitions on the offensive side of the ball, and we know he loves speed, especially at the running back position. Etienne will be gone if he makes it to Buffalo, so stepping in front here makes a ton of sense, and allows the Jags to be more versatile on offense breaking in a new QB.

30. bills: trevon moehrig

S • TCU

I haven’t seen this pick in a single mock, so maybe I’m an idiot, but if you look at what happened against KC, second corner wasn’t the problem - covering Travis Kelce was. The Bills went almost exclusively nickel near the end of the year in 2020, and Moehrig has the coverage skills to step in immediately, and replace Jordan Poyer after this season.

31. ravens: carlos basham

EDGE • Wake Forest

One of my favorite players in the entire class. Lost among the freak 40 times of under-producers like Jayson Oweh, Basham is a long-term contributor who put up on the stat sheet and ran a 4.59 of his own. At 274 pounds. He’s exactly the productive, experienced, big and strong edge the Ravens like, and he fills a bigger need than receiver.

32. bucs: jaelan phillips

EDGE • Miami

I sat next to Josh McDaniels on a plane once, and he told me he drafted Perrish Cox despite non-football-related concerns because “at some point a guy is so talented you take him no matter the risk.” Phillips and Cox have wildly different concerns, but the philosophy rings true, especially in Tampa where the risk is very affordable.