Subscribe
Follow Us
There were no awful or terrible draft classes worthy of a general manager being fired, but the 2023 NFL Draft certainly had its ups and downs. While ranking incoming rookie classes is tough before the season begins, grading their entire draft class is easy enough – so find your team and see what we think of how their draft class turned out.
1. Arizona Cardinals
Grade: A-
If this is a sign of things to come for the Arizona Cardinals, adding GM Monti Ossenfort was a great choice. After moving out of the third pick and picking up a 2024 1st from Houston, Arizona moved back up to draft their new left tackle in Paris Johnson Jr.
Two pass rushers, two cornerbacks, a wide receiver, a guard, a quarterback, and a linebacker make up Rounds 2-7 for the Cardinals, and this nine-man class absolutely was a masterclass by Ossenfort, especially for a team likely contending for the top pick again next season.
2. Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B-
Gone are the days where teams value running back depth to the point where they carry first-round grades, but the Atlanta Falcons threw all that out the window with their top-10 selection of Bijan Robinson. There are plenty of ways to look at the selection of Robinson, but for a team that is still trying to establish itself, using a first-rounder on a want, not a need is not great.
A small six-man class was brought in this year for Atlanta, and tackle Matthew Bergeron and edge rusher Zach Harrison look to be the biggest names not selected Thursday. Bergeron was a fringe first-rounder who can round into a future starter at tackle, and Harrison has enough in his pass-rush arsenal to warrant his third-round selection.
3. Baltimore Ravens
Grade: B
It did not come as a shock to see Baltimore take Zay Flowers, especially with how much they have been tied to him since the Senior Bowl. adding a downfield threat alongside Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, and Odell Beckham Jr. is a pretty fair move.
Trenton Simpson spells the end of Patrick Queen’s time in Baltimore (his fifth-year option was just declined), so admitting defeat there is not a great sign. Nothing about this class truly screams a Baltimore class, but with Ozzie Newsome not calling the shots anymore, the trend likely will continue.
4. Buffalo Bills
Grade: A-
A bit surprising to see the Buffalo Bills go tight end in the first round, but having a talent like Dalton Kincaid fall into your lap is tough to pass up. Being able to add Kincaid and O’Cyrus Torrence, two fringe first-round options, speaks volumes about how well the Bills did.
The Bills moved up to grab LB Dorian Williams in the third, and his time at Tulane should easily translate into a starting role within his first two years in the NFL. Grabbing two OL (Torrence & Nick Broeker) shows their commitment to keeping Josh Allen upright, and Broeker put up some solid pass-blocking numbers at Ole Miss.
5. Carolina Panthers
Grade: B+
The move up for Bryce Young assured the Carolina Panthers their choice of franchise QB but also made sure their ‘23 class was a small one. With five selections to their name, they were able to pair Young with his future WR1 option in Jonathan Mingo, a rangy wideout with athleticism in every move he makes.
DJ Johnson was a bit of a reach-at-edge rusher, but grabbing both Chandler Zavala and Jammie Robinson helped make up for that third-round reach.
6. Chicago Bears
Grade: B+
A 10-man draft class made possible with their trade with the Panthers gave Ryan Poles plenty of ammunition, and his first-class looks awesome. Targeting the trenches with three of their first four picks, the Chicago Bears took a huge first step to success.
Darnell Wright was a solid-yet-unspectacular add, Gervon Dexter has a ton of unlockable athleticism, Tyrique Stevenson has some buildable skills, Roschon Johnson likely will be the starting RB next season, and Tyler Scott will need to overcome his abundant drops to be a factor catching the ball.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
Grade: A
The Cincinnati Bengals did what good teams do – draft the best player available and worry about fit later. Having Myles Murphy fall into their lap was fantastic, and adding two members to their secondary in Round 2 and 3 (DJ Turner and Jordan Battle) helps add much-needed depth.
The offensive trio of Charlie Jones, Chase Brown, and Andrei Iosivas has a ton of potential tied to it, and Jones could very well become the slot replacement for Tyler Boyd in a year.
8. Cleveland Browns
Grade: B
Even with not having a selection until the third round, the Cleveland Browns did the best they could with what they had. Cedric Tillman was a solid addition that finds the ball well in the air, key for a receiver of his size.
Siaki Ika and Dawand Jones are two monsters in the trenches and will help shore up the line on both sides of the ball – their best value addition was sixth-round center Luke Wypler from Ohio State, who could have a big role in his rookie season.
9. Dallas Cowboys
Grade: C+
A meh draft filled with reaches is how you can describe how the Dallas Cowboys did – their first two selections of Michigan players (Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker) were both questionable, and their entire class didn’t include that one ‘IT’ guy.
DeMarvion Overshown may end up being the best player in this eight-man class, and Deuce Vaughn, besides being able to play with his father (Dallas scout), can fill the scat back role vacated by Tony Pollard becoming RB1.
10. Denver Broncos
Grade: A-
A five-man class was all the Denver Broncos needed to be great, and with WR Marvin Mims kicking it off, it was a strong start. With Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Tim Patrick all likely having big roles next year, Mims will need to work his way into a role.
Drew Sanders at 67th was likely the steal of the draft, and adding Riley Moss later in the third (and JL Skinner in the sixth) helped upgrade an already-strong secondary.
11. Detroit Lions
Grade: B-
You can love the players they got, but the Detroit Lions had the most confusing draft class this year. Reaching for Jahmyr Gibbs was a very suspect decision by Brad Holmes, compounded by taking Jack Campbell at pick 18.
Sam LaPorta is Detroit’s new TJ Hockenson which was a great selection, and adding Brian Branch (45) and Hendon Hooker (68) were both solid additions and pretty good value plays any way you look at it. But the Gibbs and Campbell additions were both substantial reaches, keeping their overall grade low.
12. Green Bay Packers
Grade: B+
A 14-man class is one of the largest in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Green Bay Packers took a huge step to accelerating their retooling efforts. Passing on help for Jordan Love in the first round is typical Green Bay, but Lukas Van Ness is a stout pass rusher that will pair well opposite Rashan Gary.
Going after offensive upgrades was their Day 2 prerogative, as Luke Musgrave, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft were both added. A questionable decision to add QB Sean Clifford in the 5th round was quickly passed over by two of their final defensive additions, DL Karl Brooks and S Anthony Johnson, two players that were taken far later than many expected.
13. Houston Texans
Grade: B-
All the pre-draft smoke about not wanting a QB was done nicely by the Houston Texans, but they did get their guy in CJ Stroud. The shock of the night was the Texans moving back up to third to grab Will Anderson Jr., adding two franchise cornerstones to build around.
But the rest of their class left a lot to be expected, as receivers Nathaniel Dell and Xavier Hutchinson were the two biggest names taken across the two final days. The biggest aspect of their B-minus grade is what they gave up with the Cardinals to move back up to third, their 2024 first-round selection, a pick that could very well be another top-5 selection.
14. Indianapolis Colts
Grade: A+
The Indianapolis Colts earned shared top honors for the best draft class this year, and it all starts at the top with their Anthony Richardson selection. Banking on his ceiling is exactly the right move for Indy to make, and the rest of their draft class resembled more of a safer look.
Julius Brents, Josh Downs, Blake Freeland, and Adetomiwa Adebawore all have solid skill sets that could have them become starters during their rookie contracts. This class could very well be the standard set by Chris Ballard for years to come.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: B+
Not a real sexy NFL Draft class by any means, but the Jacksonville Jaguars used 13 picks to help upgrade their upstart team. Anton Harrison kicked it off and was a needed pick given the Cam Robinson suspension, and he was definitely not a reach at 27.
Brenton Strange was a ‘strange’ selection in the second, but Tank Bigsby was a good depth piece added in the next round behind Travis Etienne. All in all, a solid class, but nothing super spectacular.
16. Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: B-
It feels weird giving a below-average grade to the Kansas City Chiefs, but their ‘23 NFL Draft class was not a really strong one. Felix Anudike-Uzomah was a solid pick to finish out the first round on Thursday, but a Rashee Rice – Wanya Morris Day 2 combination was underwhelming.
KC’s Day 3 picks all seem to be selections that rely on potential and ceiling rather than collegiate production, which could be a big-time issue for the Chiefs.
17. Las Vegas Raiders
Grade: B-
Having pounced on the tumbling Tyree Wilson, the Las Vegas Raiders added an early pass rusher to the mix, even if they did have bigger needs. Michael Mayer is a great Darren Waller replacement in the second round, but not the only pass-catcher added.
Byron Tucker is fine to help stop the run, Tre Tucker was taken a few rounds earlier than expected, Jakorian Bennett was a smart trade-up, and Aidan O’Connell could be pressed into action if Jimmy Garoppolo’s track record of injuries continues in 2023 – all in all, a pretty boring NFL Draft class.
18. Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B+
LAC’s seven-man NFL Draft class started with a bang, as TCU WR Quentin Johnston is a perfect addition to the aging WR room. Tuli Tuipulotu has big shoes to grow into being a very young player currently, but he will be able to learn from Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, which will be great for his production.
To round out their class, the Chargers took Johnston’s QB, Max Duggan, and he should be a nice addition with long-term backup potential for Justin Herbert.
19. Los Angeles Rams
Grade: A-
Even without a first-rounder, the Los Angeles Rams used 14 selections to try and restart their rebuild. Guard Steve Avila was a strong start in the early parts of the second round, and hopefully, his addition will help keep Matthew Stafford healthy-ish.
QB Stetson Bennett was a shocking pick in the fourth round, but the Rams obviously like something about him to make that reach. Puka Nacua and Zach Evans are both intriguing options for the offense, and DL Desjuan Johnson was this year’s Mr. Irrelevant.
20. Miami Dolphins
Grade: C+
A four-pick draft class was quite underwhelming, especially with CB Cam Smith as the first selection for the Miami Dolphins. Picked in the right range, Smith resembles a solid value for a team that doesn’t necessarily need a CB but did well to take the best player available.
Devon Achane is a solid addition that likely will see the field a ton in his rookie season. Elijah Higgins and Ryan Hayes both ranked as pretty average at the TE and OT positions, respectively.
21. Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B-
Having Jordan Addison fall into Minnesota’s lap at pick 23 was great for their offense, so it’s hard to not like this pick. But there were bigger needs to tackle than WR at this time, but that will all be forgotten if Addison is good.
CB was the position of choice for the Vikings’ third and fourth-round picks, followed up by a defensive lineman (Jaquelin Roy), a QB (Jaren Hall), and an RB (DeWayne McBride). Drafting Hall shows that the Vikings are definitely not committed to Kirk Cousins returning next year, which could mean Hall gets a shot.
22. New England Patriots
Grade: B
It was another wild ride for the New England Patriots and their draft class, but they did well to move down the board and still grab the CB2 in Christian Gonzalez. Pair him with edge Keion White in the second and that is a great 1-2 start.
The wheels fell off when a center (Jake Andrews) was taken close to 100 picks earlier than consensus, kicker Chad Ryland was taken in the fourth round, and punter Bryce Baringer was drafted in the sixth – Bill Belichick loves to surprise, but those types of moves make it hard to give any of his draft classes a high grade.
23. New Orleans Saints
Grade: B-
Snatching up two defensive linemen to start their draft helped get things off to an uneventful start, even though Bryan Bresee and Isaiah Foskey were not over-drafted too much. Kendre Miller could hold a big role if Alvin Kamara is suspended this year, so third-round capital on the TCU RB is not bad.
Having moved up for QB Jake Haener was alright, but seemed a bit rich, considering the Saints had bigger holes to fill in the fourth round. Overall this class is fine, but it certainly won’t help make them the favorite in the NFC South.
24. New York Giants
Grade: A
A stellar class for Joe Schoen and the New York Giants, spearheaded by drafting speedy corner Deonte Banks. Letting one of the top centers in John Michael Schmitz fall to them in the second round was the real treat, however.
Taking Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the NFL Draft was exactly the piece their WR room needs – a tall outside option to be a plug-and-forget starter right out of the gate. Overall a very solid draft class for the Giants, something that their fan base should start getting used to.
25. New York Jets
Grade: C
Another year, another NFL Draft without a first-round WR for Aaron Rodgers – doesn’t matter where he goes. Will McDonald IV is a fine-edge rusher, but he is better suited for the end of the first round, not at pick 15.
Joe Tippmann and Carter Warren are both depth pieces on their offensive line, something they were always going to try to invest in during the draft. Fifth-round RB Israel Abanikanda enters a tough situation, behind both Breece Hall and Michael Carter, so hopefully his speed will be enough to get him on the field.
26. Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: A+
The Georgia Bulldogs have fully established an NFL pipeline, and it seems to be working just fine for the Philadelphia Eagles. Three of their seven picks, including their first two, were of Georgia players, and it’s surprising the rest of the league keeps letting Howie Roseman get away with this.
Jalen Carter at pick 9 was a strong start, and getting edge Nolan Smith at 30th was highway robbery. Tyler Steen protected Bryce Young down at Alabama and did a pretty good job, Sydney Brown is a strong third-round get at safety, Kelee Ringo should not have lasted until the beginning of the fourth round, and both Tanner McKee and Moro Ojomo are solid depth pieces that are better than where they were drafted.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers
Grade: A
Moving up to grab the final OT of the top tier was a smart move by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Broderick Jones was definitely worth moving up. But their best pick of the entire draft was their second-round selection with ties to the franchise already, Joey Porter Jr.
Seeing things come full circle for Porter is awesome, and he will be really solid in the PIT secondary. Keeanu Benton will help make Cameron Hayward and TJ Watt’s lives easier, Darnell Washington is a matchup nightmare across the middle, and Nick Herbig is helping turn the Steelers into a Badger factory on their defensive line.
28. San Francisco 49ers
Grade: C-
Even though their first selection of the 2023 NFL Draft was not until pick 87, the San Francisco 49ers did make nine selections across the entire draft. However, they had a pretty poor draft, which includes taking the first kicker of the draft in the third round (Jake Moody).
Ji’Ayir Brown is a good safety prospect with flexibility all across the formation, clearly the best pick for them. Moody is a good kicker but far from deserving of his third-round draft capital, Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis are okay TE prospects for a team that kind of needed some depth but not hugely, and the rest of the prospects are pretty meh all around, making for one of the weaker draft classes in recent memory for them.
29. Seattle Seahawks
Grade: B+
The Seattle Seahawks did a great job in utilizing their two first-round picks, and taking Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba were two really solid options. Derrick Hall is going to be a great pass rusher for the Seahawks (based on his speed alone), and those first three picks help offset the confusion of taking Zach Charbonnet in the second round of the NFL Draft.
Having Kenneth Walker III already entrenched, adding Charbonnet seems a bit redundant and unneeded. Anthony Bradford and Olusegun Oluwatimi are two above-average offensive linemen that will help provide solid depth right out of the gate.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: B
It is easy for a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to head into the NFL draft and not have to address skill positions on offense (WR) and defense (CB) with high picks, allowing them to go elsewhere. Using their first-rounder on DT Calijah Kancey helped bring the top DT prospect to Tampa, where he can help take some pressure off Vita Vea and others.
Cody Mauch can help step into Shaq Mason’s vacated spot, YaYa Diaby is a strong athlete with skills galore to build around, and other depth pieces (LB, 2 CBs, TE, WR, EDGE) were added, helping build a pretty solid class.
31. Tennessee Titans
Grade: A-
Drafting Peter Skoronski at 11th overall may have been seen as an odd selection based on their current roster construction, but the Tennessee Titans knew the talent that Skoronski has and wanted to make sure they capitalized on it. He can either stay outside or swing inside, which will help with protecting Will Levis.
Grabbing Levis near the top of the second round of the NFL Draft was awesome value for potentially their future QB1, and he can sit for a bit while he develops. Tyjae Spears is a fun prospect that has a questionable injury history, Josh Whyle will be a nice complement to Chigoziem Okonkwo, and both Jaelyn Duncan and Colton Dowell are solid depth pieces that could have roles in their rookie seasons.
32. Washington Commanders
Grade: B
The final NFL draft team grade goes to the Washington Commanders, who started their drafts with a reach for CB Emmanuel Forbes. One of the more slim corner options on the board, Forbes loves to stick his head into plays, but with his small frame injury issues could arise.
Jartavius Martin marked the second consecutive secondary pick used by the Commanders, but he and Ricky Stromberg could very well become starters in their first seasons. Braeden Daniels, K.J. Henry, Chris Rodriguez, and Andre Jones all can help shore up depth areas for the Commanders, but all eyes will be on Henry, who should have a large role with Chase Young’s option declined.
