Here’s a look at my grades on each of the 32 NFL teams’ drafts. I have a formula for draft picking and team building. It’s very simple and I use it to grade drafts along with other factors.
Here are the positions you need to draft:
QB, RB, DT, WR, CB, LT, DE, MLB, WR2, DT2, FS, TE
Stay in those areas and your ability to have a successful draft increases greatly.
The other positions listed below, you address in free agency with low key signings. Not big named additions that achieved famed success elsewhere and will have a hard time doing things your way in you organization. Here those positions:
DE2, RT, OLB, C, FB, LG, OLB2, RG, SS
A ‘2’ next to a position means the 2nd player at that position. So WR2 means second best wide receiver.
Here are my draft grades
| Team | Grade | Comment |
| AFC East | ||
| New England | A | Attacked weaknesses on defense. Drafted at all key spots. Got value with late picks on Dennard |
| Buffalo | B – | Better picks available than their 1,3 and 4th round picks. Addressed weaknesses. |
| Miami | C | Reached with 1st rnd pick. Yet another OL in draft. Unpolished pick at 3. Failed to address WR. No impact players. |
| NY Jets | B | Impact player with 1st rnd pick. Got what they needed with 2nd pick. Drafted outside of key area. |
| AFC North | ||
| Baltimore | B – | Strong 1st rnd pick. Question two guards drafted. Intruiging pick with Streeter at #198. |
| Cleveland | A – | Got their player in rnd 1. Addressed uncertainty at QB. Lost points for guard draft and 2 ILBs |
| Cincinnati | A – | Solid pick at #17. Lose points for 1st rnd guard pick. Sanu a steal as is Charles. Addressed key areas |
| Pittsburgh | B – | Lose pts with OG 1st round. Spence in 3rd round could pay off. Downgraded for 2 guards in draft |
| AFC South | ||
| Houston | B – | Not solid on 1st rnd. Downgraded for OG, OC picks at 3 and 4th plus K pick in 5th. Need more impact players |
| Indianapolis | A – | Solid 1st. Got impact player at 3. Value with 5th with Ballard. Drafted mostly in key areas. |
| Jacksonville | B | Nice move to get Blackmon. Downgrades for punter and OLB pick. |
| Tennessee | B – | Solid 1st and 3rd. OLB in 2nd led to downgrade. Limited picks. Seemed like better picks were available with most picks. |
| AFC West | ||
| San Diego | A – | Addressed some key areas. Lost a grade for OG and OC picks at 5 and 7. |
| Oakland | C | No impact players. Loses grades for OG and a pair of OLB picks. Reached with most picks |
| Denver | B | Osweiller lacks exp.to be big time. OC and OLB picks cost them grade. 2, 3 and 4th was solid |
| Kansas City | B | Risky 1st pick with Poe. OG pick with 2nd is a downgrade. Unspectacular with rest but stayed with key areas with most picks |
| Team | Grade | Comment |
| NFC East | ||
| Dallas | B | Solid #1 pick. Not much impact with others. Wait and see type picks with the rest of draft. |
| Washington | C | Got Griffin but Cousins a head scratcher. Downgrades for two OG and OLB pick. |
| Philadelphia | A | Addressed need with solid pick at 1. Stayed with picks at crucial draft positions |
| NY Giants | B + | Wilson a good back have to see where he fits. Randle good pick up. Stayed with key draft. Positions |
| NFC North | ||
| Green Bay | A | Two solid DL picks at 1 & 2. Hayward solid corner picks. Addressed def need. They just know what they are doing. |
| Detroit | B | Addressed OT need. Broyles could pay off big. Bentley good pick up at CB. Attacked secondary needs |
| Minnesota | A | Addressed needs with solid players. Liked moves in secondary and WR. Don’t like K picks but got a good one. |
| Chicago | B – | Unspectacular. Reached with 1st pick and 2nd pick. Attacked secondary needs but with who? |
| NFC South | ||
| New Orleans | B – | Not many picks. Picked a player from Regina at 3. Hope he’s good. Nick Toon good pick. Obscure with the rest. |
| Atlanta | C | What did they do? Went OL with 1st two picks. Nothing to write home about with the rest. |
| Tampa Bay | A | Lost on Richardson but battled back with Barron & Martin. David solid pick. Sent message to Blount by picking 2 backs and a FB in this draft. |
| Carolina | B – | Reached with 1st round pick, picked a guard at #2, didn’t really get impact players. |
| NFC West | ||
| Arizona | B + | Floyd good pick up next to Fitzgerald. Filled some needs. Lindley pick at 6 could be sleeper |
| St. Louis | A | Reached with 1st pick. Loved next 4 picks. Jenkins a risk but high reward. Pead will surprise |
| Seattle | A – | Reached for Irvin but filled a need with a good player. Wilson intriguing. Turbin solid. Filled needs |
| San Francisco | C | Reached with 1st round pick. Didn’t need another back. Downgraded for OG, OLB and OC picks |
Chad Wilson is a college football recruiting expert and creator of the GridironStudsApp which allows high school football players to gain exposure to college football coaches and fans. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a former youth and high school football coach for over 15 years most recently for 5-A State of Florida Champs American Heritage. He runs All Eyes DB Camp a defensive back training company located in South Florida IG: @alleyesdbcamp. Wilson’s oldest son Quincy plays in the NFL for the New York Giants and his younger son plays cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
