The NFL draft is complete, so let the grading begin. It’s impossible to know now, in the immediate aftermath, how each team’s draft haul will turn out. But we can try to assess how each team did in maximizing the value of its picks, based on current evaluations. Here’s our post-draft report card, with teams listed by divisions and alphabetically:
Dallas Cowboys: C
The Cowboys’ best move was last season’s trade of their first-round pick to the Raiders for Amari Cooper. He’s better than any WR the Cowboys could have gotten in this draft. They did OK with the picks they actually got to use, addressing needs along the offensive and defensive lines.
New York Giants: C-
The Giants had two first-rounders entering the draft and added a third. But there’s room to wonder about each of their opening-round choices. Was the No. 6 pick far too high for QB Daniel Jones? Was the No. 17 selection too lofty for DT Dexter Lawrence? Did they take the right CB at No. 30 with Deandre Baker? It’ll all fine in the long run if Jones succeeds as the successor to Eli Manning.
Philadelphia Eagles: B+
Trading up to take T Andre Dillard 22nd was one of the best moves of the draft. The Eagles got the best pass-blocking offensive tackle available. Dillard might not start immediately but is there to take over whenever Jason Peters’ career is done.
Washington Redskins: A-
There’s plenty to like here. It’s all so un-Redskins-like. They resisted the urge to move up or trade for Josh Rosen, stayed put at No. 15 and got the QB they wanted in Dwayne Haskins. There are questions about his mobility, but he’s a gifted pocket passer and it wouldn’t be shocking if he’s the Week 1 starter. Pass rusher Montez Sweat will turn out to be a steal at No. 26 if his health-related concerns indeed arose from a misdiagnosis.
Chicago Bears: C+
The Bears, like the Cowboys, can take solace in the fact that the player they got last year from the Raiders — Khalil Mack, in Chicago’s case — is better than anyone they could have gotten in this draft if they had kept the first-round pick they traded away. The Bears also helped themselves by getting RB David Montgomery in the third round.
Detroit Lions: B-
The Lions began well by using the No. 8 pick on T.J. Hockenson, getting a difference-making TE one year after they tried but failed to trade for Rob Gronkowski. From there, however, it was easy to wonder whether every player Detroit picked came off the board too soon.
Green Bay Packers: C-
Using the 12th selection on pass rusher Rashan Gary is a risk. He’s talented, but his production at Michigan never lived up to his promise.
Minnesota Vikings: B+
The Vikings’ best pick was getting TE Irv Smith in the middle of the second round. His presence will help QB Kirk Cousins as he and the Vikings try to rebound from Cousins’ highly disappointing first year in Minnesota.
Atlanta Falcons: C-
It’s rarely a bad idea to focus on upgrading the offensive line. But the players you choose have to be good values. The Falcons used the 14th choice on G Chris Lindstrom and the 31st selection on T Kaleb McGary, and each was a reach.
Carolina Panthers: B+
Getting QB Will Grier in the third round was a plus; Cam Newton is coming off his second shoulder surgery in less than two years. Grier is a decent long-term prospect, and he could be a better short-term alternative at QB, if Newton’s shoulder woes aren’t behind him, than the Panthers have had.
New Orleans Saints: C
The Saints had few picks and few glaring needs. They had to fortify the middle of their offensive line after center Max Unger’s retirement, and they did so immediately by using their second-round choice on C/G Erik McCoy.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
The Buccaneers needed to bolster their defense, and they did just that, devoting each of their first five selections to that unit. Taking LB Devin White fifth was justified, particularly after losing Kwon Alexander in free agency.
Arizona Cardinals: B-
There’s no problem with being enamored with Kyler Murray, the Heisman Trophy-winning QB, and taking him with the first pick. Maybe he’ll be a star; perhaps he won’t. He’s worth taking that shot. But using top-10 picks on QBs in two straight drafts is no way to build a roster. The Cardinals got only a low second-round pick in this draft and a fifth-rounder next year for Josh Rosen a year after surrendering quite a bit to move up to select him 10th. That’s not exactly resourceful.
Los Angeles Rams: B
The defending NFC champs traded out of the first round, but did extremely well by getting S Taylor Rapp late in the second. The first of their three third-round choices was RB Darrell Henderson, perhaps a reflection of lingering concerns about Todd Gurley’s workload and the condition of his knee.
San Francisco 49ers: B
You’re supposed to get good players, and you’re supposed to get better when you have the picks that the 49ers had. Taking pass rusher Nick Bosa with the second pick was the right move. Adding WR Deebo Samuel near the top of the second round gives QB Jimmy Garoppolo a playmaking receiver.
Seattle Seahawks: B-
Seattle’s best move was getting WR D.K. Metcalf at the end of the second round. There are questions about his agility, but he is a physical marvel who should add a big-play dimension to the offense, and he could be particularly valuable given the questions about Doug Baldwin’s future.
Buffalo Bills: A-
The Jets, Bills and Dolphins grabbed first-round DTs, putting the Patriots’ offensive line on notice. The Bills got the best bargain with theirs; Ed Oliver fell to them at No. 9.
Miami Dolphins: B+
The Dolphins traded down in the second round before using that pick in the deal to get Josh Rosen. That was a major discount for a QB drafted in the top 10 a year ago. Miami did well in that deal, and using the 13th pick on DT Christian Wilkins provides a badly needed upgrade to the run defense.
New England Patriots: B+
The Super Bowl champs made five picks in the first three rounds and used them well. It’s easy to envision first-round WR N’Keal Harry, second-round CB Joejuan Williams and third-round pass rusher Chase Winovich having roles as rookies. QB Jarrett Stidham was a terrific value pick late in the fourth round. Could he be Tom Brady’s eventual successor?
New York Jets: B+
The Jets upgraded their offensive and defensive lines. They made the proper and obvious move at No. 3 by taking DT Quinnen Williams. He could be dominant.
Baltimore Ravens: B
Big-play WRs joined the offense with first-rounder Marquise Brown and third-rounder Miles Boykin. Third-rounder Jaylon Ferguson brings the potential to help the pass rush after the departures of Za’Darius Smith and Terrell Suggs in free agency.
Cincinnati Bengals: B
Using a fourth-rounder on QB Ryan Finley is interesting. The arrival of Zac Taylor, the team’s new coach, has made Andy Dalton’s job security a bit tenuous.
Cleveland Browns: B-
The Browns’ first-round pick went to the Giants this offseason in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. They’re certainly fine with how that turned out. Getting CB Greedy Williams midway through the second round was another solid move by GM John Dorsey.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
The Steelers are not known for making bold trades to move up, but they acted decisively in the first round to climb 10 spots for LB Devin Bush. He fits in well. The Steelers needed wide receiver help after trading Antonio Brown and used a third-rounder gained in that deal on Diontae Johnson.
Houston Texans: C-
The Texans had to upgrade their offensive line after Deshaun Watson was sacked 62 times. They did just that, taking Ts Tytus Howard and Max Scharping in the first two rounds. But they get marked down for being outmaneuvered by the Eagles when Philadelphia traded one spot ahead to get Andre Dillard, regarded as the draft’s best pass-blocking offensive tackle, with the 22nd pick.
Indianapolis Colts: B+
GM Chris Ballard traded out of the first round this year and did well in the second by getting CB Rock Ya-Sin, edge rusher Ben Banogu and WR Parris Campbell.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A-
The Jaguars were more lucky than good, but that’s a big part of doing well in the draft. They benefited when pass rusher Josh Allen fell to them at No. 7. T Jawaan Taylor might have been an option for them there, but he dropped all the way into the second round before the Jaguars moved up to get him 35th.
Tennessee Titans: C
There might be a sizable payoff for taking DT Jeffery Simmons 19th, given that many believe he has top-five talent. But that payoff won’t come soon; Simmons is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Denver Broncos: A-
John Elway did well by helping his new QB, Joe Flacco, and giving the Broncos a potential replacement for the former Super Bowl MVP. Getting TE Noah Fant in the first round and T Dalton Risner early in the second round boosts Flacco’s chances of success. Elway moved up to stop QB Drew Lock’s draft plummet 10 picks into the second round.
Kansas City Chiefs: B
Did the Chiefs signal their intentions about how they’ll address the off-field issues facing Tyreek Hill by drafting a speedy WR and kick returner, Mecole Hardman, in the second round? That seemed telling.
Los Angeles Chargers: B-
First-round DT Jerry Tillery and second-round S Nasir Adderley will help. But third-round T Trey Pipkins faces quite a jump from the University of Sioux Falls.
Oakland Raiders: C-
This isn’t about whether the Raiders got good players. They did. It’s about whether they got the most out of their picks. They didn’t. Using the fourth choice on pass rusher Clelin Ferrell and the 27th on S Johnathan Abram meant they didn’t maximize the value of those picks. The Raiders’ roster is better than it was before the draft. But it remains worse than it was before they traded Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper.