Las Vegas Raiders: A-
Grade: B+ (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
First-round receiver Henry Ruggs III brings the old-school Raiders to mind—the speed receivers in the Warren Wells and Cliff Branch days—and Al Davis must be smiling down from above. And he’s more than just a speed guy; he can run routes, and he’ll take the top off a defense every time he hits one up the seam. Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock took Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette with their second first-round pick, and though he’s not technically perfect, he looks good as a man-coverage prospect with outstanding aggression and footwork. So too does fourth-round cornerback Amik Robertson out of Louisiana Tech — he’s an ideal slot bully, and with these two picks, the Raiders have made it very clear that they want alpha dogs who can push receivers around. What’s that we said about Al Davis smiling down from above?
Los Angeles Chargers: C
The extent to which you’re on board with the Chargers’ draft strategy hands on whether you’re on board with Justin Herbert as an NFL prospect. I suspected that Herbert would go higher than his game tape would inspire, because he’s a big guy with a big arm, and for some teams, that’s all that’s required. The Chargers now have to deal with Herbert’s remedial field reads, his inaccuracy to the boundary, and his wonkiness when throwing on the run. I didn’t have a first-round grade on Herbert, but one understands which attributes move the needle when it comes to quarterbacks. Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray is a great pick at 23rd overall, and the Chargers got a real steal in seventh-round receiver K.J. Hill out of Ohio State, but this all rests on the decision to take Herbert sixth overall.
Los Angeles Rams: C
Without a first-round pick this year, the Rams had to make the most of their picks. They got a couple of interesting developmental players who could succeed wildly in the NFL on a “what-if” basis. Second-round running back Cam Akers managed to be productive in a garbage-fire offense at Florida State, but some of Akers’ college issues (like a sub-par offensive line) will follow him to the NFL. And third-round edge-rusher Terrell Lewis from Alabama has all the traits you want in a high-performance disruptor — he only fell that far because of his lengthy injury history. Safety Terrell Burgess from Utah, another third-round pick, is the surest thing in the Rams’ 2020 class with his ability to cover in both the deep third and the slot. It’s a good haul if everything goes right.
Miami Dolphins: B
The Dolphins decided to go on faith with Tua Tagovailoa’s hip inquiry, and if it all works out, they get a guy who could be equal parts Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, with an offensive coordinator in Chan Gailey who seems perfectly attuned to Tagovailoa’s future. So, the “Tank for Tua” thing worked out, even though the Dolphins didn’t tank as much as we expected. Miami’s second first-round pick went to USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson, an athletic pass-protector who will be great if he can upgrade his technique and leverage. This may have been an overdraft. Noah Igbinoghene from Auburn adds to Miami’s stacked cornerback room with an aggressive mindset and the ability to announce his presence with authority in the slot. The steal here is Boise State edge-rusher Curtis Weaver, who proved productive at the college level despite a body that featured too much bad weight. An NFL weightroom should take care of that.
Minnesota Vikings: A
Trading Stefon Diggs to Buffalo and losing most of their cornerbacks in free agency made the Vikings’ draft needs very clear, and they addressed both very well in the first round. Justin Jefferson was LSU’s top slot receiver last season, but he can be more than that in a pro passing game. He doesn’t quite have the pure explosion Diggs provided, but he caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. And TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney is an ideal man and match cornerback with his outstanding footwork, spatial awareness, and trail speed. To serve as Gladney’s potential future bookend, Minnesota also grabbed Mississippi State’s Cameron Dantzler, a favorite of most analysts, including this one. The guy to watch from the third day is fourth-round linebacker Troy Dye from Oregon. Mike Zimmer values linebackers who can cover half the field, and Dye has that skill set all day. The Vikings held steady at receiver, and they upgraded a cornerback rotation that was mostly awful in 2019.
New England Patriots: C
The Patriots did nothing in the draft to upgrade a receiver corps that had Tom Brady saying he was the unhappiest 8-0 quarterback halfway through the 2019 season. Not a single wideout in a historically deep class, and though we’re always inclined to give Bill Belichick the benefit of the doubt, that will not help whoever’s playing quarterback in Foxboro in 2020 and beyond. New England traded out of the first round to get depth defensively with two second-rounders who fit the Belichick paradigm of positional versatility. Lenoir-Rhyne safety Kyle Dugger reminds me of Kam Chancellor with his alpha on-field mentality, and Michigan’s Josh Uche is a really nice speed rusher. The Patriots did bring two tight ends on board in the middle rounds in UCLA’s Devin Asiasi and Virginia Tech’s Dalton Keene, but the o-fer on receivers (not to mention quarterbacks) is a head-scratcher.
New Orleans Saints: B
Some may wonder why the Saints took Michigan center Cesar Ruiz in the first round, but with 2019 rookie center Erik McCoy turning into a star right away, Ruiz can develop into the kind of right guard that is essential in Sean Payton’s offense — technically refined, strong at the point of attack, and able to hit the second level in a hurry. Third-round edge-rusher and linebacker Zach Baun from Wisconsin is a similar scheme fit for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen — though Baun was a highly productive pass-rusher in college, he could be an even better off-ball linebacker at the next level. New Orleans also picked up Dayton tight end Adam Trautman in the third round, and Trautman looks good with everything from route complexity to easy speed to in-line blocking. New Orleans wound up with just four picks in this draft, but they got the job done.
New York Giants: B-
One never knows exactly what Giants general manager Dave Gettleman is going to do, least of all Gettleman himself. But the typically atypical Gettleman nailed the Giants’ first two picks. Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas immediately fills a desperate need on the left side as the most complete and refined player at his position in this class, and second-round safety Xavier McKinney from Alabama is the perfect distillation of the NFL’s need for multi-position players. Actually, at the 36th overall pick, getting McKinney is absolute larceny. Fourth-round cornerback Darnay Holmes from UCLA is an interesting player in that he has all the tools you want at the position, but he’s got to put the intricacies together.