Tag: draft grades

2021 NFL draft grades: Analysts give Chargers’ haul highest praise

The Los Angeles Chargers 2021 NFL draft class received nothing but great remarks.

The 2021 NFL draft is officially in the books.

The Chargers got better on both sides of the ball, all while bringing in players that upgrade the special teams department.

In the eyes of national writers and analysts, this was by far one of Tom Telesco’s best haul since he has held the role of general manager.

A look at the experts’ grades and overall review of Los Angeles’ selections:

NFL Media’s Chad Reuter: A

“Slater only lasted to No. 13 overall because of his average length for the tackle position. But he’ll more than overcome that, and find success in the NFL, because of his athleticism and toughness. Samuel’s slight frame (5-10, 180) also cost him draft position, but again GM Tom Telesco found value by selecting the future starter midway through Round 2. Palmer and McKitty give Justin Herbert needed depth at pass catcher and will help negate some of the production lost by Hunter Henry’s exit in free agency.

Adding Rumph’s Gumby-like bend off the edge should bolster the Chargers’ pass rush, while James’ positional versatility should give the team’s O-line more flexibility. Rountree looked like a third-round pick at times at Missouri; he could be a Justin Jackson-type value pick for the Bolts.”

Yahoo Sports’ Nick Goss: A-

“The Chargers got a left tackle for franchise QB Justin Herbert with the selection of Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater in the first round. They also added a talented wide receiver for Herbert’s passing attack in Tennessee star Josh Palmer.

One of the best picks in the second round was Los Angeles drafting Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. at No. 47 overall. He has great instincts and athleticism, just like his father.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.: A

The Chargers’ top two needs headed into this draft were clearly defined: a left tackle to protect Justin Herbert and a starting-caliber corner. General manager Tom Telesco hit both of those early, and he didn’t have to reach.

Rashawn Slater (13) was a popular fit for mock drafts, and there were some teams that had a higher grade on him than Penei Sewell. He has the potential to be an All-Pro left tackle. Now, with the additions in free agency of Corey Linsley and Matt Feiler, this offensive line is suddenly one of the league’s 10 best. Herbert was pressured a whopping 217 times last season. I said it on Thursday — this pick is a dream come true for the Chargers. I thought cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (47) would go earlier than he did, but he could play in the slot or outside as a rookie. L.A. upgraded with both of these picks.

Wideout Josh Palmer (77) averaged 21 yards per catch in 2018, and his numbers would have been better if he had consistent quarterbacks throwing to him. Tight end Tre’ McKitty (97) wasn’t used much as a receiver in his lone season at Georgia, but he can block a little bit. Versatile linebacker Chris Rumph II (118) was one of my top available prospects for Day 3, and I’m curious where he’ll fit in Brandon Staley’s defense. Larry Rountree III (198), my eighth-ranked running back, put up 3,720 career rushing yards at Missouri.

Again, Telesco didn’t reach to fill two big voids, and so this class is one of the best of the year. This team absolutely got better.

USA Today’s Nate Davis: A-

“It fell pretty nicely to the Bolts, but their top two choices, OT Rashawn Slater in Round 1 and CB Asante Samuel Jr. in Round 2, have a chance to be franchise cornerstones – Slater the bodyguard this offense needed to get for offensive rookie of the year Justin Herbert. Pass rusher Chris Rumph II (Round 4) could blossom under new coach Brandon Staley.”

The Ringer’s Danny Kelly: A-

“I love what the Chargers did this weekend, especially in the early rounds. Los Angeles nabbed its long-term solution at left tackle, offering reliable protection for second-year quarterback Justin Herbert, and added depth and playmaking talent to an already strong defensive backs group. Plus, I really like Palmer, who offers big-play potential and has the skill set to be the eventual replacement for Mike Williams, who will play this season on his fifth-year option.”

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling: B+

“After their first two picks, anything else was just gravy. Rashawn Slater was a steal outside the top 10, and gives Justin Herbert the franchise left tackle he needs. Asante Samuel Jr. was another bargain, and filled their biggest need on defense. Josh Palmer and Tre’ McKitty both bring tons of athleticism and potential to the passing game, while Chris Rumph II has tons of upside as a pass rusher. Brenden Jaimes and Larry Rountree II were their best picks on Day 3.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper grades Cowboys draft below 9 other teams

Mel Kiper or ESPN gave out his yearly draft grades, find out his opinion on the Cowboys 11-man haul.

Despite the months of anticipation and preparation leading up to the three-day NFL draft, the event comes and goes in the blink of an eye. The ramifications of the results however live on for years to come.

It is extremely difficult to fully grade a draft pick in the days, or even months after, as the prospects are yet to play a snap of NFL football. That fact doesn’t deter the industry’s top experts, like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr, from handing out his annual draft grades for each franchise.

The Dallas Cowboys and their 11-man 2021 draft class (the Cowboys’ most picks made since 2009) received a “B” grade from Kiper, while nine clubs graded out higher from the longtime draft analyst. Nine other teams shared a similar mark.

“The Dallas defense was awful last season, even before Dak Prescott was lost for the year in Week 5. This couldn’t be another CeeDee Lamb situation, where they went with an offensive playmaker even with massive holes on the other side of the ball. They had to get the best defender on the board, ideally a cornerback. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, though, the top two corners went in the two picks before them at No. 10, so give them credit for trading back two spots, adding an extra third-rounder and still getting the guy they say they wanted all along.”

Many analysts thought highly of the Day 2 talent in this draft class, so the Cowboys moving from No. 10 to No. 12 to pick up an extra third round selection, while still getting the top ranked defender available, was a win in most draft expert’s eyes.

“The questions now are… where does Micah Parsons (12) fit, and what does it mean for 2018 first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch and 2016 second-rounder Jaylon Smith? I didn’t peg off-ball linebacker as a need for Dallas, but the organization didn’t draft Parsons to sit on the bench. So maybe it will move on from Vander Esch and plant Parsons at middle linebacker. He’ll improve a porous run defense; the Cowboys allowed a woeful 1,758 rushing yards before first contact last season, by far the most in the league. With Rashawn Slater still available, I thought he would have filled a need at guard. They added to the off-ball linebacker group on Day 3 with Jabril Cox (115), who has some coverage traits.”

An argument can be made against selecting an off-ball linebacker this high in a draft, but Parsons ceiling is tremendous and Kiper is right to think Parsons should immediately help with Dallas’ well-known problems with stopping the run.

Some, like Kiper, may not have thought linebacker was a pressing need in Dallas. However, when one considers Leighton Vander Esch’s injury history (plus the fact that he’s entering a contract year) combined with Jaylon Smith’s inconsistency, and it’s easy to see why the Cowboys were eager to add the former Penn State standout.

“The Cowboys continued their attempt to improve the defense on Day 2 and ended up using all five of their picks on defenders. Cornerback Kelvin Joseph (44) has lock-down traits, and the team will hope that he can make the same sort of impact that second-rounder Trevon Diggs did a year ago. Defensive linemen Osa Odighizuwa (75) and Chauncey Golston (84) were lower on my board, but they’ll help against the run.”

Following the first round trade back the Cowboys had four Day 2 selections that all went to defense. The club finally filled their biggest need with the selection of Kentucky’s Kelvin Joseph, a cornerback with first-round talent who slid due to character concerns.

“I had a late Day 3 grade on Nahshon Wright (99), but he’s a big 6-foot-3 corner who fits the mold of what new coordinator Dan Quinn likes outside. He’s quite confident in his skills, but I didn’t see an NFL starter on tape. Israel Mukuamu (227) is another tall corner, as Dallas showed its commitment to finding guys for Quinn. Simi Fehoko (179) has some speed for a 6-foot-4 wideout, though this team’s receiver room is crowded.”

The Cowboys finished off their draft in Day 3 with a number of high-upside picks. Dallas clearly wanted to add length on both sides of the ball and the club accomplished that goal.

“In total, the Cowboys added eight defenders in this class, though they reached for a couple of them. If Quinn’s corner picks work out, they could have a couple of steals.”

Other NFC East draft grades for those interested:

New York Giants: B+

Philadelphia Eagles: B+

Washington Football Team: B

[vertical-gallery id=670209][listicle id=670140][listicle id=670019][lawrence-newsletter]

2021 NFL draft grades: Experts are loving what the Bears did

Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Bears’ 2021 draft class, and most experts believe Chicago won this draft.

The 2021 NFL draft is officially in the books, and the Chicago Bears came out of it with some great prospects, including their potential franchise quarterback in Justin Fields.

General manager Ryan Pace was praised for his selections of Fields and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins in the first two rounds, and Pace finished off Day 3 with some great value picks that have experts everywhere singing his praises.

Here’s a collection of all of the grades for the Bears’ draft class from various sports outlets and, spoiler alert, everyone thinks Chicago won this draft.

Packers draft grades: Mostly Bs and Cs, with a few As and Fs

For most, the Packers 2021 draft class was solid. But it was also somewhat polarizing. Draft grades are a funny little thing.

For their work during the 2021 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers received mostly Bs and Cs with a few As and Fs mixed in for good measure.

Every year, Rene Bugner compiles draft grades from 18 different sources to help establish a consensus grade. This year, the Packers ranked 26th in overall grade among the 32 NFL teams.

Let’s say this right off the bat: Instant draft grades are mostly meaningless little things. For most, it’s basically an exercise in looking at the general consensus on a player, figuring out if the player was a reach or a steal, and then doing it several more times, all while trying to understand if the team addressed the perceived draft needs. And it’s nearly impossible to factor in how each individual player will develop amidst a million different variables.

True grades can’t be established until two or three years down the road. But instant draft grades are undeniably fun. They can be informative if done correctly. Evaluating the process is valuable. We don’t know what the players will become, but we can try to understand what the team was thinking during each part of the event. And if an expert really knows the players, grading value in each draft slot can be accomplished to some degree.

So take the grades for what they are and don’t be bothered either way. That’s especially true this year.

Of the 18 draft grades compiled, the Packers received 14 grades in the B or C range. Clearly, the majority of analysts agreed that this was a solid but unspectacular draft class. We tend to agree. The Packers hit on needs with solid players. It was, if nothing else, a safe and sensible draft for a contender.

But the class was somewhat polarizing as well. Two analysts gave the Packers an A. Two others gave the Packers an F.

Chad Reuter of NFL.com loved what the Packers did during all three days of the draft. Thor Nystrom of NBC Sports hated the value of the entire draft class.

It’s fair to wonder if the bombshell reporting on Aaron Rodgers swayed the opinion of the class. The Packers took Love in the first round last year, beginning this whole process, and on the day it was reported Rodgers wanted out of Green Bay, the Packers picked a cornerback that wasn’t a consensus first-rounder. A day later, they took a center, and not everyone was convinced it was the right center. The long-awaited weapon for the quarterback didn’t arrive until (gasp!) the third round. So it’s not hard to ascertain why the grades weren’t glowing across the board.

But it’s all just background noise. The Packers picked nine players they think will help the football team in 2021 and beyond. In a couple of years, we’ll look back on the class and see what the Packers did right and wrong.

The process looked fine. The Packers got an elite athlete with upside at a premium position in the first round. They loaded up on big people. They got a slot weapon that looks like an ideal fit in the offense. They added depth at positions needing help. It wasn’t a sexy draft. But it’ll be surprising if they don’t get a couple of capable starters out of the mix, and it’s possible the first three picks will be instant impact players.

Just have fun with the draft grades. Getting an A won’t guarantee anything. Getting an F won’t doom the class. Have some patience, and enjoy the ride.

[lawrence-related id=58190]

Grading each of the Bears’ 7 picks from 2021 NFL draft

Here’s a round-up of all of our grades for each of the Bears’ seven selections in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Chicago Bears welcomed seven new players to their roster this weekend during the 2021 NFL draft, including two of the top prospects in the draft class in quarterback Justin Fields and offensive tackle Teven Jenkins.

While it’s far too early to start evaluating this draft class before they’ve even hit the field, it’s fair to wonder if, down the line, we might be looking back at this 2021 draft class as Bears GM Ryan Pace’s best.

Here’s a round-up of all of our grades for each of the Bears’ seven selections in the 2021 NFL draft.

Grading the Bears’ selection of CB Thomas Graham Jr.

The Bears added got a steal at cornerback with the selection of Thomas Graham Jr.. Here’s how we graded the pick.

The Chicago Bears selected Oregon cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. with the 228th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, who has the potential to be a huge steal for GM Ryan Pace.

Graham opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, but before that he had an impressive outing at Oregon. In three seasons with the Ducks, he totaled 183 tackles, eight interceptions, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 32 pass breakups.

Graham was one of the best cornerbacks in the country during that time, and you have to wonder if his decision to opt out affected his draft stock. Pro Football Focus even had Graham ranked as the 76th-best prospect in the entire draft. And the Bears got him with the 228th overall pick.

Heading into the draft, cornerback was an area of need following the release of two-time Pro Bowler Kyle Fuller and Buster Skrine this offseason. The Bears did sign veteran Desmond Trufant to presumably occupy Fuller’s role, but it’s clear he’s not the future at cornerback.

The Bears didn’t address cornerback with a high pick, but the addition of Graham brings much-needed depth to the position.

Graham has a relationship with last year’s rookie cornerback Jaylon Johnson that dates back to high school, where they were in camps together in the Fresno area. Perhaps, down the line, we could see these old friends lining up opposite each other in Chicago’s defensive backfield.

Ultimately, Graham was an absolute steal with the final pick in the sixth round, where he has the potential to make an impact at cornerback for the Bears. Pace has added some late-round gems on defense in the past, and Graham has the potential to be the next one.

Grade: A

[listicle id=471908]

Grading the Bears’ selection of RB Khalil Herbert

The Bears added depth at running back with the selection of Khalil Herbert. Here’s how we graded the pick.

The Chicago Bears selected Virginia Tech running back Khalil Herbert with the 217th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, another solid selection for GM Ryan Pace, who has been known for his late-round gems.

Herbert played at both Virginia Tech (one year) and Kansas (four years), where he rushed for 2,917 yards and 22 touchdowns. Herbert had an impressive 2020 season with the Hokies, where he led the team with 1,204 rushing yards, becoming the program’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015. He also averaged 7.7 yards per carry.

While running back wasn’t a dire need like some other positions, the Bears got another good value pick in Herbert, who provides depth behind David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen. With the addition of veteran Damien Williams to a one-year deal, Herbert could eventually work himself into that No. 3 role.

But the Bears are also getting some special teams value in Herbert, who has experience returning kicks during his collegiate career. Last year, Herbert averaged 23.5 yards per return. With Cordarrelle Patterson’s departure and Cohen returning from a torn ACL, Chicago certainly needs help in the kick return department, and Herbert could be that guy.

Ultimately, the Bears got a solid value pick in Herbert, who addresses depth at running back and could help resolve one of Chicago’s biggest questions on special teams.

Grade: A-

[listicle id=471786]

2021 NFL draft: Instant grades for every team

Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling gives out his initial grades for every team’s haul in the 2021 NFL draft

Listen, we all know that whatever I say here is simply going to fuel screenshots and @OldTakesExposed tags, in both good ways and bad.

We obviously don’t know anything about how the 2021 NFL draft class is going to turn out for each of the 32 teams, and we won’t for a few years.

But, we’re here to have fun. So that’s what we’re gonna do.

Based on my own player evaluations, and how value met need at every selection, here are my way-too-early grades for every team’s 2021 draft class:

Grading each of the Rams’ 7 picks on Day 3 of the 2021 NFL draft

The Los Angeles Rams went heavy on skill position players in the draft, but they added some quality defenders on Saturday, too.

The Los Angeles Rams came into the 2021 NFL draft with six picks in their pocket. Thanks to three total trades on Friday and Saturday, they made seven picks alone on the final day of the draft.

Their selections on Saturday ranged from wide receivers to defensive linemen, but not a single offensive lineman was drafted by Los Angeles. A puzzling development, no doubt, but one that Sean McVay explained after the draft concluded.

It’s hard to gauge how successful a draft class will be until two or three years out, but it’s never too early to hand out grades for each pick. We graded all nine of the Rams’ selections on Day 3, from Bobby Brown III to Chris Garrett.

Overall, it was a day filled with surprises, but one that looks better on paper than the Rams’ second- and third-round picks. You can find my Day 2 grades here, but let’s get into the team’s seven selections on Saturday.

NFL analysts are loving the Bears’ selection of OT Teven Jenkins

Here’s a collection of grades for Teven Jenkins from various outlets and everyone agrees that the Bears got another steal!

For the second time in the NFL draft, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace traded up to land a top prospect at a position of need. The Bears traded up 13 spots to draft Oklahoma State offensive tackle Teven Jenkins with the 39th overall pick.

And just like the Justin Fields selection in the first round, the Jenkins pick was met with plenty of excitement from across the league as many agreed Chicago got a steal in Jenkins in the second round.

Jenkins projects to step into the starting right tackle role immediately for the Bears, where he brings a nastiness to his game that this offensive line has been missing since Kyle Long.

Here’s a collection of all of the grades for Jenkins from various sports outlets, and the analysts are loving this pick for Chicago.