NFL: Tops and Flops – Draft-Grades for all 32 Teams

Draft 2018 is over, time for the first reappraisal: Who has cleaned up a lot of quality and who is taking risks? Where were Needs served – and where are large construction sites after Draft and Free Agency? SPOX examines the draft classes of all 32 teams, compares them with the team feeds and gives an initial rating for the 32 draft classes.

Disclaimer: The grades are awarded according to the school grades principle. They flow into it: The opinion about the player in combination with the team’s Needs and also who else would have been available.

First pick: Hayden Hurst, TE, South CarolinaSecond pick: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville

The Ravens urgently needed a tight end, but Hurst was still a reach pick and clear need over value. Orlando Brown in the third round brings along some red flags due to his alarmingly bad athleticism at the Combine – but his tape was better, before the Combine he was often traded as a possible first round pick. The fact that the Ravens have won another tight end with Mark Andrews (also in round 3) shows where the way should go: More 2-TE sets, more play action, more passing from run formations. In the second half of the pre-season this was a very good recipe. Jaleel Scott (4th round) is a contested catch receiver. But the highlight pick is of course Lamar Jackson, for whom there could hardly have been a better situation. With Greg Roman (Offensive Coordinator in San Francisco at Kaepernick’s weddings) and Marty Mornhinweg (Offensive Coordinator in Philly with Michael Vick), the coaching staff has a lot of experience with mobile quarterbacks. If Jackson, who is still underestimated as a passer, hits, he will be regarded as one of the steals of the drag in a few years. Baltimore finally has a successor plan for Joe Flacco and the ideal conditions for the number 3 QB on my board.

SPOX grade: 2+

First pick: Billy Price, C, Ohio StateSecond pick: Jessie Bates, S, Wake Forest

Interior Offensive Line was the central Need in Cincy, with Billy Price you got one of the best Interior-O-Liner of this class. Sam Hubbard (3rd round) is one of the five best edge-rusher prospects in this class, Malik Jefferson (3rd) is a very athletic linebacker who makes the Bengals immediately better against the run. Wide Receiver Auden Tate in round seven is very good value and could immediately become a Red Zone weapon, Cornerback Davontae Harris (5.) is a potential steal with his explosiveness and his abilities as a Mirror-Man-Corner. Second-round pick Jessie Bates is a classic free safety that makes the Bengals immediately better as cover safety. All in all a solid draft.

SPOX grade: 2

First pick: Baker Mayfield, QB, OklahomaSecond pick: Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State

Mayfield at 1 shows courage – not everyone would have taken the Oklahoma quarterback due to his size, his college openness and his kind as a first overall pick. But for me he was the second-best quarterback in this class, because his best qualities – pocket movement, accuracy, fast and constant work through the reads – are transferred to the NFL in my eyes. But after that I didn’t really like the Browns draft: Denzel Ward an 4 meets a Need, Bradley Chubb would have been the better choice here. Austin Corbett at the beginning of round 2 is a Reach, Corbett may try to tackle what he played in college. But with the NFL in mind, he’s more of a project here. Running back Nick Chubb two picks later was a strange and for me bad pick: There were even better or at least equal running backs at the spot and Cleveland has Duke Johnson and Carlos Hyde in his backfield. Receiver Antonio Callaway is due to many missteps off the pitch an enormous risk in a young team, as big as the sporting potential is.

SPOX grade: 2

First pick: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia TechSecond pick: James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

Not only did the Steelers miss addressing their biggest need by far – linebacker – they also had one of the bigger first-round reaches with Edmunds and also took another box safety in the fifth round at Marcus Allen, after Pittsburgh had already signed Morgan Burnett to the Free Agency. You can only explain it by saying that the Steelers want to build on 3-Safety-Sets. Washington is a deep-threat and replaces Martavis Bryant in a way, but in college he had only a very limited route tree and almost no experience with press coverage. Mason Rudolph in round three is a very good pick, Rudolph was the most interesting project quarterback of this class and already has many good features as a passer. Pittsburgh needs a medium-term successor for Big Ben, Rudolph could be. A potentially exciting piece of the puzzle: Five-round H-back Jaylen Samuels, who can act as a matchup weapon in the offense and also take on the modern fullback role played by Kyle Shanahan and the Patriots in the pre-season: Samuels had 75 receptions last season.

SPOX grade: 3

First pick: Roquan Smith, LB, GeorgiaSecond pick: James Daniels, C, Iowa

One of my top drafts ever. Chicago had seven picks and the first three were direct hits: Roquan Smith is the best linebacker in his class, fits brilliantly into Chicago’s defense scheme and can form one of the NFL’s best linebacker duos with Trevathan. A real 3-Down-Backer with explosivity and cover capabilities. James Daniels is a first-round talent, an incredibly athletic interior offensive lineman who can play guard and center – and so also covers a need. Wide Receiver Anthony Miller (2nd round) can play in slot and outside, runs sharp, aggressive routes, is good after the catch and brings speed and explosiveness without end. Fifth-round D-Liner Bilal Nichols is a technician and should quickly slip into the D-Line rotation. Joel Iyiegbuniwe (4th round) gives the Bears another cover linebacker.

SPOX grade: 1

First pick: Frank Ragnow, C, ArkansasSecond pick: Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn

Lions have historically had big problems with their run game – Detroit hasn’t got anything going for years. The new regime has aggressively addressed this problem: Ragnow is one of the top centers in the draft and also gives Lions a very reliable pass protector. Kerryon Johnson is a good, physical running back that is already comparatively far in pass protection. Round 2, however, was earlier than I had expected. Oregon-O-Liner Tyrell Crosby (5th round) is a potential steal, but also has major medical concerns due to concussions. Da’Shawn Hand gives the Lions a strong run defender and good value in round 4. Strong Safety Tracy Walker (3rd) was very high. All in all, I really like Ragnow, but after that the draft class falls off.

First pick: Jaire Alexander, CB, LouisvilleSecond pick: Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

The Packers had the punter pick in round five (J.K. Scott) and the long snapper pick (Hunter Bradley) in round seven. But even this is not enough to significantly reduce their draft, because the previous value was too high: Jaire Alexander is one of the most explosive, aggressive cornerbacks in this class – and Josh Jackson is a huge steal in the second round. Jackson is THE Ball-Hawking-Corner of this class and reminds of Marcus Peters. This Need should be finally served. Oren Burks (3rd round) gives the Packers athletic, explosive and cover skills in the Linebacker Corps, Cole Madison (5th) is an athletic, versatile lineman. In addition, one of the potential steals on day 3: Equanimeous St. Brown must have fallen because teams feared his father’s interference and were not happy with St. Brown either. Purely sporty, however, it is in the 15-range as far as wide receivers of this class are concerned: A long speed receiver with good cuts, subtle and efficient movements in the route and a lot of big-play potential.

SPOX grade: 1-

First pick: Mike Hughes, CB, UCFSecond pick: Brian O’Neill, OT, Pittsburgh

Hughes is a good man-to-man press corner that also makes a lot of sense in Minnesota in perspective. Otherwise, however, it remains to be seen how the Vikings will tackle their largest construction site, the Interior Offensive Line. O’Neill could play tackle and switch Remmers to Guard, but Minnesota’s second-round pick will take some more work before it’s a reliable NFL tackle. The kicker in round five (Daniel Carlson) doesn’t really make the score any better, four-lap pick Jalyn Holmes has a lot to offer physically and can be used flexibly on the defensive line, but is still very rough. The UDFA class should not go unmentioned, however, in which Minnesota signed Hercules Mata’afa, Holton Hill, Garret Dooley and Korey Robertson, several of the top players who surprisingly fell out of the draft.

SPOX grade: 3+

Page 1: The AFC North and the NFC North

Page 2: The AFC East and the NFC East

Page 3: The AFC South and the NFC South

Page 4: AFC West and NFC West