Bang it here for my NFC Draft Grades.



Baltimore Ravens



26. Central Florida WR Breshad Perriman

55. Minnesota TE Maxx Williams

90. Iowa DT Carl Davis

122. Kentucky DE/LB Za'Darius Smith

125. USC RB Javorius Allen

136. Texas Southern CB Tray Walker

171. Delaware TE Nick Boyle

176. Tennessee State OG Robert Myers

204. Georgia Tech WR Darren Waller



Overview: Ozzie being Ozzie. This was a monster draft that not only addressed almost every Ravens need but maximized value. For my money, Perriman is a top-three receiver in this year's class and belonged in the mid-teens. Williams' Combine left something to be desired, but I thought he was a day-one player on college tape. Evaluators question Davis' "motor," but he offers dominant defensive line traits and will be a rotational piece in Baltimore. You could argue Baltimore got first-round talents with each of its first three picks. Smith is Courtney Upshaw 2.0. I thought Allen ran too soft when I watched him, but he is an excellent fit for Marc Trestman's pass-based offense as an able receiver who will pass block. Walker is a player I need to learn more about. Boyle, Myers, and Waller were worthy late-round fliers. I don't see any room to criticize this draft. Home-run trot, Ozzie Newsome.



Grade: A



Buffalo Bills



50. Florida State CB Ronald Darby

81. Louisville OG John Miller

155. Florida State RB Karlos Williams

188. Clemson LB Tony Steward

194. Florida State TE Nick O'Leary

234. Central Arkansas WR Dezmin Lewis



Overview: The Bills did not have a first-round pick after last year's Sammy Watkins trade. That deal doesn't look great for Buffalo after several 2014 rookie receivers outplayed Watkins. My guess is GM Doug Whaley had a borderline day-one grade on Darby and took a "stick-to-the-board" approach at No. 50, because corner wasn't a pressing pre-draft need. Guard (Miller) certainly was. Williams and Steward best project as special teamers, while O'Leary lacks the physical tools to become more than a lightly-used role player. Lewis was a seventh-round dart throw. The Bills weren't equipped to have a great draft from the start, but their class still underwhelmed. Miller is the only confident bet to be a year-one contributor. Only Miller and Darby can reasonably be expected to make impacts long term.



Grade: C-



Cincinnati Bengals



21. Texas A&M OT Cedric Ogbuehi

53. Oregon OT Jake Fisher

85. Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft

99. TCU LB Paul Dawson

120. USC CB Josh Shaw

135. Arizona State DT Marcus Hardison

157. Auburn TE C.J. Uzomah

197. Fresno State FS Derron Smith

238. West Virginia WR/KR Mario Alford



Overview: Sort of like the Vikings in the NFC, the Bengals tend to draft players who are well known and frequently discussed in the draft community. This often results in the Bengals receiving good post-draft "grades." Whether it's because they focus on big-school players or quietly pay attention to media draft coverage, I certainly fall victim to this possible inherent bias. Every player the Bengals selected has a recognizable name, and I watched the majority of them play before the draft. My sense is Cincinnati came away with a ton of good prospects. They addressed needs (tackle, linebacker, defensive line, tight end) and stockpiled players I believe can be good pros. My only quibble is with the Bengals not addressing edge-pass rusher and receiver. But I definitely gaze upon this haul favorably.



Grade: B



Cleveland Browns



12. Washington NT Danny Shelton

19. Florida State OL Cameron Erving

51. Utah OLB Nate Orchard

77. Miami RB Duke Johnson

96. Washington State DT Xavier Cooper

115. Northwestern S Ibraheim Campbell

123. Washington State WR Vince Mayle

189. Louisville CB Charles Gaines

195. Mississippi State TE Malcolm Johnson

198. USC TE Randall Telfer

219. USC ILB Hayes Pullard

241. Oregon DB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu



Overview: This is another team that collected recognizable names, and with 12 draft picks obviously added a ton of sheer volume. Browns GM Ray Farmer showed commendable awareness of his own team's pre-draft limitations, attempting to add as many good football players as possible to a roster short on them. Shelton, Erving, and quite possibly Orchard and Johnson project as year-one contributors. The Browns were clearly high on Cooper, trading up for him at 96 and parting with fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-rounders in exchange. Ekpre-Olomu figures to redshirt as a rookie, but could become a starter or core sub-package defender by 2016. The Browns got better with this class, but that was expected considering how many draft picks they had. My skepticism arises from a lack of faith in Mayle, Gaines, Johnson, Telfer, and Pullard developing into useful players, in addition to critical weaknesses remaining at quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end (even after two were taken late).



Grade: C+



Denver Broncos



23. Missouri OLB Shane Ray

59. Colorado State T/G Ty Sambrailo

92. Ohio State TE Jeff Heuerman

133. Florida C Max Garcia

164. Tulane CB Lorenzo Doss

203. Maryland NT Darius Kilgo

250. Northwestern QB Trevor Siemian

251. Tulane CB Taurean Nixon

252. Oklahoma State SS Josh Furman



Overview: I've seen John Elway billed in some circles as a GM whose team perennially makes the playoffs "because he has Peyton Manning." First of all, Elway deserves applause -- not to be diminished -- for securing Peyton during 2012's league-wide bidding war. Second, Elway has done a masterful job of building one of the NFL's premier rosters, drafting as well as any general manager in football the past several seasons. His 2015 draft was pretty nuts and bolts. Elway went hard after Ray, parting with fifth-round picks in both 2015 and 2016 plus G/C Manuel Ramirez in exchange for a five-spot jump in round one. Sambrailo is a Week 1 starter, and Garcia has an outside shot to be one, as well. A pro-ready blocker and underrated athlete, Heuerman may quietly be Denver's tight end of the future. Kilgo is a worthwhile run-stopping prospect, and Doss profiles as a potential playmaking slot cornerback. My guess is Siemian, Nixon, and likely special teamer Furman won't amount to much. I think this was a solid if unspectacular draft that brought reasonably good value and knocked out a few needs.



Grade: B-



Houston Texans



16. Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson

43. Mississippi State ILB Benardrick McKinney

70. Arizona State WR Jaelen Strong

175. Michigan State WR Keith Mumphery

211. South Florida OLB Reshard Cliett

216. Rice DT Christian Covington

235. LSU RB Kenny Hilliard



Overview: Although some of Houston's round-one alternatives may have offered more flash, Johnson is a high-floor prospect who addressed a need. The Texans entered the draft with next to nothing behind Kareem Jackson and Johnathan Joseph, and the latter is 31 years old entering a contract year. The Texans got aggressive on day two, trading up for McKinney and Strong in deals that wound up essentially costing them fourth-, fifth-, and seventh-round picks in exchange for relatively small moves up the board. GM Rick Smith hit snooze thereafter; neither Mumphery, Cliett, nor Hilliard projects as a useful NFL player. I did think Covington was excellent value in round seven with a shot at becoming an impact sub-package rusher. I like the Johnson and Strong picks, and understand the Texans' pursuit of McKinney. Quarterback, tight end, and interior O-Line remain question marks in Houston.



Grade: C



Indianapolis Colts



29. Miami WR Phillip Dorsett

65. Florida Atlantic CB D'Joun Smith

93. Stanford DE Henry Anderson

109. Central Florida SS Clayton Geathers

151. Stanford NT David Parry

205. Mississippi State RB Josh Robinson

207. Georgia ILB Amarlo Herrera

255. Mars Hill T/G Denzell Goode



Overview: GM Ryan Grigson caught a ton of heat after day one for failing to address a need with the Dorsett pick. Grigson explained it was a by-the-board selection, as Indy assigned Dorsett by-far the highest grade of remaining players. The Colts attacked needs while still keeping in mind "value" the rest of the way, adding a potential future No. 2/slot corner in Smith, powerful five-technique end in Anderson, rotational run-stopping help in Parry, and a violent wrecking-ball runner in Robinson. There were teams that had better drafts this year, but I definitely disagree with the prevalent notion that Grigson did poorly.



Grade: C+



Jacksonville Jaguars



3. Florida DE/LB Dante Fowler

36. Alabama RB T.J. Yeldon

67. South Carolina OG A.J. Cann

104. Louisville FS James Sample

139. Florida State WR Rashad Greene

180. Ohio State DT Michael Bennett

220. Monmouth WR/TE Neal Sterling

229. Notre Dame TE Ben Koyack



Overview: Jaguars GM Dave Caldwell crushed this draft, securing as many as four impact Opening Day starters (Fowler, Yeldon, Cann, Sample) before tabbing sure-handed slot receiver Greene in round five. Bennett may have been the best value pick of the entire draft. I saw him as a second-round possibility entering Friday. Even late rounders Sterling -- a potential mismatch creator -- and Koyack -- a player I believe could be a quality No. 2 tight end -- upgraded the back end of Jacksonville's roster. The Jaguars filled major needs at Leo outside rusher, feature back, and safety, while continuing to inject both lines with talent. This was my favorite 2015 class. On a weekly basis, this year's Jags are going to be a tough out with a nasty defense, playmakers in the passing game, and a formidable rushing attack.



Grade: A+

























































































































































































































































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