2023 NFL Draft Grades

Written by: Jacob Davis | Published: May 6, 2023

                The 2023 NFL Draft has wrapped up and we have given our grades on how each team did.

Seattle Seahawks: A+

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                The Seahawks had one of the best possible drafts. Drafting the best cornerback and wide receiver in the draft is huge for a young and up and coming team like Seattle. Devon Witherspoon is an aggressive tackler and a great man to man corner, which is exactly what the Seahawks needed as they had tackling issues last season. Jaxon Smith Njigba provides a dynamic passing trio with Dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. He excels in contested catches and overall was the best receiver in the class. With Geno Smith throwing to him he should be primed to be a star in this league for years to come

San Francisco 49ers: C

                San Francisco did not have many picks but did what they needed to do. They drafted Jake Moody to replace Robbie Gould and just filled out their depth chart with later picks.

Los Angeles Rams: C+

                The Rams were bad last year but had no first round pick due to their trade for Mathew Stafford. Steve Avila was drafted in the second round and brings much needed offensive line help given the Rams poor play at offensive line last season. They selected Stetson Bennet as they have Quarterback concerns, but he will probably back up Baker Mayfield. An interesting pick because of his back-to-back National Championship wins but he was a beneficiary of a great defence and offence.

Arizona Cardinals: C+

                The Cardinals did not necessarily have a flashy draft, but it was a decent one. Paris Johnson Jr one the best Offensive lineman in the draft but it seemed like a bit of a reach at 6. They addressed their nonexistent pass rush with BJ Ojulari from LSU. He has high upside as he had a first team all SEC selection in 2022.

Detroit Lions: D-

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                Lions had an awful first round. Jahmyr Gibbs (above) is a good running back but not worth the 12th pick. They needed help everywhere else and chose a player at the least valuable position, plus they already had Deondre Swift. Jack Campbell at 18th overall who was not graded as a first rounder on PFF’s big board. They had an exceptionally good second round as they drafted Sam LaPorta out of Iowa to fill their void at tight end after trading Hockenson. They also drafted Brian Branch out of Alabama which is an absolute steal.

Chicago Bears: C+

                The Bears had a decent draft but nothing too ground-breaking as they are deep in their rebuild. The Bears reached on Darnell Wright the OT out of Tennessee. There were better Linemen available as Peter Skoronski was still on the board. Gervon Dexter Sr. was a great pick out of Florida helping bolster up the D-Line. Tyrique Stevenson is also a good pickup but again there were better DB’s available still. Overall, that was the story of the Bears draft they reached for guys when they were not the best available.

Green Bay Packers: C

                The Green Bay Packers once again do not draft an offensive player in the first round, they draft Linebacker Lukas Van Ness. Lukas is very versatile as he played DT and got moved to LB. He never started in college but posted fourteen sacks and twenty-one TFL’s in the past two seasons. I can not fathom why they did not pick a wide receiver for Jordan Love. They could easily transform this offence to a top passing attack and refuse not too. Luke Musgrave is a good pickup as Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis were not resigned and they needed a TE badly. Jayden Reed was also a good pick to help with the WR depth.

Minnesota Vikings: C

                Jordan Addison is a great wide receiver out of USC, but the Vikings needed secondary help badly and passed up on that to take a position of strength. The players drafted for the secondary do not look too promising as Mekhi Blackmon was apart of a terrible USC secondary last year.

Philadelphia Eagles: A

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                They got arguably the best player in the draft in Jalen Carter and an elite edge in Nolan Smith. The Eagles nailed this pick, and it makes a talented team even better. They also drafted Kelee Ringo in the fourth round who is an interesting CB prospect. I do not think the Eagles could have had a better draft.

Dallas Cowboys: C+

                The Cowboys had a decent draft selecting Mazi Smith in the first round who is a big time run stopper and will help their defence tremendously. They still need secondary help, and it was not addressed so I cannot give them above a C+. Luke Schoonmaker was also a good pick to fill their void at TE after Dalton Schultz’s departure.

Washington Commanders: C

                Emmanuel Forbes was a reach at 16 when Christian Gonzalez was still available. Gonzalez is the better player and prospect, but they took Forbes which is disappointing. Their second-round pick Jartavius Martin was a solid pick as he is flexible as he can play safety and corner.

New York Giants: B

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                The Giants did what they needed to do and addressed their needs. They drafted Deonte Banks (above) who is a great CB prospect as he was ranked #3 on PFF’s big board. He is exactly what they needed and helps improve their defence. They drafted John Michael Schmitz who is also a great pick, he only allowed one sack in almost one thousand snaps in college, he will be good for a long time. The Giants picked Jalin Hyatt in the third round, and he yet again fills a void the giants had at WR. He is a good route runner with explosive speed.

Atlanta Falcons: C

                I was disappointed with the Falcons draft this year. A team that seemed like they were on the upward trend out of their rebuild took a running back top ten. Bijan Robinson is a great versatile running back but still taking a RB at 8 is simply too high. With players like Jalen Carter or Christian Gonzalez still available you simply cannot take a running back. Just a meh draft.

New Orleans Saints: B

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                The Saints had a good draft. Bryan Bresee (above) is one of the best DTs in the class and will fit well with the Saints. Isaiah Foskey is an incredibly good edge rusher, and the Saints nailed this pick, him and Cam Jordan will be deadly. Keandre Miller is a good RB out of TCU as we all know. Alvin Kamara’s replacement, Miller looks to continue where he left off after a great college season.

Carolina Panthers: A

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                The Panthers finally nailed a QB pick by selecting Bryce Young 1st overall. This team has an elite defence and, is a QB away from finishing this rebuild, and they finally got one. They lost DJ Moore, so they replaced him with Jonathan Mingo from Ole Miss who is a big, physical receiver. He also blocks well so for a team who ran the ball a lot last year. This addition can help them even more.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C

                When you look at their draft board nothing really stands out. They picked Calijah Kancey the DT out of Pitt. They needed to replace Akiem Hicks, so it was a good pick, but they also needed some help on the offensive line. They drafted Cody Mauch, but he is viewed as a guard, so they still need to replace Donovan Smith.

Houston Texans: A

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                They absolutely nailed this draft. Getting CJ Stroud is huge for this rebuild as it progresses. Trading up for arguably the best defensive player in the draft in Will Anderson Jr is a great move. The Texans finally had a great draft as they look to end their rebuild.

Tennessee Titans: C+

                The Titans had a decent draft but nothing special. They drafted Peter Skoronski who is one of the better offensive line prospects in the draft. They drafted Will Levis in the second round which I am not high on him. He was a meh starter in college and he puts mayo in his coffee. Plus, Malik Willis is better so they could have used that pick to fill a position of need.

Jacksonville Jaguars: C+

                The Jaguars had a good draft following their breakout year. They picked Anton Harrison in the first round, and they needed him badly. Their staring tackle was recently suspended after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, so this was a huge pick up. Other than that, they filled out their depth chart with depth pieces. Brenton Strange is a good prospect too who can back up Evan Engram.

Indianapolis Colts: B

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                The Colts finally drafted a quarterback in Anthony Richardson. The most athletically gifted QB prospect in the draft, Richardson is an athletic specimen. He is a project though as he will need a bit longer to develop compared to guys like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud.

Kansas City Chiefs: C

                The reigning champions took edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah. He is a good prospect but value wise this was not good for the Chiefs. Hopefully, he can refine his skills and turn into a long-term option at edge rusher. Rashee Rice has great physical attributes but cannot separate whatsoever. He struggled all year against below average college secondaries so how will he fair in the NFL?

Los Angeles Chargers: B

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                Quentin Johnston (above) is exactly what the Chargers needed to add to their WR core. Quentin Johnston has a drop problem, but he is great after the catch, which is what the Chargers receiving core struggled with last year. They also needed edge rushing depth, so they drafted Tuli Tuipulotu. Derius Davis is probably the best returner in the draft so getting him also helps the Chargers special teams.

Las Vegas Raiders: B+

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                The Raiders had a great draft. Tyree Wilson (above) is a beast and will wreak havoc for years to come. Wilson combined with Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones has the potential to be one of the best pass rushes in the league Michael Mayer is a tremendous prospect not having a real weakness and being and exceptional receiver. Byron Young also has a high ceiling at DT, so the Raiders nailed this draft.

Denver Broncos: C+

                The Broncos had no 1st rounder due to the Russel Wilson trade. They drafted Marvin Mims Jr in the second round who brings much needed speed and explosiveness to this WR room. They drafted Drew Sanders in the third round and that pick has tremendous value as Sanders was graded as a late first early second round grade.

New England Patriots: A

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                Getting Christian Gonzalez at #17 is a huge win for the Patriots. Gonzalez was one of the best defensive prospects in the draft and Bill Belichick landed him. They drafted Keion White in the second round who is a versatile pass rusher which is always intriguing. 

Buffalo Bills: B+

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                Dalton Kincaid (above) is an excellent pick; he is quite the prospect. He is 6’4” and 246 pounds with hands like glue and a tremendous receiving ability. O'Cyrus Torrence Is another great pick as he was considered a first-round talent. He is a great run blocker and only allowed two sacks in his college career.

Miami Dolphins: C

                Miami just drafted depth pieces to fill out their roster, including corner Cam Smith. He will not play much due to being behind Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, and Kader Kohou. Same with running back Devon Achane he is behind Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert. 

Baltimore Ravens: B

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                The Ravens addressed their two biggest needs in the draft. They drafted Zay Flowers with the #22 pick. They needed to give Lamar Jackson help outside and that is exactly what they did. They also added depth at linebacker drafting Trenton Simpson.

Cincinnati Bengals: C+

                The Bengals addressed some of their needs giving them a C+ in this draft. They drafted edge Myles Murphey is going to help a weak pass rush. They drafted corner DJ Turner who will add much needed depth to their secondary. They also drafted safety Jordan Battle who will not start. Even after drafting him, they have huge holes at the safety position as Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell left.

Pittsburgh Steelers: B+

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                They drafted Broderick Jones who is one of the best pass-blocking linemen in the draft which is what the Steelers desperately needed as their offensive line is terrible. They also drafted physical corner Joey Porter Jr which also fills a position of need. 

Cleveland Browns: C

                Having no picks until the third round because of the Watson trade, the Browns made the best of their situation. They drafted a DT Siaki Ika to help improve their bad run defence. They also drafted Isaiah McGuire who will add value as they lack Depth at edge rusher.