Grade This Draft

[BFritz21]

I know you can't fully know how great a draft is until usually a few years down the road, especially since players like Mims likely won't start this year, but this is about addressing needs, value, potential, and what you think they could or should have done.

I think we nailed this draft and set ourselves up for the future. I would have liked to draft a center a lot earlier, but, while I don't trust Pollack to coach-him-up, I think Matt Lee could end up being a serviceable center. He was the third-ranked center in the nation in 2022.

Vote and you can leave a detailed analysis or opinions on a few players or nothing at all.

I'll give it an A with the potential to be an A+.

Mims

ABSOLUTELY nailed the top pick. Like Mel Kiper says, with more experience, he could have been a top five pick.

The fact that he doesn't need to start this year helps him learn and gain experience.

A+ on this pick.

Jenkins

We need a run stopper on our D and Jenkins is a hell of a run stuffer. He doesn't offer much in the pass rush department but our division had two of the top five teams in rush attempts in 2023 and three in the top ten, so this was a genius pick and well thought-out by our coaching staff.

A on this pick.

Burton

Dude is a speedster and has the big play ability. He needs to work on his route-running a bit, but that's not too hard to fine-tune with NFL coaching. I didn't really understand the pick since we have Higgins, but either getting jump-started for life after Higgins or planning on trading him. Either way, great pick. He makes our offense that much more dangerous.

Seems to be have a bit of a character concern (maturity), but we have Burrow and other leaders on this team, so let's just hope that he values winning and success more than anything that could get him in trouble.

A here but could be an A+++.

Jackson

Bring him in on pass downs and let him get to the quarterback. Has good speed and agility for his size, which I think will make him a nightmare to block. They say his size might be a problem, but you know who else was a smaller DT? Geno Atkins. I'm not saying he'll be as good as Atkins, but he is a little bigger and has nice potential.

A here.

All

He was on a bad team and still looked good, so I'm excited about this pick. He's going to be a reliable target for Burrow and has a lot of upside and potential. If he were on a better team than Iowa, I believe he would have been taken higher than here. It's hard not to like a guy that's 6'5 and will be a safety outlet for Burrow. He's too athletic for backers and too big for safeties, so choose to double him but then who's left for Chase and our other receivers?

B+ here just so I don't look like a Homer but I think it's an A.

Newton

Would have liked them to go corner a bit earlier, but Newton is good value for where they got him and, with Dax Hill looking like he'll play corner, it's a good pick to bolster our DB room.

Probably won't be an instant impact player but I give it a B.

McLachlan

I didn't really see the point in doubling up here at TE, especially when we need IOL so bad, but he's not the worst pick because he was good value for where he was expected to be drafted. He's a good blocker and can get YAC, so looks like a good pick.

I'll give it a B.

Johnson

Athletic freak. I don't have much faith in him against the run, but I think he can offer something as a pass rusher if he can get coached to use his hands better,

B.

Anthony

Depth and special teams player. Not a bad pick this late.

Lee

Like I said, not much faith in Pollack but I think Lee has the ability to be a solid center with a little coaching.

B+.

Like I said, I give it an A with the potential for an A+ because we took some players to address immediate needs but also to build for the future.

What is your grade?

Like I said, feel free to give as much or as little in your evaluation as you want or nothing at all.