It would be easy to obfuscate and just mention that the AFC East has represented the conference in two of the last three Super Bowls, but that really boosts up the quality of what has been a notoriously shitty NFL division. The team representing the AFC was, of course, the New England Patriots and part of the reason they got to the Super Bowl in the first place was winning this horrible division and getting six games against these three teams to land home field advantage.
But each year, and draft, offers new hope to these franchises. Historically, all four have had their eras and Super Bowl runs, just rarely do they overlap.
Miami Dolphins
The Haul: Round 1: Charles Harris, OLB, Missouri, Round 2: Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State, Round 3: Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson, Round 5: Isaac Asiata, OG, Utah, Round 5: Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU, Round 6: Vincent Taylor, DT, LSU, Round 7: Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech
Grade: A
The Dolphins get the top grade in the AFC East thanks to their first four picks. All these guys are potential rookie starters. I had a first round grade on Tankersly and getting Asiata in the fifth is a legit steal. He’s a second round talent. Isaiah Ford in the seventh is a potential starter in a couple of years and should contribute early. He had back-to-back 75-plus catch, 1,000 yard seasons for the Virginia Tech.
New York Jets
The Haul: Round 1: Jamal Adams, Safety, LSU, Round 2: Marcus Maye, Safety, Florida, Round 3: ArDarius Stewart, WR, Alabama, Round 4: Chad Hansen, WR, California, Round 5: Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson, Round 5: Dylan Donahue, DL, West Georgia, Round 6: Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette, Round 6: Jeremy Clark, CB, Michigan, Round 6: Derrick Jones, CB, Ole Miss
Grade: B+
This was an absolutely outstanding draft haul from the Jets, but there’s one glaring reason I’m not giving it an A; no quarterback. I have no idea what the aversion is in New York with taking a QB that will actually improve their team, but they had multiple chances in this draft to put a guy on the roster with a chance to develop into a starter and whiffed every single time. I have two favorite picks here. Chad Hansen is one of my Top 10 wideouts and getting him in the fourth round is a solid value. Jordan Leggett will be the Jets’ starting tight end by October.
Buffalo Bills
The Haul: Round 1: Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU, Round 2: Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina, Round 2, Pick 31: Dion Dawkins, OG, Temple, Round 5: Matt Milano, LB, Boston College, Round 5: Nathan Peterman, QB, Pittsburgh, Round 6, Tanner Vallejo, LB, Boise State
Grade: B-
The Bills, thanks to trades and moves, were completely absent in the third and fourth rounds, so that affects their grade here. The Bills took two starters in rounds one and two. Jones should turn into a solid No. 2 and White will be a day one starter at corner. I think Dawkins needs more work before he starts day one and I think this was a reach. Grabbing Peterman in the fifth is exactly what the New York Jets should have done. Peterman has the skillset to play NFL QB and should be a solid No. 2 behind Tyrod Taylor before he just flat out beats him out for the job next year.
New England Patriots
The Haul: Round 3: Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State, Round 3: Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy, Round 4: Pick 25: Deatrich Wise, DE, Arkansas, Round 6: Conor McDermott, OT, UCLA
Grade: D-
This grade is unfair when you consider who the Patriots added by trading away those first and second round picks, but that’s not my job here. The task at hand is to look at the draft picks taken in comparison to other NFL teams and this is a weak haul by any estimation. None of these men will contribute much as rookies and I doubt most of them will even dress for games if they make the team. The best pick is probably Antonio Garcia out of Troy who could develop into a starting level right tackle. Rivers is really better suited for a 3-4 defense at outside linebacker, a system the Patriots don’t run. It’s entirely possible that none of these guys will be in the NFL in four years.
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