We’re in to the AFC North, looking at draft classes and passing out arbitrary grades because that’s what you do after the draft. Hey, I didn’t make the rules.
Baltimore Ravens
The haul: Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina (Round 1, Pick 25), Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (Round 1, Pick 32), Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma (Round 3, Pick 83), Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma (Round 3, Pick 86), Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama (Round 4, Pick 118), Kenny Young, ILB, UCLA (Round 4, Pick 122), Jaleel Scott, WR, New Mexico State (Round 4, Pick 132), Jordan Lasley, WR, UCLA (Pick 5, Pick 162), Deshon Elliott, Safety, Texas (Round 6, Pick 190), Greg Senat, OT, Wagner (Round 6, Pick 212), Bradley Boseman, Center, Alabama (Round 6, Pick 215), Zach Sieler, DE, Ferris State (Round 7, Pick 238)
Grade: B+
If you recall, the mark of a successful draft is picking Day One starters in the first and second rounds. Any draft in which a team gets two guys that make an immediate, positive impact is a good one and, by that standard, the Ravens nailed this one. Here’s the problem, their first round picks (they had no second round picks) aren’t those guys. Hurst was a definite reach in round one and Andrews, taken in round three, will probably take his job.
Jackson, by design, will sit a year or two behind Joe Flacco as he develops so neither of those picks work towards this grade. Here’s who does; Andrews, which I’ve already mentioned, and Orlando Brown, who is a potential Day One starter. So is Anthony Averett at corner. Add in Kenny Young, who I love, and the freakish big play possibilities of Jaleel Scott and this is an outstanding draft. The bad first pick and project at QB is what keeps it from scoring an “A.”
Cincinnati Bengals
The haul: Billy Price, Center, Ohio State (Round 1, Pick 21), Jessie Bates, Safety, Wake Forest (Round 2, Pick 54), Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State (Round 3, Pick 77), Malik Jefferson, OLB, Texas (Round 3, Pick 78), Mark Walton, RB, Miami (Round 4, Pick 112), Davontae Harris, CB, Illinois State (Round 5, Pick 151), Andrew Brown, DT, Virginia (Round 5, Pick 158), Darius Phillips, CB, Western Michigan (Ruond 5, Pick 170), Logan Woodside, QB, Toledo (Round 7, Pick 249), Rod Taylor, OG, Ole Miss (Round 7, Pick 34), Auden Tate, WR, Florida State (Round 7, Pick 253)
Grade: B+
I thought picking Price was a reach in the first round, but there was an insane run on centers in this draft. I would have still liked to see the Bengals trade down five spots, pick up some late picks, and still grab Price. But, who knows if anyone wanted to make that deal? Price is a definitive starter. My favorite pick here is Jefferson in the third, who I think was very underrated in the draft process. Auden Tate could quickly develop into a starting wideout at a seventh round value. Bates never flashed for me in my draft evaluations, but he would hardly be the first player I’d missed. If he pans out, Cincinnati could have four starters and a back up QB in this group.
Cleveland Browns
The haul: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma (Round 1, Pick 1), Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State (Round 1, Pick 4), Austin Corbett, OG, Nevada (Round 2, Pick 33), Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia (Round 2, Pick 35), Antonio Callaway, WR, Florida (Round 4, Pick 105), Chad Thomas, DE, Miami (Round 3, Pick 105), Genard Avery, ILB, Memphis (Round 5, Pick 150), Damion Ratley, WR, Texas A&M (Round 6, Pick 175), Simeon Thomas, CB, Louisiana Lafayett (Round 6, Pick 188)
Grade: B+
If you followed my rankings throughout the pre-draft process, you know that Mayfield was my top-rated quarterback in this class. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one as reportedly the New York Jets had him as their top QB too. Considering that Ward is easily a Day One starter and one of the top two corners in this draft, it’s hard to say Cleveland shit the bed with their second pick, but, damn, how do you pass up Bradley Chubb there? Especially when you realize Josh Jackson was still on the board when the Browns picked (twice) in the second round. That’s tough.
Outside of those two guys, Nick Chubb should start on opening day in the backfield and Genard Avery was a steal in the fifth. Reportedly he dropped because of a knee issue. Why no “A?” Because I don’t see Corbett as an early starter. If I’m wrong, this grade absolutely curves up to an “A.”
Pittsburgh Steelers
The haul: Terrell Edmunds, Safety, Virginia Tech (Round 1, Pick 28), James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State (Round 2, Pick 60), Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State (Round 3, Pick 76), Chuks Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan (Round 3, Pick 92), Marcus Allen, Safety, Penn State (Round 5, Pick 148), Jaylen Samuels, TE, N.C. State (Round 5, Pick 165), Joshua Frazier, DT, Alabama (Round 7, Pick 246)
Grade: C+
The Steelers make a habit of making first round picks I don’t like, then absolutely acing the rest of the draft. This is more of the same. Edmunds probably won’t start as a rookie as Pittsburgh rarely tosses first-year guys out there with the ones anyway. Washington, on the other hand, should immediately slide into the No. 3 receiver role.
Rudolph is the perfect project quarterback to sit under Ben Roethlisberger. Drafting him probably should cost Landry Jones a job. I’m interested in seeing how the Steelers see Samuels. He might be a running back for them.
