NFL draft grades: Bears, Steelers lead best team classes as Cowboys stumble

The 2024 NFL draft is complete – which naturally means it’s time to prematurely dissect, parse, overanalyze and, yes, grade it. That’s the world we live in, and that’s what you want even if it takes about three seasons to really get a fair read on any team’s rookie crop. (Just think back to the top-heavy quarterback draft of 2021, four of those five Round 1 passers already on different teams – and who expected that at the time?)

No matter, fearlessly forge ahead we will, though one note about the methodology: As I grade each team, the goal is to pull back for a big-picture look at its performance holistically rather than judging from a narrow perspective that doesn’t include trades and other considerations that more accurately frame the decisions.

With that in mind, here are your ridiculously hasty 2024 NFL draft grades, with team classes ranked from best to worst:

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1. Chicago Bears (A+)

Duh. They got this draft’s best player, USC QB Caleb Williams, off the top and – perhaps – its next best in Washington WR Rome Odunze at No. 9. Kudos to GM Ryan Poles for the forward-looking trade of the No. 1 pick last year to Carolina, a deal that ultimately netted the franchise-shifting selection of Williams – opportunity being the convergence of luck and preparation and all that. There’s more. Last season’s trade deadline move for DE Montez Sweat for a second-rounder was the right call, expensive as it was. Round 5 pass rusher Austin Booker from Kansas has a chance to really shine on an already fortified defense. Even impressive Iowa P Tory Taylor is a weapon – and one getting some early ribbing from Williams.

As Poles said, “It’s gonna be really hard to make this team.” And that was before the draft. Salute.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (A+)

After HC Mike Tomlin and GM Omar Khan upgraded their quarterback options via Groupon during free agency, the team proceeded to conduct what looks like a monster draft. Top picks Troy Fautanu (Round 1, Washington) and Zach Frazier (Round 2, West Virginia) – along with 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones – should immediately remediate an offensive line that will be expected to refuel the run game new OC Arthur Smith will doubtless lean on. “We just want to roll people,” Tomlin said Saturday on NFL Network.

Third-round WR Roman Wilson (Michigan) is a home run hitter who could immediately compete for the starting job opposite George Pickens. But the lottery pick could be Round 3 LB Payton Wilson (North Carolina State), who has first-round talent if a 12th-round medical history. But he could be a dynamically impactful X-factor next to free agent addition Patrick Queen.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (A)

They got, arguably, the draft’s best defensive back (Toledo first-rounder Quinyon Mitchell). They got, arguably, the draft’s most athletic and versatile defensive back (Iowa second-rounder Cooper DeJean). Third-rounder pass rusher Jalyx Hunt is an intriguing project and fourth-round Clemson RB Will Shipley could maximize the plays Saquon Barkley takes off. Michigan G Trevor Keegan and Florida State WR Johnny Wilson are high-ceiling Day 3 picks, and fifth-round Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. puts the cherry on top with the sentimental homecoming factor … at a position that’s seemingly been unsettled since dad left.

4. Los Angeles Chargers (A)

Maybe it was a microcosm of the new identity they want to forge, but HC Jim Harbaugh and GM Joe Hortiz didn’t get cute in their first draft – steadily plucking quality players who addressed their needs (and/or philosophy) in a windfall that should have this relative rebuild or retool well ahead of schedule. First-round OT Joe Alt (Notre Dame), second-round WR Ladd McConkey (Georgia), third-round LB Junior Colson (Michigan) and fourth-round DL Justin Eboigbe (Alabama) could all be opening day starters, Alt’s prodigious talent clearly trumping the fact he exclusively played left tackle for the Irish and will now have to adjust to the right side opposite established Pro Bowler Rashawn Slater. Seventh-round WRs Brenden Rice (USC) – Jerry’s son – and Cornelius Johnson (Michigan) could push to play quickly given the state of the depth chart at that position. Who had it better than the Bolts? (Almost) nobody.

5. New York Giants (A)

The Daniel Jones haters may not be mollified, but given the team was wed to him contractually this season regardless, GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll went about the draft the right way. First-round WR Malik Nabers (LSU) should be a field-flipping asset to Jones and/or whomever eventually replaces him. Third-round Kentucky CB Dru Phillips will compete against anybody. Some second-round maneuvering over the past few months netted highly regarded Minnesota S Tyler Nubin and former Panthers pass rusher Brian Burns, who’s already signed an extension and now bookends Kayvon Thibodeaux. Solid-plus.

6. Washington Commanders (A-)

No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels (LSU) could be their dynamic, long-sought franchise quarterback after the previous regime spent years kicking that can down the road. Second-round DT Johnny Newton (Illinois) and DB Mike Sainristil (Michigan) could be both be foundational players for the incoming staff … though Newton’s arrival seems to signal Jonathan Allen or Daron Payne could be a short-timer. And it’s worth wondering if the former decision-makers did the current ones a disservice by dealing Sweat as pass rush is still an issue here. Third-round WR Luke McCaffrey certainly has the bloodlines – and maybe the talent to be an impact target for Daniels from the slot.

7. Los Angeles Rams (A-)

They drafted in Round 1 for the first time in eight years, which kicked off a run that seemed to bring four immediate contributors in the first three rounds: Edge rusher Jared Verse (Round 1), DT Braden Fiske (Round 2) – the former Florida State teammates thrilled to transfer once again and reunite ahead of their collective task to replace retired DL Aaron Donald – before Michigan RB Blake Corum and Miami (Fla.) S Kamren Kinchens landed in Round 3. The loss of Donald is massive figuratively and literally, but it feels like a team that’s turned over so extensively since its Super Bowl 56 triumph remains firmly on the right track.

8. Indianapolis Colts (A-)

They might have gotten the draft’s best defender, UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 15 before getting a Round 1-caliber wideout in Adonai Mitchell at No. 52 – and he arrives with an ax to grind with the rest of the league. Mid-round O-line upgrades (Pitt’s Matt Goncalves and Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini) are rarely a bad idea, though a corner in one of those spots might have made more sense.

9. Minnesota Vikings (A-)

After losing QB Kirk Cousins in free agency, they went on the offensive and obtained a second first-round from Houston last month – a move presumed to necessitate a subsequent climb up the board. But GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah played his cards right and got to select twice in Round 1 – coming away with highly regarded but highly divisive Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy and highly regarded (period) pass rusher Dallas Turner. The third-round spot was cashed in two years ago as part of a trade deadline deal for Pro Bowl TE T.J. Hockenson. The kicking game should be boosted by sixth-rounder Will Reichard of the Crimson Tide.

10. Green Bay Packers (B+)

Maybe not supremely sexy – again, no Round 1 wideout – but just another solid haul by GM Brian Gutekunst. First-round OT Jordan Morgan (Arizona), second-round LB Edgerrin Cooper (Texas A&M), second-round S Javon Bullard (Georgia) and third-round RB MarShawn Lloyd should all be cheaper, more effective upgrades for David Bakhtiari, De’Vondre Campbell, Darnell Savage and AJ Dillon, respectively, Dillon the only who returns (and probably only for 2024). However nitpickers will note none but Morgan play a premium position. Still, last year’s trade of QB Aaron Rodgers helped to enable this talent intake for a team that’s looking increasingly bulletproof around second-year starting QB Jordan Love.

11. Houston Texans (B+)

It’s a really difficult draft to parse in a big-picture way. They used their first-rounder to get DE Will Anderson Jr. last year, and he wound up as the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. They sent their final first-rounder from Cleveland in the Deshaun Watson offload to Minnesota for, in part, two second-rounders – one of those already used to obtain WR Stefon Diggs from Buffalo, who’s now on a one-year deal. From a draft acquisition perspective, GM Nick Caserio continued resourcing a 23rd-ranked pass defense with second-round CB Kamari Lassiter (Georgia) and third-round DB Calen Bullock (USC) – though questions linger regarding whether either is up to the job. Round 2 OT Blake Fisher (Notre Dame) could push to play on the right side by Week 1, but C.J. Stroud insurance is a good idea in any case.

12. Seattle Seahawks (B)

Potential thievery with Texas DT Byron Murphy II, likely a linchpin of new HC Mike Macdonald’s defense going forward, coming with the 16th pick. Third-round G Christian Haynes (Connecticut) addresses a desperate need on the other line. And good thing veteran DL Leonard Williams, acquired for this year’s second-rounder at the 2023 trade deadline, decided to stick around and re-sign.

13. Baltimore Ravens (B)

When you’re drafting at the end of every round, maybe you reach just a little in spots. Yet it seems like they did a good job – per usual – marrying value, talent and need. First-round CB Nate Wiggins (Clemson) is a supreme athlete, and his tackling will improve – because the Ravens will demand that. Second-rounder Roger Rosengarten (Washington) should be the new right tackle, while third round OLB Adisa Isaac could be a factor on passing downs straight away. And the value picks kicked in on Day 3 with deep threat WR Devontez Walker (North Carolina) and CB T.J. Tampa (Iowa State), who could give Wiggins a battle to get on the field first.

14. Detroit Lions (B)

They’ve now tripled down an 27th-ranked pass defense, drafting CBs Terrion Arnold (Round 1) and Ennis Rakestraw (Round 2) – they join trade arrival Carlton Davis III – as this team continues to load up for the ever-elusive Super Bowl run. Alabama’s Arnold, in particular, should be a great culture fit and beloved figure in Motown based on his reception from the locals Thursday night.

15. New York Jets (B)

For a team with a win-now mandate, might it have made more sense to take Georgia TE Brock Bowers at No. 11 and add to the offensive line depth – given its eminent availability in this draft – later? TBD. But coming away with Penn State All-American LT Olu Fashanu in the first round and Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley in the third could also be a winning combo given the latter’s ability to make an immediate splash as a pure playmaker between WRs Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. Fourth-round RB Braelon Allen (Wisconsin) and fifth-round QB Jordan Travis (Florida State) and CB Qwan’tez Stiggers (Toronto Argonauts) are the kind of mid-rounders who have the talent to pay off very handsomely. Though the (tarnished) silver lining of QB Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury last season was the Jets’ retention of their 2024 first-round pick, this season will decidedly determine if he was worth what they surrendered, including this year’s Round 2 slot. And give Douglas credit as the Fashanu pick and deal to get a third-rounder in 2025 are the moves of a GM operating as if he’ll be on the job a year from now … though unloading DL John Franklin-Myers to Denver for a 2026 sixth-rounder was baffling.

16. Kansas City Chiefs (B)

Perhaps the anti-Jets, taking the superfluous receiver (Texas blazer Xavier Worthy) in Round 1 before the offensive lineman (BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia) they arguably should have prioritized in Round 2? And, again, maybe the league’s new dynasty shouldn’t be questioned – Worthy’s 4.21 speed added to free agent signing Hollywood Brown, and what they could mean to an offense triggered by three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes … assuming the three-time Super Bowl MVP remains upright behind whoever’s guarding his blind side.

17. San Francisco 49ers (B)

First-round Florida WR Ricky Pearsall and second-round Florida State CB Renardo Green have the ability to contribute heavily to another Super Bowl push while also being foundational pieces beyond 2024 – especially if Pearsall has to eventually replace former Arizona State teammate Brandon Aiyuk’s production. Third-round OL Dominick Puni (Kansas) might also crack the rotation this season but many of the players might struggle to make this roster – one reason the Niners spun two of their 10 picks into future drafts.

18. Cincinnati Bengals (B)

Felt like your typically solid, if often unspectacular, Cincy draft – first-round OT Amarius Mims (Georgia), second-round DT Kris Jenkins (Michigan) and third-round WR Jermaine Burton all virtually certain to be starters … no later than 2025. No panic here at all despite those trade demands by DE Trey Hendrickson and WR Tee Higgins.

19. Buffalo Bills (B)

A team with a clear receiver need following the trade of Diggs and departure of Gabe Davis took some heat Thursday for dropping out of Round 1 rather than aggressively targeting a replacement. Yet in a deep wideout draft, GM Brandon Beane did just fine, getting Florida State’s Keon Coleman, arguably a first-round talent, at the top of Round 2 – and even if he isn’t a blazer, he’s fast enough, catches contested balls and will provide QB Josh Allen with a big target. Win, especially with a bonus of additional picks for a team that was depleted by salary-cap reckoning. Second-round S Cole Bishop is unlikely to make anyone forget Jordan Poyer or Micah Hyde. Third-round DT DeWayne Carter should have an impact on the pass rush and could quickly emerge as a new defensive leader. And while signing undrafted free agent RB Frank Gore Jr. will garner headlines, fourth-rounder Ray Davis (Kentucky) could be the one who makes hay while easing the load on James Cook.

20. Arizona Cardinals (B-)

They didn’t overthink it off the top, staying put at No. 4 for Ohio State WR stud Marvin Harrison Jr. before getting Mizzou DL Darius Robinson at the bottom of Round 1. Second-round CB Max Melton also has huge upside at a position that was bereft of talent. But it didn’t feel like the Cards got quite enough despite having seven of the top 90 picks? Admittedly, third-round RB Trey Benson could pay off if incumbent starter James Conner gets banged up again … or gets too expensive. Third-round TE Tip Reiman of Illinois felt like a luxury … and a cruel decision given he doesn’t believe in birds but has to play for the Cards and constantly face the Seahawks.

21. New England Patriots (B-)

Though it must have been tempting to sell the No. 3 pick for the draft assets a fallen dynasty clearly needs, new director of scouting Eliot Wolf was probably wise to stay in the fairway and take North Carolina QB Drake Maye … and hope it all goes much better than the Mac Jones experience. And it should given the support the new regime should provide, not to mention the Jacoby Brissett Band-Aid option. An offense awash in WR2s took another in Washington WR2 Ja’Lynn Polk, Odunze’s understudy … though fourth-round WR Javon Baker of Central Florida could be a steal here. And the team is apparently hoping third-round OT Caedan Wallace, a right tackle exclusively at Penn State, can man the left side in front of Maye. Hmmm. Sixth-round QB Joe Milton III’s arm will outshine Maye’s, and his is no noodle.

22. Miami Dolphins (B-)

Taking Penn State pass rusher Chop Robinson in the first round was probably a good call given the injuries to veteran OLB Bradley Chubb (ACL) and Jaelan Phillips (Achilles) and fact a surplus of edge players is never a bad thing. Choosing OT Patrick Paul in Round 2 was a defensible hedge given the appearance that LT Terron Armstead seems to be coming to the end of the line – though Miami seems to remain quite vulnerable up the middle. Mid-round RB Jaylen Wright (Tennessee) and OLB Mohamed Kamara (Colorado State) could add bonus juice. Miami’s third-rounder was forfeited due to owner Stephen Ross’ tampering violation, and the fourth-rounder was used in the acquisition of Chubb two years ago.

23. Las Vegas Raiders (B-)

A team that openly coveted a quarterback – or, at least, new HC Antonio Pierce did – had been frozen out of the market entirely by the time the 13th pick rolled around Thursday night. Maybe they miscalculated, maybe first-year GM Tom Telesco played it conservatively as he tended to do with the Chargers. Regardless, the Silver and Black regrouped to get Bowers in Round 1 and Oregon OL Jackson Powers-Johnson in Round 2, both plug-and-play starters and likely impact players.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (B-)

Like the Ravens, they keep winning … so they keep drafting late. But first-round OL Graham Barton (Duke) and second-round OLB Chris Braswell (Alabama) arrived at the intersection of need and value. Round 3 Washington WR Jalen McMillan could be the relative sleeper who delivers nicely.

25. Carolina Panthers (C)

One wants to like rookie GM Dan Morgan’s first draft despite the boom-or-bust element of it. But it was imperative to give second-year QB Bryce Young more weapons, and first-round WR Xavier Legette (South Carolina), despite his lack of production prior to 2023, and second-round RB Jonathon Brooks (Texas), despite his November ACL tear, should be. Eventually. Another Longhorn, fourth-round TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, should contribute immediately, though we’ll see if third-round LB Trevin Wallace (Kentucky) is up to the task. The trade of Burns, basically for a second-rounder, still doesn’t sit right.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (C)

Trading down in Round 1, for a pair of mid-round picks next year, and still getting LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. is solid use of the board. Trading a Day 2 pick for WR Calvin Ridley, getting too cute in a bid to re-sign him, then having to take Thomas to replace him … not such good use. Third-round CB Jarrian Jones could be a heist, and it’s probably a win if one of the LSU DTs, Maason Smith (Round 2) and Jordan Jefferson (Round 4), hits.

27. New Orleans Saints (C)

First-round OT Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) and second-round CB Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama) are good players at positions of need. Previous trades stripped the Saints of third- and fourth-rounders. And while a Round 5 spot spent on South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler isn’t hugely expensive, the team already had five quarterbacks on the roster if you also include Taysom Hill. Maybe Rattler’s a lottery ticket … and maybe a squad that seems to be falling behind in the NFC South should have prioritized other positions.

28. Denver Broncos (C-)

The sins of the trade for former QB Russell Wilson have not only retarded this roster’s development but moving on from them boxed the Broncos in, at least partially, to taking Oregon QB Bo Nix at No. 12 – even if that’s tantamount to an overdraft. Giving Nix WR Troy Franklin, a Ducks teammate, in Round 4 could prove an efficient stroke. A fifth-rounder isn’t a huge investment in Notre Dame RB Audric Estimé, a highly productive player for the Irish … but how many ball carriers with 4.7 speed turn into reliable pros? No second-rounder as part of the price of prying Payton from the Saints, something he’s presumably got plenty of time to justify.

29. Atlanta Falcons (D)

Atlanta Falcons first round draft pick quarterback Michael Penix Jr talks to the media at a press conference introducing him at the Falcons training complex.

They did the expected by reinforcing the defense with a highly talented but not all that productive front seven player (Ruke Orhorhoro, Round 2) and a highly productive but not physically remarkable front seven player (Bralen Trice, Round 3). But, naturally, their draft will forever be regarded and defined by the shocking decision to select Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 selection.

There’s no legit argument against opting for quality depth under center given the annual league-wide attrition at the position – Cousins a prime example of the issue in 2023. But this is a highly suspect way to resource it after signing Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal last month, when he said he looked forward to retiring in Atlanta. And that also cuts to the handling of the matter – if the Falcons’ brain trust knew they wanted Penix, there was little chance they wouldn’t get him at No. 8 … which suggests the right thing to do would have been to share the plan with Cousins much earlier than when the team went on the clock Thursday. Maybe this team has set up a seamless succession plan between an established passer and a highly compelling prospect. And maybe the well has been poisoned, and a team that should have been totally focused on loading up around Cousins has made a royal miscalculation.

30. Tennessee Titans (D)

Not their fault that the Chargers took Alt two spots ahead of them, but could they have moved back and added some assets rather than sticking and picking Alabama OT JC Latham? The risk is magnified by the decision to move him to second-year QB Will Levis’ blind side – Latham played exclusively on the right side in Tuscaloosa – though if anyone is going to make it work, it’s legendary O-line coach Bill Callahan. Second-round DT T’Vondre Sweat could be a reach personally and professionally – very possibly a limited two-down player who can’t get onto the field to affect games late.

31. Dallas Cowboys (D)

An organization that’s allegedly “all in” uses its first-rounder on a tackle (Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton) with tremendous upside but who may or may not be ready to play immediately. And while the Cowboys needed help in the trenches (second-round DE Marshawn Kneeland, third-round G Cooper Beebe) and potentially filled a hole with third-round Notre Dame LB Marist Liufau, what’s the plan at tailback? Run it back with Ezekiel Elliott? All … in?

32. Cleveland Browns (D)

View the deal however you choose, but they’ve finally paid off the Deshaun Watson debt … though its aftermath continues to hang over the franchise from football, financial and fan-relation vantage points. The top picks they did make – second-round DT Michael Hall Jr. (Ohio State) and third-round G Zak Zinter (Michigan) – don’t seem ready to contribute meaningfully in 2024, Zinter coming off a major leg injury and parked behind established Pro Bowl guards (Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller) anyway.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL draft grades: Bears, Steelers lead best team classes as Cowboys stumble