Complete NFL Draft grades for the Cleveland Browns (and 31 other teams)
By Chad Porto
AFC East
New England – SAF Kyle Dugger (Lenoir-Rhyne), OLB Josh Uche (Michigan), OLB Anfernee Jennings (Alabama), TE Devin Asiasi (UCLA), TE Dalton Keene (Virginia Tech), K Justin Rohrwasser (Marshall), IL Michael Onwenu (Michigan), OT Justin Herron (Wake Forrest), LB Cassh Maluia (Wyoming), IL Dustin Woodard (Memphis)
When you lose Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski with Bill Belichick allegedly being why, you would hope that he’d do all he could to get the next era of Patriot football started off right. As much as everyone loves Brian Hoyer, the team may need more than what the team has at quarterback. Even Belichick said that they didn’t intend to not draft one. They did get two back to back tight ends, much like when they drafted Gronkowski. So that’s something. I guess.
Defensively they’re the standard Patriot-players. They even got the best-named player in the draft with Cassh Maluia. That said, a rare mistake popped up with Justin Rohrwasser, the teams’ new kicker. News has come out that he’s part of a far-far-right militia and considering how Belichick’s rigid rules seem to negate any type of controversial character, one has to wonder if they did their research when drafting him. This could be the start of the end of the Patriot way.
Grade: C+
Miami – QB Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama), OT Austin Jackson (USC), CB Noah Igbinoghene (Auburn), IL Robert Hunt (Louisiana), DT Raekwon Davis (Alabama), SAF Brandon Jones (Texas), IL Solomon Kindley (Georgia), DE Jason Strowbridge (North Carolina), DE Curtis Weaver (Boise State), LS Blake Ferguson (LSU), SLASH Malcolm Perry (Navy)
This might be the best-looking crop of prospects that Miami has had in decades. If Tua Tagovailoa is healthy and lives up to the hype, the Dolphins could be the new kings of the AFC East. Austin Jackson will provide some stress relief, and getting slash player Malcolm Perry could be the steal of the draft. You would have hoped the team went with a running back or wideout considering how gutted they’ve been over the recent years.
Defensively they made some good additions, but like with their offense, the corp was previously gutted in order to get more draft picks. Noah Igbinoghene has the potential to be the next great DB for the squad, but he’ll be exposed at times due to the lack of support around him. The team had no real pash rush last season, and they’ll need to find something akin to one in order for the team to find some success. Though, this team shouldn’t be expecting to compete in 2020.
Grade: B+
New York (Jets) – OT Mekhi Becton (Louisville), WR Denzel Mims (Baylor), SAF Ashtyn Davis (Cal), DE Jabari Zuniga (Florida), RB La’Mical Perine (Florida), QB James Morgan (FIU), OT Cameron Clark (Charlotte), CB Bryce Hall (Virginia), P Braden Mann (Texas A&M)
The Jets were all over the place in the draft. Mekhi Becton is a huge presence on the line but guys like him aren’t always sure-fired bets. Denzel Mims is intriguing and has a nice skillset that could translate to a number one type receiver. Ashtyn Davis might the steal of their draft, as an ultra-athletic, ball-hawking safety.
The only problem with their draft is they took a few guys, like Becton and Mims who is going to be so important to the strength of their team immediately and in the future, that if one of them fails to catch on could hinder the team in totality for years. With the hype of Becton by those in the “know” like Mel Kiper, anything short of a Hall of Fame-worthy career would be seen as a letdown. This could be an A+ draft in five years, but today it’s not.
Grade: B
Buffalo – DE AJ Epenesa (Iowa), RB Zack Moss (Utah), WR Gabriel Davis (UCF), QB Jake Fromm (Georgia), K Tyler Bass (Georgia Southern), WR Isaiah Hodgins (Oregon State), CB Dane Jackson (Pitt)
These grades are solely on teams drafting of talent, not teams who had good off-seasons. The Bills traded away their first-round pick for Stefon Diggs. A very good player. He’s not a rookie though, so not having a first might have hurt this team. Might have.
Yet, AJ Epenesa and Zack Moss have tremendous upside and fit so well into what they’re doing. UCF has a history of turning out surprisingly good pros, and Gabriel Davis is a great pick. He should fit seamlessly into the offense and give Josh Allen another option. If anyone else catches on, then this draft is a solid A+. Yet, they took Jake Fromm, wasting a pick that was better spent on securing that offense. Hey, got a kicker though.
Grade: B+