Every team believes they landed an excellent draft class, but read on to discover which front offices really got the most out of the 2019 NFL Draft.
Every post draft press conference will feature a general manager talking about how much they got out of the 2019 NFL Draft. Inevitably, some of those front offices aren’t being honest. Some teams brought in a great class, but some teams really failed their biggest test of the offseason.
This piece will shed light on which teams aced and failed the draft. It starts with a look at how the teams in the AFC East performed.
Buffalo Bills: A
Credit the Bills for getting really good value throughout the draft. Getting Ed Oliver all the way down at No. 9 was a real coup. Getting Cody Ford on Day Two allowed Buffalo to essentially come away with an extra first rounder.
The class only got better on Day Three. Dawson Knox and Devin Singletary should really help Josh Allen in 2019. Don’t be surprised if Knox becomes one of the team’s leading receivers.
Miami Dolphins: D
The Dolphins came into this draft with a clear plan. They wanted to add as much ammunition as possible to their 2020 Draft to make sure they can get the quarterback of their dreams. That really hampered their ability to add immediate talent.
Christian Wilkins should help immediately, but he might have been a slight stretch at No. 13. Michael Deiter better come through for Miami as a third round pick. If he doesn’t, this could look like a one-man class for the ‘Fins.
New England Patriots: B+
N’Keal Harry might have been a slight reach at the end of the first round, but it’s hard to quibble with the Patriots adding a quality weapon for Tom Brady. As usual, New England excelled later in the draft adding guys who really fit Bill Belichick’s system.
Getting Chase Winovich in the third round was one of the best value picks in this year’s draft. Yodny Cajuste could also turn into a starter in pretty short order. If Jarrett Stidham finds a way to become a quality backup this grade could easily move to a solid A.
New York Jets: C+
The Jets did a good job keeping things simple in Round 1. Quinnen Williams may not be Aaron Donald, but he’s going to be a good starter up front for a long time. Unfortunately, New York didn’t do a ton after that.
Jachai Polite has a ton of talent, but he had too many question marks to draft early in Round 3. The Jets will need Blake Cashman to turn into a fifth round steal to make this class look good.