Division by Division NFL Draft Recap, Part One: AFC and NFC North
With the NFL Draft in the rearview, I’ll be breaking down each class by division over the next few days, starting with the AFC and NFC North Divisions.
In this series, I’ll be giving my thoughts on the overall classes and highlighting my favorite selections and a surprise pick for each squad, as well as giving my “Draft Grade.” My grades are very much grounded in process and perceived value, relying on consensus rankings and my own evaluation of the class. An average Draft from that perspective would garner a “C” grade. The following grading scale will be used for all class evaluations:
A = Exemplary selection process and value added
B = Good process and solid overall prospect value
C = Average process and value added
D = Poor process or value added
F = Failure to effectively plan and execute a competent Draft strategy
With that in mind, let’s dive into my evaluation of the AFC and NFC North team Drafts.
AFC NORTH
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Favorite Pick: ED Mike Green (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: LB Teddye Buchanan (4th Rd)
Draft Grade: B+
My Take: The Ravens got good value out of their first 3 selections in S Malachi Starks, Green, and OT Emery Jones by letting the board fall to them and filling roster holes in the process. The Buchanan selection was a bit of a head scratcher, as the former Cal LB was widely graded as a UDFA by most analysts. It’s hard to argue with the Ravens’ front office, though, with their track record, so overall it gets a solid grade for me.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Favorite Pick: ED Shemar Stewart (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: LB Demetrius Knight (2nd Rd)
Draft Grade: C
My Take: I may be in the minority, but I liked the Bengals 1st Round pick of ED Shemar Stewart. It’s a high risk, high reward play for one of the most dynamic athletes we’ve ever seen at the position, but who’s production did not match his elite traits. The selection of Knight with a bevy of 2nd Tier DBs on the board was somewhat puzzling, but Cincy needed help at every level of their Defense, so overall I liked the focus of their class.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Favorite Pick: RB Quinshon Judkins (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: QB Shedeur Sanders (5th Rd)
Draft Grade: B
My Take: The Browns shook up the Draft with their trade back 3 spots, passing on generational talent Travis Hunter for a 1st Round Pick in 2026, and taking DT Mason Graham at 5. Without a shallow roster and no true QB1, adding Draft capital this year and next is an understandable, but risky, move. Judkins is a perfect fit for what the Browns want to do on the ground, and I really liked the value they got for Shedeur Sanders by taking him in the 5th Rd, even though it was surprising he lasted that long and that CLE bit after having drafted a QB a couple rounds earlier.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Favorite Pick: RB Kaleb Johnson (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: ED Jack Sawyer (4th Rd)
Draft Grade: B+
My Take: The Steelers opted to add physicality and youth to their Front 7 with their selections of DTs Derrick Harmon and Yahya Black, as well as the surprising pick of Sawyer in the 4th Rd. I love the DTs, and I don’t hate the Sawyer pick, but I felt at the time they could have gone with a WR or O-Lineman at that spot that would have filled a more pressing need (even before the eventual trade away of WR George Pickens). I thought Kaleb Johnson was the best player-to-team fit of any selection in the Draft this year. Overall an impressive haul from Pittsburgh, even if some would have liked to see them address the game’s most important position earlier.
NFC NORTH
CHICAGO BEARS
Favorite Pick: WR Luther Burden III (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: Ruben Hyppolite II (4th Rd)
Draft Grade: B
My Take: Chicago’s Draft class is very Caleb Williams-centric, and that is just fine with me. Adding a high-upside pass-catching TE like Colston Loveland will give Williams some “easy button” completions in the middle of the field, meanwhile the YAC and field-stretching abilities of Luther Burden made him a really fun Day 2 selection and another weapon to make life smoother for the Bears’ 2nd year QB. The Hyppolite pick left me scratching my head based on how most analysts had the speedy LB ranked. That said, the defense needs playmakers, although their biggest need on that side of the ball was off the Edge, a position they ignored completely on Draft weekend.
DETROIT LIONS
Favorite Pick: OG Tate Ratledge (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: WR Isaac TeSlaa (3rd Rd)
Draft Grade: C+
My Take: GM Brad Holmes and HC Dan Campbell pick their guys, no matter whether or not the consensus likes those guys where they get picked. I really liked the 2nd Round selection of Ratledge, who will likely start on the IOL from Day 1 and keep that elite running game humming. The trade up for TeSlaa was maybe my least favorite move by any team in the entire Draft. I had about 7 other WRs ranked ahead of the Arkansas speedster, but DET still moved heaven and earth to go up and get him. Overall, it was a decent Draft, slightly above average, although much like Chicago, I thought they should have addressed Edge Rusher before the 6th Round.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Favorite Pick: WR Matthew Golden II (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: WR Savion Williams (3rd Rd)
Draft Grade: B-
My Take: I absolutely loved the selection of Matthew Golden in the 1st Round for the Packers. I believe he’s got a chance to be a dynamic WR1 in this offense, and boy does QB Jordan Love need that. His consistent hands and ability to get open will hopefully keep Love from having to create so much and run the offense more on time. The Pack’s 2nd WR selection left me puzzled based how many guys they have in that room already. HC Matt LeFleur and company did address every major need with their Draft haul, though, and that’s more than I can say for a lot of teams. It’s a solid class overall.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Favorite Pick: DE Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (5th Rd)
Surprise Pick: OG Donovan Jackson (1st Rd)
Draft Grade: C-
My Take: Color me skeptical about the Vikings Draft. They only made 5 picks, so each one holds a little more weight than an average sized class. I like Jackson, but not in the 1st Round. I thought the team could have gone after a much-needed secondary help with several 2nd-tier CBs and both the top SAF prospects still on the board when they made their first pick. Versatile front 4 defender Ingram-Dawkins is an interesting chess piece for the Defense, but refusing to snag a CB or SAF in this Draft could definitely come back to bite Brian Flores’ group in the end.
