The 2016 NFL Draft concluded Saturday, and that means it’s time to hand out grades for all 32 teams.
There were a lot of draft trades this season, including ones that involved the top two picks in the first round. These teams gave up a lot of quality assets to move up, which puts even more pressure on the young players they selected.
Here’s a look at how each team fared in this year’s draft.
AFC East
New England Patriots: B+
The Patriots filled needs at cornerback, offensive line and wide receiver, while also acquiring a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft.
Miami Dolphins: A
The Dolphins got one of the steals of the draft when Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil fell to No. 13, and their selection of Alabama running back Kenyan Drake could be a Lamar Miller replacement at running back.
New York Jets: B-
Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee was an excellent pick at No. 20, but taking Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg in Round 2 might have been the worst selection of the draft.
Buffalo Bills: B+
The Bills did a nice job adding to their defense with Clemson pass rusher Shaq Lawson and Alabama linebacker Reggie Ragland, who was a steal in Round 2. Ragland is a first-round talent.
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: A-
The Colts found additional depth and talent on the offensive line to protect franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, headlined by the selection of Alabama center Ryan Kelly. He was the highest-ranked center in this draft class.
Houston Texans: B+
The Texans signed quarterback Brock Osweiler to a massive contract as a free agent, and they gave him some weapons in the draft, most notably Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A+
The Jaguars added plenty of depth and talent to a weak defense, including the selection of the best defensive back in the draft in Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey. UCLA linebacker Myles Jack would have been a high first-round pick without his health concerns, so he could be one of the better steals as a second-rounder if he doesn’t consistently battle injuries.
Tennessee Titans: B-
The Titans did well to acquire a boatload of picks from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for the No. 1 overall selection, but did they really need to trade up to No. 8 for offensive tackle Jack Conklin? Probably not.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: A-
Trading up for Paxton Lynch was a smart move. He’s not yet ready to be a starting quarterback, but he’s going to a good system with quality coaches and plenty of talented receivers. The selection of Devontae Booker in Round 4 was one of the best of the entire draft. Booker could be the top rookie running back next season.
San Diego Chargers: C
Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is a really talented pass rusher, but getting a top left tackle (either Tunsil or Ronnie Stanley) to protect quarterback Philip Rivers was San Diego’s primary need.
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
The Chiefs traded out of the first round to acquire a total of nine picks. They didn’t take any marquee names, but they found good value and added depth to positions of weakness. All in all a solid draft class.
Oakland Raiders: A-
The Raiders continued to build their defense with four players, including a first-round selection of West Virignia safety Karl Joseph — arguably the best safety in this class. Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook in the fourth round and LSU guard Vadal Alexander in the seventh round were great value picks.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: B+
The Ravens found a new left tackle for quarterback Joe Flacco in Stanley, and they got great value in Round 6 by selecting Navy dual-threat quarterback Keenan Reynolds.
Cleveland Browns: B
The Browns’ new approach to analytics resulted in 14 draft picks this year, the most of any team. Even if just half of these picks become reliable NFL players, Cleveland will have had a pretty good class. Baylor wide receiver Corey Coleman (No. 15 overall) will provide quarterback Robert Griffin III with a tremendous target in the passing game.
Cincinnati Bengals: B+
Baylor defensive tackle Andrew Billings in the fourth round and Pittsburgh receiver Tyler Boyd in the second round were excellent value picks and should play a lot of snaps as rookies.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B
The Steelers upgraded a suspect defense from last season by using five of their seven picks on that side of the ball, including two defensive backs with excellent speed.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: C+
The Cowboys took Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott when they already had veterans Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris on the roster. Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey would’ve been a better choice. Second-rounder Jaylon Smith of Notre Dame probably won’t even play next season.
Philadelphia Eagles: B+
The Eagles gave up a lot of draft capital to move to No. 2, but they selected a potential franchise quarterback in North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz as a result.
Washington Redskins: B
Virginia Tech cornerback Kendall Fuller has first-round talent but dropped to Round 3 because of injury concerns. The Redskins were smart to take a chance on him, though.
New York Giants: C+
Taking cornerback Eli Apple at No. 10 over cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, safety Karl Joseph and linebacker Darron Lee didn’t make much sense.
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: B+
The Seahawks upgraded their offensive line in Round 1 and got a steal in Round 2 with Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed. Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise was a good gamble in the third round, too.
San Francisco 49ers: B+
DeForest Buckner was the best pass rusher in the draft and a solid value pick at No. 7 overall. The 49ers also found plenty of depth for their struggling defense, including three cornerbacks.
Los Angeles Rams: B-
The Rams gave up a ton of picks to move up and select Jared Goff at No. 1 overall. That said, if he realizes his potential and becomes a legit franchise quarterback, this class will be a tremendous success. You can’t win in today’s NFL without a top quarterback, and the Rams haven’t had one since Kurt Warner.
Arizona Cardinals: B-
Robert Nkemdiche fell to No. 29 because of off-field issues, but if he stays out of trouble, he could be one of the best steals of the draft. There’s no question the Ole Miss defensive tackle was a top-10 prospect in terms of talent.
NFC North
Green Bay Packers: B+
The Packers added low-risk, high-reward players to a defense that gave up a lot of yards last season, while also boosting the depth of their offensive line.
Minnesota Vikings: B
Ole Miss star Laquon Treadwell could be the best wide receiver in this class and the Vikings were lucky to get him at No. 23 in Round 1. This is a real nice weapon for young quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander in Round 2 was fantastic value as well.
Chicago Bears: B-
The Bears upgraded their offensive line and added much-needed pass rushing with Georgia defensive end Leonard Floyd at No. 9 overall. A pretty good class for a Chicago team not too far away from competing in the NFC North.
Detroit Lions: B
First-round pick Taylor Decker of Ohio State will help improve an offensive line that let franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford get hit and sacked way too often last season.
NFC SouthÂ
Carolina Panthers: B
The Panthers addressed the loss of All-Pro cornerback Josh Norman by selecting three cornerbacks and a total of five defensive players.
Atlanta Falcons: C+
If Stanford tight end Austin Hooper replaces some of the production lost when tight end Tony Gonzalez retired, this draft class won’t be too bad.
New Orleans Saints: B
The Saints had just five picks, tied for the fewest in the draft, but they did a nice job with them. Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (Round 1) fills an immediate need for an awful defense, and Ohio State receiver Michael Thomas (Round 2) gives veteran quarterback Drew Brees another threat on the outside.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: D+
The Buccaneers traded up in Round 2 for a kicker. Did they think he really wasn’t going to be available with their next pick? That’s just madness.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
