NFL Draft grades: Cowboys, Buccaneers get high marks

Denver Broncos: A-

The Broncos knew they needed to add weapons for Drew Lock in this draft and they went to great lengths to make that happen. Some might criticize John Elway for spending two high picks on the wide receiver position, but both Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler can grow into high-end starters if things break right. Perhaps more importantly, they also have skill sets different enough to play together.

Grabbing Lloyd Cushenberry in Round 3 will also pay dividends for the Denver offense. He’s not an explosive athlete, but he will give the team quality play on the interior. Justin Strnad also stands out as a strong value in Round 5. He struggled to stay healthy at Wake Forest, but his tape shows him to be a playmaker all over the field.

The focus of this class was giving Lock more weapons, but the Broncos did more than just with this class. It’s a really good effort by John Elway and his front office.

Kansas City Chiefs: B

Clyde Edwards-Helaire will need to develop into a star to justify being taken in the first round. He’ll help Kansas City right away, but the chances of him becoming the next Brian Westbrook aren’t as good as Chiefs’ executives seem to think.

Second round pick Willie Gay had some discipline issues at Mississippi State, but he’s got the athletic ability to be the best player in Kansas City’s draft class. His ability to make plays from sideline-to-sideline will help the Chiefs right away.

Nothing after the first two rounds was all that inspiring. That’s why the Chiefs couldn’t secure a higher grade. The lack of depth probably won’t impact the team’s chances of defending their Super Bowl title though.

Las Vegas Raiders: D

Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock continue to operate like they are the smartest draft experts on planet Earth. Eventually, that’s going to come back to haunt them.

Henry Ruggs III has big time speed but he only caught 40 passes last season at Alabama. Taking him ahead of wideouts like Jeudy and Lamb was a poor choice.

Spending a second round pick on Damon Arnette might be the biggest reach in the draft. He’s got some athletic tools, but he doesn’t project to be anything more than an average starter. The Raiders should have taken a bigger swing in Round 2.

Bryan Edwards in the third round might develop into Las Vegas’ best pick. He struggled with an injury during his last season at South Carolina but he pops out as a playmaker on film. Don’t be shocked if he turns into a better player than Ruggs. He’ll also be more impactful than Lynn Bowden who went to the Raiders one spot ahead of him.

Las Vegas was fortunate not to receive an “F”. They barely managed to earn their passing grade and need to revamp their front office before it ruins the franchise.

Los Angeles Chargers: C-

The Chargers made one of the worst picks in the draft when they selected Justin Herbert at No. 6. That’s a massive reach when you look at his film from Oregon. There’s a lot of talent there, but the Los Angeles coaching staff is going to have to spend a lot of time with Herbert to improve his accuracy.

On the plus side, grabbing Kenneth Murray at No. 23 should provide the Chargers with a big boost right away. His quick-twitch athleticism gives him a chance to be a star at the next level.

Curiously, the Chargers may reap the benefits of making the best pick of Round 7. K.J. Hill would have gone in the third round in most drafts. He suffered from the depth in this year’s wide receiver group. Look for him to make a positive impact on Los Angeles’ offense immediately.