AFC draft grades: Like Buffalo Bills, Kansas City addresses specific needs in rounds 1-3
Until they dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs – or even after they do – the Buffalo Bills should be keeping one eye on the goings on with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid.
Until they dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs – or even after they do – the Buffalo Bills should be keeping one eye on the goings on with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid. Who did the Chiefs sign? Who did the Chiefs cut? And, last weekend, who did the Chiefs draft?
Turns out, the Bills and Chiefs were operating with some of the same thoughts.
We start our AFC team-by-team grading of the NFL draft with the Chiefs, who get an A-minus for their seven picks.
An injury kept Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons out of the College Football Playoff, but he was still a first-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs.
JACOB KUPFERMAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Chiefs had four of the first 85 selections, and added a future starting offensive tackle in Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, a wide-bodied run stopper in Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott to replace Tershawn Wharton, an edge rusher in Louisville’s Ashton Gillotte, who had 11 sacks two years ago, and a cornerback in California’s Nohl Williams, who had seven interceptions last year.
The Bills also addressed cornerback (Maxwell Hairston), edge rusher (Landon Jackson) and defensive tackle (T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker).
Here is the rest of the conference:
Bills
They used their first five picks on defensive players … and needed to. Kentucky’s Hairston (Round 1), South Carolina’s Sanders (2), Arkansas’ Jackson (3) and Kentucky’s Walker (4) should have immediate Week 1 roles. Ohio State’s Jordan Hancock (5) will be cross-trained at corner and safety to provide roster flexibility. They waited until the seventh round to take a receiver (Maryland’s Kaden Prather), another sign of their confidence in Keon Coleman.
Grade: B+.
Baltimore
The Ravens had 11 picks, but only two in the top 90. Georgia’s Malaki Starks (Round 1) joins Kyle Hamilton for a potentially impactful safety duo and they added Marshall edge rusher Mike Green in the second round after his off-field issues due to concerns about two sexual assault accusations. They needed to draft a kicker (Arizona’s Tyler Loop in the sixth) because of Justin Tucker’s off-the-field issues.
Grade: C.
Cincinnati
A first-round edge rusher who had only 1½ sacks last year (Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart)? A second-round linebacker (South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight) when you still have Logan Wilson? And no offensive tackle help? The Bengals are rolling with Orlando Brown at left tackle.
Grade: D.
Cleveland
The weekend started so well. The Browns traded out of the No. 2 spot for a satchel full of picks from Jacksonville, including a 2026 first. They drafted UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins in the second round. Good, good and good. Cue chaos. They drafted two quarterbacks (Oregon’s Dillion Gabriel and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders) and another running back (Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson, even though he’s a steal). Thus, no A for them.
Grade: B.
Denver
Texas’ Jahdae Barron (20th overall) was the first true cornerback drafted and is expected to be the instant nickel. UCF’s R.J. Harvey was the fifth running back (second round) taken, and he will start right away after scoring 42 touchdowns in the last two years. Third-round receiver Pat Bryant of Illinois averaged 18.2 yards per catch last year, but ran only 4.61 seconds in the 40, so he was a reach.
Grade: C+.
Houston
It was time to help quarterback C.J. Stroud, and the Texans used six of their nine picks on offense, including their first three – Iowa State receiver Jayden Higgins and Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery in Round 2 and Iowa State receiver Jaylin Noel in Round 3. Houston should be the by-default favorite to win a third consecutive AFC South title.
Grade: B+.
Indianapolis
It seems as though the Colts have been looking for tight end help since Dallas Clark left in 2011, and now they have Penn State’s Tyler Warren (first round), a jack-of-all-trades player who fell to the 15th pick when Chicago opted for Michigan tight end Colston Loveland. Second-round edge rusher J.T. Tuimoloau, who shined during the College Football Playoff for Ohio State, was a good pick.
Grade: C+.
Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter was all smiles alongside Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen after the Jaguars drafted Hunter second overall.
GARY MCCULLOUGH, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jacksonville
We should divide this grade into two parts – A+ for trading up for Colorado receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter (who will primarily play receiver for the Jaguars) … and then a D after two days of just picking guys. They didn’t address offensive tackle, at all, but did draft two running backs. Only Hunter projects as a Week 1 starter.
Grade: B-.
Las Vegas
Seven of the Raiders’ 11 picks were offense, led by Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty at sixth overall. They did their best work in Rounds 2-3 by adding solid receiver Jack Bech (TCU), should-start-soon Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter and should-start-right-away guard Caleb Rogers (Texas Tech). Later, they drafted Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott and moved him to receiver.
Grade: A-.
L.A. Chargers
Drafting running back Omarion Hampton (North Carolina) after signing Najee Harris, albeit to a one-year deal? The Chargers can plug Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris (second round) outside of slot receiver Ladd McConkey to present match-up problems. The Chargers had only three of the first 124 picks.
Grade: C+.
Miami
The Dolphins had only two picks in Rounds 1-4 and added Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant (first round) and projected right guard Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona). General manager Chris Grier didn’t act with any urgency to make a trade to get into the third or fourth rounds – their final six picks were at Nos. 143, 150, 155, 179, 231 and 253. Plus, they couldn’t find a taker for cornerback Jalen Ramsey. But at least Grant will play right away.
Grade: D.
New England
It’s tough to go wrong when a team has multiple high picks (three of first 69) and has many needs. The Patriots drafted LSU left tackle Will Campbell, Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson and Washington State receiver Kyle Williams in Rounds 1-3 – basically 2½ starters. A lot to like later with California safety Craig Woodson (five interceptions in last two years) and Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer (four sacks) in Round 4.
Grade: A.
N.Y. Jets
The best way to win when you’re talent deficient is build the offensive line to run the ball and control the clock. A year after drafting left tackle Olu Fashanu, the Jets added Missouri first-round right tackle Armand Membou. LSU tight end Mason Taylor (second round) will benefit from playing with receiver Garrett Wilson. Fourth-round safety Malachi Moore (Alabama) should eventually replace Tony Adams.
Grade: B+.
Pittsburgh
If you can figure out the Steelers’ plans, let us know. They started and ended draft weekend with a quarterback competition of Mason Rudolph vs. Skylar Thompson. Ugh. The 313-pound defensive tackle Derrick Harmon (Oregon, 21st overall) may have been an option for the Bills. Iowa third-rounder Kaleb Johnson joins a four-back depth chart.
Grade: D.
Tennessee
Six of the Titans’ nine picks were offensive players, led by Miami (Fla.) quarterback Cam Ward first overall. The Titans didn’t overthink this one – they needed a passer, so they sat at No. 1 and took him. They did good work throughout the draft from Penn State safety Kevin Winston (Round 3, fell because of a September 2024 torn ACL) to Stanford receiver Elic Ayomanor (Round 4, listed at 6-foot-2) and California cornerback Marcus Harris (Round 6).
Grade: A-.
Coming Thursday:
NFC team-by-team grades.
