Mel Kiper's 2016 NFL Draft Grades
As I say every year, the draft is about adding talent, but winning is about talent development. I know I can't grade a draft class on performance for at least a few years, which is a reason I audit old drafts. What I do here is assess three main things:
• How much overall talent did a team add, based on board position?
• How effectively did they address key personnel voids?
• How efficient were they in maneuvering on the draft board?
Remember: I have to use my player grades as the prism. I'm well aware all NFL teams see players differently -- I debate with those evaluators all year. Disagreements are just the reality of this process, and I'm sure they have some grades on me.
Grading scale: In my mind an A means it's exceptional; a B is pretty good; a C is average, with hits and questions marks; a D means below average with some big questions. An F ... well, keep reading.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A[/paste:font]
Top needs: DE, RB, CB, C
Regardless of what the future holds for Myles Jack in terms of health, if he's anything close to 100 percent for years to come, the Jags will have one of the biggest steals of recent draft history. They got Jalen Ramsey at No. 5 after Dallas took Ezekiel Elliott, and then saw Jack fall all the way into the second round, where they moved up to grab him. That's two top-5 types in a single draft class. Stay healthy, Myles.
Yannick Ngakoue provides pass-rush insurance, and Sheldon Day could have gone much earlier as a disruptive interior player with a great motor. He'll deepen the rotation. Tyrone Holmes is an unknown, but the value is just fine here. Defense, defense, defense ... and hey, they need it. The defense was a trainwreck last year, frankly. I like the addition of Brandon Allen in the sixth round. He was dropped from some boards because of small hands, but he was the best QB in the SEC last year and is a great fit here as a backup. Ultimately, you love the talent Jacksonville added and the value, but they've drafted well recently and just haven't shown the growth on the field. Is this the class that turns the tide?
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/5 Jalen Ramsey CB Florida St
2/36 Myles Jack OLB UCLA
3/69 Yannick Ngakoue DE Maryland
4/103 Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame
6/181 Tyrone Holmes DE Montana
6/201 Brandon Allen QB Arkansas
7/226 Jonathan Woodard DE Central Arkansas
Baltimore Ravens: A[/paste:font]
Top needs: CB, OT, DE, CB, WR
In a typical draft for Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta, the Ravens hit a big need early and then found a way to move down the board and add picks, where they got a ton of value. I'm not going to spend much time on the well-traveledLaremy Tunsil discussion, but I do think the off-field stuff factored in late, and made Ronnie Stanley an easier decision.
It's not as if Stanley was a reach. He went No. 6 overall and finished No. 6 on my Big Board. Eugene Monroe's future is a question at tackle, and Stanley could either replace him or kick inside and start out at guard. Either way, it works. In Kamalei Correa, they get pass-rusher who could also play inside, and Bronson Kaufusi hits a need along the defensive line. Tavon Young is slight, but can flat out play and could end up as a nickel corner (a need) and provides safety depth. Chris Moore was a great get in Round 4, a player I thought could go in Round 3 and McShay saw as a late-Round 2 type. He's a classic down-the-field threat for Joe Flacco. Willie Henry can stick, and Kenneth Dixon was my No. 3 running back, and the Ravens got him at No. 134. That's great value. Matt Judon gives them another pass-rusher who could turn into something in Round 5, and Keenan Reynolds is a great story and has a chance to stick.
The Ravens got a big need at tackle and just stacked up value thereafter.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/6 Ronnie Stanley OT Notre Dame
2/42 Kamalei Correa OLB Boise State
3/70 Bronson Kaufusi DE BYU
4/104 Tavon Young CB Temple
4/107 Chris Moore WR Cincinnati
4/130 Alex Lewis OT Nebraska
4/132 Willie Henry DT Michigan
4/134 Kenneth Dixon RB Louisiana Tech
5/146 Matt Judon DE Grand Valley State University
6/182 Keenan Reynolds WR Navy
6/209 Maurice Canady CB Virginia
Chicago Bears: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: OLB, DE, CB, OL
I have some concerns about Chicago's first-round pick, but the Bears made a bunch of good picks thereafter, so it's hard to call this anything but a really good class. The concern on Floyd is pretty simple: Can he maintain his weight and not get physically overwhelmed if he's not simply winning with speed? I think he provides immediate help in a pass-rushing role, but if that's all he becomes, No. 9 could be a reach. Plus, they gave up a fourth-rounder to jump from No. 11 to No. 9.
Now the good stuff: Cody Whitehair can be plugged in right away at guard. Jonathan Bullard is versatile and disruptive and is a nice chess piece for Vic Fangio. Nick Kwiatkoski is a really good linebacker and could start early in his career, though I'd have jumped at Kentrell Brothers in this spot. Deon Bush, Deiondre Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson all come with versatile skill sets. In each case you have guys with experience at both cornerback and safety. Again, interesting chess pieces. I love the addition of Jordan Howard, who isn't a far cry from Derrick Henry but drafted three rounds later. I love the value of Daniel Braverman late. Could be a stud in the slot. Good draft overall, and I hope Floyd holds up.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/9 Leonard Floyd OLB Georgia
2/56 Cody Whitehair G Kansas State
3/72 Jonathan Bullard DE Florida
4/113 Nick Kwiatkoski ILB West Virginia
4/124 Deon Bush S Miami
4/127 Deiondre' Hall CB Northern Iowa
5/150 Jordan Howard RB Indiana
6/185 Deandre Houston-Carson S William And Mary
7/230 Daniel Braverman WR Western Michigan
Cincinnati Bengals: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: WR, DT, OLB, S
I don't know how long it has been since I've had a low grade on a Cincy class. They have a plan and they consistently get excellent value. In the secondary, Adam Jones is 32 and Dre Kirkpatrick could be an unrestricted free agent next season, so cornerback was a quiet need. The addition of William Jackson III -- a player with exceptional ball skills -- not only made sense, it deprived the rival Steelers from the chance to take him one slot later. Cincy needed a wide receiver or two, and got a pair of guys who can win down the field with ball skills and size in Tyler Boyd and Cody Core, the latter of whom is a sleeper given the size/speed combo. I had Andrew Billings ranked lower than many, but I certainly didn't expect him to be available in Round 4. I would have guessed Round 2. Same story with Christian Westerman, who was my No. 3 guard, so in Round 5 that's a steal. Nick Vigil could be called on early at linebacker withVontaze Burfict suspended and the group relatively thin. Another solid draft.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/24 William Jackson III CB Houston
2/55 Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh
3/87 Nick Vigil ILB Utah State
4/122 Andrew Billings DT Baylor
5/161 Christian Westerman G Arizona State
6/199 Cody Core WR Ole Miss
7/245 Clayton Fejedelem S Illinois
Tennessee Titans: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: OT, CB, CB, WR, OLB
The Titans not only got a bunch of good football players in this draft, they should have one of the best 2017 draft classes thanks to the premium picks they added when they moved out of the No. 1 slot. That's factored into the grade here. As for what they got this year, well, it's quite a bit even if the value was just OK in spots. Jack Conklin is a good player, and will compete to start at left tackle, and perhaps end up at right. Either way, that's a starter at a need spot.Kevin Dodd helps the pass rush, Derrick Henry gives them running back help (even though you can get good running backs much, much later), Austin Johnson will jump into the mix on the D-line, and Tajae Sharpe could compete for time at wide receiver. Leshaun Sims and Kevin Byard could help in the secondary, though not early on.
If there's a question mark for me, it's whether they should have added a corner or wide receiver earlier. But overall, they got a bunch of players who have the chance to help, and the picks for next year will turn into more. This is what rebuilding looks like, and they already have the QB.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/8 Jack Conklin OT Michigan State
2/33 Kevin Dodd DE Clemson
2/43 Austin Johnson DT Penn State
2/45 Derrick Henry RB Alabama
3/64 Kevin Byard S Middle Tennessee
5/140 Tajae Sharpe WR UMASS
5/157 Leshaun Sims CB Southern Utah
6/193 Sebastian Tretola G Arkansas
7/222 Aaron Wallace OLB UCLA
7/253 Kalan Reed CB Southern Mississippi
Washington Redskins: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: DL, S, RB, ILB
This is one of my favorite classes. Josh Doctson is the top wide receiver in the draft for me, and the Redskins got him at No. 22. An absolute steal. Su'a Cravens is a versatile player perfect for sub-packages, and he not only attacks the line of scrimmage -- check the TFL totals -- he'll pick off passes if you test him. Kendall Fuller is a question mark because of his knee, but if he's 100 percent that's an extremely good value in Round 3. Nate Sudfeld is a good developmental quarterback if you can get his mechanics in order, and Keith Marshall could be a steal out of Round 7. Matt Ioannidis has a chance to help them on the defensive line, and I think he has a little Dan Klecko in him. I love how physical these players are -- a theme of last year's class -- and I think several of them can help an improving team get better.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/22 Josh Doctson WR TCU
2/53 Su'a Cravens S Southern Cal
3/84 Kendall Fuller CB Virginia Tech
5/152 Matt Ioannidis DT Temple
6/187 Nate Sudfeld QB Indiana
7/232 Steven Daniels ILB Boston College
7/242 Keith Marshall RB Georgia
As I say every year, the draft is about adding talent, but winning is about talent development. I know I can't grade a draft class on performance for at least a few years, which is a reason I audit old drafts. What I do here is assess three main things:
• How much overall talent did a team add, based on board position?
• How effectively did they address key personnel voids?
• How efficient were they in maneuvering on the draft board?
Remember: I have to use my player grades as the prism. I'm well aware all NFL teams see players differently -- I debate with those evaluators all year. Disagreements are just the reality of this process, and I'm sure they have some grades on me.
Grading scale: In my mind an A means it's exceptional; a B is pretty good; a C is average, with hits and questions marks; a D means below average with some big questions. An F ... well, keep reading.
Jacksonville Jaguars: A[/paste:font]
Top needs: DE, RB, CB, C
Regardless of what the future holds for Myles Jack in terms of health, if he's anything close to 100 percent for years to come, the Jags will have one of the biggest steals of recent draft history. They got Jalen Ramsey at No. 5 after Dallas took Ezekiel Elliott, and then saw Jack fall all the way into the second round, where they moved up to grab him. That's two top-5 types in a single draft class. Stay healthy, Myles.
Yannick Ngakoue provides pass-rush insurance, and Sheldon Day could have gone much earlier as a disruptive interior player with a great motor. He'll deepen the rotation. Tyrone Holmes is an unknown, but the value is just fine here. Defense, defense, defense ... and hey, they need it. The defense was a trainwreck last year, frankly. I like the addition of Brandon Allen in the sixth round. He was dropped from some boards because of small hands, but he was the best QB in the SEC last year and is a great fit here as a backup. Ultimately, you love the talent Jacksonville added and the value, but they've drafted well recently and just haven't shown the growth on the field. Is this the class that turns the tide?
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/5 Jalen Ramsey CB Florida St
2/36 Myles Jack OLB UCLA
3/69 Yannick Ngakoue DE Maryland
4/103 Sheldon Day DT Notre Dame
6/181 Tyrone Holmes DE Montana
6/201 Brandon Allen QB Arkansas
7/226 Jonathan Woodard DE Central Arkansas
Baltimore Ravens: A[/paste:font]
Top needs: CB, OT, DE, CB, WR
In a typical draft for Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta, the Ravens hit a big need early and then found a way to move down the board and add picks, where they got a ton of value. I'm not going to spend much time on the well-traveledLaremy Tunsil discussion, but I do think the off-field stuff factored in late, and made Ronnie Stanley an easier decision.
It's not as if Stanley was a reach. He went No. 6 overall and finished No. 6 on my Big Board. Eugene Monroe's future is a question at tackle, and Stanley could either replace him or kick inside and start out at guard. Either way, it works. In Kamalei Correa, they get pass-rusher who could also play inside, and Bronson Kaufusi hits a need along the defensive line. Tavon Young is slight, but can flat out play and could end up as a nickel corner (a need) and provides safety depth. Chris Moore was a great get in Round 4, a player I thought could go in Round 3 and McShay saw as a late-Round 2 type. He's a classic down-the-field threat for Joe Flacco. Willie Henry can stick, and Kenneth Dixon was my No. 3 running back, and the Ravens got him at No. 134. That's great value. Matt Judon gives them another pass-rusher who could turn into something in Round 5, and Keenan Reynolds is a great story and has a chance to stick.
The Ravens got a big need at tackle and just stacked up value thereafter.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/6 Ronnie Stanley OT Notre Dame
2/42 Kamalei Correa OLB Boise State
3/70 Bronson Kaufusi DE BYU
4/104 Tavon Young CB Temple
4/107 Chris Moore WR Cincinnati
4/130 Alex Lewis OT Nebraska
4/132 Willie Henry DT Michigan
4/134 Kenneth Dixon RB Louisiana Tech
5/146 Matt Judon DE Grand Valley State University
6/182 Keenan Reynolds WR Navy
6/209 Maurice Canady CB Virginia
Chicago Bears: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: OLB, DE, CB, OL
I have some concerns about Chicago's first-round pick, but the Bears made a bunch of good picks thereafter, so it's hard to call this anything but a really good class. The concern on Floyd is pretty simple: Can he maintain his weight and not get physically overwhelmed if he's not simply winning with speed? I think he provides immediate help in a pass-rushing role, but if that's all he becomes, No. 9 could be a reach. Plus, they gave up a fourth-rounder to jump from No. 11 to No. 9.
Now the good stuff: Cody Whitehair can be plugged in right away at guard. Jonathan Bullard is versatile and disruptive and is a nice chess piece for Vic Fangio. Nick Kwiatkoski is a really good linebacker and could start early in his career, though I'd have jumped at Kentrell Brothers in this spot. Deon Bush, Deiondre Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson all come with versatile skill sets. In each case you have guys with experience at both cornerback and safety. Again, interesting chess pieces. I love the addition of Jordan Howard, who isn't a far cry from Derrick Henry but drafted three rounds later. I love the value of Daniel Braverman late. Could be a stud in the slot. Good draft overall, and I hope Floyd holds up.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/9 Leonard Floyd OLB Georgia
2/56 Cody Whitehair G Kansas State
3/72 Jonathan Bullard DE Florida
4/113 Nick Kwiatkoski ILB West Virginia
4/124 Deon Bush S Miami
4/127 Deiondre' Hall CB Northern Iowa
5/150 Jordan Howard RB Indiana
6/185 Deandre Houston-Carson S William And Mary
7/230 Daniel Braverman WR Western Michigan
Cincinnati Bengals: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: WR, DT, OLB, S
I don't know how long it has been since I've had a low grade on a Cincy class. They have a plan and they consistently get excellent value. In the secondary, Adam Jones is 32 and Dre Kirkpatrick could be an unrestricted free agent next season, so cornerback was a quiet need. The addition of William Jackson III -- a player with exceptional ball skills -- not only made sense, it deprived the rival Steelers from the chance to take him one slot later. Cincy needed a wide receiver or two, and got a pair of guys who can win down the field with ball skills and size in Tyler Boyd and Cody Core, the latter of whom is a sleeper given the size/speed combo. I had Andrew Billings ranked lower than many, but I certainly didn't expect him to be available in Round 4. I would have guessed Round 2. Same story with Christian Westerman, who was my No. 3 guard, so in Round 5 that's a steal. Nick Vigil could be called on early at linebacker withVontaze Burfict suspended and the group relatively thin. Another solid draft.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/24 William Jackson III CB Houston
2/55 Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh
3/87 Nick Vigil ILB Utah State
4/122 Andrew Billings DT Baylor
5/161 Christian Westerman G Arizona State
6/199 Cody Core WR Ole Miss
7/245 Clayton Fejedelem S Illinois
Tennessee Titans: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: OT, CB, CB, WR, OLB
The Titans not only got a bunch of good football players in this draft, they should have one of the best 2017 draft classes thanks to the premium picks they added when they moved out of the No. 1 slot. That's factored into the grade here. As for what they got this year, well, it's quite a bit even if the value was just OK in spots. Jack Conklin is a good player, and will compete to start at left tackle, and perhaps end up at right. Either way, that's a starter at a need spot.Kevin Dodd helps the pass rush, Derrick Henry gives them running back help (even though you can get good running backs much, much later), Austin Johnson will jump into the mix on the D-line, and Tajae Sharpe could compete for time at wide receiver. Leshaun Sims and Kevin Byard could help in the secondary, though not early on.
If there's a question mark for me, it's whether they should have added a corner or wide receiver earlier. But overall, they got a bunch of players who have the chance to help, and the picks for next year will turn into more. This is what rebuilding looks like, and they already have the QB.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/8 Jack Conklin OT Michigan State
2/33 Kevin Dodd DE Clemson
2/43 Austin Johnson DT Penn State
2/45 Derrick Henry RB Alabama
3/64 Kevin Byard S Middle Tennessee
5/140 Tajae Sharpe WR UMASS
5/157 Leshaun Sims CB Southern Utah
6/193 Sebastian Tretola G Arkansas
7/222 Aaron Wallace OLB UCLA
7/253 Kalan Reed CB Southern Mississippi
Washington Redskins: A-[/paste:font]
Top needs: DL, S, RB, ILB
This is one of my favorite classes. Josh Doctson is the top wide receiver in the draft for me, and the Redskins got him at No. 22. An absolute steal. Su'a Cravens is a versatile player perfect for sub-packages, and he not only attacks the line of scrimmage -- check the TFL totals -- he'll pick off passes if you test him. Kendall Fuller is a question mark because of his knee, but if he's 100 percent that's an extremely good value in Round 3. Nate Sudfeld is a good developmental quarterback if you can get his mechanics in order, and Keith Marshall could be a steal out of Round 7. Matt Ioannidis has a chance to help them on the defensive line, and I think he has a little Dan Klecko in him. I love how physical these players are -- a theme of last year's class -- and I think several of them can help an improving team get better.
Round/Pick Name Pos College
1/22 Josh Doctson WR TCU
2/53 Su'a Cravens S Southern Cal
3/84 Kendall Fuller CB Virginia Tech
5/152 Matt Ioannidis DT Temple
6/187 Nate Sudfeld QB Indiana
7/232 Steven Daniels ILB Boston College
7/242 Keith Marshall RB Georgia
Pete Carroll for signing Boykin and giving Vernon Adams a try out. Only problem is they both are fighting for the same roster spot.
