2020 NFL Draft Grades by Team- Part III
Philadelphia Eagles:
Before the Draft Needs: WR, OL, LB, CB, S
First Round - WR Jalen Reagor, TCU. Grade: B-
Second Round - QB Jalen Hurts, QB. Grade: C
Third Round - OLB Davion Taylor, Colorado. Grade: C-
Fourth Round - S K'Von Wallace, Clemson. Grade: C-
Fourth Round - OT Jack Driscoll, Auburn. Grade: A-
Fifth Round - WR John Hightower, Boise State. Grade: B-
Sixth Round - LB Shaun Bradley, Temple. Grade: B-
Sixth Round - WR Quez Watkins, Southern Miss. Grade: A-
Sixth Round - OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn. Grade: C
Seventh Round - Edge Casey Toohill, Stanford. Grade: B-
Comments: This was an inconsistent draft. Still would not have taken Hurts that high if they really wanted a backup quarterback. Reagor was a slight reach, but the Eagles needed a receiver in the worst way. They should have taken Jefferson, but Reagor adds more speed. Jefferson is the better quarterback, but I get the point that TCU had poor quarterback play. They did trade for Marquise Goodwin, which wasn't a bad move for them. I like some of the middle round picks including Driscoll and Watkins. Good value for that late.
Overall Draft Grade: C+
San Francisco 49ers
Before the Draft Needs: WR, CB, OL, DL, S
First Round - DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina. Grade: B+
First Round - WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State. Grade: B-
Sixth Round - TE Charlie Worner, Georgia. Grade: D
Seventh Round - WR Jauan Jennings, Tennessee. Grade: C+
Comments: San Francisco came into the draft with a few needs, but they made the biggest move with a deal, by adding LT Trent Williams from Washington for a fifth and a third next season. Williams will step in to replace Joe Staley, who is retiring. The draft yielded some talent, led by Javon Kinlaw in the first round. This is why John Lynch is one of the best GMs in the league. He gave up DeForest Buckner to the Colts, got another first-round pick and took a player that should be able to fit in his slot. Aiyuk was added for the 31st, 117th and 176th pick at the 25th pick. He's a talented receiver with very long arms and a great vertical leap to make up for his size at 6-feet. The rest of the draft was meh and they only had two other late picks. The only negative was not getting a corner, but they'll find a few next season when they lost most to free agency. Good draft counting the Williams pick up.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
Seattle Seahawks
Before the Draft Needs: DL, OL, RB, WR
First Round - LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech. Grade: B-
Second Round - Edge Darrell Taylor, Tennessee. Grade: B-
Third Round - G Damien Lewis, TCU. Grade: B+
Fourth Round - TE Colby Parkinson, Stanford. Grade: B+
Fifth Round - DE Alton Robinson, Syracuse. Grade: C
Sixth Round - WR Freddie Swain, Florida. Grade: C+
Seventh Round - TE Stephen Sullivan, LSU. Grade: D
Comments: Seattle took Brooks with their first pick and that was an interesting pick, considering Patrick Queen was there. Queen is the better player. Brooks could be just as good down the line, but is a little rawer. Taylor was solid pick in the second round, but a bit of a project. He does have the length and speed to work with. Lewis was another good get in the third round and could be a future starter. I like Parkinson in the fourth round as Stanford tight ends seem to do well.
Overall Draft Grade: B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Before the Draft Needs: OT, RB, QB, DL, S
First Round - OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa. Grade: A-
Second Round - S Antoine Winfield, Minnesota. Grade: B+
Third Round - RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt. Grade: C
Fifth Round - WR Tyler Johnson, Minnesota. Grade: C
Sixth Round - DL Khalil Davis, Nebraska. Grade: B+
Seventh Round - LB Chappelle Russell, Temple. Grade: C+
Seventh Round - RB Raymond Calais, Louisiana. Grade: C
Comments: They traded up to get Wirfs, which was a bit strange, but he is worth it. Very good pick and an excellent athlete. Should be an immediate starter, most likely at right tackle. Winfield is a bit undersized but has good ball skills. The Bucs needed some help in the secondary in the worst way. Vaughn is a steady runner, but don't get taking a back in the third round. Should have waited. Johnson in the fifth round was a decent pick if he can become more consistent.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
Tennessee Titans
Before the Draft Needs: DL, OT, CB, RB
First Round - OT Isaiah Wilson, Georgia. Grade: B+
Second Round - CB Kristian Fulton, LSU. Grade: B+
Third Round - RB Darrynton Evans, App. State. Grade: B
Fifth Round - DL Larrell Murchison, NC State. Grade: C
Seventh Round - QB Cole McDonald, Hawaii. Grade: C
Seventh Round - CB Chris Jackson, Marshall. Grade: C+
Comments: Wilson was a solid value pick late in the first round. He's a monster at 6-6, 350 and can move. Very dominant run blocker and the Titans love to run. Fulton was another nice value pick late in the second round. Has a red flag due to some testing issues, but worth the gamble. Evans wasn't really a need pick in the third round, though they could use a pass-catching back with Deon Lewis gone. They didn't do a lot to move the needle after the first three picks.
Overall Draft Grade: B-
Washington Redskins
Before the Draft Needs: OL, WR, CB, TE, Edge
First Round - DE Chase Young, Ohio State. Grade: A+
Third Round - WR Antonio Gibson, Memphis. Grade: A-
Fourth Round - OT Saahdiq Charles, LSU. Grade: C
Fourth Round - WR Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty. Grade: B+
Fifth Round - C Keith Ismael, San Diego State. Grade: A-
Fifth Round - LB Kahleke Hudson, Michigan. Grade: C
Seventh Round - S Kamren Curl, Arkansas. Grade: C
Seventh Round - Edge James Smith-Williams, Grade: C+
Comments: How could you not love Chase Young? Might be the best player in the draft. He is a game-changer right away, at least on the defensive end. Offensively, Washington still has a ways to go. Gibson is an interesting pick up in the third round. He's built like a running back, but can line up in the slot. He might end up as their top runner. They traded this year's second-rounder to trade up to get pass rusher Montez Sweat last season. That doesn't look like a great move now. Charles was an interesting move in the fourth round, because he does have talent. But he's a fourth-round tackle, because he has short arms. Gandy-Golden is a great story coming out of Liberty. He lacks elite speed, but is long and athletic.
Overall Draft Grade: B+