With most star quarterbacks residing in the AFC, many see the NFC as a two-team race between the Eagles and 49ers. But it’s rarely that predictable.
The NFL draft allows teams to quickly retool with immediate impact players, an attempt to create parity in the league as some franchises land cornerstone pieces such as wide receiver Justin Jefferson or edge rusher Micah Parsons.
Only time will tell which draft picks will be just as good as those aforementioned All-Pro players, but the results appear promising for some teams, especially the one in the Pacific Northwest. It’s probably too soon to say the Seahawks will push the 49ers in the NFC West or the Eagles in the postseason, but a good draft class provides hope.
Let’s dive into which teams truly got it right this year and rank the top draft classes in the NFC.
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16. Washington Commanders
The Commanders reached with their first two picks to fill needs in the secondary. It’s easy to understand why coach Ron Rivera took interest in cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, a confident playmaker with the ability to process quickly on the field. Forbes’s ball skills, however, might not translate at the next level, since he has a thin frame of 166 pounds. Also, his hyperaggressiveness could do more harm than good. Perhaps Washington didn’t expect to see cornerback Christian Gonzalez available at No. 16 and instead opted for the more familiar scouting report with Forbes. Then in the second round, Washington took a gamble on Jartavius Martin, who might be more of a rotational third cornerback than an every-down safety. With Rivera entering a critical fourth year, he might have played this draft too safe, especially by passing on adding more help for second-year quarterback Sam Howell.
15. San Francisco 49ers
It’s tough to win a draft waiting for your first pick to arrive at No. 87, but the 49ers missed opportunities on Day 2 to add immediate impact players to aid in their quest to win a Super Bowl this season. San Francisco got overconfident by selecting kicker Jake Moody in the third round. He was probably the best kicker in the draft, and he does fill a need with Robbie Gould no longer on the roster, but it might not be wise to expect a rookie kicker to drill clutch kicks in January or February. The 49ers at least have insurance with Zane Gonzalez on the roster, but they could have used that pick to select an edge rusher or a cornerback instead. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown, however, is a solid addition in the third round. He drew comparisons to new teammate Talanoa Hufanga because of his ball skills and physical play style.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The worst rushing team in the NFL last season didn’t draft a running back. The Buccaneers could have been ranked last on this list for not addressing the running game, but they added a potential stud in defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and a stout run blocker in versatile offensive lineman Cody Mauch. Quarterback Baker Mayfield—or Kyle Trask—desperately needed offensive line help. (The subpar unit last season might have forced Tom Brady into retirement.) It was a lackluster draft for the Buccaneers, but they might get immediate help from the first two picks.
13. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys went for need instead of taking a best-player-available approach at No. 26. Mazi Smith is a beefy defensive tackle who will likely improve the Cowboys’ inconsistent run defense, but he might not be an every-down player, as his pass-rush skills need improvement. In reaching for Smith, Dallas might have waited too long to draft Dalton Schultz’s replacement. It missed on tight ends Michael Mayer and Luke Musgrave. Perhaps tight end Luke Schoonmaker will develop into a quality starter, but the Cowboys need difference-makers as a win-now team.
12. Detroit Lions
The Lions reached for running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12—which won’t look bad in a year if Gibbs’s skill set is similar to what Alvin Kamara provides for the Saints. But the Lions also traded D’Andre Swift to an NFC rival to make room for the rookie in their crowded backfield, meaning this pick-and-trade could backfire if Detroit faces Swift and the Eagles in the postseason. Or perhaps the Lions won’t care, because making the postseason would likely mean that Gibbs was worth the pick. Detroit also made a questionable decision by selecting Jack Campbell (the first inside linebacker taken in the draft) at No. 18 and then passing on Mayer for tight end Sam LaPorta. Nonetheless, credit to the Lions for not panicking and taking a quarterback early, and instead selecting Hendon Hooker in the third round.
11. New Orleans Saints
If defensive tackle Bryan Bresee stays healthy, he’ll probably develop into a future Pro Bowler because of his versatility as a pass rusher and run stopper. New Orleans had the right idea by prioritizing the defensive front after losing a few starters in free agency, but the team might regret passing on Keion White for Isaiah Foskey. The team also might have missed on an opportunity to add more pass catchers for Derek Carr, drafting running back Kendre Miller instead. (New Orleans seems to be banking on Michael Thomas’s staying healthy this season.) The Saints also made an intriguing choice in selecting Jake Haener to play behind Carr and Jameis Winston. Perhaps New Orleans sees starting potential for the Fresno State product.
10. Arizona Cardinals
Many applauded the Cardinals for acquiring a 2024 first-round pick from the Texans after trading out of the No. 3 spot—but Arizona then made a strange decision to trade back into the top 10, relinquishing a second-round pick to the Lions in the process. With possibly the worst roster in the league, the Cardinals would have been better off staying at No. 12 or trading down again for more picks. Offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr. will help Kyler Murray (or perhaps Caleb Williams), but Arizona could have very well filled the same need with Broderick Jones—or selected an impact player for the defense—had it stayed at No. 12. But the Cardinals later added defensive help instead with edge rusher BJ Ojulari and cornerback Garrett Williams.
9. Chicago Bears
Bears general manager Ryan Poles was patient throughout the draft, and he was rewarded with extra draft picks and a stout right tackle for quarterback Justin Fields. Darnell Wright plays with an edge on the field, something Chicago desperately needed after Fields took a league-high 55 sacks last season. The Bears also focused on the defense, adding run-stopper Gervon Dexter Sr. and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. This draft class doesn’t stand out compared to the ones below, but it might be remembered for years to come if Wright becomes a perennial Pro Bowler (and Poles delivers more hits with the future picks he landed in trades).
8. Atlanta Falcons
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No one will say the Falcons reached for a running back if Bijan Robinson is as productive as Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley, three running backs who were also drafted inside the top 10 in the past 10 years. Also, this scenario is different from the Lions’ gambling on Gibbs, since Robinson offers more as a complete back. Sure, the Falcons might regret passing on a quarterback, but three were already taken before the No. 8 pick and Robinson will provide plenty of help for second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder. Atlanta might have gotten a little greedy by sticking to the offensive side for the second pick, but offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron fits coach Arthur Smith’s scheme as a rugged run blocker. Nonetheless, the Falcons are going to need Day 1 help from third-round defensive end Zach Harrison.
7. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings might have gone with the “Randy Ratio”—Mike Tice’s name for an offense that got Randy Moss the ball 40% of the time—for Justin Jefferson this season if they hadn’t selected wide receiver Jordan Addison in the first round. Addison’s speed and smooth route running will give quarterback Kirk Cousins another playmaker, taking some focus from opposing defenses off Jefferson. The Vikings also added depth to the secondary with third-round cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and fourth-round safety Jay Ward. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores now has the pieces to drastically improve the Vikings’ pass defense.
6. Los Angeles Rams
After starting 14 different offensive linemen last season, the Rams got a two-for-one pick with TCU product Steve Avila, who has experience at guard and center. The second-round pick will likely compete for a starting guard spot this season before taking over as the team’s center of the future. Last season the Rams were bailed out often by interior offensive lineman Coleman Shelton’s versatility. Now they’ll get that from Avila, in addition to the depth they added with fifth-round tackle Warren McClendon. And though Stetson Bennett might not be starting-quarterback material, his experience as a two-time national champion might make him a reliable backup.
5. Green Bay Packers
The Packers got plenty of help for first-year starting quarterback Jordan Love with a pair of tight ends in Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft, as well as a new downfield threat in wide receiver Jayden Reed. Maybe Green Bay got it wrong by not adding an offensive lineman with its first-round pick, but Kraft can provide extra blocking as a quality in-line tight end. The defense now has a ferocious pass-rushing rotation too, with Lukas Van Ness, the No. 13 pick, ready to go alongside Preston Smith and Rashan Gary.
4. New York Giants
The Giants opened the draft by possibly selecting three Week 1 starters: cornerback Deonte Banks, center John Michael Schmitz and wide receiver Jalin Hyatt. The Commanders might regret passing on Banks for Forbes; the prospect out of Maryland has the size (6'0", 197 pounds), athleticism and physicality to be a standout outside cornerback. Additionally, New York had a hole to fill at center before landing Schmitz in the second round, and many viewed him as one of the top two centers in the draft. Hyatt, on the other hand, might have to compete with Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell and Wan’Dale Robinson, but this is a reminder of how far the Giants have come with adding receivers for quarterback Daniel Jones.
3. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers automatically had one of the best draft classes the second they turned in their draft card with Bryce Young’s name. Yes, his size might be an issue (at the combine, Young measured in at 5'10", 204 pounds), but he’s accurate in the pocket, can create away from it and is a quick processor on the field. Young has all the ingredients to be considered a top-15 quarterback after his rookie season. Plus, he is walking into a good situation with Carolina having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL (though the Panthers didn’t settle, either, by adding second-round wide receiver Jonathan Mingo). Third-round defensive end DJ Johnson could also provide depth for a promising defense.
2. Seattle Seahawks
It was somewhat surprising that the Seahawks went with Devon Witherspoon over Gonzalez at No. 5, because coach Pete Carroll tends to favor cornerbacks with length and athleticism. But that shows just how much the Seahawks were enamored with Witherspoon, a tenacious cover man with solid instincts. Seattle now has an excellent cornerback duo in Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen to throw at San Francisco’s and Philadelphia’s skill players. On offense, the Seahawks also have a standout receivers trio, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba joining DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Seattle probably could have gone in a different direction with the second-round selection of running back Zach Charbonnet, but it could be worth it when the rookie and running back Kenneth Walker III are closing games in December and January.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
With Jalen Hurts getting paid this offseason, this was a critical draft for the Eagles to maintain a competitive roster for years to come, despite a tight salary cap. (Philadelphia has over $54 million in existing dead money, one of the five highest in the league according to Over the Cap.) First-round picks Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith will provide depth to a stacked defense before taking over as starters (with Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham possibly retiring or leaving next season). There are questions about Carter’s maturity—he was arrested and charged in connection with a crash that killed two members of the Georgia football program in March—but he stood out as the Bulldogs’ top defensive player the past two seasons, so it might not be a surprise if he’s starting this season. Safety Sydney Brown and cornerback Kelee Ringo could also be future starters. Hurts’s yearly cap hit won’t be an issue if GM Howie Roseman continues to ace draft classes.
