NFL Rundown: Draft Grades From Bears, Giants, Cowboys By Grant Winsauer
The NFL Draft concluded this past Saturday, and only a short time later, networks like ESPN, NFL Network, and CBS Sports did their analysis. So, let's get into some personal draft grades for the 2024 draft class.
First, let's do the Chicago Bears. The Bears had only four picks in the ’24 draft, but did they make every player count?
According to PFF.com, the Bears earned an ‘A’ for their 2024 draft class. This is an excellent grade because you will get your franchise quarterback with Caleb Williams quarterback out of USC drafted No. 1 overall. I give that pick an A+. You follow that up by grabbing Rome Odunze, wide receiver, drafted out of Washington at No. 9 to help with Williams’ development. I give that pick another A+.
Then, at No. 75, you grab an offensive tackle, Kiran Amegadjie, drafted out of Yale, who probably won’t get much playing time as a rookie but could be a starter in a few years. I give this pick an ‘A’ because injuries always happen on the offensive line, so having depth in that position is good. The pick that I think is stopping this draft from being an A+ is that the Bears drafted Tory Taylor, a punter from Iowa, at No. 122 overall. I give this pick a B because the Bears drafted him early in the draft, and if they had a later pick, the Bears could have gotten him in the later rounds. That was supposed to be the end of the Bears draft, but Ryan Poles pulled off some magic and traded back into the fifth round (while only giving up a future fourth-round pick) to select edge-rusher Austin Booker out of Kansas. I give this pick an A because Booker had a third-round draft grade and was drafted in the fifth round.
The New York Giants also had themselves a good draft. At No. 6 overall, they took out a weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones in Malik Nabers, a wideout from LSU. I give this pick an A because they needed a receiver, but we’ll see how productive he is with Daniel Jones as a quarterback. This was the right pick for them because even though they could have taken a quarterback, the talent after Williams, Daniels, and Maye took a huge drop-off regarding the talent of J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. The Giants tried to trade up to No. 3 with the Patriots to take Maye, but the offer was rejected. According to MSN.com, the Giants offered No. 6 overall and their 2025 first for No. 3, but the Patriots wanted Maye, so they said no. The Giants also filled positions of need with Tyler Nubin, a safety and Chicago native who played for Minnesota. He will likely be Xavier McKinney’s replacement at safety. I also give this pick an ‘A’ because Nubin was the highest-rated safety coming out of college and the Big Ten this year. I give them a B+ because they fixed holes on offense and defense in this draft.
The Dallas Cowboys added most of their new players through the draft rather than free agency, but I liked their draft. They added Tyler Guyton, a tackle out of Oklahoma, to replace Tyron Smith (now with the New York Jets). I give this pick an ‘A’ because he was the best available tackle, and the Cowboys needed to fill that void after losing Smith to the Jets. They added Marshawn Kneeland, an edge out of Western Michigan, to their arsenal, and he will learn from fellow stars and Pro Bowlers like Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence, learning from great veterans in the league. I give this pick a B+ because they took Kneeland too early. The pick I liked for Dallas was their third-round pick, Cooper Beebe, guard/center from Kansas State; after losing former center Tyler Biadasz to the Washington Commanders in free agency, I wouldn’t be surprised if Beebe got a look at center for the Cowboys. I give this pick an ‘A’ because I didn’t think Beebe would be available at No. 73, and it fills a position of need for the Cowboys. I give the Cowboys’ total draft haul a solid ‘B’ because, after the third round, you're just taking chances on players.