NFL Draft Grades - AFC East
With the 2019 NFL Draft officially complete, theScore's NFL editors hand out their initial grades for how teams fared over the course of the three-day event.
NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
Buffalo Bills
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | DT Ed Oliver |
| 2 | 38 | OL Cody Ford |
| 3 | 74 | RB Devin Singletary |
| 3 | 96 | TE Dawson Knox |
| 5 | 147 | LB Vosean Joseph |
| 6 | 181 | S Jaquan Johnson |
| 7 | 225 | EDGE Darryl Johnson |
| 7 | 228 | TE Tommy Sweeney |
The Bills stood pat at ninth overall and still managed to land Oliver, an undersized game-breaking defensive tackle who's been compared to Aaron Donald. He not only fills a big need but was easily the best player on the board, and could push a stacked Buffalo defense back into the elite tier. Ford is an elite athlete whose versatility will be a big asset. Adding youth to the geriatric backfield of Frank Gore and LeSean McCoy was a must; Singletary isn't the best athlete but will bring toughness to the rushing attack. Knox fills a massive hole at tight end, but he'll need significant time to develop. Overall, no other AFC East team did more to close the gap to New England.
Grade: A-
Miami Dolphins
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | DT Christian Wilkins |
| 3 | 78 | G Michael Deiter |
| 5 | 11 | LB Andrew Van Ginkel |
| 6 | 202 | OT Isaiah Prince |
| 7 | 233 | RB Chandler Cox |
| 7 | 234 | RB Myles Gaskin |
Miami's draft class doesn't jump off the screen, but trading for Josh Rosen boosts the club's grade. It was a no-brainer for the Dolphins, who gave up a late second-round pick for the quarterback. Rosen's contract has little remaining guaranteed money and potentially four more cost-controlled years - it's a low-risk, extremely high-reward move for Miami. Elsewhere, Wilkins headlines a six-man class. A perfect blend of athleticism and character, the former Clemson standout is one of the safer first-rounders. The Dolphins also smartly moved around the board to acquire future assets, a must for a team that's still at the start of a rebuild.
Grade: B-
New England Patriots
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32 | WR N'Keal Harry |
| 2 | 45 | CB Joejuan Williams |
| 3 | 77 | EDGE Chase Winovich |
| 3 | 87 | RB Damien Harris |
| 3 | 101 | OT Yodny Cajuste |
| 4 | 118 | G Hjalte Froholdt |
| 4 | 133 | QB Jarrett Stidham |
| 5 | 159 | DL Byron Cowart |
| 5 | 163 | P Jake Bailey |
| 7 | 252 | CB Ken Webster |
Bill Belichick has done it again. New England's leader made the most of the strong depth in the middle rounds of the draft: Winovich is the kind of high-motor, nasty edge-rusher the Patriots love; Harris provides needed backfield depth; Cajuste could be a Day 2 steal under the guidance of legendary offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. New England needed immediate help at receiver and got one of more pro-ready pass-catchers in the draft in Harry. The only knock on New England is it failed to pick any tight ends after losing Rob Gronkowski, but Belichick usually has something up his sleeve.
Grade: A-
New York Jets
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | DT Quinnen Williams |
| 3 | 68 | EDGE Jachai Polite |
| 3 | 92 | OT Chuma Edoga |
| 4 | 121 | TE Trevon Wesco |
| 5 | 157 | LB Blake Cashman |
| 6 | 196 | CB Blessuan Austin |
The Jets made it clear they wanted to trade down from No. 3 overall to recoup some of the assets lost by trading up for Sam Darnold last year. They ultimately couldn't make the move, but few will likely care when Williams is wrecking offensive lines next to Leonard Williams next season. The former Alabama standout was one of the best players in the draft, and while New York won't get too much credit for an easy pick, the club didn't overthink it, in true Jets fashion. Polite's attitude issues have been well-documented after a disastrous draft, but for a team desperate for pass-rush help, he was great value at the start of the third round.