NFL Draft Grades - AFC West
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
Denver Broncos
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | TE Noah Fant |
| 2 | 41 | OL Dalton Risner |
| 2 | 42 | QB Drew Lock |
| 3 | 71 | DT Dre'Mont Jones |
| 5 | 156 | EDGE Justin Hollins |
| 6 | 187 | WR Juwaan Winfree |
The pressure was on John Elway heading into this draft, as a poor track record when it comes to evaluating and selecting college talent had begun to catch up to him. He responded with what may be his most impressive class yet. With many thinking Denver may take a quarterback at No. 10, Elway instead traded down to add picks before picking up a dynamic pass-cacher in Fant. And Lock, the quarterback some predicted the Broncos would have first-round interest in, ended up being there for them to trade up and get in the second. Risner and Jones will each have a chance to make an impact in the trenches, while Hollins was a nice value pick to provide some meaningful depth on the edge.
Grade: A-
Kansas City Chiefs
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 56 | WR Mecole Hardman |
| 2 | 63 | S Juan Thornhill |
| 3 | 84 | DT Khalen Saunders |
| 6 | 201 | CB Rashad Fenton |
| 6 | 214 | RB Darwin Thompson |
| 7 | 216 | G Nick Allegretti |
Trading up for Hardman was an interesting move given his speed, and the obvious fit as possible insurance for Tyreek Hill, but this seems like a reach. Beyond that, the Chiefs found some impressive value in a class that was without a first pick due to the Frank Clark trade. Thornhill and Saunders are solid middle-round additions, and each should could be immediate starters who help improve an awful defense. Thompson is arguably the most interesting pick of the entire group, as he's a phenomenal playmaker who could thrive in an Andy Reid offense.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Chargers
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | DT Jerry Tillery |
| 2 | 60 | S Nasir Adderley |
| 3 | 91 | OT Trey Pipkins |
| 4 | 130 | LB Drue Tranquill |
| 5 | 166 | QB Easton Stick |
| 6 | 200 | LB Emeke Egbule |
| 7 | 242 | DT Cortez Broughton |
The Chargers hit a home run with each of their first two picks in this draft. Tillery has the makings of a dominant interior presence who could be particularly difficult to defend lined up between Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. Adderley is one of the most talented safeties in this draft, and his playmaking ability alongside Derwin James could give Los Angeles the league's best young safety tandem. The rest of the class was underwhelming, but the top two picks were good enough for a strong grade overall.
Grade: B+
Oakland Raiders
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | DE Clelin Ferrell |
| 1 | 24 | RB Josh Jacobs |
| 1 | 27 | S Johnathan Abram |
| 2 | 40 | CB Trayvon Mullen |
| 4 | 106 | EDGE Maxx Crosby |
| 4 | 129 | CB Isaiah Johnson |
| 4 | 137 | TE Foster Moreau |
| 5 | 149 | WR Hunter Renfrow |
| 7 | 230 | EDGE Quinton Bell |
The Raiders had to nail this draft. With three first-round picks after trading away a pair of young stars, the future of the franchise was counting on it. They certainly added talent at several positions of need, and the focus on high-character players is encouraging, but there just wasn't much value. Picking Ferrell at No. 4 was a consensus reach with several premium talents still on the board. The impact of the running back position limits the upside of the Jacobs pick, as solid a prospect as he may be, and the same argument can be made against taking a box safety like Abram in the first. Oakland's draft haul became slightly more intriguing with the athletic upside of players taken in the fourth round, but Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden needed to do more with this all-important class, particularly at the top.