2022 NFL Draft Grades: AFC North

With the 2022 NFL Draft officially complete, theScore's NFL editors hand out their initial grades for each team's incoming rookies.

NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST

Baltimore Ravens

Grade: A

There's a reason some teams are always contenders. For the Ravens, it's because they just tend to draft better than everyone else - and this year was no different. Getting Hamilton - one of the best players in the draft - at No. 14 was the steal of Round 1. Linderbaum is an outstanding center prospect who's drawn comparisons to Jason Kelce, while Ojabo could have been a first-rounder if he hadn't torn his Achilles at his pro day. Jones, a stout run defender with some sneaky pass-rush upside, could also have been a Day 1 pick. And don't forget about Faalele: At 6-foot-8 and 384 pounds, he just feels like a Ravens tackle. After nailing those first five picks, it became about volume. Baltimore's expertise in stockpiling mid-rounders presented an excellent opportunity to seek out value and build depth - though notably they didn't replace the departed Brown. Watch out for the Ravens this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

Grade: B

The AFC champion Bengals had a quietly strong draft weekend. After adding three potential starters on the offensive line in free agency to effectively address its most pressing need, Cincinnati worked on the defensive side. Hill and Taylor-Britt provide some major upgrades in the secondary, and Carter has plenty of upside as a three-technique rusher at the next level. It wasn't overly spectacular, but it didn't have to be, either. This class puts the Bengals in a position to build off all the great things they did last year.

Cleveland Browns

Grade: B-

Cleveland didn't have a first-round pick as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade, but impressive maneuvering allowed it to stockpile a bunch of picks. The Browns did a great job of finding value when they were on the clock late on Day 2 and early on Day 3. Emerson is an under-the-radar player in a strong cornerback class who has the potential to start on the boundary. Bell lacks elite athletic traits, but he's a refined player who could earn a role opposite Amari Cooper. And Winfrey may be the best pick of the bunch. For all he may lack as a run defender, the juice he brings to the interior pass rush will be tough for teams to deal with when they've already got Myles Garrett to worry about on the edge.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Grade: B+

The Steelers had to go with a quarterback. The question, of course, is whether they took the right one. Most of the draft community graded Malik Willis higher, and some even had multiple signal-callers ahead of Pickett. But the fact that the second quarterback picked didn't come off the board until No. 74 perhaps suggests that league evaluations had Pickett well in front of the pack. All we know for sure is that the Steelers needed a quarterback, got their guy, and followed up with two great value selections in the second and third rounds. Think what you want about Pickett, but that's more than enough for a strong grade in this class.