2022 NFL Draft Grades: AFC South

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

Houston Texans

Grade: A-

Look at the Texans go. After a year in which the roster was largely filled with bargain-bin, one-year free-agent deals, Houston is finally starting to establish a foundation of talent. Trusting the incredible freshman season, and not overthinking the Stingley pick, earns high marks from us. Green was probably a bit of a reach in the middle of the first round, but we can't get too picky there. Pitre is a dynamic safety who can play all over the field, Metchie should be a great addition to the receiving corps, and Harris is a Day 1 starter at linebacker. Texans fans should be excited about Pierce too; the wait for a running back may have been longer than expected, but the Florida product is a physical presence who could be a stud on early downs.

Indianapolis Colts

Grade: B

The Carson Wentz trade left the Colts without a first-round pick in this draft, but they made the most of their selections. Pierce and Woods are big bodies who, alongside Michael Pittman, give Indy's passing game something of a basketball feel. Good luck stopping that group above the rim. And it's not just Woods' 6'7 frame; he also has one of the best athletic profiles we've ever seen at tight end. Raimann, who was considered a potential first-rounder, is a solid value pick in the third. And Cross is another great athlete (4.34 40 time) who should be a nice fit at strong safety in Gus Bradley's defense. The Colts got better, and faster, this weekend.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Grade: B

It's not difficult to see why Walker was the No. 1 pick in a year with no consensus top player. In the absence of a must-have star, there's certainly a case to be made for taking a swing on a pass-rusher with the most upside. But the reality is that there's far more risk with that pick than you'd like at the top of the draft. Walker will be a stout run defender from Day 1, but it's anyone's guess as to whether he ever becomes an elite pass-rusher off the edge. Each of Jacksonville's next three picks are deserving of positive grades, particularly doubling down on two stud linebackers. But the Walker decision is too risky for a slam dunk grade.

Tennessee Titans

Grade: B

What an odd weekend for the Titans. Trading A.J. Brown for a first- and third-round pick and then effectively replacing him with Burks isn't exactly the way you want to start the draft. Burks may have drawn stylistic comparisons to Brown, but you can't bank on him being of the same quality. McCreary was a bit of a reach early in the second round, and a project tackle in the third doesn't exactly address Tennessee's offensive line concerns. But taking a chance on Willis, the most talented signal-caller available this year, has the potential to make this class. For now, it feels like a mediocre draft haul. Willis developing as a passer could make it a great one.