Draft Grades - AFC East: Bills, Dolphins emerge with strong, balanced haul
With the 2017 NFL Draft officially complete, theScore's NFL editors hand out their initial grades for how teams fared during all seven rounds.
NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
Buffalo Bills
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 1 | CB Tre'Davious White |
| 2 | WR Zay Jones |
| 2 | OL Dion Dawkins |
| 5 | LB Matt Milano |
| 5 | QB Nathan Peterman |
| 6 | LB Tanner Vallejo |
It's somewhat difficult to believe, but Bills general manager Doug Whaley engineered one of the savviest drafts this weekend. The Bills traded down 17 spots to select Tre'Davious White 27th overall, their original first-round target and gained a 2018 first-round pick in the process. Buffalo addressed its biggest needs at cornerback and wide receiver with its first two picks and received some late-round value with developmental quarterback Nathan Peterman on board. Whaley was on the hot seat prior to the draft but this was his finest work during his tenure as the Bills' GM.
Grade: B
Miami Dolphins
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 1 | DE Charles Harris |
| 2 | LB Raekwon McMillan |
| 3 | CB Cordrea Tankersley |
| 5 | G Isaac Asiata |
| 5 | DT Davon Godchaux |
| 6 | DT Vincent Taylor |
| 7 | WR Isaiah Ford |
The Dolphins came away with a strong, balanced cohort at the end of the weekend, addressing needs at edge rusher, interior linebacker, and cornerback with their first three picks. Charles Harris and Raekwon McMillan should contribute immediately, while Cordrea Tankersley won't be fazed by the transition to the pro ranks after winning a national title at Clemson. Vincent Taylor and Isaiah Ford represent good value for Day 3 selections and general manager Chris Grier should give his staff a hefty reward for their work throughout the weekend.
Grade: B-
New England Patriots
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 3 | LB Derek Rivers |
| 3 | OT Antonio Garcia |
| 4 | DE Deatrich Wise Jr. |
| 6 | OT Conor McDermott |
New England entered the draft without its first two selections, trading its first-round pick in a deal centered around Brandin Cooks, and its second-round pick in a deal involving Kony Ealy. Although the Patriots only used four picks, Derek Rivers was lauded as one of the best value picks of Day 2, while Antonio Garcia and Deatrich Wise Jr. will compete for spots in the rotation. This draft haul seems somewhat incomplete, but the Patriots received four quality players, working in tandem with a lucrative haul during free agency.
Grade: B-
New York Jets
| RD. | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | S Jamal Adams |
| 2 | S Marcus Maye |
| 3 | WR ArDarius Stewart |
| 4 | WR Chad Hansen |
| 5 | TE Jordan Leggett |
| 5 | LB Dylan Donahue |
| 6 | RB Elijah McGuire |
| 6 | CB Jeremy Clark |
| 6 | CB Derrick Jones |
Jamal Adams may end up as the best player from this year's draft but after that, it's difficult to find a silver lining for the Jets. Marcus Maye is a quality safety but may be rendered redundant after Adams was taken with the team's first-round pick. ArDarius Stewart may crack the Jets' wide receiver rotation but general manager Mike Maccagnan failed to learn his lesson from previous years, failing to extract real value from the latter rounds. The Jets are no better than they were prior to this weekend, a perilous notion ahead of the upcoming season.
Grade: D+