Re-grading every NFL team's 2020 rookie class: NFC North
With the 2020 NFL season officially complete, theScore's NFL editors re-evaluate the performance of each team's rookie class.
NFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
AFC
EAST | NORTH | SOUTH | WEST
Chicago Bears
| Round | Player |
|---|---|
| 2 | TE Cole Kmet |
| 2 | CB Jaylon Johnson |
| 5 | LB Trevis Gipson |
| 5 | CB Kindle Vildor |
| 5 | WR Darnell Mooney |
| 7 | OL Arlington Hambright |
| 7 | OT Lachavious Simmons |
Grade: B
None of the Bears' rookies looked like future stars in 2020, but that doesn't mean the class was a bust. In fact, after the team landed a trio of contributors in Kmet, Johnson, and Mooney, one could argue this was one the best crops of talent Chicago has plucked from the draft since Ryan Pace became general manager in 2015. Johnson tailed off in the second half of the season but had a nice start, so his development will be worth monitoring - especially since the Bears could be too cap-strapped to add impact defensive pieces in free agency. Mooney has a chance to be the gem of this group, as he posted 631 yards and four touchdowns without consistent quarterback play. Kmet still has a ways to go to solidify himself as a long-term fixture, but it's possible he grows into Jimmy Graham's eventual replacement.
Detroit Lions
| Round | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | CB Jeff Okudah |
| 2 | RB D'Andre Swift |
| 3 | DE Julian Okwara |
| 3 | G Jonah Jackson |
| 4 | G Logan Stenberg |
| 5 | WR Quintez Cephus |
| 5 | RB Jason Huntley |
| 6 | DT John Penisini |
| 7 | DT Jashon Cornell |
Grade: C-
Any team that uses the third overall pick on a cornerback would like to think it's getting a player who won't give up 579 yards and a 112 passer rating over nine appearances. Alas, that's what the Lions received from Okudah, who was billed as the best cornerback in the draft but wound up being demoted from the starting lineup due to his struggles. In fairness, Okudah battled injuries and could bounce back under a new coaching staff in 2021. Detroit didn't get much from the rest of its haul, as Swift was promising but inconsistent, Okwara was a nonfactor, and Jackson struggled up front. On the bright side, Cephus registered 349 yards and two touchdowns, and he could be poised for a greater role in 2021 with Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola set to hit free agency.
Green Bay Packers
| Round | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | QB Jordan Love |
| 2 | RB AJ Dillon |
| 3 | TE Josiah Deguara |
| 5 | LB Kamal Martin |
| 6 | OL Jon Runyan Jr. |
| 6 | C Jake Hanson |
| 6 | OL Simon Stepaniak |
| 7 | S Vernon Scott |
| 7 | DE Jonathan Garvin |
Notable UDFAs: LB Krys Barnes
Grade: D
Sometimes a draft class looks better in hindsight than it did when the team made the picks. This is not one of those classes. The Packers were universally criticized for trading up to draft Love in the opening round, and he spent his rookie year buried on the depth chart behind MVP Aaron Rodgers and 26-year-old Eastern Kentucky product Tim Boyle. Dillon may at least be Green Bay's tailback of the future with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams both on expiring deals, and the Packers were likely looking ahead to 2021 when they selected him in the second round. Barnes was a good find in college free agency, but overall, this class is a disappointment through one season.
Minnesota Vikings
| Round | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | WR Justin Jefferson |
| 1 | CB Jeff Gladney |
| 2 | OL Ezra Cleveland |
| 3 | CB Cameron Dantzler |
| 4 | DE D.J. Wonnum |
| 4 | DT James Lynch |
| 4 | LB Troy Dye |
| 5 | CB Harrison Hand |
| 5 | WR K.J. Osborn |
| 6 | OL Blake Brandel |
| 6 | S Josh Metellus |
| 7 | DE Kenny Willekes |
| 7 | QB Nate Stanley |
| 7 | LB Brian Cole II |
| 7 | OL Kyle Hinton |
Grade: A
The Vikings were bound to hit on a few of their league-high 15 selections, but nobody could have predicted they would net the NFL's fourth-leading receiver in Jefferson. The LSU product turned out to be a steal even for a first-rounder, as four other receivers were drafted ahead of him. Gladney was something of a disappointment, but he flashed enough potential to make observers believe he can develop into a quality player. In Cleveland and Dantzler, Minnesota found two emerging talents who will likely be full-time starters in 2021. Wonnum, Lynch, Dye, and Hand all worked their way into the rotation - even if injuries were the primary reason - and they could provide useful depth moving forward.