2023 NFL Draft Grades: AFC North

With the 2023 NFL Draft 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: B

The Ravens could have looked elsewhere in the first round after signing Odell Beckham Jr., but to their credit recognized there was still work to be done. Flowers is an exhilarating addition to the new-look Baltimore offense - he could have been drafted much earlier than No. 22. We would have liked to see the Ravens address their cornerback need a bit earlier than they did, but it's tough to argue with the value they found with Simpson late in the third. There isn't much volume in this group, but we're giving extra points for a long-awaited change in philosophy on the offensive side of the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals

Grade: A-

The Bengals are slowly inching toward Elite Organization territory. After a series of drafts that laid the foundation for their rise to Super Bowl contention, this group may end up adding several more impact players. Murphy is an athletic pass-rusher who should have been long gone by No. 28, Turner was the fastest player at the combine, and Battle is an extremely reliable safety who somehow ended up being underrated in the pre-draft process. Jones, Brown, and Iosivas are all interesting Day 3 gambles at offensive skill positions. One of them providing value in a complementary role would be massive, but their intriguing skill sets come with immense upside.

Cleveland Browns

Grade: B+

The Browns have made an annual tradition of scooping up players sitting on the board much longer than anyone could have expected. That was once again the case this year: Tillman, Ika, Jones, McGuire, and Wypler all fit the description. Many of the percieved value picks won't work out - there tend to be reasons one team after another passes them up. But some will, and it's not tough to envision that being the case with a number of Cleveland's 2023 picks. This approach gives the Browns plenty of upside despite not having first- or second-round selections as a result of the Deshaun Watson trade.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Grade: A+

The Steelers crushed this draft. All the attention will be on the Eagles for their first-round haul, but nobody had a more complete draft than Mike Tomlin and first-time GM Omar Khan. Jones is a freakish talent who brings limitless upside in filling Pittsburgh's most glaring need. Staying patient at the top of Round 2 to get a legacy pick in Porter Jr. takes care of the other must-have position (a selection acquired from Chicago last season in the robbery that was the Chase Claypool trade). From there, it was all about the best players. Benton, Washington, and Herbig are all future starters who could have been drafted much earlier than they were. Some teams simply draft better than others - there's a reason this team never falls off.