Aside from the Paxton Lynch trade and the somewhat surprising choices of Joey Bosa and Karl Joseph, the AFC West didn’t receive too many headlines during draft weekend. None the less, every team’s first pick was especially interesting, with the Raiders and Chargers deciding for the aforementioned Joseph and Bosa, while Broncos and Chiefs made trades in different directions, landing with high upside prospects who fit their schemes perfectly. Time will tell as to who made the right decisions in the 2016 Draft, the grades are more a way of seeing who did the best job getting the best value for the draft selection allotted, addressing areas of needs and picking up players who fit in their respective schemes. Essentially we’re looking at the best draft, based on where they were picking and what they had to accomplish (ie: getting a future quarterback in Denver).

Note: value is greatly based on my draft rankings which are where I’m getting the figures for how many players were drafted in the top 100 per team etc.

Denver Broncos: B

Needs: A-

Fit: A+

Value: Top 85: 3 Top 115: 5

Round (pick)

1(27) – Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis

2(63) – Adam Gotsis, DL, Georgia Tech

3(98) – Justin Simmons, S, Boston College

4(136) – Devontae Booker, RB, Utah

5(144) – Connor McGovern, OT/OG, Missouri

6(176) – Andy Janovich, FB, Nebraska

6(219) – Will Parks, S, Arizona

7(228) – Riley Dixon, P, Syracuse

Notable undrafted free agents:

Bralon Addison, WR, Oregon

Eddie Yarbrough, DE, Wyoming

John Elway had his back against the wall this entire off-season when it came to the quarterback position. He gently had to navigate through Peyton retiring at his own pace while attempting to re-sign Osweiller at a reasonable price and subsequently dealing with not having a quarterback, period. Given the circumstances, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better short-term starter and long-term replacement. After the trades for the top two picks occurred, getting Lynch seemed basically impossible and we know the Broncos had competition in trading up to draft the big-armed kid, Elway pulled through without having to mortgage the farm or settle for the next best option, he got his man, and ultimately this draft will forever be graded on how Lynch develops.

Gotsis at the end of the second was not the best value, but is an upside play like Lynch, if both these top two picks can reach their ceilings, this class will be instrumental in sustaining the Broncos window of contention for several years. The Broncos passed on several talented interior pass rushers for the Australian d-linemen, but Gotsis’ had the best combination of upside and scheme fit as a 3-4 DE. Simmons, Booker, and McGovern were all good to great value for where they were taken.

Booker and Simmons were top-100 players and should be able to contribute sooner rather than later. McGovern is an excellent value (115th on the board), is versatile and brings some grittiness and depth to the o-line that was needed. Value-wise I think the last three picks are debatable, but the teams been looking for a fullback and are clearly ready to turn this offense into Kubiak’s image. Now that Peyton isn’t there anymore, it’s all aboard the zone-blocking, play-action, bootleg attack that’s made Kubes in the NFL. Parks is a special team’s

Parks is a special teams high floor, low ceiling safe pick and Dixon is an attempt to get out from under a pricey veteran punter contract. The undrafted free agent crop brought two names in my top-200, Yarbrough and Addison. Yarbrough is a local kid (graduated from Grandview in Aurora) who had an exceptional career at Wyoming. He might not be the most explosive but he left a mark against both run and pass, if he can stay on the practice squad I wouldn’t be surprised to see him added to the rotation once Ware retires. Addison is a versatile player who could be a receiving back, a slot receiver and a returner on special teams, the Broncos don’t have an established player in any of those positions and Addison could surprise, he was a productive playmaker for the Ducks when healthy.

While the draft’s second day was dedicated to defense, the rest of the draft was aimed at adding talent to the offense and specifically players who fit what Kubiak wants. It all starts with Lynch who has an ideal skill-set to throw on the run on more designated reads in this offense. Booker is a great fit and should be reliable on all three downs if asked to, McGovern and Janovich are other pieces that fit nicely. For having the last pick in each round the Broncos maneuvered well, filled all of their main needs except for inside linebacker (watch out for 2015 practice-squader Zaire Anderson), and gambled on two intriguing high upside players at premium positions at the top of the draft, first impressions are very encouraging.

Kansas City Chiefs: C+

Needs: B-

Fit: A

Value: Top 100: 3

Round (pick):

2(37) – Chris Jones, DL, Mississippi State

3(74) – KeiVarae Russell, CB, Notre Dame

4(105) – Parker Ehinger, OG, Cincinnati

4(106) – Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota

4(126) – Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida

5(162) – Kevin Hogan, QB, Stanford

5(165) – Tyreek Hill, WR, West Alabama

6(178) – D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech

6(203) – Dadi Nicolas, DE, Virginia Tech

Notable undrafted free agents:

Terrance Smith, LB, Florida State

The Chiefs moved down in the first round with San Francisco adding some valuable draft capital (added a fourth and sixth to move down nine spots) and coming away with my 21st-ranked prospect Chris Jones (actually the highest ranked player drafted in the division outside of Bosa). The Chiefs then moved down at the end of the second and drafted Russell with their next pick, Russell is raw, but in time has tools to be developed into the big press corner the Chiefs covet.

Reid and company’s second pick in the fourth, Murray, was a great value pick. He isn’t as big as Russell, but is more polished and tough, competitive covering down the sideline and will help against the run. After those three picks, the Chiefs largely wasted (in my humble opinion) the other picks they had. I shouldn’t say wasted, but I thought there wasn’t a good value pick after that and I saw a lot of the usual Andy Reid type gambles. Robinson is talented but has some off-field trouble and wasn’t productive, better wideouts remained. Hill is even worse, as he’s primarily a track athlete who’s football skills need to be developed completely. White and Nicolas are interesting picks (though better players were available on my board) and Hogan could be a nice poor man’s version fo Alex Smith in time.

The Chiefs didn’t get a Safety (though White or Russell could be converted) or add a second receiver that can contributor right away, they also didn’t find an inside linebacker to pair with Johnson. Not all needs were addressed, I’m not sure KC is better then they were at the end of last season after the losses in free agency and this draft class.

Oakland Raiders: B-

Needs: B

Fit: B+

Value: Top 50: 2 Top 125: 5

Round (pick)

1(14) – Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia

2(44) – Jihad Ward, DL, Illinois

3(75) – Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State

4(100) – Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State

5(143) – DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech

6(194) – Cory James, LB, Colorado State

7(234) – Vadal Alexander

Notable undrafted free agents:

James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah

Denver Kirkland, OL, Arkansas

The Raiders surprised many with the Joseph pick and I must say I’m not as against it as I was on draft night or in my day one analysis, he’s just so fun to watch, it’s contagious and he has better cover skills than I probably gave him credit for in my safety preview. That said, the value at 14 wasn’t great and given that Joseph is undersized, coming off an ACL injury, and plays with a reckless abandon that’s bound to lead to more injuries, I can’t quite understand why you wouldn’t just take the risk on Myles Jack who’s at least thirty pounds heavier and could take a few more hits. I’m no doctor but that’s just my thinking.

Ward at pick 44 is much too rich for my blood, he was 116th on my rankings, and the 21st ranked interior defensive linemen (Gotsis was 19th). There were several players who present much better upside and immediate talent. Ward also struck me as a  3-4 DE, who could be out of position in a 4-3 and seems to replicate some of the same skills of rookie breakout Mario Edwards. Fit, need, and value are all questionable on this pick. Calhoun, on the other hand, is the first non-reach and the best value Oakland got. As a long term replacement for the troubled Aldon Smith, he fits nicely. I didn’t understand or agree with trading up for a long-term backup quarterback, I’m not against taking a quarterback in the draft every couple years as a lottery ticket, but I don’t believe in trading up and using a top-100 pick on the position when you already have a young signal caller and are just looking for a backup. Cook is a good value pick, but there were other needs (corner first and foremost) that needed to be addressed. Washington, James, and Alexander are all decent values (Alexander was a steal that late) and are intriguingly nice fits at need areas for the Raiders.

While not all needs were addressed (corner was neglected and, given the value on the third day, I expected a tailback to be taken earlier) and the value and or need of three of the first four selections is debatable, the Raiders brought home a nice haul of players almost all of which fit nicely into their defensive and offensive schemes. They could’ve done better picking in the top 15 of each round, but all in all another nice draft from Reggie McKenzie and company.

San Diego Chargers: C+

Needs: B-

Fit: N/A

Value: Top 50: 1 Top 100: 5

Round (pick)

1(3) – Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

2(35) – Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas

3(66) – Max Tuerk, OL, USC

4(102) – Joshua Perry, ILB, Ohio State

5(175) – Jatavis Brown, OLB, Akron

6(179) – Drew Kaser, P, Texas A&M

6(198) – Derek Watt, FB, Wisconsin

7(224) – Donavon Clark, OG, Michigan State

Notable undrafted free agents:

Tyler Johnstone, OT, Oregon

The Chargers were the team in the Division drafting the highest and I’m not sure they took full advantage of their position. Bosa at three is a good pick, value and talent wise (though they passed on my No. 1 ranked player in Ramsey, Bosa was second), his fit in a 3-4 remains to be seen and doesn’t seem ideal. Given the premium asset invested in the former Buckeye, I assume the Bolts have a plan in place, but that’s a major reason for the absent grade in the “fit” category, as it all remains to be seen.

I’m admittedly not high on Henry or this tight end class as a whole, in the early second where there was lots of defensive talent still remaining, I thought it was a reach. Henry is a solid catching tight end with a well-rounded skill set as a route runner and receiver, but I don’t see much physical or athletic upside to warrant that high a selection. I’m a big fan of Tuerk, but again that early in the third I thought better players remained, he addresses a need and isn’t a reach though I wouldn’t categorize him as a steal or great value either.

The two best picks, value wise, were the two linebackers, though, again, Brown and Perry seemed perfect as outside backers in a 4-3, the fit in the Chargers defense is much less clear. Like the Broncos, San Diego used a pick on a punter and fullback, which I don’t philosophically agree with (Watt used to be Gordon’s fullback with the Badgers) and then added more depth on the offensive line with Clark. There probably wasn’t another team with higher stakes going into this draft (in the West, at least), they added solid players at the top and found some nice value later on and their top five picks are all solid, but didn’t come away with several top 50 talents. When picking that high you expect more and the system fit remains to be seen for the defensive front seven players.

2016 NFL Draft League Grades (after UDFA signings): 

Arizona Cardinals: C (Top 100: 2)

Atlanta Falcons: C- (Top 100: 3, 0 in top 49)

Baltimore Ravens: A+ (Top 75: 5)

Buffalo Bills: A- (Top 55: 3)

Carolina Panthers: C (Top 50: 1 Top: 100 3)

Chicago Bears: B+ (Top 50: 3)

Cincinnati Bengals: B (Top 50: 2 Top 100: 4)

Cleveland Browns: C+ (Top 50: 2 Top 100: 5)

Dallas Cowboys: B- (Top 55: 3 Top 100: 4)

Detroit Lions: B+ (Top 40: 2 Top 100: 4)

Green Bay Packers: B+ (Top 50: 3)

Houston Texans: C (Top 100: 2)

Colts: C+ (Top 100: 3)

Jacksonville Jaguars: A (Top 3: 2 Top 100: 4)

Los Angeles Rams: C (Top 100: 2)

Miami Dolphins: C (Top 105: 3)

Minnesota Vikings: B- (Top 20: 2)

New England Patriots: D (Top 100: 1)

New Orleans Saints: B+ (Top 50: 3)

New York Giants: C+ (Top 50: 1 Top 100: 4)

New York Jets: C- (Top 10: 1 Top 100: 1)

Philadelphia Eagles: C+ (Top 125: 4)

Pittsburgh Steelers: B- (Top 55: 2 Top 115: 4)

San Francisco 49ers: C+ (Top 50: 1 Top 100: 4)

Seattle Seahawks: B (Top 150: 6)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+ (Top 50: 2)

Tennessee Titans: C+ (Top 50: 3 Top 100: 4)

Washington Redskins: B (Top 30: 2 Top 100: 4)