NFL Draft Grades - AFC West: Broncos nail it, Gruden's 1st draft a mixed bag
With the 2018 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
Denver Broncos
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 1 | DE Bradley Chubb |
| 2 | WR Courtland Sutton |
| 3 | RB Royce Freeman |
| 3 | CB Isaac Yiadom |
| 4 | LB Josey Jewell |
| 4 | WR DaeSean Hamilton |
| 5 | TE Troy Fumagalli |
| 6 | G Sam Jones |
| 6 | LB Keishawn Bierria |
| 7 | RB David Williams |
John Elway might have had his best draft ever. Pairing Chubb with Von Miller was a slam dunk and provides Denver with potentially the kind of pass-rush that propelled them to a Super Bowl victory. Denver also revitalized its core of offensive weapons. Sutton was in the conversation as a first-rounder, Hamilton was solid value in the fourth, and Freeman should compete for the starting gig from Day 1. The only knock on the Broncos is they left Dallas without their quarterback of the future.
Grade: A
Kansas City Chiefs
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 2 | DT Breeland Speaks |
| 3 | DT Derrick Nnadi |
| 3 | LB Dorian O'Daniel |
| 4 | S Armani Watts |
| 6 | CB Tremon Smith |
| 6 | DT Kahlil McKenzie |
The Chiefs had a fairly nondescript draft, as they made just six selections and lacked the star power of a first-round pick. Kansas City gets credit, however, for focusing on fixing its 28th-ranked defense. Speaks and Nnadi fill the huge hole in the center of the unit. The former's versatility will likely be valuable straight away, though he will need time to learn to be more consistent.
Grade: C
Los Angeles Chargers
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 1 | S Derwin James |
| 2 | EDGE Uchenna Nwosu |
| 3 | DT Justin Jones |
| 4 | S Kyzir White |
| 5 | C Scott Quessenberry |
| 6 | WR Dylan Cantrell |
| 7 | RB Justin Jackson |
The Chargers got arguably the steal of the first round by snagging James at No. 17. The uber-athletic safety was projected as a top-10 player and could be a game-changer behind the Chargers' dominant pass-rush. There were better players on the board than Nwosu, but Los Angeles was right to focus on its defense in the opening four rounds. Justin Jones, in particular, was needed to help fix the Chargers' 31st-ranked run defense, which was a significant reason why the team was sitting at home in January. L.A. set themselves up to finally give Philip Rivers the support he needs.
Grade: B+
Oakland Raiders
| RD. | PLAYER |
|---|---|
| 1 | OT Kolton Miller |
| 2 | DT P.J. Hall |
| 3 | OT Brandon Parker |
| 3 | EDGE Arden Key |
| 4 | CB Nick Nelson |
| 5 | DT Maurice Hurst |
| 5 | P Johnny Townsend |
| 6 | LB Azeem Victor |
| 7 | WR Marcell Ateman |
The Raiders started out as ugly as it gets, reaching for the inconsistent Miller in the first before doubling down on offensive tackles with Parker in the third. Meanwhile, second-rounder Hall fills a need in the middle of the defensive line, but he, too, was probably drafted a round too high. Oakland redeemed themselves by snagging Key in the third. He's a risk considering his off-field issues, but well worth the risk for a first-round talent who can help ease the burden on Khalil Mack's shoulders. If Hurst's heart complications aren't an issue, he could be the steal of the draft. So, mixed results from Jon Gruden's first draft back in Oakland.
Grade: C