2024 NFL Draft Grades: AFC North
With the 2024 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
Grade: B+
A supremely talented player falling to the Ravens in the first round is something of a yearly ritual at this point. Wiggins, the 30th pick, is an elite athlete with advanced cover skills who fills a major need for Baltimore's defense. From that point through the fourth round, it was one value pick after another. Rosengarten is a potential starter at guard or tackle, Isaac adds more explosiveness to the pass rush, and Walker is a fascinating fit as a big-play target for Lamar Jackson. Tampa, who got some first-round buzz heading into the draft, is one of the more impressive value picks in the entire draft. The Ravens grading out well again shouldn't come as a surprise.
Grade: B
Upside was the theme of the Bengals' draft. Mims, most notably, has All-Pro potential at offensive tackle. There's some risk in making such a pick this early, as he makes the jump to the NFL with minimal starting experience. But he's more polished than you might expect, and it's tough to find linemen with his combination of size and athleticism. Jenkins is also a great athlete who could develop pass-rush skills to complement his skill set as a run defender, and Burton brings more explosiveness to the Bengals' receiving corps. Don't sleep on All, either: he's an athletic target who can make plays after the catch, earning the No. 4 spot in our tight end rankings. This is another solid draft haul for Cincinnati.
Grade: C+
The Browns were limited by not having a Day 1 pick yet again, but there's a lot to like about their second-rounder. Hall is an impressive interior pass-rusher who ranked as the No. 3 defensive lineman on our prospect rankings. Depth additions were the name of the game from that point forward, and Zinter is a particularly intriguing addition for the future in that regard. Our only criticism is that the Browns could've been more aggressive in pursuing a much-needed upgrade at linebacker.
Grade: A
Just like last year, Pittsburgh comes out of draft weekend with one of the league's most impressive hauls. Fautanu and Frazier should be immediate starters on the offensive line, filling needs at right tackle and center, respectively. Roman Wilson fills the Steelers' need for speed at receiver, and Payton Wilson is a likely starter and should be considered one of the draft's best value picks. From there, it was all about adding to their depth across the board. Some teams just do it better than others.
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