I've always said NFL Draft grades being assigned right after a draft are far too premature and a decent window is needed to wait before applying said grades. So now that the 2020 draft class has had three seasons to show us what they're made of, I thought it's time to assign those long-awaited grades.
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| Roger Goodell created COVID so he didn't have to be booed at a draft. (NFL/AP) |
I'm doing this in alphabetical order (because it's easiest) and not applying any set formula to determine the grades, which will be a weird experiment for me because I do love my spreadsheets. As such, I'm definitely expecting things to move around as I do this (I'm beginning the project during 2022-23 Wild Card Weekend, and hope to have it published around the same time as the 2023 draft). So here goes nothing!
Arizona Cardinals: C-
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| Isaiah Simmons has been a consistent threat to NFC West foes. (Caitlyn Epes // Arizona Cardinals) |
The Cardinals' 2020 class is largely underwhelming. Arizona's first-round pick, Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons at eighth overall, is the best player now-former head coach Kliff Kingsbury got to work with from this class, basically by default.
Simmons did make the all-rookie team in 2020, but so far that's the only postseason accolade the 2019 Butkus Award winner has achieved in the NFL. He's been a solid member of the Cardinals defense and hasn't missed a game yet, but isn't quite the top-tier defender Arizona hoped for when they picked him.
Arizona had to wait until the third round to make their next selection. Josh Jones is an offensive tackle from Houston who played a full season in 2022, finishing the season with nine straight starts. Pro Football Focus lists Jones as a breakout candidate for 2023.
The Cards had two fourth-round picks and spent both of them on interior D-linemen. Picked 114th, Leki Fotu has emerged as a part-time starter, playing in all 17 games for the Cardinals in both 2021 and 2022. Fotu has been solid but not flashy statistically, with a career-high 31 tackles recorded in 2022.
Rashard Lawrence has been a frequent visitor to the injured reserve over his three-year Cardinals career, but the LSU product was on track to be a full-time starter in 2022 before a shoulder injury shut him down for the year.
Perhaps the second most-recognized name from the 2022 Arizona draft class is running back Eno Benjamin. A seventh rounder from Arizona State, Benjamin had a slow start to his career. He became the Cardinals' feature back for three games in 2022 because of James Conner and Chase Edmonds. Once the other RBs were healthy again, the Cards waived Benjamin. He spent a month in Houston before going back on waivers; New Orleans picked him up and Benjamin will begin 2023 as a Saint.
The Cardinals took Cal linebacker Evan Weaver 202nd overall. Weaver has never played a down of NFL football.
Atlanta Falcons: C
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| Atlanta picked up Terrell's fifth-year option right before the 2023 draft. (Danny Karnik // AP) |
I'm already not confident in these grades. My first inclination was waffling between C- and D+, but I initially settled on a solid C. 2020 was all about addressing defense for the Dirty Birds, addressing that side of the ball with four of their six picks.
The payoff? Atlanta improved from the league's 23rd best scoring defense in 2019 to 19th in these guys' rookie season. However, they were fourth-worst in 2021 and in 2022 reclaimed the exact same 23rd position they were in before the 2020 draft (they did allow 13 fewer points in 2022 than they did in 2019...in a 17 game season compared to the 16 games of that ancient past era of NFL football).
The Falcons spent the 16th overall pick on Clemson corner AJ Terrell. While he definitely hasn't put up first-round numbers, Terrell has been a solid starter in the Falcons backfield, missing just seven games in his first three seasons. He even got a second-team all-pro nod in 2021. Terrell did take a step back in 2022; after back-to-back seasons with four turnovers each, he didn't pick off a single ball or cause any fumbles this year. His tackles were down significantly too.
Down the rest of the board, the Falcons have retained four of their six 2020 draft picks through three years. Third-round offensive lineman Matt Hennessy started the entire 2021 season at center but has otherwise struggled to keep a consistent spot on Atlanta's line, seeing the field a little less than a quarter of all Falcons' offensive plays in 2020 and 2022.
Both of Atlanta's fourth rounders have grown into solid additions to the team. Picked 119th from Fresno State, linebacker Mykal Walker was more of a utility player in his first two seasons. He started 12 games at LB this year, racking up 107 tackles, two picks, and his first career sack in 2022.
Safety Jaylinn Hawkins was the 134th pick from California; like Walker he spent most of his first two seasons coming off the bench or on special teams. Also like Walker, Hawkins found a more consistent starting spot in year three. He intercepted two passes and batted down an additional six this year, as well as forcing his first fumble and scoring his first NFL touchdown playing cleanup for Terrell.
Second round defensive end Marlon Davidson would be considered the bust of this group, after two seasons with the Falcons he wasn't on an NFL roster in 2022. Atlanta spent their final pick on punter Sterling Hofrichter, who averaged 42.5 yards on 56 kicks as a rookie but played in two games in 2021 and has been out of NFL work since.
Baltimore Ravens: A-
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| Queen is the crown jewel of the Raven's defense. (Tommy Gilligan // USA Today) |
The Ravens got a big boost to their defense in 2020, as well as a few key role players on offense and special teams. This has helped the Ravens make the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
The first star of the show came in the first round with the pick of linebacker Patrick Queen. A stalwart at inside linebacker, Queen has yet to miss a game for the Ravens. Finishing third in 2020 rookie of the year voting, he recorded over 100 tackles in 2020 and 2022 and came dang close with 98 in 2021.
Second-round pick J.K. Dobbins's career got off to a promising start. Backing up Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram as a rookie, Dobbins was Baltimore's leading rusher not named Lamar Jackson with 805 yards and nine scores. He suffered an ACL tear in the 2021 preseason and missed half of 2022 with another knee injury, but still managed 520 yards and finished the year as Baltimore's top-rushing RB.
Baltimore had four third-round picks, only missing on one. They started with defensive lineman Justin Madubuike. Playing at both tackle and end, Madubuike put in his best performance in 2022. He played in all 17 games for Baltimore, recording 42 tackles and five and a half sacks.
Devin Duvernay has made two Pro Bowls, and was named first-team All-Pro in 2021, as a returner. He led the NFL with 13.8 yards per punt return in 2021 and has two kickoff return touchdowns to his name. His offensive role has also grown, finishing 2022 with 407 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Like Duvernay, linebacker Malik Harrison features prominently in the Ravens' special teams unit. He also has 19 career defensive starts over three seasons, with 100 career tackles in his utility role.
It took six picks for Baltimore to find a relative dud in 2020 with offensive lineman Tyre Phillips late in the third. Phillips played in 22 games in two seasons in purple and black; he was a 2022 preseason cut and spent his third season as a Giant, appearing in 12 games for Big Blue.
The Ravens tried the same experiment with fourth-round pick Ben Bredeson. He lasted just one season at guard before Baltimore traded him to the Giants. Bredeson has been slightly more successful than Phillips in New York, starting more frequently and committing fewer penalties.
Defensive tackle Broderick Washington came next in the fifth round. His role has increased yearly, capping 2022 with 49 tackles, a sack, and six batted balls while playing in every game of the season.
Sixth-round pick James Proche was a second wide receiver drafted to help in the return game; it was actually Proche, not Duvernay, named to the All-Rookie team as a returner in 2020. With Duvernay's emergence, Proche has taken more of a back seat; he hasn't done much offensively either.
Rounding out the class for Baltimore is yet another player whose contributions to the team have continued to grow consistently. Seventh-round safety Geno Stone finished 2022 with 38 tackles.
Buffalo Bills: C-
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| Buffalo's biggest 2020 draft acquisition is going to be a Bill until he retires. (Jeffery T. Barnes // AP) |
If Buffalo's 2020 draft class has helped them become an AFC powerhouse, it certainly hasn't been thanks to on-field production. The Bills didn't have a first-round pick in 2020, and of their seven selections one has already been traded and two more aren't with the team.
The saving grace for this class was the player Buffalo got thanks to a pre-draft trade. The Bills gave Minnesota that first rounder, as well as a fifth and sixth plus an additional choice in 2021, for Stefon Diggs. In three years as a Bill, Diggs has become a top-five NFL receiver, making the Pro Bowl all three seasons with first team all-pro honors in 2020 and making second team all-pro in 2022.
Arguably, the best first-year player the Bills chose in 2020 was their kicker. Taken 188th from Georgia Southern, Tyler Bass was kicking full-time for Buffalo from the start. In three seasons, he hasn't missed a single game, kicking field goals at an 85 percent clip and extra points with 97.5 percent accuracy. He's twice been named AFC special teams player of the month.
Buffalo's fourth round selection from UCF, Gabriel Davis has emerged as the number two receiver behind Diggs, with a career-high 836 yards and seven scores this year. However, he doesn't catch a lot of the balls thrown his way. At just north of 50 percent, Davis's catch ratio ranks eighth among Bills whom Josh Allen targeted at least 10 times in 2022.
Pitt product Dane Jackson has emerged as a seventh-round steal for the Bills. The cornerback has secured a consistent starting spot in his third season, missing just one game in the past two years and starting in all but two in 2022. In the aforementioned Diggs trade the Bills also got the pick with which they ultimately selected Jackson, so I'd say that trade fared out nicely in Orchard Park.
With their first pick in 2020, the Bills took Iowa linebacker AJ Epenesa 54th overall. Epenesa is coming off the bench still in year three, with just 44 career tackles. The only upside is despite recording only 16 tackles in 2022, he did manage a career-best 6.5 sacks, the third highest tally on the team.
Fifth-round quarterback Jake Fromm is mostly a practice squad guy already on his third team. Third round pick Zack Moss was traded to Indy for Nyheim Hines in 2022 after two and a half solid years in a backup role. While it's still too early to call I think that trade will work out just fine in Buffalo.
The Bills' biggest miss of the 2020 draft was sixth-round selection Isaiah Hodgins. After failing to produce in Buffalo, the Bills cut Hodgins in 2022; he was picked up by the Giants and caught on big in the second half of the season. The Oregon State product started 2023 strong, hauling in eight passes for 105 yards and a score to give the Giants their first playoff win in 11 years against the Vikings.
Carolina Panthers: B-
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| Sackmaster Derrick Brown is Carolina's 2022 Man of the Year nominee. (Sarah Stier // Getty) |
Like Atlanta, it was a defense-oriented draft for the Panthers in 2020 (it's almost like the greatest quarterback in NFL history decided to play for a rival NFC South team that offseason) with all seven Carolina picks addressing that side of the ball.
The immediate payoff was far more drastic than the Falcons': the Panthers jumped from second worst to 18th best scoring defense in the league with the additions. They've stayed right around the lower middle of the league, but 19th best in 2022 is still an improvement from their 2019 performance.
Five guys remain on Carolina's roster from the 2020 class. Picked seventh overall, Derrick Brown is a solid run stuffer for the Panthers. He's yet to miss a game and just completed his best season to date, batting down seven passes from the defensive tackle position and recording 67 tackles in 2022.
The Panthers picked Yetur Gross-Matos with the 38th pick to complement Brown on the defensive line. Gross-Matos played his first full season in 2022, scooping up four fumbles in the process. The former Penn State standout has also marginally increased production on special teams.
Out of Southern Illinois, Jeremy Chinn was the last pick of the second round. All he did as a rookie was finish second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting from a hybrid linebacker/safety position. A nephew of Hall of Famer Steve Atwater, Chinn's production has steadily decreased; he spent a month and a half on injured reserve in 2022 but when healthy, he is still a valuable member of the Panthers defense.
Two later-round picks have also contributed to the Panthers' return to defensive competency over the past three years. Yet another lineman, Bravvion Roy was Carolina's sixth round selection. Roy actually started nine games as a rookie; in 2021 and 2022 he has been a valuable utility player but has yet to claim a full-time starting role. Seventh-round choice Stantley Thomas-Oliver was being used mostly on special teams before a thigh injury sent him to the injured reserve for most of 2022.
The middle of the draft is where both of the Panthers' major misses came. Fourth-rounder Tony Pride lasted one season in the league and fifth-rounder Kenny Robinson had two underwhelming years in Charlotte before being let go. Like Pride, Robinson was absent from an NFL roster in 2022.
Chicago Bears: D+
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| Darnell Mooney was a fifth round steal. (Nam Y. Huh // AP) |
This draft was doomed from the start. By the time the dust settled, the brilliant mind of general manager Ryan Pace had traded away any picks Chicago had in the first, third, fourth, and sixth rounds. What the Bears were left with were two seconds, three fifths, and two sevenths. Three years later, Chicago is at the top of the draft food chain.
Highlighting Chicago's seven picks (a step up from five the year before, to be fair) are the Bears' two leading receivers in 2022. From Notre Dame, tight end Cole Kmet was picked 43rd overall to begin Pace's search for diamonds in the rough. Kmet has yet to miss a game for Chicago and has now started in 38 consecutive appearances, including a wild card round loss as a rookie.
Darnell Mooney, a fifth round pick from Tulane, has emerged as the Bears' top wide receiver, putting together his first 1,000 yard performance in 2021. He ended 2022 on injured reserve after hurting his ankle early in week 12.
Shortly after drafting Kmet, the Bears took cornerback Jaylon Johnson out of Utah with their second second rounder. Johnson has been a consistent member of the currently-woeful Chicago defense; like Mooney, he suffered an injury late in the 2022 season and had to be shelved for the final few games.
The Bears' other two fifth round choices were not totally wasted. With the 155th pick Chicago took defensive lineman Trevis Gipson from Tulsa. Gipson played sparingly as a rookie; in his second and third season he hasn't missed a game, joining the Bears' starting lineup in the latter half of both years.
Cornerback Kindle Vildor was the team's second fifth round choice. While his statistical output (one pick, one sack, 97 total tackles through three years) doesn't pop off the chart, he made an appearance in the first 45 games of his career before joining Mooney and Johnson on the injured list late in 2022.
To Pace's credit, all seven guys the Bears drafted in 2020 are still on NFL rosters as of the end of 2022. Back-to-back offensive line selections in the seventh round, Arlington Hambright and Lachavious Simmons both have minimal NFL experience; both, however have signed futures contracts with other teams heading into 2023. Hambright will be in competition for a roster spot with the Colts, Simmons in Arizona.
Cincinnati Bengals: A
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| Joe Brrrr is the face of this class and of his franchise. (Sam Greene // Cincinnati Enquirer) |
When the gem of your draft class is Joseph Lee Burrow, you're already off to a good start. What makes the Bengals' 2020 class even better is the production the 2021 AFC Champions have gotten from all of their selections.
Burrow is of course the star of the show. A 2022 Pro Bowler, Joey Franchise has averaged 4,543 yards in the past two seasons and led Cincy to back-to-back AFC title game appearances. He's done this in part with the help of second-rounder Tee Higgins. The Clemson product has over 3,000 career receiving yards already, including back-to-back 1,000 yard campaigns in 2021 and 2022. Higgins was Super Bowl LVI's leading receiver, recording 100 yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals' loss.
Cincinnati spent its next three picks shoring up the defense. Linebackers Logan Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gaither joined the Bengals in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, and defensive end Khalid Kareem was the team's fifth-round selection.
From Wyoming, Wilson picked off four passes in 2021, tied for most among NFL linebackers that year. He has been the Bengals' leading tackler for both of the last two seasons as well, and led all players in Super Bowl LVI in both tackles and tackles for loss.
Davis-Gaither has been credited with just three starts in his career so far, but has been a key role player for the Bengals. The App State product plays mostly on special teams, but has made several key defensive plays too. In the 2023 Wild Card game against Baltimore, Davis-Gaither picked off Tyler Huntley in the first quarter to set up the Bengals' first touchdown drive.
The only member of the 2020 class not still with Cincinnati, Indianapolis signed Kareem off the Bengals' practice squad in 2022 after the fifth-rounder spent two years bouncing on and off injury lists.
After being selected in the sixth round, offensive lineman Hakeem Adeniji has been a key contributor as the Bengals have continued to figure out the best scheme for protecting Burrow. Adeniji has started at both guard and tackle for Cincy, including in all seven of the Bengals' playoff games since 2020.
The Bengals wrapped up their 2020 draft by selecting another linebacker, Purdue Boilermaker Markus Bailey. Bailey has caught on as a special teams contributor, playing in 39 of the Bengals' 41 games in the last two seasons.
Cleveland Browns: C-
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| Getting off to a slow start, Grant Delpit is now a beast for Cleveland. (Nick Cammett // Getty) |
I will give the Browns credit that six of their seven 2020 selections played significant time in 2022, and that they still have all seven guys under contract. However, this class has been rather underwhelming altogether, with injuries being a common thread among the players Cleveland selected.
Cleveland picked Alabama o-lineman Jedrick Wills 10th overall. Wills was a plug-and-play left tackle for the Browns; he's missed a few games but every game he's played he's started. The rarely-penalized Wills played his first complete season in 2022 for the NFL's third-ranked pass-protecting offensive line according to ESPN.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones has emerged as probably the second most-productive member of this class. A sixth-rounder from Michigan, DPJ was Cleveland's second leading receiver behind Amari Cooper in 2022, going for 839 yards on 96 targets.
One of two third round picks for the Browns, d-tackle Jordan Elliott became a full-time starter in his third season. Elliott picked up two sacks from the tackle position and averaged just over two tackles per game in the 2022 campaign.
Cleveland's other third-round pick, linebacker Jacob Phillips, has only played in 20 games. He began 2021 on the IR and was off to a pretty good 2022 before going back on the injured list in October.
A second round pick who spent his entire rookie season on IR, safety Grant Delpit played a full season in 2022. The former LSU Tiger lived up to expectations, picking off four passes and batting down 10 others in his first full season as a starter in addition to being Cleveland's leading tackler.
Harrison Bryant will not be a featured tight end on a team that includes David Njoku; the Browns' fourth-round pick has nevertheless found a role on Kevin Stefanski's offense. Bryant was on the field for just under half of the Browns' offensive snaps in 2022, achieving career highs in targets, catches, and yards.
Fifth rounder Nick Harris is the only Brown from the 2020 draft who didn't play at all in 2022. Selected from Washington to back up center J.C. Tretter, Harris got one start in each of his first two seasons before spending his entire third year on injured reserve.
Dallas Cowboys: B-
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| The one CeeDee you can't burn. (David Butler II // USA Today) |
With three Pro Bowlers, Dallas' 2022 draft class looks like an A+ on the surface. Dig just a bit deeper, however, and under the glow of the top players are one utility defensive lineman and three guys who didn't play at all in 2022. Top-heavy, bottom-weak, and you have yourself a B-minus group.
Let's start with the shiny. Taken 17th overall from Oklahoma, CeeDee Lamb immediately filled the iconic jersey numbered 88 that is reserved for the all-time great Cowboys receivers. Lamb has improved every season in the league. He rode back-to-back 1,000 yard receiving seasons in 2021 and 2022 to two straight Pro Bowl appearances, with a career-high nine touchdown grabs in 2022.
The younger brother of Buffalo's biggest 2020 draft acquisition, cornerback Trevon Diggs was the Cowboys' second-round choice. In his second season, Diggs intercepted 11 passes, more than any NFL player has in one year since 1981. Diggs earned first-team all-pro honors for the accomplishment. It should also be mentioned that his son Aaiden is without a doubt my current favorite NFL personality.
Dallas got a fourth-round steal with Wisconsin center Tyler Biadsz. A full-time starter each of the past two seasons, Biadsz earned his first Pro Bowl invite in 2022.
In the third round Dallas picked defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, a college teammate of Lamb. Gallimore had a solid rookie season, but since going on IR for a month in 2021 has mostly played from the bench. Despite playing in 16 games in 2022, he only saw the field for a little over a third of the Cowboys' defensive snaps in those games.
Taken in the fifth round, defensive lineman Bradlee Anae appeared in 11 games over his first two seasons with the Cowboys. Anae spent last offseason with the Jets, but was left off New York's active roster for all of 2022. He was resigned in hopes of earning a Jets roster spot in 2023.
Fourth-round cornerback Reggie Robinson has a similar story. After five games with Dallas in 2020, Robinson has bounced around the practice squads of the Cowboys, Texans, and Browns. He has been on two different XFL practice squads in the 2023 spring season.
After a brief but memorable stretch backing up Dak Prescott in 2020, seventh-rounder Ben DiNucci spent 2021 on the Dallas practice squad. He's now starting at quarterback for Seattle in the XFL.
Denver Broncos: D+
Denver made 10 total selections in the 2020 draft; just two of them are consistently starting for the team.
Meant to be their next star receiver, the Broncos took Jerry Jeudy 15th overall. The Alabama product was Denver's number one target in 2020 and 2022, and would have been in 2021 too if injury hadn't cut his career short. Jeudy has only reached the end zone nine times in his career so far, though.
Taken 83rd overall from LSU, Lloyd Cushenberry was Denver's starting center from day one. He made the all-rookie team in 2020, but ended 2022 on injured reserve after a groin injury and his future with the Broncos appears to be uncertain.
A fifth-round pick from Wake Forest, linebacker Justin Strnad has cemented a spot on the Broncos roster as a special teams player. Appearing in all 17 contests in 2022, Strnad lined up on defense zero times, but was on the field for 84 percent of Denver's special teams plays.
The Broncos spent a fourth round pick on Missouri tight end Albert Okwuegbunam. Albert O, as he's more conveniently known, has had limited but not insignificant production in his three years. He has scored at least one touchdown in each season he's been on the Denver roster.
KJ Hamler and Tyrie Cleveland joined Jeudy on Denver's receivers unit. A second rounder from Penn State, Hamler had a career high 381 yards and three touchdowns in his rookie season. Seventh-rounder Cleveland has 91 receiving yards and has become a regular special teams contributor.
Four Broncos picks aren't with the team anymore. Two lasted almost to the end of 2022. Denver cut third-round cornerback Michael Ojemudia on December 27; the next day Chicago claimed him. Similarly, sixth-round guard Netane Muti was optioned to the practice squad on December 12 and picked up by Las Vegas the next day.
Third-round defensive tackle McTelvin Agim played 17 games over two years, spent 2022 on Denver's practice squad, and is on a futures contract with Indianapolis heading into 2023. Seventh-round defensive end Derrek Tuska played nine games in Denver in 2020, 15 in Pittsburgh in 2021, and one game in Tennessee in 2022 before switching to linebacker and finishing the season with the Chargers.
Detroit Lions: D+
Detroit picked third overall in 2020, and had nine picks overall. By and large the Lions squandered their entire class.
Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah was the first defensive back taken in the draft, and has failed to live up to expectations. Thanks mostly to injury issues, Okudah has only intercepted two NFL passes. It's expected that 2023 will be his last season in Detroit, barring a massive turnaround.
The Lions did hit with the first two offensive picks of their 2020 class. 35th overall pick D'Andre Swift has been a valuable utility back in Detroit, picking up at least 800 scrimmage yards in each of his three seasons and averaging one touchdown every game and a half.
Detroit drafted its lone Pro Bowler from this class in the third round. Jonah Jackson was a plug-and-play starter at left guard, and made his first Pro Bowl in his sophomore campaign. Jackson missed the last month of 2022 with a back injury, but is likely to return to his starting role in 2023.
With their fourth-round pick, Detroit found a great insurance pick in guard Logan Stenberg. The Kentucky product played in all but one game of 2022, filling in for the injured Jackson at season's end.
Going back to the third round, the 67th pick overall brought linebacker Julian Okwara to Detroit. The brother of then- and still-Lion Romeo Okwara, Julian has three starts in his three seasons.
Despite an incredibly promising rookie season starting 12 games at defensive tackle, sixth-round pick John Penisini retired from football after just his second year with major shoulder injury concerns.
Another late round pick, wide receiver Quintez Cephus played in 13 games as a rookie after being chosen in the fifth. After hauling in 20 passes for 349 yards and two scores in 2020, Cephus's production has declined each year since.
Detroit picked running back Jason Huntley six selections after Cephus. Huntley never saw the field for the Lions, played six games in Philadelphia in 2020 and 2021, and spent 2022 on the Steelers' practice squad. He'll look to take another shot at Pittsburgh's active roster in 2023.
A top-10 defensive end prospect out of high school, Jashon Cornell became Detroit's last pick in 2020. A combination of injury and substance abuse issues limited Cornell to just four NFL snaps in one 2021 game.
Green Bay Packers: D
This was the Jordan Love draft for Green Bay. With the Aaron Rodgers saga just ending for the Packers, the decision to draft Love 26th overall is too early to judge. Unfortunately for the Packers, not many of their other picks have played out either.
In Love's lone NFL start he passed the ball 34 times, with 19 completions for 190 yards, one touchdown and one pick in a 13-7 loss to the Chiefs in 2021. He's played in nine other games in relief of Rodgers, compiling a 79.7 passer rating with three scores and three interceptions.
Taken in the second round from Boston College, running back AJ Dillon has been able to contribute juuust a bit more than Love. Sharing the backfield with Aaron Jones, Dillon appeared in every one of Green Bay's contests in 2021 and 2022, averaging just over 1000 yards from scrimmage over the two years (and riding my fantasy bench most of 2022...but hey, at least he stayed on the roster).
Third-round pick Josiah Deguara played in all but one of the Packers' games over the past two seasons at tight end, but is only on the field about a third of the time Green Bay has the ball. He's amassed only 371 yards and two touchdowns in his career so far.
Outside of those three players, three late-round picks are all that are left with the Packers three years in. Highlighting the trio is guard Jon Runyan Jr., son of the former Pro Bowl tackle. Taken in the sixth round, Runyan has yet to miss a game for Green Bay, and took over as a full-time starter in 2021.
Oregon's Jake Hanson was the second interior lineman Green Bay picked in the sixth round. Playing in just 11 games over his career and ended 2022 on injured reserve, he is looking for a 2023 comeback.
Defensive end Jonathan Garvin was picked in the seventh round from the University of Miami. Garvin has served as a role player on Green Bay's defensive line, but has seen action in 38 games so far.
Fifth-round linebacker pick Kamal Martin spent a year in Green Bay before moving to Carolina, failing to make the Panthers' active roster in 2022. Sixth-round offensive lineman Simon Stepaniak retired in 2021 without playing a single NFL down. Seventh-round safety Vernon Scott contributed in 15 games as a rookie, but was waived before the 2022 season.
Houston Texans: D-
Houston was already on the way back to the NFL cellar as a two-time defending division champion before this draft. The Texans' only major acquisition with their 2020 draft picks was formerly (and unfairly) disgraced offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil, who came over in August 2019 for a package that included their first-round selection in 2020 and two picks in 2021. Tunsil has since made three Pro Bowls, perhaps the lone bright spot on a Texans team that has won 11 games in the last three years.
With their remaining five picks, the Texans picked two part-time starters and three players who are no longer with the team. I'm really grasping for straws to find some positive with Houston, so I will say two of the three latter guys had enough upside to be traded instead of cut, but the trades they were part of weren't particularly earthshaking.
Starting just three games at defensive tackle, second-round pick Ross Blalock got shipped to Minnesota preceding 2022. The Vikings also traded their sixth round pick in 2023 for Houston's seventh-rounder, which essentially means the Texans dealt Blalock to move up 18 spots on Saturday afternoon.
Penn State cornerback John Reid was a fourth round pick. The Texans sent Reid to Seattle in 2021 for a conditional pick in the 2023 draft. He failed to catch on in Seattle and spent 2022 bouncing from the Seahawks to the Falcons to the Titans, so the conditions that would net Houston the draft pick were not met. In other words, the Texans traded him for nothing.
Third round pick Jonathan Greenard has contributed admirably on the defensive front seven for Houston. Perhaps poised for a breakout year in 2022 after picking up eight sacks over 12 starts in 2021, Greenard ended up missing half the season with a calf injury.
The son of a 10-year NFL starting offensive lineman, Charlie Heck was also taken in the fourth round. When Tunsil missed most of 2021 with a thumb injury, a reshuffling of Houston's line allowed Heck to start all but four games at right tackle. He returned to the bench in 2022, seeing in action in all 17 Texans games but only starting in three contests.
Fifth-round wide receiver Isaiah Coulter played in just one game for the Texans. He spent 2021 and the first half of 2022 coming on and off Chicago's practice squad, failing to catch the only ball ever thrown his way in NFL action. Coulter has since seen time on both the Bills and Cardinals practice squads.
Indianapolis Colts: C+
The Colts scored with three big names acquired with one first-round and two second-round picks, but despite a whole lot of draft capital their 2020 class lacked much depth. After a playoff appearance in 2020 the Colts have been spiraling downward ever since.
Indy didn't actually make a first round pick, instead sending their 13th overall pick to San Francisco to add Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Buckner has been a defensive leader for the Colts over the past three years, earning All-Pro honors in 2020 and making the 2021 Pro Bowl.
The Colts traded up three spots in the second round to select Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor 41st overall. In his second season, Taylor took advantage of a Derrick Henry foot injury to become the NFL's leading rusher. Ankle injuries kept Taylor from following up his 1,800 yard, 18 touchdown performance in 2022; he ultimately played just 11 games.
Michael Pittman joined the Colts after Indianapolis traded out of the first round. Not only has Pittman become the Colts' leading receiver, getting over 1,000 yards in 2021, but his 99 catches in 2022 was good for 10th most in the entire NFL.
Apart from the three early-round stars, Danny Pinter has emerged as the most reliable member of the 2020 class for Indianapolis. A fifth-round selection from Ball State, Pinter has played in all but one game of the last two seasons as a backup guard.
Isaiah Rodgers has been the Colts' primary kickoff returner in games that he has played. One of four sixth-round picks for Indy in 2020, Rodgers returned a kick 101 yards for the only touchdown of his young NFL career during a 32-23 loss to the Browns in his rookie season.
When healthy, third-rounder Julian Blackmon has been a starting safety for Indianapolis. Blackmon has allowed a 78 percent completion rate and seven touchdowns in his three seasons as a Colt while picking off just three passes in that time.
Of the Colts' nine total 2020 selections, four are no longer with the team. Quarterback Jacob Eason and wide receiver Dezmon Patmon are on other NFL squads, while linebacker Jordan Glasgow and defensive tackle Robert Windsor are out of the league altogether.
Jacksonville Jaguars: F
The Jaguars had 12 selections in 2020, including two first-rounders, and only one has turned into a regular starter. In fact, half of Jacksonville's 2020 class has already kissed Duval County goodbye.
Accentuating the Jaguars' drafting ineptitude, ninth-overall pick C.J. Henderson missed half his rookie season on injured reserve. Two games into 2021, the Jags traded the cornerback to Carolina.
Second-round choice Laviska Shenault has since joined Henderson in Charlotte. Despite recording decent 600-yard receiving seasons in both 2020 and 2021, Shenault was traded in the 2022 preseason.
Jacksonville actually got a decent return for fourth-rounder Josiah Scott. After just 11 tackles in six games, Scott went to Philadelphia in exchange for a 2023 sixth round pick and DB Jameson Houston.
Third round pick DaVon Hamilton has emerged as the Jags' biggest contributor from 2020. The defensive lineman from Ohio State has played in 44 of a possible 50 games since being drafted, taking on the full-time starting defensive tackle role and posting career highs in most stats in 2022.
Hamilton joined 20th overall pick K'Lavon Chaisson on Jacksonville's defense. Chaisson hasn't developed into a full-time starter at linebacker yet, coming off the bench for all of his nine appearances in 2022 while fighting a knee injury.
One of three fourth round picks, Shaquille Quarterman hasn't missed a game over the past two seasons, putting most of his work in on the special teams unit. Safety Daniel Thomas was taken in the fifth round and cornerback Chris Claybrooks was taken in the seventh; both are special teams mainstays as well.
Offensive lineman Ben Bartch came off the board early in the fourth round. The Jaguars have plugged Bartch in at multiple line positions and he has started most of the games in which he's played past his rookie season, but injuries limited him to just five games in 2022.
Three 2020 draft picks have left Jacksonville without getting the Jaguars anything in return. Born into a football family, wide receiver Collin Johnson was waived after a season. The Giants signed Johnson in 2021 and he missed all of 2022 with a torn Achilles tendon.
Sixth-round pick Tyler Davis didn't catch on at tight end in Jacksonville; Green Bay signed him after a brief stint in Indianapolis and he has grown into a special teams ace for the Packers.
Saving the best for last, Oregon State's Jake Luton was the ninth quarterback taken in 2020 at 189 overall. Luton started three games (all losses) as a rookie; since then, he has spent time holding clipboards for Seattle, Miami, Jacksonville again, and New Orleans. Quite a journey in just three years.
Kansas City Chiefs: C+
Coming off their first Super Bowl win since Guyana became an independent country, the Chiefs didn't have to replace much in their core. They ended up with a fourth-round steal and two top-round picks that helped contribute to their second Super Bowl run in 2022.
With the last pick of the first round, KC picked LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Edwards-Helaire burst onto the scene as a rookie with 1,000 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns; while his scoring totals have stayed consistent, his yardage has steadily decreased over his three seasons. He was replaced in the Chiefs' starting lineup by Isiah Pacheco in 2022 and was inactive for Super Bowl LVII.
Mississippi State linebacker Willie Gay's trajectory has been exactly opposite that of Edwards-Helaire. The 63rd overall pick played in every game as a rookie, and his numbers have consistently improved as he's grown into a prominent starting role. After missing a few games early in 2022 following a domestic arrest, Gay racked up eight tackles including two for loss in Super Bowl LVII.
The Chiefs selected L'Jarius Sneed in the fourth round from Louisiana Tech. Sneed has started at cornerback in every Chiefs playoff game since, putting on his best performance with 10 tackles and a pick in the 2021 AFC Championship loss against Cincinnati. An all-rookie team member in 2020, Sneed will be in for a big payday in 2024 if he continues to play to his current standard.
TCU's Lucas Niang was brought in to help shore up the Chiefs' struggling offensive line. He didn't see his first NFL action until 2021, opening the season as starting right tackle but ultimately missing five games. Niang missed the entire 2021 postseason and played one offensive snap in Super Bowl LVII.
Defensive end Michael Danna was KC's fifth-round selection. By 2022, Danna had found a consistent role in the Chiefs' defense; despite not starting a single contest, he came off the bench to appear in more than half of Kansas City's defensive snaps. His five sacks in 2022 mark a career high.
Thakarius "BoPete" Keyes is the only member of KC's 2020 class not with the team. The cornerback from Tulane played in eight games as a rookie, and has spent the last two seasons on six different teams' practice squads. He saw game action with the Bears and Colts in 2021, and is on a futures contract with Baltimore heading into 2023.
Las Vegas Raiders: F-
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| The 2020 first round was Mark Davis's worst decision since his haircut. (Mark J. Rebilas // USA Today) |
This one is it. Inarguably the worst class of the 2023 draft. Perhaps upset about losing their bid to host the draft to Roger Goodell's armchair, the Raiders went out and drafted seven players, all in the first four rounds, of whom only the last one picked is still on the team.
Las Vegas had two top-20 picks, and not only are both no longer Raiders, neither one is even on an NFL roster. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs was the 12th overall selection. Described by Mark Davis as "the only person I wanted in this draft," Ruggs didn't make it to the end of his second season before killing a woman while driving drunk. He was immediately released and, still awaiting trial in a state that is very strict on drunk driving, has not been signed by any other teams.
The 19th overall pick was cornerback Damon Arnette, also known by his rap name NWG Suave. Suave got himself into legal trouble, repeatedly, and also didn't make it out of 2021 on the Raiders' roster. For some reason both Miami and Kansas City decided to sign Suave to practice squad contracts AFTER his criminal activity was uncovered, but he hasn't played in a pro football game since the Raiders cut him.
The Raiders took two wide receivers in a row in the third round. They traded the first, Lynn Bowden, to Miami before his rookie season began. Bowden made his way to New England's practice squad in 2022; elevated for one game, he took the field for 14 snaps and was targeted zero times.
81st overall pick Bryan Edwards was actually a decent player, by Raiders standards. In his best year, Edwards was third in receiving yards and tied for second in touchdown catches for Las Vegas in 2021. The Raiders can't have anything close to good happen to them, so they traded Edwards to Atlanta two weeks after the 2022 draft to move up in the 2023 draft. He played in seven games for the Falcons in the midst of moving around the Falcons' and Chiefs' practice squads, and is on the Saints to start 2023.
Drafted as a safety, 100th overall pick Tanner Muse never took the field in silver and black. He was on IR his entire rookie season and was a September cut heading into 2021. He's since settled in Seattle, where he has had a consistent role on special teams in 2021 and 2022.
Vegas's starting left guard for all of 2021, 109th overall selection John Simpson was shown the door in December 2022. He got on Baltimore's practice squad right before Christmas and has a 2023 futures contract with the Ravens.
The Raiders closed out their draft in the fourth round taking cornerback Amik Robertson. He played in every 2022 game, but only started in seven. He also made a big highlight play, returning a fumble a league-high 68 yards in the Raiders' first win of the season. So I imagine he's gone by the end of 2023.
Los Angeles Chargers: C-
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| Meet the namesake and pilot of Air Herbert. (Marcio Jose Sanchez // AP) |
The Chargers had a marquee pick in the first round, traded back into the first round for a prospect that has been fine but in my opinion not worth the price, and got a value pick in the fourth. There's nothing much more of note for the Bolts' 2020 class.
One of the more polarizing picks in the 2020 draft, the Chargers decided to repeat history with Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert sixth overall. Herbert immediately became one of the league's top passers, passing for 4,000 yards in three straight seasons while earning 2020 offensive rookie of the year honors and a 2021 Pro Bowl nod.
L.A. traded their second and third round picks to gain an additional first-round pick. With the 23rd pick the Chargers took linebacker Kenneth Murray, who joined Herbert on the all-rookie team with 107 tackles but just one sack. His 2021 season was abbreviated when he spent a month on IR with a bad ankle. He played all of 2022, with his stats not quite back to his rookie numbers.
Fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley has become a reliable utility back on the Chargers' offense. He carried the ball 111 times and caught all 23 balls thrown his way to finish his rookie season with 502 all-purpose yards. After missing some of 2021, Kelley returned in 2022 with similar but not quite as large numbers. With Austin Ekeler's contract status still in the air, Kelley could end up the starter in 2023.
Safety Alohi Gillman was taken in the sixth round. He played in all 17 games for L.A. in 2022, mostly as a backup. He intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles in addition to a career-high 58 tackles.
The Chargers' seventh-round pick, wide receiver K.J. Hill played a little in the passing game and a little as a returner in his roughly season and a half in the lightning bolt helmet. He hasn't played elsewhere.
Another wide receiver who the Chargers attempted to have return kicks, fifth-round pick Joe Reed lasted even less time than Hill. Reed played his last NFL game in his rookie season.
Los Angeles Rams: C
The Rams gave up their first round pick to bring Jalen Ramsey to Los Angeles. It was one of several headline trades that helped elevate the Rams to a one-and-done Super Bowl run in 2021. The Rams got what they needed out of Ramsey, trading the six-time Pro Bowler to Miami in 2023.
With their first pick not coming until the second round, Los Angeles eventually chose running back Cam Akers 52nd overall. Akers was the Rams' leading rusher in 2020 and 2022; L.A. had a top ten team rushing attack in Akers's rookie campaign but was bottom five in 2022. Akers is poised to remain the Rams' feature back in 2023, depending on what happens in the draft and subsequent months.
Wide receiver Van Jefferson was used sparingly his rookie season as a second-round pick, but emerged in 2021 as the Rams' number two receiver behind Cooper Kupp's historic performance. He caught four passes for 23 yards in the Super Bowl LVI win before struggling with injuries in 2022.
In the third round, the Rams whiffed on two Terrells. Linebacker Terrell Lewis lasted until the last month of 2022. After recording 40 tackles in 30 games, Lewis was picked up by Chicago, where he finished 2022 on the practice squad.
Safety Terrell Burgess made it to November of 2022. Primarily a special teams player with the Rams, Burgess had 29 tackles and a broken up pass before he was released. He appeared in one game for the Giants and signed a futures contract with New York heading into 2023.
After the Terrells, Los Angeles spent a fourth round pick on Brycen Hopkins, son of Titans great Brad Hopkins. The tight end has had limited production, in part due to a PED suspension in 2022. He ended up with seven catches for 109 yards in 2022. It's likely his time in Los Angeles will end soon.
Safety Jordan Fuller was taken with the "Brady pick" of the 2020 draft at 199th overall. In his sophomore season, Fuller led Los Angeles with 113 tackles, good for seventh-most among all NFL safeties in 2021. He missed the Rams' entire playoff run and all but three games of the 2022 campaign.
The Rams had three seventh round picks. Linebacker Clay Johnston saw limited game action in 2020 and 2021 for the Panthers; after Carolina released him, he joined the Bengals and took on a more pronounced special teams role in 2022. Kicker Sam Sloman played in eight games for the Rams and one for the Titans as a rookie, going 10 for 13 on field goals and 23 for 26 on extra points. Offensive lineman Tremayne Anchrum played sparingly in 2020, then spent all of 2021 and most of 2022 on IR.
Miami Dolphins: C-
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| Tua Time turned to Turf Time throughoout Twenty Twenty-Two. (Megan Briggs // Getty) |
The Dolphins had a wealth of draft picks, including five in the first two rounds, and didn't really get much bang for the buck.
Fifth overall, Miami took the highly-touted Tua Tagovailoa to be their franchise quarterback. Showing flashes of greatness, Tua unfortunately became the poster child for the flaws in the NFL's concussion protocol in 2022. His future remains up in the air after the repeated head trauma he's suffered.
With the 18th pick Miami acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh, the Dolphins selected USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson. Jackson started at both guard and tackle for most of 2020 and 2021, but was out with an ankle injury for most of 2022.
Auburn defensive back Noah Igbinoghene was Miami's third first round selection. Igbinoghene has struggled to catch on; he played in 16 games as a rookie and 16 over the next two seasons, finally recording his first NFL interception in week seven of 2022.
The Dolphins scored with their first second-round pick. Offensive lineman Robert Hunt became a starter in the second month of his rookie season and has started all but one game since.
Also taken in the second round, defensive tackle Raekwon Davis made the all-rookie team in 2020. He has remained a consistent presence as an interior run-stuffer, having amassed 101 tackles in three years.
Safety Brandon Jones became a Dolphin in the third round. Jones had his best season so far in 2021, recording five sacks and his lone NFL pick to date. Poised to build on his sophomore success, an ACL tear limited Jones to just seven games in 2022.
In the sixth round, Miami picked up long snapper Blake Ferguson. The brother of Bills long snapper Reid Ferguson, Blake has dependably filled the role for Miami in every game since he was drafted.
The rest of Miami's draft class failed to pan out. Curtis Weaver has been a practice squad linebacker, mostly for the Browns, who signed a futures contract with Minnesota in 2023. After being waived by the Dolphins and Patriots in 2021, wide receiver Malcolm Perry retired from the NFL in 2022.
Defensive end Jason Strowbridge had three tackles in eight games as a rookie, was on Miami's practice squad in 2021, and is currently looking for a new NFL home. Guard Solomon Kindley got off to a promising start, but was released in 2022 and is now on a futures contract with the Giants.
Minnesota Vikings: B
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| Justin Jefferson is an absolute stud for Minnesota. (Bruce Kluckhorn // AP) |
The Vikings had the most picks in 2020, and were hit-or-miss with very little in between.
The main hit, perhaps the biggest of the whole draft, was Minnesota's selection of wide receiver Justin Jefferson at 21st overall. Sporting News' Rookie of the Year in 2020, J-Jettas is a three-time Pro Bowl Selection and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year.
The biggest miss was cornerback Jeff Gladney with the 31st pick. Putting together a solid rookie campaign, Gladney was released before the 2021 season following a domestic violence indictment. A year later, he was found not guilty and signed a contract with the Cardinals. Before he could suit up for Arizona, however, Gladney and his girlfriend died in a fiery car crash on May 30, 2022. He was 25.
The Vikings' next hit was guard Ezra Cleveland in the second round. Since week six of 2020, Cleveland's only missed snaps were in two games he was inactive for as a rookie, and in garbage time of Minnesota's lopsided 2022 loss to Dallas and the regular season finale against Chicago.
Cornerback Cameron Dantzler was initially a hit as a third-rounder, but ultimately failed to catch on. He made the all-rookie team in 2020, but injuries ultimately stunted his time in Minnesota. The Vikings waived Dantzler in March 2023 and Washington claimed him three days later.
Edge player D.J. Wonnum was the first of three fourth-round picks for Minnesota. He had a fantastic 2021 season, picking up eight sacks and forcing a fumble over 14 starts, but spent most of 2022 coming off the bench. Wonnum contributed in 16 games in 2022, but his stats went down across the board.
Another fourth round pick, defensive lineman James Lynch plays sparingly for the Vikings. His best game was in the 2022 overtime win in Buffalo, in which he recorded five tackles including one for loss.
Linebacker Troy Dye was Minnesota's final fourth-rounder. The brother of short-lived Bengals safety Tony and 2023 draft running back prospect Travis, Troy has caught on as a regular special-teams player.
The Vikings' sleeper pick came in the fifth round with wide receiver K.J. Osborn. In 2021 and 2022, Osborn emerged as Minnesota's number three receiver behind Jefferson and Adam Thielen. With Thielen's departure, Osborn is poised to step into a more prominent role alongside Jefferson in 2023.
Sixth-round safety Josh Metellus has been a valuable utility player in his three Vikings seasons. A consistent special teams presence, Metellus stepped into more responsibility on defense in 2022, starting three games and recording his first NFL interception to seal a 28-24 win over the Lions.
Tackle Blake Brandel was a sixth round pick. He didn't appear in 2020, came off the bench in 13 games in 2021, and got his first three NFL starts in 2022 before ending the season on injured reserve.
Fifth-round cornerback Harrison Hand, as well as all four of the Vikings' seventh-round choices (Kenny Willekes, Nate Stanley, Brian Cole, and Kyle Hinton), are no longer with the team.
New Orleans Saints: F
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| Adam Trautman was traded on the third day of the 2023 draft. (Christian Petersen // Getty) |
The Saints had the fewest selections in the 2020 draft, and just three of their four picks saw the field with the team.
The reason the Saints had the fewest picks is actually directly related to the reason why the Vikings had the most. New Orleans traded all four of their original day three picks (one each in rounds four through seven) to Minnesota to have a second third-round pick after previously trading away their second round selection in a 2019 draft trade.
With the 105th pick they received in the trade that effectively ended their draft with a full day of selections left, New Orleans took tight end Adam Trautman from Dayton. Trautman's career has been underwhelming to say the least; he has just four touchdowns in three seasons. His best season, 2021, saw Trautman recording just 263 yards with touchdowns before ending the season on IR; his catch rate of 62.8 percent in 2021 was by far the lowest of his career as well.
In a less heralded pick, New Orleans took interior offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz with their first round selection. Ruiz played every offensive snap for the Saints in 2021, and was on his way to doing so in 2022 before ending the season on IR. He is probably the best pick from the meager Saints 2020 class.
Linebacker Zack Baun was the Saints' earlier third round selection, taken 74th overall from Wisconsin. Baun is essentially just a special teams player for New Orleans. He has had eight starts in his three years, but averages significantly more time on the special teams unit than in the defensive 11.
Perhaps the Saints got tired of twiddling their thumbs in New Orleans on Saturday, maybe they got day drunk on hurricanes and beignets, I don't know. But by the seventh round they decided they wanted one more piece of the action. They sent a 2021 sixth rounder to Houston for the right to draft quarterback Tommy Stevens, who they tried to convert to tight end, waived, and put on their practice squad before 2020 even began. Stevens did get to play one NFL game at quarterback, filling in at the end of his rookie season for Carolina. He spent less than a week in the 2021 training camp of the Giants, then became a third stringer for the CFL's Calgary Stampeders.
Oh yeah, the 2021 pick New Orleans traded? It ultimately ended up in the hands of Buffalo who drafted the biggest inspirational story of 2022, safety Damar Hamlin.
New England Patriots: D+
In the first Patriots draft since losing Tom Brady, New England didn't have a first round selection. What they got with their two seconds, three thirds, fifth, three sixths, and seventh were perhaps a large reason the former dynasty has yet to win a playoff game in the post-Brady era.
New England's best selection in 2020 didn't come until the sixth round, when the Patriots chose offensive lineman Michael Onwenu. The former Michigan Wolverine was an immediate starter in Foxborough, playing complete seasons both as a rookie and in 2022. Playing at right guard in 2022, Onwenu was a second-team All-Pro according to Pro Football Focus.
The Pats' first 2020 pick at 37th overall. safety Kyle Dugger has cemented his role in New England's starting lineup. Dugger already has seven career interceptions; in 2022, he returned two picks and a fumble for touchdowns. He was the AFC's defensive player of the week in week 17 of 2022 and has a bright future in the NFL.
Linebacker Josh Uche was the second player New England chose in the second round. He is a utility player for the Patriots, his only start coming in week 16 of his rookie season. In his limited usage Uche has emerged as something of a sack master, compiling 11.5 in 2022 and earning defensive player of the week honors in the AFC after a hat trick in week 14 against Arizona.
Taken as the first of three picks New England had in the third round, linebacker Anfernee Jennings is the only other player from the 2020 Patriots class still on their roster. Like Uche, Jennings is a bench player. However, Jennings doesn't have a particularly special stat line. He also spent all of 2021 on IR.
Sixth round tackle Justin Herron spent two years in New England as a backup before an early 2022 trade to Las Vegas, where he too ultimately ended up on IR. Tight end Devin Asiasi played in just 10 games over his two seasons in New England, catching two passes (one for a touchdown) before being waived and subsequently claimed by Cincinnati in 2022.
Tight end Dalton Keene and linebacker Cassh Maluia each played limited roles as rookies; neither one has seen NFL action since. Kicker Justin Rohrwasser and center Dustin Woodard never played a down of NFL football.
New York Giants: C-
It appears the Giants got a hit with the fourth overall pick; outside of that, none of New York's choices have been consistent starters. Seven of the team's 10 selections still remain, however.
The gem of the draft for the G-Men ended up being their top-five pickup of Andrew Thomas. The offensive tackle from Georgia started all but one game as a rookie, and all but four contests in 2021. In 2022, Thomas emerged as one of the best linemen in the league as the Giants ended a six-year playoff drought. In a campaign that earned him second-team All-Pro Honors, Thomas started every game but the season finale and played every offensive snap in both postseason games.
The Giants took Alabama safety Xavier McKinney in the second round. McKinney had a stellar 2021, intercepting five passes in his only full season of play to date. When healthy, he is a full-time starter; however, he played in just six games in 2020 and nine in 2022.
In the fourth round, cornerback Darnay Holmes was picked to join McKinney in New York's backfield. Holmes starts sparingly but is used frequently. He was targeted a career-high 67 times in 2022, giving up a career-low completion rate of 61.2 percent and just one touchdown.
New York's third round pick was security for Thomas in fellow tackle Matt Peart. He wasn't needed much in 2022, but while Thomas was on injured reserve in 2021, Peart was able to fill in admirably.
Among the Giants' later-round selections were two linebackers who are both instrumental to their special teams unit. Sixth round pick Cam Brown and seventh round choice Carter Coughlin were both on the field for 85 percent of the Giants' special teams plays in 2022.
Taken in the fifth round, guard Shane Lemieux's bio on the Giants website states he "was an iron man who started 52 consecutive games [in college]." He's been anything but since being drafted, spending all but one game in each 2021 and 2022 on the injured reserve.
Late seventh-round pick Tae Crowder had a breakout season at linebacker in 2021. Starting the whole season, he racked up 130 tackles, picked off two passes, and deflected six more. After a major setback in 2022, the Giants waived Crowder before the season ended. He's poised to play 2023 in Pittsburgh.
Seventh-round pick Chris Williamson has been a practice squad journeyman who appeared in five games for Atlanta in 2021. Fellow seventh-rounder T.J. Brunson played five games in 2020 for the team which drafted him, but missed 2021 with an ACL tear and was cut the following summer.
New York Jets: F
The Jets completely missed on their entire 2020 class. Of their nine picks, four are still on the team and none have regular starting responsibilities.
Eleventh overall pick Mehki Becton is a candidate for the biggest bust of 2022. Becton started at left tackle for most of his rookie year, but injuries have kept him out of action since the first game of 2021.
Fifth-round cornerback Bryce Hall has been the most valuable Jet still on the team. He played the entire 2021 season, and his 16 passes defensed were best for sixth in the league. Hall only appeared in five games in 2022 with the emergence of rookie phenom Sauce Gardner and could be on his way out soon.
This Fansided post targets two other 2020 picks as post-2023 Draft roster cuts for New York, potentially leaving the Jets without a single 2020 draft class member on their payroll after just three years. Second round pick Denzel Mims has yet to make strides as a wide receiver. Amassing 15 career starts for the Jets, Mims's catch ratio stands at under 50 percent and he has yet to score an NFL touchdown.
Third round selection Ashtyn Davis was converted from a starting safety in 2021 to primarily playing special teams in 2022. He made the most of his time on defense; seeing just 13 plays on defense in 2022, Davis intercepted one of the two passes thrown his way.
Punter Braden Mann, taken in the sixth round, was the most productive member of the Jets' 2020 class before his release in April 2023. As a rookie, he led the NFL in punts and punt yards (chalk it up to the Jets finishing the season 3-13 if you'd like). In 2022 he also was one of the league's most productive punters, this time for an actually competitive Jets team, and earned special teams player of the week honors in week two. Mann will be punting for the Steelers in 2023.
Taken in the third round, defensive end Jabari Zuniga lasted 11 games over two seasons before being released. He spent on the Seahawks' practice squad in 2022, then spent the last half of the season with the Saints, being elevated for a week 11 game in which he recorded two tackles.
Running back La'Mical Perine was picked in the fourth round and failed to amass 300 yards in his two seasons with Gang Green. Perine spent 2022 on the Eagles and Dolphins practice squads, and was active but did not play in Miami's playoff loss to Buffalo. He'll be a Chief to start 2023.
Two fourth-round picks, quarterback James Morgan and offensive lineman Cameron Clark, never played NFL football.
Philadelphia Eagles: C-
The Eagles picked the man who is, as of writing, the NFL's newly highest-paid quarterback in the second round of the 2020 draft. Apart from that, their haul was largely underwhelming.
We'll of course start with Jalen Hurts, the Oklahoma quarterback who was runner-up for MVP in 2022 and finessed the Eagles into giving him the largest dollar-amount contract ever given to an NFL player. Hurts's stats have gone up progressively in each of his three seasons and he of course led Philadelphia to Super Bowl LVII. He singlehandedly brought this class's grade up from a D- to a C-.
Sixth-round pick Quez Watkins is the second star of the 2020 Eagles draft, shining significantly dimmer than Hurts. Regardless, he was the team's WR3 in 2022, scoring three regular season touchdowns and hauling in an eight-yard completion in Super Bowl LVII.
Fourth-round pick Jack Driscoll is a solid backup on Philly's offensive line. Mostly playing on the field goal unit in 2022, Driscoll has started 16 games with experience on multiple line positions.
Safety K'Von Wallace has also become a special teams fixture for the Eagles as a fourth-round pick. In his limited capacity, Wallace has compiled 64 tackles in his career, whiffing on just four.
Not to confused with the 12-year NBA center, linebacker Shaun Bradley came to the Eagles in the sixth round. Bradley, too, is a special teams player with just one start in 2021.
Linebacker Davion Taylor was a third round pick who has shown promise, but ended both 2020 and 2021 on the IR. Taylor spent all of 2022 on Philadelphia's practice squad and has a 2023 futures contract with the team.
Four of the Eagles' 2020 picks are no longer on the team entering 2023. First round pick Jalen Reagor was Philly's WR3 behind Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward in 2020, then behind Watkins and Devonta Smith in 2021. In 2022 the Eagles shipped Reagor to Minnesota, where he is the main punt returner.
After being taken in the sixth, tackle Prince Tega Wanogho spent a year on Philadelphia's practice squad, being activated for just one game. He then moved to Kansas City with a similar story in 2021, finally cementing a spot on the field goal unit and playing in every Chiefs game in 2022.
The third wide receiver drafted by Philly in 2020, John Hightower caught 10 balls as a rookie for 167 yards. He spent 2022 on the Chargers' practice squad and signed a 2023 futures contract with the Bolts.
The Eagles picked linebacker Casey Toohill in the seventh round, and he didn't even survive his rookie season in Philadelphia. Washington picked him up soon after; in 2022, Toohill scored a game-icing touchdown to give the team who drafted him their first loss of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: C+
The Steelers were another team that used their first round pick to trade for a veteran. Their trade for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was certainly worth it. Fitzpatrick has been an All-Pro and Pro Bowler three times since Pittsburgh "drafted" him in 2019.
Pittsburgh ended up getting a decent group with their remaining draft picks, although the star of that group ended 2022 on a different team. Second-round pick Chase Claypool was part of a 1-2-3 punch at receiver for Pittsburgh in 2020, ending the season tied for the team lead in touchdown catches. He was just as productive in 2021, other than a significant drop in scoring. Pittsburgh sent Claypool to the Bears at the 2022 trade deadline after his production continued not to improve.
With the departure of Claypool, linebacker Alex Highsmith is now easily the best player Pittsburgh selected on draft day 2020. He became a full-time starter in week 13 of his rookie season, and has missed just one game since. Highsmith led Pittsburgh with 14.5 sacks and the NFL with five forced fumbles in 2022.
As part of the Fitzpatrick trade, Pittsburgh also moved up from the fifth to the fourth round. With the pick, they selected Louisiana offensive lineman Kevin Dotson. After starting his career with some injury issues, Dotson played in every single offensive play for the Steelers in 2022. He does have a bit of a problem with penalties, though, with 11 accepted against him in 2022.
Fourth-round selection Anthony McFarland Jr. (no relation to NFL analyst Booger) has just 146 rushing yards as a Steeler. He missed most of 2021 with injury and spent 2022 mainly on the practice squad, but is on a futures contract in Pittsburgh entering 2023.
Safety Antoine Brooks, taken in the sixth, was a practice squad guy in his first two seasons, taking the field four times for Pittsburgh in 2020 and eight for the Rams in 2021. He was cut early in the 2022 offseason and hasn't had an NFL home since.
The Steelers' final pick was Carlos Davis. Similar to Brooks, the defensive tackle has been on the practice squad more than he's been on the field. Davis has 12 NFL appearances and will likely be fighting for a training camp spot in 2023.
San Francisco 49ers: C+
The 49ers added a talented wide receiver and an oft-injured defensive lineman in the first round before finding value on three later-round picks.
In 2022, 25th overall pick Brandon Aiyuk was San Francisco's main pass catcher. Building on performances of 748 and 826 yards in his first two seasons respectively, Aiyuk surpassed the 1,000 yard barrier for the first time in his career, also hauling in eight touchdowns.
Javon Kinlaw was the first player the Niners selected, eleven picks ahead of Aiyuk. An all-rookie selection at defensive tackle, Kinlaw has been hampered by injuries since. He played in just 10 games combined in 2021 and 2022.
After their two first round picks, the 49ers had to wait until round five to make their next selection. O-lineman Colton McKivitz is a primary backup. On the practice squad for most of 2021, he did start in his only appearance that year. Losing two starting linemen for 2023, the Niners signed McKivitz to a two-year extension in March. He should play a more prominent role up front for San Francisco.
Other than missing two games with COVID in 2020, tight end Charlie Woerner has played in every 49ers game since he was drafted in the sixth. He's on special teams usually and occasionally an extra blocker on offense; he dropped the only two passes thrown his way in 2022.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings didn't make it past the practice squad in 2020, but the seventh-round pick found a consistent roster spot at wide receiver in 2021. He has since played in 32 games, catching 59 passes for 698 yards and six touchdowns.
Seattle Seahawks: B-
There are no marquee names in Seattle's 2020 draft class, but each of the Seahawks' first five picks are consistent players for a team that made it to the playoffs in 2020 and 2022.
First-round pick Jordyn Brooks is a tackling machine at inside linebacker. In 2021 and 2022, he was fully or partially responsible for 184 and 161 tackles respectively, and led the league with 109 solo tackles in 2021.
After being taken in the second round, edge rusher Darrell Taylor missed his entire rookie season. In a relief role, he made 6.5 sacks in 2021. Taylor followed that performance up with 9.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, and his first career fumble recovery in 2022.
Third-rounder Damien Lewis was an immediate starter at right guard, playing in all 16 Seahawks games as a rookie. He moved to the left side and started 13 games in 2021, and started all but one game switching between guard positions in 2022.
Tight end Colby Parkinson was a fourth-round choice who has become a reliable relief in Seattle's two-tight end scheme. He played in all 17 contests in 2022, starting twice for Will Dissly, and hauled in 25 passes for 322 yards and two scores.
DeeJay Dallas has done a little bit of everything for the Hawks since being taken in the fourth. In each of his three seasons, he has consistently gained between 100 and 200 yards both rushing and receiving. He was Seattle's primary kickoff return man in 2021, and was the only Seahawk not named Geno Smith to attempt a pass in 2022.
Defensive end Alton Robinson came to the Seahawks in the fifth round. A regular contributor from the bench, Robinson picked up four sacks as a rookie and 22 tackles each in 2020 and 2021. A knee injury put Robinson on injured reserve for all of 2022.
Sixth-round pick Freddie Swain lasted two years in Seattle playing wide receiver. He caught for 502 yards and six touchdowns in his Seahawks career and served as the Hawks' primary punt returner in 2021. Seattle cut Swain in 2022, and he has since spent time in Miami and Denver.
Steven Sullivan played one game at tight end in 2020. The seventh-rounder spent 2021 and 2022 in Carolina, making his first two NFL catches in the 2022 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+
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| Tristan Wirfs lets us know how many Pro Bowls he's made so far. (Mike Ehrmann // Getty) |
Two Pro Bowlers highlight the Bucs' 2020 haul. Two Pro Bowlers are essentially all the Bucs got in 2020.
Thirteenth overall pick Tristan Wirfs was plug-and-play at right tackle. He made the all-rookie team in 2020, made his first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selection in 2021, and was a repeat Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2022. If he stays healthy for the duration of his career, Wirfs is already potentially on his way to the Hall of Fame.
Another immediate starter, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. came to Tampa in the second round. He too was an all-rookie selection, and finished fourth in defensive rookie of the year voting. He also made his first Pro Bowl in 2021. The son of a three-time Pro Bowl selection, Antoine Jr. failed to make it back to the all star game in 2022. His coverage stats all went down slightly, but he did pick up four sacks in 2022.
Third-round selection Ke'Shawn Vaughn was initially used sparingly as a running back, by 2022 he was only on the field for 37 offensive snaps while playing primarily at special teams.
Taken in the fifth round, Tyler Johnson was Tom Brady's fourth most-targeted wide receiver in 2021, posting a career-high 360 yards on his 36 catches. The Bucs waived Johnson prior to the 2022 season, then re-claimed him two months later after he played in two games with Houston. Tampa kept Johnson off the field for the remainder of the season; he signed a futures contract with the Giants for 2023.
Defensive tackle Khalil Davis made two tackles in his rookie season. He appeared in six plays with Indianapolis in 2021 and spent the end of 2021 and all of 2022 on three teams' practice squads.
The first of two seventh-round picks for Tampa, Chapelle Russell is another journeyman defender. Taken as a linebacker, Russell had some special teams action in 2020. In 2021 he moved to Jacksonville. Still mostly on special teams, he played some on defense and even got a start in week 16. Russell was on Pittsburgh's practice squad in 2022 and has a futures contract there for 2023.
Final pick Raymond Calais never made the Buccaneers' regular season roster. He found work in Los Angeles, playing in four games as a Rams rookie. After a number of cuts and designations, the Rams waived Calais for the final time heading into the 2022 season.
Tennessee Titans: F-
As a Titans fan, I'd rather not talk about anything Jon Robinson did as the team's GM, but this project calls for me to address all the teams so here goes.
The "highlight" of the miserable Titans 2020 draft was the addition of cornerback Kristian Fulton in the second round. That worked. As somehow the best cornerback on the Titans' God-awful 2022 secondary, Fulton matched a career low for interceptions, matched a career high for penalties committed, and set a new career high for touchdowns allowed.
Seventh-round pick Chris Jackson has been a solid backup defensive back, but spent most of 2022 on the bench. Probably for the best, or else I'd hate him too.
One of the biggest whiffs in the history of the NFL draft was the selection of Georgia tackle Isaiah Wilson at 29th overall. Countless behavioral and legal issues limited Wilson to just four plays in one game as a Titan; in 2021 he was traded to the Dolphins, who cut him three days later.
Third round pick Darrynton Evans was a preseason favorite at running back, but saw minimal regular season action. After just six games and less than 100 scrimmage yards in his first two seasons, Evans moved to Chicago where the Bears mostly played him at special teams in 2022. He'll be a Colt in 2023.
I remember being excited about the Titans' fifth-round pick of defensive tackle Larrell Murchison, too. He was used sparingly during his time in Nashville; after a 2022 midseason trade to the Rams Murchison finally recorded his first NFL sack and finished the season with two.
The Titans took a feeler on Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald in the seventh round. That, of course, didn't work; McDonald never played in the NFL.
OK, I got through it. There are only 43 new holes punched in the wall.
Washington Football Team: C+
The team now (and for the sake of this post) known as the Commanders got the best defensive talent of the draft and a hidden gem at running back in 2020, but injuries for the former and a repurposed role for the latter have kept both from fulfilling their potential so far.
Defensive lineman Chase Young was the star of the 2020 rookie class from pro days to postseason, and was the runaway defensive rookie of the year. Not quite on pace to match his rookie performance but still playing solidly in 2021, Young had a severe knee injury in week 10 that kept him out of most of 2022 too. 2023 is a contract year for the former phenom as Washington declined his fifth-year option.
Running back Antonio Gibson emerged out of the third round as Washington's primary running back in both 2020 and 2021. He put up 1,042 scrimmage yards as a rookie, then 1,037 on the ground alone in a sophomore campaign that earned him All-NFC honors. Gibson was forced to take a back seat to feel-good story and gunshot victim Brian Robinson in 2022, being assigned to return kickoffs instead.
The Commanders got good value in the later rounds. Fourth-round pick Saahdiq Charles's role has grown on the offensive line. He played in just one game as a rookie, then appeared in 10 in 2021 and 13 in 2022. He's expected to compete for a starting spot in 2023.
Washington picked linebacker/safety hybrid Khaleke Hudson in the fifth round. Hudson has been a consistent member of the Commanders' special teams unit since he was drafted. He's played in 41 games so far, despite spending a few weeks in October 2022 coming on and off the practice squad.
Seventh round pick James Smith-Williams spent the first month of his rookie season on the practice squad. By 2022, he was a full-time starter at defensive end. Smith-Williams will see less time on the field in 2023 if Young stays healthy, but the Commanders could still hold onto him long-term should they let Young walk following the season.
Kamren Curl was possibly the steal of the draft. Washington's final pick, Curl played in every game his rookie season, intercepting three passes and returning one for a touchdown. In Curl's worst statistical season, Pro Football Focus named him a second-team All-Pro in 2022.
Fourth-round wide receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden has one career catch and spent 2022 on the Commanders' practice squad. Fifth-round offensive lineman Keith Ismael bounced from Washington to Tampa to San Francisco on practice squads in 2022, and is on a futures contract with the 49ers for 2023.
That wraps this project. It was as exhausting as it was exhaustive. As always, thanks to pro-football-reference.com for all the stats. Look for the music post in a day or two!
