NFL Draft 2023: Team-by-Team Analysis and Grades for Rounds 1-3
The Detroit Lions took a risk with their first pick in the 2023 NFL draft that set the tone for the team's overall draft class.
Detroit's pick of Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 did not make sense in the moment, but the Lions chose a player they thought was worthy of that selection.
The Lions followed that theme with their next five picks and built out one of the better draft classes through two days in Kansas City.
Of course, the critics will continue to point to taking a running back so high, but it may have been the only way the Lions landed the guy they wanted.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks drew more immediate praise for their draft picks.
Philadelphia brought in two more players from the vaunted Georgia Bulldogs defense to start its draft, while Seattle continued to build off its stellar 2022 draft with four smart picks across the opening two rounds.
Team-by-Team NFL Draft Grades
1 of 4Arizona: B+
Atlanta: C+
Baltimore: B+
Buffalo: B
Carolina: A
Chicago: B-
Cincinnati: B
Cleveland: B+
Dallas: B
Denver: B
Detroit: A-
Green Bay: B
Houston: A
Indianapolis: B
Jacksonville: B+
Kansas City: B
Los Angeles Chargers: B-
Los Angeles Rams: C+
Las Vegas: B
Miami: A-
Minnesota: B
New England: B
New Orleans: B
New York Giants: A
New York Jets: C
Philadelphia: A
Pittsburgh: A-
Seattle: A
San Francisco: B+
Tampa Bay: B-
Tennessee: B
Washington: C
Detroit Lions: A-
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Detroit drew plenty of criticism for its selection of Gibbs at No. 12.
Taking a running back that high can be perceived as a risky move given the life span of players at that position in the NFL.
There was no guarantee the Alabama product would be available at No. 18. The Athletic's Dane Brugler noted the Jets had their eyes on Gibbs at No. 15.
Detroit still found ways to fill positional depth and add a potential quarterback of the future with the five other picks it made on Days 1 and 2.
The Lions landed starting-caliber players in linebacker Jack Campbell at No. 18 and safety Brian Branch in the second round.
Tight end Sam LaPorta comes from the Iowa pipeline that recently produced George Kittle and T.J. Hockenson. LaPorta will be asked to compete for the starting tight end spot that the Lions left open after Hockenson's midseason trade to the Minnesota Vikings.
Hendon Hooker dropped to the Lions in the third round, which was the perfect spot to take a potential successor to Jared Goff. Hooker will not be under pressure to play right away in his rookie season, which gives him time to learn the playbook and fully recover from the torn ACL he suffered in November.
The Lions now have a long-term plan at quarterback, three starting-caliber running backs, a new first-team tight end and depth in all three layers of defense.
While the draft may have started with more criticism than most first-round picks, the Lions came away with a strong haul of six players who will help their ascension in the NFC.
Philadelphia Eagles: A
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Philadelphia came away from Thursday as the darling of the first round.
The Eagles added two impact players in Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, both of whom were a part of Georgia's historic defense over the last two seasons.
Carter and Smith will join former UGA teammates Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, who were two of eight Georgia defenders taken in the 2022 NFL draft.
Carter could be the long-term replacement to Fletcher Cox on the interior along with Davis, who can help him gain comfort in his transition to the NFL.
Smith can end up as the future successor to Brandon Graham on the edge. He could also help out the linebacker group to earn more reps in his rookie season.
The Eagles continued to fill in depth on Friday with the selections of Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Steen and Illinois safety Sidney Brown.
Steen has the potential to compete for the right guard spot alongside 2022 draft pick Cam Jurgens. The Eagles lost Isaac Seumalo at that position in free agency.
Brown could be viewed as the replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who departed for the Lions in the offseason.
The safety was part of an Illinois defense that produced the lowest points against per game total in the FBS in 2022.
The Eagles were smart to continue to plan for their future while also adding players who can contribute alongside their aging stars. They can add more depth with one sixth-round pick and three seventh-rounders on Saturday.
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Seattle Seahawks: A
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Seattle could go down in the history books as the most successful drafting team in 2022 and 2023.
The Seahawks aced their first four picks in 2023, starting with Devon Witherspoon, the top-rated cornerback in the draft class.
Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen, a 2022 fifth-round pick, could be Seattle's new dominant cornerback pairing for at least the next five years.
They then added another offensive weapon in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The 20th overall pick will not jump into the pressure-packed role of a No. 1 wide receiver right away, and he should benefit from the tutelage of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
Seattle should go into the 2023 regular season with three No. 1-caliber wideouts for Geno Smith to work with in an NFC West that will be there for the taking.
Seattle got better on the pass rush with the second-round selection of Derick Hall, and it added another dynamic offensive playmaker in running back Zach Charbonnet.
The Charbonnet pick may have caught some people off guard because the Seahawks took Kenneth Walker III in the 2022 second round, but in today's NFL, you need two strong running backs to be effective.
The Witherspoon-Woolen and Charbonnet-Walker tandems could grow into two of the best young positional duos in the league, and if that is the case, the Seahawks can overtake the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.
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