2015 NFL Draft Grades: Team-by-Team Letter Marks After Results for Rounds 1-3

We're through three rounds of the 2015 NFL draft, and to say much of the early results have been perplexing would be a huge understatement.

A mixture of some top-rated prospects dropping way down and a few lower-ranked players being selected far sooner than previously anticipated has been abundant in Chicago. The decline of linebacker Paul Dawson was unexpected, as he was a borderline first-round pick who wound up as the third round's last selection. Conversely, safety Jordan Richards may have been picked about two rounds early.

So, taking all of the madness into consideration, it's time for some draft grades.

Now, before we get into it, let's keep in mind that a team's draft haul can't properly be graded until about three years down the road when prospects have had a significant chance to prove themselves. Still, instant reactions are always interesting to look back on when we get to that point, and, let's be honest, it's always fun to grade draft results immediately.

Here's a look at the full results of the 2015 NFL draft, followed by team-by-team letter grades and some analysis on some of the more interesting hauls.

Team-by-Team Grades Following Rounds 1-3

Team	Picks	Grade
Arizona Cardinals	3	B+
Atlanta Falcons	3	A
Baltimore Ravens	3	A-
Buffalo Bills	2	B-
Carolina Panthers	2	C-
Chicago Bears	3	A
Cincinnati Bengals	4	B+
Cleveland Browns	5	B-
Dallas Cowboys	3	A-
Denver Broncos	3	B-
Detroit Lions	3	B-
Green Bay Packers	3	B-
Houston Texans	3	A-
Indianapolis Colts	3	C-
Jacksonville Jaguars	3	B+
Kansas City Chiefs	4	C+
Miami Dolphins	2	A
Minnesota Vikings	3	B+
New England Patriots	3	C-
New Orleans Saints	5	B-
New York Giants	3	B+
New York Jets	3	B
Oakland Raiders	3	B-
Philadelphia Eagles	3	B+
Pittsburgh Steelers	3	B
San Diego Chargers	3	A-
San Francisco 49ers	3	B
Seattle Seahawks	2	C-
St. Louis Rams	4	C+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3	B+
Tennessee Titans	3	A-
Washington Redskins	3	B-

Notable Hauls

Atlanta Falcons (grade: A)

• Round 1: Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson
• Round 2: Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
• Round 3: Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana

This is a great haul by the Falcons. Atlanta's new regime went into the draft with a solid game plan and executed brilliantly, selecting three players who all fill huge needs and have the talent to contribute sooner rather than later.

Vic Beasley's athleticism is off the charts, and he brings a much-needed pass-rushing ability to a Falcons team that continues to struggle getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He may need a little polishing, but we should expect to see him in action at some point this season.

Jalen Collins is the type of tall, fast corner NFL teams covet. He's a first-round talent who slid to the second round due to his inexperience. Atlanta wisely pulled the trigger on him, getting great value in the second round and acquiring a prospect who will need to be coached up but has the potential to be elite.

The team's third pick was a bit of a surprise, as it went with a running back; however, Tevin Coleman was the right choice at the position. He's a violent runner with game-breaking speed and can be instantly featured in Atlanta's backfield, bringing some balance to the team's offense.

Dallas Cowboys (grade: A-)

• Round 1: Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
• Round 2: Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
• Round 3: Chaz Green, OT, Florida

The Cowboys didn't hold back in the early rounds of the draft, selecting prospects with some enormous upside that may also come with some other concerns. This is one prime example of a draft class that won't be able to be properly graded until a few years down the road.

Byron Jones was a very solid pick in Round 1. He didn't produce jaw-dropping numbers with the Huskies, but he was a workout wonder at the combine, earning top-performer honors in every drill. At 6'1", he also has the height and length to go along with his off-the-charts athleticism. The question is how we'll he'll be able to translate that athleticism to the NFL.

Randy Gregory plummeted down draft boards following a positive test for marijuana at the scouting combine. However, he was previously perceived as a potential top-five pick, making his 60th overall selection an enormous steal if the Cowboys can keep him in check.

Chaz Green will likely begin his career as a backup, but his acquisition was a smart one, as the Cowboys realized the importance of maintaining a stout offensive line from their success last season. Having Green in the fold gives the team a good chance to continue building the line for the future.

New England Patriots (grade: C-)

• Round 1: Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
• Round 2: Jordan Richards, S, Stanford
• Round 3: Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma

It's a little difficult to understand what the Patriots were thinking here. Yes, if a team is in love with a certain prospect, you really can't fault it for grabbing him early, but in the cases of Jordan Richards and Geneo Grissom, they could have been selected a round—or more—later. Why not trade back?

First off, the Round 1 acquisition of Malcom Brown is what's salvaging this draft haul so far. Brown's slide to the end of the first round was a big surprise, as he's an absolute load of a defensive tackle who can plug up running lanes and bully his way into the backfield with a mean bull rush. He'll lessen the blow of losing Vince Wilfork.

Richards is a different story. He's a solid player with good leadership qualities, but he's a liability in coverage, showing poor instincts and the inability to track the football—he'd be better suited up in the box in run support. Those qualities are of a safety who should have been selected no sooner than Round 4 or 5.

Grissom is a similar story. He boasts long arms for a defensive end but lacks overall size at 6'3". Grissom has limited athletic ability and speed, which will likely lead to him struggling off the edge and in coverage situations in the NFL. His bit of upside is his versatility, as he's able to play multiple positions. Bill Belichick will need to coach him up quite a bit to make this reach pay off.