NFL Draft Grades 2019: Round 1 Results and Scores for Each Team

In the end, the Arizona Cardinals did not do anything exotic with their draft pick and went with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Kyler Murray as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NFL draft, while a pair of defensive linemen with game-changing potential in Nick Bosa and Quinnen Williams went second and third. 

The process of grading those picks hours after they were made is fraught with peril since none of these players have met their new teammates and coaches, let alone participated in an NFL practice or a game.

But the first 32 selections are clearly an important part of the way NFL teams do business, and grades are assigned.

The teams that made their first-round choices all have the maximum amount of resources to help them make their picks. Their decisions can be judged and second-guessed, but they can't be totally discounted because so many hours of film study, background checking and interviewing went into those selections.

That's why there are no "F" grades on our scores, and just one grade of "D" has been assigned. In addition to the grades, analysis is provided for some of the most notable picks on either end of the spectrum. The NFL draft tracker also follows.

A grades

Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers

Murray has just one full season under his belt, and he is undersized at 5'10" and 207 pounds—dimensions that the NFL seemingly wouldn't have considered five years ago or longer.

However, the Cleveland Browns selected Baker Mayfield (6'1", 215 pounds) a year ago, and that seemingly dispelled the need for a quarterback who is 6'4" or taller. Murray fits new coach Kliff Kingsbury's offense because of his arm talent, athleticism and big-play ability.

Bosa appears to be a game-changing pass rusher who uses speed, power and an array of moves to cause huge problems for blockers.

Williams rocketed to an elite draft position after a brilliant season with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2018, and the Jets are counting on him to provide a major upgrade for their defense.

The Washington Redskins selected Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat with their two first-round picks.

Haskins appeared to be the second-best quarterback in the draft after his brilliant 2018 season with the Ohio State Buckeyes, in which he threw for 4,831 yards, completed 70.0 percent of his passes and had an eye-opening 50-8 TD-interception ratio.

Sweat was downgraded on a number of draft lists because of health concerns (heart condition), but he has elite speed off the edge and excellent change-of-direction ability.

The Falcons did not go for the big-name, skill-position selections, as they chose two fine offensive linemen with their first-round picks.

Offensive guard Chris Lindstrom of Boston College and offensive tackle Kaleb McGary of Washington can help the Falcons do a better job of protecting quarterback Matt Ryan than the team has done to this point. Ryan was sacked 42 times last year, a significantly higher amount than the 24 times he was trapped in 2017.

B grades

Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks

The Raiders had three draft picks in the opening round, including the No. 4 pick that was used on defensive end Clelin Ferrell of Clemson.

There is little doubt that Ferrell had a wonderful career with the Tigers, but he was something of a reach for the Raiders at the spot he was selected. Oakland had a league-low 13 sacks last year, but Kentucky's Josh Allen might have been a better selection.

The Lions selected T.J. Hockenson out of Iowa, and he was the best tight end on the draft board. He is a powerful blocker and a big-time weapon in the passing game. He has a chance to become a dominant player for a team that has never played in the Super Bowl. 

The Ravens selected Marquise Brown, one of two first-round wide receivers selected Thursday. Brown is still rehabbing from a Lisfranc injury, but he should be healthy by the start of training camp, and he brings the element of explosive speed to the organization.

Brown is undersized at 5'9" and 170 pounds, but he is the fastest wide receiver in the draft and appears to be the kind of player who can provide an element that has been missing from the Baltimore offense.

C grades

Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers

The Packers have attempted to upgrade their defensive line with the selection of Michigan defensive end Rashan Gary, who was thought of as the top recruit at the position when he enrolled at Michigan.

While there is no doubt about Gary's athletic potential, he was not overly productive with the Wolverines. Gary had 10.5 sacks in his three seasons at Michigan, and that is troubling.

The Packers also selected Maryland cornerback Darnell Savage Jr. He is somewhat undersized at the safety position, but he has game-changing speed and is a ball hawk who is also aggressive against the run.

Christian Williams looks like he should be a solid and productive player for the Dolphins, but they really need the kind of player who can anchor on the defensive line and stand his ground.

While he checks in at 6'4" and 315 pounds, Williams doesn't always play to that size. He gets knocked around in the running game and will lose track of the ball and get sealed off by trap blocks. 

Tytus Howard is a huge man at 6'5" and 322 pounds, but he comes from a smaller program at Alabama State, and the elite competition of the NFL is going to be a major issue. Even if he is powerful and explosive in the running game for the Texans, his pass blocking needs some fine tuning. 

D grade

New York Giants

The Giants had three first-round picks, and most were waiting for the team to pick a quarterback to replace Eli Manning.

They reached for Daniel Jones of Duke, and he does not appear to match Haskins in terms of potential. The big issue with Jones is his ordinary arm strength, as he struggles with the vertical passing game. 

Dexter Lawrence should be able to give the team what it needs against the interior run, but he is still developing as a pass rusher and that aspect is a liability. Deandre Baker is a key addition in the secondary because the Giants have weaknesses at that position.

N/A Grades

Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams

The Raiders and the Giants had three first-round picks each, while the Falcons, Packers and Redskins had two picks each. As a result, six teams did not have first-round selections and have to wait until Friday night before they make their choices.