2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East

The 2025 Draft is over, and I’ve already started looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft. But we need to circle back and grade the draft before people start rewriting history in a few seasons. We like to look at the moment and see how teams worked on filling needs and building contenders. Today, we start with the AFC East.

2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East

Buffalo Bills

Draft picks

• Round 1 (No. 30): CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
• Round 2 (No. 41): DT T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
• Round 3 (No. 72): Edge Landon Jackson, Arkansas
• Round 4 (No. 109): DT Deone Walker, Kentucky
• Round 5 (No. 170): CB Jordan Hancock, Ohio State
• Round 5 (No. 173): TE Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech
• Round 6 (No. 177): CB Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
• Round 6 (No. 206): OT Chase Lundt, Connecticut
• Round 7 (No. 240): WR Kaden Prather, Maryland

For a team that’s a Super Bowl contender, this couldn’t have worked out better. They needed defensive reinforcement and landed plenty of high-end help with their top 4 draft picks. I think Hairston and Sanders can be day one starters, and the rest of these picks are solid depth upgrades with long-term starting potential. GRADE: A

Miami Dolphins

Draft picks

• Round 1 (No. 13): DT Kenneth Grant, Michigan
• Round 2 (No. 37): OG Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
• Round 5 (No. 143): DT Jordan Phillips, Maryland
• Round 5 (No. 150): CB Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
• Round 5 (No. 155): S Dante Trader Jr., Maryland
• Round 6 (No. 179): RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
• Round 7 (No. 231): QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
• Round 7 (No. 253): DT Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech

Miami focused on their trenches early in the draft, and picked really talented players that could be on the field from day one in their first two picks. And with Tua’s injury history, having a player like Quinn Ewers fall to them in the 5th is really perfect. If you put Ewers in a Mike McDaniel offense, where he can get into a rhythm and have some elite-level playmakers to distribute the ball to, he has a chance to course correct a career that’s gone off the rails as of late. GRADE: B+

New England Patriots

Draft picks

• Round 1 (No. 4): OT Will Campbell, LSU
• Round 2 (No. 38): RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
• Round 3 (No. 69): WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
• Round 3 (No. 95): C Jared Wilson, Georgia
• Round 4 (No. 106): S Craig Woodson, California
• Round 4 (No. 137): DT Joshua Farmer, Florida State
• Round 5 (No. 146): Edge Bradyn Swinson, LSU
• Round 6 (No. 182): K Andres Borregales, Miami
• Round 7 (No. 220): OT Marcus Bryant, Missouri
• Round 7 (No. 251): LS Julian Ashby, Vanderbilt
• Round 7 (No. 257): CB Kobee Minor, Memphis

Protecting the quarterback was the name of the game for the Patriots, protecting his blindside and getting him some weapons really allows Drake Maye to take a big step in year 2, and I believe in Mike Vrabel and what he can bring to this whole organization. I think the Patriots got some solid depth that will push for starting roles in Wilson and Woodson, and some dart throws with tools or traits that could help this team quickly turn around. GRADE: A

New York Jets 

Draft picks

• Round 1 (No. 7): OT Armand Membou, Missouri
• Round 2 (No. 42): TE Mason Taylor, LSU
• Round 3 (No. 73): CB Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
• Round 4 (No. 110): WR Arian Smith, Georgia
• Round 4 (No. 130): S Malachi Moore, Alabama
• Round 5 (No. 162): LB Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
• Round 5 (No. 176): Edge Tyler Baron, Miami

I know the Jets didn’t have a ton of draft capital, but I think they made the most of it. Membou, Taylor, and Thomas are day one starters. Moore could be a dark horse to win a job as I loved him coming out of Alabama (If you watched our mock draft series, you’ll know why lol). GRADE: B

WHAT’S NEXT

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2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East