NFL Post-Draft Power Rankings Part 2

14. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are the biggest question mark of the NFL this season. I could see them being top ten or bottom five by the end of the year. It all depends on how well new QB JJ McCarthy performs. He missed his rookie season due to injury, and they still went 14-3 with Sam Darnold. If McCarthy can be solid, then they can be a very good team. He could also have a lot of growing pains, and Vikings fans could be in for a letdown year. I didn't love any of their draft picks, and outside of Donovan Jackson, I don't see any of them getting much playing time. They have a solid core outside of that on both sides of the ball, so putting them at 14 seems like a safe bet with everything riding on the play of McCarthy.

15. San Francisco 49ers

After a disappointing season last year, the 2024 Super Bowl runner-ups lost a significant portion of their core this offseason to free up cap space, making room for the re-signing of star quarterback Brock Purdy. They did a good job of revamping their defense in the draft with guys such as Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and Nick Martin. While their team isn't what it was two seasons ago, if they can stay healthy, they have a franchise QB and one of the best coaches in the league, Kyle Shanahan. They have several solid pieces to build around and can look forward to making the playoffs again in 2026.

16. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have been the definition of "mid" the last few seasons. Never being that bad, but never being that great. I don't see that changing this upcoming season. They possibly upgraded at QB, going from Geno Smith to Sam Darnold. Darnold has only had one good season, so if he regresses, it could be a downgrade. They added a solid WR in free agency in Cooper Kupp, but lost two solid WRs in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. In the draft, they said the talented offensive lineman Grey Zabel and the very athletic Nick Emmanwori. Still, overall, their roster talent remained about the same, which is why I have them ranked in the middle of the road.

17. Atanta Falcons

The Falcons have a ton of offensive firepower from recent drafts and have their franchise QB in Michael Penix, who looked very good in the games he played last season. After last season, their most significant need was for pass rushers. They went out in the draft and got two of them with Jalon Walker, and then traded back into the first round and got James Pearce Jr. They look like big swings drafting both of them, but if it pays off, the Falcons front office will look like geniuses. If everything comes to fruition, I could see them overtaking the Buccaneers as the new kings of the NFC South.

18. Miami Dolphins

On paper, the Dolphins should be one of the league's most potent offenses with Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Devon Achane, and more. In reality, they are a decent offense, and a big part of that, in my opinion, is that Tua is either injured or, when playing, is playing as a middle-of-the-road QB. So, I don't believe they will ever win a playoff game, let alone the Super Bowl, with him at the helm. They didn't make any big splashes in free agency and instead grabbed Kenneth Grant and Jonah Savaiinaea in the draft, two potential day-one starters, but overall, they are still just a middle-of-the-road team.

19. Dallas Cowboys

Next is the Dallas Cowboys. Another team I see as stuck in a state of limbo. Not good enough to win a Super Bowl, but not bad enough to get a top pick and reset. They added George Pickens in free agency to pair up with Ceedee Lamb, making the team's top two receivers a lethal duo. The problem is they had no run game last season, and the running backs that they added aren't top-notch or even middle-of-the-road. They also had numerous needs heading into the draft, and with the 12th overall pick, they took Tyler Booker, an offensive guard who is a very good player; however, the positional value was not there. They could make the playoffs, they could be 5-12, but realistically, they will be right around .500 again once the season commences.

20. Chicago Bears

At number 20 and the last spot of part two of my NFL post-draft power rankings, I have the Chicago Bears. They got the best new head coach on the market in Ben Johnson, completely overhauled their offensive line for the better, and added even more weapons with their first two picks in the draft, Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. The big question mark is if second-year franchise QB Caleb Williams will take a big step forward. If he does, I see the Bears as a top 10 team. If he doesn't, because QB play is so important, I see them as a bottom-five team. I feel safe putting them at 20, but I expect them to either be significantly higher or lower by the end of the season.

This is part two of my post-draft NFL power rankings. Many of these teams could be argued to be interchangeable, but as of now, this is where I have them positioned going into the season. The final 12 teams will be ranked in part three.