AFC draft grades: Why Patriots, Raiders, Ravens, Titans stand out

After spending the weekend sorting through each team's draft class, Yardbarker NFL writers have so many questions.

Was RB Ashton Jeanty a smart pick for the Raiders? Did the Ravens nail the draft (again)? Does the Bengals' top pick have high bust potential?

Here are draft grades for all 16 AFC teams. (Links to draft classes are from ESPN.com.)

AFC East

BUFFALO BILLS |  Grade: B | Draft class link | After allowing 341.5 yards per game in 2024, their worst mark in five years, the Bills spent their first five picks on defensive players, something they haven’t done since 2006. First-round pick Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback, should make an immediate impact with 4.28 40-yard dash speed while fourth-round defensive tackle Deone Walker brings size (6-foot-6, 345 pounds) to a defensive line that stands to lose five players from 2024. 

MIAMI DOLPHINS | Grade: B | Draft class link | Miami found a replacement for right guard Robert Jones, who signed with the Cowboys, with second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea and bolstered its fourth-ranked defense by taking defensive tackles (Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers) with first-, fifth- and seventh-round picks. At 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, fifth-round cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. has good size for the position but missed the last six games of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury and could struggle to replace Jalen Ramsey, who remains on the trading block.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Grade: A | Draft class link | After bolstering their defense in free agency, the Patriots used their first four picks (all in the top 100) to rebuild the league’s 31st-ranked offense. First-round pick Will Campbell, arguably the draft’s best offensive lineman, should have no trouble protecting QB Drake Maye at left tackle while running back TreVeyon Henderson (second round) and wide receiver Kyle Williams (third round) will look to punch up an offense that scored just 17 points per game in 2024.

NEW YORK JETS | Grade: A- | Draft class link | First-round offensive tackle Armand Membou allowed no sacks in 2024, third-round cornerback Azareye'h Thomas allowed no touchdowns and second-round tight end Mason Taylor (the 20-year-old son of Hall of Fame defensive tackle Jason Taylor) played more than 2,300 snaps in three seasons with LSU. That’s a lot of young talent for new head coach Aaron Glenn to work with as he looks to lead the team through the post-Aaron Rodgers era. — Bruce Ewing 

AFC West

DENVER BRONCOS | Grade: B-| Draft class link | Jahdae Barron won the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back, but perhaps the Broncos should’ve invested in their receiving corps with pick No. 20 instead. (Per Pro Football Reference, Denver had 32 drops last season, the sixth most in the league.) Pat Bryant (pick No. 74), who ran a 4.61 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, may lack the speed to become a viable No. 2 WR behind Courtland Sutton.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Grade: B | Draft class link | Taking offensive tackle Josh Simmons (pick No. 32), who suffered a season-ending knee injury at Ohio State in 2024, is risky, but the Chiefs grabbed a potential steal in RB Brashard Smith (pick No. 228). Smith — who had 1,659 yards (1,332 rushing and 327 receiving) in 14 games for SMU in 2024 — could be an ideal gadget guy for head coach Andy Reid, an offensive maestro. 

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Grade: A | Draft class link | After rushing for 2,601 yards in 14 games in his final season at Boise State, RB Ashton Jeanty (pick No. 6) should jump-start Vegas’ 32nd-ranked rushing attack (79.8 YPG). WR Jack Bech — who had 1,034 receiving yards in 12 games at TCU in 2024 — could emerge as a solid third option in the passing game behind WR Jakobi Meyers and TE Brock Bowers. 

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Grade: B+ | Draft class link | Taking RB Omarion Hampton (pick No. 22) after signing Najee Harris in free agency was a bit of a head-scratcher, but head coach Jim Harbaugh will find a way to maximize both backs. Another player who should excel under Harbaugh is edge-rusher Kyle Kennard, who won the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy as college football’s best defensive player.   — Clark Dalton

AFC North

BALTIMORE RAVENS | Grade: A | Draft class link | The Ravens could’ve called it a day after the third round and still wound up with an "A." Georgia safety Malaki Starks is a perfect fit alongside Kyle Hamilton in the defensive backfield, Marshall LB Mike Green is a top-15 talent who slipped to the end of the second round and LSU’s Emory Jones Jr. is a great run-blocker who can fill a need at guard. 

CINCINNATI BENGALS | Grade: C- | Draft class link | First-round pick Shemar Stewart fills a need at edge-rusher, but the Texas A&M product has a high bust potential because of his lack of production in college (11 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks in three seasons). Cincinnati failed to address the secondary after ranking 25th in scoring defense and 22nd in passing defense in 2024. 

CLEVELAND BROWNS | Grade: B | Draft class link | WR/CB Travis Hunter could make the Browns look foolish if he becomes a two-way superstar, but Cleveland did a great job to land a second-round pick and a first-rounder in 2026 just to move back three spots in the first round and still nab DT Mason Graham. QB Shedeur Sanders presents excellent value as a fifth-round pick, but a few head-scratching decisions led to the Browns using four of their seven picks on two QBs and two running backs. 

PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Grade: B | Draft class link | The Steelers didn’t like many of the QBs at the top of the draft board, but they could’ve done worse than national champion Will Howard of Ohio State in the sixth round. Pittsburgh also landed NFL-ready prospects Derrick Harmon and Jack Sawyer on the defensive line and replaced RB Najee Harris with Kaleb Johnson. — Jack Dougherty

AFC South

HOUSTON TEXANS | Grade: A- | Draft class link | The Texans traded out of the first round and still landed one of the best wide receivers in the 2025 class in 6-foot-4, 214-pound Jayden Higgins. The trade secured from the New York Giants an additional 2026 first-round pick that has the potential to be higher than their own. Houston addressed another major need by landing offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery and also nabbed sure-handed running back Woody Marks in the fourth round.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Grade: B | Draft class link | Landing star tight end Tyler Warren without having to trade up was the best possible scenario. The Colts also secured one of the best edge-rushers in JT Tuimoloau and a potential starting cornerback in Justin Walley. Indy still has needs along the offensive line and did not draft a player for the unit.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Grade: B- | Draft class link | The Jaguars made the biggest splash of Round 1 when they moved up from No. 5 overall to No. 2 to draft WR/CB Travis Hunter, but it is fair to question giving up a future first-round pick to move up three spots for a non-quarterback. The trade also made it so Jacksonville did not have a second pick until late in the third round, when it took unproven former Tulane cornerback Caleb Ransaw. The Jaguars still have major issues along their defensive front, so Hunter had better be worth it.

TENNESSEE TITANS | Grade: A | Draft class link | The Titans couldn’t mess up their first overall pick, and QB Cam Ward will ultimately determine whether this draft class is viewed as a success. Still, Tennessee made other nice offensive additions in the middle rounds with speedy wideout Chimere Dike and TE Gunnar Helm, whose 60 catches, 786 receiving yards and seven touchdown receptions last season are season records for a Texas tight end. — Steve DelVecchio