NFL draft grades 2018: Packers earn high marks for top picks
Dallas Cowboys
Favorite pick: Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
Overall grade: B+
Normally I am not very impressed with the Cowboys draft class, but I felt like they did a really good job this year. Leighton Vander Esch, as long as he can stay healthy, should be a long-time starter for them. Connor Williams slid to them in the second round and should be a starter on their offensive line from day one. Dorance Armstrong was also a great value in the fourth round. Don’t forget about the late round picks of Mike White and Bo Scarbrough.
New York Giants
Favorite pick: Will Hernandez, G, UTEP
Overall grade: B
The Giants added the best player in this year’s draft with Saquon Barkley, but at the same time failed to find a serious quarterback of the future. I think they would have been better off long term drafting either one of them. I love the Will Hernandez pick, and he should make the departure of Justin Pugh an easier pill to swallow. The Kyle Lauleta pick was smart and he should be able to compete with Davis Webb for the backup quarterback spot.
The Giants had a great draft on the offensive side of the ball, but they also added some solid talent on the defensive side with Lorenzo Carter at outside linebacker and RJ McIntosh at defensive tackle.
Philadelphia Eagles
Favorite pick: Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State
Overall grade: C+
The Eagles made a smart move by trading up a pick ahead of the Cowboys and potentially stealing Dallas Goedert from them, but besides that I really don’t think they improved much.
They got decent value on Josh Sweat and he should be able to sub in for them and provide depth to the front seven, but they should have spent another pick or two on giving Carson Wentz another receiving weapon to throw to.
Washington Redskins
Favorite pick: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
Overall grade: C
The Redskins got crazy good value on Derrius Guice, who I thought would be a top-20 pick, and the Shaun Dion Hamilton pick was pretty good, but they reached on Da’Ron Payne. It felt like a panic pick as they probably wanted Vita Vea, but he had just come off the board to Tampa Bay.
It wouldn’t have hurt to take a flier on a quarterback such as Luke Falk or Mike White, just in case Alex Smith regresses in the next year or two.