Division by Division NFL Draft Recap, Part One: AFC and NFC East
With the NFL Draft in the rearview, I’ll be breaking down each class by division over the next few days. You can view the AFC and NFC North breakdown HERE. For this edition, we’ll take a look at the East divisions in both conferences.
In this series, I’ll be giving my thoughts on the overall classes and highlighting my favorite selections and a surprise pick for each squad, as well as giving my “Draft Grade.” My grades are very much grounded in process and perceived value, relying on consensus rankings and my own evaluation of the class. An average Draft from that perspective would garner a “C” grade. The following grading scale will be used for all class evaluations:
A = Exemplary selection process and value added
B = Good process and solid overall prospect value
C = Average process and value added
D = Poor process or value added
F = Failure to effectively plan and execute a competent Draft strategy
With that in mind, let’s dive into my evaluation of the AFC and NFC East team Drafts.
AFC EAST
BUFFALO BILLS
Favorite Pick: CB Maxwell Hairston (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: TE Jackson Hawes (5th Rd)
Draft Grade: B-
My Take: The Bills saw their biggest need and addressed it, using 6 of their first 7 picks on Defense. Max Hairston has exactly the kind of speed, instincts, and demeanor to make BUF more dangerous on the backend, and they added 2 other CBs with length and speed in the 5th and 6th Rds. With the heavy emphasis on Defense it didn’t leave much room for adding offensive playmakers, but even when they did go offense finally in the 5th, they drafted another TE instead of maybe a field-stretching WR, which appeared to be the bigger need on the roster. Overall it’s a good haul for a team that needed firepower on Defense to get as far as they want to go in the future.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Favorite Pick: DT Kenneth Grant (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: OG Jonah Savaiinaea (2nd Rd)
Draft Grade: C
My Take: I really like the Kenneth Grant selection to aid a Front 7 that has been pretty toothless, especially after the departure of DT Christian Wilkins last offseason. He and 3rd Rd pick Jordan Phillips will add some needed physicality up front on Defense. The decision to trade up for Savaiinaea in Rd 2 was questionable with several solid interior OL options likely to be still on the table, but it’s hard to argue with a “meat-and-potatoes” approach to the Draft for the Fins, who have ignored the trenches in favor of speed and quickness at the skill positions for too long.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Favorite Pick: RB TreyVeon Henderson (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: S Craig Woodson (4th Rd)
Draft Grade: A
My Take: The Patriots compiled my favorite Draft class of 2025, landing exciting pieces on both sides of the ball, but specifically on Offense to help out their budding star QB Drake Maye. Gotta love adding Will Campbell along that OL, even if in the end his best position is inside at OG, although I think he’ll be an above average LT in the NFL. I absolutely loved the Henderson selection in Round 2. Maye gets an “easy button” playmaker who can turn any rep into a house call. I was surprised the Edge position didn’t get addressed until the team’s 7th pick, which is why I say the Woodson pick was surprising in Rd. 4 with guys like Jack Sawyer and Kyle Kennard still on the board. Overall, though, this Draft displays great process by supporting the young franchise QB and throwing a ton of picks at their numerous roster holes. An “A” Draft.
NEW YORK JETS
Favorite Pick: OT Armand Membou (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: WR Arian Smith (4th Rd)
Draft Grade: B+
My Take: Loved what the Jets did throughout the Draft, but landing Membou in Round 1 fills the biggest hole on the roster with one of the best overall prospects in the class. It’s a foundational move in a transition season for NYJ. The Smith pick is a gamble on dynamic speed and field-stretching ability, because the former UGA wideout may have the worst hands of any receiver in the class. There were other WRs available that I had graded higher at that pick. Hard to argue with the Jets’ overall plan and execution, though. It’s an exciting class.
NFC EAST
DALLAS COWBOYS
Favorite Pick: ED Donovan Ezeiruaku (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: OG Tyler Booker (1st Rd)
Draft Grade: C+
My Take: The Cowboys’ Draft wasn’t flashy, but it was also a little head-scratching based on their needs and lack of involvement overall in Free Agency. Taking Booker at 12 over one of the Offensive playmakers like Tyler Warren and Matthew Golden was a surprise to me, although Booker is the kind of mauling IOL player the Cowboys love to play. I really liked the value and fit for Ezeiruaku for Dallas in the 2nd Rd. The ‘Boys have since addressed their hole at WR by trading a 2026 3rd Rd pick to Pittsburgh for George Pickens, but I still think the team should have prioritized it in this year’s Draft to avoid some of the risks associated with the mercurial former Steeler.
NEW YORK GIANTS
Favorite Pick: ED Abdul Carter (1st Rd)
Surprise Pick: QB Jaxson Dart (1st Rd)
Draft Grade: A-
My Take: Another one of my favorite Draft hauls belongs to the Giants. Abdule Carter at 3 Overall may seem like an obvious choice as my favorite pick, but HC Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen could have traded out like Cleveland did before them or made a major reach for a QB, but they didn’t. They picked the best player available, and Carter’s going to be a star from Day 1. They did take their QB after trading back up into Rd. 1 to select Dart. I like the courage to go get your guy, but I was not nearly high enough on Dart personally to feel comfortable making him my 2nd pick in Rd. 1 and give up a future 1st to do it. Overall, I can’t complain too much with the Giants’ work in this Draft.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Favorite Pick: DT Ty Robinson (4th Rd)
Surprise Pick: CB Mac McWilliams (5th Rd)
Draft Grade: B+
My Take: GM Howie Roseman continues to let the board fall to him and get great players, a la LB Jihaad Campbell with the 31st pick in Rd. 1, but my favorite of these was the Robinson pick way down in Rd. 4. I had an early Day 2 grade on Robinson and was surprised he fell so far. He’ll be a fun chess piece for Vic Fangio’s defensive front. The McWilliams pick is only surprising because I was sure he’d be gone by the 5th Rd as well. He has NFL measurables and can play inside or outside. It’s another versatile piece in the secondary and I can’t believe he fell to Philly there. Really solid draft by the Eagles.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Favorite Pick: CB Trey Amos (2nd Rd)
Surprise Pick: LB Kain Medrano (6th Rd)
Draft Grade: C-
My Take: Are the Commanders a regression candidate for 2025? I think so even more so after what I felt was a very mediocre Draft class for WAS. I liked the Amos pick a lot for a secondary that simply needs good players at this point to improve on what was a virtual sieve of a unit for most of 2024. I didn’t like the Medrano pick at all, especially with the team’s lack of Draft capital this year, it felt like that resource could have been better utilized, say at Edge or at Safety, where there is still a concerning lack of high-end talent and depth. This was maybe the most “Meh” haul of the Draft in my opinion.
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