2024 NFL Draft Grades: NFC West
Let’s have a talk. Just you and me. The 2024 NFL Draft is in the books. You can make the choice now. You can choose to read other people’s draft grades. You know, the grades where you get lied to and nobody has the balls to hand out anything lower than a C for any of the teams. OR you can read mine where I tell the truth. The choice is yours.
By the way, how come nobody grades Mel Kiper’s draft grades after the fact? I’ll happily stack up my resume compared to anybody else out there. It’s not a battle they will win based on past evidence. We’re starting things off with the NFC West. Let’s do this thing.
Arizona Cardinals: Grade A-
Round 1, Pick 4: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
Round 1, Pick 27: Darius Robinson, DL, Missouri
Round 2, Pick 43: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers
Round 3, Pick 66: Trey Benson, RB, Florida State
Round 3, Pick 71: Isaiah Adams, OL, Illinois
Round 3, Pick 82: Tip Reiman, TE, Illinois
Round 3, Pick 90: Elijah Jones, CB, Boston College
Round 4, Pick 104: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, S, Texas Tech
Round 5, Pick 138: Xavier Thomas, Edge, Clemson
Round 5, Pick 162: Christian Jones, OT, Texas
Round 6, Pick 191: Tejhaun Palmer, WR, UAB
Round 7, Pick 226: Jaden Davis, CB, Miami
Hard to argue against this class. Had some odd picks in the middle rounds but otherwise crushed it.
Let’s start with the good. They got the best player in the draft, Marvin Harrison Jr. They added a versatile rusher with Robinson. A corner with speed in Melton. Elijah Jones and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson should factor into the secondary too. I also love the dart throw on Xavier Thomas. That guy has potential and you’re not going to find many guys like him in the 5th round. The Christian Jones pick will probably turn into a home run too.
I just have no clue what they were thinking in the third round. Now is not the time to dip into the reach for running back range. This team still stinks and by the time they’re good, you’re going to have no clue what to do with Benson. The Adams and Reiman picks were also brain dead. Those two will probably be off the roster within three years.
A good draft but the mental errors in the third round prevent it from being an A+.
Los Angeles Rams: Grade B
Round 1, Pick 19: Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Round 2, Pick 39: Braden Fiske, DL, Florida State
Round 3, Pick 83: Blake Corum, RB, Michigan
Round 3, Pick 99: Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
Round 5, Pick 154: Brennan Jackson, LB, Washington State
Round 6, Pick 196: Tyler Davis, DL, Clemson
Round 6, Pick 209: Joshua Karty, K, Stanford
Round 6, Pick 213: Jordan Whittington, WR, Texas
Round 6, Pick 217: Beaux Limmer, OL, Arkansas
Round 7, Pick 254: KT Leveston, OL, Kansas State
The Rams did really well here. I’m just not positive they got any star power. Verse and Fiske should be nice additions on defense but I’m not sure how high either player’s ceiling is. Should be glue guys on the defense but I’m skeptical to just pencil in 12 sacks for Verse. I’m not sure they got a blue chip player with either pick and they moved up big time for Fiske.
It was a bit too early for my liking with Corum but I understand the pick. They have two backs they can trust now. I’m also not positive Kinchens is a real safety but I’m sure he will help in some way.
This Rams draft is solid in the sense that they got really good depth. They got six really smart gambles from the 5th round on. Watch Limmer step in and start for them. I wouldn’t be surprised.
San Francisco 49ers: Grade F
Round 1, Pick 31: Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida
Round 2, Pick 64: Renardo Green, CB, Florida State
Round 3, Pick 86: Dominick Puni, OL, Kansas
Round 4, Pick 124: Malik Mustapha, S, Wake Forest
Round 4, Pick 129: Isaac Guerendo, RB, Louisville
Round 4, Pick 135: Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona
Round 6, Pick 215: Jarrett Kingston, OL, USC
Round 7, Pick 251: Tatum Bethune, LB, Florida State
Kyle Shanahan needs to lay off the crack pipe. The guy cannot help himself. How many picks is this guy going to flush down the toilet? He found another to do just that with Isaac Guerendo. Does anybody want to bet that Guerendo sucks and is off the team in three years? Trey Sermon, Joe Williams, Tyrion Davis-Price, Elijah Mitchell, Jalen Hurd, etc. Shanahan needs to be checked into a rehab facility because what he does year after year with running backs flushing picks down the toilet is truly one of the great mysteries of the draft.
It was reach after reach. I like Ricky Pearsall but WTF was that? First round? Someone really needs to take the personnel keys away. Puni in the third round was a joke. Ditto for Mustapha and Cowing in round 4.
I’m not sure he got one player that’s going to make an impact. I think my favorite pick he made is Tatum Bethune in the 7th round. The 49ers lost serious ground in the NFC. The crash is coming in 2026. Mark my words.
Seattle Seahawks: Grade C+
Round 1, Pick 16: Byron Murphy II, DL, Texas
Round 3, Pick 81: Christian Haynes, OL, UConn
Round 4, Pick 118: Tyrice Knight, LB, UTEP
Round 4, Pick 121: AJ Barner, TE, Michigan
Round 5, Pick 136: Nehemiah Pritchett, CB, Auburn
Round 6, Pick 179: Sataoa Laumea, OL, Utah
Round 6, Pick 192: D.J. James, CB, Auburn
Round 6, Pick 207: Michael Jerrell, OT, Findlay
I thought it was a fine draft. Not having a second round pick blows. Byron Murphy should be a nice three technique that helps. Christian Haynes should be a factor at guard. Outside of adding the two Auburn corners to impact the secondary, I’m not sure what else they accomplished. We already know AJ Barner blows.
It’s a meh draft to me. They sat there and got a few players that will help them. Just not sure they actually got better compared to the rest of the pack.
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