2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East

2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East

I’m going to repeat myself a lot over these next eight posts for the grades, so let me do this. The content plan for how the rest of this stuff is going to go will be posted at the bottom of each division grade article. The 2025 NFL Draft grades are coming in hot, but there is still exciting stuff on the horizon, so stay locked in on the site.

Up first is the AFC East, so without further ado, let’s get right to it and hand out those grades!

Buffalo Bills: Grade B-

Round 1: No. 30 – Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky (Profile)
Round 2: No. 41 (from CHI) – T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina (Profile)
Round 3: No. 72 (from CHI) – Landon Jackson, EDGE, Arkansas (Profile)
Round 4: No. 109 (from CHI) – Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky (Profile)
Round 5: No. 170 (from DAL; Compensatory) – Jordan Hancock, CB, Ohio State
Round 5: No. 173 (Compensatory) – Jackson Hawes, TE, Georgia Tech (Profile)
Round 6: No. 177 (from NYG) – Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
Round 6: No. 206 – Chase Lundt, T, UConn
Round 7: No. 240 (from MIN via CLE & CHI) – Kaden Prather, WR, Maryland

Notable UDFAs: Jacob Bayer, Rahjai Harris, Hal Pressley

It wasn’t a perfect draft, and I definitely disagreed with the direction on some of these picks. However, you can’t hate the approach, and it’s hard to pinpoint a spot where they simply flushed picks down the toilet. This team needed to upgrade their defense, and they’re definitely a better football team today because of it.

My favorite picks were the ones made in the third and fourth round. Getting Landon Jackson at 72 is a damn steal. That have other rushers in front of him too, so for Jackson to be a complementary piece is fantastic. Walker is the 4th is also a great gamble. The guy is so damn big that he’s worth having simply because the rest of their defense is so small.

I’m just not sure they got any real studs, which is hard to do, granted, when you’re picking 30. I thought Maxwell Hairston was a bit of a reach. Trading up for TJ Sanders is fine, but not extraordinary. It’s a solid draft. Just not a great draft. They accomplished the job, adding pieces on defense, but they certainly could have done better.

Miami Dolphins: Grade C-

Round 1: No. 13 – Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan (Profile)
Round 2: No. 37 (from LV) – Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona (Profile)
Round 5: No. 143 (from LV) – Jordan Phillips, DT, Maryland (Profile)
Round 5: No. 150 – Jason Marshall Jr., CB, Florida
Round 5: No. 155 (from DEN) – Dante Trader Jr., S, Maryland
Round 6: No. 179 (from CLE via HOU) – Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State (Profile)
Round 7: No. 231 – Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas (Profile)
Round 7: No. 253 (Compensatory) – Zeek Biggers, DT, Georgia Tech (Profile)

Notable UDFAs: Theo Wease, Jalin Conyers, Eugene Asante, Brett Gabbert, Sam Brown

I struggled handing out a grade for this one. I don’t want to kill Miami because they did the right thing in terms of being up the lines of scrimmage. I’m just not sure leaving the draft with just Savaiinaea is satisfactory in that sense. I’ll bet anyone any amount of money that Kenneth Grant isn’t the 13th best player in this draft. That was far too rich for my taste.

The later round picks have some gambles in there, but some of them may as well have been flushed down the toilet. I like the Ewers and Phillips picks, but the rest of these feel nonsensical. Long story short; I don’t think they totally damaged their future, but they sure don’t feel way better today.

New England Patriots: Grade A-

Round 1: No. 4 – Will Campbell, T, LSU (Profile)
Round 2: No. 38 – TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State (Profile)
Round 3: No. 69 – Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State (Profile)
Round 3: No. 95 – Jared Wilson, C, Georgia (Profile)
Round 4: No. 106 – Craig Woodson, S, California (Profile)
Round 4: No. 137 (from SEA; Compensatory) – Joshua Farmer, DT, Florida State (Profile)
Round 5: No. 146 (from CAR) – Bradyn Swinson, EDGE, LSU (Profile)
Round 6: No. 182 (from JAX via DE) – Andres Borregales, K, Miami (Profile)
Round 7: No. 220 – Marcus Bryant, T, Missouri
Round 7: No. 251 – (Compensatory; from KC) Julian Ashby, LS, Vanderbilt
Round 7: No. 257 (Compensatory; from KC) – Kobee Minor, DB, Memphis

Notable UDFAs: Lan Larison, Efton Chism, CJ Dipree, Gee Scott

It’s not a perfect draft, but it’s a really good one. I don’t have much to complain about. I disagree with turning the card in for Will Campbell. I think you’re better served moving down a few spots and still coming out of there with Kelvin Banks. I also don’t really think Kyle Williams is going to be a savior for their WR room. Beyond that, they did a really nice job.

It’s smart hits across the board here. TreVeyon Henderson is the best running back in the draft and has an incredibly high floor. Feels like a Patriot with his ability to block and make plays in the passing game. They come out of this draft with three offensive linemen, and the Jared Wilson pick feels like a steal. The Woodson, Farmer, and Swinson picks were all really nice gambles. Not to mention the fact that Borregales was the best kicker in the draft, and they needed one badly.

The Patriots are going to really turn the corner this year, and don’t be surprised if it comes on the heels of this draft class. Really nice job here.

New York Jets: Grade C

Round 1: No. 7 – Armand Membou, T, Missouri (Profile)
Round 2: No. 42 – Mason Taylor, TE, LSU (Profile)
Round 3: No. 73 – Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State (Profile)
Round 4: No. 110 – Arian Smith, WR, Georgia (Profile)
Round 4: No. 130 (from DET via DEN & PHI) – Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
Round 5: No. 162 (from LAR via PIT) – Francisco Mauigoa, LB, Miami
Round 5: No. 176 (Compensatory, via BAL) – Tyler Baron, EDGE, Miami

Notable UDFAs: Brady Cook, Donovan Edwards, Dymere Miller, Jamaal Pritchett, Gus Hartwig, Jordan Clark, Caden Davis

Feels like a typical Jets draft. I’ve seen this many times. As soon as they turned in the card for Membou I instantly got Mekhi Becton PTSD. That’s a big risk for the Jets to take. I get going offensive line, but I don’t trust them to be the ones who develops the player.

Mason Taylor was a fine pick. I think he’s a player, but pick 42 was a tad rich for me. Especially when a better tight end went off the board way later. I like the Mauigoa and Moore picks, but the rest were flushed down the toilet. Arian Smith going in the 4th round after leading college football in drops is a joke. If the Jets are going to turn the corner, it won’t be this class that gets them over the hump.

The NFL Draft Community Is Terrified Of Real Competition

*Still on the horizon*

2025 NFL Draft Grades along with a few stragglers left behind on the individual profiles.

The film studies for the East-West and Senior Bowl practices will be published soonish.

The 2026 NFL Draft way-too-early position rankings will be posted after the grades.

Fantasy rookie rankings for each position will come out after the way-too-early 2026 list.

Then, Trey is going on hiatus for a few days. Make sure to share the links around, and feel free to comment. If you’re here, thanks for your support, and I hope I helped make everyone smart this draft season!

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