2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC West

2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC West

It’s time (insert Bruce Buffer voice here) to review the AFC West in terms of the 2025 NFL Draft. We’ve already gone over grades for the AFC East, AFC South, and AFC North, so the West will complete things for the Conference. Party pooper Trey may or may not be coming out for this post, but we’ll go over why that’s the case here in a hot minute.

Speaking of teams in the AFC West, if you’re thinking about backing the team that just lost in the Super Bowl, check out all of the Kansas City Chiefs’ odds right here! It’s never too early to get in on the action, and the 2025 NFL Draft certainly will have an impact on the upcoming season.

Denver Broncos: Grade C-

Round 1: No. 20 – Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas (Profile)
Round 2: No. 60 – RJ Harvey, RB, UCF (Profile)
Round 3: No. 74 (from CAR) – Pat Bryant, WR, Illinois (Profile)
Round 3: No. 101 (Compensatory, from LAR via ATL and PHI) – Sai’vion Jones, EDGE, LSU (Profile)
Round 4: No. 134 (from PHI via DET & PHI) – Que Robinson, EDGE, Alabama
Round 6: No. 216 (Compensatory, from CLE via HOU) – Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida
Round 7: No. 241 (from HOU) – Caleb Lohner, TE, Utah

Notable UDFAs: Jerjuan Newton, Clay Webb, Xavier Truss, Johnny Walker, Karene Reid,

I don’t hate this draft, but it certainly feels like a draft filled with reaches. I love Sai’vion Jones, and if he wasn’t in here, this grade would have been significantly lower.

Again, I don’t hate some of these players. Barron is a nice player, but taking a nickel back as a top 20 pick is a no for me. I like RJ Harvey, but we’re really going pick 60 here? Pat Bryant flat out stinks and has one year of real production.

It’s not a disastrous draft, but it’s far from ideal if you want to take the next step as a contender.

Kansas City Chiefs: Grade D

Round 1: No. 32 (from PHI) – Josh Simmons, T, Ohio State (Profile)
Round 2: No. 63 – Omarr Norman-Lott, DT, Tennessee
Round 3: No. 66 (from TEN) – Ashton Gillotte, EDGE, Louisville (Profile)
Round 3: No. 85 (from NE) – Nohl Williams, CB, California (Profile)
Round 4: No. 133 – Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State (Profile)
Round 5: No. 156 (from PIT) – Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon (Profile)
Round 7: No. 228 (from DAL via DET & NE) – Brashard Smith, RB, SMU (Profile)

Notable UDFAs: Elijhah Badger, Jake Bringingstool, Esa Pole

The only reason this draft isn’t an F is that they found a way to get a left tackle. Albeit, one who is coming off a serious injury and is a wildcard prospect as it is. Good news is they got one of the steals in the draft Esa Pole for more tackle insurance.

The rest of this draft is awful. Norman-Lott in round two is a disgrace. Gillotte is a total reach as well. I’m not high on Royals either. Maybe Nohl and Bassa can be depth pieces on defense. Otherwise, it’s same old Chiefs. Brett Veach continues to live off the Mahomes pick when in reality, the rest of his roster and draft pick decisions really haven’t been that smart.

Las Vegas Raiders: Grade F

Round 1: No. 6 – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State (Profile)
Round 2: No. 58 (from HOU) – Jack Bech, WR, TCU (Profile)
Round 3: No. 68 – Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State (Profile)
Round 3: No. 98 (Compensatory; from MIA) – Caleb Rogers, G, Texas Tech
Round 3: No. 99 (Compensatory, from NYG via HOU) – Charles Grant, T, William & Mary
Round 4: No. 108 – Dont’e Thornton, WR, Tennessee (Profile)
Round 4: No. 135 (Compensatory via MIA) – Tonka Hemingway, DT, South Carolina (Profile)
Round 6: No. 180 – JJ Pegues, DT, Ole Miss (Profile)
Round 6: No. 213 (Compensatory) – Tommy Mellott, QB, Montana State (Profile)
Round 6: No. 215 (Compensatory) – Cam Miller, QB, North Dakota State (Profile)
Round 7: No. 222 – Cody Lindenberg, LB, Minnesota

Notable UDFAs: Zakhari Franklin, Carter Runyon, Jah Joyner, Mello Dotson

If you’re an avid reader of this site, you know this is an annual tradition at this point. The Raiders have gotten an F for what seems like the entire history of this website. When you’re consistently a last place team picking in the top ten, maybe, just maybe, I’m right…

I don’t care what anybody says. The Ashton Jeanty pick was as dumb as it gets for several reasons.

A: Jeanty is the second highest paid running back in the NFL without taking a snap. If he’s not the second best running back in the league, the Raiders already got negative surplus value with this pick.

B: The Raiders are a guaranteed last place team, and by the time they do have the chance to turn things around, they will have already wasted his best playing seasons. Have you seen their offensive line?

C: TreVeyon Henderson is the best running back in the draft. Let’s say you disagree. That’s fine. Is he six additional impact players better because that’s what he’s going to have to be when you factor that in? If you traded down with that pick, what could you have gotten back in return? Anyone who understands how the NFL Draft actually works knows this.

D: The 6th pick in the draft either needs to be a Hall of Famer or multiple time All Pro selection carrying real blue chip value. I think Jeanty is far closer to Doug Martin than anyone wants to admit. If I’m right, the person who made this decision deserves jail time.

E: This draft reeks of Pete Carroll. The last time he reached for a Mountain West running back, it was something called Rashaad Penny. Just know the coach making the evaluation hasn’t picked a good running back in the draft in what feels like forever.

It’s not just Jeanty. The rest of this draft absolutely stinks, minus the flier picks on Pegues, Tonka, and Thornton. My guess is they let the scouting staff handle Day 3, and they did a way better job than the idiots making the calls on the premium picks. Good luck with this Jack Bech thing. The smart people are already aware he’s not an NFL outside receiver. Do the Raiders know that? Darien Porter sucks too and so does that Caleb Rogers pick. Maybe they get lucky with the development of Charles Grant.

The next Mark Davis walks right by me at Barry’s… Maybe he should think twice and come talk to me because he’s being led more astray than Bill Belichick is right now.

2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC South

Los Angeles Chargers: Grade D

Round 1: No. 22 – Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina (Profile)
Round 2: No. 55 – Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss (Profile)
Round 3: No. 86 – Jamaree Caldwell, DT, Oregon (Profile)
Round 4: No. 125 – Kyle Kennard, EDGE, South Carolina (Profile)
Round 5: No. 158 – KeAndre Lambert-Smith, WR, Auburn (Profile)
Round 5: No. 165 (from WAS via PHI) – Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Syracuse (Profile)
Round 6: No. 199 – Branson Taylor, T, Pittsburgh
Round 6: No. 214 (Compensatory) – R.J. Mickens, S, Clemson
Round 7: No. 256 (Compensatory) – Trikweze Bridges, CB, Florida

Notable UDFAs: DJ Uiagalelei, Rocket Sanders, Luke Grimm, Stevo Klotz, Nash Jones, Savion Washington, Josh Fuga, Eric Rogers, Jordan Oludakon, Nikko Reed, Jaylen Jones,

The Chargers had an awesome draft last year in the first season of the Harbaugh era. This class sure as hell does not feel that same way. After signing Najee Harris, WTF are you doing turning the card in for Hampton in the first round? Sorry, but that was so dumb, especially when you’re probably signing up for Beanie Wells.

The Caldwell pick was also insane. Sorry, but going round three for a player who was a walk on at a JUCO school is insane. I like Tre Harris, and maybe I’m nitpicking on this part, but he was more of a third round guy for me. You’re not getting AJ Brown here.

It wasn’t all bad. Some of these later round picks have a chance to pan out. Lambert-Smith, Gadsden, and Mickens were favorites of mine. It saves this draft from being an F.

*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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