{"id":23943,"date":"2023-05-19T15:58:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-19T19:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/?p=23943"},"modified":"2023-05-19T15:58:27","modified_gmt":"2023-05-19T19:58:27","slug":"2023-nfl-draft-grades-afc-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/nfl\/2023-nfl-draft-grades-afc-west\/","title":{"rendered":"2023 NFL DRAFT GRADES: AFC WEST"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

BY ADAM GREENE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wrap up our final exams for the AFC in the West, as we always do. We had two teams make the playoffs out of this division again for the second consecutive season and the Kansas City Chiefs, once again, hoisted the Vince Lombardi at the end of the year, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone else is playing catch up and with the coaching change for the Denver Broncos, adding former Super Bowl winning head man Sean Payton, that\u2019s going to come sooner than people might think. Josh McDaniels severely underperformed as a head coach in his first season back at the helm with the Las Vegas Raiders, once again chasing his quarterback out of town. It did not work out well in his first head coaching stint (with the Broncos, ironically, but with their draft and the free agent acquisition of his hand picked quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, the excuses end now. If McDaniels can be a head coach in this league, we better see it in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chiefs are still the Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers appear focused a little more on the future for a team that was knocked out of the playoffs by the Jacksonville Jaguars last season. We\u2019ll see how that works out for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rules are the same in every NFL Draft report card. A team cannot receive an \u201cA\u201d grade of any kind without a first round pick. No matter how great they did with the rest of their draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secondly, the goal with selecting players, regardless of where you pick, in the opening three rounds is to add guaranteed starters. Those are the best 90-100 players coming out of NCAA football and they should all, whether a team needs them to or not, be able to step onto the field from Week 1 and seamlessly transition to the NFL. The only exception there is quarterback, because they are the exception to everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DENVER BRONCOS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds to win the Super Bowl:<\/strong> +5000<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Haul:<\/strong> Round 2: Marvin Mims, Jr., WR, Clemson, Round 3: Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas, Round 3: Riley Moss, CB, Iowa, Round 6: JL Skinner, Safety, Boise State, Round 7: Alex Forsyth, Center, Oregon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a team that showed up with very little ammunition for the NFL\u2019s Annual Amateur Player Selection meeting, the Denver Broncos did a little bit of alright. All I heard this upcoming draft season is how unimpressive this NCAA class of wide receivers was. As if it\u2019s a problem there was no obvious Ja\u2019Marr Chases, Odell Beckham Jr.s or Justin Jeffersons in the bunch. But, you know what? How about a boatload of Tee Higgins? CeeDee Lambs? Amari Coopers, DK Metcalfs, Deebo Samuels and Jaylen Waddles? What are we complaining about here? Anyway, Marvin Mims was my 10th<\/sup> ranked wideout and a solid second round pick, who made plenty of big plays on the way to a 1,083 yards, 54-catch season in 2022. Sean Payton turned Subway Sandwich artists into a capable receivers in New Orleans and potential star receivers into superstars. Mims can start from Day One, especially with Tim Patrick coming off a torn ACL and can let the team cut bait on Courtland Sutton after the season if he doesn\u2019t make a massive jump in production. That Round 3 pick, Drew Sanders, was my No. 1 rated linebacker<\/a> who can not only play classic OLB, but serve as an edge rusher as well in a Micah Parsons capacity. I thought he\u2019d go significantly higher in the draft. So, as far as I can tell, this was like stealing a first round talent in the second half of Day Two. Riley Moss was another corner that couldn\u2019t make my list because I didn\u2019t want to list 30 of them. He posted an 81.4 Pro Football Focus grade last season and allowed a 78.5 quarterback rating. He was even better in 2021, allowing just a 55.1 rating. I would not be surprised to see him starting in Week 1 opposite Patrick Surtain II with Damarri Mathis moved to the slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With just two more picks, Round 6 is where the Broncos pulled off a tomahawk dunk. JL Skinner was my No. 2 ranked safety in the entire draft<\/a> and I have no clue, other than the fact that he played at Boise State and my Power 5 bias is catching on, how he lasted that long. With Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons, he wasn\u2019t an obvious need, but in the sixth round you can take the best player available and there\u2019s no question that Skinner probably was that. Also, Simmons missed five games with an injury a year ago. And, just to brag on Alex Forsyth as a center (who can probably play guard as well as a back up), he graded out at a 72.0 with PFF and did not give up a single sack or QB hit last season for the Ducks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> B+<\/p>\n\n\n\n

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds to win the Super Bowl:<\/strong> +650<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Haul:<\/strong> Round 1: Feliz Anudike-Uzomah, Edge, Kansas State, Round 2: Rashee Rice, WR, SMU, Round 3: Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma, Round 4: Chamarri Conner, CB, Virginia Tech, Round 5: BJ Thompson, Edge, Stephen F. Austin State, Round 6: Keondre Coburn, DT, Texas, Round 7: Nic Jones, CB, Ball State<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kansas City is very much like the Las Vegas Raiders (in the past) in that they have their own plan on draft day and ignore the rest of us. Considering they\u2019ve won two Super Bowls and been to three in the last four seasons, it\u2019s worked out OK. I had Feliz-Anudike-Uzomah as my No. 10 ranked edge rusher. I like Derick Hall, Isaiah Foskey and BJ Ojulari better, but there\u2019s probably not a lot of separation between those guys. After FAU, they all went high in Round 2. It was obviously a need pick after they let Frank Clark walk in free agency. Their two guys slated to start, last year\u2019s first round pick George Karlaftis (who I did not like at all) and Charles Omenihu had 10.5 sacks between them in 2022. Rashee Rice wasn\u2019t a need thanks to picking Skyy Moore last season and trading for Kadarius Toney, but was very productive with SMU, catching 96 passes for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Mustangs a year ago. Wanya Morris is a Power 5 starter, which I always prefer, especially up front. He scored a 76.6 on PFF and gave up just two sacks all season, two hits and four hurries against a tough schedule of opponents. He can definitely be the first option out of the bullpen if their other tackles or guards go down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They did their job, especially picking as late as they consistently do, in getting starters in the first three rounds, even if they don\u2019t need anyone other than Anudike-Uzomah to take starting reps. Chamarri Conner is a project at best, but he at least looks like an NFL player and played in the ACC. BJ Thompson appears like a complete waste of a pick and someone who could have (and should have) been added as an undrafted free agent. We\u2019re talking about a guy at the FCS level that managed just five sacks and 6.5 tackles for a loss facing men each week who will probably never play a down of NFL football. Keondre Coburn too looks like just a body. Nic Jones didn\u2019t even start consistently for Ball State until he was a senior and probably will contribute only on special teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> C+<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds to win the Super Bowl:<\/strong> +5500<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Haul:<\/strong> Round 1: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech, Round 2: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame, Round 3: Byron Young, DT, Alabama, Round 3: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati, Round 4: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland, Round 4: Aidan O\u2019Connell, QB, Purdue, Round 5: Christopher Smith II, Safety, Georgia, Round 6: Amari Burney, LB, Florida, Round 7: Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The days of wackadoo crazy Raiders drafts appear to be over. Vegas nabbed Tyree Wilson, the consensus second best edge rusher in this draft class, with their No. 1 pick and at a spot he should have gone. That wasn\u2019t a shock. What was a surprise was to see Michael Mayer, my No. 1 overall tight end in this draft class<\/a>, go to the Raiders in the second round. Value wise, that\u2019s like two high first rounders. Byron Young was a two year starter at Alabama, which should be worth a third rounder for any team on the planet. They got great value there and, like I said, we\u2019re looking for guys we know can play TODAY, in Rounds 1-3. I think that Wilson and Mayer are potential star players and Young, at worst, is a every down plug nose tackle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of those top three rounds, there\u2019s a drop off. Tre Tucker doesn\u2019t look like he\u2019ll contribute much at wide receiver, and while he was a tremendous kick returner at Cincinnati, I\u2019m not taking a guy to do that in the fourth. Jakorian Bennett is just the opposite later in the fourth round, a total value selection. I had him as my No. 9 overall corner<\/a> and he\u2019s coming off his best season, allowing just a 47.5 passer rating when targeted in 2022, down from 75.0 in 2021 and 82.8 in 2020 while posting a 71.8 PFF rating. Aiden O\u2019Connell was my 10th<\/sup> ranked quarterback coming out, which would translate into a lifelong backup. Back when I put those rankings together, I mentioned that 20 or so years ago, a guy like O\u2019Connell would have been a first round pick and looked a whole lot like Ryan Leaf coming out of Washington State back in 1998. And while any comparison to Leaf today is an insult, there was a real conversation that Leaf was a better prospect than Peyton Manning when it was all happening live. Unfortunately, for O\u2019Connell, he doesn\u2019t have access to a time traveling DeLorean, but in Round 4, that\u2019s a solid selection.  Taking Georgia\u2019s starting safety in the fifth is going to be a quality pick at any time. Christopher Smith II scored a 75.8 PFF grade and finished with 61 tackles, five for a loss, one sack, three picks, five passes defended, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble for the eventual national champions. Amari Burney alternated between defensive back and linebacker in his time with Florida and a time it was. He played five seasons, thanks to the COVID-19 year and put up decent stats in his last three. He\u2019ll contribute on special teams at worst. Nesta Jade Silvera had a jump in production moving from Miami to Arizona State, and looks like a value depth pick in the seventh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> A- (and, I can promise you, this is easily the highest draft grade I\u2019ve ever given the Raiders)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odds to win the Super Bowl:<\/strong> +2200<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Haul:<\/strong> Round 1: Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU, Round 2: Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC, Round 3: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State, Round 4: Derius Davis, WR, TCU, Round 5: Jordan McFadden, OG, Clemson, Round 6: Scott Matlock, DT, Boise State, Round 7: Max Duggan, QB, TCU<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quentin Johnston was a rich get richer pick for the Chargers, who were already loaded at the position with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Joshua Palmer, who caught 72 passes for 769 yards and three touchdowns last year. On the depth chart right now, Johnston replaces him. Now, to me, this looks like the guy they\u2019ve selected to replace Keenan Allen and let him hit the bricks in 2024. Allen missed seven games due to injury last season, his 10th<\/sup> in the league, but he still caught 66 passes in those 10 games for 752 yards and four TDs. Allen is under contract for two more years, but has a $34 million cap hit in 2024. And, for the record, Johnston was my top rated wideout in this class<\/a>. So, that\u2019s pretty much why they skipped the offensive line there. What doesn\u2019t make sense is then they kept ignoring it all the way until the fifth round. We\u2019ll get to that pick in a minute. I love Tuli Tuipulotu selection in Round 2. He was my second ranked interior defensive lineman<\/a> behind only Jalen Carter out of Georgia in this draft. I was sure, because of his size, he was flying under the radar and might even fall to Day Three, but Brandon Staley knows that undersized linemen like Tuipulotu can do some serious damage in the NFL, considering he spent a season as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator. Tuipulotu is 6-3 and 266, yes, but he had 46 tackles, 22 for a loss and 13.5 sacks last season to go with three passes defended and two forced fumbles in a Pac-12 schedule. I said in my rankings that Tuli might not be the \u201cnext Aaron Donald,\u201d but if he\u2019s 80 percent of \u201cAD99,\u201d he\u2019ll make 10 straight Pro Bowls. That\u2019s a steal. Tuipulotu is a Day One starter and you need to start thinking about plopping some money on this kid as a potential Defensive Rookie of the Year. I\u2019m that serious. Daiyan Henley was my third ranked linebacker, who not only can play the classic position, but adds some pass rush himself, racking up 12 tackles for a loss and four sacks a season ago for Washington State to go with 106 tackles. He was a perfect value in the third round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fourth, Derius Davis was teammates with Johnston and put up solid numbers in that role, but will probably serve as a primary kick and punt returner. Again, a fourth seems a little steep there, but the kid scored two punt return touchdowns last season and averaged 20.4 yards per kick return and 14.9 yards per punt return. Jordan McFadden played in a big program at Clemson and scored a solid 72.9 PFF grade. He did give up four sacks, a QB hit and eight hurries, but also faced some of the best guys in the NCAA pretty much every week. If he\u2019s a project, the fifth round is exactly where you want to take him. Scott Matlock in Round 6 is coming off a bad season, but his 2021 was pretty great for Boise State. He had 41 tackles, 8.5 for a loss and seven sacks in that one. Of course, he was down to 2.4 sacks and six tackles for a loss last season, but, again, you\u2019re picking depth and guys that might grow into something. Not a bad roll of the dice. Lastly, they get a winner at quarterback in Max Duggan in their last pick, their third TCU player. He was my sixth ranked QB, put up big numbers, got his team into the national title as an underdog the whole way and is easily the second best QB on the roster over Easton Stick (who I\u2019m still not 100 percent sure is a real person) today. As a seventh round selection, to take a guy that who, at worst, will be a top back up QB for the next 10-12 years, is a home run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grade:<\/strong> B+<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter <\/em>@TheFirstMan<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connect with us our socials on <\/em>Twitter<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a> for the latest sports news, viral moments, betting odds and the occasional memes.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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