I still feel the remnants of a hangover from the 2024 NFL Draft, and this is not an alcohol-induced hangover; this is a sleep-deprivation, staring-at-a-screen hangover. But, let me also tell you, I loved every second of it. I know you did, too. Yes, even when the kickers and punters and International Pathway Players starting flying off the board on Day 3.
We're stretching my cameo as the author of this daily newsletter through this week, which makes sense, right? I'll answer my own question -- yes, it does. Because our staff will be pumping out an abundance of post-draft content this week. And we speculated about this draft for months, and now that we have actual picks, we need to discuss.
(Oh, by the way, I never updated you all on my Draft Day jersey. I went with a maroon Virginia Tech Bruce Smith, which serves as a reminder that while draft sleepers are fun, a No. 1 overall pick who hits will have a seismic impact on that franchise.)
So there's still time to sign up for With the First Pick newsletter. Tell your buddies, too. All you have to do is click here and then share this link with them.
1. Today's NFL mock draft: Pete Prisco's grades 🥇
This is the seminal piece from Prisco -- the one that really gets the commenters fired up: his immediate, post-draft grades. While I'm sure you'll just scroll to his thoughts on your favorite team, I'm compelled to highlight the job done by the Commanders, the long-time dysfunctional franchise that received Pete's only A+ haul!
"In his first year running the draft, general manager Adam Peters killed it. It started by taking Daniels with the second overall pick, but continued throughout the process. This is a team moving in the right direction. I liked all their second-round picks in defensive tackle Johnny Newton, corner Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott. They drafted a lot of talented football players."
Sometimes, we tend to just give higher grades to clubs with larger draft classes. This isn't that. Peters was on a heater all draft. And as Pete points out, the stellar mark was about much more than picking Daniels at No. 2 overall.
2. 'With the First Pick' podcast 🎧: First-round winners and losers
Let's start with Round 1 reaction from Rick and Ryan and work our way through the entire draft this week. This episode started where it HAD to start -- with grades on the six quarterbacks who went in the first 12 selections, and yes, it segued into a long conversation about the Falcons decision to pick Michael Penix at No. 8 overall, which still sends shockwaves through my body today.
This episode has it all from the first round -- Vikings, Bears, a defender finally going off the board at pick No. 15 (!), Ricky Pearsall's surprising ascension into Round 1, and that high-profile Bills and Chiefs trade.
3. Post-draft cut candidates: Miles Sanders, James Bradberry and others 😬
The NFL Draft always impacts a litany of people within an organization, and now that we know if teams addressed or didn't address specific positions, we have a better idea if clubs will lean toward releasing expensive veterans to provide more ample playing-time opportunities to their rookies.
Tyler Sullivan pinpointed those established players who are much more in jeopardy of being cut in the summer than they were just four days ago. Here's part of what he wrote on Sanders in Carolina after the second-round selection of former Texas running back Jonathon Brooks:
"Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Panthers last offseason, but was largely a disappointment and lost his starting job to Chuba Hubbard after just five games. Hubbard could now be looked at as the backup to Brooks, which makes Sanders expendable."
Hard to disagree with Tyler there. Veteran running backs have simply become dispensable.
4. Snap-reaction grades for all 32 teams 👀
Prisco had his grades. I also graded the draft haul of every team immediately following the conclusion of the draft. Well, not that's not entirely true. I went on Fantasy Football Today to talk Day 3 position players. After that, right into grades. Instead of highlighting one of the best or worst hauls in my estimation, here's what I wrote on one of the clubs smack-dab in the middle, the Houston Texans.
"Nothing incredibly flashy here from GM Nick Caserio, but the flash came earlier this offseason, didn't it? (Kamari) Lassiter is your classic, well-coached Georgia cornerback. (Blake) Fisher is a tremendous combo blocker and (Calen) Bullock has ridiculous middle-of-the-field range. (Cade) Stover will be a useful tight end for a decade. The next few picks after that were questionable, but I am fascinated to see if (Solomon) Byrd plays as athletically as he looked on the field or to his epically bad workout."
5. News & Notes 📝
- Cowboys signing Zeke Elliott. The former 1,000-yard Cowboys running back is back in Dallas. Jerry Jones must be smiling ear-to-ear. This is logical after Dallas didn't pick a running back in this draft!
- Broncos GM speaks on Bo Nix's age. George Paton, who picked Nix at No. 12 overall, said the 24-year-old is "more game ready than if we picked a 21-year-old.' Now, I don't know if that was kinda-sorta directed at the team's decision not to move up for J.J. McCarthy or just a general statement. Probably the latter, right?
- Eagles signed Mekhi Becton. The former Jets first-round pick battled injuries and was simply not effective when he was on the field but now joins a loaded offensive line in Philadelphia.
- 2025 draft lookahead. Are you a degenerate draft lover who simply cannot get enough? Great! Here's a 2025 lookahead at the positional strengths and weaknesses for the presumed 2025 class.
- Want more 2025 content? You're in luck. Ryan Wilson completed a 2025 mock right after the draft. Deion Sanders will be happy.
