NFL draft grades 2017: Browns, AFC North had well-reviewed hauls

Don’t be alarmed, but the Cleveland Browns may not have screwed up their 2017 NFL Draft.

After possibly waffling on taking surefire pass rusher Myles Garrett with the No. 1 overall pick, they landed the Texas A&M product to kick off the proceedings. From there, they proceeded to add elite athletes to juice their offense and defense — though only time will tell if they can make an impact with the league’s most cursed franchise. Jabrill Peppers, David Njoku, DeShone Kizer, and Larry Ogunjobi are all boom-or-bust prospects who could lead a revival on the Cuyahoga River.

Cleveland wasn’t the only team to have a big draft. The Ravens, Bengals, and Steelers all earned “A” grades from at least one major media outlet for their work the past three days. Here’s how pundits across the league rated the AFC North’s work at this year’s event.

Baltimore had a solid draft, adding a handful of defensive players with the talent to carry on the franchise’s rich history. The Ravens didn’t take an offensive prospect until day three, adding help at all three levels with cornerback Marlon Humphrey, linebackers Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, and lineman Chris Wormley. While those players won’t help Joe Flacco or an offense that ranked 24th in yards per play last fall, they’ll certainly help slow down the Steelers’ dynamic attack.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation: B-
Mel Kiper, ESPN: B
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: B-
Chris Burke, SI: A-
Nate Davis, USA Today: B
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: B+

The Bengals draft was filled with playmakers — and question marks. In terms of pure talent, they added the draft’s fastest player (John Ross), a top-tier tailback (Joe Mixon), and two potential first-round pass rushing talents (Jordan Willis and Carl Lawson) with their first four picks. However, Ross has to prove he’s more than just fast as lightning, Lawson has major injury concerns, and Mixon ... well, Mixon might just be an awful person.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation: B-
Mel Kiper, ESPN: B-
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: A
Chris Burke, SI: A-
Nate Davis, USA Today: B
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: A-

If these picks play up to their potential with the Browns, it could be one of the greatest draft classes in history. Jabrill Peppers is a dynamic athlete who can play 11 different positions on the field but hasn’t mastered a single one. DeShone Kizer says he has Tom Brady’s brain in Cam Newton’s body, but was too mistake-prone and inaccurate to lead Notre Dame to more than four wins last fall. David Njoku is an athletic freak, but has to prove he can be a consistent target against NFL defenses.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation: B
Mel Kiper, ESPN: B
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: A
Chris Burke, SI: A-
Nate Davis, USA Today: A
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: A-

The Steelers got healthier on both sides of the ball, adding a hard-working pass rusher (T.J. Watt) and explosive receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster) who should be able to contribute this fall. Watt can learn from All-Pro and workout lunatic James Harrison on the job, while Smith-Schuster adds to what may be the AFC’s most dangerous receiving corps. Mid-round picks James Connor and Joshua Dobbs are both high-character players who will add value on the field and in the locker room.

Dan Kadar, SB Nation: B-
Mel Kiper, ESPN: B+
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: B
Chris Burke, SI: C+
Nate Davis, USA Today: B
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: A