AFC West draft grades: Raiders maximize value early; Super Bowl champion Chiefs amass hazy haul

Round 1

• Texas Tech edge Tyree Wilson (No. 7 overall)

Round 2

• Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer (No. 35)

Round 3

• Alabama DT Byron Young (No. 70)
• Cincinnati WR Tre Tucker (No. 100)

Round 4

• Maryland CB Jakorian Bennett (No. 104)
• Purdue QB Aidan O'Connell (No. 135)

Round 5

• Georgia S Christopher Smith II (No. 170)

Round 6

• Florida LB Amari Burney (No. 203)

Round 7

• Arizona State DT Nesta Jade Silvera (No. 231)

Tyree Wilson earned some Chandler Jones comps during the pre-draft run, so it's only fitting that Wilson could emerge as Jones' eventual replacement in Las Vegas. It's possible that Wilson's arrival spurs Jones to a rebound season, but whenever the No. 7 overall pick sees the field, his length and burst will add some real juice to the pass rush opposite Maxx Crosby. Landing Michael Mayer in Round 2 was a really sound addition. Nothing against the tight ends already on the roster, but Mayer is clearly the best all-around option. The Notre Dame product can upgrade Vegas' run blocking and should be a very nice outlet for new QB Jimmy Garoppolo. From that point on, the Raiders' draft was up and down. On the high side, Jakorian Bennett addressed the big need at corner. It was later than I thought the Raiders would take one, but Bennett's speed and playmaking instincts could have him in the starting lineup before long. Christopher Smith II and Amari Burney were two other defensive picks I liked, with Smith's football IQ and Burney's versatility as a box defender likely to add something to that unit. Aidan O'Connell's skill set is a good match for Josh McDaniels, providing insurance behind the injury-prone Garoppolo, even if the upside is limited. I was less enthused with the Tre Tucker pick. With other, more well-rounded receivers on the board, the Raiders opted for a speedy but limited weapon. Byron Young and Nesta Jade Silvera provide DT depth, but only so much promise. The top two picks give the Raiders a chance to make this a very good class, even if a few later picks left me ambivalent.

Round 1

• TCU WR Quentin Johnston (No. 21 overall)

Round 2

• USC edge Tuli Tuipulotu (No. 54)

Round 3

• Washington State LB Daiyan Henley (No. 85)

Round 4

• TCU WR Derius Davis (No. 125)

Round 5

• Clemson OG Jordan McFadden (No. 156)

Round 6

• Boise State DT Scott Matlock (No. 200)

Round 7

• TCU QB Max Duggan (No. 239)

Quentin Johnston made plenty of sense as the Chargers' first-round selection. There are questions about his drop rate and whether he maximizes his physical traits well enough, but Johnston does provide playmaking ability to an offense that felt one playmaker short a year ago. Johnston really does feel like a Mike Williams clone in a lot of ways. In a similar respect, Tuli Tuipulotu provides much-needed insurance for Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack. The pass rush sagged when Bosa missed time, and Mack was asked to play more than 80 percent of the team's defensive snaps last year at age 31. Tuipulotu isn't yet a finished product (and won't turn 21 until September) but has the quickness and aggressive nature to spell those starters while providing juice off the bench. Daiyan Henley should get a chance to replace Kenneth Murray in time, and though they share some traits -- including some occasionally shaky play recognition -- Henley's burst and toughness will improve the LB unit. Johnston's TCU running mate, Derius Davis, might make his biggest immediate contribution as a punt returner (five TDs on 44 college returns). Davis is tiny but also could carve out a specialist role on offense: deep shots, jet sweeps, trick plays, etc. Jordan McFadden was a college tackle who might project inside. Perhaps a guard wasn't the biggest need, but the Bolts' recent success in OL draft picks has earned them credibility. Scott Matlock is a flier who might be able to help a leaky run defense. And just to bring the TCU thing full circle, Los Angeles used its last pick on Max Duggan, who is tough and competitive -- but also an inaccurate passer.

Round 2

• Oklahoma WR Marvin Mims Jr. (No. 63 overall)

Round 3

• Arkansas LB Drew Sanders (No. 67)
• Iowa CB Riley Moss (No. 83)

Round 6

• Boise State S JL Skinner (No. 183)

Round 7

• Oregon C Alex Forsyth (No. 257)

By virtue of the Russell Wilson and Sean Payton trades, the Broncos entered the 2023 NFL Draft with no selections in the first two rounds. But they moved up into the final slot of Round 2 to draft Marvin Mims Jr. -- an interesting move, considering the team's talent at receiver. Mims is a deep-ball threat who gives Denver some flexibility, as both he and Jerry Jeudy can line up inside and outside. The Broncos now appear to be keeping Jeudy and Courtland Sutton after rebuffing trade offers on both. Early in Round 3, Denver went with Drew Sanders at linebacker, another spot where the starting talent is respectable. But Sanders' pass-rush ability can be folded in while he continues to get a feel for playing off the ball. Since trading Bradley Chubb, Denver's pass-rush sources have been limited. Riley Moss could have a chance to compete for a starting job opposite Pat Surtain II. Although Moss is a bit lean and can be stressed by bigger and faster targets, he has the quickness and coverage instincts to factor either inside (mostly new to him) or outside. One hundred picks later, the Broncos landed a potential steal in JL Skinner. His pre-draft chest injury prevented him from working out, but Skinner's size and playmaking instincts should have had him off the board sooner. Denver's final pick, Alex Forsyth, might also surprise. The Broncos don't appear to be sold on Lloyd Cushenberry at center, and Forsyth has 27 college starts there. He's not an elite athlete or overly powerful, but the Oregon product has the technical know-how and length to push for a job inside. It was surprising to see Denver make just one OL pick (late) and fail to address the RB position at all, but the Broncos had limited draft currency and appeared to add an interesting layer of talent.

Round 1

• Kansas State edge Felix Anudike-Uzomah (No. 31 overall)

Round 2

• SMU WR Rashee Rice (No. 55)

Round 3

• Oklahoma OT Wanya Morris (No. 92)

Round 4

• Virginia Tech DB Chamarri Conner (No. 119)

Round 5

• Stephen F. Austin State edge BJ Thompson (No. 166)

Round 6

• Texas DT Keondre Coburn (No. 194)

Round 7

• Ball State CB Nic Jones (No. 250)

Felix Anudike-Uzomah had the look of a Chiefs-y prospect, so it was no shock they took the K-State product where they did; he'd have been gone a handful of picks into Round 2 had they not. He'll spell the edges and work inside, too, allowing Steve Spagnuolo to roll out more pass-rush packages. Kansas City needs to replace more than 100 catches and 1,200 yards from last season with the departures of JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman, so using a higher pick on a receiver made sense. Whether Rashee Rice was the right addition for this offense is going to be an interesting subplot to track. On the one hand, his subtle gear changes and body control are excellent, and he was quite productive at SMU. But Rice also doesn't play strong and is guilty of concentration drops. He figures to play early on, but could have a limited role if Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore prove more reliable. The Wanya Morris pick was interesting. He figures to open as the swing tackle but could end up starting on the right side if Lucas Niang can't. Morris has elite length and fits the mold of tackles Andy Reid has sculpted into starters before, but his lack of clean technique has always been a bugaboo. The remaining four picks follow a similar pattern to last year's Day 3 accumulation of defensive depth. Keondre Coburn was my favorite of the batch, patching a hole inside left by Khalen Saunders' departure in free agency. Nic Jones also could surprise; he has nice length and will take some chances while playing the ball. The selections of Chamarri Conner and BJ Thompson made less sense to me, with both players joining crowded positions. Connor also cost K.C. some 2024 ammo.