Draft grades and reaction: AFC North

With the Cincinnati Bengals being one of the premier teams in the NFL over the past two seasons, there’s pressure on the rest of the division to catch them up. There’s no better way to strengthen a team than through the draft so let’s take a look at how they all got on.

Before the draft, the Ravens finally wrapped up the Lamar Jackson contract saga, with the QB committing to the franchise for the long term. The Ravens did what smart organizations do and try to get as much help as possible for their franchise QB and they did just that with the selection of wideout Zay Flowers who could well put up big numbers for the Ravens.

After trading a second-round pick to the Bears for Roquan Smith last year, it may not be the best use of resources to select another linebacker with their third-rounder. However, Trenton Simpson looks like a good athlete and could well work into the starting rotation.

The Ravens managed to add some depth to their pass-rushing stocks in the fourth round and later they took some swings on offensive linemen, including the giant Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu from Oregon.

The Zay Flowers selection looks like one of the better fits in the draft immediately and could help get the Ravens’ offense cooking early next season. The biggest gripe here is taking a linebacker in the third round after trading for one with their second, but overall they have added good depth pieces and look to be a serious contender this coming season.

The Bengals left day one of the draft with Clemson edge rusher Myles Murphy. Murphy is a very solid, if slightly unspectacular pass rusher, but will add depth to the Bengals’ defensive line immediately. It never quite clicked whilst in college, so there could well be more to come.

The Bengals needed to add some strength to their secondary after losing some key players in free agency, and they did just that. DJ Turner II is a freak athlete out of Michigan who ran a 4.26 40 and could help at both inside and outside corner. Jordan Battle in the third is a solid safety who could well start long-term.

Andrei Iosivas from Princeton looks like an intriguing prospect who could well earn himself some snaps early as a big, physical wide receiver. Some more WR depth as well as a rotational running back rounded out the class alongside a punter.

The Bengals needed to bolster their defense for the 2023 season, and they did just that. Whilst some young offensive line talent would’ve been helpful for them, at the 28th overall spot there was none to be found. Myles Murphy could well become a very good edge rusher moving forward and they did well to take him late on day one.

The Browns traded their first-round pick for Deshaun Watson last season and so far it hasn’t looked like a great addition with backup Jacoby Brissett outperforming him. The Browns find themselves in a strange spot moving forward and having so few top-end draft picks doesn’t help.

The Browns also traded away their second-round pick last season, acquiring Elijah Moore from the Jets which could turn into a nice addition. In the third round, Cleveland was able to add some serious bulk on their defensive line, taking Siaki Ika out of Baylor who will occupy space for others to work around him.

Standing 6’8” and weighing 374 lbs, tackle Dawand Jones may well be the largest player in the draft this year. Jones was at points seen as a first-round selection but fell to the Browns in the fourth round, which is a risk well worth taking. Adding edge-rushing depth and UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson rounds out a solid day three.

Without a first or second-round pick, it is difficult to add too many premium players in the draft and the Browns will be in a very difficult spot if Deshaun Watson doesn’t improve. If Dawand Jones turns out to be a starting-caliber tackle, the entire draft is saved, however.

The Steelers needed help on their O line and help they got, adding Broderick Jones from Georgia. Jones looks like a day-one starter at either tackle spot and the Steelers were able to take him at number 14, jumping one spot ahead of the Jets, great reading of the draft board.

If the day one pick wasn’t good enough, the Steelers were able to add corner Joey Porter Jr., defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, and man-mountain/tight end Darnell Washington on day two. All of these players were seen as first-round selections by many so this is incredibly value for the Pittsburgh side.

Highlighted by the selection of pass-rusher Nick Herbig, the Steelers were able to add some depth along both offensive and defensive lines on day three whilst also grabbing a high-upside cornerback Cory Trice Jr. out of Baylor.

One of the real winners of the draft, the Steelers were able to walk away with four players who were seen by almost everyone as top 50 prospects. There are times when players fall for reasons which are undisclosed, but each of the players the Steelers selected look to be well worth any associated risk.