The Bills, Dolphins, Jets and Patriots all came out of Pittsburgh with different kinds of classes. Some loaded up on value, some attacked clear needs, and some left Sportsvival with real questions about whether they maximized the board.
Sportsvival is starting in the AFC East and going in alphabetical order. This division produced one of the stronger overall hauls in the league, but not every team handled the board the same way. Some clubs found difference-makers early, some uncovered depth late, and some made a few picks that are fair to question.
Here is the full AFC East rundown, with every selection listed first, followed by Sportsvival’s recap and final grade.
Buffalo Bills, Final Grade: C+
2-35, T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson.
2-62, Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State.
4-102, Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College.
4-125, Skyler Bell, WR, Connecticut.
4-126, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU.
5-167, Jalon Kilgore, SAF, South Carolina.
5-181, Zane Durant, DT, Penn State.
7-220, Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri.
7-239, Tommy Doman Jr., P, Florida.
7-241, Ar’maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M.
Buffalo did some solid work early, especially with T.J. Parker and Davison Igbinosun. Parker gives them edge help, and Igbinosun brings size and toughness to the secondary. There is also some interesting upside with Jude Bowry and Skyler Bell, so this was not a bad class by any means.
Still, Sportsvival does not see this as a slam-dunk haul. Some of the middle rounds feel more like projection than certainty, and there were stretches where Buffalo could have done a better job of squeezing value out of the board. The best part of this class may wind up being the later value. Sportsvival thinks the Bills got some gems late in the draft with Jalon Kilgore and Zane Durant, and those two picks could eventually outperform the overall grade. For now, though, this feels like a C+ class, solid in spots, but a little too uneven.
Miami Dolphins, Final Grade: B+
1-12, Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama.
1-27, Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State.
2-43, Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech.
3-75, Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech.
3-87, Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State.
3-94, Chris Bell, WR, Louisville.
4-130, Trey Moore, LB, Texas.
4-138, Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh.
5-158, Michael Taaffe, SAF, Texas.
5-177, Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, Missouri.
5-180, Seydou Traore, TE, Mississippi State.
6-200, DJ Campbell, G, Texas.
7-238, Max Llewellyn, EDGE, Iowa.
Miami came away with one of the more interesting classes in the division because the Dolphins kept stacking pick after pick and found real value throughout the weekend. Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson gave them a strong first-round foundation, and Sportsvival loves the Jacob Rodriguez pick. That selection feels like one of the better value-and-fit combinations in the AFC East.
There is a lot to like here. Sportsvival thinks the Dolphins got great value with Chris Bell, Kyle Louis and Michael Taaffe, and this class has enough volume to give Miami several real chances to hit on contributors. Not every pick is a sure thing, and a few of the later offensive additions feel more developmental than immediate, but when you combine the quantity, value and overall board work, this looks like a B+ group. Miami gave itself a lot of chances to come away with impact players.
New York Jets, Final Grade: A
1-2, David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech.
1-16, Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon.
1-30, Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana.
2-50, D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana.
4-103, Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State.
4-110, Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson.
6-188, Anez Cooper, G, Miami.
7-228, VJ Payne, SAF, Kansas State.
Sportsvival thought the Jets crushed Round 1. David Bailey at No. 2 gave them a premier defensive piece, Kenyon Sadiq added a weapon at tight end, and Omar Cooper Jr. brought more juice to the offense. That is a first round with real punch, and it immediately gave the Jets one of the best draft foundations in the division.
The best thing about this class is that the value did not stop after Thursday night. D’Angelo Ponds looks like a strong addition, Darrell Jackson Jr. is a worthwhile swing on size and upside, Cade Klubnik is the kind of mid-round quarterback gamble worth making, and the later picks made sense as roster-builders. Sportsvival thought the Jets found value throughout the draft, and their first round was excellent. That is why this class earns an A.
New England Patriots, Final Grade: C+
1-28, Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah.
2-55, Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois.
3-95, Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame.
5-171, Karon Prunty, CB, Wake Forest.
6-196, Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M.
6-212, Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU.
7-234, Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech.
7-245, Jam Miller, RB, Alabama.
7-247, Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College.
The Patriots did a good job with the top of their class. Sportsvival liked the way New England attacked both lines right away, landing Caleb Lomu and Gabe Jacas with the first two picks. That is smart roster building, especially for a team that needed to get better in the trenches after the Super Bowl loss. Eli Raridon also makes sense as a solid addition later on Day 2.
After that, though, Sportsvival has some doubts. There are players in this class who could develop, but the Patriots also took some reaches afterwards, and the overall haul does not feel quite as strong as it could have been once they got past those first two selections. There is a little too much projection here, and not enough sure value in the later rounds. The trench work was good, but the full class settles in at a C+.
Sportsvival’s early AFC East takeaway is simple. The Jets came away looking like the division winner on draft weekend, the Dolphins built depth and found strong value, the Patriots helped themselves up front but left some questions, and the Bills may have found a couple of late gems even if the overall class feels a little shaky.