NFL Draft first-round grades: What were Falcons, Raiders thinking!?

If you need more proof that the NFL is geared toward offense, look no further than the first round of Thursday's draft. 

The first 14 picks were offensive players, including the stunning selection of Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. by the Atlanta Falcons with pick No. 8. The Indianapolis Colts selected the first defensive player — UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu — with the 15th pick.

Here are grades from Yardbarker's NFL writers for all 32 selections:  

1. CHICAGO BEARS | USC QB Caleb Williams | Grade: A | The worst-kept secret of the draft is a home run for the Bears. Perhaps the only knock on the former Heisman Trophy winner is his size (6-foot-1, 214 pounds). He has all the traits to finally be the franchise's answer at QB, including elite athleticism, situational awareness, arm talent and playmaking skills. — Mike Santa Barbara

2. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS | LSU QB Jayden Daniels | Grade: A | Daniels’ 40 touchdown passes in 2023 were second only to Oregon QB Bo Nix (45) last season, and his 1,134 rushing yards were more than many top running back prospects. With little firepower on offense beyond WR Terry McLaurin and RB Austin Ekeler, the Commanders got just what they needed. — Bruce Ewing

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | North Carolina QB Drake Maye | Grade: A | After receiving considerable trade interest for the third overall pick, de facto GM Eliot Wolf didn't get cute and chose Maye as his franchise QB. Maye — who threw for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns over the past two seasons — is more of a raw prospect, but considering his immense upside, he’s the right selection for the Patriots to start their rebuild. — Colum Dell

4. ARIZONA CARDINALS | Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. | Grade: A | The Cardinals resisted the temptation to trade out of the No. 4 pick and took the best player at their biggest position of need. Harrison Jr. gives quarterback Kyler Murray a potentially franchise-changing playmaker. — Adam Gretz

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Notre Dame OT Joe Alt | Grade: B+ | Alt shores up their offensive line, but it’s fair to wonder if they should’ve taken a WR instead. (L.A. dealt six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen to the Bears this offseason.) Talented prospects, such as LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze, were still on the board, but Alt fits new coach Jim Harbaugh's let's-get-physical philosophy. — Clark Dalton

6. NEW YORK GIANTS | LSU WR Malik Nabers | Grade: A- | Nabers won’t fix all the Giants' problems, but he’ll certainly help an offense that passed for a paltry 169.8 yards per game last season, second worst in the NFL behind the Carolina Panthers (161.2). Of course, the grade goes down if the team can’t find a quarterback in 2025. — Bruce Ewing

7. TENNESSEE TITANS | Alabama OT JC Latham | Grade: B+ | Watching Alt go two picks earlier was a gut punch for the Titans, who desperately need a franchise left tackle to protect QB Will Levis’ blind spot. However, Latham is a hulking tackle (6-foot-6, 359 pounds) who should easily transition from right to left tackle under heralded offensive line coach Bill Callahan. — Michael Gallagher

8. ATLANTA FALCONS | Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. | Grade: F- | The Falcons threw a wrench into the first round with their selection of Penix Jr., who will sit behind Kirk Cousins for at least a year. Instead of drafting for need and choosing their top-rated edge-rusher or trading down to choose Penix, Atlanta chose the worst possible option.— Eric Smithling

9. CHICAGO BEARS | Washington WR Rome Odunze | Grade: A+ | If selecting QB Caleb Williams first overall was a home run, landing wideout Odunze — who fell into the Bears' lap at No. 9 — is a grand slam. The FBS leader in receiving yards (1,640) will give Chicago’s rookie signal-caller another weapon, joining a growing stockpile that already includes veteran receivers D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen. — Mike Santa Barbara

10. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (trade with Jets) | Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy | Grade: B- | McCarthy thrived in a pro-style offense at Michigan and earned the fifth-highest grade among the 2024 QB class, per Next Gen Stats. The real question is if McCarthy is worth being the highest-drafted Vikings QB ever, especially when there are concerns over his experience — he started only two seasons in college — and whether his inadequacies (lack of elite arm strength) were hidden by the talent around him. — Mike Santa Barbara

11. NEW YORK JETS (trade with Vikings) | Penn State OT Olu Fashanu | Grade: A- | The board broke GM Joe Douglas’ way, resulting in the Jets moving back one spot to select Fashanu (zero sacks and 10 pressures allowed in 2023) after trading with the quarterback-needy Vikings. As part of the deal, New York not only acquired Tyron Smith’s successor but also picked up fourth- and fifth-round selections for the Nos. 10 and 203 picks. — Colum Dell

12. DENVER BRONCOS | Oregon QB Bo Nix | Grade: D+ | The Broncos needed another quarterback, but taking Nix at No. 12 feels like a reach. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted several teams feel Nix "tends to freeze up in big moments” and lacks upside. — Clark Dalton

13. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Georgia TE Brock Bowers | Grade: D | The Raiders drafted tight end Michael Mayer in the second round in 2023, so choosing Bowers is a head-scratcher. Perhaps they feel the two-time John Mackey Award winner — given to the best TE in college football — has more potential than Mayer, who had only two TD catches in 14 games last season. But still... — Clark Dalton

14. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS | Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga | Grade: A+ | With Fuaga, New Orleans gained a “plug-and-play starter,” per The Athletic NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler. According to data from Pro Football Focus, Fuaga only allowed 12 total pressures and no sacks in 339 pass-rush opportunities last season and was graded as the best run-blocking tackle in college football in 2023.  — Eric Smithling

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu | Grade: B | Cornerback was arguably the team's biggest area of need, and with players such as Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell still on the board, it’s surprising they would pass on either. However, Latu is a premium edge-rusher (he had 127 pressures and 23.5 sacks the past two seasons), and Indy can always use more such players in a division with young QBs C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence and Will Levis. — Michael Gallagher

16. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS | Texas DT Byron Murphy | Grade: A | The Seahawks desperately needed to improve their defense, especially the defensive line, after two straight years of mediocrity. The Seahawks got the best interior lineman in the draft in Murphy, who fell to them in an offensive-oriented draft.  — Adam Gretz

17. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (trade with Jaguars) | Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner | Grade: A+ | Shortly after trading up a spot to grab their future QB, the Vikings made another deal, jumping six picks to secure arguably the best edge-rusher in the draft. The 2023 SEC Defensive Player of the Year offers incredible athleticism, having recorded the fastest 40-yard-dash time (4.46) among ends at the combine, along with outstanding versatility (top-15 Pro Football Focus grades in pressure (89) and coverage (81). — Mike Santa Barbara

18. CINCINNATI BENGALS | Georgia OT Amarius Mims | Grade: B+ | The Bengals' top priority is protecting QB Joe Burrow following his season-ending wrist injury in 2023. The 6-foot-7, 340-pound Mims should do that, but he’s a bit of a risk with just eight career starts at Georgia. — Aaron Becker

19. LOS ANGELES RAMS | Florida State DE Jared Verse | Grade: B+ | The Rams needed to improve their pass rush, especially after the retirement of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. Verse, one of the best edge-rushers in the draft, was a highly disruptive force at Florida State with 29.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks in two years. — Adam Gretz

20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Washington OT Troy Fautanu | Grade: B+ | The Steelers have said all offseason they want to move 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones back to his primary position of left tackle. Fautanu, who is 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds, will allow Pittsburgh to do just that, although some question if he should bump inside. — Aaron Becker

21. MIAMI DOLPHINS | Penn State EDGE Chop Robinson | Grade: B- | Since edge-rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips suffered significant late-season injuries, the Dolphins turned to Robinson (9.5 sacks past two seasons) to fill the void. While Robinson’s freakish athleticism will provide a spark for Miami’s defense, Duke’s Graham Barton might’ve been a more advantageous selection because the team desperately needs to rebuild its interior offensive line. — Colum Dell

22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES | Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell | Grade: A+ | After trading up in four of the past five drafts, Philadelphia stayed put and still landed Mitchell, arguably the draft’s best cornerback. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has worked with some of the game’s best corners  and should have no problem getting Mitchell up to speed a secondary that struggled against the pass last season. — Bruce Ewing

23. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (trade with Vikings) | LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. | Grade: A-  | Landing Thomas Jr. — the consensus No. 4 WR in the 2024 class — while picking up additional fourth- and fifth-rounders in 2024, plus an extra fifth-rounder in 2025, was a coup for Jacksonville. The only reason they get the minus is because cornerback was a bigger need, but it’s hard to argue with acquiring a player of Thomas Jr.’s caliber this late in Round 1. — Michael Gallagher

24. DETROIT LIONS  (trade with Cowboys) | Alabama CB Terrion Arnold | Grade: A+ | Two picks after the first cornerback came off the board, GM Brad Holmes filled one of the Lions' biggest needs after a trade up with the Cowboys. Arnold's size (6-foot and 196 pounds) and man-coverage skills (graded ninth by PFF) make him a prototype shutdown corner, which should instantly boost Detroit's pass defense that ranked 27th in the NFL in 2023. — Mike Santa Barbara

25. GREEN BAY PACKERS | Arizona OT Jordan Morgan | Grade: C | With a dire need for offensive line help, the Packers chose Morgan, who many had ranked outside the top 10 at the position. Morgan is a strong and versatile lineman who can play guard or tackle, but with Duke's Graham Barton and Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton still on the board, many will question whether or not Green Bay made the right choice. — Mike Santa Barbara

26. TAMPA BAY BUCS | Duke OL Graham Barton | Grade: B | Barton has the potential to make an immediate impact on an offensive line that’s arguably the worst in football. After playing tackle in college, he’s likely to shift inside in the pros, where he could experience growing pains. — Eric Smithling

27. ARIZONA CARDINALS | Missouri EDGE Darius Robinson | Grade: B | The Cardinals addressed a huge need with their first pick at No. 4 by taking WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and tried to address another one at defensive line with Robinson. A late riser in the draft process, he is a powerful player who can play both inside and outside. — Adam Gretz

28. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (trade with Bills) | Texas WR Xavier Worthy | Grade: A | QB Patrick Mahomes should be licking his chops with this pick. The 20-year-old speedster had 75 receptions for 1,014 yards and five TD catches in 14 games in 2023 and broke the 40-yard-dash record (4.21) at the NFL Scouting Combine. Will the WR-needy Bills regret trading this pick? — Clark Dalton

29. DALLAS COWBOYS (trade with Lions) | OT Tyler Guyton | Grade: B | By trading back for the No. 29 pick, the Cowboys picked up an extra third-round selection (No. 73) but in doing so, missed out on offensive linemen Graham Barton of Duke and Jordan Morgan of Arizona, both considered more NFL-ready than Guyton. At 6-foot-7 and 327 pounds, Guyton has size and lots of raw talent, but with just one year as a starter with Oklahoma, the learning curve could be steep. — Bruce Ewing

30. BALTIMORE RAVENS | Clemson CB Nate Wiggins | Grade: A- | The Ravens needed to add another corner who can play across three-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins should do exactly that. The Clemson product is a bit undersized, standing at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, but he has proved to be a lockdown corner with three interceptions and 17 passes defensed the past two years. — Aaron Becker

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers | Florida WR Ricky Pearsall | Grade: C | It is a deep wide receiver draft, but Pearsell seems like a bit of a reach in the first-round. It also calls into question if one of Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel could be on the move at some point this weekend. — Adam Gretz

32. CAROLINA PANTHERS (trade with Bills) | WR Xavier Legette | Grade: C+ | Legette has the size (6-foot-3, 227 pounds), build and speed to be a vital outside threat for QB Bryce Young. However, with as many holes as Carolina has, it might not have been the wisest decision to trade up one spot while dropping 59 spots on Day 3. — Eric Smithling