2016 NFL Draft Grades: Round 1

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Feb 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith speaks to the media during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

Houston Texans: Will Fuller – WR – Notre Dame

The Texans absolutely needed to go WR. However, I don’t know that Will Fuller was the right guy. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a very talented prospect. But what does he bring that this team didn’t already have? The analysts were lauding his ability to take the top off the defense…but that’s exactly what DeAndre Hopkins already does.

So now you have two guys that take the top off the defense…which means the defense is just going to adjust where the top is. The next two picks in the draft were WRs Josh Doctson and Laquan Treadwell…and I like both of them much better for Houston than I do Fuller. Fit is important.

Grade: B-

Indianapolis Colts: Ryan Kelly – C – Alabama

Wait…did the Colts actually make a move on the OL? That alone should be commended. Ryan Kelly is a stud who will absolutely anchor the Indy offensive line and hopefully give Andrew Luck more than brief glimpse of an opposing jersey before he gets sacked. Need? Check. Quality player? Check.

This is how it should be done. They may have reached a little bit, but the stigma of interior linemen not being worth early picks is quickly going away.

Grade: A-

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Jalen Ramsey (Florida State) is selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars as the number five overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /

Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey – CB/S – Florida State

Jalen Ramsey may be the absolute best player in the draft and the Jaguars got him at No. 5. That’s an excellent job of letting the draft come to them. And this wasn’t “luck.”

The Jags had to know this was a real possibility the second both the Rams and Eagles had traded up. That pushed the entire draft back two spots to accommodate the QB picks, essentially giving the Jags a top-three pick. This is just smart drafting. On the field, Ramsey should be the playmaker this defense has been in desperate need of.

Grade: A+

Kansas City Chiefs: No Pick – Trade

The Chiefs traded their first and seventh-round picks to the 49ers for their second, fourth, and sixth-round picks. With all of the top cornerbacks, wide receivers, and Paxton Lynch all off the board, this move makes a ton of sense. While Kansas City didn’t recoup their third-round pick here, they gained more ammo.

There’s an argument to be made that the Chiefs could have taken a top DT here, which they ended up doing anyway on Friday. And while I don’t agree with that move, I will acknowledge there is an argument to be made.

Grade: B

Next: Rams got their guy...

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