Detroit News NFL Draft grades for first round

1. Arizona: Kyler Murray, QB (Oklahoma) -- New coach Kliff Kingsbury gets his man, as an Oklahoma quarterback goes No. 1 overall for the second straight year. It’s also the second straight year the Cardinals took a QB with their first pick, as the Josh Rosen era appears to be over before it really started. There’s no question Murray’s a talent — his Heisman was one of a boatload of honors last season, and he was the No. 9 pick in the MLB draft in 2018 — but, can he overcome questions about his size (5-10)? Grade: B

2. San Francisco: Nick Bosa, DE (Ohio State) -- Nick Bosa missed most of his junior campaign after a core-muscle injury three games into the season , but his pass-rushing ability should help the 49ers’ anemic pass defense that only generated two interceptions in 2018. Grade: A-minus

3. New York Jets: Quinnen Williams, DT (Alabama) -- You can’t argue with the Jets’ pick, as Williams is considered by many to be the best prospect in the draft. He was a huge disruptor at the line of scrimmage for the Crimson Tide, with 18.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a sophomore. Grade: A

4. Oakland: Clelin Ferrell, DE (Clemson) -- No team was sadder at sacking the quarterback last season than the Raiders (13 sacks). So, this pick makes sense, as Ferrell racked up 11.5 last season. But, he wasn’t the best edge rusher available (Josh Allen). Grade: B-minus

5. Tampa Bay: Devin White, LB (LSU) -- New defensive coordinator’s Todd Bowles gets a strong building block in White, a sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Grade: A-minus

6. New York Giants: Daniel Jones, QB (Duke): Well, the Giants needed a quarterback to become to the heir apparent to 38-year-old Eli Manning, but Jones might be a reach with Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock still on the board. Grade: C-minus

7. Jacksonville: Josh Allen, edge (Kentucky) -- The Jaguars could pass up Allen, a fearsome pass rusher who was popular projection to go in the top 5. His 21.5 tackles for loss were second in FBS last season. Grade: A-minus

8. Detroit: T.J. Hockenson, TE (Iowa): A lot of fans will pan this pick, but tight end was a glaring hole for the Lions last season, with Luke Willson and Levine Toilolo unable to fill the void after Eric Ebron was let go. Hockenson is a strong receiver and blocker, who gives quarterback Matthew Stafford another weapon through the air. Hockenson could follow in the footsteps of fellow former Iowa standout George Kittle, who is starring in San Francisco. Grade: B

9. Buffalo: Ed Oliver, DT (Houston) -- Oliver didn’t have the final season he probably envisioned, dealing with a knee injury and at least the appearance of a spat with head coach Major Applewhite. He’ll join a defense that already ranked second in the NFL in allowing the fewest yards per game, though it was 26th in sacks, but must replace Kyle Williams (retired). Grade: B

10. Pittsburgh: Devin Bush, LB (Michigan) -- The Steelers traded up with the Broncos to bring Bush into the fold, adding a hard-hitting linebacker to their defense that lost Ryan Shazier to injury in 2017. Grade: A

11. Cincinnati: Jonah Williams, OT (Alabama) -- Williams is arguably the top offensive lineman in the draft, with the ability to play tackle or guard and the reputation as a strong pass protector. Grade: B

12. Green Bay: Rashan Gary, DE (Michigan) -- Gary was one of the stars of the NFL combine, but questions remained about his production at Michigan after arriving in Ann Arbor as the nation’s top high school recruit and a leaked Wonderlic score. Confidence isn’t an issue for Gary – he said he was the best player in the draft during the combine and his pro day – and talent isn’t, either. Realizing it will be the question. Grade: B

13. Miami: Christian Wilkins, DT (Clemson) -- Wilkins, who had 15 tackles for loss and six sacks as a senior, will bolster a defense that was in the bottom four in the NFL in sacks, and the gave up 4.8 yards per carry, second most in the NFL. Grade: B-plus

14. Atlanta: Chris Lindstrom, G (Boston College) -- Matt Ryan and the Falcons were sacked 42 times last season, so the need was there to add an offensive lineman. The 6-foot-4, 308-pound Lindstrom was a stalwart at Boston College, starting nine games as a freshman. Grade: B-plus

15. Washington: Dwayne Haskins, QB (Ohio State) -- Washington’s affinity for Haskins was circulating during the days leading up to the draft, and he fell right into its lap without the team having to trade up, thanks to the Giants selecting Daniel Jones at No. 6. Haskins was prolific passer at Ohio State, tossing 50 touchdowns last season, while also showing enough mobility to keep defenses honest. Alex Smith’s return from a gruesome leg injury is far from certain, leaving Washington Case Keenum and Colt McCoy. This is a slam-dunk pick. Grade: A

16. Carolina: Brian Burns, DE (Florida State) -- A player who was pegged as a possibility for the Lions at No. 8, Burns was sort of a late bloomer after his final season at Florida State, adding weight without sacrificing speed on the edge. Carolina was in the bottom six in the NFL in sacks, but has strong pieces on defense in defensive tackle Kawann Short and linebacker Luke Kuechly. Seems like protecting Cam Newton might have been a bigger need, though. Grade: B

17. New York Giants: Dexter Lawrence, DT (Clemson) -- Another defensive lineman from Clemson is off the board in the first round. The Giants are rebuilding their defensive line, and Lawrence is a good building block whose draft stock might have taken a hit after he missed the Tigers’ playoff games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. The Giants were tied for second to last in 2018 in sacks (30), and in the bottom 10 in most yards allowed per game. Grade: B

18. Minnesota: Garrett Bradbury, C (North Carolina State) -- The Vikings were in the bottom 10 in rushing yards per carry, and have a huge investment in quarterback Kirk Cousins, so beefing up their offensive line makes sense. Grade: B-plus

19. Tennessee: Jeffery Simmons, DT (Mississippi State) -- Simmons is a bit of risk, between a torn ACL and some character questions, but he was a force at Mississippi State with 17 tackles for loss and he oozes ability. The Titans also seem to be in need of offensive weapons, first and foremost. Grade: C

20. Denver: Noah Fant, TE (Iowa) -- The second Iowa tight end selected, Fant will fill a big need for the Broncos and new quarterback Joe Flacco, who utilized his tight ends while he was in Baltimore. Grade: B-plus

21. Green Bay: Darnell Savage, Jr., S (Maryland) -- Green Bay uses its second first-round pick to again address defense. The Packers moved up to take Savage, a late riser in NFL draft circles who had four interceptions as a senior. Grade: B

22. Philadelphia: Andre Dillard, OT (Washington State) -- Another trade in the first round, with Philadelphia moving up this time to bolster its offensive line, which has the task of keeping Carson Wentz healthy. Dillard figures to be the heir apparent to left tackle Jason Peters, who is 37, and also figured to be of interest to Houston, which picked one spot later. Grade: B-plus

23. Houston: Tytus Howard, OT (Alabama State) -- Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson spent last season running for his life, as Houston allowed a league-high 62 sacks. With Dillard gone, Houston when with a small-school standout in Howard, who might take some time making the leap to the NFL. Grade: C-plus

24. Oakland: Josh Jacobs, RB (Alabama) -- The Raiders beefed up their recievers in the offseason with the acquisitions of Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams. Now, Oakland gets a hard-nosed running back in Jacobs, who split duties in Alabama, where he averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season. Grade: A-minus

25. Baltimore: Marquise Brown, WR (Oklahoma) -- The Ravens moved up to take a much-needed weapon for quarterback Lamar Jackson. Brown is slight at 5-9, 166 pounds, but he has speed to burn. A potential home-run threat when he touches the ball. Grade: A

26. Washington: Montez Sweat, DE (Mississippi State) -- Washington could reap the rewards of Sweat’s slide. An NFL combine star, Sweat was considered by many to be a top-10 pick, but rumors of a heart issue likely sent him tumbling. Sweat’s a monster on the edge, registering 11.5 sacks last season, and was probably too good to pass up for Washington. Grade: B-plus

27. Oakland: Johnathan Abram, S (Mississippi State) -- The Raiders go back to defense with their third first-round pick, taking a ball-hawking defender in Abram (right). He led Mississippi State with 99 tackles, while also adding five pass breakups and two interceptions. Grade: B

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Jerry Tillery, DT (Notre Dame) -- The Chargers can bring pressure, and add another piece in Tillery, who had eight sacks as a senior. Grade: B

29. Seattle: L.J. Collier, DE (TCU) -- Collier could help replace Frank Clark, who was traded this week to the Kansas City Chiefs. He had 11.5 tackles for loss last season, including six sacks. Grade: B-minus

30. New York Giants: Deandre Baker, CB (Georgia) -- The Giants traded up to take arguably the top cornerback in the draft, and the top corner in college football a year ago in the Jim Thorpe Award winner. He had 10 pass breakups. Grade: A-minus

31. Atlanta: Kaleb McGary, T (Washington) -- The Falcons traded back into the first round to again try to fortify their offensive line, picking up their second lineman of the night. The 6-7, 317-pound McGary was a four-year starter for the Huskies. Grade: B