2013 NFL Draft grades: Reviewing the first 3 rounds

What exactly is the basis of NFL Draft grades immediately after the picks are made? It's not always an exercise to predict the future. Instead, the grades are based more on scheme fit and player value relative to their expected draft position.

More: Live day three coverage Best available players Recapping Day 2 #NFL

The grades that were assigned in the first round were rolled into the grades for all three rounds following Day 2 of the 2013 NFL Draft.

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State

Robert Woods, WR, Southern Cal

Kiko Alonso, MLB, Oregon

Marquise Goodwin, WR, Texas

The Bills did what they needed to do, adding wide receivers for new quarterback EJ Manuel. Woods was a great choice. He's a dependable pass catcher. The third round was a little early for Goodwin, but the Bills probably think he can do the same things as Tavon Austin. Pick 46 overall was about 50 picks too soon for Alonso, though maybe I'm still high on Kelvin Sheppard.

Grade: C+

Miami Dolphins

Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon

Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State

Dallas Thomas, OT/G, Tennessee

Will Davis, CB, Utah State

The trade for Jordan was sound, though it has some risk. But the Dolphins followed it up nicely. Doubling up on cornerbacks was a good move. Taylor was considered by many as a first-round pick. Getting him 54th overall is a steal. Thomas is an injury risk player, but at Tennessee he was a power blocker when healthy.

Grade: B+

New England Patriots

Jamie Collins, LB, Southern Mississippi

Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall

Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers

Duron Harmon, S, Rutgers

Collins, Dobson and Ryan and are among my three favorite players in the draft. Where the Patriots picked each is about the right location. Bill Belichick is going to love Collins. He's a marvel of an athlete capable of dropping in coverage or blitzing. The questionable choice is Harmon. He was on no one's board.

Grade: B+

New York Jets

Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri

Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

Brian Winters, G, Kent State

The Milliner pick was good, but the Richardson pick was questionable. But to get to the quarterback of the future in the second round was a good move by the Jets. If they can just add pieces around him, this grade can only go up. Winters was a good choice. he'll fit perfectly next to Nick Mangold.

Grade: B-

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

Matt Elam, S, Florida

Arthur Brown, MLB, Kansas State

Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern

Ozzie Newsome beats everyone again. The Elam pick in the first round was solid. The trade up to get Brown in the second round was spectacular. He's more Dannell Ellerbe than Ray Lewis, but he may be even better than the new Dolphin. Williams is a little strange. Most predict him to shift to offense.

Grade: B+

Cincinnati Bengals

Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

Shawn Williams, S, Georgia

The choice of Eifert remains a good one because of how he can change the offense and be a dependable target for Andy Dalton. At one point Bernard was considered the top running back in the draft, so he's a fine pickup as well. With Hunt, he may only be a factor on special teams early in his career, and the same goes for Williams.

Grade: B

Cleveland Browns

Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU

Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State

Mingo was a good high-upside choice in the first round, a good gamble for a team unlikely to make the playoffs this season. The Browns absolutely needed to take a cornerback in the third round. Whether or not McFadden can beat out Buster Skrine, though, is a little shaky. McFadden has a lot of experience, though, so he shouldn't need a lot of fine tuning before breaking into the lineup.

Grade: B

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State

Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State

Jarvis Jones remains one of the steals of the entire draft. Bell likely got the nod for Pittsburgh because he's a better blocker than most running backs. His playing style fits how the Steelers run the ball. The same can be said for Wheaton in the pass game. He should be one of the top rookie wide receivers this season because he can stretch the field vertically.

Grade: A+

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

D.J. Swearinger, S, South Carolina

Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina

Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

The Texans have really cleaned up in the draft this year. Hopkins and Swearinger are rookie starters. The thought of the hard hitting Swearinger next to Ed Reed in the secondary is exciting. If Williams and Montgomery can be brought along to be what most expected last September, look out.

Grade: A

Indianapolis Colts

Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

Hugh Thornton, G, Illinois

I still don't see Werner being a great fit for the Colts, even if they do run a hybrid system. He is best suited to be a left end in a 4-3. The pick of Thornton is fine, but nothing special.

Grade: C-

Jacksonville Jaguars

Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International

Dwayne Gratz, CB, Connecticut

Joeckel was our top-rated player in the draft this year, and if the Jaguars were adamant on getting a tackle, he is the best choice. The pick of Cyprien was better than trading around. He could arguably be the best player on the defense right away. Gratz is the type of big physical corner that is a perfect fit for Gus Bradley's defense.

Grade: B+

Tennessee Titans

Chance Warmack, G, Alabama

Justin Hunter, TE, Tennessee

Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut

Zaviar Gooden, LB, Missouri

The Titans are another team in the AFC South putting together a stellar class. Warmack is the best guard in the draft this year, despite what Jonathan Cooper's draft placement leads you to believe. Hunter is a big-impact wide out who could develop into a No. 1. The same can be said for Wreh-Wilson as a corner. Gooden, paired with Zach Brown, gives Tennessee maybe the fastest duo of linebackers in the NFL.

Grade: A-

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina

Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin

Kayvon Webster, CB, South Florida

The Broncos still need a pass rusher. Alex Okafor has been available – maybe justly – but he's the type of pass rusher Denver needs. Ball is going to have to compete for carries with Willis McGahee and Ronnie Hillman. He could just as easily be a 1,000-yard rusher as a bench warmer if he can't stand out.

Grade: C+

Kansas City Chiefs

Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati

Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas

The Fisher pick deserves high marks. But without having a second-round pick, there's not much else to be excited about. Kelce is a sound player. Davis is the real head-scratcher. There were many who thought he may go undrafted.

Grade: B-

Oakland Raiders

D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston

Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State

Sio Moore, OLB, Oakland

It's bizarre the Raiders would go through three rounds of the draft without picking a defensive lineman or two. Pat Sims and Vance Walker make for good backups, but not starters. In picking Menelik Watson, a project right tackle, they skipped out on Johnathan Hankins. Taking Moore in the third meant they missed on John Jenkins or Jordan Hill. Hayden continues to be the team's best choice.

Grade: C-

San Diego Chargers

D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama

Manti Te'o, MLB, Notre Dame

Keenan Allen, WR, California

Manti Te'o is a good fit for San Diego. He fills a need and what he'll be asked to do isn't too complex. In trading up in the second round, the Chargers decided against finding a left tackle like Terron Armstead. While it would have been two offensive tackles in a row, San Diego needs more protection for Philip Rivers. Fluker was a nice fall back in the first round, but he's exclusively a right tackle. Allen was a great value in the third round. He'll push Vincent Brown out pretty quickly.

Grade: B-

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin

Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State

Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor

J.J. Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern

After the questionable trade back and selection of Frederick in the first round, the Cowboys made some nice moves in the second and third. Escobar and Williams will give Dallas a nice infusion of help in the pass game. Escobar isn't much of a blocker, but he can play split out wide and attack the middle of the field. Williams is at his best on vertical routes – he's somewhat comparable to Josh Gordon of the Browns. Wilcox is still learning the safety position but has the physical gifts to become a starter.

Grade: C+

New York Giants

Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse

Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M

To this point, general manager Jerry Reese has built quite the boom or bust draft class. Boom and it reaffirms why he's one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL. Bust and people will begin to wonder. Moore was at one time a top ten. But word has come out about some character issues and his workout numbers were just awful. Hankins is a nice choice, but the team will have to stay on him to keep his weight in check. Hankins and Moore are the kind of players that could help lead New York back to a Super Bowl or push Tom Coughlin to retirement.

Grade: B

Philadelphia Eagles

Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford

Bennie Logan, DT, LSU

Although Johnson doesn't actually fight black bears, he's still a good fit for Chip Kelly's offense. Speaking of that offense, the thought of Zach Ertz on the field with James Casey is scary. Logan is an underrated defensive tackle. All solid to good choices by the Eagles.

Grade: B+

Washington Redskins

David Amerson, CB, North Carolina State

Jordan Reed, TE, Florida

If Amerson can bounce back and play like he did in 2011, look out. He has the type of uncoachable size and speed to be a star. That is, if he can play with better discipline. Reed is among the best joker tight ends in the draft this year. He plays faster than he times.

Grade: B-

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Kyle Long, G, Oregon

Jon Bostic, LB, Florida

The Bears still needed offensive line help, so Long surely gives them that. Long has perhaps the most potential of any player in the draft this year. That's the only reason this grade is so high. Bostic is a good player, but he has a tall task in playing linebacker in Chicago.

Grade: B-

Detroit Lions

Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State

Larry Warford, G, Kentucky

If you judge the success of a draft class by how many starters get drafted out of it, the Lions are three for three. Ansah is a project, but a good one. Slay is a corner with good size and solid instincts and ball skills. Warford is a power blocking guard who was expected to be a top-50 pick. Getting him at 65 is solid.

Grade: A-

Green Bay Packers

Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama

Most thought the Packers would trade out of the first round. But snagging Jones, a good pass rusher that can play end in a 3-4 defense, is a good fit. Lacy was mocked by me multiple times, just in the first round. If his toe injury isn't serious, the Packers may have found a new starting running back.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

(This is the same write-up from the Day 1 grades)

This is quite the haul for the Vikings. Getting three starters in one draft is great. Getting three starters in the first round is amazing. For the Vikings to get Floyd 23rd overall has to be considered the biggest steal of the first round. Many considered Floyd to go in the top five to the Raiders. Then he dropped and dropped allowing the Vikings to get the defensive tackle their aging defense needs.

If the Vikings want to use their cornerbacks like the Seattle Seahawks do, Xavier Rhodes is a perfect fit. He excels in press coverage and has optimal size and athletic ability. If he can learn better off-man technique, he could quickly develop into a very good cornerback.

The Vikings giving up four picks to trade back into the first round would have been dumb to get Manti Te'o. To get Cordarrelle Patterson is nice, but a gamble. There are some character concerns with Patterson, but he should at the least be a factor on special teams immediately.

Grade: A-

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana

Doubling down on a position can often be a wise move. But the Falcons passed on several very good defensive ends to take Alford.

Grade: B

Carolina Panthers

Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

Kawann Short, DT, Purdue

This is an example of doubling up on the same position in two-consecutive picks where it makes sense. The Panthers had poor tackle play and now it'll be among the strengths of the team.

Grade: A+

New Orleans Saints

Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas

Terron Armsttead, OT, Arkansas Pine-Bluff

John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

Vaccaro may not be the front seven piece most expected the Saints to pick, but he's a good choice. He's a top coverage safety and will push Roman Harper and Malcolm Jenkins. When the Saints lost Jermon Bushrod in free agency, they had an immediate need at left tackle. Armstead is a raw player who will have to develop, but that's nothing to New Orleans. Jenkins is the perfect choice in the third round as the team moves to a 3-4.

Grade: A-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina State

Banks is a nice pickup in the second round. He has size and can excel in zone situations. Glennon is insurance if Josh Freeman isn't re-signed. The tall signal caller can do many of the same things Freeman can.

Grade: B+

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina

Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

Because a top-100 pick was used on him, Tyrann Mathieu is the riskiest pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Hit, and the Cardinals can have a disruptive free safety. Miss, and it's a wasted pick and it could negatively affect budding star corner Patrick Peterson. Minter is a good tackler but not much of an athlete. Cooper was still a good choice at seven. The Cardinals really need to find an offensive tackle and outside linebacker at some point in this draft.

Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

Eric Reid, S, LSU

Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State

Vance McDonald, TE, Rice

Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn

The 49ers have been aggressive as expected. Moving all over the draft board, the 49ers have managed to find talented players that can figure in despite the talent on the roster. McDonald is a perfect Delanie Walker replacement. The pass rushers will only make someone like Aldon Smith better. Add to it the addition of a 2014 third rounder from Tennessee and the 49ers are doing everything just about right.

Grade: B+

St. Louis Rams

Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

Alec Ogletree, MLB, Georgia

T.J. McDonald, S, Southern Cal

Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

Off the top of my head, I can't recall the last time a team took two wide receivers from the same college in one year. (Edit: it was the Vikings and two Arkansas receivers just last year!) With Austin and Bailey, and the free agent help, everything is on Sam Bradford. The McDonald pick fits a need, but it was a little early for him. The Rams still need a running back.

Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks

Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M

Jordan Hill, DT, Penn State

If Michael pans out, he has a chance to be very good. He was arguably the most physically gifted running back in the draft. He just has to get on the field and be able to stay there. Hill is an underrated defensive lineman. He took over a couple games last season.

Grade: A-