NFC North Round-Up: 2023 Draft Grades for Each Team

The Vikings Turned Down a Trade
Mar 1, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.

If we’re being honest, the grades for all these drafts are TBD. There’s no way to tell for certain whether or not prospects will pan out. That being said, we’re grading the drafts anyway based on what these prospects could bring to the NFL level as well as the value that teams got when drafting them. Here are all of the NFC North 2023 Draft grades.

Chicago Bears: B

Syndication: USA TODAY
10. Chicago Bears – Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Syndication Usa Today

Chicago’s Draft Picks

  • R1, P10: OT Darnell Wright
  • R2, P53: DT Gervon Dexter
  • R2, P56: CB Tyrique Stevenson
  • R3, P64: DT Zacch Pickens
  • R4, P115: RB Roschon Johnson
  • R4, P133: WR Tyler Scott
  • R5, P148: LB Noah Sewell
  • R5, P165: CB Terell Smith
  • R7, P218: DT Travis Bell
  • R7, P258: S Kendall Williamson

Best Pick: WR Tyler Scott

Tyler Scott is a prospect that very easily could have gone in the second day if there hadn’t been such an emphasis on tight ends rather than receivers. He is a burner out of the slot, and his ability to create plays when he gets the ball in his hands should open up loads of options for the Bears offense.

Worst Pick: DT Gervon Dexter

Gervon Dexter in the second round is a bit rich for my taste, particularly considering they also grabbed Zacch Pickens early in the third round. The Bears certainly needed to solidify the interior of their defensive line, but it seems like they could have gone about it in a more efficient manner.

Detroit Lions: C+

Nov 26, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs (1) runs the ball for a touchdown against Auburn Tigers safety Zion Puckett (10) and cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (18) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama won 49-27. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit’s Draft Picks

  • R1, P12: RB Jahmyr Gibbs
  • R1, P18: LB Jack Campbell
  • R2, P34: TE Sam LaPorta
  • R2, P45: S Brian Branch
  • R3, P68: QB Hendon Hooker
  • R3, P96: DT Brodric Martin
  • R5, P152: OT Coby Sorsdal

Best Pick: S Brian Branch

The Lions made a couple interesting decisions with their first three selections, but they absolutely nailed this pick at No. 45 overall. Brian Branch has been highly touted on this website as a terrific defensive back that can play multiple positions on a defense. With so many teams playing three wide receiver sets, a consistent slot corner is vital to compete in the NFL. Branch will give opposing offenses headaches in that role.

Worst Pick: LB Jack Campbell

Jack Campbell as a player is a fine selection, but I just believe the Lions could have gotten him at 34 or maybe even 45. He isn’t a player that is going to do well in pass coverage, either, and if they were going to take a linebacker, a player with that skillset would have made much more sense here.

Considering some needs in the secondary for a top-tier corner as well, they could have grabbed either Deonte Banks or Joey Porter Jr. here and come out of this draft with a truly fearsome secondary.

Green Bay Packers: A

Vikings Draft Thermometer: EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Oct 29, 2022; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness (91) reacts against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay’s Draft Picks

  • R1, P13: EDGE Lukas Van Ness
  • R2, P42: TE Luke Musgrave
  • R2, P50: WR Jayden Reed
  • R3, P78: TE Tucker Kraft
  • R4, P116: EDGE Colby Wooden
  • R5, P149: QB Sean Clifford
  • R5, P159: WR Dontayvion Wicks
  • R6, P179: DT Karl Brooks
  • R6, P207: K Anders Carlson
  • R7, P232: CB Carrington Valentine

Best Pick: TE Tucker Kraft

The Packers drafted two tight ends in the top 100, but that is because they absolutely love playing two tight ends together that can be threats as pass-catchers. Kraft may immediately be better in that role than Luke Musgrave, who they picked 36 selections before him, but regardless, Green Bay’s offense looks much more dangerous now than it did prior to the draft.

Worst Pick: QB Sean Clifford

Sean Clifford isn’t an NFL QB, simple as that. It wouldn’t have been surprising to see him go undrafted, and with Jaren Hall still available, Green Bay could have done much better with this selection. Ultimately, though, it’s a fifth-round QB, so it doesn’t change much in the grand scheme of things.

Minnesota Vikings: B

Vikings Select WR Jordan Addison
Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) runs away from Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back D.J. Taylor (3) for a first down in the first half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota’s Draft Picks

  • R1, P23: WR Jordan Addison
  • R3, P102: CB Mekhi Blackmon
  • R4, P134: DB Jay Ward
  • R5, P141: DT Jaquelin Roy
  • R5, P164: QB Jaren Hall
  • R7, P222: RB DeWayne McBride

Best Pick: DB Jay Ward

Jay Ward is as versatile a defensive back as you can find in this draft class, and that’s good news for the Vikings because they came into this draft with needs all over their secondary. The LSU product brings intensity to the field with every snap, but the only question is whether or not he has the frame at 188 pounds to back the intensity up.

Worst Pick: RB DeWayne McBride

At the end of the day, it’s a seventh-round pick, so this is very nit-picky. However, the Vikings roster is chock-full of running backs right now, so this was not any type of need. McBride was very productive at UAB, but he was very one-dimensional as a player as well.

Additionally, Andrew Vorhees was still on the board here at 222, and while he probably won’t take snaps in 2023, he can play any position on the offensive line when healthy. With question marks on the Vikings offensive line heading into 2024, Vorhees could have been a great security blanket.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.

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