2017 NFL Power Rankings: Los Angeles Rams benefit from NFL Draft

See where the Los Angeles Rams stand in the 2017 NFL Power Rankings with the NFL Draft officially over.

With the NFL Draft officially in the books, the argument can be made the Los Angeles Rams benefitted enough to move up a few spots in the 2017 NFL Power Rankings, even if it wasn’t by much. For a team that desperately needed help in the passing game, it’s safe to say the Rams’ offense is going to show major improvement when compared to last year’s squad that only averaged 14 points per game.

After only winning four games all of last season, Los Angeles entered this year’s draft looking to provide more weapons for Jared Goff to work with, and rightfully so when seeing what the team had to surrender just to land the former California star with the top pick in 2016. A quarterback can only do so much on his own without the proper help on offense, and after seeing how the Rams made out in this year’s draft, it’s safe to say life is going to be much easier for Goff heading into his sophomore season.

Related Story: 2017 NFL Draft Grades: Los Angeles Rams

Not only did Los Angeles use their first pick of the draft in the second round on a top pass-catching tight end in Gerald Everett, but the team added two more playmakers in the later rounds with Cooper Kupp (third round) and Josh Reynolds (fourth round). Only time will tell when it comes to whether these moves will help improve the Rams’ offense, but until then, let’s see where the team currently sits in the latest NFL Power Rankings following this year’s draft.

32. Chicago Bears

Let’s be honest, nobody in a million years could have predicted the Chicago Bears would have traded up in the draft to select Mitch Trubisky at No. 2, especially since the team wasn’t in need of adding a quarterback. The fact that Chicago drafted Trubisky despite signing Mike Glennon to a hefty contract during the offseason shows why most fans were frustrated after the first round, and it will be interesting to see how this quarterback battles plays out moving forward.

The Bears can say whatever they want about Glennon being their starter at quarterback, but football fans have seen this situation plenty of times over the years in the NFL. All it takes is Trubisky to look impressive in training camp and the preseason for the rookie to be considered for the starting job heading into Week 1.

Glennon may be considered the favorite at the moment, and certainly has every reason in the world to feel betrayed by Chicago for using their first-round pick on a quarterback. For a team that only won three games all of last year, Solomon Thomas seemed like the wise pick at No. 2 once the Bears made the trade with the 49ers, not Trubisky.

31. Cleveland Browns

Who would have thought after all of the years of frustrating picks, it would be the Cleveland Browns of all teams to be one of the biggest winners of this year’s draft? Not only did the Browns land the top defensive prospect from this year in Myles Garrett, but the team ended up with two more picks in the first round, none of which ended up being a quarterback either.

For weeks, there was speculation Cleveland would consider drafting a quarterback with one of their two picks in the first round, but luckily that wasn’t the case after waiting until the second round to draft DeShone Kizer. Obviously, there’s no guarantee Kizer will develop into the type of quarterback the Browns have desperately been looking for, but at least it was a safe pick made outside of the first round.

As for the other two picks by Cleveland in the first round, it will be interesting to see the level of impact Jabrill Peppers and David Njoku can make as rookies. While Peppers should make a splash at safety for the defense, there’s a reason why the Browns were willing to trade back up into the first round at No. 29 when seeing what Njoku brings to the table as a pass-catching tight end.

30. New York Jets

After seeing the New York Jets take a major step back in 2016, give the team credit for making one of the best picks in the first round with the selection of safety Jamal Adams at No. 6. For a team in desperate need of help with improving the secondary, early indications point to Adams being the type of player that’s going to payoff for the Jets big time in the long run.

There’s a reason why Adams was considered one of the best safeties from this year’s draft, as the former LSU standout finds himself in a position to make an immediate impact with his new defense. New York may have been the laughing stock of the AFC East in 2016 after falling just shy of the playoffs the previous season, but hopefully the addition of Adams will be good enough to build the defense around.

With all due respect to the Jets, this team seems like it’s going to need at least a year or two to work with their current roster before reaching the level of contenders again. But after seeing all of the changes in the offseason, at least New York seems to be getting a fresh start after free agency and the draft.

29. San Francisco 49ers

Of all the surprises from the first round of this year’s draft, the argument can be made that nothing was more shocking than the San Francisco 49ers trading down with the Chicago Bears, and still getting the player they wanted in Solomon Thomas at No. 3. Everyone assumed the trade was made by the Bears to land the former Stanford star, but the team decided to trade up to land Mitch Trubisky instead.

For weeks, there was plenty of speculation surrounding the 49ers using the second pick on a quarterback, but the decision to go with Thomas instead was a great call by the organization. As bad as it sounds, there were plenty of concerns surrounding Trubisky due to his lack of experience as a starter, and San Francisco was better off focusing on the defense in the first round since the unit ranked near the bottom of the league in 2016.

To top off the selection of Thomas, the 49ers made out well later in the round as well after managing to land Reuben Foster later in the round at No. 31. Even if there were a few red flags surrounding the pick of Foster, to land him this late in the first round was a huge steal for San Francisco, assuming the linebacker can remain healthy.

28. Los Angeles Rams

Unlike most of the other teams in the league, the Los Angeles Rams found themselves at a disadvantage this year by not having a first-round pick, which is the last thing any team that only finished with four wins the year before can afford. The reason why the Rams went without a pick in the first round this year was from the trade with the Tennessee Titans to help land Jared Goff, but at least the team still managed to upgrade the passing game for their hopeful franchise quarterback.

Believe it or not, Los Angeles could end up with one of the biggest steals from the third round after landing Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp, as the former Eagles wideout could even make his way to being the No. 1 option at wide receiver. Seeing Kupp catch 428 passes over the last four seasons for 6,464 yards to go along with 73 touchdowns almost seems unheard of, and this selection could easily become one of those low risks with a high reward.

Of course, the one area Los Angeles could have focused on more in the draft was the offensive line since the unit will need to do a much better job at protecting Goff after last year, but the coaching staff seems confident enough in working with the current group. But most importantly, the Rams’ offense should be able to average more than 14 points per game like 2016 with the improvement in the passing game through the draft.

27. Cincinnati Bengals

Leave it to the Cincinnati Bengals to be the ones to make the controversial pick of Joe Mixon in the second round, and it will be interesting to see how the running back fits in the offense with Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. From a talent perspective, Mixon was one of the top running backs from this year’s draft class, and when looking at their history of bringing troubled players on board, this really wasn’t a surprise move by the Bengals.

Only time will tell when it comes to whether this move will payoff for Cincinnati, but at least the team was able to provide Andy Dalton with another dangerous receiver to work with in John Ross. Even if this selection seemed like a bit of a stretch when seeing all of the others players available on the board, the Bengals have plenty of reasons to be excited when thinking about the potential surrounding the duo of Ross playing alongside A.J. Green.

Cincinnati was considered one of the biggest disappointments from the 2016 season after failing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and if Marvin Lewis has any intention of keeping his job, the head coach better hope the team bounces back strong next season. Hopefully, these new rookies will live up to the hype by making an impact right away to make sure that happens for Cincinnati on offense.

26. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills entered this year’s draft looking for help at the cornerback position, and even after trading down in the first round, give the team credit for drafting former LSU standout Tre’Davious White at No. 27. And if that wasn’t already considered a huge win for the Bills, the team also lucked out by landing an extra pick in the first round of next year’s draft courtesy of the trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sure, Buffalo could have easily used the No. 10 pick to land another cornerback, but it’s tough to turn down a deal that will benefit the team in 2018 with the additional first-round pick. As for White’s impact as a rookie, there’s a reason why new head coach Sean McDermott was willing to risk trading down before acquiring the cornerback, and this seems like the type of move that will certainly benefit both parties.

As impressive as their first round was, the Bills didn’t stop there in the following round after trading up with the Los Angeles Rams to draft wide receiver Zay Jones at No. 37. For a player that was considered one of the most underrated players at his position from this year’s class, the addition of Jones was a strong move by Buffalo to provide Tyrod Taylor an effective weapon to work with in the passing game.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars

After all of the key additions made through free agency and the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars have no more excuses when it comes to being successful in 2017. Around this time last year, the Jaguars were considered to be a potential team ready to make the jump to being contenders in the AFC, but that was far from the case after only winning three games.

Flash forward to the current offseason, and the Jaguars find themselves in a similar position with Blake Bortles fighting for his future job, but at least the quarterback will have some of the pressure taken off thanks to now having Leonard Fournette in the backfield. Jacksonville has been waiting a long time for a running back like Fournette, and based off his success at LSU, this addition should work wonders for the offense.

On paper, there’s no reason why the Jaguars shouldn’t be capable of having one of the league’s most high-powered offenses when seeing all of the talented players they have to work with. But the only way that’s going to happen is if Bortles avoids the struggles he experienced last year, and prove he’s the answer for this team at quarterback for years to come.

24. Baltimore Ravens

Over the years, the Baltimore Ravens have established a reputation for having one of the league’s top defenses, and based off last season, there’s every reason in the world to believe that will be the case once again in 2017. In order to make sure that happens, the Ravens used their first four picks on defense, and in what ended up seeming like a surprise move, the team used the No. 16 pick on former Alabama star cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

Even though there were a few other players still on the board that Baltimore could have easily selected with this pick, it’s tough to pass on a talented player like Humphrey when seeing what he can bring to the table as a rookie. Between his blazing speed and ability to keep receivers in check, this selection of Humphrey seems to have all sorts of potential for a team like the Ravens.

With that being said, it came as a bit of a surprise to see Baltimore pass on numerous wide receivers since Joe Flacco clearly needs help in the passing game. They say defense wins championships, but for a team like the Ravens, the only way to overtake the Pittsburgh Steelers is to have a reliable offense as well.

23. Los Angeles Chargers

If it wasn’t for so many injuries on both sides of the football over the last two seasons, the Los Angeles Chargers would have been in much better shape, but at least the team has every reason in the world to feel confident about competing in what should be a very tough AFC West in 2017. Philip Rivers has always proven to be one of the league’s most competitive players, and when seeing the team used their first-round pick on wide receiver Mike Williams, the Chargers quarterback has to be thrilled over what could be in store for next season.

Even though Corey Davis was the first receiver taken by the Tennessee Titans, many considered Williams to be the best player at his position from this year’s class, and rightfully so when seeing the success he had last year helping lead Clemson to a national championship. For a player of with his size, it won’t be long before Williams becomes a favorite target for Rivers on offense to help Los Angeles become contenders again in the AFC.

And if the addition of Williams wasn’t already exciting enough, the Chargers may end up with one of the biggest steals of the second round after drafting Forrest Lamp at No. 38. When considering many expected to see Lamp gone by the time the second round got underway, Los Angeles is certainly thrilled to have him be part of the team heading into 2017.

22. Indianapolis Colts

Last year, the Indianapolis Colts ranked near the bottom of the league when it came to defense, and when seeing how competitive the AFC South has become in the offseason, Chuck Pagano‘s squad realizes they can’t afford to have that happen again. Pagano and the Colts are beginning to feel the pressure after missing out on the playoffs each of the last two seasons, but at least defense was the main area of focus for the team during their first three picks in the draft.

Selecting Malik Hooker at No. 15 was the right call for Indianapolis after seeing how successful he was as a leader on defense for Ohio State over the last few years. If Hooker gets healthy enough for the beginning of training camp, and picks up right where he left off with the Buckeyes, the Colts’ defense should see an immediate turnaround heading into the 2017 season.

The argument can be made that nobody expected Hooker to be available at this stage in the first round, and Indianapolis should consider themselves lucky to have the safety on board. Andrew Luck can only do so much on his own without the proper assistance from the defense, and even though it’s become a common theme over the years to select players from that side of the football, at least the Colts took advantage of this year’s class.

21. New Orleans Saints

To say this offseason has been a roller coaster ride for the New Orleans Saints would be a huge understatement when considering all of the moves this team has been through. From trading an unhappy wide receiver in Brandin Cooks to the New England Patriots to recently signing Adrian Peterson, the 2017 season could turn out to be an interesting one for the Saints.

Even if the loss of Cooks hurts for what was already a stacked offense, New Orleans should be just fine with Drew Brees under center when considering he’s coming off a 2016 season in which he threw for 5,208 yards to go along with 37 touchdowns. While Cooks deserves some credit for the success Brees had with helping the offense be one of the best in the league, it still didn’t takeaway from how poorly the defense looked throughout the entire season.

There’s only so many points an offense can score on their own if the defense isn’t going to do their job, and clearly this was the area the Saints needed to focus on in the draft. Luckily for them, one of the most talented cornerbacks from this year’s draft happened to slip out of the top 10 in Marshon Lattimore, as the former Buckeye will get an opportunity for some significant playing time as a rookie.

20. Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey was considered one of the most talented players from this year’s draft class thanks to his ability to be a deadly threat at multiple positions, and after weeks of numerous rumors, the Carolina Panthers landed the former Stanford running back. One year after representing the NFC in the Super Bowl, the Panthers ended up being one of the biggest disappointments from the 2016 season by finishing with a 6-10 record, making it clear Cam Newton desperately needed help on offense.

Just like some of the other league’s toughest quarterbacks, Newton learned the hard way last season there’s only so much he can do on his own without the proper help. Now that McCaffrey will be able to take some of the pressure off Newton in the backfield along with a reliable option in the passing game, Carolina’s offense will hopefully find a way to return to the dominant level from the 2015 season in which they ranked near the top of the league.

Along with McCaffrey, the Panthers used their second pick (No. 40 in the second round) on another speedy playmaker for the offense in Curtis Samuel. With the help of these two rookies, here’s to hoping Newton can return to MVP form in 2017 to give Carolina a fighting chance to compete in the NFC South.

19. Arizona Cardinals

Originally, the Arizona Cardinals seemed to have their eyes set on Patrick Mahomes II since the time for life without Carson Palmer will be sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, the Cardinals missed out on the former Texas Tech quarterback after the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select him at No. 10, but at least Bruce Arians and company still managed to land one of the top linebackers from this year’s class in Haason Reddick instead.

Don’t be fooled over the fact that Reddick played at a smaller school like Temple, as there’s a reason why he was expected to be a first-round pick for months. Between his blazing speed and ability to get to the quarterback, Reddick should be the type of player that ends up being a huge difference maker for Arizona’s defense, even as a rookie.

While the addition of Reddick was solid for the defense, the Cardinals also came up big for Palmer by adding another dangerous threat at wide receiver during the third round in Chad Williams. After catching 90 passes for 1,337 yards with 11 touchdowns last year at Grambling, it will be exciting to watch Williams learn from one of the best to ever play the game in Larry Fitzgerald.

18. Washington Redskins

At this time last offseason, the Washington Redskins were considered one of the teams that seemed capable of making a deep run in the NFC thanks to a strong offense led by Kirk Cousins. With the departures of DeSean Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Pierre Garcon (San Francisco 49ers), nobody really knows what to truly expect from this team during the 2017 season.

Sure, the addition of Terrelle Pryor will still be better than nothing for Cousins to work with on offense, but it’s certainly not going to be the same without Jackson and Garcon. Not to mention, the Redskins will be facing plenty of pressure to succeed since there’s the risk of Cousins bolting in free agency next offseason after the quarterback has indicated his frustrations with the team on numerous occasions over not receiving a long-term deal.

As for the NFL Draft, at least Washington was fortunate to see Jonathan Allen slip all the way to No. 17 since many expected him to be off the board much earlier in the first round. Only time will tell, but this selection of Allen by the Redskins could turn out to be one of the biggest steals from the first round.

17. Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings made a tough decision this offseason by parting ways with Adrian Peterson, but in the long run, this seems like the best move when looking at how much money the team will be saving for the 2017 season. As Peterson’s replacement, the Vikings brought former Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray on board, but the team didn’t stop there after making another key addition in the draft.

That key addition happened to be Dalvin Cook, who ended up slipping into the second round at No. 41 after numerous teams in need of help at running back decided to pass on the former Florida State star due to some majority issues. Even if there are still some concerns surrounding Cook, Minnesota seems to be in much better position in the backfield then last year when Peterson was dealing sidelined for just about the entire season.

Thanks to the deal made last year to bring Sam Bradford on board, the Vikings were at a bit of a disadvantage this draft since they were forced to go the entire first round with a pick. But from a talent perspective, Minnesota seems to have what it takes to bounce back as contenders in the NFC North, as long as they can stay healthy on both sides of the football.

16. Miami Dolphins

Last year, the Miami Dolphins became one of the biggest surprises in the AFC after finding a way to earn one of the Wild Card spots in the playoffs, despite a 1-4 start to the season. While the argument can be made the team would have performed better in the playoffs with a healthy Ryan Tannehill, the good news is last year’s playoff appearance gives the Dolphins all of the confidence in the world heading into the 2017 season.

Of course, if Miami truly wants to compete for the AFC East title, the defense will need to figure out a way to contain Tom Brady and the stacked offense of the New England Patriots, which is no easy task. There’s a reason why the Dolphins focused on the defensive side of the football with their first three picks, including Charles Harris in the first round.

Based off his accomplishments at Missouri in which he recorded 16 sacks to go along with 30.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons, Harris has the potential to be a solid addition for Miami on defense. Taking down the Patriots is never an easy task, but the Dolphins seem up for the challenge to build off last year’s success.

15. Philadelphia Eagles

When it came to the Philadelphia Eagles entering the NFL Draft, nobody really knew what to expect from the team early on since they could have gone a number of directions on both sides of the football to fill numerous needs. Eagles fans seem to have mixed feelings towards the team’s first-round pick in Derek Barnett, but when it comes to his ability to stopping the run, this could turn out to be a great addition for the defense.

As for the other team needs, Philadelphia hopes the selection of Sidney Jones in the second round turns out to be one of the biggest steals of the draft when considering he most likely would have been a first rounder if it wasn’t for that devastating Achilles tendon tear at his pro day in March. Assuming all goes well with the recovery process, Jones should be able to return to his old dominant self, and as Pro Football Focus pointed out, it should be noted that he didn’t allow a single touchdown in coverage during the 2016 season.

The Eagles were considered one of the winners during free agency thanks to landing arguably the top receiver available in Alshon Jeffery to provide Carson Wentz with a reliable weapon in the passing game. Between this and the additions of two receivers from the draft in Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson, year two should be much smoother for Wentz running the offense.

14. Detroit Lions

Instead of struggling in their first season without Calvin Johnson on offense, the Detroit Lions turned out to be one of the biggest surprises from the 2016 season by earning one of the Wild Card spots in the NFC playoffs. Of course, the Lions can only blame themselves for missing out on the division title after losing their final three games of the regular season after holding a comfortable lead over the Green Bay Packers, but at least they should contend for the NFC North once again.

Throughout his career, Matthew Stafford has always been the type of quarterback who makes the players around him better, and the Lions hope that turns out to be the case with third-round pick Kenny Golladay. Seeing the former Northern Illinois star catch 160 passes for 2,285 yards with 18 touchdowns in two seasons with the Huskies shows the type of impact he could make right away for Detroit’s passing game, but that wasn’t even their best selection.

With the 21st pick in the first round, the Lions selected linebacker Jarrad Davis out of Florida, and even though there was some concern over his ankle, this was a solid addition to the defense. Detroit realizes the only way of coming out on top of the NFC North is finding a way to take the high-powered offense of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, so it was wise to focus on defense right away in the draft.

13. Denver Broncos

Many believed the Denver Broncos would address their need at offensive line in the first round of this year’s draft, and even though he’s going to be 25 when the regular season officially begins, Garett Bolles was the kind of pick they were hoping for. There may have been some concerns surrounding Bolles prior to the draft, but the Broncos seemed confident enough in the once Utah star to use their first-round pick on.

One year after winning the Super Bowl, Denver was considered one of the early favorites to repeat, and despite an impressive start, the team fell apart in the second half of the season by losing four of their final six games before falling just short of a playoff spot in the AFC. Even with all of the changes to the coaching staff, the Broncos should have one of the top defensive units once again, but the true difference maker is going to come down to the performance of the offense.

Improving the offensive line with someone like Bolles should work out well for Denver, but it’s up to Trevor Siemian to prove he’s the right answer for this team at quarterback. Now that he’s got a year of experience under his belt, there are no more excuses for the third-year quarterback.

12. Tennessee Titans

When the Tennessee Titans agreed to trading the top overall pick in last year’s draft to the Los Angeles Rams, they never could have imagined it would land them a high pick like No. 5 in the first round, but it did. To see the Titans earn the fifth overall pick along with their selection at No. 18 after falling just shy of winning the division a year ago, this is one of those teams to keep an eye on heading into next year when it comes to strong new contenders.

One of the top priorities for Tennessee heading into the draft was to find more weapons for Marcus Mariota to work with, and even though it seemed like a stretch at No. 5 when looking at all of the other available players, there’s a ton of potential surrounding Corey Davis. The former Western Michigan standout was considered one of the top players at wide receivers in this year’s class, but early signs made it seem like he would fall to the middle of the first round once Mike Williams was taken.

Assuming all goes well with Mariota and Davis developing the necessary chemistry for success on offense, the Titans can’t wait to see what this potential duo can accomplish during their first season together in 2017. And as far as there other pick in the first round, it was good to see Tennessee split it up by focusing on the defensive side of the football at No. 18 with Adoree’ Jackson to fill a need at cornerback.

11. Seattle Seahawks

At the moment, the Seattle Seahawks seem like the early favorites to win the NFC West after taking home the title last year, but hopefully this time around there will be a much healthier Russell Wilson at quarterback. Offensive line was a major need for the Seahawks entering the draft, and after using their first pick on addressing the defense with Malik McDowell, the team is excited to see what kind of production Ethan Pocic can make as a rookie.

The fact that Pocic was able to play multiple positions during his time at LSU was one of many reasons why he was such an attractive option for Seattle in the third round, and hopefully the results will turn out much better than in previous drafts. Last year was the perfect example of how much the Seahawks truly struggled with the offensive line, and hopefully the presence of Pocic provides better protection for Wilson along with improving the ground game.

Seattle may have won the division title in 2016, but it was clear they are far from the dominant team from year’s past. Even if that was the case, the Seahawks still have the talent on both sides of the football to compete for being one of the top teams in the NFC once again.

10. Houston Texans

It’s still amazing to think how the Houston Texans were able to convince the Cleveland Browns to agree to a trade for Brock Osweiler after providing the quarterback with one of the most ridiculous contracts from last offseason. Osweiler was brought on board to help the Texans reach the next level on offense, and unfortunately for them, any other quarterback under center would have given the team a much better chance of defeating the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

Now that Osweiler is officially out of the picture, Houston was one of numerous teams expected to make a run at a quarterback in the first round, and apparently they didn’t want to risk missing out on Deshaun Watson after trading up with the Cleveland Browns. There was plenty of debate surrounding Watson, and whether he was worthy of a first-round pick, but the former Clemson star quarterback should give Tom Savage a run for his money when it comes to the starting job.

Turnovers may have been an issue for Watson during his final two seasons with the Tigers, but luckily the Texans have surrounded the offense with enough weapons to be successful. But first, it’s up to Watson to prove he deserves to be the starter as a rookie, and beat Savage out for the job over the next few months.

9. Kansas City Chiefs

In what turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the first round, the Kansas City Chiefs started the preparation for life without Alex Smith by trading up to select Patrick Mahomes II at No. 10. Clearly, Smith isn’t getting any younger, and hopefully Mahomes will benefit from the veteran quarterback by learning what it takes to be successful in the NFL.

This year’s draft was filled with plenty of teams in need of help at the quarterback position, and give the Chiefs credit for being smart enough to realize Mahomes most likely wouldn’t have been there later in the first round. Even though some teams throw rookies into the starting role right away, it’s also become a common theme to see some quarterbacks spend a year or two developing before making the jump to being a starter.

As for one of Kansas City’s other needs, it will be interesting to see how effective Kareem Hunt can be as a rookie since his skills as a receiver made him an intriguing pick for the third round. Not having Jamaal Charles is going to take some time to get used to, but hopefully Hunt can help fill that gap left at running back.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were considered one of the big winners of free agency thanks to landing one of the league’s top deep threats in DeSean Jackson, and the team didn’t stop there after adding another dangerous weapon in the NFL Draft. As if the presence of Jackson and Mike Evans wasn’t already good enough for Jameis Winston, the Buccaneers’ passing game landed one of the top tight end’s from this year’s class in O.J. Howard.

The former Alabama star is exactly what teams dream of having in a tight end since he’s not only effective as a pass-catcher, but blocking as well. To use a first-round pick on a player that can make an impact on all areas of offense was a wise move by Tampa Bay, and will make the offense even more dangerous than originally expected.

For a team that fell just shy of reaching the playoffs in 2016 after finishing with a 9-7 record, the Buccaneers were already considered one of the teams expected to make the jump in the NFC when it comes to becoming strong contenders. After a successful free agency period and draft, all signs point to Tampa Bay living up to the hype.

7. Oakland Raiders

First off, as if making the playoffs last year wasn’t already exciting enough for the Oakland Raiders, fan cannot wait to see Marshawn Lynch suit up in the black and silver after spending last year in retirement. Assuming Lynch can return to his old dominant self, the running back’s presence in the backfield will help take some of the pressure off Derek Carr under center to help make sure this team is strong contenders once again in 2017.

As for this year’s draft, it will be interesting to see how the next few months play out after Oakland decided to take a gamble on Gareon Conley late in the first round. The former Ohio State cornerback watched his draft stock take a major hit after being investigated for rape prior to the draft, but the Raiders claim they did the necessary homework on Conley to see his side of the story, and believe this could turn out to be a huge steal for the first round.

Without the current investigation, there’s no question Conley would have been selected much earlier in the first round since he was considered one of the top cornerbacks from this  year’s draft class. But until the investigation is officially complete, it’s tough to determine what to make of this pick by Oakland.

6. Green Bay Packers

Kevin King knew it would only be a matter of time before his named was called in the 2107 NFL Draft, and the Green Bay Packers realize how lucky they are to see the former Washington standout fall into the second round. For a player that was considered one of the best at his position from this year’s draft class, King finds himself in position to make an immediate impact on a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in 2016 when it came to passing defense.

As long as Aaron Rodgers remains healthy, the Packers’ offense is always going to be considered one of the best in the league. But despite how impressive Rodgers looked in the second half of last season all the way up until the NFC Championship against the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay can’t afford to see their quarterback carry the team on his shoulders the way he did without the proper support.

The best chance of the Packers taking down another high-powered offense in the NFC like the Atlanta Falcons or the Dallas Cowboys could come down to the performance of the defense. Not many rookies find themselves in position to play a big role right away for a strong contender, but that’s exactly going to be the case for King during his first season in Green Bay.

5. Dallas Cowboys

Last season, the Dallas Cowboys were arguably one of the biggest winners of the NFL Draft thanks to landing Ezekiel Elliott early on in the first round before finding their quarterback of the future in Dak Prescott, who replaced Tony Romo, in the later rounds. Watching two rookies lead a team like the Cowboys to a 13-3 record during the regular season almost seemed impossible, but seeing Elliott and Prescott shine this early in their careers sets the bar extremely high for what looks like bright futures for these two superstars.

Leading up to the draft, it was clear Dallas needed to focus on the defensive side of the football, and while there was some concern over Jerry Jones finding a way to mess this up, give him credit for landing a solid value pick late in the first round in Taco Charlton. For a player who recorded 22 sacks over his final two seasons at Michigan, Charlton finds himself with an opportunity to make a splash right away with the Cowboys’ defense.

What was even more impressive to see by Dallas was the fact they used their first three draft picks to focus on improving the defense with the selections of two cornerbacks in Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis. The Cowboys may be the defending champions in the NFC East, but when seeing all the rest of the offenses in the division are stacking up, at least they realized the importance of improving the defense in the draft.

4. New York Giants

One of the biggest questions surrounding the New York Giants heading into this year’s draft was whether the team would consider using one of their picks on a potential quarterback of the future. At some point, the Giants will need to figure out some sort of game plan for life without Eli Manning, and even though that time may still be a few years from now, at least the organization was able to grab a solid investment in Davis Webb.

Believe it or not, there are some scouts who believe Webb was just as good as the quarterback he replaced at California in Jared Goff, which only time will tell. While Goff still has plenty to prove after struggling to produce in a weak offense of the Los Angeles Rams, at least Webb will have much better weapons to work with thanks to bright futures surrounding Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard.

Not to mention, New York was able to snag one of the draft’s top pass-catching tight ends in Evan Engram from Ole Miss. The receiving corps of the Giants was already dangerous enough with the addition of Brandon Marshall in free agency, and throw Engram into the mix, all signs point to a monster season from Manning in 2017.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

After seeing how effective his brother has been over the years with the Houston Texans, the Pittsburgh Steelers have to be thrilled over the late first-round selection of T.J. Watt to provide their defense with an effective pass rusher. Only time will tell when it comes to whether he’ll end up being better than his older brother, but at least Watt’s work ethic will make the Steelers feel confident about what the future holds for the former Wisconsin star.

As for the other side of the football, Pittsburgh was able to land another receiver for Ben Roethlisberger to work with in JuJu Smith-Schuster after the wideout was available late in the second round at No. 62. For a player that caught 20 touchdowns during his final two seasons at USC, Smith-Schuster finds himself in a great position as a rookie to potentially see more passes thrown his way with defenders focusing most of their attention on the whereabouts of Antonio Brown.

The Steelers were already considered one of the favorites to give the New England Patriots a run for their money in the AFC after falling just shy of the Super Bowl last year, and as long as Big Ben remains healthy, chances are they’ll have another shot for redemption. Not to mention, Pittsburgh may be feeling a little extra motivated in 2017 since it’s only a matter of time before their beloved quarterback decides to call it a career.

2. Atlanta Falcons

As bad as it sounds, the only way the Atlanta Falcons will truly overcome what happened against the New England Patriots last February is if they find a way to win the Super Bowl next season. On paper, there’s every reason in the world to believe the Falcons are talented enough to make another appearance thanks to having one of the league’s top offenses led by Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, but the defense is going to be the difference maker.

Prior to their collapse in the Super Bowl, Atlanta’s defense actually put together some impressive performance in the playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, as the young unit seemed to have a bright future. But at the same time, it was the young and inexperienced defense of the Falcons that looked gassed when it matters the most against the Patriots, which is why Dan Quinn focused on defense with the team’s first two picks.

Trading up to land former UCLA star edge rusher Takkarist McKinley was a genius move by Atlanta, and based off his reaction from the draft, he’s certainly thrilled to be part of the organization. Assuming McKinley brings that same energy to the football field, the Falcons’ defense should be in much better shape than a year ago, and they’re certainly going to need it for playing in what should turn out to be a very competitive NFC South.

1. New England Patriots

After arguably pulling off the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, the New England Patriots found new ways to improve on both sides of the football during the offseason thanks to the additions of key players such as Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. At the moment, it’s hard to argue against any other team being the favorites to win the Super Bowl other than the Patriots, and one can only imagine how difficult it’s going to be for opponents to take down the defending champions.

The fact that New England was able to last until the third round before making their first pick in this year’s draft shows how busy the team has been with trades and what not. Still, even if they are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Patriots knew they could still use the extra help at defensive end, and when their turn finally came up in the third round, Derek Rivers was available at No. 83.

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Just like some of the other rookies from this year’s draft class, Rivers playing at a smaller school in Youngstown State shouldn’t have an impact on him making the jump to the NFL. If anything, New England should be happy over the fact they were able to draft Rivers at this point in the third round to give them an amazing player when it comes to getting to the quarterback.