2025 NFL Draft Grades: AFC WeST
By Julian Cordova
The 2025 NFL Draft saw an influx of talent into the AFC West. This article assesses the draft classes of the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Chargers, diving into their key selections, evaluating the potential impact of their picks, and assigning grades to each team.
Denver Broncos
1(20) – Jahdae Barron | CB, Texas
2 (60) – RJ Harvey | RB, UCF
3 (74) – Pat Bryant | WR, Illinois
3 (101) – Sai’vion Jones | IDL, LSU
4 (134) – Que Robinson | EDGE, Alabama
6 (216) – Jeremy Crawshaw | P, Florida
7 (241) – Caleb Lohner | TE, Utah
Grade: B-
Denver’s draft strategy under George Paton continues to prioritize scheme fit, even if some selections are perceived as reaches. Barron was a surprise, but his versatility as an outside or slot cornerback is a significant asset. Harvey wasn’t the running back I expected them to take, but he should be an immediate starter.
Pat Bryant was taken a little earlier than I’d have been comfortable with given his lack of burst and elite route running, but he offers reliable hands and a solid NFL-ready build. Sai’vion Jones could step into the role of the disgruntled John Franklin-Myers – though replicating his production might be a challenge – and Que Robinson adds further depth to a young but deep edge group.
The addition of Australian punter Crawshaw is exciting, as his leg strength should be amplified at Denver’s altitude. The final draftee, Lohner, is an intriguing former Utah basketball player. Denver also continued its tradition of strong UDFA signings, bringing in players like Jacksonville St IOL Clay Webb and Missouri EDGE Johnny Walker. Overall, this feels like another solid draft for the Broncos under the Paton regime.
Kansas City Chiefs
1 (31) – Josh Simmons | T, Ohio State
2 (63) – Omarr Norman-Lott | IDL, Tennessee
3 (66) – Ashton Gillotte | EDGE, Louisville
3 (85) – Nohl Williams | CB, California
4 (133) – Jalen Royals | WR, Utah State
5 (156) – Jeffrey Bassa | LB, Oregon
7 (228) – Brashard Smith | RB, SMU
Grade: A
While the potential for a true superstar from this Chiefs draft class might be debated, there’s a strong chance they’ve found solid contributors with all seven selections. Simmons should immediately address a significant need at tackle. Omarr Norman-Lott is a player to watch, and Nohl Williams appears to be an excellent fit for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
Although Gillotte is my least favorite pick, he still projects as a good rotational edge rusher. They then knocked it out of the park with their selections on day three. Royals is a prototypical Chiefs receiver, and Jeffrey Bassa can be a useful asset on early downs. Brashard Smith was also a great value pick, bringing a worthwhile skill set to the offense.
My only real critique of this class is that better players might have been available at pick 66. I even liked their UDFA moves, signing Oklahoma State OT Dalton Cooper, Washington State OT Esa Pole, and Clemson TE Jake Briningstool. Overall, this looks like another excellent draft by Brett Veach and the Chiefs front office.
Las Vegas Raiders
1 (6) – Ashton Jeanty | RB, Boise State
2 (58) – Jack Bech | WR, TCU
3 (68) – Darien Porter | CB, Iowa State
3 (98) – Caleb Rogers | T/G, Texas Tech
3 (99) – Charles Grant | T/G, William & Mary
4 (108) – Dont’e Thornton Jr | WR, Tennessee
4 (135) – Tonka Hemingway | IDL, South Carolina
6 (180) – JJ Pegues | IDL, Ole Miss
6 (213) – Tommy Mellott | WR, Montana State
6 (215) – Cam Miller | QB, North Dakota State
7 (222) – Cody Lindenberg | LB, Minnesota
Grade: A
The Raiders have a class to be happy about, starting with the selection of Ashton Jeanty. The Boise State running back has the potential to be the focal point of Chip Kelly’s new offense. Pairing him with Bech, who could quickly become the team’s leading receiver as a rookie, injects much-needed youth into the offense.
They followed those picks with Darien Porter, a long and fast cornerback who could significantly improve with NFL coaching. The selection of Charles Grant was a strong one too and he has a good chance to start at guard this season. While Caleb Rogers, Thornton, and Hemingway felt like reaches to me, they do all possess intriguing physical traits and developmental upside.
Their final four selections are solid depth additions, with Pegues and Lindenberg having a good shot at seeing playing time early in their careers. The Raiders also made some noteworthy UDFA signings, including Minnesota EDGE Jah Joyner and Indiana LB Jailin Walker. Ultimately, Las Vegas should find several key contributors from this draft, making it a positive step for the team.
Los Angeles Chargers
1 (22) – Omarion Hampton | RB, North Carolina
2 (55) – Tre Harris | WR, Ole Miss
3 (86) – Jamaree Caldwell | IDL, Oregon
4 (125) – Kyle Kennard | EDGE, South Carolina
5 (158) – KeAndre Lambert-Smith | WR, Auburn
5 (165) – Oronde Gadsden II | TE, Syracuse
6 (199) – Branson Taylor | T, Pittsburgh
6 (214) – R.J. Mickens | SAF, Clemson
7 (256) – Trikweze Bridges | SAF, Florida
Grade: B+
While this Chargers draft might not have any obvious top-tier standouts, Hampton and Kennard headline a solid class. Hampton is a bouncy and decisive runner and appears to be a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh’s power run scheme. Harris, however, feels like a reach to me, not least because I don’t think he offers top tier athleticism or physicality. His large frame and catch radius are intriguing though.
Caldwell in the third round seems like a good value pick, especially given his favorable fit. Kyle Kennard in the fourth round could be a steal; he addresses a significant need for a rotational edge rusher with the potential to develop into a key player, boasting impressive twitch, bend, and burst for his size. The rest of the class was fairly uneventful, though I do think they did a solid job with their UDFA class. They added several potential impactful UDFAs, including Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei, Iowa State CB Myles Purchase, and South Carolina RB Raheim Sanders.