NFL Draft grades 2024: All 32 draft classes ranked from best (Steelers, Eagles) to worst (49ers, Raiders)

How do you grade a team’s draft class right despite not knowing what kind of returns it will get from all the players it just picked? There are a few simple rules Sporting News applies to this annual exercise of instant analysis.

First, did the team get the right kind of talent with every opportunity while on the clock? Second, teams’ initial grades should be based more on whether they did well addressing remaining roster needs after free agency.

Third — and most important — it’s critical to consider whether a team drafted well for its current league status, with playoff contenders going for more immediate impact and rebuilding franchises going for more valuable future help.

Putting that all together, we aim to answer: How much did a team improve overall through the draft? Here’s SN’s latest round of draft grades for the best and draft 2024 NFL Draft classes, ranked from No. 1 to No. 32: