Tyler Warren shined in limited preseason action: While Warren didn't suit up for the Colts' Week 3 contest, he finished the preseason as the highest-graded first-round pick (86.8).
The Patriots are set at left tackle with Will Campbell: The fourth overall pick started each of New England’s first two preseason games and earned an 80.0-plus PFF grade as a pass protector and a run blocker.
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The preseason is over, and the final grades are in. Many of the NFL’s first-round picks performed well this week and throughout the preseason, and as always, we're bringing you their grades, principal opponents and analysis en route to the regular season.
Pick No. 1: Tennessee Titans: QB Cam Ward
Overall Rookie Grade: 56.7 (Rank: 13/18)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 17
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 78.0
Ward dropped back to pass seven times in his third preseason outing. He officially completed three of his five passes, the best one being a big-time throw on a deep out route to Van Jefferson. Ward will be thrown into the fire in Week 1 against the Denver Broncos, but he’s shown this preseason that his vertical passing ability and improvisational skills will be assets to Tennessee’s offense.
Pick No. 2: Jacksonville Jaguars: WR/CB Travis Hunter
Overall Rookie Grade: 58.4 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent (Offense): N/A
Preseason Week 3 Offense Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Offense Grade: N/A
Overall Rookie Grade: 49.8 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent (Defense): N/A
Preseason Week 3 Defense Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Defense Grade: N/A
Hunter was inactive this week. He is dealing with an upper-body injury and finished the preseason having played just 19 total snaps. He reeled in two receptions as a wide receiver and missed a tackle while playing cornerback.
Pick No. 3: New York Giants: EDGE Abdul Carter
Overall Rookie Grade: 56.3 (Rank: 36/48)
Principal Opponent: Sidy Sow
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 3
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 56.1
Carter played just three snaps this week in a situational third-down role. He picked up one unblocked pressure when New England failed to account for him while he was executing a stunt. Carter played fewer than 30 snaps of preseason game action, but he’s proven that he is going to be a dynamic and versatile threat in the Giants’ defense.
Pick No. 4: New England Patriots: T Will Campbell
Overall Rookie Grade: 86.2 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Campbell was inactive this week. He started each of New England’s first two preseason games and earned an 80.0-plus PFF grade as a pass protector and a run blocker. As expected, Campbell is locked in as the Patriots’ starting left tackle.
Pick No. 5: Cleveland Browns: DI Mason Graham
Overall Rookie Grade: 56.7 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: Ben Dooley
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 9
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 68.6
Graham played nine snaps this week and recorded one positive grade and one stop in run defense. He logged just 22 total snaps this preseason. He’s likely locked into a starting defensive tackle role come Week 1.
Pick No. 6: Las Vegas Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty
Overall Rookie Grade: 65.2 (Rank: 17/34)
Principal Opponent: Tommy Eichenberg
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 4
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 51.1
Jeanty played four snaps in the Raiders’ final preseason game. He handled two carries for a total of five yards. Jeanty took only 12 carries in game action this preseason but will surely be the workhorse in Las Vegas’ backfield in the regular season.
Pick No. 7: New York Jets: T Armand Membou
Overall Rookie Grade: 47.4 (Rank: 36/43)
Principal Opponent: Azeez Ojulari
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 12
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 77.9
Membou bounced back from a performance against the Giants to post a solid 77.9 PFF overall grade this week across a small sample of just 12 snaps. He was charged with a questionable holding call on what appeared to be a nice zone run block on Gabe Hall. Membou also kept a clean sheet in pass protection across 10 reps this week. He’ll be the Jets’ starting right tackle come Week 1.
Pick No. 8: Carolina Panthers: WR Tetairoa McMillan
Overall Rookie Grade: 49.0 (Rank: 87/92)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
McMillan was inactive this week. In two games of preseason action, he caught two passes totaling 43 yards but also dropped two passes. Regardless, he appears to be locked into a starting role in Carolina’s offense.
Pick No. 9: New Orleans Saints: T Kelvin Banks Jr.
Overall Rookie Grade: 63.9 (Rank: 14/43)
Principal Opponent: Jonah Elliss
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 16
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 60.0
Banks’ PFF overall grade doesn’t reflect how well he’s performed in pass protection this preseason. For the third straight week, he allowed no pressure and earned at least an 83.5 PFF pass-blocking grade.
His performance in the run game was more uneven, as he earned a 47.2 PFF run-blocking grade this week. Even so, if Banks can carry the same level of pass protection into the regular season, he will bring significant improvement to the Saints’ offensive line.
Pick No. 10: Chicago Bears: TE Colston Loveland
Overall Rookie Grade: 67.9 (Rank: 9/29)
Principal Opponent: Jaden Hicks
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 20
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 46.3
Loveland reeled in just one reception totaling four yards in the Bears’ preseason finale against Kansas City. It was an otherwise quiet night for Loveland as a receiver and a blocker. The good news is that he played the entire first half with the starting unit and will have a big role in this offense moving forward.
Pick No. 11: San Francisco 49ers: EDGE Mykel Williams
Overall Rookie Grade: N/A (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Williams was inactive for the entire preseason due to a knee injury. San Francisco is hopeful that he can return to practice this week and be ready for the start of the regular season.
Pick No. 12: Dallas Cowboys: G Tyler Booker
Overall Rookie Grade: 65.7 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Booker was inactive this week. He got an extended look in Dallas’ second preseason game versus Baltimore and earned a 65.7 PFF overall grade. He is currently projected to be the Cowboys’ starting right guard.
Pick No. 13: Miami Dolphins: DI Kenneth Grant
Overall Rookie Grade: 81.7 (Rank: 4/57)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Grant was inactive this week. He’ll play an important regular-season role on the Dolphins’ defensive line, particularly in run defense, where he earned an 84.4 PFF grade across two preseason games.
Pick No. 14: Indianapolis Colts: TE Tyler Warren
Overall Rookie Grade: 86.8 (Rank: 1/29)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Warren was inactive this week. He is slated to be the Colts’ starting tight end after playing very well in two preseason outings. Warren hauled in four receptions totaling 65 yards in those games while earning an excellent 89.1 PFF receiving grade.
Pick No. 15: Atlanta Falcons: EDGE Jalon Walker
Overall Rookie Grade: 66.9 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Walker was inactive this week due to a groin injury. He logged 19 snaps this preseason, all in Atlanta’s first game. He played every one of his snaps as an edge defender, so that should foreshadow his role in the regular season. The hope is that he will recover from his injury in time to play in Week 1.
Pick No. 16: Arizona Cardinals: DI Walter Nolen
Overall Rookie Grade: N/A (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Nolen was inactive this week with a calf injury he suffered before training camp. That injury has kept him off the field for the entirety of training camp and the preseason, and there are some reports that his absence could drag into the regular season.
Pick No. 17: Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart
Overall Rookie Grade: 64.4 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Stewart was inactive this week. After tumultuous contract negotiations, he suited up for two preseason games and earned a 64.4 PFF overall grade. He’ll likely garner rotational reps to start the season.
Pick No. 18: Seattle Seahawks: G Grey Zabel
Overall Rookie Grade: 86.2 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Zabel was inactive this week. He will be Seattle’s starting left guard when the season begins. He earned an excellent 86.2 PFF overall grade and looked very comfortable executing Klint Kubiak’s outside-zone run schemes.
Pick No. 19: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Emeka Egbuka
Overall Rookie Grade: 75.8 (Rank: 9/92)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Egbuka was inactive this week. In total, he recorded two catches totaling 26 yards, but Egbuka showed off his signature route running and toughness this preseason. Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan will both be out of the Buccaneers’ lineup to start the season, so Egbuka has a chance to rack up production very early.
Pick No. 20: Denver Broncos: CB Jahdae Barron
Overall Rookie Grade: 66.2 (Rank: 23/65)
Principal Opponent: Rashid Shaheed
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 8
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 65.9
Barron played just eight snaps in his final preseason game and recorded a tackle in coverage. Those reps were evenly split, with Barron playing outside and in the slot for four snaps each. He’s earned his way into Denver’s starting lineup as one of the team's more fluid players with his ability to play inside or outside.
Pick No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers: DI Derrick Harmon
Overall Rookie Grade: 65.1 (Rank: 15/57)
Principal Opponent: Luke Kandra
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 15
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 58.1
Harmon produced a mediocre 58.1 PFF overall grade against Carolina with relatively neutral marks as a run defender and a pass rusher. He did tally one pressure, but that came on his final snap of the night as he injured his knee on the play and did not return. Early reports indicate that Harmon suffered a knee sprain, so the outlook is more positive than initially feared.
Pick No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton
Overall Rookie Grade: 75.4 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Hampton was inactive this week. He appeared in two of the Chargers’ four preseason games and totaled 21 yards and four missed tackles forced across just four carries. Hampton will take the lion’s share of the carries early in the season.
Pick No. 23: Green Bay Packers: WR Matthew Golden
Overall Rookie Grade: 72.7 (Rank: 15/92)
Principal Opponent: Nehemiah Pritchett
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 16
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 74.6
Golden saw two targets in Green Bay’s final preseason game. His lone reception was a terrific catch over Nehemiah Pritchett on a go route that picked up 39 yards. That level of explosiveness and body control is exactly what the Packers were looking for when they drafted Golden. He’ll see plenty of action early in the season.
Pick No. 24: Minnesota Vikings: G Donovan Jackson
Overall Rookie Grade: 55.9 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Jackson was inactive this week. He played just 12 snaps in Minnesota’s first preseason game but is currently projected to be their starting left guard.
Pick No. 25: New York Giants: QB Jaxson Dart
Overall Rookie Grade: 84.7 (Rank: 1/18)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 20
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 90.4
Dart capped off an already solid preseason with a terrific performance that goes beyond what a traditional box score might say. On the surface, he completed just six of 12 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. His final snap was an explosive run for a first down, though he fumbled at the end of the play and was removed to be checked for a possible concussion.
Dart’s spectacular 93.0 PFF passing grade is the result of his three big-time throws, all of which unfortunately fell incomplete. His progress is the most positive development of the preseason for New York. Russell Wilson is still the starter for now, but the Giants have to like the track that Dart is currently on.
Pick No. 26: Atlanta Falcons: EDGE James Pearce Jr.
Overall Rookie Grade: 73.0 (Rank: 10/48)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Pearce was inactive this week. He performed well in the two preseason games he suited up for, racking up seven pressures and a solid 73.0 PFF overall grade across 66 total snaps. That type of performance across the entire regular season would be a significant upgrade for Atlanta’s edge rusher unit compared to last season.
Pick No. 27: Baltimore Ravens: S Malaki Starks
Overall Rookie Grade: 60.9 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Starks was inactive this week. He played just 18 snaps this preseason and is locked into a starting safety role alongside Kyle Hamilton.
Pick No. 28: Detroit Lions: DI Tyleik Williams
Overall Rookie Grade: 60.6 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Williams was inactive this week. He played in Detroit’s first preseason game and earned a 65.5 PFF run-defense grade. Williams’ run-defense prowess will be key for his role alongside Alim McNeill and DJ Reader.
Pick No. 29: Washington Commanders: T Josh Conerly Jr.
Overall Rookie Grade: 71.3 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Conerly was inactive this week. He played well in his two preseason appearances, earning a 71.3 PFF overall grade and a 75.2 PFF run-blocking grade. He could be in line to get regular-season reps at right tackle early on.
Pick No. 30: Buffalo Bills: CB Maxwell Hairston
Overall Rookie Grade: N/A (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Hairston was inactive for the entire preseason due to a knee injury. There isn’t a clear timetable for when he will return, which puts the Bills’ cornerback group in a tenuous position heading into a crucial Week 1 matchup with Baltimore.
Pick No. 31: Philadelphia Eagles: LB Jihaad Campbell
Overall Rookie Grade: 78.1 (Rank: 10/50)
Principal Opponent: N/A
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 0
Preseason Week 3 Grade: N/A
Campbell was inactive this week. He had a nice preseason, showing off his talent and versatility. He appears to be locked into a starting role alongside Zack Baun, particularly with Nakobe Dean still recovering from the knee injury he suffered last postseason.
Pick No. 32: Kansas City Chiefs: T Josh Simmons
Overall Rookie Grade: 61.3 (Rank: N/A)
Principal Opponent: Dayo Odeyingbo
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 21
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 69.8
Simmons played in all three of the Chiefs’ preseason games and seems ready to perform well in pass protection come the regular season. He won all 15 of his reps this week as a pass blocker en route to an excellent 85.5 PFF pass-blocking grade. His run blocking will hopefully improve in due time, but protecting Patrick Mahomes is the top priority for Kansas City. Simmons appears ready for the task.