ESPN report: NFL Draft position groups that every AFC team has to focus on

At last, the NFL Draft’s first round in Detroit is just a few days away.

We asked Yardbarker NFL writers to provide their opinions on which position group each AFC club should target in the draft, while teams were polishing their selection boards for the Thursday through Saturday event.

The solution may appear apparent to certain teams, but not to others.

Here’s a summary:

The AFC East

Philadelphia Eagles | Wide Receiver | The Bills don’t need a real No. 1 receiver to make up for Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs’ departures, as General Manager Brandon Beane recently stated in a pre-draft press conference. This is especially true given that the Bills were successful in 2023 running a run-first system. But Buffalo has to add a powerful weapon for Josh Allen, and Xavier Worthy of Texas might be the perfect fit because of his ability to produce yards after the catch.

Last season, Tua Tagovailoa, a guard and quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, was able to maintain his health. RG A big part of that was Robert Hunt (one sack and five pressures allowed), but this summer he inked a contract with Carolina. Therefore, Miami needs to find a worthy substitute to shield Tagovailoa’s blindside during this crucial contract year. Graham Barton, a versatile offensive lineman from Duke, would be a good option.

JETS | New York | Offensive tackle Although the Jets don’t need a lineman in the first round, they might think about investing two mid- and late-round selections to strengthen their tackle depth. Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, two 33-year-old bookend tackles, are unrestricted free agents in the upcoming offseason, but their injury history make it uncertain if they will miss time in 2024.

Patriots of New England | Quarterback | If nothing out of the ordinary happens, it appears that New England will choose a quarterback in the first round. Eliot Wolf, the de facto general manager, will probably choose between Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and UNC’s Drake Maye. Though it’s unlikely that the third quarterback selected in the draft will pan out, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud’s incredible rookie campaign shows that a team may rapidly turn things around when they get a top signal-caller on a rookie contract. — Colum Dell

Denver Broncos | Quarterback | AFC West The Broncos have started 13 quarterbacks since Hall of Famer Peyton Manning retired in 2016, which is one of the reasons they haven’t made the playoffs for eight straight seasons. Though it’s evident that a strong starter at quarterback is by far the Broncos’ greatest need, Denver general manager George Paton recently stated the team doesn’t want to reach for a quarterback. With the 12th overall pick, Denver should think about going after Bo Nix (Oregon) or Michael Penix Jr. (Washington).

Chiefs of Kansas City | Offensive tackle Recently, general manager Brett Veach said that there isn’t enough depth at offensive lineman in the draft class, which suggests the Chiefs will select one with the 32nd overall pick—possibly Tyler Guyton of Oklahoma or Amarius Mims of Georgia. Kansas City gave up the fourth-highest number of pressures (164) in the league the previous season, thus quarterback Patrick Mahomes needs improved pass protection.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Quarterback | The Raiders should add a passer with more upside, however QBs Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II will fight for the starting position. The draft class features a number of gifted quarterbacks (Michigan’s McCarthy, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and LSU’s Jayden Daniels) who might succeed in Las Vegas, regardless of whether Las Vegas stays put at No. 13 or trades up.

Wide receiver with the Los Angeles Chargers | After dealing six-time Pro Bowl wide out Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears this summer, the Chargers now need a No. 1 wide receiver. Los Angeles may select Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or LSU’s Malik Nabers with the fifth overall pick; both players have the potential to be favorite targets for quarterback Justin Herbert. — Dalton Clark

Baltimore Ravens | AFC North | Cornerback | It is understandable that general manager Eric DeCosta stated the team “would love to add a talented corner at some point in the draft.” Last season, Baltimore saw several important members of its secondary go down with injuries. In July, Marlon Humphrey, a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, will turn 28.

The Cincinnati Bengals | Close finish | With veteran Mike Gesicki at tight end for the second consecutive season, the Bengals have chosen to patch the player’s wounds. Although there isn’t a lot of tight end talent available this year, QB Joe Burrow, who is recuperating from a wrist injury that ended his season, would greatly benefit from having a dependable target like Brock Bowers of Georgia or Ja’Tavion Sanders of Texas.

Philadelphia Eagles | Linebacker This offseason, the Browns reconstructed their inside linebacker room with veteran Jordan Hicks and Devin Bush, the 2019 No. 10 overall selection. But neither is the position’s future, given that Bush just finished his worst NFL season to date (37 tackles) with Seattle and Hicks, who turns 32 in June.

Steelers of Pittsburgh | Center | The Steelers do not have a center on their roster after cutting Mason Cole, their 2023 starting, earlier this summer, even though they have considered moving guard Nate Herbig inside. One of the few plug-and-play starters, such as Graham Barton of Duke, Jackson Powers-Johnson of Oregon, or Zach Frazier of West Virginia, must be acquired by Pittsburgh. — Aaron Becker

AFC South Houston Texans | Cornerback | The Texans will require defensive firepower to contend with the other teams in the division, who are bolstering their quarterback and wide receiver spots. Houston needs a game-changer to complement Derek Stingley Jr. because they signed five cornerbacks in free agency, none of whom are good enough to start.

Indianapolis Colts | Security | The Colts’ only move to strengthen their safety group has been to re-sign Julian Blackmon. Adding a player like Tyler Nubin of Minnesota or Jaden Hicks of Washington State would be a huge upgrade for Indianapolis, who cannot go to camp with the unimpressive Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas II as their Nos. 2 and 3 safety.

The Jackson Titans | Cornerback Jacksonville’s CB group is made up of a motley crew of journeymen and inexperienced young players, after they lost Darious Williams to free agency. Given how strong the 2024 cornerback class is, the Jaguars should have no trouble selecting a ready-to-play starter in the first round.

Tennessee Titans | Tackle on offense It doesn’t get much worse than the offensive line play the Titans saw during the previous campaign. RB Tony Pollard and WR Calvin Ridley are two new weapons Tennessee has given Will Levis, but in order for him to use them, the team needs to keep their starting quarterback, who is 24 years old, upright and off the injury list. — Michael Gallagher