NFL Draft grades: Denver Broncos earn highest grades for picking Bradley Chubb

The Denver Broncos universally got the steal of the 2018 NFL Draft after edge rusher Bradley Chubb fell into their laps with the fifth overall pick. Chubb was seen by many as in the conversation of best overall player in the draft and the Broncos got him with that fifth pick.

Around the nation, columnists sat down to grade the first round and the Broncos universally received an A grade, but even some A+ grades. Here’s a few of the more prominent grades out there this morning.

NFL.com grades

Denver Broncos

Draft picks: N.C. State edge rusher Bradley Chubb (No. 5 overall).

Day 1 grade: A

The skinny: Chubb was the best value on the board for this team. Putting him and Von Miller on the same defense makes them dangerous again, like when DeMarcus Ware and Miller were doing their thing. Case Keenum’s two-year deal took QB out of the equation here, and Paxton Lynch still has an opportunity to grow into a starter.

SBNation.com grades

5. Denver Broncos: Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State

Chubb and Von Miller getting after the passer on the same defense. Good luck to the AFC West’s quarterbacks. It was a surprise that Chubb was still available with this choice. If you look at the recent history of the Broncos, they’ve been a team that prefers to have a stacked defense. Adding Chubb goes a long way in doing so. He’s a player who is just as good against the run as he is rushing the passer.

At some point, though, the Broncos have to figure out their quarterback of the future, even after signing Case Keenum. They also have to fix their offensive line. Maybe that can happen later in the draft.

Grade: A-

The Ringer grades

5. Denver Broncos: DE Bradley Chubb, NC State

Broncos GM John Elway knows better than most the value of a dominant pass rush—the duo of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware helped carried his team to a Super Bowl 50 victory—so grabbing Chubb at this spot should come as no surprise. Chubb posted double-digit sacks in each of the past two seasons for the Wolfpack, and he lived in opposing teams’ backfields last year, finishing second among all defenders in college football in tackles for a loss (26.0). Chubb has experience rushing from both a three-point stance and standing up—so the transition to the Denver defense should pose no problem. Chubb will be a contributor in the team’s pass-rush packages from day one.

Fit: A+

Value: A+

CBS Sports grades

5. Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State

Grade: A+

Love this pick. With Von Miller on the other side, it’s tough going for opposing quarterbacks.

I’ve been doing this a long time and the Broncos do not normally receive such high marks. Even more, Broncos fans were almost universally pleased with the pick. Even when they picked Von Miller, there were strong contingent of fans who were disappointed they passed on Patrick Peterson and Marcel Dareus.

Here in our post-pick poll, the fans almost universally graded the Broncos pick favorably. Most of us, as I could see from the comments on this site every day, favored drafting a franchise quarterback or Quenton Nelson, so it was nice to see that we all could overcome that to view the Bradley Chubb pick as one of tremendous value and worth.

I cannot wait to see Von Miller and Bradley Chubb crashing the outside rush in 2018.