With Jeffery Simmons in the news as he heads to Chicago from Tennessee in a blockbuster trade, what better time to look back and grade the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.
Many of the players taken among the first 32 did not live up to their draft position. There are some, including two quarterbacks in the top six overall picks, who wound up moving on to other teams.
Simmons has proven to be one of the best selections. Despite languishing on what has become a terrible Titans team, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle from Mississippi State excelled.
He is coming off a year where he had a career high 11 sacks and already had four in seven games in 2026.
A look at the first round with grades:
32. N'Keal Harry, New England Patriots
Talk about a flop. The Patriots went for the wide
receiver from Arizona State and he failed to live up to being a first-round pick, even at the bottom of it. Grade: F
31. Kaleb McGary, Atlanta Falcons
The right tackle started 92 of 93 games he played before being forced into retirement after suffering a significant knee injury before the 2025 season. Grade: C+
30. Deandre Baker, New York Giants
The defensive back from Georgia was an absolute bust, finding trouble off the field and winding up in Kansas City after one season with the Giants. Grade: F
29. L.J. Collier, Seattle Seahawks
A defensive end from TCU, Collier spent four seasons with Seattle and then moved on to Arizona for another four. He was far more of a reserve than anything else, only starting consistently in 2020 and 2024. Has made one start for the Cardinals this season. Grade: C
28. Jerry Tillery, Los Angeles Chargers
A defensive tackle from Notre Dame, Tillery became a journeyman, playing for five teams. He has 15 career sacks with 9.5 of them coming in his first three seasons when he was a Chargers. Grade: C-
27. Johnathan Abram, Oakland Raiders
Another guy who came in with first-round credentials and didn't live up to them. He was with the Raiders for four years, moving on to three other teams after that. Abram made 27 of his 34 career lifetime starts in 2020 and 2021. Grade: C
26. Montez Sweat, Washington
Guess who the former Mississippi State star reunites with in Chicago. Yes, Jeffery Simmons. Sweat spent five years in Washington and is now in his fourth with the Bears. He has 59 sacks as of this writing. Great pick. Grade: A
25. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens
Wideout from Oklahoma started out strong, including a 91-catch season in 2021. Since, he has bounced from the Ravens to the Cardinals, to the Chiefs and now the Eagles. Grade: B-
24. Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders
The Raiders got a lot of mileage out of Jacobs, who came from Alabama. He rushed for 5,545 yards in five seasons and won the rushing title in 2022. Jacobs had two strong seasons in Green Bay. This year he was on the commissioner's exempt list for trouble in the offseason. He returned last week. Grade: B+
23. Tytus Howard, Houston Texans
He has statrted every game in which he has played. Spent seven seasons in Houston before moving on to Cleveland in 2026. Grade: B
22. Andre Dillard, Philadelphia Eagles
Played for three teams in a career that ended in 2024. Short and not great. Grade: D
21. Darnell Savage, Jr., Green Bay Packers
Defensive back from Maryland spent fiver years with the Packers and played with three other teams before his NFL career came to a close in 2025. Best time was in Green Bay, where he had 9 of his 10 career interceptions. Grade: C+
20. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos
Tight end from Iowa has played for four teams, including three seasons each with the Seattle Seahawks and Broncos. Has 345 catches as of Week 7 of the 2026 season. Consistent and average. Grade: C
19. Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans
Came to Titans with some questions about his rep. Over the long haul erased them and became a force and leader with the team. The two first-rounders Tennessee got from Chicago in the trade tell you he is a star. Grade: A+
18. Garrett Bradbury, Minnesota Vikings
Has played 112 games heading into Week 8 and started every one of them. Spent six years with the Vikings, one with the Patriots, and now with the Bears. He is one of three first-rounders from 2019 that are now on Chicago. Grade: B
17. Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants
Defensive tackle from Clemson is a force in the middle of the line. A good one for New York over seven years and already has four sacks in Cincinnati for the Bengals. Grade: B+
16. Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers
Was on the defensive line with Lawrence before the latter left for Bengals. Burns is a powerful pass-rusher and delivered for Carolina and then the Giants. Out for 2026 now with an injury, which is a big loss for Big Blue's defensive line. Grade: B+
15. Dwayne Haskins, Washington
Tragically died at 24 in 2020. No grade.
14. Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta Falcons
Lindstrom has been a focal point in the Atlanta offensive line since being drafted by the Falcons. He has started every game in which he has played. Grade: A
13. Christian Wilkins, Miami Dolphins
Wilkins played five years with the Dolphins and spent some time with the Raiders in 2024 before his NFL career concluded after a strange incident with the Silver & Black. Grade: C
12. Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers
Gary came to the Packers from Michigan. He continues to be a force on defense. He came into Week 8 with 47.5 career sacks, and eight fumble recoveries. Grade: B
11. Jonah Williams, Cincinnati Bengals
Injuries derailed a career that saw him play for the Bengals and Cardinals.
10. Devin Bush Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers
Drafted by a team that loves its defensive players, Bush only lasted through 2022 with the Steelers. He has played for the Seahawks, Browns and now Bears since. Grade: C-
9. Ed Oliver, Buffalo Bills
Taken out of Houston, the big defensive lineman has been a centerpiece for the Bills and continues to be one. He's a force on the field and was a wonderful selection. Grade: B+
8. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Now with the Minnesota Vikings, the tight end has spent his entire career with NFC North teams. As of Week 7, he has 460 receptions for 4,677 yards. A dependable target. Grade: B-
7. Josh Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars
The EDGE rusher from Kentucky has been a key component of the Jaguars' defense since his rookie season when he had 10.5 sacks. Entering Week 8, he has 62.5 career sacks, including a career-high 17.5 in 2023. Grade: A+
6. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Now on his third NFL team. Was ordinary with the Giants and has not done anything in his career to back up where the quarterback was chosen. Grade: C-
5. Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When a a fifth overall pick has played for four teams already, it tells you he has not worked out the way Tampa Bay had hoped. With the Lions now and starting on a weak defense. Grade: C
4. Clelin Ferrell, Oakland Raiders
The fourth overall pick out of Clemson is now Dolphin and this is his fifth team. Did not deliver the way the Raiders hoped he would. Just another player in this draft who basically will be remembered as a journeyman. Grade: F
3. Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
Can't blame the defensive lineman for all the Jets' issues. He spent seven seasons with them and had 40 sacks. That is decent to solid production. He's with the Cowboys now and they need him to live up to the hype that he had coming out of college. Grade: B-
2. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
A force when he is on the field. The problem is there are many years, including the last two that has seen him injured and not helping the Niners. Grade: B
1. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals got the Heisman winner out of Oklahoma to pass on a baseball career so he could pass for them in the NFL. He was ordinary and didn't deliver the way a No. 1 overall pick should. Now, with the Vikings and they are undefeated more because of defense than his play. Grade: C-
This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Grading newest Bear Jeffery Simmons and other 2019 first-round picks
