In the AFC East, it’s all about catching the New England Patriots, and part of catching New England is going to have to be winning in the draft. While Bill Belichick often makes head-scratching picks, they often work out better than some of the picks we applaud their division opponents for making. Let’s take an early look at the AFC East and how we think they faired this past weekend.

Buffalo Bills

Bills’ selections:

Round 2 – Ronald Darby, CB, Florida St.

Round 3 – John Miller, G, Louisville

Round 5 – Karlos Williams, RB, Florida St.

Round 6 – Tony Steward, OLB, Clemson

Round 6 – Nick O’Leary, TE, Florida State

Round 7 – Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas

Pick Value Grade Day 1 – N/A

The Bills traded their first-round pick a year ago to move up for wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

Pick Value Grade Day 2 – B-

With Leodis McKelvin and Stephon Gilmore already ingrained as the starting corners in Buffalo, Florida State’s Ronald Darby is going to be the nickel at best during his rookie campaign. Without a first-round pick, you’d hope your second round selection is a guy who can come in and compete to be a starter, and that won’t be the case with Darby.

In the third-round Buffalo added Louisville guard John Miller. Miller isn’t huge at 6-foot-2 and 303 pounds, but he’s a strong, physical run blocker who should be a nice fit for a team looking to run the ball as much as Buffalo likely will in 2015.

Darby and Miller are both good football players who will add depth for Buffalo, but it’s unlikely either is a day-one starter. Considering Buffalo also didn’t have a fourth-round selection, it’s likely they didn’t draft anyone who will start for them this season.

Pick Value Grade Day 3 – B

There are a lot of questions about Karlos Williams the man, but the fifth-round running back out of Florida State is a perfect fit for Buffalo as a football player. Williams is a big, physical back who can be the short-yardage guy for Rex Ryan and the Bills. Nick O’Leary became the third Seminole drafted by the Bills in round-6, and while there are some concerns about his speed and ability to get open at the NFL level, the young man has always been productive.

Overall – B-

Miami Dolphins

Dolphins’ selections

Round 1 – DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Round 2 – Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

Round 4 – Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona State

Round 5 – Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis

Round 5 – Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State

Round 5 – Cedric Thompson, FS, Minnesota

Round 5 – Tony Lippett, WR, Michigan State

Pick Value Grade Day 1 – A-

DeVante Parker is the most talented wide receiver on the Miami Dolphins today. Jarvis Landry is underrated, and Kenny Stills is a good football player, but it’s the Dolphins’ rookie pass catcher who has the best chance at developing into a true No. 1 receiver. The Dolphins have completely rebuilt the receiver position, and they’ve set Ryan Tannehill and the passing game up for success heading into 2015, and Parker should be a major part of that.

Pick Value Grade Day 2 – B-

Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips is a guy that some thought had first-round talent, but there are questions about how much he cares about the game. He certainly has the physical ability to provide great rotational depth inside. Philips is a good value, but it’s hard to give Miami a higher grade without a third-round pick.

Pick Value Grade Day 3 – A+

Day-3 of the NFL draft is typically about adding depth, special teams guys, and sometimes even just camp bodies, so any time you can add players who could have a major impact on your team, it’s a huge win. The Dolphins did that a couple of times on Saturday, including adding one of my favorite players in the draft, Boise State running back Jay Ajayi. The concern with Ajayi is that he’s only going to be a one-contract guy because of a knee condition, but that doesn’t matter in the immediate future. Immediately, Ajayi could be the Dolphins best back, and will at least be a solid option in their run game. Couple that with the fact that Bobby McCain could see time in nickel and dime packages, and it’s clear the Dolphins scored big on the draft’s final day.

Overall Grade – A

New York Jets

Jets’ selections

Round 1 – Leonard Williams, DT/DE, USC

Round 2 – Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State

Round 3 – Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville

Round 4 – Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

Round 5 – Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M

Round 7 – Deon Simon

Pick Value Grade Day 1 – A+

It doesn’t matter if it was a need or not, any time you can pick up what many widely consider to be the best player in the draft picking sixth overall, you’ve done well. The New York Jets didn’t waste time overthinking the pick because they already have two pro-bowl level 5-techniques in Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, they went out and selected “Big Cat” Leonard Williams anyways.

Williams is only going to bolster what was already one of the best front-7’s in the game. The disruption this front should be able to create will make it very difficult to find time to throw the ball against a secondary that now once again has Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie patrolling it. Good luck AFC East offenses, the Jets are going to have a top-3 defense this season.

Pick Value Grade Day 2 – B-

The Jets already have a couple of big possession receivers in Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, so they went out and found themselves a burner in Ohio State’s Devin Smith in round-2. The question is, was he the best available receiver, or just the fastest? Mike Maccagnan has probably had the best offseason of any GM in football, but he may have done some reaching on Friday night.

Pick Value Grade Day 3 – B+

Any time you can draft a quarterback who might start for you that season on the third day of the draft, you’ve got to be thrilled. Bryce Petty is very raw and comes from a system in Baylor that has produced some quarterbacks who haven’t exactly worked out in the league, but the Jets absolutely drafted him to push Geno Smith. If Smith doesn’t look like he’s progressing by mid-season, don’t be surprised if Petty gets a look.

Overall Grade – B+

New England Patriots

Patriots’ selections

Round 1 – Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas

Round 2 – Jordan Richards, SS, Stanford

Round 3 – Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma

Round 4 –Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas

Round 4 – Tre’ Jackson, G, Florida State

Round 4 – Shaq Mason, C, Georgia Tech

Round 5 – Joe Cardona, LS, Navy

Round 6 – Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State

Pick Value Grade Day 1 – A+

The Patriots needed help on the interior defensive line, and probably couldn’t believe they found it in Malcolm Brown. Sometimes projected as a top-10 pick, Brown slid down the first-round because of the depth and need at positions like wide receiver and tackle, and the Patriots couldn’t be happier he did.

Brown will step in and contribute right away for New England, whose defense lost a lot of players this offseason, including long-time Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Pick Value Grade Day 2 – B-

If you read our Patriots draft primer, we talked about how the Patriots always make at least one selection that will leave you scratching your head, (however often they work out) and they did that in round-2 when they picked up Stanford strong safety Jordan Richards.

Expect defensive end Geneo Grissom to be a special teams standout early in his career, but he’s a versatile outside backer who could find himself filling a major role in New England’s offense as the years go on.

Pick Value Grade Day 3 – B

One of the ways the Patriots have been able to stay so competitive for so long is by selecting offensive and defensive lineman in the mid to late rounds and turning them into solid starters.

The Patriots continued that trend on Saturday selecting Arkansas defensive end Trey Flowers, Florida State guard Tre’ Jackson and  Georgia Tech center Shaq Mason. You just know, somehow, some way, one of those three will turn into a solid starter for New England. It’s just what they do.

Overall Grade – B+