Ranking rookie classes from the 2021 NFL draft - Best and worst teams based on first-year production

Whether it's in the first round or the sixth round, finding value above expectation in the NFL draft can significantly alter the landscape of a franchise. It is easier to do that with a wealth of draft capital, of course, but how much a team can get from its draft picks relative to where they were taken is important.

If Player X and Player Y have similar seasons, the production from Player Y, taken in the sixth round, is much more valuable than the production a team gets from Player X if he's a first-rounder.

With the help of Pro Football Focus' Wins Above Replacement (WAR) metric, we ranked all 32 teams on the value of their rookie class over expectation given where each player was selected in the 2021 NFL draft.

Listed with each ranking is an explanation of why they landed where they did, analysis over how their top pick fared and — in some cases — a look at the team's best value pick. Some teams might not have a value pick listed, whether it be because few rookies saw significant time on the field for the franchise or that most rookies performed at or below expectations. Value picks can emerge from each team's class over the next couple of years, but for this exercise, we are looking solely at 2021 rookie production.

Jump to:ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CINCLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | INDJAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MINNE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SFSEA | TB | TEN | WSH

Why they're ranked here: Mac Jones was the most impressive rookie quarterback this season, earning an 80.4 PFF grade that ranked 11th overall. Christian Barmore became an impact player on the defensive line with 48 pressures that lead all interior rookie linemen. And Rhamondre Stevenson was a big part of the team's backfield all