The gems of a draft class aren't always first-round picks, and the picks that disappoint aren't always the third-day fliers. College Football 24/7 takes a look at the best and worst picks of each team in the NFL with respect to value and fit rather than overall talent, here focusing on the AFC East.
Buffalo Bills
Best: WR Dezmin Lewis, Round 7 (No. 234 overall)
At a point in the draft where teams do well just to find a player who will make the roster, the Bills got one who could do that and more. The small-school competition Lewis faced in college could make for a tougher transition to the NFL, but Lewis is a big threat in the red zone with his size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds) and should have a role of some kind in Buffalo.
Worst: RB Karlos Williams, Round 5 (No. 155 overall)
Along with some character red flags, Williams wasn't especially impressive in his final season at Florida State. He looked sluggish at times and doesn't bring the versatility to the position that running backs need to make a long-term living on Sundays. From a value standpoint, the Bills didn't do bad here for what they spent, but don't be surprised if Williams plays down to the pick.
Miami Dolphins
Best: NG Jordan Phillips, Round 2 (No. 52 overall)
Had the Dolphins taken Phillips in the first round, somebody else fills this space. But in the second round, Miami couldn't have done much better. There are legitimate questions about Phillips' motivation and spotty production at the college level. But with a late-second-round pick, Phillips is more than worth the risk at a position where prospects can be hard to find.
Worst: OL Jamil Douglas, Round 4 (No. 114 overall)
The guard from Arizona State lacks power and isn't especially good at moving defenders off the point of attack. His athleticism is what got him drafted early on Day 2, but he could struggle to do much more than play a backup role or sit on the practice squad early in his career. The scouting report on Douglas isn't especially flattering, and in the fourth round, he looks like a reach.
New England Patriots
Best: DL Malcolm Brown, Round 1 (No. 32 overall)
The value the Patriots got with Brown at the end of the first round is hard to deny. Nobody would have blinked if the former Texas star had gone in the middle of the round. Brown could wreak havoc in AFC East backfields as a rookie, and is also an insurance policy in case New England's first pick from 2014, defensive lineman Dominique Easley, doesn't pan out. A year or two from now, we could all be wondering how Brown fell to No. 32.
Worst: DB Jordan Richards, Round 2 (No. 64 overall)
The Patriots followed their best pick with, from a value standpoint, their worst. Safeties who play the run better than the pass, as Richards does, just aren't that hard to find. If New England wanted an upgrade for this role, it could have waited a couple of rounds for someone else, if not Richards himself. The scouting report on Richards suggests he was a third-day pick, so this is one Bill Belichick will look like a genius on if he proves worthy of the selection.
New York Jets
Best: DL Leonard Williams, Round 1 (No. 6 overall)
Remind us again exactly how the best player in the draft fell to the No. 6 overall pick? New coach Todd Bowles had to have been stunned to find Williams available when the Jets were on the clock, and got a true playmaker up front. The defensive line wasn't a need for the Jets, but it's one of those positions where a team can't be deep enough.
Worst: WR Devin Smith, Round 2 (No. 37 overall)
Smith is dangerous as a deep threat and gives the Jets a young speedster to go with veterans Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, but there are questions about whether he can be a complete receiver at the next level. Because of his ability to stretch the field and make big plays, there is a lot of excitement about this pick. But if Smith proves to be one-dimensional, Jets quarterback Geno Smith isn't a good bet to get the most out of him. More well-rounded options were available at the draft's deepest position.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
