TOP 10 NFL TEAMS ------- ON FOW24NEWS.COM

Many teams throughout history have greatly benefited from their rookies, and perhaps no offense can better attest to that than the 2016 Dallas Cowboys. With Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott putting up Pro Bowl efforts in their first seasons, the Cowboys improved to 13-3 and were fifth in the NFL in scoring. It's hard to imagine any team experiencing that level of success next season with their rookies, but it's certainly not impossible.

Will there be a Dak-like quarterback who efficiently leads his team to a number one seed? Will a rookie running back lead the NFL in rushing? And will they also be on the same team?

Now that the 2017 NFL Draft is concluded, it's an opportunity to finally see what final rosters will mostly look like next season and re-rank the strength of each franchise right now. The rookie class of each team definitely had an impact on the order, but not even skipping the first two rounds could deter Bill Belichick from staying on top -- or from making some pretty good draft picks.

1. New England Patriots
Top pick: Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State (83rd overall)

The Patriots' actual top pick was Brandin Cooks (whom they got in a trade with the Saints), and that's perhaps as best as you could have hoped for at pick 32. It's the defending champions, the most dominant franchise of the century, and they only seemed to get better over the offseason. Rivers and tackle Antonio Garcia seem to have incredible value for being third-round picks.

2. Atlanta Falcons
Top pick: Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA (26th)

I already liked what the Falcons were doing on defense prior to the draft, but then they traded up for McKinley in the first -- a great complement to Vic Beasley -- and added linebacker Duke Riley in the third. It's a solid-looking defense to pair with the league's number one offense.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Top pick: T.J. Watt, OLB, Wisconsin (30th)

Watt is a special prospect even absent of any familial connections, and should thrive in the Steelers defense. JuJu Smith-Schuster elevates an already-deep receiving corps after the recent reinstatement of Martavis Bryant.

4. Oakland Raiders
Top pick: Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State (24th)

The Raiders got shafted last year by the broken leg of Derek Carr, but given a healthy season from him, they are legit Super Bowl contenders. The defense got a major shot in the arm with the additions of Conley (if he's cleared of any wrongdoing), second-round safety Obi Melifonwu, and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes. Even their seventh-round picks like safety Shalom Luani and running back Elijah Hood look like really good value adds.

5. New York Giants
Top pick: Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss (23rd)

Pick after pick, I'd be pretty satisfied if I were a Giants fan. Engram would be the most talented tight end in most draft classes. Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson is a solid step in the right direction towards replacing Johnathan Hankins, and quarterback Davis Webb is an intriguing player to try and develop behind Eli Manning.

6. Seattle Seahawks Top pick: Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State (35th)

I like what Seattle did in trading down three times before selecting McDowell, but this is a power rankings, not a grade for how well a GM managed his picks. That being said, McDowell should immediately upgrade the interior pass rush, which is what the Seahawks have sorely been lacking since their Super Bowl win three years ago. Seattle drafted 11 new players and are in a better position to not fall apart should some of its stars get injured.

7. Green Bay Packers Top pick: Kevin King, CB, Washington (33rd)

I think most of Green Bay's offseason moves, good or bad, are relatively offsetting. I can't see King or safety Josh Jones helping much this season, and despite the Packers first four picks being on D, I still think we'll see an average-to-below-average defense in Green Bay. That being said, this team made the NFC Championship Game last season and Aaron Rodgers could definitely lead them to a Super Bowl.

8. Dallas Cowboys
Top pick: Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan (28th)

I've been banging the same drum all year: Be wary of a Cowboys collapse in 2017. For better or worse, there were a lot of changes to the defense, and I'd watch for some potential regression with Dak and Elliott. However, I love this draft class by Jerry Jones. Taco is a great prospect, corners Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis were really nice Day 2 picks. The secondary is on the right track, but I'm not sure the offense will be able to score as many points as they did a year ago.

9. Denver Broncos Top pick: Garett Bolles, OT, Utah (20th)

The Broncos managed to get the best offensive lineman in the draft, which is really what they set out to do. The defense should be really good again and if they have the NFL's best pass defense again, the Broncos could progress late into January -- they need a big step forward from either Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch.

10. Kansas City Chiefs
Top pick: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech (10th)

One thing to not like about the Chiefs' draft was that it really did not do much to help them in 2017. Unless Mahomes is undeniable in camp and forces the coaches to sit Alex Smith, he's unlikely to play much or even be ready to start. Defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon is raw … I think Kpassagnon literally translates to "long-term project." The good news is that I still believe Kansas City is a playoff team, I just still don't think it's a Super Bowl team.

July 14, 2017