The first round is done. Primetime was a success, draft ratings were up 30% from last years first round. And as usual, Thursday's first 32 picks provided drama, shocks, and of course, the expected. Sam Bradford went first to the Rams, followed by Portland's own Ndamukong Suh to the Lions. The first 5 picks saw 3 Oklahoma Sooners chosen, and one sure-fire Pro-Bowler in Eric Berry (the closest thing we've seen to the late/great Sean Taylor). The rest of the top 10 went pretty much as expected, but then the fun began. For a complete list of the first round picks, click here.
Denver traded down twice, San Fran traded up twice, and Minnesota traded out completely. As we've seen as a result from the fallout of player conduct in the last couple years, and the recent Ben Roethlisberger allegations, character played a huge roll in team's decisions. Buffalo got a steal at 9, drafting C.J. Spiller, not only the next Chris Johnson, but a class act. Tyson Alualu, a DT from Cal, who many didn't even have going in the 1st round, went with the 10th pick to the Jags. Dez Bryant, my favorite player in the draft, and the most talented receiver, fell to the Cowboys at 24 (im sure he's probably ok with this result). And the biggest news of the first round? Tim Tebow staking his claim as a pro QB after the Broncos drafted him with the 25th pick; his move up the charts had as much to do with his character as it did with his athleticism.
But not all teams were 1st round winners. Let's take a look at the winners and losers of round 1:
Winners - Detroit, K.C., Seattle, Buffalo, Dallas
Losers - Jacksonville, Philly, Denver
Grades -
Detroit: A - drafting Suh at 2 was a steal if you can call it that. Besides Berry, he is the best defensive prospect in the draft. I see him as virtually bust-proof. Big, strong, fast, work ethic, and character. He has it all. Moving up to draft Jahvid Best at 30 was a value pick. He has world class speed, and will be a nice complement to Kevin Smith until he becomes the feature back. K.C.: A- - only one pick, but gettin Eric Berry at 5 was solid. People say that his was too high to draft a safety, but what's wrong with drafting a future Pro-Bowler? I don't get it. He is a combo of Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, and Sean Taylor. Great Pick. Seattle: B+ - filled their biggest need at OT with Russell Okung. Then held on to their # 14 pick and nabbed S Earl Thomas from Texas. Many experts had him rated higher than Berry (pshhhh), but their is no doubt he is a playmaker Buffalo: B+ - C.J. Spiller is as close to Chris Johnson as there has been since he came out in '08. Spiller is a class act, a leader, and runs a 4.3. An All-American sprinter for the Tigers, Spiller can step right in and replace Lynch (he's got to go), return kicks, and provide the Bills with the big plays on offense that they need. Dallas: B+ - didn't do anything special, just got lucky. When Denver (and the other 24 teams) passed on Dez Bryant, the 'Boys day one draft day became an instant success. His character questions are overrated; his talent is not.
Jacksonville: C- - I understand that Alualu is a proven leader. But not worth a top-10 pick. They could have got most of the DT's or DE's they had on their big board (other than Suh and McCoy). Only time will tell for someone who was not in the top 32 on most big boards. Philadelphia: C- - they also could have taken any of the other ultra-athletic DE's (Pierre-Paul, Morgan). Instead they opted for Michigan's Brandon Graham. He's ok athletically, sound technically, but I just see one of the other 2 being more successful. Denver: D - this one hurts. Should have taken Dez Bryant; Demaryius Thomas is solid, but Bryant I feel was the can't miss WR of the draft. And then we over drafted for Tebow. He's an awesome guy, but not worth a top 25 pick, plain and simple.
Biggest 1st round snubs? Jimmy Clausen, Taylor Mays, and Sergio Kindle. All were projected at mid-late first round pick, we'll see how day two goes. All they really missed out on was 1st round $. After their 3-year rookie contract is up, they'll get that $ back.
