Live up to date draft blog for the first round selections and my thoughts on each pick.
1 - Saint Louis Rams - As expected the Rams take Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma: Not sure if Bradford's conversion from the spread offense to a pro offense will go well and I would sit him for at least the first few weeks of the season. The Rams did need a QB though so it's a good pickup for them.
2 - Detroit Lions - The draft pundits are 2/2 so far. The Lions take Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska. This dude is just a beast in the middle. DT's going high haven't had the greatest track record but this guy looks for real.
Quick Tangent: I don't like when they show the players in the Green Room on the phone before the pick is in. It takes all the mystery out of who's going to be drafted in the respective spot.
3 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - No surprises so far as the Bucs take Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma. Really a no brainer, the Bucs picked the best player available and they also fill a void that has been there since Warren Sapp left. If McCoy is 80% of the player Sapp was they Bucs will be very happy.
4 - Washington Redskins - A little surprise here as the Redskins go with Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma. Most draftniks had Russel Okung going here but this is definitely a good pick for the Redskins as they need a whole offensive line. Oh and I can't stand the Redskins...just sayin'.
5 - Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Berry, S Tennessee just gave it away when the camera was in the green room (see tangent above) and the Chiefs are selecting him. The Chiefs need so much I would've traded down to fill more holes. Here comes Seattle on the clock.
6 - Seattle Seahawks - Are drafting Russel Okung, OT Oklahoma State. I know this before the pick is in because he's on the phone and smiling. Walter Jones is DONE so this is a good pick by the Seahawks. Is it bad that I had to think about how to spell Seattle for about 2 minutes?
7 - Cleveland Browns - Browns have a lot of holes to fill and they could've gone in many different directions but as the green room camera has shown us the pick is Joe Haden, CB Florida. A really good pick, I wish Haden would've fallen to 13 to the 49ers.
8 - Oakland Raiders - Raiders put their pick in quick. They obviously had someone they wanted really bad and that person is: Rolando McClain, LB Alabama. This was the first surprise pick in the draft, then again this is the Raiders. I was hoping Jimmy Clausen would've gone here so the 49ers aren't tempted to take him.
9 - Buffalo Bills - If the Raiders were fast the Bills were in light speed. Surprise pick #2 has just happened and a real surprise as the Bills pick C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson. Marshawn Lynch is as good as gone now. I'm still baffled at the quickness of the pick and who they picked. Jags on the clock.
10 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Wow, the surprises just won't stop. The Jaguars select Tyson Alualu, DT Cal. I don't know much about the Jags but this seems like a big reach to me.
Trade Alert Broncos Trade the 11th pick to the 49ers
11 - San Francisco 49ers - Whew....the 49ers make the right pick in drafting Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers. Really scared they were going to take Clausen but that didn't happen. Mike Singletary and that front office is slowly regaining my trust. Hopefully they pass on him at 17 too. 49ers gave up #13 and their 4th rounder.
Trade Alert Dolphins Trade the 12th pick to the Chargers
12 - San Diego Chargers -Ryan Matthews, RB Fresno State is the pickup for the Chargers. I don't think the Chargers needed to trade up this far to get Matthews, they probably could have jumped up to 19 and taken him. San Diego gave up the 40th pick and a 4th rounder...Too much to give up.
Trade Alert Broncos Trade the 13th pick to the Eagles
13 - Philadelphia Eagles - Broncos trade down again, making this 3 trades in a row, as the Eagles trade up from 24 to 13. The Eagles select Brandon Grahm, DE Michigan. The Iggles were definitely getting old with their DE's. The pick makes sense, but proved all the ESPNers wrong as they all thought Earl Thomas S, Texas was going to be the pick. Iggles only gave up two 4ths plus the 24th pick, not too bad. Let's see if Trade-a-palooza continues.
14 - Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks select Earl Thomas, S Texas. They probably wished Eric Berry dropped to them at #6 but since that didn't happen and with Trade-a-palooza in front of them, they were able to get the second best safety in the draft. Pete Carroll is doing pretty good so far in his first draft.
15 - New York Giants - With the player the Giants presumably wanted gone (Rolando McClain) they select: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida. ESPN really needs to stop going to the green room. Pierre-Paul is the second best DE still on the board per Mel Kiper. I think this means that Osi is gone from the G-Men.
16 - Tennessee Titans - Well guess what happened again...ESPN showed the green room before the pick again. The Titans take Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech. Titans needed a good DE and at number 16 got arguably the best DE in the draft. Not too shabby.
17 - San Francisco 49ers - Hopefully not Jimmy Clausen...YAY!!!!! They did the smart thing and didn't pick Clausen. The 49ers pick Mike Iupati, G Idaho, the 49ers have just solidified their offensive line, Frank Gore is going to get 2000 yards next year. Solid pick that shores up the entire o-line for the 49ers.
18 - Pittsburgh Steelers -No surprise here as the Steeler go with Maurkice Pouncey, G/C Florida. Everyone knew this is who the Steelers wanted and they got him. Solid pick.
19 - Atlanta Falcons - Sean Weatherspoon, LB Missouri is the pick here. The Falcons probably wanted a DE here but with the top 3 gone they go with their second biggest need which is OLB.
20 - Houston Texans - Their pick of Kareem Jackson, CB Alabama makes perfect sense. They lost Dunta Robinson to the Falcons in free agency. Kyle Wilson out of Boise State, was rated higher on Mel Kiper's list and I think probably more technically sound but Jackson seems to have more upside.
21 - Cincinnati Bengals - Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma. The Bengals were rolling out a bunch of dead guys at TE last year so this is a great pick for them. The first round is turning into the Oklahoma Sooners round as Gresham is the 4th Sooner taken.
Trade Alert Patriots Trade the 22nd pick to the Broncos
22 - Denver Broncos - Another surprise pick here, Demaryius Thomas, WR Georgia Tech. Thomas is the second rated WR on the board as Dez Bryant is still available. The Broncos swapped the 24th pick and the 4th rounder they received from the 49ers. Alice's team, The Packers are now on the clock.
23 - Green Bay Packers - The Green Bay Packers needed an OT and they got one of the top 4 OT's in Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa. Bulaga has unexpectedly dropped and once was projected as a top 10 pick. Great pickup by the Packers.
Trade Alert Patriots Trade the 24th pick to the Cowboys
24 - Dallas Cowboys - Oh look the other team I don't care for at all. And once again, ESPN ruins the pick by broadcasting the celebration before the commish announces it. The pick is Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma. The Cowboys swapped 1st rounders with the Cowboys and picked up a 3rd rounder.
Trade Alert Ravens Trade the 25th pick to the Broncos
25 - Denver Broncos - WOW!!!!! Tim Tebow, QB Florida goes in the first round. Denver Broncos have Kyle Orton, and Brady Quinn and now Tebow. ESPN again ruins the pick before it is announced. I can't believe he went in the 1st round....crazy.
26 - Arizona Cardinals - The player the Cardinals hoped would fall to them did. Much like last year when they were targeting Beanie Wells, the right player with the right fit fell to them. That player this year is Dan Williams, DT Tennessee
27 - New England Patriots - No surprise as the Patriots go defense. Oh yes I must mention they are the third team I do not care for. Their selection, Devin McCourty, CB Rutgers. I'm quite surprised Kyle Wilson is still on the board.
28 - Miami Dolphins - After their multiple trade downs, the Dolphins select Jared Odrick, DT Penn State. Odrick projects more as a DE in the 3-4 defense. Good pick for the 'phins but they probably wanted Dan Williams who went two picks prior.
29 - New York Jets - J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS, just strengthened their secondary with the selection of Kyle Wilson, CB Boise State. Regarded as the second best CB in the draft, the Jets get him as the 4th corner and the 29th pick. Great pick for the Jets, the other teams in the AFC better watch out.
Trade Alert Vikings Trade the 30th pick to the Lions
30 - Detroit Lions - Once again the ESPN green room shows the pick before it is announced. The Lions selected Jahvid Best, RB Cal. The Lions were expected to pick Best with the second pick in the next round, they apparently got a little antsy. The Lions gave the Vikings their second round pick, a 4th and sixth rounder too.
31 - Indianapolis Colts - The Colts had two needs/wants with their first pick, either OT or DE. They got the best available DE and a monster from TCU in Jerry Hughes, DE TCU. Pretty good pickup for the Colts.
32 - New Orleans Saints - New Orleans pick up Patrick Robinson, CB Florida State. The Saints needed help on defense and got a CB. This means they'll probably move last year's #1 pick Malcolm Jenkins to FS to replace Darren Sharper.
Final thoughts from round 1:
There were a lot of trades and a lot of eye raising picks. Most of these trades were enacted by the Broncos and with Josh McDaniels being a Belichik disciple isn't surprising.
Head-scratcher pick of the round: #10 Tyson Alauau, DT to the Jaguars. Alauau was a fringe first rounder and the Jags took him at #10. Say good-bye to Jack Del Rio next year.
Surprising pick of the round: Tim Tebow at #25 to the Broncos. Tebow was the 4th rated QB and was the second selected.
Surprising player not drafted: Jimmy Clausen not being picked by ANYONE in the first round. Looks like the Bills will get Clausen in the second round, if they want.
