This is my initial reaction to each of the 32 first round picks in the NFL Draft.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston QB Florida St.
He’s been the pick since the beginning. Lovie Smith and GM Jason Licht just tied their careers to Winston and they hope he can swim. He’s not Andrew Luck but he’s not JaMarcus Russell either.
2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota QB Oregon
Square peg meet round hole. Mariota might be a franchise QB but not in Tennessee. I just don’t see this ending well for either side and that’s a shame because Mariota deserves a better fit and Whisenhunt deserves a QB that fits what he does.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dante Fowler Jr. OLB Florida
Fowler said he’d be shocked if the Jaguars passed on him and he was right, even with Leonard Williams on the board they took him. I have this vision of Gus Bradley standing in front of a white board with a marker drawing defensive alignments including Fowler and laughing like he’s Dr. Evil.
4. Oakland Raiders: Amari Cooper WR Alabama
The Raiders used to roll the dice like degenerate gamblers betting their last $20 trying to win back their rent money. Now they act like a middle-aged man maxing out his IRA and putting money is his children’s college tuition fund. Cooper is about as sure a thing as you’ll find in this draft and I’m setting his season totals at 90 catches, 1300 yards and 10 TDs, Derek Carr has a new best friend.
5. Washington Redskins: Brandon Scherff OL Iowa
If there was ever a player who could fulfill the legacy of “The Hogs” it’s Scherff. I’m stunned by this pick not because Scherff isn’t worth it but because new GM Scott McCloughan must have locked owner Daniel Snyder in a broom closet to make this pick. No flash, all substance. Somebody get Mr. Snyder some bottles of water and some energy bars, you can let him out on Sunday.
6. New York Jets: Leonard Williams DL USC
Wait…what the f….How in the hell did this happen? The Jets have arguably the NFL’s best defensive line with Sheldon Richardson, Muhammed Wilkerson and Damon Harrison and they get Leonard Williams. How did the rest of the league let that happen? Yeah he was just too damn good to pass up. Todd Bowles you lucky bastard.
7. Chicago Bears: Kevin White WR West Virginia
John Fox had to be salivating over the possibility of Williams falling to him but White slides right in to Brandon Marshall’s old spot and gives Cutler a hell of a WR duo. He’s a younger, faster and saner version of Marshall.
8. Atlanta Falcons: Vic Beasley OLB/DE Clemson
Dan Quinn took his version of Bruce Irvin instead of his version of Marshawn Lynch and I can’t blame him. Beasley is a stud and he and Fowler may have to have to have a fight to the death at the end of the season to see who gets Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.
9. New York Giants: Ereck Flowers OT Miami
There was talk during the week that Flowers was moving up the board but really? He’s a RT upgrade over Justin Pugh but this seems high to me. Flowers struggles with speed rushers and I don’t think he brings any versatility because he’s not going to move inside to guard and he’s not a LT.
10. St. Louis Rams: Todd Gurley RB Georgia
Well I’ve been seeing the second coming of Marshawn Lynch but Jeff Fisher was seeing his next Eddie George. Gurley says he’ll be ready for Week 1, I’m sure as hell not going to doubt him. Beast Mode 2.0 is coming to Los Ange…sorry…St. Louis, for now.
11. Minnesota Vikings: Trae Waynes CB Michigan St.
So now the division has Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. The Bears pick of White didn’t make this happen but it certainly made Mike Zimmer feel that much better about his decision.
12. Cleveland Browns: Danny Shelton NT Washington
The Browns run defense was atrocious this last season and teams just ran all over them. Better come up with a new plan of attack this year, Shelton is a beast. I don’t want to say he’s going to completely solve their run defense issues because that’s a lot of pressure on a rookie but he’s going to completely solve their run defense issues
13. New Orleans Saints: Andrus Peat OT Stanford
This pick got mixed reviews but I don’t see the problem, Peat is an immediate upgrade at RT over Zach Strief and he’s probably a year of two away from being an upgrade at LT over Terron Armstead. It’s about time the Saints spend some of their draft picks on offensive linemen.
14. Miami Dolphins: DeVante Parker WR Louisville
Parker joins Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and TE Jordan Cameron and that means Ryan Tannehill has no more excuses. Parker is stud and he’s a legitimate #1 WR so it’s time for Tannehill to prove he’s a top-flight QB.
15. San Diego Chargers (from San Francisco): Melvin Gordon RB Wisconsin
When Gurley went off the board at #10 the Chargers had to fear Gordon might go soon after so they moved up two spots to get him. Gordon is the best RB the Chargers have had since Tomlinson’s heyday and this is an excellent move. Gordon is a day one starter and he’ll make Phillip Rivers’ life easier, for as long as Rivers sticks around.
16. Houston Texans: Kevin Johnson CB Wake Forest
I’m surprised at this only because Bud Dupree is still available but Johnson is a nice pick up. Kareem Jackson just signed an extension but Jonathan Joseph is 31 and his contract is up next year. Johnson makes a hell of a third CB for now and in a division where Andrew Luck is ruling the roost loading up on cover guys isn’t a bad idea.
17. San Francisco 49ers (from San Diego): Arik Armstead DE Oregon
Too good of a fit and the 49ers picked up a later pick to drop two spots and still get the guy they want, well played. Armstead is raw but if San Francisco can get Justin Smith to return for one more year he can learn from Smith and newly signed Darnell Dockett, that’s pretty good veteran leadership to learn from.
18. Kansas City Chiefs: Marcus Peters CB Washington
Damn you Andy Reid. Peters is the best CB in the draft and Reid went for best player available instead of need. Peters can fill in while Sean Smith is serving his 2 game suspension to start next season but if anyone thinks he’s relinquishing his starters role when Smith returns you’re crazy.
19. Cleveland Browns: Cameron Erving OL Florida St.
The first true WTF moment of the first round, I’m shocked it was the Browns. I love Erving but his best position is OC and the Brown already have one of the league’s best OCs in Alex Mack. Erving isn’t replacing Joe Thomas at LT so I guess he’s going to play RT? Other players were a better fit and far more of a need. Bud Dupree, Nelson Agholor, Breshad Perriman and Jaelen Strong all spring to mind.
20. Philadelphia Eagles: Nelson Agholor WR USC
See I told you Chip Kelly doesn’t hate 6’0 200 lbs. WRs in general he just didn’t like DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin. Agholor gives Kelly a great player for his offense and give Jordan Matthews some much needed help.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cedric Ogbuehi OT Texas A&M
I had Ogbuehi moved way down the board and it wasn’t just because of the knee injury, his play wasn’t stellar last year especially compared with where he was the year before. Ogbuehi probably won’t see the field next season as he rehabs his ACL injury but the Bengals can afford to do this because they have Andrew Whitworth, Andre Smith and Eric Winston at OT, a pick for the future.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alvin “Bud” Dupree OLB Kentucky
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The Steelers sit tight and get a really good pass rusher, we may have to make that Fowler/Beasley death match for Defensive Rookie of the Year a three way battle. Dupree is raw but wow does he look like a great fit, this is why the Steelers are always better than the Browns (okay having Big Ben helps).
23. Denver Broncos (from Detroit): Shane Ray OLB Missouri
If Ray had been in Colorado on Monday instead of Missouri he wouldn’t have been doing anything illegal I guess. DeMarcus Ware isn’t getting any younger so grabbing his eventual replacement isn’t a bad idea but the Broncos had bigger needs, literally. DT anyone? RT maybe? I guess Ray will be new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips new toy.
24. Arizona Cardinals: DJ Humphries OT Florida
I’m admittedly not a Humphries fan but this makes even less sense. They have Jared Veldheer at LT and Humphries is not the power player you want at RT if you’re trying to improve the run game. Strange match especially since there was still a CB like Byron Jones on the board.
25. Carolina Panthers: Shaq Thompson LB Washington
Thompson is a great athlete but he doesn’t have a definite NFL position and the Panthers have far bigger needs. They may not have been in love with any of the offensive linemen left but Jake Fisher and TJ Clemmings would both have made far more sense. Byron Jones would have helped their secondary tremendously and Breshad Perriman, Phillip Dorsett or Jaelen Strong would have made a nice complement to Kelvin Benjamin.
26. Baltimore Ravens: Breshad Perriman WR Central Florida
Need meets value and the Ravens get a new #1 WR. Perriman needs some refinement and maybe an eye exam (he drops too many easy catches) but he can learn from one of the greats, Steve Smith. Joe Flacco said they didn’t need to draft a WR to replace Torrey Smith but he was wrong and he’ll love having Perriman around.
27. Dallas Cowboys: Byron Jones CB Connecticut
I was never a believer in the pre-draft hype that Jones was going in the middle of round one and this is a far better place for him. He has a legitimate shot at a starting job in Dallas and his arrival may spell the end for draft bust Morris Claiborne. And Orlando Scandrick just lost any leverage he thought he had in contract negotiations.
28. Detroit Lions (from Denver): Laken Tomlinson OG Duke
They must not have liked any of the OTs left on the board so they grabbed a powerful interior player. Tomlinson can pair with their other power guard Larry Warford to really solidify the interior of the offensive line around new OC Travis Swanson. Tomlinson should help especially in the run game.
29. Indianapolis Colts: Phillip Dorsett WR Miami
TY Hilton 2.0 has arrived. The Colts WR corps is TY Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, newly signed CFL standout Duron Carter and now Dorsett. Who even needs a running game? Go 5 WRs and pretend you’re Baylor. Now if someone would just block and play defense.
30. Green Bay Packers: Damarious Randall DB Arizona St.
The Packers dreams come true as they have their pick of an ILB they want and they choose…an undersized FS out of Arizona St. I’m not sure about this pick…okay I don’t like it. Randall might be a nickel corner for now but he’s under 6’0 tall and less than 200 lbs. For some teams Randall makes sense but the Packers need ILBs in the worst way.
31. New Orleans Saints: Stephone Anthony ILB Clemson
They must have figured out that Dannell Ellerbe is actually as bad as he played in Miami and not as good as he played in Baltimore. This is a head scratcher because they don’t really need an ILB and there were far more valuable players here. There must be something really disturbing in Randy Gregory’s background check.
32. New England Patriots: Malcolm Brown DT Texas
I wait around all night for the Patriots to pick last in the first round and just as they are on the clock they trade the pick…err…wait what…they are actually making the pick. NO WAY. I love this pick. Belichick is usually very good picking defensive linemen and Brown is a beast. I never expected him to be available but he is perfect in the Patriots defense. He can play all over and absolutely destroy an offense. He should slide right into the starting lineup and he should pair well with Dominique Easley.
A few notes:
-Randy Gregory’s pot issues must be far worse than reported because he’s a better talent than Shane Ray and he’s still on the board.
-I have no earthly idea if LSU OT La’el Collins has anything to do with his pregnant ex-girlfriend’s murder but I understand every teams’ reservations given the Aaron Hernandez trial. If Collins is innocent, like he maintains, it’s very unfortunate for a young man’s future to be so devastated simply because he knew her, if he did have something to do with it, may he rot in hell.
-Jake Fisher and TJ Clemmings are still available as we start round 2 today, a couple of teams are getting good OTs today.
-Jaelen Strong should not have fallen out of Round 1.
-UCLA’s Owa Odighizuwa and Eric Kendricks are still available, that’s two pretty good, versatile defenders.
-No Landon Collins yet? Talk about devaluing a position. The Alabama DB stigma from Mark Barron, Dre Kirkpatrick and Dee Milliner must be clinging to Collins.
-Yesterday was Brandon Scherff Day for Hawkeye fans, today is Carl Davis Day, unofficially anyway.
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