1. The Cowboys went for star power over need. Don't get me wrong here- Ezekiel Elliot is a great prospect. Hands down the best back coming out of college. Yet he doesn't fit any real need on Dallas. They have Darren McFadden and added my man Alfred Morris. That should be more than enough to keep their high powered offense going, if Romo can stay healthy of course. What they needed was help on the defense. They were middle of the road in every sense of the word last year, and they have lost Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory. I get that Joey Bosa went to the Chargers and he should have been the pick, but Jalen Ramsey or Deforest Buckner would have filled a bigger need that Elliot.
2. That was an interesting evening for Laremy Tunsil, huh? 10 minutes before the draft starts, someone hacks his account and posts an old video of him smoking weed out of a gas mask. Suddenly, he sees Ronnie Stanley and Jack Conklin get taken before him, and the presumptive #1 pick a month ago falls to #13. He lost millions of dollars. Next, the hackers post text messages of him asking coaches at Ole Miss for money to pay for his mother's electric bill. The idiocy of NCAA players not getting paid aside, this means Tunsil had to address those questions after being drafted, and said he did get money from them. I am unsure if this is different from the event which led to his suspension for improper benefits, but it is still a concern for a team. Now, however, he claims to be drug and issue free. For his sake, I hope so. South Beach isn't the best place for a guys with issues. The Dolphins are taking a risk on an extremely talented kid. If his issues are only with the NCAA rules and not with the NFL going forward, then getting Tunsil at 13 was a steal.
3. The first pick for the 49ers under Chip Kelly seemed to make some sense. DeForest Buckner is a great talent, played at Oregon, and fits a need. To be honest, the 49ers have needs everywhere. So I have no issue with that pick. I am extraordinarily confused, however, with trading back into the 1st round to take Joshua Garnett, the guard from Stanford. He or Cody Whitehair (who I like more) would have been there in the 2nd Round where they were picking (pick 37 overall). With all the great defensive talent that fell, there wasn't going to be a run on guards. To give up two picks, including a second, to move up was foolish.
4. Speaking of reaches, everyone seems to dislike the Giants pick of Eli Apple at 10. I had him going at 13, so it wasn't as much of a stretch to me. Where I had the problem was that they could have taken Vernon Hargreaves, or fit a more important need, like taking Tunsil to keep Eli Manning upright. If they were able, they could have traded back and probably still gotten Apple. Like I said, not as much of a stretch for me, but at least they now lead the NFL in guys named Eli.
5. The Titans won Round 1. By trading back from the #1 pick, they got a mighty haul, including a 1st and 3rd next year from the Rams. Then, they were still able to move up and get Jack Conklin, one of the top 3 tackles in the Draft. There is no denying Conklin's ability- just look at how good Michigan State was both running and passing behind him. He handled the likes of Bosa and Buckner quite easily. The question was where he was graded vs Tunsil. It seems like it was close enough that Tunsil's red flags pushed Conklin past him, since Conklin in an ultimate character guy. Now the Titans have him and Taylor Lewan entrenched at OT for years to come, making sure their franchise QB Marcus Mariota stays upright and healthy. A great draft so far.
6. Something about Ole Miss players and character issues, huh? Robert Nkemdiche's off the field issues were apparently supposed to cost him his chance at being drafted in Round 1. The Cardinals felt differently, and got a Top 5 talent (when he wants to play) at pick 29. Paired with Calais Campbell and Chandler Jones, Nkemdiche could make the Cardinals D-line the best in football. But the issues off the field for Robert (and possibly Jones too) have to be monitored. Its a boom or bust pick. If he can concentrate on the job paying him millions of dollars, then he should make fans in Arizona very happy.
7. Myles Jack is still on the board. This shocks me. I understand that he has some fairly significant questions about his knee. I also know he is a Top 10 talent. This isn't necessarily like Jaylon Smith, where teams aren't sure he'd ever be able to run at a high level again. Jack is running right now. The question is whether or not he needs microfracture surgery down the road. Now that he has fallen to Round 2, I think he is a complete steal. Long-term durability can be a concern for a guy in Round 1. Round 2, it is more than worth the risk. Expect Jack to be off the board fast. I'd personally like it (for my team) if he fell to the Redskins, but he won't last that long.
8. There was a run on WRs in the early 20s. The Texans traded up 1 pick (just to make sure another team didn't?) to draft speedster Will Fuller out of Notre Dame. The Redskins, now at pick 22, surprised everyone and took Josh Doctson from TCU, perhaps the most complete WR in the draft. I was very confused at first. WR isn't the biggest need the team had, but when a player like that comes to you, what harm is there in adding another weapon. Plus, Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson will both be free agents after the 2016 season. I doubt Washington will keep both of them, and even re-signing one may not be possible. Doctson comes in, can gain experience behind those veterans, then team with Jamison Crowder, Jordan Reed, and Kirk Cousins to form an excellent young passing attach. The Vikings didn't have to move at all and still got Laquon Treadwell from Ole Miss. They have Stefon Diggs as a deep threat, but needed that Anquan Boldin-type possession WR. Treadwell should build a great chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater. The surprise WR pick was Baylor's Corey Coleman to the Browns at 15. I'd put Coleman as the #4 WR at best, and had Cleveland getting him in the 2nd Round. He doesn't run routes well, and had too many drops in college. However, his speed and playmaking ability is undeniable, and he certainly fits a massive need for the Browns. Maybe RG3 convinced them to reach for his fellow Baylor Bear instead of going with a safer pick like Doctson or Treadwell?
9. The Broncos found their QB of the future, and his name is Brock Osweiler 2.0... I mean Paxton Lynch. Yes, the man who is comparable to Osweiler in his measurable is now under the tutelage of John Elway and Gary Kubiak. I thought the best spot for Paxton would be the Cardinals, since he has to sit for a while and learn how to play the NFL game. Now, unless the Broncos are prepared to enter the season with Mark Sanchez as their starter, they are going to have to throw the kid to the fire sooner than expected. Lynch has all the physical tools and a great mindset. The issues is adjusting to the NFL game. A Super Bowl championship certainly buys the franchise some time to take calculated risks, and this was a 6'7" one.
10. There are still some great players available. Myles Jack, Jarran Reed, A'Shawn Robinson, Andrew Billings, Reggie Ragland, Mackensie Alexander, Noah Spence, Vonn Bell... And that's just on defense! Heisman winner Derrick Henry is on the board. My top guard Cody Whitehair is still there too. QBs like Connor Cook and Christian Hackenberg need a home. A lot of talented guys will hear there names called on Day 2.
Hope you enjoyed last night's weirdness. Rounds 2 and 3 start tonight at 7 pm ET. I'll try to type up my reactions tomorrow tonight or during Day 3. Have a great weekend everyone!
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