So the first round of the NFL draft has come to it's end game and I have to say, it was probably the most surprising and shocking draft that I've ever seen. Of course the first 6 picks started off as planned, with the only slight exception being the Chiefs taking Eric Berry as opposed to going offensive tackle.
Now once those picks were through we saw trades galore, surprising picks, picks announced for charity, soldiers marching on screen... I kid you not. Where was I during all of this? In the comforts of a friend's house where my internet connection was holding me hostage and torturing me with its inconsistent connection... painful, I know.
So as opposed to breaking down EVERY piece of action that was stored in the first round of the draft, I'll instead choose to list my breakdown of the biggest shocks of the draft.
Shock#1
- Tyson Alualu was the first absolute mind-blowing shocker. I'm sorry but the Jacksonville Jagaurs HAVE to be pure idiots for selecting him with top 10 money. Listen, the Jaguars face threats of blackouts (when the network decides that so few demand is for a show that they will not play it). This means that the team loses money from not having advertising dollars nor fan ticket support. The Jaguar players openly have lobbied for fans to come to the games and fans have lobbied for a more exciting team and then management pulls a selection like this? Instead of selecting a player like Brandon Graham to excite the fanbase or to trade down, they decide to take a player that was largely regarded as being a 2nd rounder prior to the draft.
Shock #2
- Two picks later, the Chargers traded up to select Ryan Mathews. Now they trade was a bit complicated, but the Chargers essentially gave up a 2nd round pick to get a running back. I personally come from the school that states that running backs are commodities and so I think it was a stupid move to give up such value for a running back with potential durability issues.
Shock #3
- The next surprise is Houston selecting Kareem Jackson over the absolute stud, Kyle Wilson. I mean firstly, when you have any talent with a last name like Wilson, it's in your best interest to take the young man. But Wilson is a lockdown corner and yet the Texans decide to take an inferior talent. I'm personally not a fan of Jackson. I remember watching an Alabama game last season and saw Jackson completely getting his name called as he was constantly being abused when his man ran a slant route what seemed like 3 times in a row and Jackson kept giving up the pass reception. But hey it's not my pick.
Shock #4
Jimmy Clausen skipping has to make my list of the most shocking. Sure he was expected to have some slippage, but at the same time, it's rather crazy to see him slip completely out of the first round. Pretty unbelievable.
Shock #5
- Dez Bryant slipping in the draft and being in range of my Baltimore Ravens was a thing of beauty, a top 5-10 talent in the draft slipped team after team after team. And then my lucky number came up, 24, and he was selected... to bad, 24, was one pick before where the Ravens were selecting. After that letdown, hundreds of Ravens fans, went on suicide watch and a few of them never returned home. It was absolutely brutal after getting our hopes up so high.
Best valued selection in the 1st round
- I think this one will be tough because there is some good competition. The Seahawks really have had an amazing draft to date by adding a top notch tackle and safety, so I'd have to say it's them at this point.
- Another was Bryan Bulaga to the Packers
- Dez Bryant to the Cowboys is also a highly valued pick
- Dan Williams with the Cardinals were able to also obtain a top notch talent late in the draft
- Perhaps the most unfair pick however was Kyle Wilson to the NY Jets... who already have such a strong defense and now they add such an amazing talent to their ball club.
Worst valued selection in the 1st round
- This one was extra simple, Tyson Alualu is the worst day one. Sure Tyson is a good player and everything but I find it a bit ridiculous that he was in the top 10 of the first round when he was talked to as being a possible top 10 in the second round.
Best trades
- So I think the best trade up in this draft has to be the Dallas Cowboys for Dez Bryant as they paid only a 4th round pick and they were able to get a top 5 talent at receiver. It would have been ideal for my Ravens to get him, but at least he won't be in the AFC to have to deal with anytime soon.
- The best trade down would come from my Ravens, they took what seemed to be a failed position where they couldn't select a dynamic talent like Bryant at pick#25 and they manages to trade back with the Broncos. The trade basically comes down to the Ravens trading Tim Tebow for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th round pick. That is insane value and this now means that the Ravens should have plenty of options to work with in selecting players.
Worse trades
- As I mentioned earlier, the Chargers traded away a 2nd round pick on a running back doesn't seem okay to me. Sure they may get a productive running back, but I don't think Mathews is an elite talent back.
