Here is the post to go to for the NFL Draft. We’ll go through each of the picks in (sort of) real time, identifying the fit with the team (or lack thereof) for each of the selections in the first round. The draft starts at 8 pm ET and is live from the Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
Eight teams have two first round picks as of 7:45 pm ET on Draft Day: Detroit (2,32), Houston (3,13), NY Jets (4,10), NY Giants (5,7), Philadelphia (15, 18), New Orleans (16,19), Green Bay (22,28), and Kansas City (29,30).
Conversely, eight teams have zero picks in the first this year: Chicago, Denver, Cleveland, Miami, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams.
8:09 PM ET: Roger Goodell comes out to his regular ovation (BOOOOOOOO) and bring out Marcus Allen, Derek Carr, Darren Waller… and Ice Cube to hype up the fans. Lots of boos for the Raiders too. Must be a lot of Niners fans in attendance.
8:13 PM: Jags are on the clock. Looks like they got 10 minutes. This might be a long night.
8:18 PM: JACKSONVILLE SELECTS DE/EDGE TRAVON WALKER FROM GEORGIA.
Travon Walker is a hulking 6’5″ 272 lb defensive lineman from the historically excellent Georgia Bulldogs defense. A lot of pundits identified Walker as an edge rusher, but with the Jaguars expected to run a 3-4 base defense, we should expect Walker to be the 5-tech with his hand on the ground. Walker is a punishing tackler and very strong run defender, but his pass rush is a work in progress. If he develops the pass rush the way the Jaguars are hoping, he will be a menacing inside rusher in the mould of JJ Watt. The question is, was Walker a reach?
DETROIT SELECTS DE AIDAN HUTCHINSON FROM MICHIGAN.
Following the Jaguars selection of Travon Walker, the Lions must’ve run their selection to the podium. Hutchinson had a monster 2021 season, finishing as the Heisman Trophy runner-up with an astounding 16.5 sacks. Hutchinson is tailor-made for the Lions’ new Base 4-3 defense as he excels up front, and though he was standing up in some pass rushing situations, he is best as the bookend in a 4-3. Hutchinson has the highest floor of all the pass rushers.
HOUSTON SELECTS CB DEREK STINGLEY JR FROM LSU
Houston takes a corner that was one of the best cornerbacks in college football during his freshman year at LSU in 2019, but endured two years of uneven play and injuries. Lovie Smith runs a Cover 2 which runs a lot of zone, and while Stingley is expected to be just fine as a zone defender, the one question in his game is his willingness to contribute to stopping the run/tackling. He is a massive upgrade at the position for the Texans in either respect.
NEW YORK JETS SELECT CB AHMAD “SAUCE” GARDNER FROM CINCINNATI
Another team that really needed to address the secondary and did so with one of the two most talented corners in the draft. As with the Stingley pick, a zone team takes a press-man cover corner with its pick. It should be interesting to see how Saleh works Gardner into his defensive scheme. One thing to the Jets advantage is that Gardner excels in defending the deep vertical routes which are a big need for corners in a Seattle Cover 3 defense.
8:41 PM: Catching up with the action, arrived just in time for the fifth overall pick from the NEW YORK GIANTS, who select DE/EDGE KAYVON THIBODEAUX FROM OREGON. That’s now five defensive picks in a row to start the draft. Not shocking, but the top offensive tackles look to be dropping.
Thibodeaux, the pass rusher from Oregon, was a near-consensus first overall pick in many mock drafts before the 2021 college football season started, however, a hot and cold 2021 season raised some questions about Thibodeaux’s motor. Thibodeaux is an outgoing person with many varied interests who should thrive in the bright lights of New York City.
8:50 PM: CAROLINA SELECTS IKEM EKWONU FROM N.C. STATE! “Ickey” Ekwonu is a strong run defender who could use work in his pass protection, which means playing as a LT might not happen immediately, but he could be an immediate starter at LG, which is also an area of need for Carolina. The Panthers have a real good RT, Taylor Moton, who is specifically a right tackle, so don’t expect Ekwonu to start there.
8:55 PM: THE NEW YORK GIANTS SELECT OT EVAN NEAL FROM ALABAMA! With Andrew Thomas having a strong year at the LT spot, the question is which one plays on the blind side and which one plays on the right. Neal has experience in both spots, so we could see him play RT in year one.
9:02 PM: ATLANTA SELECTS WR DRAKE LONDON FROM USC! The WR-needy Falcons take the highest-ceiling WR in the draft, Drake London. London is NFL-ready as a Z (possession receiver) and should fit in well with TE Kyle Pitts as a dynamic 1-2 punch in the passing game for Marcus Mariota.
9:09 PM: SEATTLE SELECTS LT CHARLES CROSS FROM MISSISSIPPI STATE! If there was ever a need for a team, it is offensive line for the Seattle Seahawks. Cross is regarded by many as the pass protecting offensive lineman in the draft and has a good chance to start right away at left tackle for the Seahawks. Cross played in Mike Leach’s extremely pass-happy offense in Starkville and might be a work in progress in run blocking at the NFL level, but definitely a blue chip pick for a team that desperately needed help at the position.
9:16 PM: THE NEW YORK JETS SELECT WR GARRETT WILSON FROM OHIO STATE!
The Jets make a strong addition to another area of need by taking Wilson, likely the best all-around receiver in the draft. Wilson can play X or Z and will be an upgrade on either spot (with apologies to Corey Davis). He should start right away.
9:17 PM: Our first trade! WASHINGTON TRADES THE 11TH OVERALL PICK TO NEW ORLEANS. The Saints already traded with the Eagles for an additional first round pick and have now moved up in the draft to the 11th overall pick. The Saints traded the 16th, 98th, and 120th picks to Washington for the right to move up five spots.
9:24 PM: NEW ORLEANS SELECTS WR CHRIS OLAVE FROM OHIO STATE!
Chris Olave is a true X receiver that will pair nicely with another Buckeye alum, WR Michael Thomas. Olave is a fast receiver but the question on him is whether he has much in the way of elusiveness or would he be best as more of a pure vertical receiver.
9:26 PM: After no trades in the top 10, each of the next two picks are dealt. Minnesota trades their 12th overall pick to their division rival Detroit Lions. The Lions sent the 32nd, 34th, and 66th picks to the Vikings, their next three scheduled selections. The Lions pick next at number 97.
9:31 PM: DETROIT SELECTS JAMESON WILLIAMS, WR, ALABAMA! The Lions get in on the WR run by taking Jameson Williams. Williams is probably the fastest receiver of the first rounders. He is explosive and can give you a lot of value after the catch. His knock was essentially tearing his ACL in the National Championship game, which might cost him the first month of two of his rookie season. The Lions will be pretty bad in 2021, so there is no real rush to have him in the lineup. He will be a true #1 receiver if he heals the way he should.
9:41 PM: Another trade! The Texans were due to make the 13th pick, but have traded it to the Eagles for the 15th, 124th, 162nd, and 166th picks, so the Texans get a third pick for the fourth round and two picks in the fifth round.
PHILADELPHIA SELECTS NT JORDAN DAVIS FROM GEORGIA! Jordan Davis was a monster in the middle for Georgia. Despite participating in less than 40% of the defensive snaps for Georgia last season, he was given Heisman consideration. He’s got great agility for a nose but his primary job is as a dominant run-stuffer in the middle. He’s definitely a two-down player but a great player to have for those run downs. The Ravens at 14 were almost certain to take Davis, so the Eagles needed to make this move to get their guy.
9:47 PM: BALTIMORE SELECTS S KYLE HAMILTON!
Hamilton was getting top 5 (and even #1 overall) consideration before the NFL Combine. He ran a poor time in the 40 (4.59) and his stock dropped a bit, but this was a surprising drop. Hamilton is a hybrid who can rush the passer, defender deep as a free safety, can defend tight ends (at 6’4″ 220 lbs he has the size to compete too), or be a run-stopping strong safety. The Ravens
9:51 PM: HOUSTON SELECTS KENYON GREEN, G, TEXAS A&M!
The Texans take one of the highest-rated guards in the draft, Green is a road grader, but should be versatile enough to be an effective zone blocker in the Texans blocking scheme. The Texans had many needs and this pick definitely addressed a big one in the interior of their offensive line. He’s NFL-ready and is, frankly, a significant upgrade over either the left or right guard, but would expect him to start at LG this year.
9:57 PM: WASHINGTON SELECTS JAHAN DOTSON, WR, PENN STATE!
Now the sixth wide receiver goes in the top 17 to the Commanders. Dotson might have the best hands in the draft and has the ability to play inside or outside. However, his size probably prevents him from being a true X receiver but he fills a need in the slot.
9:59 PM: THE LOS ANGELES CHARGERS SELECT ZION JOHNSON, G, BOSTON COLLEGE!
So a real trend in the draft – pass rushers and corners went early, then the offensive tackles, then the big run on wide receivers, and now the interior linemen on both sides of the ball are flying off the shelves. With the 18th pick, the Chargers take Zion Johnson from Boston College, a big road grader addition to the offensive line. He was a tackle at BC, but he’s better in a phone booth and the shift over to RG should serve him (and Justin Herbert) well. Might be a bit of a risk in the zone blocking scheme.
10:08 PM: A HUGE TRADE – the Eagles trade the 18th pick and a third to the Titans for WR A.J. Brown! Brown and the Titans were having a contract dispute, so it makes sense from that perspective, but a big win-now move for the Eagles in a position of need. The Titans also receive the 101st pick from the Eagles, a comp pick at the end of the third round.
TENNESSEE SELECTS TREYLON BURKS, WR, ARKANSAS!
So the Titans take Brown’s replacement with this pick, a player that Burks was directly compared to throughout the draft process. On tape, Burks is a punishing Z receiver that was largely the only real receiving option for Arkansas, so he can excel with any and all sorts of SEC coverages. His testing season was awful though, and that likely caused his stock to drop from the low to high teens.
10:14 PM: NEW ORLEANS SELECTS TREVOR PENNING, LT, NORTH DAKOTA STATE!
With LT Terron Armstead leaving the Saints to Miami, the Saints draft his replacement, Trevor Penning, a mauler from North Dakota State. The question on him will be how quickly can he adapt to the NFL game since he played in FCS – and that is a valid concern.
10:19 PM: PITTSBURGH SELECTS KENNY PICKETT, QB, PITTSBURGH!
The Steelers takes the draft’s first QB and goes for the NFL-ready floor of Kenny Pickett. Pickett doesn’t have the flashy projection of Malik Willis, but should challenge for the starting job right away. Pickett has played for five seasons at Pitt at Heinz Field, so there is a lot of familiarity on both sides of the equation.
10:25 PM: Yet another trade – the Chiefs move up to 21, as the Patriots trade down. The Patriots get the 29th, 94th (third rounder), and 121st (fourth rounder).
KANSAS CITY SELECTS TRENT MCDUFFIE, CB, WASHINGTON!
McDuffie (5’11” 193) is a taaaad undersized but excels in press-man coverage and is an avid tackler. The Chiefs have run an aggressive defensive which requires their corners to play man, so this is a really good fit. He could end up being as good or better than Stingley or Gardner and could play immediately. The pressure will be on though, as the Chiefs need him to start more or less immediately
GREEN BAY SELECTS QUAY WALKER, ILB, GEORGIA
Walker gets picked ahead of his teammate Nakobe Dean and Utah MLB Devin Lloyd, which is interesting, but Walker could have the higher ceiling (I’m big on Lloyd but can see the tools in Walker).
Arizona trades the 23rd and 100th picks to Baltimore for WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown! A surprising trade but a pretty good one for Baltimore. They get a first and late third for a decent but inconsistent WR, while Arizona gets… yet another wide receiver…?
Baltimore then turns around and sends the 23rd pick to Buffalo for the 25th and 130th picks. So
BUFFALO SELECTS KAIIR ELAM, CB, FLORIDA!
The Bills move up two spots from 25 to 23 and select Kaiir Elam, a corner from Florida that specialized in zone defense. This fills a position of need regardless of whether CB Tre’Davious White is ready Week 1 as White recovers from his torn ACL. He can get overmatched in man.
10:44 PM: DALLAS SELECTS TYLER SMITH, RT, TULSA!
Smith played left tackle at Tulsa but is best suited to play on the right side in the NFL. He’s a powerful blocker who excels in the run game and has the potential to be a real good pass blocker, but is not quite there yet. Luckily, RT is a position of need in Dallas. He’s a bit of a hothead at time, and there is a fine line between being a nasty blocker and going too far and committing penalties. The Cowboys will love the aggressiveness but will want to harness it.
10:52 PM: BALTIMORE SELECTS TYLER LINDERBAUM, C, IOWA!
Centres don’t go early, but Linderbaum is what you’d expect from an offensive lineman from Iowa, a strong offensive lineman with a wrestling background. Linderbaum is a bit undersized and has short arms but if he gets his hands on defensive linemen, he will be a handful to deal with.
10;58 PM: The Jets move back into the first round, getting the 26th overall pick from the Tennessee Titans. They also receive the 101st pick (that the Titans got in the Philadelphia trade) in exchange for the 35th (second round), 69th (third), and 163rd (fifth) picks
THE NEW YORK JETS SELECT JERMAINE JOHNSON, DE, FLORIDA STATE!
Jermaine Johnson II is a power rusher/run stuffing specialist from Florida State. Johnson moved around a bit in college and took advantage of the extra year of eligibility to vault himself into first round consideration. He’s a 4-3 DE which should be a good fit in the Jets defense, though he does overlap with DE John Franklin-Myers in terms of his out-of-the-box abilities.
11:07 PM: Jacksonville follows the Jets lead and trades back into the first round, getting the 27th pick from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs trade back six spots to 33 and also receive the 106th (fourth round), and 180th picks (sixth).
JACKSONVILLE SELECTS DEVIN LLOYD, MLB, UTAH!
And what a pick the Jaguars make! Lloyd had some top 15 projections but ends up dropping to 27. Lloyd is a do-it all linebacker who is a tackling machine both in coverage and in stopping the run. He’s versatile enough to rush the passer add value as a pass rusher or play sideline-to-sideline in coverage. He’s a three-down linebacker who will contribute immediately. The one knocks is that his top-end speed is not as fast as you’d hope but his anticipation makes up for at least some of it.
11:15 PM: GREEN BAY SELECTS DEVONTE WYATT, DT, GEORGIA!
The Packers go back to Georgia to take interior lineman Devonte Wyatt. Wyatt didn’t quite get the attention that Jordan Davis got, but he was also a monster on that ridiculous Georgia d-line (that also saw Travon Walker go #1 overall). His calling card is his quickness, as he has the ability to use his agility to beat zone blockers in the run game and can be a factor as an interior pass rusher; however, he might get overpowered by NFL guards unless he adds some size/strength. Wyatt is a three-technique at the NFL level but could also contribute as a 3-4 DE.
11:21 PM: NEW ENGLAND SELECTS COLE STRANGE, G, CHATTANOOGA
The Pats go a bit off the board to take an FCS guard who has the versatility to play at either guard position or centre. Of course, as with Penning earlier, there will likely be a learning curve that limits his readiness. His play strentgh
11:22 PM: KANSAS CITY SELECTS GEORGE KARLAFTIS, DE, PURDUE
Karlaftis is a power rusher with a relentless motor who had his best stats in the 2019 season. He’s also a good run stopper from the DE position. He’s a good fit for KC as he is best suited to play in a 4-3 base. If he can play the way he played in 2019, he could step in and start right away for the Chiefs.
11:31 PM: CINCINNATI SELECTS DAXTON HILL, FS, MICHIGAN
Hill is a versatile member of the secondary who can play free safety or slot corner in man or zone schemes. Interestingly, the Bengals, at least presently, have a good free safety and slot corner in Jessie Bates (franchise tagged by Cincinnati but yet to sign his tender) and Mike Hilton. Will the Bengals trade either of their established players or wait a year for Hill to mature?
11:34 PM: MINNESOTA SELECTS LEWIS CINE, SS, GEORGIA
The Vikings use the final pick of the first round on Lewis Cine, a physical safety who excels in the box. This definitely raises questions regarding the future of their incumbent strong safety Harrison Smith, who has been with the team since 2014. Cine is well suited to be a strong safety but doesn’t hold much positional versatility, as he is ill-suited to be a free safety and not big enough to be a passing down linebacker. He’s a thumper though, and he’ll be a big part of the Vikings run defense.
FIRST ROUND PICK ORDER
1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – TRAVON WALKER, DE, GEORGIA
2. DETROIT LIONS – AIDAN HUTCHINSON, DE, MICHIGAN
3. HOUSTON TEXANS – DEREK STINGLEY, JR, CB, LSU
4. NEW YORK JETS – AHMAD “SAUCE” GARDNER, CB, CINCINNATI
5. NEW YORK GIANTS – KAYVON THIBODEAUX, EDGE, OREGON
6. CAROLINA PANTHERS – IKEM “ICKEY” EKWONU, OT, N.C. STATE
7. NEW YORK GIANTS (FROM CHICAGO) – EVAN NEAL, OT, ALABAMA
8. ATLANTA FALCONS – DRAKE LONDON, WR, USC
9. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (FROM DENVER) – CHARLES CROSS, OT, MISSISSIPPI STATE
10. NEW YORK JETS (FROM SEATTLE) – GARRETT WILSON, WR, OHIO STATE
11. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (FROM WASHINGTON) – CHRIS OLAVE, WR, OHIO STATE
12. DETROIT LIONS (FROM MINNESOTA) – JAMESON WILLIAMS, WR, ALABAMA
13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (FROM CLEVELAND VIA HOUSTON) – JORDAN DAVIS, NT, GEORGIA
14. BALTIMORE RAVENS – KYLE HAMILTON, S, NOTRE DAME
15. HOUSTON TEXANS (FROM MIAMI VIA PHILADELPHIA) – KENYON GREEN, G, TEXAS A&M
16. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (FROM INDIANAPOLIS VIA PHILADELPHIA AND NEW ORLEANS) – JAHAN DOTSON, WR, PENN STATE
17. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – ZION JOHNSON, G, BOSTON COLLEGE
18. TENNESSEE TITANS (FROM NEW ORLEANS VIA PHILADELPHIA) – TREYLON BURKS, WR, ARKANSAS
19. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (FROM PHILADELPHIA) – TREVOR PENNING, LT, NORTH DAKOTA STATE
20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS – KENNY PICKETT, QB, PITTSBURGH
21. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (FROM NEW ENGLAND) – TRENT MCDUFFIE, CB, WASHINGTON
22. GREEN BAY PACKERS (FROM LAS VEGAS) – QUAY WALKER, ILB, GEORGIA
23. BUFFALO BILLS (FROM ARIZONA VIA BALTIMORE) – KAIIR ELAM, CB, FLORIDA
24. DALLAS COWBOYS – TYLER SMITH, RT, TULSA
25. BALTIMORE RAVENS (FROM BUFFALO) – TYLER LINDERBAUM, C, IOWA
26. NEW YORK JETS (FROM TENNESSEE TITANS) – JERMAINE JOHNSON, DE, FLORIDA STATE
27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (FROM TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS) – DEVIN LLOYD, MLB, UTAH
28. GREEN BAY PACKERS – DEVONTE WYATT, DT, GEORGIA
29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (FROM SAN FRANCISCO VIA MIAMI AND KANSAS CITY) – COLE STRANGE, G, CHATTANOOGA
30. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – GEORGE KARLAFTIS, DE, PURDUE
31. CINCINNATI BENGALS – DAXTON HILL, S, MICHIGAN
32. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (FROM LA RAMS VIA DETROIT) – LEWIS CINE, S, GEORGIA
IMMEDIATE OBSERVATIONS FROM ROUND ONE
1. Malik Willis is still available
After some rumours had him going as high as second overall, Malik Willis is still available. The second round is definitely not a stretch for a QB like Willis, who comes from the independent FBS school Liberty and will require some development. The most interesting development concerning Willis was that the Steelers – a team that was said to be very high on him and possibly willing to trade into the top 10 to get him – decide to go local and take Pitt QB Kenny Pickett with their selection at 20. You could see teams like the Giants at 36, Seahawks at 40 and 41, or Falcons at 43 re-assess their options at the position as we go further along, though if a team really wants him, my guess is they’ll trade up. The other question is whether those teams (and others) are punting on QB this year and looking forward to the crop of QB talent in 2023.
2. Trades! Trades! Trades!
After the teams with the first 10 picks heading into draft day did not make a move, trades went fast and furious for the rest of the round. In the end, nine trades were made on draft night, including those of two wide receivers: A.J. Brown went from Tennessee to Philadelphia (and signed a 4-year, $100 million contract!!!) for a first and a third, while Marquise Brown went from Baltimore to Arizona for a first and a late third. These trades seemed to underscore a recent trend, that top tier wide receivers can easily fetch first rounders – and maybe also receivers a little under that tier. If San Francisco is interested in trading Deebo Samuel, the haul will need to be astronomical if the Browns each got a first and third.
3. Georgia HC Kirby Smart got all the free publicity he could ever need
Those who follow college football, including high calibre prep prospects, knew that the Georgia Bulldogs defense was historic, leading the university to its first national championship since 1980, but with five Dawgs going in the first round, those recruits also know that Georgia develops first round talent. It all started with the first overall pick, with toolsy DE Travon Walker going to the Jacksonville Jaguars, becoming the first defensive player to go first overall since DE Myles Garrett did in 2017. NT Jordan Davis was next to go, at 13 to Philadelphia, then the Packers took two Dawgs – ILB Quay Walker at 22 and DT Devonte Wyatt at 28, and rounded up with SS Lewis Cine going to the Vikings with the final pick of the round. Georgia routinely finishes near the top of the recruitment ratings, given their standing in the prospect-rich state of Georgia, and the south in general, but Smart has turned this potential into dominant play, which will serve him well as he battles the soon-to-be 15 other SEC teams for talent, with Texas and Oklahoma to join the conference in time for the 2025 football season.
4. This draft is abundant in reaches and drops
Travon Walker had a late first round grade prior to the testing/Combine season, while Kyle Hamilton had a top 5 grade. On Day 1 on the NFL Draft, Walker went first and Hamilton went 14th. While the Hamilton drop was surprising, there were other big drops in the draft: Jermaine Johnson was thought to be a fringe top 10 pick and went to the Jets at 26 (many had him going there at 10), Ickey Ekwonu and Evan Neal were expected to go early – and still did, going 6th to the Falcons and 7th to the Giants, respectively – while Willis and Georgia LB Nakobe Dean surprisingly weren’t selected at all. These results may not be too surprising after all: this draft is deep in terms of NFL-calibre talent but light in terms of franchise-changing players. At least that’s how it seems right now. Biggest reaches? Jahan Dotson at 16 to Washington and Cole Strange at 29 to New England stand out as the biggest. Dotson, while a very productive receiver at Penn State, has size limitations that may restrict him to the slot at the next level. He had some buzz around in the early second but got the middle pick of the first round. Strange, a guard at FCS school Chattanooga with some intriguing tools went to the Patriots, a full round (or more) earlier than projected. However, Bill Belichick does not agree with this assessment. I’m certain that many see myself and many Twitter wags as better talent evaluators than the greatest coach of all time, so we’ll obviously be proven right in the end.
All Purpose Yards’ coverage of the NFL Draft will continue with Day 2 tomorrow, where the second and third round picks will be selected. Hope to see you there!