The first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday had a few surprises, but went relatively routinely. The Oakland Raiders taking Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell with the No. 4 pick was a head scratcher, and the New York Giants picking Duke’s Daniel Jones was roundly criticized.
The running backs and wide receivers falling as far down as they did, also made many wonder. Other than those, however, the real stunners came in the following rounds.
We took a look at 10 of the eye opening moments of rounds two through seven, and other draft moments and point out how some of these decisions might be a boon, and others a bust.
Greedy Williams Slips to Second Round
The Cleveland Browns traded their first pick to the Giants for Odell Beckham Jr., and weren’t on the clock until the 46th pick. They got a surprise when LSU cornerback Greedy Williams was still available.
He was expected to go in the first round, but teams shied away from him because of his perceived softness. The Browns didn’t and got one of the steals of the draft.
Tyree Jackson Goes Undrafted
The university of Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson was projected by many scouts to be the sixth or seventh signal caller at his position. He has the size and arm of an NFL quarterback.
The knock on Jackson was accuracy, but he was still characterized as a Josh Allen-type QB. Eleven of them went and none were named Jackson. He instead was invited to try out for the same team the Allen plays for, the Bills.
Rams Pick Running Back
The Los Angeles Rams supposedly didn’t need a running back with Todd Gurley, but drafting Darrell Henderson of Memphis with their second round pick clearly indicates Gurley is not the workhorse he once was.
This is an insurance policy, and it might go into affect quicker than many realized. Gurley’s knee might be far more damaged than the team is revealing.
D.K Metcalf Falls to Second Round
Wide receiver D.K. Metcalf was touted as the top at his position, but injury issues scared teams away. Still it was a shock when eight other pass catchers went before him.
Metcalf was taken at No. 64 by Seattle and should be extra motivated to make a lot of teams see why they should have grabbed him when they had the chance.
Tampa Bay Drafts Kicker Again
For the second time in three years the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasted a draft pick to select a kicker. Many at that position go undrafted, including the game’s best in Justin Tucker.
But after the Bucs traded up in 2016 to make Robert Aguayo the highest-drafted kicker since 2005, they had to take Matt Gay of Utah in the fifth round this year since Aguayo flamed out.
San Francisco Takes Punter Early
The 49ers decided a punter was needed more than someone to protect quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco took Mitch Wishnowsky of Utah in the fourth round.
Wishnowsky was one of only two punters in the draft, the other was Jake Bailey of Stanford to New England, 54 picks later.
Buffalo Bills Make Solid Picks
The Buffalo Bills had one of the best drafts of the 32 teams, and not just for getting defensive end Ed Oliver at No. 9 and offensive lineman Cody Ford at No. 38, both considered steals.
General manager Brandon Beane also did well in the later rounds, getting Ole Miss tight end Dawson Knox and Florida linebacker Vosean Joseph.
John Elway’s GM Credibility Rises
First John Elway takes who many considered the best tight end in Noah Fant of Iowa and then held off taking quarterback Drew Lock until after he picked offensive tackle Dalton Risner of Kansas State.
Elway has flubbed at quarterback picking, but Lock seems solid. Projected starter Joe Flacco can’t be happy, though.
Washington Had Great Draft
Not only did the Washington have quarterback Dwayne Haskins and edge rusher Montez Sweat fall in their lap in the first round, the Redskins were able to fill other much-needed areas.
They got one time Heisman candidate running back Bryce Love of Stanford and wide receiver Kelvin Harmon late in the draft. Many had Washington with the best draft of the 32 teams.
Veterans See Replacements Selected
Every year a few veterans see their teams draft their replacements, and this year Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph might want to brush up his resume. The Vikings took Irv Smith Jr. in the third round and don’t be surprised to hear Rudolph’s name as trade bait soon.
