There was a lot of hype surrounding the first round of the 2014 N.F.L draft, and it didn't disappoint. From the slide of Johnny Manziel to the unexpected names called in the second half of the round, the first 32 picks in 2014 came with a lot of excitement.
After the Houston Texans drafted defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and the St. Louis Rams selected offensive tackle Greg Robinson, things got a whole lot murkier. There really wasn't a consensus on what the Jacksonville Jaguars might do with the third overall pick, and they shocked some with the selection of quarterback Blake Bortles.
The intrigue continued as the Buffalo Bills gave up the No. 9 overall pick and two selections in 2015, including their first-round pick, to jump up to No. 4 for wide receiver Sammy Watkins. Although Watkins was the consensus top wide receiver available this year, it's certainly worth questioning if he's worth two first-round picks and another mid-rounder.
As the draft unfolded, the seemingly impossible became a reality as Manziel slipped out of the top 10. When he fell to No. 12, you had to wonder if the Giants might bite the bullet and grab the controversial quarterback. They instead opted for L.S.U.'s Odell Beckham Jr.—a talented-but-undersized wide receiver with elite speed.
As Manziel slipped to No. 16, many assumed Cowboys owner Jerry Jones would back out on his vow to bypass the A&M passer if he was still on the board. He stood by his word, as Dallas addressed a need along the offensive line. The first big surprise came three picks later with the Dolphins and the 19th overall selection — Tennessee offensive tackle Ja'Waun James.
The Manziel drama finally ended when the Browns traded up — their third and final trade on the night — to grab the Aggies' quarterback. As mentioned earlier, the fall was extremely unlikely given Manziel's placement in mock drafts.
12:29 A.M. What to Watch During Day 2
With surprise selections come unexpected falls. There are a number of talented players still on the board, including a handful of wide receivers many thought could slip into the back of the first round; Penn State's Allen Robinson, Fresno State's Davante Adams, U.S.C.'s Marqise Lee and Vanderbilt's Jordan Matthews should all hear their names called somewhere in the second round.
At the quarterback position, the next man off of the board will almost certainly be Fresno State's Derek Carr. When Minnesota traded back into the first round, there were rumblings that they might prefer Carr to Bridgewater.
It will be really interesting to see when the first running back comes off of the board. The top options in most rankings seem to be Ohio State's Carlos Hyde and Washington's Bishop Sankey, but you could make an argument that neither player will have their name called in the second round. Could we really see a draft with no back selected in the first 64 picks?
And finally, the defensive players likely to hear their names called early in the second round include defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Louis Nix, along with defensive ends Demarcus Lawrence and Kony Ealy.
Regardless of what happens in Day 2, the 2014 N.F.L. draft has already lived up to the billing.
11:49 P.M. Vikings Trade Back into First, Grab QB Bridgewater
The Seattle Seahawks are widely considered one of the best drafting teams in the league since Pete Carroll came to town, but one reason they're so successful is that they understand the draft is filled with randomness. In any random environment, it makes sense to maximize opportunities at success, and the Seahawks do that by continually trading down and stockpiling picks—opportunities to hit on players.
This deal, which included the Vikings' second- and fourth-round picks, still makes sense for Minnesota. In Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikes will get a quarterback who was remarkably productive in college. In 2013, Bridgewater completed an unfathomable 71.0 percent of his passes, throwing for 9.3 yards-per-attempt in the process. With a 31-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Bridgewater was also safe with the football.
Minnesota is one of the best possible landing spots for Bridgewater because 1) he doesn't need to start right away and 2) Adrian Peterson is a nice little bonus to have at the running back position.
"He fits our profile," Jets G.M. John Idzik said of Calvin Pryor. "He's a physical presence on the field." http://t.co/9XqW7cwSR6
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) 9 May 14
11:42 P.M. CB Roby Goes to Broncos at No. 31
The Broncos went off the grid with yet another first-round cornerback in Bradley Roby. A 5'11", 194-pound defensive back out of Ohio State, Roby was suspended early in 2013 after getting arrested for misdemeanor battery.
In Denver, Roby is going to try to cash in on his elite skill set. He is likely going to contribute on special teams out of the gate, competing for time in the slot.
11:37 P.M. Giants Give Manning Another Option on Offense
"The quarterback needs some help," Jerry Reese, the Giants' G.M., said of Odell Beckham Jr. "This guy is a weapon." http://t.co/kolBO32a2U
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) 9 May 14
11:36 P.M. Niners Continue Run on Safeties with Ward at No. 30
Continuing the run on safeties, the San Francisco 49ers grabbed Northern Illinois' Jimmie Ward. It's the second straight draft in which the Niners took a safety in the first round, as they grabbed L.S.U.'s Eric Reid in 2013.
In Ward, the 49ers will get a small safety who has shown an ability to consistently make big plays. He hauled in seven interceptions in 2013, complementing his 95 total tackles. Despite his 192-pound body, Ward has shown toughness and a willingness to drop down into the box to get after ball carriers. Still, he's going to be playing primarily "center field" for San Francisco.
NFL Network's Mike Mayock commented that, "I didn't see Ward going until the second or maybe the third round."
11:30 P.M. Pats Surprise with DT Easley in First
The New England Patriots are never afraid to go against the grain with their draft picks, and they did just that in grabbing Florida defensive tackle Dominique Easley. Easley is a somewhat undersized defensive tackle at just 288 pounds, so he'll likely convert to play as a five-technique end in the Pats' base packages.
Easley was widely considered a first-rounder heading into the 2013 season, but he tore his knee in the beginning of the year. Many thought he'd drop, but his impressive film was too good for New England to pass on.
Easley's pass-rushing prowess is questionable. Even prior to 2013, he never tallied more than four sacks in a single season.
11:25 P.M. Panthers Draft WR Benjamin at No. 28
The Carolina Panthers are extremely thin at wide receiver, so it's no surprise that they addressed the position near the end of the first round with Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin. The 15-touchdown wide receiver had one season with more than 1,000 yards at F.S.U.
The key to Benjamin might be how we view him. He's a 6'5", 242-pound player who could very well be seen as a tight end who lines up out wide. He's almost certainly going to be a dominant red-zone player in the N.F.L.
The question is if Benjamin can be more than that, continually helping Cam Newton lead the Panthers' offense into a position to score. If not, a first-rounder is a steep price to pay for a red-zone specialist.
11:22 P.M. Cards Go with S Bucannon at No. 27
In terms of height/weight/speed combination players, you aren't going to get much better than Washington State's Deone Bucannon at the safety position. At 6'1", 211 pounds with sub-4.5 speed, Bucannon has both size and athleticism.
In today's N.F.L., safeties are being asked to play more and more man coverage, and Bucannon can certainly deliver in that area. He's arguably the top man-to-man safety in this class. Don't count out Arizona using him at cornerback in certain packages.
11:16 P.M. Philly Shocks with Selection of DE Marcus Smith
When the Eagles drafted Louisville defensive end Marcus Smith with the 26th overall selection, the crowd in Radio City Music Hall collectively seemed to not recognize the name that was called. Smith wasn't projected as a first-round pick by many, but he has a big game.
At Louisville, Smith tallied 14.5 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss in 2013. He has good size and athleticism at 6'3", 251 pounds with a 35-inch vertical and 4.68 speed.
It will be interesting to see how the Eagles deploy their new first-round pick. He could very well work as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end, but Philly also has the option of using Smith in a Von Miller type outside linebacker role, moving him to defensive end in passing situations.
11:06 P.M. Another CB off Board as Chargers Take Verrett
When a cornerback is undersized, he better possess elite speed. T.C.U.'s Jason Verrett doesn't have ideal size, but he sure can fly, checking in as fast as 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at the N.F.L. scouting combine.
Verrett was productive in 2012 with six picks for the Horned Frogs. A shoulder issue limited his playing time in 2013, but his impressive predraft performances kept Verrett in the first-round conversation.
Verrett could start in the slot for San Diego, which is probably where he'll thrive. His ball skills are some of the best in this class and he excels when he can turn and run with receivers, but he's probably going to have some trouble if he's matched up on the outside.
11:03 P.M. Bengals Grab CB Dennard at No. 24
Many analysts didn't expect Michigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard to last into the second half of the first round of the draft. With Gilbert and Fuller getting selected ahead of him, though, Dennard dropped to a point where Cincinnati was able to obtain a player who was not only likely atop their board, but also plays a position of need.
Dennard is similar to Fuller as a physical cornerback, despite his sub-200-pound frame. He's going to compete for playing time right away, hoping to replace one of the Bengals' talented-but-aging cornerbacks in Terence Newman and Leon Hall.
11:00 P.M. Chiefs Draft DE Ford at 23rd Overall
The Kansas City Chiefs already have arguably the league's top outside linebacker duo in Tamba Hali and Justin Houston. You have to think the selection of Auburn defensive end Dee Ford was a "best player available" pick for Kansas City, since Ford is going to need to convert to 3-4 outside linebacker for the Chiefs.
Ford is 6'2", 252 pounds with 32.9-inch arms. He was productive in his final year at Auburn with 10.5 sacks. However, there are a couple concerns. First, Ford totaled only 14.5 tackles for loss. Sacks are notoriously volatile since they're a relatively low-frequency event, so tackles for loss is a decent proxy for overall explosiveness. You'd like to see more production in that area.
Second, Ford wasn't an impact player prior to 2013; in the four prior years he was at Auburn, Ford tallied 10 total sacks and 13 combined tackles for loss. It's a major concern when a player doesn't produce at a high level until he's older than the players against whom he's competing.
In Kansas City, Ford will probably be a pass-rush specialist to start.
10:43 P.M. Browns Again on the Move, Grab Manziel at No. 22
Johnny Football's draft-day slide has come to an end, as the Cleveland Browns have jumped up to grab him at No. 22 overall. They surrendered their third-round pick to move up four spots in the deal.
Manziel's drop was a bit unexpected just because he was so unimaginably productive at Texas A&M: 7,820 yards, 9.1 yards-per-attempt, and 63 passing touchdowns in two years. He also added 30 rushing touchdowns during that time.
Some of the probable reasons for Manziel's fall were a perceived lack of both accuracy and height. However, Manziel completed 68.9 percent of his passes, including a higher completion rate from the pocket than outside of it.
Manziel's height is a concern, but don't forget that there's really good evidence that short quarterbacks typically fail because of a lack of elite hand size, not actually because they're short. WIth hands just under 10 inches long, Manziel's hands are unusually large for his height.
He should start from the get-go in Cleveland.
The Dawg Pound can let go of the bone now…
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
O-M-G!!!!!!! Way to make me sweat this out! Johnny Football to the Browns at No. 22. #genius
— Melissa Hoppert (@MHoppertNYT) 9 May 14
10:35 P.M. The Pack Use No. 21 Pick on Clinton-Dix
Green Bay needed a free safety and they got their man in Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. As mentioned, Clinton-Dix is very similar to Louisville's Calvin Pryor from an athletic standpoint; at 6'1", 208 pounds, Clinton-Dix has good size for the safety position, but he ran just 4.58 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Despite the lackluster 40-yard dash, many analysts consider Clinton-Dix to be this class's best true free safety. On a defense that shows as many exotic looks as Green Bay's, Clinton-Dix will be asked to play a lot of Cover-1 as a true deep man, as well as some man-to-man coverage.
Ha Ha a Packer… Three cheers for the newest Cheesehead
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
10:33 P.M. Saints Trade Up to No. 20 for WR Brandin Cooks
Although the Saints have sported one of the league's most potent passing attacks for years, most assume that's due primarily to the arm of quarterback Drew Brees. New Orleans just got him some help.
In Oregon State's Brandin Cooks, the Saints have acquired a player who was productive throughout his college career. Last year, he totaled 128 catches—one-hundred-twenty-eight catches!—for 1,730 yards and 16 scores. He's one of the few undersized receivers (5'10", 189 pounds) who has shown signs of remaining relevant in the red zone.
Cooks' other biggest positives are his speed (4.31) and age. Still just 20-years old, Cooks dominated the Pac-12 at an age that suggests he still has plenty of room for growth. Adjusting for age still appears to be a major draft market inefficiency, so Cooks has plenty of big advantages to combat his small stature.
Before the draft began, I mocked quarterback Johnny Manziel to the Cleveland Browns at No. 4 overall. Boy was I wrong.
As we enter the 20s of the 2014 N.F.L. draft, Manziel is still on the board. Teams are likely concerned about his lack of ideal quarterback height and, perhaps, some off-field issues.
But just how unlikely was a Manziel slide? Well, aggregating expert mock drafts and looking at team needs, Advanced Football Analytics estimated the probability of Manziel falling to this portion of the draft at just a couple percent.
Let's hope for Manziel's sake that he doesn't wait in the green room much longer.
10:24 P.M. Miami Surprises With OT James
When the draft process started, Tennessee offensive tackle Ja'Waun James was considered a mid-round pick. He slowly rose up boards, but prior to a few minutes ago, most still considered him a second-round talent.
The Miami Dolphins disagreed, making James the 19th overall pick in the draft. James has prototypical left tackle size at 6'6", 311 pounds with 35-inch arms. Again, those long arms are important, as they allow offensive tackles to get into the chest of pass-rushers to help control at the point-of-attack.
James started 49 games at Tennessee—a school record—and he should be a starter by training camp for Miam
10:13 P.M. At No. 18, Jets Go With Safety Pryor
With the 18th overall pick, the New York Jets selected Louisville safety Calvin Pryor. Pryor was competing with Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to be the top safety off of the board.
Physically, Pryor and Clinton-Dix are basically spitting images of one another—play-making safeties without elite measurables. At 5'11", 207 pounds, Pryor ran a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash, jumped 34.5 inches vertically, and recorded a sub-10-foot broad jump. Film nuts rave about his ability, though, saying he flies all over the field.
The fit should be a good one for the Jets—a team that will probably ask Pryor to do a whole lot of different things. He'll play in the box, where many believe he excels, but he's also likely to get some time in the back end as a "centerfielder" for the Jets' D. NFL Network's Mike Mayock likens Pryor to "a larger Bob Sanders."
Very Rex Ryan to take a DB… Only a handful of boos, which counts as approval by Jets fans…
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
10:02 P.M. Ravens Opt for LB Mosley at No. 17
It seems like the Ravens go defense every season, and they were at it this year with the selection of Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley.
Mosley is a 6'2", 234-pound linebacker with decent speed at 4.63. Widely considered the top inside linebacker prospect in this class from a pure talent perspective, the concern with Mosley is his health. If he can stay on the field, he'll be able to play both inside and outside in Baltimore.
At Alabama, Mosley recorded back-to-back triple-digit tackle seasons over the past two years. He's versatile enough to stay on the field on third down, which is important with any linebacker taken in the first round in today's N.F.L.
The Ravens bypassed both Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor—the draft's consensus top two safeties.
Mosley chosen by Ravens… which means the J-E-T-S chants have started…
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
9:55 P.M. Cowboys Take OT Martin at No. 16
With 16th Pick in the draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin. Martin is the final of the "Big Four" group of this class's top offensive tackles. The redshirt senior is a tactician on the outside, but he has a few red flags. First is his arm length—32.9 inches. That's not necessarily a death sentence to Martin's N.F.L. prospects, but linemen with that arm length often kick inside to guard. Could Martin move in that direction?
The Cowboys currently have Doug Free starting at right tackle, but that's a position that needs to be upgraded. The same could be said for right guard, though. The most likely outcome is that Martin starts at right guard for Dallas and develops there until the 'Boys are ready to move him outside, if they deem that appropriate. Otherwise, he could be a long-term answer on the inside. His versatility was surely a plus for the Cowboys.
It looks like the Manziel-to-Dallas rumors won't come to fruition.
And the #Cowboys pass on Johnny Football, too! Hmmm…
— Melissa Hoppert (@MHoppertNYT) 9 May 14
9:51 P.M. LB Shazier to Steelers at No. 16
The Steelers are notorious for selecting "hard-nosed" football players, and Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier is no exception. He recorded triple-digit tackles in 2013—23.5 of which were behind the line-of-scrimmage—while also racking up seven sacks.
Shazier will help to upgrade a Pittsburgh defense that has become very old very quickly. His 6'1", 237-pound frame is a little small for the inside, although that's his most probable position in Pittsburgh. He could also kick outside in passing situations.
9:48 P.M. CB Fuller Goes No. 14 to Bears
With the 14th overall selection, the Chicago Bears drafted the second cornerback off of the board in Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller. At 6'0", Fuller's length appears to match what Chicago wants to do outside.
At Tech, Fuller wasn't a high-interception player with just six career picks—two in each of the past two seasons. Part of that was simply due to not being targeted, though. Fuller has the ability to play every type of coverage, including press-man and zone. He's a physical player who could be Chicago's nickel man in 2014, or perhaps a starter on the outside.
The current surprise players still left on the board include Manziel and Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin.
9:45 P.M. Giants Add Offensive Threat
Odell Beckham is undersized, but will give the Giants a deep threat to complement current slot man Victor Cruz: http://t.co/yPHKnsBa75
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) 9 May 14
9:41 P.M. Rams Select DT Donald at No. 13
The Bears and Cowboys are both probably disappointed as the St. Louis Rams select Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald—a player many linked to both Chicago and Dallas.
Donald was one of the most productive players at any position, racking up 29.5 sacks and 66 tackles-for-loss during his college career, including 11 sacks and 28.5 tackles-for-loss (wow!) last year alone. Donald is a short-armed player with 32.6-inch arms, but you can overlook that trait a bit when you see such incredible success at the major collegiate level.
Donald will bolster an already impressive St. Louis defensive line. In Chris Long and Robert Quinn, the Rams have one of the league's top outside pass-rushing duos. With Donald working inside with Michael Brockers, it's difficult to find a more intimidating defensive line in the N.F.L.
9:36 P.M. About Those Jerseys …
How do they get those No. 1 jerseys to the NFL draft picks so fast? We're on it. http://t.co/nWCG0joLXi
— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) 9 May 14
9:32 P.M. Giants Go WR Beckham at No. 12
The New York Giants decided to bypass Mr. Manziel and give quarterback Eli Manning a weapon on the outside in L.S.U.'s Odell Beckham Jr. The wide receiver's biggest positive is his straight-line speed; he's a sub-4.40 player who made some miraculous catches in the SEC.
The knock on Beckham is that he's undersized. At 5'11", 198 pounds, Beckham isn't going to overpower defenders in the big leagues. The question is if his route-running ability—which is superb—can make up for his light frame. Beckham might have a little trouble scoring in the red zone; he averaged four touchdowns per year at L.S.U.
Nonetheless, Beckham will give the Giants a deep threat to complement current slot man Victor Cruz. The duo could split time inside, with both capable of moving anywhere along the offensive formation.
A bit of a surprise for Giants to go away from their traditional mode, which would have been OL Zack Martin #GiantsDraft #giants
— Bill Pennington (@billmpennington) 9 May 14
9:29 P.M. Tennessee Selects OT Lewan at No. 11
Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan's slide didn't figure to last too long, and it ended at No. 11 with the Tennessee Titans. The pick figured to be a "best player available" selection for Tennessee, a team that is already pretty well stocked along the offensive line.
Lewan is an absolutely massive offensive tackle at 6-7 and 309 pounds, yet he is also one of this class's most athletic. His combination of quickness (4.87 in the 40-yard dash) and length (33.9-inch arms) should help the Titans' attempt to field the N.F.L.'s top offensive line.
Meanwhile, Johnny Football continues to wait.
9:22 P.M. Lions Do Giants No Favor
The Giants, who don't have an experienced or proven tight end on their roster, will be seeing the highest-rated TE in the draft pool, North Carolina's Eric Ebron, during their opening game of the season against Detroit.
— Bill Pennignton
9:18 P.M. Barry Sanders Announces Lions' Pick: TE Ebron
In a move that's sure to surprise a lot of folks, the Detroit Lions decided to forgo upgrading their defense and instead opted to give quarterback Matthew Stafford another weapon in tight end Eric Ebron. Ebron, a U.N.C. tight end, should certainly help take pressure off Calvin Johnson on the outside.
At North Carolina, Ebron was highly productive as a pass-catching tight end, improving his reception and yardage totals each year he was there. His 2013 line of 62/973/3 was impressive. The only concerning number there is the 3 — Ebron's low touchdown total. Despite his 6-4, 245-pound frame, Ebron was never a dominant scorer with only a 7.1 percent career touchdown rate.
Ebron's arrival probably signals the beginning of the end for the current tight end, Brandon Pettigrew. Ebron is a far more athletic player who should be able to get up the field with ease; he averaged 16.1 yards per reception at North Carolina, so some are viewing him almost as a really big wide receiver.
Damn. Tight End Eric Lebron goes to Detroit with the 10th pick. That was supposed to be the Giants' next tight end! Is Manziel plan B?
— Justin Sablich (@JSablichNYT) 9 May 14
9:15 P.M. Vikings Go With U.C.L.A.'s Barr at No. 9
Minnesota was comfortable moving down one pick while still being able to nab its guy, U.C.L.A. outside linebacker Anthony Barr. Although Barr didn't get as much predraft hype as many of the other top-10 players, you knew his combination of athleticism and production wouldn't last long.
Over the past two seasons, Barr produced an unbelievable 23.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss. Those are pretty jaw-dropping numbers for a player who was a running back just two years ago.
Some were concerned with Barr's ability to transition to a seven-technique defensive end — the position he'll play in Minnesota — but his natural pass-rushing ability is truly elite.
Vikings pick Anthony Barr… Mixed reaction.
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
9:07 P.M. Browns Trade Up One Spot to No. 8, Select CB Gilbert
After trading down five spots to start the draft, the Cleveland Browns are on the move again, jumping just a single spot to draft cornerback Justin Gilbert out of Oklahoma State. Why move up just one spot? It's possible that the Minnesota Vikings told Cleveland that some other team was looking to trade up for their selection, urging the Browns to best the offer if they wanted to nab their man. Cleveland needed to send Minnesota just a fifth-rounder to make the move.
When the Browns jumped one position, some thought that maybe they were looking to go with quarterback Johnny Manziel. Instead, they drafted someone considered to be the prototype at cornerback. At 6 feet and 202 pounds, Gilbert clocked in at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. His combination of size and speed is top-tier.
In Cleveland, he'll pair with Joe Haden to provide the Browns with one of the more frightening cornerback duos in the N.F.L. Cleveland might now have the personnel to contain the divisional foes A. J. Green and Antonio Brown.
And that's why I didn't do a mock draft! Browns take CB Justin Gilbert & the crowd erupts with groans of disappointment and disgust.
— Justin Sablich (@JSablichNYT) 9 May 14
Are they chanting Cleveland Sucks at Radio City? I can only imagine what's going on in Cleveland.
— Melissa Hoppert (@MHoppertNYT) 9 May 14
9:02 P.M. Tampa Bay Grabs WR Evans at No. 7
Looking to give the second-year quarterback Mike Glennon some help on the outside, the Buccaneers drafted Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans with the seventh overall selection. The pick wasn't necessarily shocking, but it's mildly surprising that the new coach Lovie Smith bypassed defense (like Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald) in favor of an offensive player.
Johnny Manziel got most of the attention at Texas A&M, but much of his success was due to the high-level talent of Evans. In 2012, Evans grabbed 82 passes for 1,105 yards and 5 touchdowns. With defenses clamping down on him last year, Evans's reception total dropped to 69, yet he still managed more yards (1,394) and touchdowns (12).
Evans's closest N.F.L. comparison is probably the current Bucs wide receiver Vincent Jackson — another big, physical player who can get deep and score with consistency. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Evans is going to pair with Jackson to give Tampa Bay perhaps the most red-zone-efficient wide receiver corps in 2014.
Another Aggie goes before Johnny Football
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
8:54 P.M. With Sixth Pick, Falcons Select Texas A&M OT Matthews
The rumors were that if linebacker Khalil Mack slipped to Cleveland's fourth overall pick, Atlanta was prepared to move up to get him. That might have been the case, but the Browns received an offer from Buffalo that they just couldn't pass up. Atlanta was placed in a position in which they needed to wait on Oakland, and the Raiders indeed drafted the player many assumed was the apple of Atlanta's eye.
Instead, the Falcons opted to protect quarterback Matt Ryan with Texas A&M offensive tackle Jake Matthews. Not quite the same caliber of athlete as the No. 2 pick, Greg Robinson, Matthews was still a stone wall for the Aggies. He's leaner than Robinson — 6-5, 308 pounds — but his size and length (33.4-inch arms) are plenty good enough to excel in the N.F.L.
Matthews should start right out of the gate for the Falcons. He has experience on both sides of the football.
J. Football now not even the first Aggie selected after Jake Matthews goes 6th to Atlanta
— Zach Schonbrun (@zschonbrun) 9 May 14
Pretty muted response for Jake Matthews. Are there no Falcons fans in the house?
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
8:49 P.M. LB Khalil Mack to Oakland at No. 5
With the fifth overall selection, the Oakland Raiders drafted Buffalo linebacker Khalil Mack. Oakland had been rumored to have a lot of interest in both Mack and Texas A&M wide receiver Mike Evans, but they went defense with the consensus second-best defensive player still on the board.
At Buffalo, Mack was unbelievably productive. Last year, he totaled 100 tackles while recording 10.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Mack also impressed at the scouting combine, jumping 40 inches vertically and recording an unbelievable 10 feet 8 inches in the broad.
In Oakland, Mack will most likely work as a hybrid player who can drop into coverage at times. The majority of Mack's snaps, though, will probably come as a pass rusher. His ability to get to the quarterback was really what warranted such a high selection.
8:43 P.M. Bills Trade Up to No. 4 and Select WR Watkins
In a bit of a shocker, the Buffalo Bills traded up from the ninth overall selection, swapping picks with the Cleveland Browns to get up to No. 4 over all. The Bills gave up this year's first and next year's first and fourth to get Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
In Watkins, Buffalo will get a very versatile receiver who can pretty much do it all — quick screens, deep routes and even the occasional rush. He's a 6-foot-1, 211-pound receiver with sub-4.40 speed who was productive right out of the gate in college. In his freshman year, Watkins caught 82 passes for 1,219 yards and 12 touchdowns. When a player can dominate college competition at an age younger than the majority of his opponents, that's a great sign.
Watkins will start from Day 1 in Buffalo.
Bills take Sammy Watkins. NFL marketers knew what they were doing with #DraftDay. My heart is pounding.
— Melissa Hoppert (@MHoppertNYT) 9 May 14
8:32 P.M. Jaguars Go With QB Bortles at No. 3
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't take long to select U.C.F. quarterback Blake Bortles with the third overall selection. The pick is somewhat surprising, although the fact that we haven't heard much quarterback talk out of Jacksonville this year could be because they were indeed targeting Bortles all along.
Bortles was highly efficient at Central Florida, throwing for 8.5 yards-per-attempt and completing 65.7 percent of his passes during his three-year career. He also recorded an impressive 56-to-19 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
The only concern? Hand size. N.F.L. teams have seemed to pay more attention to quarterback hand size in recent years because it's predictive of success at the position. Although Bortles is tall, his hands are just 9.38 inches long—smaller than the league average of 9.6.
Wow… The buzz for Bortles was intense… Johnny Football skipped over.
— El Belson (@el_belson) 9 May 14
8:29 P.M. Rams Draft Auburn OT Robinson No. 2
No one was completely positive if the St. Louis Rams would target an offensive weapon for their quarterback, someone to protect him on the outside, or even a prospect to eventually replace him. At least in the first round, they went with the middle option.
Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson is a mammoth 6-foot-5, 332-pound offensive tackle who started 25 of 26 career games at Auburn. Robinson's most attractive trait might be his 35-inch arms; arm length is strongly correlated with N.F.L. success for offensive tackles.
In St. Louis, Robinson will most likely compete with Joe Barksdale to immediately get time at right tackle, and he could eventually kick over to Sam Bradford's blind side in place of the current left tackle, Rodger Saffold.
8:25 P.M. What Will the Giants Do Against Clowney?
The Giants host the Texans on Sept. 21: Eli Manning scrambling between the rush of J. J. Watt and Clowney. (And perhaps counting on tonight's first-round pick to keep him upright.)
— Bill Pennington
8:16 P.M. Texans Select Clowney No. 1
As expected, the Houston Texans opened the 2014 N.F.L. draft by selecting South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Houston used the entirety of its allotted time to field any last-minute trade offers, but in the end, Clowney's ability was too attractive to pass up.
The question about Clowney: If he's truly the once-in-a-decade sort of prospect some are making him out to be, why the lack of production in 2013? Double teams or not, you'd certainly expect a world-class edge rusher to total more than three sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. In comparison, Clowney recorded 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss in 2012.
Still, it's not as if 6-foot-6, 266-pound defensive ends with 34.5-inch arms and 4.53 speed grow on trees. Whether or not he'll fulfill his potential, you can't argue that Clowney's ceiling in the N.F.L. is otherworldly.
In Houston, Clowney will pair with Whitney Mercilus as the Texans' pass-rushing outside linebacker duo. Houston will most likely move Brooks Reed inside, so the pick could represent an upgrade at two positions.
The Houston Texans select Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick of the NFL draft. Only took them 4 months, 8 days and 10 minutes to decide.
— Justin Sablich (@JSablichNYT) 9 May 14
8:03 P.M. A Look Back at Draft History
The N.F.L. draft has come a long way. Take a look.
We're mere minutes away from the N.F.L. draft, and as expected, rumors are running rampant.
The Detroit Lions love U.C.L.A. defensive end Anthony Barr, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, but they might not get him if ESPN's Bob Holtzman is right that Barr is one of the Minnesota Vikings' targets with the eighth overall selection.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team to watch for North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron, and the Atlanta Falcons appear to be the team most likely to trade up. But not too far.
ESPN's Adam Schefter says the Jacksonville Jaguars are "intrigued" by Johnny Manziel at No. 3 over all, while Fox's Jay Glazer thinks Johnny Football is going to fall to the Arizona Cardinals in the back half of the first round. Or he could go somewhere in the middle (including to a certain New York team). One thing we know for sure about Manziel is that he's the Cowboys' top-rated quarterback, per ESPN's Todd McShay. Unless, of course, he isn't.
The fact is that we don't really know very much about what's going to unfold tonight and, outside of those picking near the top of the draft, neither do the teams. But that's what makes the draft so special. That's what adds to the intrigue. That's what has fans coming back for more.
There are about a million ways the draft could develop tonight, but the one certainty is that there will be twists and turns not even the most sophisticated analysts could envision.
Our motto for the 2014 N.F.L. draft: Expect the unexpected.
And here's a little more information to whet your appetite before the draft. Melissa Hoppert, The Times's N.F.L. editor, reveals what to look for as teams make their picks this week.
We're an hour away from the first pick. Now's a good time to take another look at the Retro Report's take on the 1998 draft.
A version of this article appears in print on 05/09/2014, on page B13 of the NewYork edition with the headline: A Look at Round 1.
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