Finally, the NFL Draft has finally begun in the city of Detroit.
The first-round picks are officially in the books, and each of the 32 picks brings new hope to the teams that make them. But there’s still a lot of work to be done. Rounds 2 and 3 are on Friday night, followed by Rounds 4 to 7 on Saturday.
It will take some time to see how well these choices play out, but that won’t stop us from reacting and analyzing.
We’re looking at the winners and losers of the first round.
winner
Quarterback—— Quarterbacks went undrafted Thursday night, with six going into the top 12 of the draft. Caleb Williams (Bears, first), Jayden Daniels (Commanders, second), Derek Meyer (Patriots, third), Michael Penick Jr. Si (Falcons, No. 8), JJ McCarthy (Vikings, No. 10) and Bo Nix (Broncos, No. 12) combined to tie for first-round selections in the historic 1983 QB draft class The team with the largest number of players. But never have six guys been off the board as quickly as Thursday night. Some of these quarterbacks may start immediately. Others may sit for a while. But for now, they’re a symbol of hope for a bright future for the new series.
Offensive player – Each draft reflects a different trend, and this year has a strong offensive flavor as 14 picks are needed before the first defensive player takes the field. That player is UCLA rusher Laiatu Latu, who finished 15th in Indianapolis. A total of 23 offensive players were selected in the first round, while only nine defensive players were selected.
deeper
NFL Draft opens with record 14th consecutive offensive pick
Kyler Murray — The Arizona Cardinals quarterback returned from reconstructive knee surgery last season but lacked game-changing talent on offense. But Cardinals officials used the fourth pick in the draft to land Marvin Harrison Jr., considered by many to be the best wide receiver in the draft. Harrison provides Murray and the Cardinals with a great baserunner with good size and speed.
Philadelphia Eagles— The Eagles need help at cornerback, and they’re even calling for a possible move up in the draft so they can better position themselves to take their preferred corners. But none of the teams ahead of them had pressing needs in the corners, with Quinyon Mitchell finishing 22nd on their lap, and the Phillies didn’t have to give up an extra asset.
Daniel Jones The New York Giants did a lot of homework on the quarterbacks they drafted. There are rumors that they could have used the sixth pick on the pass rusher, which could spell the end for Jones, who has largely been a disappointment since New York drafted him sixth overall in 2019. The Giants used No. 6 overall pick Malik Nabors at wide receiver out of LSU, meaning Jones may get another chance to establish himself.
LSU Broadside— First it was Nabers who finished sixth, then Brian Thomas Jr. who finished 23rd heading to Jacksonville. This is the first time LSU has two first-round wide receivers. Now, Nabors and Thomas will join Jamal Chase, Justin Jefferson, DJ Chark and Odell Beckham as LSU’s next great receivers. It was a big night for wide receivers, as a total of seven receivers were eliminated in the first round.
(Photo: Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
loser
Kirk Cousins — Just months after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal, the Atlanta Falcons shocked Kirk Cousins by drafting Penix. Cousins, who was recovering from a torn Achilles tendon, didn’t learn of the team’s plans until after the Falcons game started, but his recovery from surgery is going well and he’s looking forward to returning to Atlanta. But now, Cousins may be looking for another opportunity sooner than he expected (most of the guaranteed money on his deal is in the first two seasons). Penix will likely sit out and learn this year, and if Cousins struggles in 2025, the Falcons may turn things over to the kid.
deeper
Cousins beats Falcons to draft Penix Jr. in first round
Las Vegas Raiders — The Raiders need to find their long-term answer at the quarterback position and are believed to be interested in moving up in the draft to ensure they land a quarterback. Well, the Raiders didn’t manage to move up, and when they entered at No. 13, all six quarterbacks who were viewed as potential franchise saviors were taken away. For now, Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew remain the Raiders’ only options at quarterback. They could look for a pass rusher in the second or third round, but such a player is likely to be a project.
Zach Wilson—— The Broncos snatched Wilson away from the Jets a few days ago, and it looks like Wilson may have a chance to recalibrate, learn from Sean Payton, and potentially salvage his career in Denver. But then the Broncos drafted Nix with the 12th overall pick. Now, all Wilson wants is for the Knicks to have a slow learning curve and the struggles of Jarrett Stidham, who started two games in Denver last season. He can just work his way on the court. Otherwise, his practice reps and playing opportunities will be severely limited.
defensive back – The cornerback corps endured a long wait Thursday night, with 21 players eliminated before Mitchell left for the Eagles. Mitchell is from Toledo and is indeed in a good position defensively with a strong forward line. But he could have done it without waiting. However, Mitchell’s wait was not the longest. Two picks later, Alabama corner Terion Arnold finally got the call, and the Lions traded up to select him with the 24th overall pick. It’s the longest wait for a cornerback since 1995, when Tyrone Poole went 22nd in Carolina and Ty Law went 23rd in New England.
Buffalo Bill— The Buffalo Brass reversed course in the first round after trading picks with the Chiefs in a head-scratching first-round pick. Kansas City used the pick to select speedy Texas wideout Xavier Worthy. Buffalo needs help at wide receiver, and the Chiefs are a team Buffalo will never beat in the playoffs. So passing up an opportunity to help yourself, and then help strengthen a key rival, could really come back to haunt the Bills. Then, to make matters worse, the Bills turned around and traded the No. 32 pick back to No. 33. Coming into this position, the Panthers used this pick to select South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette – another player who could really help Buffalo.
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(Photo: Gregory Shams/Getty Images)
