NFL Draft First Round Reactions
Laremy Tunsil had an unprecedented draft fall due to the reported hacking of his social media accounts
Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
The first round of the draft has come and gone. The first two picks were a given with Jared Goff going to Los Angeles and Carson Wentz going to Philadelphia, but the rest of the draft provided us with plenty of drama starting with the Chargers surprising pick of Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa all the way to Seattle's attempt to shore up their pitiful offensive line drafting Texas A&M's Germain Ifedi. This post I'll take a look at the first round and give a few of my initial reactions.
Most Shocking Development
Look nowhere further than Laremy Tunsil. Just 13 minutes before the draft, his Twitter account posted a video of who appeared to be Tunsil smoking out of a bong with a gas mask. This was followed by two Instagram posts showing a conversation between him and an assistant from Ole Miss showing what also appears to be sure fire recruiting violations. There's no way that Tunsil posted these himself, seeing how he was in Chicago prepping for the draft all day and he was in the green room as the video was posted. The one time in the history of social media where we can actually believe that an athlete's account was hacked. It's a shame that this is what we have to talk about on someone's draft day, and it looks like someone is out to get this kid. Hopefully this doesn't overshadow his career for too much longer. Honorable Mention: Myles Jack falling out of the first round.
Biggest Reach: Eli Apple - Cornerback - Ohio State (10th to NYG)
The 2nd corner off of the board to a team that didn't really need a cornerback. They signed Janoris Jenkins in the off-season and they already have Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as well. Going with a pass rusher like Shaq Lawson would have made more sense here, or even a Laquon Treadwell to put across Odell Beckham. Honorable Mention: Leonard Floyd to Chicago (9th overall).
Best Value Pick: Robert Nkemdiche - Defensive Tackle - Ole Miss (29th to ARZ)
If it weren't for the off field concerns, Nkemdiche would have been a top five pick. Instead he goes to a strong organization and locker room that can mold him into the player he has the potential to become. Last time the Cardinals drafted a player with character concerns it was LSU's Tyrann Mathieu, and that's turned out pretty well for them so far. Honorable Mention: Laquon Treadwell to Minnesota (23rd overall).
Best Fit: Ezekiel Elliott - Running Back - Ohio State (4th to DAL)
I still believe that the Cowboys should have drafted Jalen Ramsey at #4 and then used their 2nd round pick on Derrick Henry, but Elliott should still be a force from day one for Dallas. He's far and away the best running back in this class and behind that offensive line, should be the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year. Honorable Mention: Shaq Lawson to Buffalo (19th overall).
Weirdest Pick: Josh Garnett - Guard - Stanford (28th to SF)
The 49ers traded back into the first round to select a guard. That alone makes it the weirdest pick. They do need help on the offensive line, but to trade back into the first round for a guy most had as a late 2nd round pick makes it look like Chip Kelly either knows what he's doing or he's panicking due to past failures. Time will tell. Honorable Mention: Keanu Neal to Atlanta (17th overall).
Best Player Available: Myles Jack - Linebacker - UCLA
His knee injury was well publicized and that's what was the main contributor to him falling out of the first round. I thought he would have been a perfect pick for the Packers at 27, but Ted Thompson went off the board like usual. If he was healthy he would have been a top five pick, and whoever drafts him in what I suspect will be the early part of the second round will be getting a steal. Honorable Mention: A'Shawn Robinson - DT - Alabama.
How Did My Mock Draft Do?
Surprisingly, my mock draft did pretty well. The top two picks were obvious with Goff and Wentz, but overall I got 9 of the 31 picks correct. Although not all of them were on the exact draft slot, the team was selecting the right player in the end.
Correct Picks: Jared Goff (Rams), Carson Wentz (Eagles), DeForest Buckner (49ers), Jack Conklin (Titans), Vernon Hargreaves (Buccaneers), Ryan Kelly (Colts), Josh Doctson (Redskins), Laquon Treadwell (Vikings), and Germain Idefi (Seahawks).
Compared to Others Mocks: Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Network) - 7 correct, Mike Mayock (NFL Network) - 8 correct, Bucky Brooks (NFL Network) - 7 correct, Charles Davis (NFL Network) - 9 correct, Mel Kiper (ESPN) - 8 correct, Todd McShay (ESPN) - 7 correct, Peter Schrager (Fox Sports) - 6 correct, Matt Miller (Bleacher Report) - 8 correct, Peter King (Sports Illustrated) - 7 correct.
Article by Thomas Mooney
Twitter: @thomas_mooney1, @AFewGoodMics
