NFL Draft: Round 1 Review by Lauren Beasley
2012 NFL Draft was definitely not boring but it’s too safe at least in my opinion, none of these picks in the first round came as much as a surprise to me.
The first two picks were no surprise, the Colts choose Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first overall pick and Washington Redskins selected Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. I believe both players will do well, but I believe that RG3 has the potential to have immediate success at Washington with his great versatile skill set.
Cleveland Browns traded up to get the third pick and they acquired Alabama RB Trent Richardson. That was a great move by the Browns, because they need an identity at running back. Plus in their tough conference they have to be multi-dimensional against teams like Ravens, Steelers and Bengals. Browns also acquired Oklahoma State QB Branden Weeden; this was not a shocker to me because I know the Browns don’t have total faith in QB Colt McCoy. Weeden sticks throws into tight windows over the middle, throwing to spot on slant or between zone defenders before receiver is open. He has potential but there is no telling how good he will really be.
Vikings were smart to go get USC OT Matt Kahlil, they’re offensive line struggled last season, so I think they did a great job of getting the best offensive lineman available and they took care of a key need.
Jaguars were also very smart to trade up so that they could acquire Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. I feel that Blackmon is probably one of the most if not the most explosive receiver in the draft, he is very versatile and they give QB Blaine Gabbert a weapon to throw too.
Dallas Cowboys were smart to take LSU CB Morris Claiborne, I feel with this pick that the Dallas Cowboys will be very interesting to watch as far as secondary, they already have Brandon Carr, Jenkins and now they add Morris Claiborne. Good stuff.
Tampa Bay went with best player available and with a need when they drafted Alabama S Mark Barron; this gives them a nice threat out in the secondary, he is versatile, he is good in coverage and can come up and blitz and overall is hard hitter.
Miami Dolphins didn’t surprise anyone with drafting Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill. I don’t have a problem with the pick, but I do feel that Tannehill is a work in progress at the QB position. He has a lot of potential and where I see he could be great; I also could see him fall.
Carolina Panthers shocked me a little bit with going to get Boston College TE Luke Keuchly. I originally anticipated that they were going to take a defensive pick but instead they choose to go with another offensive weapon for Cam Newton to throw too.
Buffalo Bills selected South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore; this was nice pick up, in my opinion. Gilmore plays mostly in a press-bail or off-coverage. My worry with him is his size and strength but I still think he will be a good asset for the Bills especially in their mediocre secondary.
Kansas City Chiefs selected Memphis DT Dontari Poe, now while I don’t have a problem with this pick; I was shocked to see the Chiefs take Poe over players like Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers. Overall he still is a good player; he should do well for them in the pass rush and has some natural balance and lateral agility which will pay off in the NFL.
Philadelphia Eagles selected what most people believe to be the best DT in the draft this year, Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox. I like this pick for the Eagles, defensively they need a good pass rusher and they get that with Cox, he has good quickness off the snap and knows how to attacks the gaps. I was however a little shocked they didn’t try to acquire someone for the offensive line, but I think in this case they went with best player available.
Arizona Cardinals selected Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd, now this was another smart pick. Cardinals already have to the quick Larry Fitzgerald who arguably the second best receiver in the NFL, so to add another receiver like Michael Floyd, who has great hands and outstanding vertical leap will help the Cardinals nicely. However, he does need to improve his release off the line of scrimmage and he also has a lack of consistency at times.
St. Louis Rams selected LSU DT Michael Brockers. This wasn’t a bad pick for the Rams. Brockers only registered two sacks in 2011 but appear to have blossoming natural pass rush skills. Good initial quickness off the snap and flashes an explosive burst to split gaps. He will be interesting to watch this season.
Seattle Seahawks selected West Virginia LB Bruce Irving, was a little bit of a shocker, I didn’t expect him to get selected until early second round but it was still a nice move by the Seahawks. He is good at reading and reacting, he has natural instincts for defense despite his lack of experience, though he is obviously still learning.
New York Jets selected UNC DE Quinton Coples, now while I do like this young man as a player, I don’t like his attitude necessarily. He had a great a junior season and when some changes were made his senior season where he had a mediocre season, he blamed it on the coaching staff. He can’t have that type of attitude coming into the NFL, especially on the New York Jets.
Cincinnati Bengals selected Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick; this is a good addition to their secondary. Kirkpatrick possesses prototypical size and strength combination to lock down NFL receivers on the outside. Long arms and attitude give him a chance to be very good in press role. However he does need to continue to improve on his footwork and his over aggressiveness. Bengals also selected Wisconsin OG Kevin Zeitler, nice pick up. He comes out of Wisconsin, so we already know he probably won’t disappoint.
San Diego Chargers got a steal with their selection in South Carolina LB Melvin Ingram. Ingram can play anywhere, great versatility, great motor. Do it all type of guy! He is tough and consistent, great combination in the NFL.
Chicago Bears selected Boise State LB Shea McClellin, I have to admit I like this pick, and he is very underrated but very effective. He plays fast with very good football quickness and agile footwork. He also fights and works hard to find a way to beat blockers.
Tennessee Titans selected Baylor WR Kendall Wright, who I believe will have successful career. Wright is athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. Very good body control and smooth movements. He plays fast and explosive.
New England Patriots surprised everyone with their two picks; the first player they selected was Syracuse DE Chandler Jones. He relies on hustle, vision and strength as a pass rusher, however he does seem to have problems on the outside, but there is plenty of potential and value in him. Patriot’s second pick was Alabama LB Dont’a Hightower which I consider to be somewhat of a steal. He will do well with LB Mayo, but I do have some concerns about him if you place him at OLB. However he will do well in blitz situations.
Detroit Lions selected Iowa OT Reilly Rieff; this was a smart pick up by the Lions. The Lions understand they need to find Jeff Backus replacement and they found a pretty good one in my opinion. Rieff is considered to be the second best OT in the draft. He easily turned back most college pass rushers with lateral agility and length. He is an athletic run blocker with quickness and lateral movement to effectively wall off opponents on the edge.
Pittsburgh Steelers selected a monster with Stanford OG David DeCastro, he is considered to be the best OG in the draft. To be honest and just point blank in college this young man basically never got beat. Good footwork and hands and is capable of blocking down with one hand and sliding to help tackle. Great pick up by the Steelers.
Houston Texans selected Illinois DE Whitney Mercillus; this young man is a pretty nice steal in my opinion for the Texans. This young man led the nation in tackles and forced fumbles. This was a smart pick up by the Texans who are looking to replace Mario Williams.
Green Bay Packers selected USC DE Nick Perry, this was a nice pick for the Packers, and they add yet another weapon to their defense. Perry has very good first step quickness and does a nice job in space. He also has the footwork, body control and fluidity to quickly change directions.
Minnesota Vikings selected Notre Dame S Harrison Smith. I was a little shocked to see him get picked in the first round, I had somewhat projected him as an early second rounder, but nonetheless it was a good pick up by the Vikings. Smith looks the part with prototypical size and strength for a strong safety. He is extremely strong with natural power to make punishing hits and a physical striker who enjoys contact.
San Francisco 49ers selected Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins, this also another player I thought would be an early second rounder but this is a nice pick up by the 49ers. They are looking to replace inconsistent Crabtree and this is a good one to do it. Jenkins is a balanced athlete with good body control and hand/eye coordination. He plays fast and can create after the catch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Boise State RB Doug Martin; this was very smart offensive pick by the Bucs. Martin flashes a burst into and out of the hole. Lowers his pads and delivers a blow into the chest of defenders. He is also a solid receiver in the flat, capable of running through tackles on the edge to move the chains.
New York Giants selected Virginia Tech RB David Wilson. Wilson is a tough guy to bring down and almost always gets positive yardage when he lowers his pads and gets north/south. He is still very raw as an inside runner, running too indecisive and struggling to find running room at the line of scrimmage. I imagine this was a pick to replace the role of Brandon Jacobs somewhat.
The first two picks were no surprise, the Colts choose Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first overall pick and Washington Redskins selected Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. I believe both players will do well, but I believe that RG3 has the potential to have immediate success at Washington with his great versatile skill set.
Cleveland Browns traded up to get the third pick and they acquired Alabama RB Trent Richardson. That was a great move by the Browns, because they need an identity at running back. Plus in their tough conference they have to be multi-dimensional against teams like Ravens, Steelers and Bengals. Browns also acquired Oklahoma State QB Branden Weeden; this was not a shocker to me because I know the Browns don’t have total faith in QB Colt McCoy. Weeden sticks throws into tight windows over the middle, throwing to spot on slant or between zone defenders before receiver is open. He has potential but there is no telling how good he will really be.
Vikings were smart to go get USC OT Matt Kahlil, they’re offensive line struggled last season, so I think they did a great job of getting the best offensive lineman available and they took care of a key need.
Jaguars were also very smart to trade up so that they could acquire Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon. I feel that Blackmon is probably one of the most if not the most explosive receiver in the draft, he is very versatile and they give QB Blaine Gabbert a weapon to throw too.
Dallas Cowboys were smart to take LSU CB Morris Claiborne, I feel with this pick that the Dallas Cowboys will be very interesting to watch as far as secondary, they already have Brandon Carr, Jenkins and now they add Morris Claiborne. Good stuff.
Tampa Bay went with best player available and with a need when they drafted Alabama S Mark Barron; this gives them a nice threat out in the secondary, he is versatile, he is good in coverage and can come up and blitz and overall is hard hitter.
Miami Dolphins didn’t surprise anyone with drafting Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill. I don’t have a problem with the pick, but I do feel that Tannehill is a work in progress at the QB position. He has a lot of potential and where I see he could be great; I also could see him fall.
Carolina Panthers shocked me a little bit with going to get Boston College TE Luke Keuchly. I originally anticipated that they were going to take a defensive pick but instead they choose to go with another offensive weapon for Cam Newton to throw too.
Buffalo Bills selected South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore; this was nice pick up, in my opinion. Gilmore plays mostly in a press-bail or off-coverage. My worry with him is his size and strength but I still think he will be a good asset for the Bills especially in their mediocre secondary.
Kansas City Chiefs selected Memphis DT Dontari Poe, now while I don’t have a problem with this pick; I was shocked to see the Chiefs take Poe over players like Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers. Overall he still is a good player; he should do well for them in the pass rush and has some natural balance and lateral agility which will pay off in the NFL.
Philadelphia Eagles selected what most people believe to be the best DT in the draft this year, Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox. I like this pick for the Eagles, defensively they need a good pass rusher and they get that with Cox, he has good quickness off the snap and knows how to attacks the gaps. I was however a little shocked they didn’t try to acquire someone for the offensive line, but I think in this case they went with best player available.
Arizona Cardinals selected Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd, now this was another smart pick. Cardinals already have to the quick Larry Fitzgerald who arguably the second best receiver in the NFL, so to add another receiver like Michael Floyd, who has great hands and outstanding vertical leap will help the Cardinals nicely. However, he does need to improve his release off the line of scrimmage and he also has a lack of consistency at times.
St. Louis Rams selected LSU DT Michael Brockers. This wasn’t a bad pick for the Rams. Brockers only registered two sacks in 2011 but appear to have blossoming natural pass rush skills. Good initial quickness off the snap and flashes an explosive burst to split gaps. He will be interesting to watch this season.
Seattle Seahawks selected West Virginia LB Bruce Irving, was a little bit of a shocker, I didn’t expect him to get selected until early second round but it was still a nice move by the Seahawks. He is good at reading and reacting, he has natural instincts for defense despite his lack of experience, though he is obviously still learning.
New York Jets selected UNC DE Quinton Coples, now while I do like this young man as a player, I don’t like his attitude necessarily. He had a great a junior season and when some changes were made his senior season where he had a mediocre season, he blamed it on the coaching staff. He can’t have that type of attitude coming into the NFL, especially on the New York Jets.
Cincinnati Bengals selected Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick; this is a good addition to their secondary. Kirkpatrick possesses prototypical size and strength combination to lock down NFL receivers on the outside. Long arms and attitude give him a chance to be very good in press role. However he does need to continue to improve on his footwork and his over aggressiveness. Bengals also selected Wisconsin OG Kevin Zeitler, nice pick up. He comes out of Wisconsin, so we already know he probably won’t disappoint.
San Diego Chargers got a steal with their selection in South Carolina LB Melvin Ingram. Ingram can play anywhere, great versatility, great motor. Do it all type of guy! He is tough and consistent, great combination in the NFL.
Chicago Bears selected Boise State LB Shea McClellin, I have to admit I like this pick, and he is very underrated but very effective. He plays fast with very good football quickness and agile footwork. He also fights and works hard to find a way to beat blockers.
Tennessee Titans selected Baylor WR Kendall Wright, who I believe will have successful career. Wright is athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. Very good body control and smooth movements. He plays fast and explosive.
New England Patriots surprised everyone with their two picks; the first player they selected was Syracuse DE Chandler Jones. He relies on hustle, vision and strength as a pass rusher, however he does seem to have problems on the outside, but there is plenty of potential and value in him. Patriot’s second pick was Alabama LB Dont’a Hightower which I consider to be somewhat of a steal. He will do well with LB Mayo, but I do have some concerns about him if you place him at OLB. However he will do well in blitz situations.
Detroit Lions selected Iowa OT Reilly Rieff; this was a smart pick up by the Lions. The Lions understand they need to find Jeff Backus replacement and they found a pretty good one in my opinion. Rieff is considered to be the second best OT in the draft. He easily turned back most college pass rushers with lateral agility and length. He is an athletic run blocker with quickness and lateral movement to effectively wall off opponents on the edge.
Pittsburgh Steelers selected a monster with Stanford OG David DeCastro, he is considered to be the best OG in the draft. To be honest and just point blank in college this young man basically never got beat. Good footwork and hands and is capable of blocking down with one hand and sliding to help tackle. Great pick up by the Steelers.
Houston Texans selected Illinois DE Whitney Mercillus; this young man is a pretty nice steal in my opinion for the Texans. This young man led the nation in tackles and forced fumbles. This was a smart pick up by the Texans who are looking to replace Mario Williams.
Green Bay Packers selected USC DE Nick Perry, this was a nice pick for the Packers, and they add yet another weapon to their defense. Perry has very good first step quickness and does a nice job in space. He also has the footwork, body control and fluidity to quickly change directions.
Minnesota Vikings selected Notre Dame S Harrison Smith. I was a little shocked to see him get picked in the first round, I had somewhat projected him as an early second rounder, but nonetheless it was a good pick up by the Vikings. Smith looks the part with prototypical size and strength for a strong safety. He is extremely strong with natural power to make punishing hits and a physical striker who enjoys contact.
San Francisco 49ers selected Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins, this also another player I thought would be an early second rounder but this is a nice pick up by the 49ers. They are looking to replace inconsistent Crabtree and this is a good one to do it. Jenkins is a balanced athlete with good body control and hand/eye coordination. He plays fast and can create after the catch.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Boise State RB Doug Martin; this was very smart offensive pick by the Bucs. Martin flashes a burst into and out of the hole. Lowers his pads and delivers a blow into the chest of defenders. He is also a solid receiver in the flat, capable of running through tackles on the edge to move the chains.
New York Giants selected Virginia Tech RB David Wilson. Wilson is a tough guy to bring down and almost always gets positive yardage when he lowers his pads and gets north/south. He is still very raw as an inside runner, running too indecisive and struggling to find running room at the line of scrimmage. I imagine this was a pick to replace the role of Brandon Jacobs somewhat.