The 2018 NFL draft started yesterday evening. A few years ago the NFL was smart enough to put the first round in Primetime during the week. The remaining 6 rounds will be held on Friday and Saturday. As always, the draft was full of excitement. It did not disappoint a very highly watched event. Another great thing about the draft is being covered by three different networks. If you are not a fan of a network, you certainly have your choice. How did the draft play out last night? How many QB’s went in the first round? Were there any trades that changed the landscape of the draft? How many other stories emerged? Are there any big time prospects remaining for the second round?
It seems that every year quarterbacks rule the draft. This year was no different. There were certain publications that thought 4 could go in the top 6-7 picks and certainly 4 could go in the first round. There ended up being 5 taken in the first round and 4 in the top 10. The day before the draft news leaked that Josh Allen has made some poor choices on his social media accounts. That news did not seem to bother his status as he was drafted 7th overall. Another QB, Josh Rosen, is unhappy that he fell to the tenth pick. He will do his best to show the other 9 teams that they were wrong about him.
The Cleveland Browns selected Baker Mayfield with the first overall pick. This was somewhat surprising because his measurables may not have been the same as some of the other QB’s. The Browns must have really loved him during the interview process to take him over the other guys. Once he went, the Giants selected the ultra talented RB from Penn St, Barkley. The Jets were lucky to have the Sam Darnold fall in there lap at three. The last QB to be drafted was Lamar Jackson. The Ravens traded for the pick to get Jackson, so clearly they love what they see in him.
I do not think there were a ton of surprises in the first round, at least no more than any other draft. The Bills did make two trades along the way to get into the territory to grab Josh Allen. They must have really wanted him and felt that his social media errors are just a poor choice and not all that reflective of him as a person. Being drafted in the first round is quite an accomplishment. Can you imagine being a parent and having two sons drafted in the first round of the same draft? Now that is quite the accomplishment! Another great moment during the draft was watching Ryan Shazier walk out to make the selection for the Steelers. He was involved in a scary collision during the past season that left him temporarily unable to move his legs. It had to be emotional for his family and friends to see that moment. Based on this list, there should still be plenty of impact players left in the draft. There will also be some diamonds in the rough. It is just a matter of which team finds them!
As always the NFL draft delivered. I think it is so popular because fans can see the future of their favorite teams. The decisions made now will effect teams for many years down the road, so the draft is a very important tool for NFL teams. The QB’s ruled the draft and they most likely always will unless the game changes over time. The best part of the draft is seeing the players get drafted and realizing their dreams. They put in a ton of effort to go along with great ability and now they have a shot at playing in the NFL. That is a great lesson for people, if you put in the work, good things will happen for you.
—Victor Mandalawi