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Now that the dust has settled on the 1st round of the draft it is interesting to see who has done well so far and who has not. So what look like the top 5 picks:
1 Bryan Bulaga OT Green Bay Packers
The Packers probably couldn’t believe their luck when Bulaga was still on the board at 23. He will fill a major need on the O-line and is tremendous value this far down – I am amazed that he wasn’t taken in the top 10.
2 Dan Williams NT/DT Arizona Cardinals
Another players who should have gone much earlier and at 26 is almost as good a value as Bulaga. This position was probably not at the top of the Cardinals shopping list but an opportunity like this was too tempting for them. He will anchor their center for many years injury allowing.
3 Kyle Wilson CB New York Jets
The Jets have one of the best defenses in the AFC and now they have added some depth too with another incredible value pick. I like many others would have expected Wilson to have been long gone by pick 29.
4 Ndamukong Suh DT Detroit Lions
Suh would make any team better and in one as poor as the lions have been of late he will be a revelation. He in my humble opinion should have gone at No1 and the Rams might come to regret not taking him when they had the chance.
The fact that both Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy slipped through the 1st round of the draft makes the Rams decision look worse. The Lions could be looking at an 8-8 season with Suh providing they pick as well in the rest of the draft.
5 Devin McCourty CB New England Patriots (from Dallas)
Once again the Patriots look to have traded well and getting McCourty after trading down to 27 is a good deal. A Corner was not top of their shopping list but with plenty of latter picks they can sort out the other areas in round 2.
Generally speaking most teams did well this year in round one, however I was somewhat surprised by Philly trading up for Brandon Graham They dont need an OLB and in any event he could easily have fallen to them where they were in the draft.
Also the Jacksonville Jaguars decision to take DT Tyson Alualu so early doesnt make a lot of sense, he could easily have slipped through to the second round and given their fans are far from enchanted by the teams performances a DT sems a bit of a low profile pick.
I would possibly question Washington’s decision to take Trent Williams over Russell Okung given Okung looks a more stable option and why did Oakland take Rolando McClain at 8, not that McClain is a bad player but its a bit expensive for an ILB; they could have traded down and still got him in all probability.
Fortunately I am just a fan and my jobs not on the line if one of the above picks goes wrong, something that cant be said for Jack Del Rio.