NFL 1st Round Draft Analysis

The first round of the NFL draft took place last night at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.  The number 1 overall pick was Sam Bradford from Oklahoma.  Surprisingly, Oklahoma had 3 of the top 4 picks in the draft and they didn’t even win their division in the Big 12.  Also of note, was that QB’s Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy slipped into at least the second round.  Colt McCoy is the all-time leader in wins for a NCAA quarterback.

Probably the most talked about pick was Tim Tebow at number 25 to the Denver Broncos.  The Broncos are already stacked at QB with Kyle Orten and Brady Quinn.  As a secret Broncos fan, I didn’t see where this pick made any sense.  It could be the intangibles that Tim Tebow brings to the table.  His work ethic is top notch, he’s a charismatic leader, and he’s a winner.  Some believe that Tebow can compete for the starting  QB job in the near future.

The New York Post lists a blurb about each of the athletes picked in the first round.

1. RAMS Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma: When healthy, he could throw any pass and the Sooners’ offense was unstoppable — until it faced USC.

2. LIONS Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska: The most dominant player at any position in college. Ask Texas, which still hasn’t blocked him.

3. BUCS Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma: Teamed with DeMarcus Granger, the Sooners were an immovable object.

4. REDSKINS Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma: Not his fault that Bradford got hurt. Will be his fault if Donovan McNabb gets hurt.

5. CHIEFS Eric Berry, S, Tennessee: The only defensive player not in the front seven who dominated games. Fearless.

6. SEAHAWKS Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State: Showed the kind of nasty streak in college that will translate to the NFL.

7. BROWNS Joe Haden, CB, Florida: On a team loaded with speedsters, Haden showed he wasn’t a track guy playing football.

8. RAIDERS Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama: Never saw a college linebacker quarterback a defense the way he did.

9. BILLS C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson: There were plays in which his speed was so dominant he wasn’t touched.

10. JAGUARS Tyson Alualu, DT, California: He was in the backfield so often in Pac 10 games, he looked as if he was playing fullback.

11. 49ERS Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers: When he didn’t relax, A.D. would drive his man 15 yards downfield — easily.

12. CHARGERS Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State: One of the few backs in college who sought out contact and got stronger throughout the game.

13. EAGLES Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan: Teams couldn’t run at him or away from him, even if the rest of the defense was awful.

14. SEAHAWKS Earl Thomas, S, Texas: Amazing instincts allowed him to cover so much ground he seemingly was in on every tackle.

15. GIANTS Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: While George Selvie got all the publicity, Pierre-Paul was the guy always blowing up the backfield.

16. TITANS Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech: Didn’t just make plays, made the defensive stops when the Ramblin’ Wreck needed it most.

17. 49ERS Mike Iupati, OL, Idaho: He seemed to take every play personally; don’t you just love that in a lineman?

18. STEELERS Maurkice Pouncey, C/OG, Florida: Tim Tebow got most of the leadership credit on the Gators, but Pouncey was the man on the line.

19. FALCONS Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri: He was the Tigers’ Jeremy Maclin on defense; a relentless, passionate player.

20. TEXANS Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama: Javier Arenas got most of the attention because of his speed; Jackson just covered guys.

21. BENGALS Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma: Injured last season, he was the only Sooner USC couldn’t cover in their bowl game.

22. BRONCOS Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech: He couldn’t put up Calvin Johnson-like numbers in the option.

23. PACKERS Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa: The Hawkeyes became a force in the Big Ten by owning the line the last two seasons.

24. COWBOYS Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State: Ineligible for most of last season, he was unstoppable without double coverage.

25. BRONCOS Tim Tebow, QB, Florida: There never has been a better leader and a quarterback who found a way to make plays.

26. CARDINALS Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee: The best true nose tackle in college football was immovable at times.

27. PATRIOTS Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers: Leader on defense; leader on special teams; leader in the locker room. Leader.

28. DOLPHINS Jared Odrick, NT, Penn State: One of the few tackles who also got to the quarterback. Technical and tough.

29. JETS Kyle Wilson, CB/PR, Boise State: Teams just didn’t throw at him and didn’t want to kick to him; Game changer.

30. LIONS Jahvid Best, RB, California: When healthy,

31. COLTS Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU: The best defender on the second-best defense in college football behind Alabama.his speed and acceleration made him utterly dynamic.

32. SAINTS Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State: The ‘Noles still get some of the nation’s best athletes; he had 11 passes defensed.