As the first round finished just before midnight, the evaluation already began. People have already begun grading their teams pick(s) with much scrutiny, even though none of the players have entered an NFL locker room yet. Most would find this ridiculous, but the draft is about finding value, not stars. Reaching for players, when a team can either find them in a later round, or moving back and acquiring extra assets (especially more picks) is an all too common mistake. Not to say these players will not prove us all wrong, but on draft night certain teams could have done more to find value at their selection. This will break down the best and worst moves of the first round.
Best Trades:
St. Louis Rams trade 22nd pick to the Atlanta Falcons for 3oth pick, 3rd round pick (92) and 6th round pick (198).
After moving up to get the playmaker they coveted, in Tavon Austin, with the 8th pick, St. Louis realized the value in the middle rounds of this draft, and recouped some of the picks they gave up earlier to the Bills. Though they now have no 2nd round pick, they did get two instant starters in the first round, at positions of need, and have two 3rd round and 6th round picks for the weekend.
New England Patriots trade 29th pick to the Minnesota Vikings for 2nd round pick (52), 3rd round pick (83), 4th round pick (120), and 7th round pick (229).
As a team that only had five picks in one of the deepest drafts in the past decade, Bill Belicheck worked his magic to add an extra three picks for the weekend. Though there were some players available, namely eventual 29th pick, Cordarelle Patterson, that could have helped the Patriots, New England realized that adding an extra three players was much more cost effective.
Worst Trades:
Minnesota Vikings trade 2nd round pick (52), 3rd round pick (83), 4th round pick (120), and 7th round pick (229) to New England for 29th pick.
Though Minnesota used their conviction to move up and get the playmaker their offense sorely needed, they gave up too much for a position that has a lot of depth available in rounds 2 and 3. The difference between Patterson and the rest of the available wide outs is minuscule, meaning they could have found a similar player with that 52nd pick. The Vikings will out of the draft until later Saturday in one of the deepest drafts in NFL history.
Dallas Cowboys trade 18th pick to the San Francisco 49ers for 31st pick and 3rd round pick (74).
Looking at an earlier trade, Buffalo basically added an extra 2nd and 7th round pick to move down eight spots with the St. Louis Rams. Dallas only added a middle third round pick to move 13 spots; the value they recouped is clearly low. Throw in the fact that the 49ers used that pick on a player Dallas could have desperately used, this trade looks like another Jerry Jones blunder.
Best Fit:
Pittsburgh Steelers take Jarvis Jones with the 17th pick.
Jones was one of the best defensive players in the country last season at Georgia, as an elite pass rusher. He played in a very similar 3-4 defense while in college, and fills the void left by James Harrison’s departure. Jones should step in as a starter day one, opposite Lamar Woodley, and make an impact off the edge.
Worst Fit:
Chicago Bears take Kyle Long with the 19th pick.
There are several major problems with this pick, as the Bears really reached for a guy that had at the highest, a 2nd round grade, and that was only for teams that viewed him as developmental athlete at tackle in an up-tempo offense. Taking a Guard this early is a question as is, but add in the he does not fit the Bears offensive line scheme and this pick is a mistake.
Biggest Steal:
Minnesota Vikings take Sharrif Floyd with the 23rd pick.
Floyd was in consideration for a top 3 pick (even possibly the No. 1 spot) by most pundits and no one had him sliding into the 20’s. Bill Polian said that he was best suited as a DT in a Tampa 2 scheme, playing like Warren Sapp, which fits the Vikings defense under Leslie Frazier.
Biggest Reach:
Dallas Cowboys select Travis Frederick with the 31st pick.
Though Frederick was rated as one of the top centers in the draft, his value was rated right around the middle of the third round (where I coincidentally had Dallas taking him). He simply did not have first round value in a deep draft, while many other players were still available at positions of need for the Cowboys. Look at Frederick’s former college teammate, Peter Konz, who was a much higher rated prospect coming out, who was taken in the middle of round two in 2012.
