We all know how awesome Trevor Lawrence and Kyle Pitts are going to be. Everyone and their kitchen sink has talked about Trey Lance's surprising arrival in San Francisco, and the Joe Burrow-Ja'Marr Chase re-connection. But, there were 32 picks on Thursday night, and that means a lot more than a handful of teams got some great players.
Penei Sewell - 7th overall to the Detroit Lions
Offensive tackle, Oregon
The pick of the draft. The steal of the night. Whatever you want to call it, the Lions war room looked like NASA putting a man on the moon when the Dolphins picked not-Sewell (Jaylen Waddle) at no. 6 overall. As they should've!
Detroit was reported as the top 10 team most eager to trade down all week leading up to the draft. They stood pat until they were on the clock, and that paid off with them getting the best tackle prospect since 2013 (at least). Sewell is a beast in every aspect, and fits the mauling, physical type of football that new head coach Dan Campbell wants to bring to the Motor City. Their new general manager, Brad Holmes, came from the Rams on January 14, and he traded for his old quarterback Jared Goff two weeks later. Protection at all costs is the perfect start for a signal-caller they have faith in moving forward.
Travis Etienne - 25th overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars
Running back, Clemson
Many fans and pundits alike panned this pick. I hate drafting running backs high. This is an exception.
The Jaguars have Trevor Lawrence now. One of the four best quarterback prospects we've ever seen (Elway, Peyton, Luck). That is an investment of 10-15 years. So many quarterback busts happen because of the situation around them. This is evidence to me that the Jags know Lawrence shouldn't be forced to do too much. He does not need to throw it 595 times as a rookie like Justin Herbert just did. They are not winning anytime soon.
So, you give him a run game. James Robinson was a smash hit last year. Etienne complements his skill set to a tee, and is the same age. That helps both guys' careers, because now neither has to be a work horse, or do the things they're less good at. Obviously, this helps the Jacksonville offense, and thus Lawrence. He doesn't need to play his first games as the focal point of every defense's gameplan, getting roughed up and forced into situations where he has to do it all himself.
If it costs me a late first in the very first season of my franchise QB's career to help his development by making those developmental years easier, I'm doing that every single time. Plus, Etienne and Lawrence have a dynamite connection from their three years at Clemson. Lawrence is awesome at checking down (in a good way) and Etienne is as dynamic a receiving back as there is in this class.
Micah Parsons - 12th overall to the Dallas Cowboys
Linebacker, Penn State
The Cowboys defense is bad on every level. Cornerback was their biggest need, but with the two best in the draft taken at 8 and 9, they elected to trade back two spots and garner an asset (84th overall) from a division rival in the Eagles.
Much like Washington drafting Chase Young 2nd overall last year, the Cowboys are turning a strength of their roster into something fearsome with their first pick. They already have two Pro Bowl linebackers in Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith, and now they add the best LB in the draft. Parsons is a physical freak who is at his best downhill. He has myriad tools, so he's far from a two-down linebacker, but he's so good that he may be the best run-stopper of that decorated trio. All three can get stops on any ball-carrier, fill gaps, and cover. That versatility is terrifiying, and Parsons could make them the best LB corps in the NFL this season. Vander Esch has his fifth-year option coming up, and Dallas may be reluctant to pay him considering his marred health history. So this is good insurance, too.
Christian Darrisaw - 23rd overall to the Minnesota Vikings
Offensive tackle, Virginia Tech
After Rashawn Slater, the consensus second-best offensive tackle, went one pick before Minnesota to the Chargers, the Vikings traded back from 14 to 23 with the Jets. They got picks 66 and 86, which are at the top and middle of the third-round. And then at 23, the next-best tackle on the board falls to them anyways. Their pick was in instantly.
The gap between Slater and Darrisaw is slim compared to the gap between Sewell and these two. It isn't particularly scalding to prefer Darrisaw, especially when you take the scheme of a particular team into account. The Vikings have three high-quality linemen on the right side of their line in center Garrett Bradbury, guard Ezra Cleveland, and tackle Brian O'Neill. That's good. The problem is they're all next to each other, and that made left tackle their biggest hole. Darrisaw will protect Kirk Cousins' blindside right away; he was the highest-rated pass blocker among all Power 5 o-linemen (Pro Football Focus).
Kwity Paye - 21st overall to the Indianapolis Colts
Defensive lineman, Michigan
The Colts effectively spent their first-round pick last year on DeForest Buckner, by trading for him from the 49ers, and he instantly was their best d-lineman. He anchored a group that was solid to good, and has since lost Denico Autry and Justin Houston. They were in dire need of a talent injection, after being a top-tier defense last season. They stay at 21, their own pick, and get someone thought to be the best DL in the class (even if it is a weak one). The Colts have shown a commitment of their resources to the trenches, and last year it resulted in their best season in a while.
Jamin Davis - 19th overall to the Washington Football Team
Linebacker, Kentucky
Davis only started one year at Kentucky, but he was awesome. His physicals are off-the-charts: a 40 time in the 4.4s (unofficial times without a Combine this year) and 42" vertical, the highest-ever for a non-edge linebacker. He is great stopping the run, and uses those tools for tremendous range, going sideline-to-sideline. Ron Rivera knows a thing or two about good linebackers, with a long and successful track record dating back to his own playing career in the NFL.
Linebacker was the Football Team's biggest need for this season, and a tackler + athlete like Davis gives them the spark they lacked. Behind a defensive line that was the best in football last year and getting better (their top 6 DL are all still on their rookie deals!), Davis should be able to go H.A.M. He could seriously put up 100 tackles.
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