For the 90th year, the NFL hosted seven rounds of 32 picks, selecting players from colleges all around America. The order teams selected was based on the win-loss record from the previous season. This year, the Tennessee Titans selected first overall. Usually the Super Bowl champs (Philadelphia Eagles) select 32nd, capping the first round, but they swapped one place down with the Kansas City Chiefs this year. Here are the top five takeaways of this year’s draft.
Cam Ward From the University of Miami, he may not be the most outstanding player in the draft, he is the highest prospected quarterback. Tennessee picked first, and they were desperate for that position, so that is where he landed. Ward is a cool, composed player with unfazed eyes from defensive pressure. This is important to have because many rookie QB’s freak out on the stop and make “rookie” decisions. This shouldn’t apply as much to Ward based on his ability to slow the game down in his hands.
Travis Hunter Heisman winner and a generational talent, Travis Hunter, went second overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Playing with another top rated quarterback, Shadeur Sanders, his stats showed some of the best ever. Hunter played both wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, but lots of people think he isn’t capable of doing it at a high level in the NFL. This will be interesting to look out throughout the season, especially because he will be playing against Cam Ward, Anthony Richardson, and CJ Stroud, for a minimum of six times a year.
Abdul Carter from Penn State was born and raised in Philadelphia, and eventually attending school in Pennsylvania, Carter landed to the New York Giants. Unfortunately for him, the Philadelphia Eagles are one of the Giants’ biggest rivals. Carter is a speedy edge rusher and will look to make an impact on the struggling franchise that is the Giants. He was most likely going second overall, but the Jaguars traded up to that position for Hunter. Last year, the first defensive player in the draft was Laiatu Latu, from UCLA, and went to the Indianapolis Colts. So far, Latu is emerging as a young star, and Carter could follow suit plus more.
Indianapolis Colts They drafted 14th, and took tight end Tyler Warren, from Penn State. Warren is the first TE drafted by the Colts since Dallas Clark in 2013. To say this pick is a steal is an understatement. Warren won the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end, and was named first team All-American and first team All-Big Ten last year. Warren will join a desperate tight end room with Mo Alie-Cox, Drew Ogletree, Jelani Woods, Albert Okwuegbunam, and Will Mallory. The Colts also addressed their other issues in this draft, and when you look at their current starting defense, there is a clear focus in the later rounds of their draft meaning a lot. One standout was linebacker Hunter Wohler in the seventh round. From Wisconsin, this guy has a lot of versatility that could be used if there was a need for safety, or LB.
Cincinnati Bengals They chose Shemar Stewart with the 17th pick. The Bengals received immediate relief from Trey Hendrickson, no matter what happens to Hendrickson. Stewart said he plans on being around Hendrickson to learn as much as possible. Bengals went defensive again in round two with the 49th overall pick going for Demetrius Knight Jr., a linebacker from the University of South Carolina. Cincinnati also picked two offensive linemen later in the draft, addressing their big time problem protecting Joe Burrow.
