2024 NFL Draft - 1st Round Reaction

Now that the dust has settled on the first round of the NFL draft, I wanted to put together some superlatives for the events of last night. Of course, Caleb Williams came off the draft board early, but beyond that, there were relatively few surprises as the majority of teams leaned into the consensus rankings, picking up players in positions of need and eschewing trades (for the most part).

Personally, I felt like this year's draft was one of the least exciting for a long time, with the first four picks pretty nailed on before the draft even began. My own predictions were correct for the first six picks, and there were very few players who came off the board that weren't projected to. It's a testament to the strength in depth of the class that so many offensive linemen were selected (9), as well as a record-breaking number of offensive players in total in the first round (14 in a row to start the draft, 23 total).

Fingers crossed the rest of the draft throws up some surprises, and I for one can't wait to see where the likes of Luke McCaffrey, Spencer Rattler, and Jacob Cowing land over the next two days.

Big Winners - Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions

Three of the NFC North teams fall into this category for me, which I suppose makes the Green Bay Packers one of the losing teams from the opening night, but the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings both added two playmakers, each getting their prospective quarterbacks of the future. 

The Vikings had to jump up one place to do so, for fear of another team leapfrogging the New York Jets, but came away with a National Championship winning quarterback, and one of the best edge rushers in the class. That will stand them in good stead for chasing down the new addition in Chicago.

Speaking of Chicago, they now have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, at least on paper. Caleb Williams is a generational talent with unlimited upside, the likes of which we've only really seen with Trevor Lawrence, Andrew Luck, and Peyton Manning in the last 30 years, while Rome Odunze is the most polished receiver in the class, and will be eased into life in the Windy City alongside fellow new arrival Keenan Allen. Even if the defense fails to show up this season, the O should be capable of putting up enough points to keep games competitive.

Similar to the Bears and Vikings, the Arizona Cardinals stood pat with their two first round selections and went and got themselves the most pro-ready receiver in the shape of Marvin Harrison Jr., and a difference maker on the defensive line in Darius Robinson. Harrison could well be the second coming of Larry Fitzgerald in the desert, with the size, speed, and catch radius to make an immediate impact, while the addition of Robinson will go some way to ensuring the defense is somewhat less overrun than it was at times last season.

Finally, the Detroit Lions needed to trade up to get their man, but did so by taking the best cornerback in the entire draft. Terrion Arnold played for one of the biggest college programmes at Alabama, and was a consistent performer on the back end of a Nick Sagan defense which regularly converts multiple players to the pros every year. With that being the one major hole on the Lions roster, it's entirely feasible that they just catapulted themselves into the conversation for Super Bowl contenders after just one selection.

Big Losers - Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans

What are the Atlanta Falcons doing?! You've just signed Kirk Cousins to a huge contract, and now you go and draft a quarterback with the 8th overall pick. Not only that, but by the time Cousins' contract gets to a point where you can get him off the roster, Michael Penix Jr. will be 28 years old. I know that quarterbacks have more longevity in their careers these days, but stepping into the fold at 28 is too much, even by modern QB standards. There were other positions of need on the roster which could have been filled at 8, or they could even have traded back and likely still picked up their man. Instead, they pulled the trigger on a project quarterback that may set the franchise back a step.

I didn't hate the Titans' selection of J.C. Latham. It was definitely their biggest need coming into draft day, but with the depth of the offensive line talent, and only Joe Alt having gone off the board before the Titans were on the clock, they literally had the pick of the bunch. Fautanu, Fuaga, and Fashanu were all rated higher on most draft boards, and some have even argued that Tyler Guyton (pick 28 to Dallas) has a higher ceiling. This looks like it could have been another case of a team which could have traded back and still got their guy.

The Buffalo Bills meanwhile, managed to be one of the biggest losers on draft day, despite twice adding extra picks by trading back, first with the Kansas City Chiefs, and then with the Carolina Panthers. The reason they fall into this category is because their glaring need is at wide receiver and they allowed the Kansas City Chiefs, one of their biggest rivals in the AFC, to jump above them and select the man who will likely fill the Tyreek Hill role in the form of Xavier Worthy. The Texas burner ran a record 4.21 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and will now line up against the Buffalo Bills for at least the next five seasons. I've got little doubt that pick 33, which now belongs to the Bills, will turn out to be a wide receiver, but they could have stayed where they were and not directly strengthened a rival.

The 2024 NFL Draft: Round 1

Detroit was selected as the city to host the 2024 NFL Draft, and like the hometown Lions, this draft class is chock full of young talent. Some people have projected that it will be offense-heavy, with a possibility of a record number of quarterbacks to be selected. With the Chicago Bears on the clock, and a gaping vacancy at QB, it seems as though Caleb Williams will be the first name called by Roger Goodell, but who else will be donning new colours tonight?

1 - Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams, QB, USC

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Chicago Bears opened up the draft selecting Caleb Williams. The USC product has been touted as the top player in this draft for seemingly years, and has had no shortage of superlatives thrown at him during the draft process. With comparisons to the likes of Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, there's plenty of hype to live up to for a man coming out of a school with a patchy recent record at the position (Sam Darnold, Matt Leinart, Mark Sanchez).

2 - Washington Commanders - Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

A dual-threat, Heisman winning quarterback with the ability to beat you with his arm or his legs. Sound familiar? It's no shock that Daniels has drawn Lamar Jackson comparisons, but can he compete on the biggest stage like the Ravens QB has proven he can? Only time will tell of course, but he lands in a spot with a stout defense, a bona fide receiver, and Kliff Kingsbury as his OC.

3 - New England Patriots - Drake Maye, QB, UNC

A young man with a cannon hanging off his right shoulder, Drake Maye is the sort of QB that the Patriots of old would have drafted, with solid pocket presence and the ability to make just about every throw on the field. The added bonus? He can make plays with his legs, and regularly does.

4 - Arizona Cardinals - Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Cardinals had a shocking year in 2023, struggling to move the ball consistently on offense. They make the change at wide receiver, drafting the son of an NFL Hall of Fame. Marvin Harrison Sr. played his entire career with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, can his son team up with another first overall pick in Kyler Murray to the same effect 28 years later?

5 - Los Angeles Chargers - Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The Jim Harbaugh era begins in Los Angeles with the selection of second-generation talent Joe Alt. From Notre Dame, he's already got pedigree, following in the footsteps of the likes of Zack Martin, Ronnie Stanley, and Quenton Nelson. Harbaugh loves physical football, and Alt joins Rashawn Slater as the bookends on an offensive line which will now block for Gus Edwards. They're building a powerful unit out west to compete with the Chiefs.

6 - New York Giants - Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

Catching passes from the Heisman trophy winner, Malik Nabers joins Odell Beckham Jr. as first round LSU receivers drafted by Big Blue. Nabers has big play potential whenever he puts his hands on the ball, and will now add some dynamism to a Giants offense which struggled massively last season, and has now lost Saquon Barkley as well. Nabers could well be the man to inject excitement into the MetLife fans.

7 - Tennessee Titans - J.C. Latham, OT, Alabama

The Tennessee Titans get their biggest need, and fill that hole with one of the biggest players in the draft. Latham weighs 340lbs, and will be a tough man to move out of the way en route to Will Levis. You can count on Alabama to provide a presence in the first round of an NFL draft, and there's no bigger presence than Latham, whose 6'5" frame is big enough to handle pass rushers in both the run and pass games.

8 - Atlanta Falcons - Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington

Here comes the chaos! Kirk Cousins just earned over $100m by signing in Atlanta this offseason, and now the Falcons spend another high draft pick on the offensive side of the ball, and this time one that might not even start in year one! Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts are three studs at offensive skill positions, and the Falcons have added another one, who could play in 2025 after learning from one of the best pros in the game.

9 - Chicago Bears - Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

Back-to-back with his college QB, Odunze gets added to an offense which features Caleb Williams. Odunze is statistically the most well-rounded WR in the draft, excelling in every route on the tree. Pair him alongside D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen, with Cole Kmet as a complementary piece, and you suddenly have an electric offense in the Windy City.

10 - Minnesota Vikings (via NYJ) - J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

The 2023 15-0 National Championship-winning QB has just a short move from Michigan to Minnesota as he prepares to replace Kirk Cousins in the Twin Cities. JJ will be throwing to JJ as Justin Jefferson waits to help out his rookie QB and lift the Vikings back to the summit of the NFC North. Arguably, McCarthy lands in the most rookie-friendly situation of all the quarterbacks selected in the first round. 

11 - New York Jets (via MIN) - Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

Aaron Rodgers is coming back from an Achilles injury, so they need a big man to protect his blind side. Fashanu would have been a top pick last season, but he chose to return to Penn State. It may have impacted his stock a little, but not enough to stop him falling out of the first half of the first round. Physically, Fashanu has strength to move defenders around, but is athletic enough to work his way to the second level, making him a demon blocker in the run game.

12 - Denver Broncos - Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

Denver makes it 6 QBs from the first 12 picks. Bo Nix may be a bit of a reach at 12, but with a big need at the QB position, the Broncos pulled the trigger. He's got the mobility to make something of a difference with his feet, and the experience with his arm to make the right decisions having made 61 starts at the college level. Nix joins fellow Oregon Duck QB Justin Herbert in the AFC West, and now must raise the level of a franchise which has struggled for nigh-on a decade.

13 - Las Vegas Raiders - Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

With Michael Mayer on the roster already, Brock Bowers immediately makes one of the best tight end tandems in the NFL. Bowers is simply the most polished tight end product we've seen in a number of years. He's big, powerful, and has the physicality to make a difference with the ball in his hands, and was the best player on the Georgia Bulldogs in practically every game this season. He'll immediately become a game changer for one of the league's most anaemic offenses. For reference, this is the first time at any point in any draft that 13 picks have been made on either offense or defense.

14 - New Orleans Saints - Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

The Saints have a screaming need at offensive tackle, with question marks over Ryan Ramczyk's NFL future following his knee injury. Fuaga is a brawler on the offensive line, who will take pure pleasure in putting defensive ends on their behind. Derek Carr will feel safer, and Alvin Kamara will definitely feel like he can return to the form of years gone by as Fuaga opens up huge holes in the run game.

15 - Indianapolis Colts - Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

The first defensive player off the board, Latu has had a magical comeback after being medically retired from the sport a few years ago. Latu is so quick off the ball that he sometimes makes it to the QB without being touched, which is an unbelievably valuable attribute to have for any defensive coordinator. The 23.5 sacks over the last two years will stand him in good stead for chasing the likes of C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence for the next ten years (hopefully).

16 - Seattle Seahawks - Byron Murphy, DT, Texas

A late-rising player in the draft process, Murphy can disrupt the line of scrimmage in the rush and pass games. It should be no surprise that former Ravens DC Mike McDonald went with a defensive stalwart with his first pick as a head coach. He loves physicality and effort on defence, and Murphy fits both those bills in one of the most important positions on that side of the ball.

17 - Minnesota Vikings (via JAX) - Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

Turner joins J.J. McCarthy, who he sacked in the Rose Bowl in December. Turner was one of the blue-chip defensive prospects in this draft, and now gets the chance to replace Danielle Hunter. Turner's arm length and sideline-to-sideline range is ridiculous, so once he gets a crumb of green grass to run into, he'll be lethal in chasing down quarterbacks and running backs. He may be slightly on the light side, but he plays with enough physicality to negate those worries.

18 - Cincinnati Bengals - Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

At 6'7" 340lbs, Mims is one of the biggest men you could put on a football field. His footwork belies his size, and he'll immediately beef up an offensive line which has failed to keep Joe Burrow upright for the last two seasons. His height and weight are well distributed across his enormous frame, so there's no obvious signs that he's carrying excess weight around the middle. He'll start the season behind Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown, but they have the ability to bring him along slowly if need be.

19 - Los Angeles Rams - Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

The first first round pick for the Los Angeles Rams since 2016, and the first ever for Sean McVay, Jared Verse is a danger on the outside as a power rusher who will do his bit to help mitigate the loss of Aaron Donald. Verse had a propensity for pushing offensive tackles back into their quarterback and taking out two men with one move. That sort of strength will play at any level, so Rams fans could look forward to an immediate impact from their new defensive gadget.

20 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

With both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields added to the mix in Pittsburgh, protecting their quarterbacks was the absolute priority this offseason, and they've done just that with the versatile Fautanu. The Washington product could, theoretically, start at any position on the offensive line, and will likely be an immediate starter in the most physical division in the NFL. Whether he can overcome his injury concerns (knee, foot) is probably the biggest question mark hanging over his head.

21 - Miami Dolphins - Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State

Chop Robinson will go to Miami to work alongside Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb as a trio of pass rushers with a variety of moves to bamboozle offensive lines. Chop backs himself with speed, and is more raw as a rusher than other players who have come off the board already, but working alongside the two aforementioned players, he'll pick up plenty of new moves. Fun fact: He's called chop because he was big like a pork chop when he was a baby.

22 - Philadelphia Eagles - Quinton Mitchell, CB, Toledo

A small-school corner back, Mitchell ticks all the boxes as to what the Philadelphia Eagles have been searching for this offseason. He's got the speed to line up alongside any wide receiver, and the strength to play press coverage against them too. With the Eagles' defense, Mitchell will likely line up in man coverage more often than not, so he's going to have plenty of eyes watching him throughout his rookie season in one of the most passionate environments in the NFL.

23 - Jacksonville Jaguars (via MIN) - Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

The second of the LSU wide receivers to come off the board tonight, Brian Thomas immediately replaces Calvin Ridley in Duval County. Thomas' 17 TDs last season led FBS, but his game isn't just reliant on speed. He gets out of his cuts easily, and has sticky hands to beat defenders in any number of ways. He plays a lot more physical than his size would suggest, often winning battles with cornerbacks when the ball was in the air.

24 - Detroit Lions (via DAL) - Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

The hosts of the draft get the top cornerback and he gets to walk out on stage in front of 275,000 of his new fans. Playing as the best cornerback on one of the best teams in college football should tell you all you need to know about how good he is. Arnold posted career highs in most categories in 2023, and has been added to a rising, young, hungry defense in Detroit which is led by one of the best motivational coaches in the league. They just need to take one small step next season to go from Championship Game to Super Bowl.

25 - Green Bay Packers - Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona

Morgan is as athletic as you can be when you measure 6'5" 311lbs. He's a great mover out in space, and has the ability to get outside on screens and up to the second level in the run game, which the Packers will absolutely use to their advantage as they look to protect Jordan Love. As a replacement for David Bakhtiari, Morgan may not be like-for-like right now, but he's certainly at least as polished as Bakhtiari was as a rookie.

26 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Graham Barton, G/C, Duke

The Bucs made some huge signings in free agency, keeping together the core of the team which played in the NFC Divisional Round last season, and now add to that roster with the selection of Graham Barton. With question marks hanging over the future of Ryan Jensen, Barton will be a flexible option on the offensive line at guard or center. A sign of how good this guy is? They played him at left tackle at Duke, pitting him against the best pass rushers in the conference.

27 - Arizona Cardinals - Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri

Robinson is a huge edge rusher, but projects to move inside more at the next level. At 285lbs, he has the size to play as a defensive end, and with 13 sacks in his college career, he has the pedigree to rise to the challenge of NFL talent. The Cardinals need as much help as they can get, and with Robinson added to Harrison, they've got game changers on both sides of the ball in the first round tonight.

28 - Kansas City Chiefs (via BUF) - Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

The Chiefs jump up four spots in the draft to get their man in the shape of Xavier Worthy. Two years removed from losing Tyreek Hill, people asked how you replace that sort of speed. The answer is evident, as Andy Reid adds the fastest man in NFL Combine history. As a fast-twitch player, Worthy will be lethal in the Chiefs offense, but alongside Isiah Pacheco, Travis Kelce, and Rashee Rice, it could be back to our regularly scheduled programming as the Chiefs look to three-peat.

29 - Dallas Cowboys (via DET) - Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

Dallas has plenty of pedigree along the offensive line, usually drafts well, and has a history of developing players at that position. Tyron Smith has moved on, and Guyton is a huge man to try and replace him. At the very least, Guyton has the physical tools to do the job, and he has the potential to be the very best offensive lineman in this draft if he hits his ceiling.

30 - Baltimore Ravens - Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

Wiggins is a pure cover cornerback. He may be a little lightweight, but he moves fluidly, and flies downfield when he's at full speed. There have been questions over his physicality, but if there's any franchise that can teach that tool, it's the Ravens. In the words of GM Eric DeCosta, you can never have too many corner backs, and the Ravens get to add one in the first round to play alongside Brandon Stephens, Marlon Humphrey and Arthur Maulet. Wiggins brings a different dimension as he can cover the twitchy receivers that Baltimore has struggled with in the past.

31 - San Francisco 49ers - Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida

Pearsall brings excellent hands and excellent route running, both of which are crucial skills valued by Kyle Shanahan when building his offense. Added to a cast including Kittle, McCaffrey, Samuel, and Aiyuk, the 49ers continue bolster their offense, which was already pretty scary. With the physicality and grittiness that Pearsall brings to the field, the 49ers can still hurt you in any way imaginable.

32 - Carolina Panthers (via KC and BUF) - Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

The Panthers jump up one spot to add an extra year of contractual control over Xavier Legette, who they promised they would draft with the 33rd pick. Legette is a physical player who loves to gain yards after the catch. He draws comparisons to the likes of A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf in terms of his build, but he has the ability to beat defenders on the inside, as well as going up and getting the ball downfield. A nice option to add to Bryce Young's sophomore receiving corps.

NFL Draft 2020: A Recap

As usual (I say usual, I didn't do one last year), I'm going to have a look back on last night's first round from the NFL Draft, delving specifically into one or two picks, as well as handing out a few awards. For the first time, there's also a section where I've asked friends to offer up some bold predictions, as well as who they think their teams will take in the first round.

Bold Predictions

I asked my friends and colleagues Tom, Sam, and Maria for some bold predictions ahead of the first round, and even came up with three of my own to see how good our crystal-ball-staring is.


Tom
1. The Miami Dolphins go OT before QB
2. Tua Tagovailoa falls outside the top 20
3. Four OTs are taken in the top 10 picks

- Unfortunately for Tom, a Dolphins fan, none of his predictions came true, although the 'Fins were able to get Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, and Noah Igbinoghene, as well as trading back to pick up more draft capital.

Sam
1. The Miami Dolphins don't take a QB in the top 10
2. The Philadelphia Eagles trade up to draft a WR
3. Jacksonville Jaguars go QB in the first round

- Sam almost got prediction number two correct as the Eagles selected WR Jalen Reagor 21st overall, but they didn't have to trade up to do it. Meanwhile, the Dolphins took Tua fifth overall, and the Jags decided to bolster their defense, selecting both CB CJ Henderson, and DE K'Lavon Chaisson.

Maria
1. Cam Akers is the first RB off the board in the first round
2. The Indianapolis Colts take Jordan Love with the 27th overall pick
3. Tua Tagovailoa drops outside the top 15

- Maria's claim that Cam Akers would be the first RB off the board surprised me, as it was widely considered that D'Andre Swift would be the first gone, and she was nearly right, but instead of Akers, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the final pick of the round. Meanwhile, it was the Green Bay Packers selecting Love with the 27th pick.

Calum
1. The Chicago Bears trade into the first round to take Jordan Love
2. At least 5 draft-day trades go down
3. The most selected position in the first round will be cornerback

- Well I have to admit, I didn't see that NFC North team trading up for Jordan Love. So close, but yet so far. There were just four trades on draft day, as the teams in the top 10 all held on to their selections. As for the most-selected position, that was a three-way tie between cornerback, offensive tackle, and wide receiver.

Head vs. Heart

I also asked these three to give me head and heart selections for their teams in the first round. Who did they think they would pick (head), and who did they want them to pick (heart)? Let's see how everyone got on:

Tom

Head says:

QB Justin Herbert 5th Overall
OT Mekhi Becton 18th Overall
RB D'Andre Swift 26th Overall

Heart says:
QB Tua Tagovailoa 5th Overall
OT Mekhi Becton 18th Overall
RB D'Andre Swift 26th Overall

Actual Selections:
QB Tua Tagovailoa 5th Overall
OT Austin Jackson 18th Overall
CB Noah Igbinoghene 30th Overall (trade with Green Bay)

Sam
Head says:
OT Josh Jones 22nd Overall
CB Kristian Fulton 25th Overall

Heart says:
DT Javon Kinlaw 22nd Overall
CB CJ Henderson 25th Overall

Actual Selections:
WR Justin Jefferson 22nd Overall
CB Jeff Gladney 31st Overall (trade with San Francisco)

Maria
Head says:
QB Jordan Love or QB Jalen Hurts

Heart says:
LB Patrick Queen

Actual Selection:
C Cesar Ruiz

Calum
Head says:
DE AJ Epenesa or DE Yetur Gross-Matos

Heart says:
LB Kenneth Murray or LB Patrick Queen

Actual Selection:
LB Patrick Queen

The Awards

Best Value Pick

CeeDee Lamb to the Dallas Cowboys, 17th Overall
Jerry Jones didn't need another wide receiver, but when the electric Lamb fell into his lap at number 17, he couldn't miss. After posting career numbers last year, Das Prescott now gets an immediate upgrade at wide receiver to go alongside Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, which will cause no end of matchup nightmares for the other teams in the NFC East. If the Cowboys can fill the holes needed on defense on Friday night, then it could be a very fruitful draft for America's Team

Biggest Reach

CB Damon Arnette to the Las Vegas Raiders, 19th Overall
How surprising was this pick? Well, let's put it this way, none of the NFL social media accounts had a post ready for Damon Arnette. On the live broadcast, both Mel Kiper and Daniel Jeremiah said they had him down as a round 2/3 talent, so seeing him come off the board before the likes of Jeff Gladney, Trevon Diggs, and other highly-touted CBs was a very surprising move, although it's exactly the kind of move that we've come to expect from the Raiders.

Most Surprising Pick

QB Jordan Love to the Green Bay Packers, 26th Overall
When you have a first-ballot Hall of Famer at QB, and you haven't spent a first round draft pick on an offensive skill position player in nigh-on 15 years, you should probably think about bolstering the WR corps or the running back position. Instead, the Packers traded up four spots to take Jordan Love. I can see the logic behind the pick, as Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre before becoming a legend, but this team made it to the NFC Championship Game last season. Why not spend big on improving the offense, and try to take that final step to the promised land, rather than picking the only player who will both annoy your QB, and not see any playing time in his first season?

Best First Round

Denver Broncos (WR Jerry Jeudy, 15th Overall)
In their wildest dreams, I'm not sure that the Denver Broncos could have envisaged themselves picking up arguably the best receiver in the draft in the middle of the first round, let alone having the choice between the top two. Jeudy is one of the most polished route runners that many draft experts have seen in years, and draws favourable comparisons to some of the league's top names already. Now, Vic Fangio gets the chance to pair the Alabama product with one of the most dependable young receivers in the game as Jeudy will start opposite Courtland Sutton on opening day, which will be music to the ears of presumptive QB Drew Lock.

Worst First Round

New York Giants (OT Andrew Thomas, 4th Overall)
I didn't just want to rinse and repeat my breakdown of the Raiders' pick of Damon Arnette, so instead I've gone for the Giants, whose selection of Andrew Thomas baffled many on draft night. The Georgia product was considered the fourth-best option at OT behind Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills, and Mekhi Becton, all of whom are projected to have higher ceilings at the next level. So with the top three tackles on the board, as well as a plug-and-play versatile impact player like Isaiah Simmons, the Giants decided to shock everyone by picking Thomas, who they could easily have traded back about ten spots to select if they had wanted to.

5 Predictions for the 2020 NFL Draft

Thursday night/Friday morning sees one of my favourite times of the year roll around, as the NFL Draft comes out to play once more. Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has already claimed the live show, so there will be no chest-bumping, high-fiving, or bear-hugging of Roger Goodell on stage, but nevertheless, all 32 teams will be involved as they try to get better and earn their way back to the top of the pile as the Kansas City Chiefs aim to hold them all off once more.

With that, here are some predictions from me, a very average draft follower-and-knower, for what may happen early on Friday morning (GMT):

1. At Least One Team Trades Into the Top 5

With the general consensus pointing towards LSU QB Joe Burrow at number one overall, and Chase Young following him off the board to the Washington Redskins, the Detroit Lions and New York Giants then become the envy of every other team in the league as they can sit and wait for QB-needy teams to trade with them to jump ahead of the Miami Dolphins' pick at number five. With the draft capital that the Dolphins have built up over the last couple of seasons, I could even see them trading up to three to get their hands on their QB of the future, Tua Tagovailoa. Either way, I think we'll see early action at the top of the draft as teams clamber to secure the future of their franchise.


2. Tua Tagovailoa Ends Up Having a Better Career Than Joe Burrow

Now this one's going to take time to develop, but I'm simply using Tua's college career as a yardage marker for this prediction. In his freshman year, he came into the National Championship game and defeated Georgia to take home the title, replacing fellow 2020 draft prospect Jalen Hurts at half-time. Meanwhile, Burrow bounced around a little, before settling at LSU and struggling somewhat in his first season with 16 TDs and 5 INTs. Compare that to his 2019 season, which saw him light up college football for 60 TDs and 6 INTs, and there's no doubt that Burrow has shown an ability to improve, but there's just something about the way that Tua carries himself which makes me think he'll be the standard-bearer for the quarterbacks of the 2020 draft class.


3. The New England Patriots Choose To Bolster Their Defence

Last season, the Pats had a suffocating defense, which carried Tom Brady and a slightly stagnant offense to the AFC East title once more. In this draft, I can see Bill Belichick going one of two ways: either he stacks the defense with as much talent as possible to try and carry the Brady-less Pats to a division title, or he bolsters the offensive line to give their future quarterback (who I think will come from the 2021 draft class) as much protection as possible. More likely though is that Belichick leans on his past as a defensive coordinator and gets the best player available to boost his already impressive squad.


4. No More Than One RB Will Go On Thursday Night

The running back position has been increasingly devalued as the game has got faster, and more of the focus has moved onto edge rushers, offensive tackles, wide receivers, and cornerbacks. Even the selection of Saquon Barkley at number two overall a couple of years ago is regarded as a reach in some circles, as the production of the running back compared to the wear-and-tear just doesn't match up. There's only a few spots where I can see DeAndre Swift landing in the first round this year, and the two most likely of those belong to the Miami Dolphins' third and final pick at 26, and the Kansas City Chiefs with the final pick of the round. From a purely selfish, football-watching point of view, I'd rather see him succeed with Andy Reid in Kansas City, where Kareem Hunt flourished with Alex Smith under center, so who knows what's possible with Pat Mahomes, a first-round running back, and Andy Reid's offensive scheme.


5. Seattle Won't Pick at 27

This one's pretty simple. Since John Schneider became Seahawks GM in 2012, the team has never picked at the same spot, trading out of the first round altogether in 2013, '14, '15, and '17, and bouncing around to pick up more capital in the other years of his reign. This one seems like a pick out of thin air at first, but once you read into it, it's probably the most likely of all of these predictions to actually come true.

Baseball's Unwritten Rules are Stupid and Dumb

Look, if you disagree with me on the title, that's fine. But you have to know that you're wrong. I'm going to run through a couple of baseball's unwritten rules and point out why they make no sense.

Don't Run Up The Score

Now I know that run differential is unlikely to matter in a 162-game season. And I know that it's demoralising to allow double-digit runs in a game. But here's the thing: If you can't stop a team, why on earth should they stop trying to make things easier for you? If I were the manager of a team, I would want my guys out there trying to score as many runs as they can on a nightly basis. And if the opposition can't stop us, I don't want my guys giving them easy outs just because it's the done thing. Boost your batting average and try and drive a few runs in. Who knows, next time out, it could be you on the receiving end of a pasting. Also, who doesn't want to see more 30-3 scorelines?

Don't Swing On A 3-0 Count

This is another case of 'I can't help it if you don't have your best stuff today'. If the pitcher can't throw strikes and has to lob a meatball down the pipe just to get the ball over the plate, the batter should be well within his rights to unload on that thing and send it 450 feet. Admittedly, from the batter's point of view, he could mis-hit it and get out, but this is very dependent on the game situation. If my team is up a few runs, I'm giving every batter the green light on a 3-0 pitch. If it's a tie game or we're a couple of runs behind, I might think about it. But more often than not, if the batter can see it's a nice ball to hit, get after that thing.

Don't Bunt To Break Up A No-Hitter/Perfect Game

Your job is to get on base. So get on base any way you can. I don't understand this obsession with not bunting when the shift is on, or not bunting when there's a no-hitter on. These players are paid millions of dollars to get themselves on base and score runs, and they should be doing that any way they can, even if it means breaking up a no-hitter. Let's face it, if you're in the seventh inning and you don't have a single hit off a pitcher, something clearly isn't working, so lay down a bunt and hustle down the first base line. If he doesn't like it, he'll probably bean you, and I've got plenty to say about that as well.

Don't Admire Your Home Runs

Home runs are great. Home runs are beautiful. Home runs deserve admiration. But pitchers don't like it, and therefore neither should you. The difference between a pitcher and a batter is that a pitcher has to stay on a relatively even keel. They can't let anything get to them too much or they'll be thrown off-stride. Batters meanwhile get one shot in nine, and their swings are trying to get the most out of the situation, it's one swing and a huge rush of adrenaline if they see the ball sailing off into the distance. And why shouldn't they be able to admire it? It's not like there's a timer on rounding the bases. Sure, it might hurt your pitcher's feelings, but maybe next time they'll throw a better pitch.

If You Admire Your Home Runs, Expect A Baseball To The Ribs

This is the dumbest one of the lot. 'Hey, you there, why are you good at your job, you massive dork? I don't like that, so the next time I see you, I'm going to force you to wear a 90+mph baseball.' It brings to mind the saying "don't be bitter, be better" and it never applies more than to a pitcher or team who feel like they've been embarrassed. Take Ronald Acuña Jr for example. You're in your first major league season and you are just torching baseballs for fun, hitting monster home runs night after night. But then you face the Miami Marlins, and their starting pitcher doesn't like that you're doing well, so he throws the hardest pitch of his career right into your midriff. Seems harsh, doesn't it?

Fresh Baked Takes - Week 6

Right, last week I did my predictions for the leagues, but this week we get a bit more serious with the rankings of each Premier League team from top to bottom. Let's get straight into it.

1 - Manchester City
The best team in the league didn't improve much, but the addition of Riyad Mahrez will certainly help as Pep's team tries to juggle four competitions.

2 - Liverpool
Klopp's men have strengthened in areas which desperately needed it (GK and CM), and the fact that the board have invested in players who won't just come in and sit on the bench, but automatically slide into the first XI, shows their intent to push on for the title following last season's CL success, even with a midfield of Henderson, Wijnaldum and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

3 - Arsenal
Starting a season without Arsene Wenger for the first time in my memory could mean anything, but the way Arsenal's strike force of Aubameyang and Lacazette finished last season, plus the addition of a few class signings in Leno, Sokratis, and Torreira could be exactly what the faithful at the Emirates need to bump themselves back above Spurs.

4 - Tottenham
Pochettino hasn't made any moves in the transfer market at all, but the strength of the squad he possesses could be all they need to finish in the Top 4. Personally, I think that the lack of movement in the window will be detrimental, but the quality already in the squad will be enough to finish in the middle of the pack as far as the Top 6 are concerned.

5 - Chelsea
Maurizio Sarri has come in and tried to shake up the Chelsea squad in the short amount of time he's been in charge. The additions of Matteo Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid, and Jorginho from his old side Napoli have added to N'Golo Kanté's dynamism in a way which should see Morata, Hazard and Giroud given more clear cut chances in front of goal. The addition of Kepa in goal could be a steal as well, even at £72m.

6 - Manchester United
Jose Mourinho is a polarising figure at the best of times, but some of his antics during preseason have turned people against him. That said, Mourinho's side should be good enough to finish at least this high this season. Mourinho's teams always know how to defend, it's just a case of making the most of the attacking talent at his disposal.

7 - West Ham
So far, 7th has been the most difficult team to predict, which isn't surprising. The choice of West Ham, though, isn't one of bias. The additions to the squad have been in all the right areas, and the arrival of manager Manuel Pellegrini has meant that West Ham is now a place that top class players now want to play their football. The team will be dangerous going forward with the likes of Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, but the real steal of the window could be Fabian Balbuena at just £3.5m.

8 - Leicester City
Quietly, Leicester have gone about their business, making additions in all the necessary areas to take the team back to challenging for Europe once more. Pereira in defence, as well as James Maddison to add some creativity in midfield are just some of the signings that could catapult the Foxes back towards the big time after their 2015/16 success.

9 - Everton
Marco Silva's first summer as Everton manager ended with a flurry of activity, signing Andre Gomes, Bernard, Yerry Mina, and Kurt Happy Zouma. The worry is that the the manager's insistence on spending £50m on Richarlison will have inhibited the number of quality additions available elsewhere within the squad, and that players like Gomes and Bernard become as revered in the blue half of Merseyside as Davy Klaasen - that is to say, not at all.

10 - Wolves
Just sneaking into the top half are Wolves, who, following the intervention of Kanye West, have become the landing spot for just about every Portuguese footballer not named Ronaldo. That said, just one look at their summer window shows why they've been put this high. Rui Patricio in goal, Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho alongside Leander Dendoncker in midfield, and Adama Traore playing further forward with the creativity of Diogo Jota, gives Wolves an enviable spine that should see them comfortable by March in their first season back in the Premier League.

11 - Fulham
The second of the promoted teams, Fulham's only real weak spot following a very impressive transfer window, is the goalkeeper. Bettinelli doesn't fill me with confidence in the same way that Rui Patricio does, and had they added someone closer to the quality of the Wolves 'keeper, I might have had them finishing 10th. As it is, though, Fulham fall just short of a top half finish.

12 - Newcastle United
Rafa Benitez's squad hasn't been helped by the ownership of Mike Ashley, whose constant neglect of investment in the transfer window has left the club stagnant. Getting £27m for Aleksandar Mitrovic was a fantastic piece of business considering his track record in the Premier League, but the failure to reinvest that money in a centre-back or a potent striker of their own (outside of Rondon), has meant that Newcastle will be unlikely to push for a top half finish this year, but the leadership and skills of Benitez will be enough to see them finish comfortably mid-table.

13 - Burnley
Burnley, despite having three goalkeepers who have played for England in the last two years, I think will struggle this season, especially if they make the Europa League group stage. Dyche's style of play will ensure safety, especially with the squad at his disposal playing the same way they did last season.

14 - Crystal Palace
Originally, Palace weren't going to be quite this high, but the best piece of business they've managed all summer has been keeping hold of Wilfried Zaha. Of course the additions of Meyer and Kouyate have helped with squad depth, but I don't think either of them will be waltzing into Hodgson's first choice XI any time soon.

15 - Bournemouth
Eddie Howe's men, like Palace ahead of them, haven't made any barnstorming signings, but their Premier League know-how will keep them in the league another season. The development of Lewis Cook is a big reason for the departure of Harry Arter, and the strides taken by Ryan Fraser last season should see him become a key cog in the Eddie Howe wheel. The strike force of Wilson, Mousset, Defoe and King won't strike fear into the hearts of many opposing defenders, but this is a small team with a small budget who will do enough to stay up.

16 - Brighton
Brighton's second season in the Premier League will likely see as many downs as ups, but there's little doubt in my mind that there are at least three teams worse than the Seagulls. Iranian forward Alireza Jahanbakhsh impressed at the World Cup under Carlos Queiroz, and opposite Jose Izquierdo, should be able to cause opposition fullbacks all sorts of problems, and if Glenn Murray can replicate his form from last season, then the fans at the AMEX are in for a treat.

17 - Watford
Having made the decision to sack Marco Silva and replace him with Javi Gracia last season, the Hornets struggled mightily. Now, having lost one of their creative outlets to Everton in Richarlison, they will need the likes of Will Hughes to step up. Gerard Deulofeu blows hot and cold, so we don't know what to expect of him, and the rest of the strike force has been unimpressive since about March.

18 - Huddersfield
David Wagner's team haven't made a great deal of inspiring signings this summer, although Terence Kongolo will rejoin the club following his loan spell last season in an attempt to tighten up a defence that at times struggled last year. The lack of signings further forward is a worry, though, with Ramadan Sobhi being the most dangerous of them, which counters the departure of Thomas Ince, who once again will be lighting up the Championship before being a huge damp squib in the Premier League again.

19 - Southampton
To say that the decision to stick with Mark Hughes was uninspiring is a huge understatement. Last season, Southampton looked weak, and the fact that Guido Carrillo (their record signing) has gone out on loan already hardly fills you with confidence, although if Danny Ings can finally fulfil his promise, then the Saints may be in with a shout of staying up.

20 - Cardiff City
Neil Warnock might have a shot at staying up, but the strength of the Premier League this season is such that I don't think his track record will be good enough to keep his team from going straight back down, although the singing of Bobby Reid from Bristol City could be enough to bring some excitement to an otherwise bland team.

Fresh Baked Takes - Week 5

I missed last week (sorry!), but this week I thought that ahead of the football season(s) starting again, I would put in here, my predictions for winners, qualifiers (for Europe and for playoffs), and the unfortunate souls who will suffer the indignity of relegation. Feel free to @ me about why I'm wrong.

Premier League

Winners: Manchester City - As much as I'd love to put someone here to rock the boat, I don't see any of the other teams having sufficient strength in depth to maintain a challenge for the title, whilst also aiming for European and domestic cup competitions.

Points deduction required for Lallana's awful trim.

Champions League: Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham - Two of the three teams have already strengthened in the summer window, whilst Tottenham were already the second best team in the league. For me, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal will be the order.

Europa League: Chelsea, Manchester United - They're the two remaining 'big 6' clubs, and I don't see anyone breaking that group up this season, although there are a number of teams who have made shrewd transfers this summer (looking at you, Mr. Pellegrini.)

Relegation: Cardiff, Southampton, Huddersfield - Two of the three promoted teams have invested heavily in their squads, whilst Cardiff seem to have stagnated almost entirely, and although Neil Warnock has a semi-proven track record of keeping teams safe, the quality of the Premier League only continues to stretch away from those teams who are promoted each season. As for Southampton and Huddersfield, neither club has made any eye-watering transfers, and both struggled towards the back end of last season. As a side note, Mark Hughes will be the first manager sacked this season. Book it.


Championship

Automatic Promotion: Stoke City and Aston Villa - No one team stands out to me at the moment as being miles ahead of the pack, but these two have done a good job of keeping hold of their best players as of writing (Butland/Allen for Stoke, Grealish for Villa), and I can see players of their quality making the difference in a very tight Championship this season.

Image may look foreign to fans of Karanka's sides.

Playoffs: Middlesbrough, Derby, West Brom, Bristol City - The first three teams were relatively easy to select, but truth be told, you could swap Bristol City out for just about any other team in the league, it really is that close. The only reason Nottingham Forest aren't in there is that having followed them for five years, my senses have been deadened to any type of investment, and I now expect the very worse. Of those four, Pulisball gets Middlesbrough back into the Premier League, despite his teams being completely devoid of any fun whatsoever.

Might as well predict Forest's finish as well. They'll finish 8th, missing out on a playoff place on the last day of the season, making a nice change from escaping relegation on the last day.

Relegation: Rotherham, Reading, Bolton - As with the playoff race in the Championship, it was hard to determine which two teams would go down with Rotherham, who have surely become the Championship/League One definition of a yo-yo team. Bolton have been teetering on the precipice for years now, as have Birmingham City, who survive in my eyes on account of the fact that Reading is a boring club in a boring town who play boring football.

From here on, I will only be predicting teams who are promoted and related, because quite frankly I couldn't give two hoots about any of the teams in League One or Two outside of the mighty Pies.

League One

Promotion: Sunderland, Shrewsbury, Portsmouth - If Sunderland don't get promoted from league One at the first time of asking then they should honestly just cease to exist as a football club, and all their fans should be required to get a tattoo saying Newcastle United are, and always have been, superior on their foreheads. Shrewsbury and Portsmouth were both quite good last year, I think. Hence, they will also be quite good again this year, I think.

Relegation: Accrington Stanley, Coventry, Wycombe Wanderers - I might as well have thrown darts at a dartboard for this one, I think I'm in way too deep on my League One knowledge, but Accrington Stanley and Coventry both got promoted last season, and Wycombe Wanderers are still living off the fact that they have Adebayo Akinfenwa in their squad: a man who is known universally more for his enormous figure and ridiculous antics than his ability with a football, which infuriates me no end. Nobody who is idolised by 14-year old FIFA hype beasts should be able to ply his trade in League One. I'm sure he's a lovely fella, though.
Oh shit, four go down. Um, also Gillingham. Probably.

League Two

I don't like seeing Jorge Grant in a shirt that isn't from Nottingham.

Promotion: Notts County, Exeter, Lincoln, MK Dons - I don't like putting MK Dons in there, because they franchised Wimbledon like some sort of centrally-controlled American sports team, and I don't think you should rip people's teams away from them for profit, but maybe I'm just old fashioned. Or maybe I'm right, let me know. Also going up with the franchise are Exeter, Lincoln, and the mighty Notts County, who are going to win the league with a record number of points, and Kevin Nolan will be granted the freedom of the city of Nottingham, and Andy Hoe will give the entire squad free entry to Ocean for the rest of their living days, on both Wednesday and Friday nights.

Relegation: Newport County, Crewe - Two teams who have hung on to league status for far longer than is reasonably acceptable finally face their fate. Newport didn't come up that long ago, but they've been embarrassingly bad ever since they came up and are taking up a spot that anyone in the National League could fill with ease (except Bromley, I still hate Bromley. Fuck Bromley.) As for Crewe, I just want to watch the weekly MathsJack meltdown on Facebook as he finally realises that he supports one of the two worst teams in the Football League.

Europa League winners. Book it.

European Leagues

Ligue 1
Winner: PSG, obviously

La Liga
Winner: Real Madrid... or Barcelona. Barcelona. Let's go with Barcelona.

Serie A
Winner: Juventus, not because of Ronaldo, but because they are infinitely more talented than any of the other teams in the league. I think they'll lose a maximum of 3 games.

Bundesliga
Winner: Bayern, aka Hoffenheim II. Süle, Rudy, Wagner etc help Bayern win the league, as Nagelsmann's last season becomes an unmitigated disaster and Hoffe finish 7th, fail to qualify for Europe through the league, but win the Europa League and therefore make their way into the 2019/20 Champions League thanks to pure fluke.