Finally, the NFL Draft has finally kicked off in Detroit.
The first round is officially in the books, and each of the 32 picks brings a renewed sense of hope to the franchises that made those picks. But there is still a lot of work. Rounds 2 and 3 take place on Friday night, then Saturday includes Rounds 4 through 7.
It will take some time to see how these choices work out, but that won't stop us from interacting and analyzing.
We take a look at the winners and losers of the first round.
Winners
Midfielders — Quarterbacks flew off the board Thursday night with six of them involved in the first 12 picks. Caleb Williams (Bears, 1st), Jayden Daniels (Commanders, 2nd), Drake Maye (Patriots, 3rd), Michael Penix Jr. (Falcons, 8th), JJ McCarthy (Vikings, 10th) and Bo Nix (Broncos, 12th) combined . To tie the historic 1983 QB draft class for the most first-round picks. But never have a Six gotten off the board as quickly as they did Thursday night. Some of these quarterbacks will likely start right away. Others may sit a little. But for now, they serve as symbols of hope for brighter days ahead for their new franchises.
Attacking players – Each draft reflects a different trend, and this year has a strong offensive flavor because it took 14 picks before the first defensive player came off the board. That player was UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who was taken 15th against Indianapolis. In all, 23 offensive players went in the first round while only nine defensive players were drafted.
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The NFL Draft starts with 14 straight offensive picks
Kyler Murray — The Arizona Cardinals' quarterback returned from reconstructive knee surgery last season but returned to an offense lacking game-changing talent. But Cardinals officials used the fourth pick of the draft to acquire Marvin Harrison Jr., considered by many to be the best in the draft. Harrison gives Murray and the Cardinals a polished runner who also has good size and speed.
Philadelphia Eagles — The Eagles needed cornerback help, and they even made calls about possibly moving up in the draft so they could better position themselves to take the corner they wanted. But none of the teams ahead of them had a pressing need at the corner and Quinion Mitchell landed his laps in 22nd place without Philly having to give up additional assets.
Danielle Jones — The New York Giants did a lot of homework on their quarterbacks in the draft. There was talk that they could have used the sixth pick on a passer, which would have spelled the end for Jones, who has been a major disappointment since New York drafted him sixth overall in 2019. However, the Giants instead used the sixth pick On LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, that means Jones will likely get another chance to prove himself.
LSU Openings — First Nabers in sixth, then Brian Thomas Jr. went 23rd in Jacksonville. It's the first time LSU has had two wide receivers in the first round. Now, Nabers and Thomas will look to join Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, DJ Chark and Odell Beckham as LSU's next great receivers. It was a big night as a whole for wide receivers, with a total of seven coming off the board in the first round.
(Photo: Gregory Shamos/Getty Images)
Losers
Kirk Cousins - Just months after signing him to a four-year, $180 million contract, the Atlanta Falcons surprised Kirk Cousins by drafting Penix. Cousins, who didn't learn of the team's plans until the Falcons ran the clock, is coming off a torn Achilles tendon, but his recovery from surgery is going well, and he was looking forward to bringing Atlanta home. But now, Cousins could be looking for another opportunity sooner than he expected (most of the guaranteed money in his deal is in the first two seasons). Penix will likely sit and learn this year, and if Cousins falters in 2025, the Falcons could hand things off to the kid.
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Cousins surprised the Falcons by drafting Penix Jr. In the first round
Las Vegas Raiders — The Raiders needed to find their long-term answer at the quarterback position and were believed to have interest moving up in the draft to ensure they were in a position to get one. Well, the Raiders couldn't advance, and by the time they got to 13th, all six quarterbacks seen as potential franchise saviors had been taken. For now, Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew remain the Raiders' only options at quarterback. They could look to land a pass rusher in the second or third round, but such a player would likely be a project.
Zach Wilson — The Broncos took Wilson off the hands of the Jets just a few days ago, and it looked as if Wilson might have a chance to reset himself, learn from Sean Payton and perhaps salvage his career in Denver. But then the Broncos used the 12th pick to draft the Knicks. Now, the best Wilson can hope for is the Knicks' slow learning process and struggle from Jarrett Stidham, who started two games in Denver last season, until he can somehow make his way on the court. Otherwise, training reps and playing opportunities will be severely limited.
Defensive back – The cornerbacks endured a long wait Thursday night as 21 players came off the board before Mitchell went to the Eagles. Mitchell, a Toledo product, lands in a good spot on defense with a strong front. But he could have done it without waiting. But Mitchell's wait wasn't the longest. After two picks, Alabama cornerback Tyrion Arnold finally got the call as the Lions traded up to take him 24th overall. It was the longest wait for a cornerback since 1995 when Tyrone Ball went 22nd to Carolina and Ty Lue went 23rd to New England.
Buffalo Bills — The Buffalo Brass headbutted their comeback in the first round after exchanging shots with the Chiefs. Kansas City used this pick to draft speedy Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. Buffalo needs help at wide receiver, and the Chiefs are the one team Buffalo can never figure out how to beat in the playoffs. So, missing an opportunity to help themselves, and then help strengthen a key opponent, could really come back to haunt the Bills. Then, to make matters worse, the Bills turned around and traded from the 32nd pick, back to the 33rd. The Panthers, who moved on, used that pick to take wide receiver Xavier Legette from South Carolina — another player who could have really helped Buffalo.
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(Photo: Gregory Shamos/Getty Images)
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