My 3 best picks
1. Carolina Panthers- Star Lotuleli DT Utah
Possibly the best value in the 1st round grabbing him at 14. Legitimately one of the 2 or 3 most talented players in this draft who fell because of an already cleared and resolved medical issue. He's going to be a force from play #1 in Carollina.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers- Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia
Again, ridiculous value here at 17. The Steelers always seem to get players who fir their scheme perfectly fall into their laps.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M
It's not every day you get to praise the Jaguars for doing something right but solidifying their offensive line and not reaching for a QB or DE was the best move they could have made. Whether they take a QB early in round 2 or if they stick with Gabbert, that QB is going to have a ton of time to make decisions in the pocket.
My 3 Worst Picks
1. Buffalo Bills- EJ Manuel QB Florida State
They wanted a quarterback and did the smart thing by trading back rather than foolishly selecting one 10 picks earlier than they should have. However they then foolishly picked one 2-3 rounds earlier than they should have. I understand the NFL is a copycat league but this is ridiculous. Just because he's big, black, and athletic does not mean he's going to be Cam Newton or Colin Kaepernick. The Bills have moved to the top of the list of teams I'm willing to see contracted.
2. Chicago Bears- Kyle Long OG Oregon
Again, another guy drafted at least 40 spots too early. I realize this was the year of the offensive linemen but that doesn't mean you have to take one for the sake of taking one. Warmack and Cooper are rare guards worthy of going in the top 20, Kyle Long is not.
3a. St Louis Rams- Tavon Austin WR West Virginia
Don't get me wrong, he's a playmaker but taking a guy of his size in the top 10 seems like a bad idea to me. The league has proved over the years that these shifty slot WRs can be found at any point during the draft. Groan me to death Atlas but I still think he was taken about 10 picks too early.
3b. Indianapolis Colts- Bjoern Werner DE FSU
While they got tremendous value grabbing him in the mid 20s he's really an odd fit in their new 3-4 scheme. I thought Werner was one of the few true DEs in the first round of this draft and was realistically the last one I expected to be converted to an OLB
Ask me again in 3 years
1. Oakland Raiders- DJ Hayden CB Houston
Incredibly talented corner who's physical tools and ability warranted a 1st round selection but the kid is like 6 months removed from what should have been a certain funeral. You have to have a ton of faith in the doctors who stitched him up because he's going to see a lot more and a lot stronger collisions in the NFL. One also has to hope that mentally he's not afraid of contact now.
2. Miami Dolphins- Dion Jordan DE/OLB Oregon
Probably the most upside of any defensive player in this draft but his slight frame and lack of experience raise a ton of questions when you factor the Dolphins traded up to get him 3rd overall. Is he the next Jason Taylor or is he the next Matthias Kiwanuka?
3. New York Jets- Dee Milliner CB Alabama
Another incredibly talented CB but with the injury concerns and the huge responsibility of replacing Darrelle Revis this guy has to produce immediately if this pick doesn't want to end up being one of the worst in the draft.