The NFL draft, for those in the know, is arguably the highlight of the offseason in American football. Every year the next in line of potential NFL superstars are brought to our attention, although of course not all live up to the hype.
The 2014 NFL draft is now over. Looking back, it should go down as one of the more memorable drafts in recent times.
We saw plenty of trades, a few surprises and players falling – quarterback Johnny Manziel falling to number 22 seemed to almost break Twitter.
Oh, and history was made as the first openly gay man was drafted on the final day.
The first two picks in Round 1 went as expected, with defensive end Jadeveon Clowney going to the Houston Texans and the St Louis Rams selecting tackle Greg Robinson.
The first surprise came with the third pick as the Jacksonville Jaguars took quarterback Blake Bortles, who wasn’t expected to be drafted until later in the round. Then we saw the Cleveland Browns trade picks with the Buffalo Bills who swooped in and took Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins, who many thought Cleveland themselves would take at number four.
I personally like the next three picks as linebacker Khalil Mack, tackle Jake Matthews and wide receiver Mike Evans went to Oakland, Atlanta and Tampa Bay respectively. Then the Johnny Manziel talk began and everyone speculated as to where he would land.
When the Dallas Cowboys came to pick at 16, rumours began to swirl that owner Jerry Jones would not resist in taking ‘Johnny Football’, but he took tackle Zak Martin instead.
Then when Cleveland traded up to the number 22 spot, you kind of felt they’d take Manziel, and they didn’t disappoint. The Radio City Music Hall in New York City went wild, but can Manziel ignite a franchise that has been an NFL laughing stock for such a long time?
We also saw the New Orleans Saints trade up from number 27 to number 20 to select wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The Super Bowl champions Seattle traded out the first round with the Minnesota Vikings, who would take quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with the last pick of Round 1.
Round 2 saw plenty of trade activity and some top talent go who could have easily been chosen in the first round. Derek Carr to the Oakland Raiders is an intriguing pick and we finally saw the first running back selected – Bishop Sankey at pick number 54 going to the Tennessee Titans.
Did we also see Tom Brady’s heir apparent in New England when the Patriots selected quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo? We also saw some potentially great players who were drafted in Rounds 3 and 4 this year – players like Louis Nix, Morgan Moses and Pierre Desir immediately spring to mind.
But perhaps the biggest story of the draft was on the final day when the St Louis Rams selected defensive end Michael Sam with the 249th overall pick. A lot will be said about this pick but you have to admire the St Louis Rams for taking the plunge on a guy who some will feel may be a distraction due to his sexuality.
It’ll be interesting to see just how well he fares in training camp and beyond.
If this draft taught us anything, it’s that the NFL landscape is changing. Getting that stud offensive or defensive lineman is perhaps more important than perhaps its ever been.
However you feel about how your team drafted, the 2014 NFL season can’t come soon enough.
Hey, supercoach? Choose your own ultimate NFL team and compete with other players for cash prizes in daily competitions on any match. If you’re after the best odds on the NFL, PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
The extraordinary episodes after his life as an American Football hero quite overshadowed the career of O.J. Simpson, who has died at the age…
The Kansas City Chiefs, steered brilliamtly at the end by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, downed the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to secure…
San Francisco 49ers will make their eighth appearance in the Super Bowl after a stellar season from a team stacked with real talent across the whole line-up.
The Chiefs are no longer strangers to playing matches in February. What was once a multi-generational 50-year drought has become an almost yearly tradition.
Daniel Faalele and Mitch Wishnowsky have kept their Super Bowl dreams alive, with Baltimore and San Francisco winning the divisional round playoff.
Six-time NFL champion Bill Belichick has agreed to part ways as the coach of the New England Patriots, bringing an end to his 24-year…
