The annual NFL Draft usually spawns weeks of rumors, speculation, and mock drafts that move players up and down. But all of that is just guesswork, and at this year’s first-round parsing of the college ranks in Detroit, the chalk held up for the first four picks.
USC’s quarterback Caleb Williams went No. 1 to the Chicago Bears, a move that has been expected for months. There was a bit of intrigue surrounding who might go 2-3 in the draft, but the Washington Commanders went with the safe pick in LSU Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels at No. 2, and the New England Patriots followed that with North Carolina’s Drake Maye at No. 3.
This was the fourth draft with quarterbacks going with the top three picks. It previously happened in 1971, 1999, and 2021.
Marvin Harrison Jr. went to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 4, another expected pick. Harrison is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.
The Los Angeles Clippers had the No. 5 draft, and under new coach Jim Harbaugh, there were rumors he might reach for his college QB from Michigan, J.J. McCarthy. But the Chargers already have a good QB in Justin Herbert, and they opted to give him some more protection in Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, a mountain of a man at 6-foot-8 and 325 lbs.
The New York Giants went with Malik Nabers at No. 6, a fleet and tough wide receiver from LSU that will inject some speed into a generally lackluster Giants offense that has lost running back Saquon Barkley and has questions about the comeback from injury of quarterback Daniel Jones.
At No. 7, the Tennessee Titans took Alabama’s Jerome “JC” Latham, a 6-foot-6, 359-pound offensive tackle.
The Atlanta Falcons had the first stunner of the draft, selecting Washington’s quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Although he was the Heisman runner-up and led the Washington Huskies to an appearance in the national championship, he was considered a surprise so high in the draft. But Atlanta has under-performed at quarterback, and Penix Jr. might fill that hole.
The Chicago Bears were back for more in the ninth slot, and grabbed Washington’s Rome Odunze to pair with brand-new QB Caleb Williams.
The draft’s first trade came at No. 10. The New York Jets cut a deal with the Minnesota Vikings, who traded up to nab — what else? — a quarterback. They have Sam Darnold of USC on the roster to serve as a bridge to Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy, who led undefeated Michigan to the national championship and was 27-1 in his career.
To move up, the Vikings traded their No. 11 pick to the Jets, who also get a fourth-rounder and fifth-rounder in the deal, while Minnesota also gets back a sixth-rounder.
The Los Angeles Rams will draft in the No. 19 position. The Rams own 11 total picks in the seven-round draft.
