Broadband receivers were the biggest NFL title this off-season, and that trend continued in the draft. A total of six were selected and two negotiated. The night was full of surprises, but also full of winners and losers. Below, we will analyze four of each.
Winner: The teams of New York
The New York Giants and New York Jets are not considered two of the best teams in the NFL, and both have made controversial decisions in the past. But that did not happen on Thursday night. In his first draft as Giants general manager, Joe Schoen brought Oregon passer-by Kayvon Thibodeaux to No. 5 overall, followed by Alabama attacking lineman Evan Neal to No. 7 overall. Thibodeaux was considered the No. 1 overall pick in the fake draft during the college football season. While this narrative changed as we approached the draft, he was still considered one of the best players in the class. Getting him to No. 5 overall is a good value, considering all things, and the Giants scored again at No. 7, taking on who could be the safest player in the Nile draft. It is a key of Day 1 with great flexibility. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco gave both Giants selections an “A” rating (see our tracker with scores for each selection here). As for the Jets, they were probably the No. 1 winner of the first round. They scored the corner for Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner at No. 4 overall, and then Garrett Wilson at No. 10, with the host Ohio State at No. 10. Both were considered by many to be the top players. in their respective positions, both will be children with an immediate impact. However, the Jets did not finish there, as they traded in the first round to select the passing Jermaine Johnson from the State of Florida. This was a virtual game that had draft experts in the top 10 and some in the top five. As he continued his mysterious fall, the Jets could only squeeze in the end to lift him. What a joy for these two teams in New York. Jackson lost his No. 1 wide receiver on Thursday night in Hollywood Brown, who traded with the Cardinals. This depth chart looks very thin on the receiver, as Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay are probably now the top two guys. Baltimore chose the safety of Our Lady of Paris Kyle Hamilton and Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum in the first round, but Jackson was clearly still troubled. Remember, this is an extension. Will he play football elsewhere in the near future?
Winner: Arizona Cardinals
I’ve already seen several of my colleagues call the Cardinals “losers” because they abandoned a first-round pick for Brown, but I disagree. I think he is a playmaker who will be better in the Arizona system. In addition, she has a relationship with Kyler Murray. Brown leaves one general in question for an extension and works with another. The Cardinals took some time by picking Murray for a fifth year this week and then reuniting him with his Oklahoma top winger who helped him beat Heisman. Back in 2018, Brown caught 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Sooners, making this great season a first-round pick in the NFL 2019 draft. Now, the two players are reunited in a fun attack created by Cliff Kingsbury. They need to make each other better and it could be a move that will help Murray want to stay in Arizona.
Loser: Tennessee Titans
Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks was enthusiastic about many Titans fans this year, and the front desk came out and picked him up. However, this victory was overshadowed by the fact that Tennessee distributed to the Eagles the star and favorite of the fans AJ Brown. The receiver position was a necessity for the Titans, and with the addition of the Burks and the removal of Brown, it is still a necessity. You could argue that Brown is not worth the money of the top four WRs, but that’s the market. Furthermore, did Brown deserve only a first- and third-round pick? The Titans then had the opportunity to try to finish the night at a high level by making a selection at No. 26 in the overall standings. Instead, they sent this option and a third round option to the Jets for a second round option, a third round option and a fifth round option. Mike Brabel said Thursday night that Tennessee “went to extremes” to keep Brown in Nashville. We do not know what the “extreme” was, but it turned out to be money. Also, it does not look good that Brown told the Titans fans on the way out that none of this was his fault. The Titans are not officially “lost” in the NFL 2022 draft, as there are many more choices to be made. But, he is definitely one of the NFL fanatics who will wake up sad on Friday morning.
Winner: Eagles and AJ Brown
The Titans lost a key offensive weapon and the Eagles won one. Shortly after the deal, Philly gave Brown a four-year, $ 100 million deal, which includes a guaranteed $ 57 million per ESPN. This $ 25 million AAV makes Brown the fourth highest paid receiver in the NFL. This makes Brown the winner, after getting the money he wanted. The Eagles were a team expected to be in the mix for a receiver in the first round, but their entire depth chart is full of young guys in that position. It makes sense to throw a bag at an established winner at home who can help Jalen Hurts. This move immediately makes them better, while they also put Jordan Davis at No. 13 in the general draft, who is both huge and talented. He and Fletcher Cox in the middle of the defensive line will have to make running the ball very difficult for the opponents.
Loser: Quarterbacks
Most people expected three generals to be selected in the first round. No. We got one. And the solo answering machine came in at No. 20 overall as the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to keep Kenny Pickett in town. What is even more amazing than the draft of only one general in the first round was that it was not Malik Willis! He was considered by many to be the top general in the class, and certainly the prospect with the most ups and downs. He added a few tweets after the first round. An insidious winner in the first round was the Lions. They reached out to their hometown hero Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall, something that was considered relatively short just a few months ago, and then traded in the first round to take Jameson Williams No. 12 overall. It is amazing that Williams was the fourth wide receiver. While tearing up his ACL in the national championship defeat against Georgia, Williams caught 79 assists for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. He was the playmaker of the first All-SEC team and led the SEC to the host positions. These are the two legal choices of the top 10. For the 20th consecutive year, the Green Bay Packers did not draft in the first round. This was particularly shocking since Green Bay made two first-round picks! To the Packers’ honor, six large-scale receivers with the first 18 selections were drawn up, so the front desk would probably have to approach a guy who did not score in the first round. This is what Rodgers said on the Pat McAfee Show: “Well, I had a little picture, I’ve been talking to him all night; so I know they really liked Wyatt early on and wondered if he would be there, in either of the two options I think, and when the linebacker was there in his decade. ‘ 20 and all six of these receivers, I think it was six who had the points of the first round, were gone, I think it was quite obvious that they wanted to secure these two points in their mind … I’m sure his country “Packer will wonder why we did not get a receiver or exchange or anything, but at this point you just have to have a little faith in the organization.” Rodgers looks good the way he played the first round, and maybe he’s really okay with that. However, you know he wanted one of those first round receivers. Davede Adams is no longer around. Green Bay must face the position in the second round.
