With the first pick…
The Cleveland Browns were on the clock. From pick 1 to pick 32 there were plenty of surprises as teams tried to pick the right player in the top round of the draft.
“With the first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma.” These were the first words of Commissioner Roger Goodell as the NFL Draft started on April 26,2018. This pick came as a shock to some as Mayfield is undersized, standing only at 6 feet 1 inch, compared to most NFL QBs. On the NFL Network broadcast fans could hear Rich Eisen say, “Wow!” after the pick.
The New York Giants chose Saquon Barkley, who broke the record at Penn State for yards from scrimmage. He will most likely be the feature back in the Giants’ offense that also has Odell Beckham Jr. In it.
Next, the New York Jets chose their QB of the future, Sam Darnold. He is only twenty years old, so he may need a year to adjust to the NFL.
The Browns were back on the clock after acquiring Houston’s first- round pick the year prior. They chose Denzel Ward, a cornerback who came from Ohio State.
With the fifth pick, the Denver Broncos chose Bradley Chubb, who according to Daniel Jerimiah of NFL.com is considered the second-best prospect in the draft behind Barkley.
Some other notable picks include Josh Allen to the Buffalo Bills at 7th overall. Allen is the first player to be drafted from the University of Wyoming in the modern draft era.
The Bills traded up from the 12th pick to get the QB. As for the 12th pick Vita Vea went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Vea is a 347-pound defensive tackle who ran an impressive 5.1 second 40-yard dash.
QB Josh Rosen goes to the Arizona Cardinals after they traded up from 15th to 10th. Rosen was the fourth QB taken in the top ten picks.
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Terrell Edmunds with the 28th pick. The safety and his brother Tremaine Edmunds both went in the first-round.
Lastly, Lamar Jackson came into the scene when the Ravens traded up to pick 32 and selected him. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner is considered by many to be a dual-threat QB as he can run as well as he passes.
The nice part about the draft is that every team looks good afterwards, but there are always busts which will be interesting to see who from round one will and will not play on Sundays.