For the first time ever,
The All-Out Blitz will be bringing you full coverage of the first round of the NFL Draft as it unfolds. In the past, we've had coverage of the draft, but have failed to give you a full preview, up-to-the-minute updates, and complete predictions of the annual event.
Unlike last year, we have actually provided our readers with
full rankings, multiple mock drafts and every team's needs.
With just about five minutes until the Kansas City Chiefs and new head coach
Andy Reid go on the clock, here are our last-minute position rankings, final mock draft (with team needs) and live updates as the first round unfolds:
Position Rankings
QB
1. Geno Smith, West Virginia
2. Matt Barkley, Southern California
3. Ryan Nassib, Syracuse
4. E.J. Manuel, Florida State
5. Mike Glennon, NC State
RB
1. Eddie Lacy, Alabama
2. Giovani Bernard, North Carolina
3. Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
4. Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State
5. Andre Ellington, Clemson
WR
1. Tavon Austin, West Virginia
3. Keenan Allen, California
4. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson
5. Justin Hunter, Tennessee
TE
1. Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
2. Zach Ertz, Stanford
3. Travis Kelce, Cincinnati
4. Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
1. Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
2. Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
3. Lane Johnson, Oklahoma
4. D.J. Fluker, Alabama
5. Brennan Williams, North Carolina
G/C
1. Chance Warmack, Alabama
2. Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
3. Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
4. Barrett Jones, Alabama
5. Khaled Holmes, Southern California
DT
1. Sharrif Floyd, Florida
2. Star Lotulelei, Utah
3. Sheldon Richardson, Missouri
4. Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
5. Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
DE
1. Bjoern Werner, Florida State
2. Dion Jordan, Oregon
3. Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah, BYU
4. Alex Okafor, Texas
5. Damontre
Moore, Texas A&M
ILB
1. Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
2. Alec Ogletree, Georgia
3. Arthur Brown, Kansas State
4. Kevin Minter, LSU
5. Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
OLB
1. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
2. Barkevious Mingo, LSU
3. Sio Moore, Connecticut
4. Chase Thomas, Stanford
5. Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
CB
1. Dee Milliner, Alabama
2. Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State
3. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
4. D.J. Hayden, Houston
5. Desmond Trufant, Washington
S
1. Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
2. Matt Elam, Florida
3. Eric Reid, LSU
4. Jonathan Cyprien, FIU
5. Phillip Thomas, Fresno State
FINAL Mock Draft (with team needs)
1. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher, OT
Team needs: OT, DE, DT, WR
Sources have reported that the Chiefs will select Fisher at the No. 1 spot, rather than A&M's Luke Joeckel. Though I believe KC should go with Joeckel, it appears as though new coach Andy Reid has more hope for Central Michigan's Fisher.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Bjoern Werner, DE
Team needs: DE, OL, QB, CB, WR
While Jockel is now on the board at No. 2, the Jags' most glaring need is a pass-rushing defensive end and Werner is the best in the draft.
3. Oakland Raiders: Star Lotulelei, DT
Team needs: DT, OLB, OL, QB
While Florida's Floyd is the top defensive tackle, I believe Lotulelei is a better fit for Oakland. At 320+ pounds, Lotulelei can plug the middle and make an immediate impact on Oakland's 18th-ranked run defense.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: Dee Milliner, CB
Team needs: QB, LB, OL, CB
There's a decent chance Chip Kelly could go quarterback and select Geno Smith to develop him into the franchise's next star quarterback. And that's what I originally believed would happen. But with a disappointing
Nnamdi Asomugha gone, cornerback is a huge need on the defensive side of the ball.
5. Detroit Lions: Chance Warmack, G
Team needs: G, DE
Adding the top guard would be a huge boost to Detroit's running game, giving new RB
Reggie Bush someone to run behind.
6. Cleveland Browns: Dion Jordan, OLB
Team needs: G, LB, WR, S
With Milliner gone, and Warmack also off the board in the previous two picks, it looks like the Browns could go outside linebacker with Dion Jordan. Don't be surprised if they end up trading down.
7. Arizona Cardinals: Luke Joeckel, OT
Team needs: OL, S, TE
This would be a huge gift to the Cardinals if Joeckel does end up dropping to them all the way down to No. 7. Though I believe he's the best OT in the draft, and arguably the best overall player, it all depends on team needs. So this very well may end up happening with Fisher going No. 1.
8. Buffalo Bills: Geno Smith, QB
Team needs: QB, TE, LB, WR, CB
Ryan Fitzpatrick is gone, and though the Bills signed former Arizona QB
Kevin Kolb, I don't think they'll be completely content with him taking over the starting role. Smith is the top quarterback in the draft, and if he drops down to No. 8, the Bills should snag him.
9. New York Jets: Barkevious Mingo, OLB
Team needs: WR, OT, OLB, S
Coming out of LSU, the very quick and aggressive Mingo is a perfect fit for Rex Ryan's 3-4 defense. The athletic 240-pound linebacker is a sideline-to-sideline backer that can also put pressure on the opposing quarterback.
10. Tennessee Titans: Sharrif Floyd, DT
Team needs: DL, ILB, G, WR, S
Floyd is a very quick and athletic 300-pound D-tackle and would be able to play on both the inside or outside for the Titans. At No. 10, Floyd is a bargain for the Titans.
11. San Diego Chargers: Lane Johnson, OT
Team needs: OT, ILB, CB
With Johnson falling in their laps, there's no way the Chargers can pass up the opportunity to grab the athletic tackle. Johnson can play on both the left and right side and is so athletic that he actually used to play quarterback in junior college.
12. Miami Dolphins: Sheldon Richardson, DT
Team needs: OL, CB, DL, WR
Four offensive lineman came off the board in the top 11 picks, and the top corner is already gone as well. Needing some depth on the defensive line, Richardson is a great selection here.
13. New York Jets (from Bucs): Tavon Austin, WR
Team needs: WR, OT, S
Snagging Mingo off the board with their No. 9 pick, the Jets can now use this next pick to bring in a playmaker on the offensive side of the ball. It's obvious that the struggling
Mark Sanchez could use an explosive player such as Austin.
14. Carolina Panthers: Kenny Vaccaro, S
Team needs: DE, CB, S
I'm sticking by my Vaccaro pick from a couple days ago. The offensive side of the ball is looking great, but the Panthers could really use help on defense, specifically the secondary. Vaccaro is a very aggressive player and has improved vastly in coverage.
15. New Orleans Saints: Ezekiel Ansah, DE
Team needs: DL, OLB, OT
New Orleans is lucky that Ansah fell to them at the 15th pick. The BYU product is a large defensive end with long arms, which he uses to get around blockers. The former basketball player isn't the fastest guy out there, but he's an explosive and aggressive defensive end coming off the edge.
16. St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR
Team needs: RB, WR, G, S
Quarterback
Sam Bradford has always lacked targets in the passing game, and wideout is an even more glaring need now that
Danny Amendola is in New England. Cordarrelle is the top wideout left on the board, and St. Louis shouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Jones, OLB
Team needs: RB, OLB, OT, WR
Jones drops this far because teams may hesitate to take the injury risk with him, but he's just what the Steelers need in the pass-rushing game now that
James Harrison has split to Cincy. Youth on the defensive side of the ball is key for the aging Steelers.
18. Dallas Cowboys: Johnathan Hankins, DT
Team needs: S, OL, DT, RB, LB
Sticking by my pick of Hankins. If Vaccaro is available at No. 18, they'll snag him, but I don't expect him to still be on the board. The explosive tackle can blow up the offensive line and shed blockers without any trouble.
19. New York Giants: Alec Ogletree, LB
Team needs: OL, CB, DT, ILB
Coming out of Georgia and playing with Jarvis Jones, Ogletree shined in 2012. He's a bit undersized as he came to Georgia as a safety, but he's very quick and is a great coverage linebacker. He's a sideline-to-sideline tackler as well and has big-play ability.
20. Chicago Bears: D.J. Fluker, OT
Team needs: OL, WR, LB, S
It's no secret that the Chicago Bears struggle to protect quarterback
Jay Cutler. And though they could use a couple of play-making wide receivers, the No. 1 priority on offense has to be protecting Cutler and keeping him upright.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Matt Elam, S
Team needs: OT, RB, ILB, S
Elam is a short safety (5'10") but is a solid coverage guy and is known for physical play. He has the ability to play cornerback as well and is a solid tackler on the ball.
22. St. Louis Rams (from Skins): Jonathan Cooper, G
Team needs: RB, G, S
The Rams could use a huge boost on offense. Selecting Patterson with their first pick earlier in the draft, St. Louis can take a chance on the draft's second-best guard in UNC's Jonathan Cooper. I'm a tad surprised myself that Cooper fell this far, to be honest.
23. Minnesota Vikings: Keenan Allen, WR
Team needs: WR, DT, LB, DB
Whether it's
Christian Ponder or newcomer
Matt Cassel under center for Minnesota this season, they'll need a playmaker to throw the ball to. The loss of
Percy Harvin is huge on offense, but if they can grab a No. 1 wideout with this pick, the 25th round pick that they got in the Harvin trade could end up being a huge benefit.
24. Indianapolis Colts: Alex Okafor, DE
Team needs: G, WR, DL, CB
With long-time defensive end
Dwight Freeney gone, the Colts could really use a speedy, aggressive pass-rusher coming off the edge. That's exactly what the former three-year Texas starter gives them, a guy who has an excellent combination of speed and power. He recorded 12.5 sacks last season.
25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seahawks): Manti Te'o, LB
Team needs: DT, LB, DB
I was thinking Xavier Rhodes would be a great replacement for the departed veteran cornerback
Antoine Winfield at the No. 25 pick. But I've been hearing whispers about how much the Vikings like Te'o, so all things seem to be pointing towards him coming off the board here.
26. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Lacy, RB
Team needs: C, RB, DB
What better way to complement the top passing game led by former MVP
Aaron Rodgers than to add the explosive, yet quick, running back Lacy out of Alabama. The only running back that I expect to be taken in the opening round, Lacy could be a key component in this offense this year.
27. Houston Texans: DeAndre Hopkins, WR
Team needs: WR, OT, DT
The fourth receiver taken, Hopkins will give quarterback
Matt Schaub a solid No. 2 target behind All Pro
Andre Johnson. With a top-tier defense that will get LB
Brian Cushing back this year, and an All Pro running back in
Arian Foster, another wideout to complement Johnson is a must-have for Houston at this point.
28. Denver Broncos: Sylvester Williams, DT
Team needs: RB, DL, ILB, S
The Broncos seem to be set on offense, and a hole opened up in the pass-rushing with the sad departure of
Elvis Dumervil this off-season. But Williams is the best bet here for Denver. A top 5 defensive tackle in the draft, the 313 pound Williams is very quick for his size and added 6.0 sacks last season. He can play both the run and the pass.
29. New England Patriots: Justin Hunter, WR
Team needs: WR, G/C, ILB, DB
The Patriots could surely use a wideout to play alongside newly-signed Danny Amendola, and the tall, lengthy Justin Hunter gives Brady a solid option over the middle of the field. He can line up out wide or in the slot.
30. Atlanta Falcons: Johnthan Banks, CB
Team needs: LB, CB
Banks is a top three corner in this draft and nearing the end of the first round is a steal for the Falcons. Banks has four years of college experience under his belt and has great ball skills. He can be active in supporting the run and has the ability to blitz the quarterback as well. An all-around great talent at his position.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Kawann Short, DT
Team needs: WR, DT, S
Many project Short to come off the board in the second round, but given San Francisco's need at defensive tackle, it's certainly possible he could come off at the end of the first. Short uses his size and power to plug opposing running lanes and is athletic enough to make plays in the backfield.
32. Baltimore Ravens: Kevin Minter, LB
Team needs: WR, OT, ILB, S
With Te'o going to Minnesota earlier in the round and Ogletree going to New York, it looks like the defending champs will have to settle for LSU's Minter. Minter is a very quick and aggressive tackler and has the knack to make plays. Not quite a Manti Te'o, but great instincts nonetheless.
Live Blog
8:07pm: It's just past 8 p.m. (eastern time), and commissioner Roger Goodell has just announced that the Chiefs are officially on the clock (after
Joe Namath addressed the crowd by yelling "NEW YORK! NEW JERSEY!").
Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel just told NFL Network minutes ago that neither of them have received a call yet. So it could be either one, but all signs have pointed towards Fisher being the guy.
FYI: We're watching the coverage on NFL Network, not ESPN.
Rich Eisen is repeatedly saying "We're not showing any prospects on the phone. We're not going to tip any picks." Referring to the fact that NFL Network does not want to tip to its viewers who will be the No. 1 pick until Goodell informs us. I like that.
8:17pm: With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select Eric Fisher, OT from Central Michigan.
Jaguars are now on the clock for the No. 2 pick.
*The 6'6"/306 lb Fisher wasn't expected to go No. 1 to the Chiefs until reports came out earlier today that KC had informed Joeckel that they would be selecting Fisher. For the past month or more Joeckel had been projected the No. 1 selection. Fisher is the first OT taken first overall since
Jake Long in 2008 (by Miami).
*I wouldn't be surprised to see Joeckel drop several spots now that he hasn't gone No. 1. Jacksonville seems to be more worried about replacing
Blaine Gabbert or adding a top-tier pass-rusher.
8:24pm: With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Luke Joeckel, OT from Texas A&M.
*Clearly I was wrong. They're putting all of their chips in on Gabbert for at least one more year and have gone with a stud offensive tackle in Joeckel. They hope this will help keep Gabbert upright and give him more time in the pocket. We'll see if his accuracy improves because of this.
*The Oakland Raiders are now on the clock for the No. 3 pick. Their first 1st round pick since selecting
Rolando McClain in 2010.
8:35pm: The Oakland Raiders trade their No. 3 pick to the Miami Dolphins, and the Dolphins select Dion Jordan, DE from Oregon.
The Philadelphia Eagles are now on the clock for the No. 4 pick.
*This one came as a shock, as speculation was that the Dolphins had completed the trade in order to select OT Lane Johnson from Oklahoma. Johnson would have filled the void that Jake Long left this off-season.
*In the trade, Oakland gets Miami's 12th overall pick and 2nd round pick (42nd overall).
8:43pm: With the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Lane Johnson, OT from Oklahoma.
Detroit is now on the clock for the No. 5 pick.
*Three of the top four picks have been offensive tackles. 'Year of the tackle', anyone?
*Cool fact about Johnson: He played quarterback in high school and junior college. By far the most athletic offensive lineman in this draft. Not even close.
8:51pm: With the 5th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select Ezekiel Ansah, DE from BYU.
Cleveland is now on the clock for the No. 6 pick.
*Sweet.
Barry Sanders announced the Detroit Lions' 5th overall pick, rather than Goodell. Classy.
*But in terms of the pick itself, the former basketball player could be a beast lining up next to DT
Ndamukong Suh. Ansah, from Ghana, flew under the radar until just a few months ago. It could be a hit or miss pick at No. 5, as he really doesn't have the most experience on the football field.
*He's the first BYU Top 10 pick since QB
Jim McMahon in 1982.
8:55pm: With the 6th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB from LSU.
The Cardinals are now on the clock for the No. 7 pick
*Only six picks into the draft, and we're already riding the struggle bus. Werner, Lotulelei, Milliner and Warmack are still on the clock, while Joeckel, Johnson and Mingo are off the boards already.
9:02pm: With the 7th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select Jonathan Cooper, G from North Carolina.
The Buffalo Bills are on the clock for the No. 8 pick
*Cooper comes off the board before Chance Warmack, and is the fourth offensive lineman in the first 7 picks. Interesting. Lots of QBs out there in need of protection. Cooper is a very fast and athletic guard, and is a great addition for Arizona.
9:10pm: The Buffalo Bills trade their No. 8 pick to the St. Louis Rams, and the Rams select Tavon Austin, WR from West Virginia.
The New York Jets are on the clock for the No. 9 pick
*In the trade, Buffalo gets the 16th pick from STL in addition to 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks, in exchange for the No. 8 pick and a 3rd round pick.
*Austin is the best playmaker in the draft, and can make an impact in the return game as well. The only question is will his rookie season look like
Julio Jones and
A.J. Green's (Top 10 picks in 2011) or
Justin Blackmon's (Top 10 pick last year). I'd like to think it'll look like the former.
*No pick for Buffalo here, but the big question is whether they go for a quarterback with the newly-acquired 16th pick? I'm betting no, but who knows.
*First WR the Rams have taken in the first round since
Torry Holt in 1999.
9:18pm: With the 9th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Dee Milliner, CB from Alabama.
The Tennessee Titans are now on the clock for the No. 10 pick
*And just like that, the New York Jets have replaced All Pro shutdown corner
Darrelle Revis, who they traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the week. They have another pick at No. 13 (acquired from Tampa in the Revis trade).
9:25pm: With the 10th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select Chance Warmack, G from Alabama.
The San Diego Chargers are now on the clock for the No. 11 pick
*Floyd, like I said in my mock, dropped to No. 10. But, surprisingly, the Titans didn't make a move for him. Warmack is still a great pick here though, giving RB
Chris Johnson a young guy to run behind. The Alabama product is the second guard to come off the board, giving us FIVE offensive linemen in the top 10 tonight.
9:28pm: With the 11th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select D.J. Fluker, OT from Alabama.
The Oakland Raiders are now on the clock for the No. 12 pick
*Shocked to see Fluker come off the board so soon, but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised considering he's one of Nick Saban's 'BAMA linemen. Sixth lineman selected now, and he's the third of Saban's Crimson Tide players to be selected (Warmack and Milliner). All three right in a row.
9:38pm: With the 12th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select D.J. Hayden, CB from Houston.
The New York Jets are on the clock for the No. 13 pick
*Hayden, the top CB on
Mike Mayock's board, had a near-death experience during practice in November. Would be a great story if he could turn out to have a career worthy of a 13th overall pick. Nearly dying from internal bleeding in his leg, it'll be tough to cheer against Hayden.
*Still certainly an interesting pick for the Raiders to pass over Floyd. And Geno Smith continues to drop in this first round too.
*Perhaps we'll see New York go for a top DT such as Floyd or Star Lotulelei. Or tight end Tyler Eifert? Our No. 13 pick (Tavon Austin) is already off the board, so they wont be getting a top play-maker at this position.
9:47pm: With the 13th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Sheldon Richardson, DT from Missouri.
The Carolina Panthers are now on the clock for the No. 14 pick
*Better 2013 and beyond Darrelle Revis (TB) or Milliner/Richardson?
*Not the exciting pick that Jets fans were looking for, as we can tell from the reaction inside Radio City Music Hall, but he's a guy that could be very productive in this defense for the Jets. Just saw a clip of him running down the field, and he's incredibly athletic for his size, and can get to the QB from the defensive tackle position.
*As I've stated before, I'm not watching the ESPN broadcast. But I just saw someone tweet a hilarious quote from Jon Gruden (which he apparently said over on the ESPN broadcast):
"I think Geno has a lot of friends at ESPN. He's not even the best quarterback on my board."
Ouch. Roasted.
9:52pm: With the 14th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select Star Lotulelei, DT from Utah.
The New Orleans Saints are now on the clock for the No. 15 pick
*Lotulelei is finally off the board, the second consecutive D-tackle selected. He's a prototypical nose tackle and can close the pocket really quickly. In other words, he's a nightmare for opposing offenses. And he's versatile.
10:01pm: With the 15th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select Kenny Vaccaro, S from Texas.
The Buffalo Bills are now on the clock for the No. 16 pick
Classy. Markell Gregoire, a 13-year old from St. Jude's hospital in Louisiana, was up to announce his favorite team's pick of Vaccaro. Cool addition to the first round, and I'm sure it made that kid's day.
*Will the Bills go quarterback at 16? If not, then I don't think we'll see
any QBs go in the first round.
10:06pm: With the 16th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select E.J. Manuel, QB from Florida State.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are now on the clock with the No. 17 pick
*Exactly halfway through this first round. Whew. It's been a long 16 picks.
*Wow! Geno Smith is not the first QB off the board, and yes the Bills did go quarterback! I'm thinking Geno and Barkley have officially dropped out of the first round. I get the feeling that there aren't any more teams looking for a first round QB.
*This may be the biggest shock of the draft thus far. Agree? Disagree?
*Manuel's mother is battling cancer. Luckily she has been cancer-free for about four weeks now, he stated earlier. Good to hear.
10:13pm: With the 17th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Jarvis Jones, LB from Georgia.
The Dallas Cowboys are now on the clock with the No. 18 pick
*No surprise here. Jones is a relentless pass-rusher and the Steelers have been targeting Jones for what seems like months. It heated up once James Harrison left town.
*It's almost as if the other teams knew Jones was Pittsburgh's and purposefully laid off him so that he could head to the Steelers at No. 17. Solid pick. The only other dire need that could have been RB, but there isn't a running back that would make sense to go this early.
10:15pm: The Cowboys trade their No. 18 pick to the 49ers, with the pick the 49ers select Eric Reid, S from LSU
The Giants are now on the clock with the No. 19 pick
*Reid becomes second safety off the board as the Niners trade up to snatch him. Surprising to see the Cowboys not take Reid themselves, as that seems to be a need of theirs. Had Vaccaro been available, I believe the Cowboys would have made a move for him at this position.
10:21pm: With the 19th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select Justin Pugh, OT from Syracuse.
The Chicago Bears are on the clock with the No. 20 pick
*I honestly wasn't expecting to see Pugh come off the board in the first round, and could have seen the Giants going with a defensive player at linebacker or defensive back. But looking to provide
Eli Manning with additional protection up front, New York made the decision to add a versatile offensive lineman. Pugh can play all over: right tackle, left tackle, right guard, left guard. Hell, he can probably even bring you the gatorade bottles if you ask him to.
*With the Bears now on the clock and long-time Chicago LB
Brian Urlacher heading out of town, could we see Heisman finalist Manti Te'o come off the board at No. 20? It's certainly possible.
10:29pm: With the 20th pick in the NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select Kyle Long, OT from Oregon
The Cincinnati Bengals are now on the clock with the No. 21 pick
*Chicago decides not to take Te'o as Urlacher's replacement, and instead select
Howie Long's son from Oregon to help keep Jay Cutler upright and on his feet.
*Top talent still available: Sharrif Floyd, Geno Smith, Bjoern Werner, Cordarrelle Patterson, Alec Ogletree, Manti Te'o, Matt Elam, Johnathan Hankins.
10:35pm: With the 21st pick in the NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select Tyler Eifert, TE from Notre Dame.
The Atlanta Falcons (trade from the Rams) are now on the clock with the No. 22 pick
*The 6'6" Eifert will make for a great target for the young, growing
Andy Dalton in Cincinnati's offense. Defenses will be forced to keep tabs on both Eifert and fellow TE
Jermaine Gresham over the middle. Could mean trouble.
10:41pm: With the 22nd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft (from the Rams in a trade), the Atlanta Falcons select Desmond Trufant, CB from Washington.
The Minnesota Vikings are now on the clock with the No. 23 pick
*Trufant, brother of former Seahawks CB
Marcus Trufant, will team up with Mike Nolan in Atlanta. With a couple of brothers already playing in the league, you know he'll be a competitor. It's in his blood. He could end up turning into a Pro Bowl-caliber cover corner while in Atlanta.
*St. Louis will get Atlanta's No. 30 overall pick later in this round.
**"U S A!" chants can now be heard from the fans in attendance as commish gets up to the podium to honor members of the armed services and Wounded Warriors project. Goodell shakes the hands of each member, and thanks them for their service prior to announcing Minnesota's selection.
10:46pm: With the 23rd pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select Sharrif Floyd, DT from Florida.
The Indianapolis Colts are now on the clock with the No. 24 pick
Rather than going in the top 3-5, Floyd falls all the way down to No. 23 in Minnesota. Playing alongside
Kevin Williams, Floyd will learn and grow under a great D-tackle for the Vikings.
*The downside to Floyd supposedly outweighed the good, therefore dropping him out of the top 20. He overcame a troubled childhood to get to this point in his life and career.
10:52pm: With the 24th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Bjoern Werner, DE from Florida State.
The Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle in Harvin trade) are now on the clock with the No. 25 pick
*This is a steal. I thought he was going to go much sooner than 24, and he is an all-around solid pass-rusher. It will be tough to fill the shoes of All Pro Dwight Freeney, but his 13.0 sacks in 14 starts last year certainly looks good on paper.
*Werner could surprise a lot of people and have a great rookie campaign. Not sure it'll be quite Watt-like, but he's sure to make an immediate impact on the field.
10:56pm: With the 25th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select Xavier Rhodes, CB from Florida State.
The Green Bay Packers are now on the clock at No. 26
*No Manti Te'o here, which could leave the door open for him to fall into the hands of Baltimore at No. 32. Rhodes will fill the void that long-time Vikings CB Antoine Winfield left when he bolted to Seattle this off-season.
11:01pm: With the 26th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select Datone Jones, DE from UCLA.
The Houston Texans are now on the clock with the No. 27 pick
*Confusing pick here. Green Bay needs a running back and this would have been the perfect time to snag the first running back. Picking the physical, power runner in Lacy would have been the smart move, in my opinion. Went with the speedy pass-rusher from UCLA instead, though.
11:10pm: With the 27th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select DeAndre Hopkins, WR from Clemson
The Denver Broncos are now on the clock with the No. 28 pick
*Wow, look at that. We actually got a pick correct here. Smart move snatching up Hopkins.
Michael Irvin has compared him to
Roddy White. If he can prove that to be true, Johnson and Hopkins will make quite the tandem for Houston's offense this season.
11:18pm: With the 28th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select Sylvester Williams, DT from North Carlina
The New England Patriots are now on the clock with the No. 29 pick
*Williams will likely start up front right away, and could vastly improve the Broncos run D. Stopping the run is his biggest strength and he could be a guy that's on the field every play. Very athletic guy inside.
*Damontre Moore was another possibility for Denver, to replace Elvis Dumervil who split for Baltimore this off-season. But picking Sly Williams over Moore was the right choice here for
John Elway's Broncos.
11:31pm: The New England Patriots traded the 29th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft to the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings select Cordarrelle Patterson, WR from Tennessee.
The St. Louis Rams (in a trade from Atlanta) are now on the clock with the No. 30 pick
*In the trade the Patriots picked up Minnesota's 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th round picks. Quite the trade just went down in NYC. The Pats trade out of the first round, but pick up three additional picks. This was a complete Bill Belichick thing to do, and you know he'll get value out of each of these picks. It's just what he does.
*At first reaction, you'd think the Vikings would have been going after Manti Te'o at 29, but with two picks (Sharrif Floyd and Xavier Rhodes) earlier in this round both going to the defense, that's not likely. Wide receiver was the smart choice, as they lost Percy Harvin via trade with Seattle and Ponder/Cassel need help in the passing game. Patterson was the best choice here, clearly.
*Boston Marathon victims and first responders being honored just prior to Goodell announcing Minnesota's pick. Since it was supposed to be New England's pick,
Joe Andruzzi came out to speak on behalf of the people of Boston.
11:38pm: With the 30th pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select Alec Ogletree, LB from Georgia
The Dallas Cowboys (trade with San Francisco) are now on the clock with the No. 31 pick
*Ogletree slid out of the 20s and into St. Louis' lap due to off-field issues. But I'd say he's worth the risk and St. Louis' second 1st round pick should turn in a pretty decent career as long as he stays out of trouble.
*Along with Minnesota and their three 1st round picks, St. Louis got some great value with their multiple first rounders. Ogletree and the biggest play-maker in the draft, Tavon Austin.
11:43pm: With the 31st pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Travis Frederick, C from Wisconsin.
The Baltimore Ravens are now on the clock with the No. 32 pick
*Wow. I wasn't even expecting Frederick to come off the board in the second round. Seems to me like a reach for
Jerry Jones. The only pick of the round for Dallas, and they probably should have snagged safety Matt Elam from Florida.
11:45pm: With the 32nd and final pick of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Matt Elam, S from Florida.
*No inside linebacker for the Ravens, as they leave Te'o on the board and did not find a replacement for legendary
Ray Lewis in the first round of this year's draft.
- - - - -
And that's a wrap! The first round is officially in the books over three and a half hours after it began. Rough night, especially if you're a running back or if you're name is Geno Smith.
Before we call it a night, we have just a few notes to wrap up the first night:
*Minnesota is showing they are ready to compete in 2013. By dishing out the monster headache that is Percy Harvin and collecting a few draft picks, the Vikings end up taking three guys in the first round: DT Sharrif Floyd (the steal of the night at No. 23), CB Xavier Rhodes and WR Cordarrelle Patterson.
*Three offensive tackles went in the first four picks; four offensive linemen in first seven picks; five OL in top 10.
*Zero running backs were taken in the first round, and only one QB (E.J. Manuel to Bills at No. 16).
*Most shocking selection/biggest reach: C Travis Frederick (Dallas at No. 31)
*Biggest falls: Geno Smith out of 1st round, Sharrif Floyd to No. 23, Bjoern Werner to No. 24.
*Best talent left out of first round: Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Eddie Lacy, Justin Hunter, Keenan Allen, Damontre Moore, Jessee Williams, Alex Okafor, Manti Te'o, Arthur Brown, Kevin Minter, Johnthan Banks and John Cyprien.
Note: We do not own the above images. No copyright infringement intended.
