The NFL Draft from Las Vegas is in the books. The first five picks were all defensive players. The most exciting position is wide receiver. Six of the first eighteen draft picks were wide receivers. Three in a row from 10 through 12. Two significant trades involving veteran wideouts. A.J. Brown gets traded from the Titans to the Eagles, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown gets traded from the Baltimore Ravens to the Arizona Cardinals. Kenny Pickett was the only quarterback taken in the first round, and the first running back didn’t get chosen until the second round.
You want to be a winner, be a winner, you want to be a loser, be a loser. The choice is up to you. Thorton Melon said that to his son in the comedy Back to School. There were definitely some winners and losers this weekend so let’s break it down.
Winners: NEW YORK JETS
The Jets drafted cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner at No. 4 overall and Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson at No. 10. Then they traded back into the first round to select Florida State pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson. The experts had him in the top 10. The Jets drafted three top 10 players on Day 1!
Loser: The Rookie Quarterbacks
I don’t play dynasty football, so rookie QBs don’t mean much to me. Mac Jones was a solid backup as a rookie in 2021. The Pittsburgh Steelers took Kenny Pickett in the first round with the 20th overall pick. The rest of the top quarterbacks weren’t drafted until the third round. Desmond Ridder went to the Atlanta Falcons. Malik Willis went to the Tennessee Titans, and then Matt Corral was picked by the Carolina Panthers.
Winner: A.J. BROWN
The Titans traded the star wide receiver to the Philadelphia Eagles and he got a four-year, $100 million deal that includes $57 million guaranteed! And he gets an upgrade at QB from Ryan Tannehill to Jalen Hurts. So he’s going to have a good fantasy football season.
Losers: Ryan Tannehill and Baker Mayfield
Tannehill loses his WR1 in A.J. Brown to the Eagles, but then they insult the man by drafting the guy who will eventually replace him in Malik Willis. Baker will still get his guaranteed $19 million from the Browns, but he may not have a place to call home. The Seahawks didn’t trade a 4th round pick for him, as was speculated, and the Panthers used their third-round choice on Matt Corral instead of trading for Bake. So where is he going to film his Progressive commercials?
Winners: The University of Georgia
The National Champion Bulldogs had five defensive players drafted in the first round, including No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker. That’s a new record. Additionally, 15 players from Georgia were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. That is also an NFL draft record for 7 rounds. The Texas Longhorns hold the record with 17 players drafted in the 1984 NFL draft, but that had 12 rounds. Former Bulldog Jermaine Johnson was taken in the first round by the New York Jets. He was on the Georgia football team in 2019 and 2020 before transferring to Florida St.in 2021.
Losers: Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns were shut out of the NFL draft for the first time since 2014. Not a single player was drafted during the seven-round event. Former longhorns RB Keaontay Ingram was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 6th round after playing the 2021 season at USC.
Winners: Punters
You aren’t a real football player if your name isn’t on the fantasy football player labels. Of course, punters are irrelevant in fantasy football, but four kids got drafted this weekend, so good for them.
I found a diamond in the rough last year when I drafted Ja’Marr Chase in the 6th round of my fantasy football draft. However, I’m sure there will be a few impactful rookies this year.
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By Eddie Sebastian, aka That Fantasy Football Draft Board Guy
