1.01 CINCINNATI BENGALS – Joe Burrow – QB – LSU
Joe Burrow is the consensus #1 quarterback in the draft and there is not a chance that the Bengals trade out of this spot.
1.02 WASHINGTON REDSKINS – Chase Young – Edge – Ohio State
The Redskins hold strong and take the most disruptive defensive player in this year’s draft.
1.03 MIAMI DOLPHINS – Tua Tagovailoa – QB ALABAMA
*Traded up from 1.05 / Originally owned by Detroit Lions
The Lions convince the Dolphins that if they want their guy, then they will have to get him with the third pick. Miami has fourteen picks in the draft and are able to move up while still holding onto their other two first round picks. Tua is their guy.
1.04 NEW YORK GIANTS – Tristan Wirfs – OT – IOWA
The Giants decide to stay where they are and get the offensive lineman of their choice.
1.05 DETROIT LIONS – Jeff Okudah – CB – Ohio State
*Traded down from 1.03 / Originally owned by Miami Dolphins
The Lions move back and fill their biggest need by getting the best cornerback in the draft.
1.06 LOS ANGELOS CHARGERS – Justin Herbert – QB Oregon
The Chargers can go in a lot of directions here. They want to compete now, but they also need a quarterback for the future. They have a good team and may not get a pick this early in the draft for a while, so they take a chance on the highly-touted quarterback.
1.07 CAROLINA PANTHERS – Isaiah Simmons – LB/S – Clemson
Newly hired Head coach Matt Rhule has already been quoted saying that he likes “positionless” players on defense. So, after losing future hall of famer linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement, wouldn’t linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons be the perfect fit.
1.08 ARIZONA CARDINALS – Jedrick Wills – OT – Alabama
The Cardinals want to protect quarterback Kyler Murray, and they believe Wills is the best fit for Kliff Kingsbury’s pocket moving offense.
1.09 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – Derrick Brown – DT – Auburn
The Jaguars want to build in the trenches. With some really good offensive linemen still available, The Jags just can’t resist to take the disruptive interior defensive lineman out of Auburn.
1.10 DENVER BRONCOS – Jerry Jeudy – WR – Alabama
*Traded up from 1.15 / Originally owned by Cleveland Browns
The Browns could definitely take an offensive tackle here, but Denver is determined to get in front of the Jets, Raiders, and 49ers for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to compliment Courtland Sutton. The Browns decide that they can still get good value later in the round and agree to give the Broncos their pick.
1.11 NEW YORK JETS – CeeDee Lamb – WR – Oklahoma
The Jets have a lot of holes and could take an offensive tackle here, but they feel compelled to get Sam Darnold an explosive weapon and decide to go with the flashy wide receiver.
1.12 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – Henry Ruggs – WR – Alabama
The Raiders are ecstatic about getting one of the top three wide receivers in the draft.
1.13 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – Javon Kinlaw – DT – South Carolina
The 49ers might have gone wide receiver here if any of the top three had made it this far. Instead they use the pick to replace defensive tackle Deforest Buckner.
1.14 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS – Mekhi Becton – OT – Louisville
The Bucs were hoping to get one of the top four offensive tackles in this year’s draft. Surprisingly for them, they were able to choose between two of them.
1.15 CLEVELAND BROWNS – Andrew Thomas – OT – Georgia
*Traded back from 1.10 / Originally owned by Denver Broncos
The Browns can’t believe that offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is still available. They thought about taking him at ten and waste no time to hand the pick in at fifteen.
1.16 ATLANTA FALCONS – K’Lavon Chiasson – Edge – LSU
The Falcons have been publicly open about their willingness to move up in the draft. They end up staying at sixteen and having a top-rated pass rusher fall right into their laps.
1.17 DALLAS COWBOYS – Yetur Gross-Matos – Edge – Penn State
The Cowboys could definitely go with safety Xavier McKinney or cornerback C.J. Henderson here, but ultimately, they decide to go in a pass rush direction with the unrefined, yet explosive Gross-Matos still available.
1.18 – MIAMI DOLPHINS – Joshua Jones – OT – Houston
The Dolphins could go in a lot of directions here. They decide to bolster the offensive line and bring in Jones to protect their future quarterback.
1.19 – LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – C.J. Henderson – CB – Florida
The Raiders are happy to come out of the first round addressing their top two needs at the wide receiver and the cornerback position.
1.20 – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – Marlon Davidson – DL – Auburn
The Jaguars can’t help themselves when it comes to drafting defensive linemen in the first round of the draft. In this case, they decide to pair up teammates Marlon Davidson, with his versatility and Derrick Brown, who they drafted already, to solidify a strong front for years to come.
1.21 – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – Justin Jefferson – WR – LSU
The Eagles weren’t necessarily going to draft a receiver with their first pick, but with Jefferson still available, they just couldn’t pass on a player just outside the top tier of wide receivers.
1.22 MINNESOTA VIKINGS – Cesar Ruiz – C/G – Michigan
The Vikings took center/guard Garrett Bradbury in the first-round last year, but he struggled mightily as a rookie. The interior of the offensive line is still the top priority, and bringing in Ruiz to compete with Bradbury will help solidify the position and give the line more versatility.
1.23 INDIANOPOLIS COLTS – Jordan Love – QB – Utah State
*Traded up from 2.02 / Originally owned by New England Patriots
The Patriots could take a linebacker, offensive tackle, or safety here easily, but they see too much value in the second and third rounds and decide that they’d rather move back to get multiple players. The Colts move up in front of the Saints and get their future quarterback.
1.24 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – Patrick Queen – LB – LSU
The Saints may or may not have taken Love with this pick, but the Colts put that option to rest either way. The Saints now have the luxury to choose between linebackers Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen. In this scenario, I think they go with the smaller rangier player over the more prototypical inside linebacker. While I prefer Murray over Queen, the passing attacks and speed backs in their division, might make Queen the right choice.
1.25 MINNESOTA VIKINGS – Jaylon Johnson – CB – Utah
Both the wide receiver and cornerback positions are deep in this draft. After addressing the offensive line, the Vikings decide to go with a cornerback here and wide receiver later.
1.26 MIAMI DOLPHINS – Xavier McKinney – S – Alabama
The Dolphins took their future quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama with their first pick. With this pick, they go with his teammate and top-rated safety Xavier McKinney to shore up the back end of their defense.
1.27 GREEN BAY PACKERS – Kenneth Murray – LB – Oklahoma
*Traded up from 1.30 / Originally owned by Seattle Seahawks
The Packers move up in front of the Ravens to get inside linebacker Kenneth Murray to replace Blake Martinez. The Packers could have stayed where they were and drafted an offensive lineman or wide receiver, but decided to fill their glaring hole at middle linebacker.
1.28 BALTIMORE RAVENS – Zach Baun – LB – Wisconsin
The Ravens almost got inside linebacker Kenneth Murray, but the Packers took that option from them. Instead they take pass rush specialist outside linebacker Zach Baun, who fits in well with what the Ravens like to do on defense.
1.29 TENNESSEE TITANS – Austin Jackson – OT – USC
The Titans really need a cornerback, but with many still available, they opt to take offensive tackle Austin Jackson and address the cornerback position later. Jackson has the size and the tools to be a dominant force at the next level, but he will need to be coached up on his fundamentals to reach his full potential.
1.30 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – Ross Blacklock – DT – TCU
*Traded back from 1.27 / Originally owned by Green Bay Packers
Interior defensive line is a sneaky need for Seattle. They can still address the pass rush through a trade or by re-signing Jadeveon Clowney. They can also address their secondary needs with the extra pick they’ve received from the Packers.
1.31 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – Ezra Cleveland – OT – Boise State
*Traded up using multiple later picks / Originally owned by San Francisco 49ers
The Patriots have already moved back and acquired picks earlier in the draft, adding to the many picks that they already had. They now move back into the first round and add draft day riser, offensive tackle Ezra Cleveland. The Niners didn’t have another pick until the fifth round, so they are happy to move back and be relevant in the next couple rounds.
1.32 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – Jeff Gladney – CB – TCU
The Chiefs are tempted to take D’Andre Swift here as the first running back off the board, but that is just not the way they roll. While Swift would fit their offense beautifully, the run on cornerbacks is almost over and the Chiefs have a chance to get good one in this spot.
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