What a wild first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Five quarterbacks were drafted in the first 15 picks Thursday, including a bit of a surprise at No. 3. Seven offensive players made up the first seven picks, meaning the Panthers' pick of Jaycee Horn at No. 8 is the latest that the first defender has ever come off the board. We saw three draft-night trades, one of which came between division rivals. Three wide receivers were reunited with their former college QBs. And six Alabama prospects were selected, tying the record for most Day 1 picks from a single school.
Some teams aced their picks, with five landing a new franchise signal-caller. The Bears did a great job in drafting Justin Fields. And how about the Patriots still getting a QB without moving up? But as always, there were some confusing selections too. What were the Raiders doing?
Let's take a look at the biggest lingering questions from the first 32 picks of the draft, including how teams with multiple first-round selections fared and how the quarterbacks fit with their new teams. We also will take a quick look ahead to Rounds 2 and 3, which get underway Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN/ESPN App). But first, here's my reaction to Day 1.
Who were the best picks of the night?
The Chicago Bears did an excellent job understanding how the board was coming together and capitalizing. They were in a tough spot at No. 20, out of range for the top five quarterbacks. But as the first 10 players came off the board, Ohio State's Justin Fields and Alabama's Mac Jones were still out there, and the Bears jumped at the opportunity to move up to No. 11 to get Fields. I love the move, and I love the pick. Fields is extremely accurate and throws with such velocity. If he is developed correctly, he is going to be a very good NFL starter.
But just as I like the Bears taking the opportunity to move up for a quarterback, I also like the way the New England Patriots stood their ground and still landed Jones at No. 15. Trading up, especially into the top 10, never felt like a true Bill Belichick move. And he didn't have to do it. Jones is going to fit really well in that offense, too. He is accurate and has fast eyes, reading the field and delivering the ball with touch and precision. Watch him stand in the pocket and throw receivers open. It's going to be fun to watch.
I also thought the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings both did well with their trade. After taking BYU signal-caller Zach Wilson at No. 2, the Jets immediately committed to building around him, sliding up to No. 14 to take USC guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. They took advantage of their stockpile of draft picks over the next few years and targeted the top guard in the class to shore up the offensive line. I think Vera-Tucker can quickly become a Pro Bowl-caliber interior lineman.
But the Vikings did pretty well, too. First, they picked up a few extra picks; the Vikings are now in line for four selections in the third round Friday night. Then, they landed one of the premier offensive tackles in the class at No. 23 in Virginia Tech's Christian Darrisaw. He has the length to keep speed rushers from getting to the quarterback, but I'm really excited to see his power and excellent zone-blocking ability open up more lanes for running back Dalvin Cook.
Which picks left you shaking your head?
Well, we can start with the Las Vegas Raiders. Sure, Alabama tackle/guard Alex Leatherwood is a capable lineman. He takes really good angles in the running game, and he doesn't lose much in pass protection once he locks on. But he's a second- or third-rounder. You have to know the board, and the Raiders continue to reach for guys they like and sacrifice value. They did it with cornerback Damon Arnette at No. 19 last year, and they did it again here with Leatherwood. I get that Vegas wants whom it wants, but this is a reach no matter how you look at it.
Then there were back-to-back risky picks late in the first round. The New Orleans Saints took Houston pass-rusher Payton Turner at No. 28, and one pick later, the Green Bay Packers drafted Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes. I understand why both went and the needs that they fill. And I like both players' upside. Turner has great power and size, while Stokes has solid instincts as a press corner. But both were outside my top 70 prospects, and there was much better value on the board. And that's especially true considering both teams could use Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who slid out of Round 1.
Did the San Francisco 49ers get it right at No. 3?
Yes, they did. I give a lot of credit to Niners coach Kyle Shanahan. For more than a month, we've been hearing how Jones was the team's preference, but San Francisco did its due diligence with all of the QBs, including Jones, Fields and North Dakota State's Trey Lance, and saw the process through.
I'm fascinated with the idea of Shanahan coaching up a quarterback with dual-threat traits. (Lance rushed for 1,100 yards in 2019.) Shanahan came up short in two Super Bowls with pocket passers, first as a coordinator with Matt Ryan in Atlanta and second as a head coach with Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco. And the second loss came at the hands of one the NFL's best -- if not the best -- second-reaction QBs in Patrick Mahomes. I really think Shanahan decided he wanted a QB who can extend plays, work off schedule and tuck it and run when needed.
And how about Lance? After playing just one game in 2020 and then spending the entire pre-draft process hearing about his inexperience and lack of competition in the FCS, he had essentially a five-, six-week job interview. That included a pair of pro day workouts and plenty of interviews. And he aced it. He made Shanahan and the Niners decide he was their guy and that he was worth dealing away multiple future first-rounders to have the opportunity to bring aboard. Lance made himself some serious money in the process, considering he easily could have fallen out of the top 10.
As a fit, Lance has a big arm and reads the field really well. He excels selling play-action, a staple in Shanahan's offensive scheme. He'll need to work on his accuracy a little, but he can sit behind Garoppolo -- unless the veteran is dealt -- for a while and develop before eventually taking over under center.
Which of the four teams with multiple first-rounders did the best on best Day 1?
I liked what the Miami Dolphins did, drafting an electric receiver (Jaylen Waddle) and a productive pass-rusher (Jaelan Phillips). I think the Baltimore Ravens did a good job checking off boxes on their needs, selecting a receiver (Rashod Bateman) and an edge rusher (Jayson Oweh). And I already mentioned that I loved the way the Jets approached Round 1 (Wilson and Vera-Tucker). But the Jacksonville Jaguars are my choice here.
First, just because it was the first pick and an obvious one, I'm not discounting the Trevor Lawrence selection. The former Clemson QB can hit every single throw, gets the ball out super quick, is accurate and moves well in and out of the pocket. He's exactly what the Jaguars needed at quarterback.
But then new coach Urban Meyer landed a home run hitter out of the backfield with the Jags' second selection. Lawrence's Clemson teammate, running back Travis Etienne, is going to bring another element to the running game, paired with James Robinson. He can take it to the house anytime he finds a seam, thanks to burst and an explosive second gear. And he can play a role in the passing game.
The Jaguars certainly are looking to improve their offense, which was the third-lowest-scoring unit in the NFL last season, and these first two picks are a great start. They have three more selections on Friday night, starting with the first of Round 2 at No. 33. Could they immediately go back to the offensive well?
Which team best addressed a glaring need?
The Pittsburgh Steelers took care of their running back position in a big way, landing one of the top two in the draft at No. 24. Alabama's Najee Harris has power, speed and size, and I really liked the decisiveness he showed during his final college season. He is excellent between the tackles as a runner, but he will also play a role in the passing game and effectively help out in pass protection.
The Steelers' 3.6 yards per carry ranked last in the NFL last season, and then their lead back -- James Conner -- signed elsewhere. Benny Snell Jr., who rushed for only 368 yards on 111 carries in 2020, was atop the depth chart. The Pittsburgh offense faded down the stretch last season, as a once 11-0 team finished at 12-4, and the lack of a running game was a big part of the problem. During the first five games of the season, the team's top rusher broke 100 yards four times. During the final five games, a running back broke 40 yards just one time.
Harris is a three-down back who can immediately solve the issues at the position and provide the Steelers with something they've been missing.
Which former college teammate QB-WR duo is going to be the most dangerous in the NFL?
I'll go with Miami's Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle, but it's a tough call. I think Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are going to do big things in Cincinnati, and DeVonta Smith is going to be a favorite of Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia. But I settled with the Dolphins' tandem because of the organization. I look at what GM Chris Grier and that coaching staff are building in Miami, and I just think they're setting the Tagovailoa-Waddle connection up for success. And it's the sustainable kind of success.
Waddle caught almost 800 yards worth of passes from Tagovailoa at Alabama before the QB was drafted fifth overall last year. I expect them to pick up right where they left off. Waddle's elusiveness is going to produce a lot of yards after the catch, and he tracks the deep ball really well, so we can expect some deep strikes for big gains.
Per Elias Sports Bureau data, the most career yards between a QB and receiver who were former college teammates since 1978 -- when the NFL went to a 16-game season -- is 2,581, compiled by BYU products Marc Wilson and Todd Christensen. I imagine all three of these duos have a chance to surpass that number rather quickly.
Who are the five best prospects still on your board to start Day 2?
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, ILB, Notre Dame: He's a super versatile linebacker who can play multiple roles, thanks to excellent instincts, speed and recognition skills. I'm really surprised he wasn't drafted on Thursday night. Owusu-Koramoah will allow an NFL defensive coordinator to do a lot of different things schematically.
Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU: Moehrig is my top-ranked safety, and he plays with great burst. He is a playmaker and breaks up a ton of passes. Jacksonville was one of the teams that I thought might select him in the first round, and it has the opening pick of Round 2.
Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss: Moore was getting a lot of buzz heading into the draft, and I heard a lot of teams had him as their fourth-ranked wide receiver. But ultimately five were drafted on Thursday night, and he wasn't one of them. The team that does land him will be getting an elusive slot receiver who knows how to read coverages and get open.
Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State: If you need a powerful tackle who drives back defenders in the running game, Jenkins is your guy. He's massive and has some position versatility, playing both tackle spots and even kicking inside a little in college.
Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama: We didn't see a single defensive tackle get drafted Thursday night, so Barmore could still be the first one off the board. He is disruptive up the middle, showing power against the run. But he's still developing as an interior pass-rusher.
What is one thing to watch for on Friday?
We saw five quarterbacks go on Thursday, and I'm now keeping an eye on where the next tier lands. There are three guys who I heard should be off the board by the end of Round 2: Stanford's Davis Mills, Florida's Kyle Trask and Texas A&M's Kellen Mond.
Who could target a QB on Friday? The Denver Broncos opted not to draft one in Round 1 and could definitely select a signal-caller on Day 2. Washington is very much in the mix, and I've heard it linked to Mills. The Atlanta Falcons could make a move for a potential future starter, as could the Steelers, Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There are some rumblings that the Bucs like Trask as someone who can sit behind Tom Brady and learn before maybe developing into a starter. I can't wait to see how it all comes together.