2012 NFL 1st Round Initial Analysis

This was by far the most interesting draft that I have ever watched. Teams were trading like crazy because of the new rules that limit rookie contracts which made it much more unpredictable. Here are my initial thoughts on the good, the bad, the ugly, and the ??? picks that took place today.

The Good


5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Justin Blackmon- WR- Oklahoma State University
I love the fact that the Jaguars had the balls to go up and get an impact WR. Blaine Gabbert was underwhelming last year but the Jags WRs were by far the worst in the league. Blackmon is the kind of player that Gabbert will need if he is ever going to have a chance at living up to his potential. With a solid offensive line and a great running game, Gabbert will not have any excuses this year.

6. Dallas Cowboys
Morris Clairborne- CB- Louisiana State University
The Cowboys needed to get an impact player in this draft if they want to contend with the Giants next year and they made the trade to get the best CB prospect in the last 3 years. The Cowboys secondary could be very good next year with a CB tandem of  Clairborne and Carr.

23. Detroit Lions
Riley Rieff- RT- University of Iowa
Matthew Stafford has had trouble staying healthy in the past and the Lions offensive line is average at best. Rieff can come in right away and play guard or tackle and be a huge upgrade at either position. The Lions were lucky enough to have Rieff fall into their laps and smart enough to pick him.

The Bad


11. Kansas City Chiefs
Dontari Poe- NT - University of Memphis
I see this as Tyson Jackson 2.0. Poe is an incredible athlete who has never lived up to his ability in the past. Why does Pioli think that Poe will become more motivated after he is getting paid millions of dollars? I could see taking a gamble on a player like Poe at the end of the 1st round but not at the top.

22. Cleveland Browns
Brandon Weeden- QB - Oklahoma State University
I think that Brandon Weeden will be a solid player in the NFL and that he has Andy Dalton potential. The only problem is that he is already 26 years old. How much better can he get before he turns 30 and his physical attributes start to diminish? Has he already hit his ceiling? If the Browns took him in the 2nd round, I think it would have been a great move but 22 is way too high.

The Ugly


15. Seattle Seahawks
Bruce Irvin- ROLB/PRS - West Virginia University
I don't get this pick at all. Irvin may have the best pass rush potential of any of the players in this draft, but at 245lbs he is way too small to be an effective lineman. If the Seahawks ran a 3-4 defense, it would have made sense to be but the Seahawks run a 4-3. Maybe they think he is athletic enough to play linebacker, but it will take him time to learn the position. Irvin was a huge reach at 15.

???


30. San Francisco 49ers
AJ Jenkins- WR- University of Illinois

I am going to start off by saying that I don't hate this pick, but I am surprised. I think Jenkins is a very good player that was underrated going into the draft because he played on a terrible team. I think he will be a good number WR for a long time. However, great players like Peter Konz, Cordy Glenn, Andre Branch, Rueben Randle, Muhammad Sanu, Alshon Jeffery, Jerel Worthy, and Janoris Jenkins were available. Chances are the 49ers know something that I don't...this is a head scratcher for me.