Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
The First Round of the NFL Draft Is Finished! Here’s What You Might Have Missed
One round of the 2019 NFL draft down, six more to go! As many expected, Kyler Murray was drafted by the Cardinals with the No. 1 overall pick, and he was followed by Nick Bosa, who was drafted second by the 49ers.
Our Andy Benoit analyzed and graded every single first-round pick, which you can find here, and our draft tracker has a roundup of the best players still available (among them is muscular WR D.K. Metcalf). Jenny Vrentas weighs in from Nashville on how the Cardinals got their QB after months of gossip and rumors. And what about Josh Rosen? Our Robert Klemko has details on why he wasn’t traded. Conor Orr explains how the Giants are trying to forge a new future with one foot seemingly in the past. And of course, Orr has our Day 2 mock draft.
And here’s a few things from the evening that you might have missed...
• Before the draft started, the prospects showed off their outfits on the red carpet. Murray wore a millennial pink suit, and Vince Wilfork and DeAngelo Williams wore ... whatever these are.
• The easiest bet in the world: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was booed by the fans.
• When Bosa’s name was called, he hugged Goodell on stage for a full NINE seconds. (FWIW, last year our Conor Orr called for an end to the weird draft-day habit of hugging Goodell).
• The first true surprise of the NFL draft occured when the Giants drafted Daniel Jones with the No. 6 overall pick—in theory, the replacement for the aging Eli Manning. Jones has the size, the mechanics and the coaching pedigree, but he was generally seen as lower than Dwayne Haskins on draft boards. Haskins initially didn’t appear to be fazed when he learned that Jones would be making more money than him, but Washington’s new QB didn’t hold back his true feelings after, telling ESPN’s Jen Lada that he’s “more motivated now than ever, a bigger chip on my shoulder.”
• New Dolphins Christian Wilkins hilariously attempted to chest-bump Goodell when the Dolphins drafted him 13th overall, but the whole thing went comically wrong. “It ended bad, but it could’ve have been worse. He almost didn’t get to the 14th pick,” Wilkins told the media later.
• Marquise Brown wore a DIAMOND CHAIN of himself at the draft. This man is ready for the NFL.
Not getting this newsletter in your inbox? Subscribe to The Morning Huddle.
HOT READS
NOW ON THE MMQB: Chiefs RB Tyreek Hill was suspended from all team activities after the release of a disturbing audio tape that recorded Hill and his fiancée discussing their son’s broken arm. ... Michael McCann on how the audio changes Hill’s legal standing.
WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED: Who is PROSPECT X? ... Former East Mississippi Community College DL Ronald Ollie, who is hoping to make the leap from Netflix (where he starred on Last Chance U) to the NFL. ... One NFL draft bust is thankful that he failed.
PRESS COVERAGE
1. The Kansas City Star’s Brooke Pryor, who has been following the Tyreek Hill story, has an update on Kansas City’s decision to suspend him from team activities for the forseeable future.
2. The New York Postback page was not kind to Daniel Jones and the Giants.
3. Time to study up—who are the best prospects still available?
THE KICKER
Right as the first round of the draft was ending, we hear that Taylor Swift put out some new music.
Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.
