The annual NFL Draft typically spawns weeks of rumors, speculation and mock drafts that move players up and down the field. But all of that is just guesswork, and this year’s first-round analysis of Detroit’s college ranks stopped the chalk at the first four picks.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams was traded to the Chicago Bears as the No. 1 pick, a move that had been expected for months. There was a bit of uncertainty about who might go 2-3 in the draft, but the Washington Commanders went with the safe pick and selected LSU Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels at No. 2, and the New England Patriots followed with Drake North Carolina’s Maye ranked third.
This was the fourth draft in which quarterbacks selected the first three picks. This already happened in 1971, 1999 and 2021.
Marvin Harrison Jr. went to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 4, another expected pick. Harrison is the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison.
The Los Angeles Clippers had the No. 5 draft pick and there were rumors under new coach Jim Harbaugh that he would select his college QB from Michigan, JJ McCarthy. But the Chargers already have a good QB in Justin Herbert, and they decided to give him a little more protection with Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt, a mountain of a man who stands 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 150 kilograms.
The New York Giants chose Malik Nabers at No. 6, a speedy and sturdy wide receiver from LSU to add some value to the Giants’ overall lackluster offense, which lost running back Saquon Barkley and has questions about quarterback Daniel’s comeback from injury Jones will provide pace.
At No. 7, the Tennessee Titans took Alabama’s Jerome “JC” Latham, a 6-foot-1, 359-pound offensive tackle.
The Atlanta Falcons had the first surprise of the draft, selecting Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. Despite being the Heisman runner-up and leading the Washington Huskies to a national championship appearance, he was considered a surprise so high in the draft. But Atlanta has underperformed at quarterback, and Penix Jr. could fill that void.
Back for more in the ninth, the Chicago Bears grabbed Washington’s Rome Odunze to pair him with brand new QB Caleb Williams.
The first trade of the draft took place at number 10. The New York Jets made a deal with the Minnesota Vikings, who traded up to grab – what else? – a quarterback. They have USC’s Sam Darnold on the roster to serve as a bridge to Michigan’s JJ McCarthy, who led undefeated Michigan to the national championship and was 27-1 in his career.
In order to move up, the Vikings traded their No. 11 pick to the Jets, who also receive a fourth-rounder and a fifth-rounder as part of the deal, while Minnesota also gets back a sixth-rounder.
The Los Angeles Rams are drafted 19th. The Rams own 11 total picks in the seven-round draft.