As the NFL geared up for the league’s first-ever virtual draft as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many were skeptical as to how the operation would work and whether the NFL would be able to avoid any technological hiccups. Though, thankfully, there weren’t any surprises with the technology, there were a number of intriguing scenarios that played out across the draft board. While the top of the round started rather predictably, things got very interesting towards the back end of the top ten and beyond. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable happenings from the initial round of the NFL’s first-ever virtual draft.
Least surprising move: Cincinnati Bengals select QB Joe Burrow
Like most editions of the NFL Draft, the first overall pick of the evening is more a formality than anything else. The Cincinnati Bengals had been lasered in on LSU quarterback Joe Burrow for months now. Though there were rumblings about whether or not the Heisman-winner would want to play for Cincy, Burrow will join a solid group of offensive talent. Burrow will have AJ Green, Joe Mixon, John Ross and Tyler Boyd at his disposal as the Bengals usher in a new era.
Most surprising move: Las Vegas Raiders select WR Henry Ruggs III
Even though Henry Ruggs may arguably be the most explosive offensive weapon in this entire draft class, his name being the first one off of the wide receiver draft board was a major surprise. It was widely believed that the title for the best receiver of this year’s class was between Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, both of whom would be selected later in the round. However, it was Ruggs who was the first receiver selected, as the speedster joins a run-heavy offense in Oakland under head coach Jon Gruden.
Big winners: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
After orchestrating the marquee trade of the offseason and landing themselves DeAndre Hopkins, that momentum carried right on over into the draft. Though they were expected to pursue an offensive lineman, the Cards hit the lottery when hybrid linebacker Isaiah Simmons fell into their lap with the 9th overall pick. Simmons could potentially become the most impactful player from the entire draft and helps add a building block to Arizona’s defense.
The Niners also enjoyed an incredibly productive first-round. After gaining an extra first-rounder from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for DeForest Buckner, they moved back an extra pick and snagged interior defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw at 14. San Francisco wasn’t done though, as they moved back into the first round to address the position some expected them to fill with their earlier first-round pick. The Niners moved up to pick 25 and selected physical wideout Brandon Aiyuk, forming one of the better young receiver tandems comprised of he and Deebo Samuel.
Big losers: Carolina Panthers, Green Bay Packers
After losing linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement and Thomas Davis to free agency, the Panthers had the perfect opportunity to fill a vacancy by selecting Isaiah Simmons. Though some expected Carolina to go the offensive lineman route, Simmons just appeared to be too much of a special prospect to pass up. Instead, the Panthers elected to select stand-out defensive tackle Derrick Brown, passing on Simmons who was selected just one pick later by the Arizona Cardinals.
Green Bay also had an interesting first round. The Packers surprisingly traded up to the 26th overall pick and though some expected it to be for a stud wideout, Green Bay opened some eyes and selected quarterback Jordan Love. Though it appears Aaron Rodgers still has a few years left of his prime, the Packers are obviously preparing for life without whenever that may be. However, in the process, the Pack missed out on the opportunity of adding a second receiving option to their offense, and have tightened their window of Super Bowl contention even further.
Highlights:
In the league’s first virtual draft, there were a number of notable occurrences. For the first time in NFL history, the top three draft picks played for the same team at some point as Joe Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah were all members of the 2017 Ohio State roster. There were also no trades in the top ten for the first time since 2015.
Though there are some players who slip in the draft every year, it was who dropped this year that made the first round so compelling. Isaiah Simmons nearly fell out of the top ten while the first wide receiver wasn’t selected until pick 12. Additionally, the first wideout taken was Henry Ruggs, not either CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy who are the more complete pass-catchers. In fact, Jeudy and Lamb fell all the way to the middle portions of the first round, lasting until Denver at 15 and Dallas at 17, respectively.
