Carter Imboden – Staff Writer

From blockbuster trades to unexpected picks, this year’s NFL Draft is one worthy
of analyzing. Defensive end Travon Walker (University of Georgia) was selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Many experts including NFL analyst Mel Kiper said Walker should have been picked somewhere around 8th overall and that the Jaguars reached in their pick. Several analysts had Aiden Hutchenson out of Michigan going first overall as the best player in the draft, but he ended up going second overall to the Detroit Lions.

Another big story in the first round was the buzz around cornerbacks. Derek Stingley Jr. and Sauce Gardner were considered the best corners in this year’s draft, but many wondered who would be picked first. In a very controversial move, the Texans selected Stingley Jr. over Gardner. Only time will tell if this was a good pick for the Texans. We also saw a surge of offensive tackles go early in the first round, with the likes of Ikem Ekwonu, Evan Neal, Charles Cross, and Kenyon Green being selected before the fifteenth overall pick. On top of the impressive OT talent drafted in the first round, many of this year’s wide receivers were picked early as well. Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Willaims were all picked before the thirteenth overall pick.

Many of the draft’s greatest talents. slipped further than projected. One of the biggest stories regarding players slipping in the draft was Kyle Hamilton (safety out of Notre Dame). Some experts had Kyle Hamilton going in the top five first round picks, but he slipped all the way to fourteenth before being drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. Several quarterbacks also fell in the draft, as Kenny Pickett out of Pittsburgh was the only quarterback picked in the first round. Lastly, many football fans across the country witnessed a blockbuster trade when AJ Brown was traded to the Eagles for the 18th overall pick, which turned out to be Arkansas receiver Treylan Burks. Only time will tell how well the players picked this year will do in the NFL.