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Recap: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

THE laughing stock of the NFL in 2016, Jarryd Hayne’s former franchise San Francisco stunned everyone on Draft day.

10 min read
April 28, 2017 - 3:42PM
Foster Reuben is a vital addition to the 49ers.
Foster Reuben is a vital addition to the 49ers.

Live: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

The biggest day in the NFL off-season came and went as franchises scooped up the best young talent at the 2017 Draft.

THERE were plenty of nervous faces in Philadelphia as NFL franchises and aspiring stars waited to see if their dream match-ups eventuated.

Cleveland took defensive end Myles Garrett from Texas A&M as the No. 1 pick while Chicago caused a stir by recruiting North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at pick two.

The Browns have long had trouble with quarterbacks — no QB has started all 16 games for the franchise in over a decade — but they opted against picking a young gun to fill the void, instead orchestrating trades that will strengthen their position this time next year.

San Francisco was a big winner on Draft day, recruiting defensive end Solomon Thomas and trading up to earn the services of gun linebacker Reuben Foster.

Before he was sent home from this year’s NFL combine for disciplinary reasons and failing a drug test, Foster was tipped by many to go as high as No. 2 in the Draft. The 49ers convinced Chicago to give up three solid picks to trade up one slot (the Bears took Trubisky at No. 2 overall) and the team from the Bay Area will be thrilled it did.

Mercury News reporter Tim Kawakami said: “If Thomas and Foster stay healthy and keep to their projected performance level, this franchise just picked up two potential difference-makers for what was the league’s worst defence.”

It was a big tick for the 49ers’ new general manager John Lynch.

Elsewhere, Denver recruit Garett Bolles was selected at pick 20 by the Broncos, but his baby stole the show as the pair re-enacted an iconic moment from the Lion King movie.

Read on below to see how round one of the NFL Draft unfolded.

10am

The order (first round)

1. Cleveland Browns

Myles Garrett (Texas A&M)

As expected, Cleveland chose Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett as the No. 1 pick. The Browns have been so disappointing for so long and while there was a suspicion they’d opt for a quarterback first up because of their recent woes with the key position, most pundits agreed they made the right choice by taking the 1.93m, 123kg star. Garrett makes history by becoming the first player from Texas A&M to be drafted as the No. 1 overall pick.

2. Chicago Bears (from 49ers)

Mitchell Trubisky (North Carolina)

The Bears gave up a third and fourth round pick so they could poach North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky at pick two. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson said earlier if Trubisky went ahead of him it would be a “slap in the face” and many agreed, suggesting the Bears wasted their first pick.

3. San Francisco 49ers

Solomon Thomas (Stanford)

San Francisco took defensive end Solomon Thomas with its first pick of the new crop of talent. The 49ers have been roundly praised for giving up pick two in exchange for extra picks later on while still grabbing someone of Thomas’ quality.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars

Leonard Fournette (LSU)

Running back Leonard Fournette is headed to Jacksonville, but the jury is out over whether the Jaguars took too big a risk on the talent who hasn’t convinced everyone he’s ready for the NFL.

5. Tennessee Titans (from LA Rams)

Corey Davis (Western Michigan)

The Rams gave up their first pick and Tennessee took advantage, adding gun wide receiver Corey Davis to the franchise. Some US sports reporters believed the Rams would have loved to pick up Davis, but the Titans beat them to the punch.

6. New York Jets

Jamal Adams (LSU)

The New York Jets recruited safety Jamal Adams to America’s east coast. Lacking the same high profile as some of the other early round picks, a couple of ESPN commentators believe the Jets pulled off one of the biggest coups of the Draft.

7. Los Angeles Chargers

Mike Williams (Clemson)

Mike Williams had a secret workout with the LA Chargers last week and the wide receiver obviously impressed as the franchise took him with the seventh pick of the Draft.

8. Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)

Carolina quarterback Cam Newton will welcome the addition of running back Christian McCaffrey to the franchise as the team pursues Super Bowl glory after losing the 2016 encounter to the Denver Broncos. McCaffrey, son of Denver wide receiver Ed McCaffrey, won the Paul Hornung Award last year as the most versatile player in the country at college level.

9. Cincinnati Bengals

John Ross (Washington)

The Bengals know they’ll be adding some serious pace to their line-up with John Ross as he joins the franchise after running the fastest ever recorded time in the 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL combine (4.22 seconds).

10. Kansas City Chiefs (from Bills)

Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech)

Patrick Mahomes was the second quarterback to be snapped up in Philadelphia as the Chiefs traded up 17 positions to 10th pick to nab their man.

11. New Orleans Saints

Marshon Lattimore (Ohio State)

A cornerback eventually had reason to celebrate as Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore was scooped up by the Saints. New Orleans gave up a truckload of points last season and has clearly looked to bolster its defensive stocks.

12. Houston Texans (from Browns through Eagles)

Deshaun Watson (Clemson)

Cleveland once again brushed the opportunity to solve its quarterback conundrum by snubbing Clemson’s Deshaun Watson. Plenty on social media lamented the pass, but in a weaker-than-usual QB class the Browns have stocked up on 2018 picks and will be hoping the talent on offer next year is a better bet for long-term success.

13. Arizona Cardinals

Haason Reddick (Temple)

One of the best defensive prospects in this year’s Draft, Haason Reddick’s aggression in Senior Bowl workouts convinced the Cardinals he was a worthy first round pick.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (from Vikings)

Derek Barnett (Tennessee)

Derek Barnett broke the college record for most sacks (33) by a Tennessee player last year. No Eagles player had more than seven sacks in 2016, so the defensive end has the potential to be a valuable asset for Philadelphia.

15. Indianapolis Colts

Malik Hooker (Ohio State)

A safety with a habit of pulling off interceptions, the Colts will be hoping Malik Hooker shrugs off injury concerns that have hovered over him lately to bolster their secondary.

16. Baltimore Ravens

Marlon Humphrey (Alabama)

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey joins Baltimore to help the Ravens out with pass coverage.

17. Washington Redskins

Jonathan Allen (Alabama)

Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen was picked up later than expected, but Washington will be happy nobody else jumped in ahead because it’s recruiting a player with serious power to go with impressive footwork.

18. Tennessee Titans

Adoree Jackson (USC)

Adoree Jackson may be smaller than your usual cornerback but he’s lighting across the ground and skilful with ball in hand. His ability as a returner has also received praise throughout a stellar college career.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

OJ Howard (Alabama)

Another of the Alabama contingent to go inside the top 20, tight end OJ Howard is as athletic as they come and has been likened to New England Patriots superstar Rob Gronkowski. Has great hands and is agile enough to routinely beat defenders.

20. Denver Broncos

Garett Bolles (Utah)

Offensive linesman Garett Bolles is off to Denver, but it was his son who stole the show. Bolles lifted his son, dressed in a fashionable suit, in the air Lion King style and brought him onto the stage to share in the special moment.

21. Detroit Lions

Jarrad Davis (Florida)

Praised for his football smarts, linebacker Jarrad Davis has been touted as an NFL-ready player by many pundits.

22. Miami Dolphins

Charles Harris (Missouri)

Offensive linesman Charles Harris will join monsters Cameron Wake and Ndamukong Suh at Miami as the Dolphins load up on big bodies with the ability to burst through blockers.

23. New York Giants

Evan Engram (Mississippi)

Tight end Evan Engram joins the Giants and provides another option for quarterback Eli Manning to pass to so opposition defences will have more to worry about than just Odell Beckham Jr.

24. Oakland Raiders

Gareon Conley (Ohio State)

Gareon Conley will be breathing a sigh of relief after Oakland picked the cornerback despite him facing allegations of rape. A woman accused Conley of raping her at a Cleveland hotel this month but he has strenuously denied the allegation and nothing has yet been proven, and he reportedly passed a lie-detector test on the morning of the Draft.

25. Cleveland Browns (from Texans)

Jabrill Peppers (Michigan)

Cleveland used its second pick of the day to recruit safety Jabrill Peppers from Michigan. Finishing his college career with a decorated resume that saw him rewarded with All-American honours in 2016, Peppers racked up 47 solo tackles last year.

26. Atlanta Falcons (from Seahawks)

Takkarist McKinley (UCLA)

Atlanta secured one of the best pass rushers available in Takkarist McKinley after trading up from pick 31 with Seattle in exchange for giving up third and seventh round picks. McKinley dropped the f-bomb while paying tribute to his grandmother in an interview after his selection and said: “Fine me later!”

27. Buffalo Bills (from Chiefs)

Tre’Davious White (LSU)

After Stephon Gilmore joined the New England Patriots during free agency, Buffalo filled its void at cornerback with LSU’s Tre’Davious White.

28. Dallas Cowboys

Taco Charlton (Michigan)

A defensive end with the size and power to pummel offensive tackles, Taco Charlton is the perfect replacement at the Cowboys for Randy Gregory, who is suspended for at least one year.

29. Cleveland Browns (from Packers)

David Njoku (Miami)

David Njoku will provide Cleveland with some much needed spark in attack, capable of making huge metres with his strength and speed.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers

TJ Watt (Wisconsin)

An impressive linebacker, Watt’s biggest strength is his willingness to hassle quarterbacks and joins his older brother — also TJ Watt — at Pittsburgh.

31. San Francisco 49ers (from Seahawks through Falcons)

Reuben Foster (Alabama)

The 49ers will be cheering after taking Reuben Foster at the end of the first round. Some experts predicted he would go as high as No. 2 before he failed a drug test at the NFL combine.

32. New Orleans Saints (from Patriots)

Ryan Ramczyk (Wisconsin)

Offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk was the last man to go in the first round on Friday, picked up by New Orleans.

9am

Draft’s looming ‘slap in the face’

Mitch Trubisky is a surprise packet of the 2017 Draft.
Mitch Trubisky is a surprise packet of the 2017 Draft.

North Carolina quarterback Mitch Trubisky has surprised many by emerging as a potential early first round pick in 2017.

Cleveland Browns will choose first and are in desperate need of a quarterback, which may lead to Trubisky playing in Ohio.

Veteran American sportscaster Skip Bayless says he can’t believe teams are considering opting for the 22-year-old.

“The most shocking rise up the draft board in all my years of doing the draft, all of them, is Mitchell Trubisky. I don’t get it because I never saw any hint of this. And all of a sudden (teams) are vying for him at the top of the draft. For what?!” Bayless said.

“He couldn’t start for two years ... Trubisky came out as a dual threat guy, so he’s got athletic ability — that I didn’t see a lot of last year, because they didn’t really do that much of it.

“The point is, what are we seeing here? This is runaway mock draft kind of stuff to the point that I am mocking the mock drafts because I don’t get it.”

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson will certainly be offended if Trubisky finds a home before he does, telling ESPN such a move would be a “slap in the face”.

8.30am

Rape allegation denied on Draft eve

Gareon Conley’s future is uncertain.
Gareon Conley’s future is uncertain.

A top prospect in the NFL draft denied accusations of rape as murky storylines embroiled the annual scramble for talent.

The fate of one expected first round pick — Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley — is hanging in the balance after the emergence of the damning allegations of rape.

A 23-year-old Ohio woman has accused Conley of raping her at a hotel in Cleveland on April 9. The claim was made in a statement to police, who are investigating the allegation. No charges have been filed.

Conley, 21, issued a statement on Thursday branding the accusation “completely false”. “I pride myself on doing things the right way,” Conley said. “The things being said about me and what happened that night are not true and don’t fit my character at all. I realise that I put myself in the situation and I could have used better judgment.

“However, I have worked tirelessly to put myself in position to have the honour of being an NFL draft pick and these untrue allegations are putting a huge cloud over my name and the NFL draft.”

Three witnesses — including two people who say they have no link to Conley — have reportedly told police the player was never alone with the woman who made the allegation.

However, the damage may already have been done, with image-conscious NFL teams leery about offering a multi-million dollar contract to a player threatened with the possibility of criminal charges.

8am

Will Cleveland find its quarterback?

Is Deshaun Watson the answer to Cleveland’s quarterback woes?
Is Deshaun Watson the answer to Cleveland’s quarterback woes?

Finding Bigfoot has been more productive than the Cleveland Browns’ search for a franchise quarterback.

For nearly two decades, the Browns, once a standard of NFL excellence and now a league punching bag, have been running in circles as they try to find a quarterback to lead them from the darkness to relevance and respectability. Since the franchise’s inglorious expansion return in 1999, they’ve started 26 quarterbacks, a roll call of names that haunt even the most loyal Cleveland fans holding out hope the team will one day get it right.

From Tim Couch to Trent Dilfer, from Derek Anderson to Cody Kessler, and let’s not forget that year of fun with Johnny Manziel, QBs have cycled through Cleveland like tourists, with none sticking around for long. It’s been a running joke.

And until the Browns find that long-term answer at quarterback, they’ll continue to be looked at as a laughing stock.

They’ll have another chance to perhaps end this long pursuit in Friday’s Draft. With the No. 1 and No. 12 overall picks, and four more selections in the first three rounds, the Browns are positioned to finally fix the most important position on the field.

This could be the year Cleveland fans have longed for, the one when the Browns find their Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger. But as fate would have it, this year’s QB class isn’t highly regarded. Many draft experts feel there isn’t a quarterback worth a first-round selection and that Cleveland should wait until 2018.

That’s just so Browns, whose experiment with Robert Griffin III backfired last season, resulting in the latest QB confusion.

“We’re going to keep searching,” coach Hue Jackson said recently. “I think we all understand, no one’s really claimed this position yet on our football team so we need to do everything we can to continue to add a player that we feel, as an organisation, really good about, that can lead our football team and we’ll continue to chase that.”

— with AP, AFP

Originally published as Recap: NFL Draft in Philadelphia

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