Six weeks after the sports world shut down, the NFL gave fans some action they craved for with an all-virtual draft.
All 32 general managers had a setup from home that allowed them to do normal draft business. The picks were announced from commissioner Roger Goodell’s home in Bronxville, NY. Despite cybersecurity and technological concerns that could have plagued the draft, the event went smoother than originally thought. There were no issues with hacking or technological glitches. The studio only presentation allowed the production to be more football-centric than it would be at a remote event.
The first two picks were no surprise with LSU quarterback Joe Burrow going No. 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals, while Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young went No. 2 to the Washington Redskins. Young was frequently graded by scouts as the best overall player in this draft but went second overall due to the Bengals being a quarterback needy team. Burrow is not worried about the hype of being selected first overall.
“You don’t think about it, you just continue to work really really hard and continue to do what got you here,” Burrow said when he addressed the Cincinnati media. “Now that I’m the number one pick, doesn’t mean anything in four months.”
In total, four quarterbacks were selected in the first round. Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went fifth overall to the Miami Dolphins, while Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert went one pick later to the Los Angeles Chargers. Tagovailoa goes to an improving situation in Miami, which added offensive help in terms of protection and skill position, while Herbert is expected to carry the Chargers into the future.
The biggest shock of the first round involved the Green Bay Packers trading up to grab Utah State quarterback Jordan Love at No. 26 instead of picking a wide receiver for Aaron Rodgers. It is a pick that perplexed many top draft analysts since they were one game away from going to the Super Bowl last season. The Packers ignored their biggest position of need and ended up not selecting on wide receiver.
With Love, the Packers look for Aaron Rodgers’ successor, albeit in a similar way. However, it is arguable that they picked the fourth or fifth best quarterback in the draft, whereas Rodgers was considered a possible number one overall pick who had an unprecedented fall in the first round. It also puts the Packers in a bind at quarterback after 2021. That is the year in which Aaron Rodgers has an opt out clause in his massive contract.
Former Packers quarterback and Hall of Famer Brett Favre said he talked to Rodgers over the phone. He said the organization might have prematurely triggered the beginning of the end.
“I think that they burned a bridge that is going to be hard to overcome,” Favre said on The Rich Eisen Show. “At some point, I think it will rear its ugly head.”
Favre also added that he believes Rodgers will end his career elsewhere, similar to himself.
Besides quarterback drama, the draft also featured 27 wide receivers taken in the draft. Six of them went in the first round, the most since the 2015 draft. The class featured historically deep talent at the position and has been compared to the 2014 wide receiver draft that included names such as Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. There is no clear-cut best among the group, which allowed teams to take advantage and add another weapon for their starting quarterback.
In terms of numbers, LSU tied a draft record with 14 players selected over the course of the three-day event, sharing the record with Ohio State in 2004. The Southeastern Conference led all college leagues in draft selections with 63 total players selected, including 15 in the first round, followed by the Big Ten with 48 and the Pac-12 with 32. The SEC has led the total players selected per conference since 2007.
The new setup for the draft was a success for the NFL considering the hands they were dealt. Though they will most likely continue to hold the event in different cities once the pandemic passes, the league could potentially continue part of the practices in the future.
However, it is uncertain if these rookies will be able to suit up this September. With all sports suspended until further notice, the draft was a breath of fresh air for sports fans who were craving action.