Reflecting On The 2013 NFL Draft

We will continue to highlight the Jets draft selections over the coming days, however now the dust has settled I think it's time to have a look at some of the general news from the draft that has been.

Rise of the Guards

Throughout the draft process, many people said that you simply can't take a guard with a top 10 selection. That it wasn't going to happen and that it wasn't worth it. Well we sit here looking back, and not one but two guards were taken in the top 10. Jonathan Cooper was taken 7th overall by the Arizona Cardinals and Chance Warmack was selected '#10 overall. Now time will tell if these were intelligent selections or not, but personally I've always said that I have no problem with taking a guard with a high pick. If that guard looks to be elite for the next decade there is no reason why you shouldn't take that chance. It seems that the Cardinals and Titans agreed.

Steal of the Draft

Everyone is going to have their own opinion as to who was the steal of the draft. However for me it has to be the Ravens getting Arthur Brown with the 56th overall selection. Most considered brown a top 25 talent. I really don't understand why he fell, perhaps there are some concerns with his size, but he has sideline-to-sideline ability and will fit perfectly in the 3-4 Baltimore defense. The Ravens desperately needed to add an ILB early after losing both Ray Lewis and Dannell Ellerbe and they must have been counting their luck when they saw Brown fall to a point where they could move up and nab him. Well done Baltimore.

Eddie Lacy Drops

Most draft experts considered Eddie Lacy to be the premier running back in this draft, however he was not the first RB taken, in fact he wasn't the 2nd, or 3rd one taken either. Eddie Lacy fell all the way to pick #61 and was the fourth RB taken, he was eventually scooped up by the Green Bay Packers. Now Lacy has only one year starting experience, and some will look at Alabama's superb line as the reason he had success, and the fact he struggled with his conditioning for his pre-draft work out, well all these things probably didn't help him. It'll be interesting to see just how much work Lacy gets in year 1.

3rd Round has got Game!

If you watched Scott and myself on draft night, this will come as no surprise to you. However the talent that was there in the 3rd round was unreal, and the best crop of players that I can remember. Don't be surprised if you get a couple of real good to elite prospects from this group of third round talent. Keenan Allen, Larry Warford, Brian Winters, Sio Moore, Tyrann Mathieu, Travis Kelce, Stedman Bailey, Zaviar Gooden all heard their names called in the third round, I don't know about you but I think there is some serious potential in there.

Nobody Wanted Any Bray

Some people were really talking up Tyler Bray before the draft and his raw tools. Some even had him going in rounds 3 and 4. However he found himself undrafted at the end of the process and had to sign as a UDFA with the Kansas City Chiefs. All through the draft process I said how little I saw in his game and coupled with his maturity issues I didn't think he was a guy I'd want on my team. Well there were 256 selections in this draft and he was passed over 256 times. There is no harm bringing him in as a UDFA as if he acts up, you send him off to Canada.

OK well that is enough of me talking about some things that I found interesting, are there any stories from the draft that you found interesting? shocked that Miami moved up and selected a OLB instead of a OT? Shocked that the Cowboys went fishing and over-valued Fredericks? It is impossible to keep up with every story in the NFL draft as it happens. So use this thread to discuss anything you thought was interesting, any steals you think were had and any reaches.