Round 1 Draft Recap Roundup - from the pundits

It's a slow Friday. Round 1 of the NFL draft is in the books and it saw two Michigan players taken - the second pick of R1 and the second to last pick of R1. There is some symmetry there, I suppose. 

Anyway, had to read up on the pundit post mortems. General consensus is that Hutch was a GREAT pick for Detroit b/c JAX made a sub-optimal at best or stupid at worst move by passing on Hutch for Walker. Jameson Williams is a bit of a split b/c of the injury. No doubt he's a great player, but how quickly will they get value from him and was it worth all those picks? And Dax Hill was the best player left on many boards by the time Cincy picked, but they are also already fairly strong in the secondary so didn't necessarily fill a position of need this season - although could be for the future, depending on how the Jesse Bates situation works out. 

Anyway, here is the roundup. 

NFL.com

Cincinnati Bengals: Grade A

31. Dax Hill

Analysis: Hill can play anywhere in the secondary. If Jessie Bates, who received the franchise tag this offseason, eventually moves on as a free agent, Hill could end up filling the void at safety full time. With the Ravens taking Tyler Linderbaum, who would have been a nice fit in Cincinnati, off the board six picks earlier, Hill was a sensible pick.

Detroit Lions: Grade A-

2. Aidan Hutchinson

12. Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)

Analysis: The Lions made the safest pick possible by rolling with the home-state hero in Hutchinson. He's coveted for his strength against the run and relentless pursuit of quarterbacks from a hand-down or stand-up position -- as well as his football intelligence picking up screens and misdirection. 

It's too early to make a complete evaluation of the Matthew Stafford trade, which netted the Lions an extra first-round pick this year. Of course, seeing Stafford win a ring in his first year in Los Angeles while the Lions floundered to a 3-13-1 record was not a great start. Detroit packaged that pick in a deal with the Vikings to land the draft's top receiver in Williams at the 12th overall selection. If he didn't get hurt in the national title game, Williams would have been a top-10 pick because of his speed, reliable hands, stop-start ability and toughness. I love the pick in terms of talent, and the injury shouldn't be a long-term issue, but he'll need to become an elite playmaker to justify the price.

And the worst grade goes to....

New England: Grade D

29. Cole Strange (OT, UT-Chattanooga)

Analysis: The Patriots traded down from No. 21, acquiring two middle-round picks from the Chiefs. Their pick at No. 29 was a surprise, as Strange was selected at least 40-to-50 picks ahead of where I expected him to go. This is typical of New England, which often goes against the conventional wisdom in the draft. Strange is a versatile player with a high floor who will likely play for a long time. I’m not sure he warranted a top-50 pick, though.

 

CBS Sports:

2. Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

Grade: B+

They need a pass rusher in the worst way, and they have to be thrilled that Hutchinson fell to them here. He is a polished edge rusher who will be an impact player right away. The Lions have to be able to impact the quarterback better than they did last year. Hutchinson will do that. But he might be a 12-sack guy most of his career, rather than a 16-sack guy. But that's OK. 

12. Lions (from Vikings): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Grade: B

This is the best receiver in the draft. The Lions can wait to get him healthy. When he is healthy, he will be a dynamic playmaker. They made a bold move to go get him, but they did give up a bunch to get him. They better hope he is what they think he can become. I think he's a star.

31. Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan

Grade: B-

They have contract issues with their safeties coming up, so this is a good pick. He also has the skill to play corner, which they also could use in terms of coverage help. He's a versatile player, which they love. To beat the Chiefs and the Bills and the AFC West, you better cover.

In their "Winners and Losers" Segment...

Winner: Detroit Lions

A sneaky winner in the first round was the Lions. They landed a hometown hero in Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall, something that was considered relatively far-fetched just a couple of months ago, and then traded up in the first round to grab Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams at No. 12 overall. It's surprising that Williams was the fourth wide receiver taken. While he tore his ACL in the national championship loss vs. Georgia, Williams caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021. He was a first-team All-SEC playmaker, and led the SEC in receiving yards. Those are two legitimate top 10 picks. 

 

ESPN's Mel Kiper picked winners and losers, also. ($)

WINNERS: 

DETROIT LIONS

The pick: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan (No. 2)

Any time you can get the best prospect in the draft at any pick other than No. 1, it's a win. The Lions filled a huge need, and they did it with a 6-foot-6 edge rusher who grew up 30 miles away from Ford Field (Plymouth, Michigan) and went to college at Michigan.

I don't get the talk about Hutchinson already being close to his ceiling. He had 14 sacks last season, but he can keep improving. He had a better 3-cone drill time, short shuttle time and vertical jump than Travon Walker at the combine. He's going to be an instant contributor and should challenge for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

More picks I liked

• The Bengals could get a steal with Daxton Hill at No. 31. The Michigan defensive back can play corner or safety. He was ranked No. 14 on my Big Board.

Head-scratching moves from Round 1

Starts off with JAX/Trayvon Walker, then NE and Cole Strange, then...

DETROIT LIONS

The pick: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama (No. 12)

Yes, the Lions can be a winner and also make a head-scratching move. Williams is an awesome player, and he probably would have gone in the top 10 if he was fully healthy and didn't tear the ACL in his left knee in the national title game in January. The head-scratching part of this is the Lions -- who aren't contenders -- trading prime picks to move up 20 spots to take him.

Detroit sent Minnesota pick Nos. 32, 34 and 66 to move to No. 12 (and added No. 46). Those are two early Round 2 picks that often become starters. Do Dan Campbell & Co. think they're close enough to an NFC North title that they can take one chance on Day 1 instead of two at 32 and 34? The pick at 46 will help, but this is a roster that needs a lot of help. Again, I'm a fan of Williams, but he needs to be a superstar -- quickly -- for Detroit to justify this deal.

 

Sports Illustrated:

2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan

Not only is he my top-ranked prospect, but Hutchinson is also the type of prospect Dan Campbell will appreciate due to his relentless energy, leadership and intangibles. In addition, he fills one of the team’s biggest needs as only two teams had fewer sacks than the Lions (30) in 2021. Hutchinson was productive (school-record 14 sacks) and is polished at this stage of his development, but he doesn’t get enough credit for his athleticism. His combine times in the 3-cone (6.73) and 20-yard shuttle (4.15) ranked sixth and fourth, respectively, regardless of position. The son of a former Michigan captain, Hutchinson’s football character, relentless motor combined with his physical traits, polish and production make him one of the safest picks in the draft.

GRADE: A+

 

2. Detroit Lions: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

Williams had a breakout season (79/1,572/15) in 2021 after transferring to Alabama. While not just a deep threat, Williams’s track background shows up on the field with his game-breaking speed. Despite tearing his ACL in January, Williams is “ahead of schedule” in his rehab. Even if he were to miss time to start his rookie season, Williams has the talent to emerge as the WR1 in this draft class. The Lions signed D.J. Chark to a one-year deal, but the speedy Williams provides the Lions with an ideal long-term complement to Amon-Ra St. Brown.

GRADE: B

 

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, LB, Michigan

Although he’s built more like a cornerback, Hill is physical and willing to throw his body around as a tackler. He showed off his elite athleticism by running a 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine and ranked second among all combine participants in the 3-cone (6.57) and 20-yard shuttle (4.06). The Bengals will appreciate his versatility, as he can play anywhere on the back end. Hill was the top-ranked prospect available (23rd overall) on my board.

GRADE: B

 

And finally The Sporting News:

2. Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Michigan

• Grade: A

Hutchinson doesn’t have to move far from Ann Arbor, going back home to the Detroit metro area. The Lions can be thrilled about the ferocious Wolverine slipping to be a cornerstone pass rusher for their 4-3 under Aaron Glenn, for which he’s an ideal fit. He is tough and relentless and straight-up productive. Hutchinson can remain dominant in the NFL and also is an asset against the run. He is the best player in this draft class.

 

12. Detroit Lions (from Vikings): Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama

• Grade: B+

The Lions made an intradivision trade to make sure they got in on the run for the three best wide receivers in the draft from consecutive picks. Given the position was so deep, they get knocked a little for giving up a considerable haul of picks to the rival Vikings and also not thinking about the first crack at quarterback. But when breaking down the player, the Lions could afford to be patient with Williams, a flat-out big playmaker, while he recovers from his knee injury. He’s a terrific skill complement for Amon-Ra St. Brown, D’Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson. Now they need a QB upgrade behind a top line to get the ball to Williams downfield.

 

31. Cincinnati Bengals: Daxton Hill, S, Michigan

• Grade: B-

This is a curious case of the player himself being a solid pick as Hill brings the right blend of smarts, instincts, smarts and quickness to the position. But safety is also a strength for Cincinnati with franchise player Jessie Bates and solid Vonn Bell. The team also has a fine slot corner in Mike Hilton. The Bengals didn’t have any glaring needs and the offensive line values didn’t line up, it’s just interesting that one of the best players available was more of a luxury. This might mean they won’t be signing Bates long-term.