NFL Draft begins
Arizona Cardinals select Heisman winner Murray with first selection.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at the top, two more QBs along the way — and a whole lot of guys who like nothing better than putting passers on the ground.
That was the look for the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Arizona defied NFL custom and at least temporarily created a quarterback quandary by selecting Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray to start proceedings in a wet and wild selection show.
As thousands of fans withstood rain that began just about when Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke Murray’s name, the Cardinals spent a second consecutive high pick on a signal caller. Arizona moved up from 15th
overall to 10th in 2018 to grab Josh Rosen.
NFL teams simply don’t do that, but with a new coach in college-trained Kliff Kingsbury, the Cardinals made the bold move, at least until they likely move Rosen elsewhere in a trade.
“My job is to come in every day, work hard and get
better each and every day, do what I can to make this team better,” Murray said. “I’ve known Josh since high school, so me and him are cool. We got along really well, so I’ve always been fond of him. But us being teammates now, I can’t control anything but going in there and working hard.”
Resplendent in a pink suit — nothing close to the Cardinals red he will be wearing in Arizona — Murray was a first-round baseball pick by the Oakland A’s. He becomes the 22nd Heisman Trophy winner to go first overall and is the second consecutive Sooners quarterback to pull
it off: Baker Mayfield went to Cleveland in 2018.
With quarterbacks so in demand these days, the Giants might have reached a bit for Duke’s Daniel Jones at the sixth spot, and the Redskins did just the opposite to get Dwayne Haskins. They stayed put at No. 15 and the Ohio State star fell to them.
Perhaps serendipitously, he held a bowling party about 30 miles away Thursday night.
“I’m just going to work on getting my head in that playbook,” said Haskins, a oneyear starter for the Buckeyes. “I’m going to do all I can to get physically and mentally ready for the upcoming season and just motivate my guys that’s coming in with me in this rookie class.”
After Murray, though, defense became the order of the night. Of the first 20 picks, 12 were for that side of the ball, all of them pass-rushing threats.
Ohio State edge rusher Nick Bosa went second to San Francisco as expected. The 49ers have used a firstround selection on four defensive linemen in the past five drafts.
“I see him as a three-down player,” General Manager John Lynch said. “He’s got to come in and do it, but he plays the run well. His best strength
is rushing the passer, but he can play all three downs and play in all situations.”
The Jets, widely speculated to trade the third pick, used it on Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Not even a starter until 2018, he won the Outland Trophy last season and is Alabama’s highest-drafted defensive player since linebacker Cornelius Bennett went No. 2 overall in 1987.
More defense with Clemson end Clelin Ferrell going to Oakland and LSU linebacker Devin White to Tampa Bay, both addressing huge needs.
The Giants, looking for Eli Manning’s eventual successor, took Jones, the Senior Bowl MVP. Jones generally was not considered a first-round prospect when the college season ended. But he’s been tutored at Duke by David Cutcliffe, who also coached Peyton and Eli Manning in college.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to learn for a
young quarterback,” Jones said of Eli Manning.
Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen followed to Jacksonville, then it was Iowa tight end T.J. Hockenson to Detroit and Houston DT Ed Oliver to Buffalo.
Finally, in the 10th spot, a trade: Pittsburgh sending the 20th spot, the 53rd selection and a third-rounder next year to Denver. The Steelers selected Michigan linebacker Devin Bush — a player apparently coveted by AFC North rival Cincinnati at No. 11.
The Bengals grabbed Alabama tackle Jonah Williams instead.
New England concluded a first round that saw 18 defensive players taken (only three in the secondary) and 14 on offense with receiver N’Keal Harry of Arizona State.
Overall, the SEC had nine players, the ACC eight and the Big Ten seven. Clemson, Alabama and Mississippi State had three draftees apiece.
“I think it’s a tremendous opportunity to learn for a young quarterback.” Daniel Jones on learning from NY Giants quarterback Eli Manning