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2018 NFL Draft: Live Pick Tracker, Analysis Of First Round

By Evan Massey
Published on: 11:33 PST, Apr 26, 2018

The 2018 NFL Draft is here and we are just as excited as you! Big names like Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Saquon Barkley, and Bradley Chubb will find out where they will play the first chapter of their NFL careers this evening.

Rumors have been swirling ahead of the draft that the top of the first round might get a little messy. Quite a few teams are looking to trade up, while others are open to trading back. There seems to be a high likelihood of trades rocking the draft throughout the entire first round.

All of that being said, make sure you stay with us to find out who is heading where as it happens. We will also have a brief analysis of each pick and how the player drafted fits with their new team! Enjoy the 2018 NFL Draft!

1. Cleveland Browns — Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Sooners

Drafting Baker Mayfield is a bit of a risk for the Browns, but they feel that he is the best player in the draft. Mayfield will be looking to lead the Browns back to the playoffs with the front office under new management. Buckle up Browns’ fans, you guys are in for a lot of fun and plenty Brett Favre type of plays.

2. New York Giants — Saquon Barkley, Running Back, Penn State

Saquon Barkley was expected to be the Giants’ pick at No. 2 for about two week now. They fell in love with him throughout the draft process and had a major need at running back. Barkley will be asked to take a lot of pressure off of Eli Manning immediately in 2018 and will have an excellent chance at Offensive Rookie of the Year.

3. New York Jets (from Colts) — Sam Darnold, Quarterback, USC

Sam Darnold is a huge get for the Jets, who were looking to find a franchise quarterback this year. Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater are currently in New York, but Darnold will have a great chance to start as a rookie. There are some question marks surrounding him and it will be interesting to see how he handles the New York media.

4. Cleveland Browns (from Texans) — Denzel Ward, Defensive Back, Ohio State

Denzel Ward was a bit of a shock at No. 4 to the Browns. They were expected to take defensive end Bradley Chubb with the pick by most analysts, but Wards makes perfect sense as well. He is likely the best defensive backs in the NFL Draft and projects well as a lockdown corner in the future for Cleveland.

5. Denver Broncos — Bradley Chubb, Defensive End, N.C. State

Bradley Chubb was not expected to be available at No. 5 and the Broncos were happy to take him. Looking at their current defense, Chubb and Von Miller will give opposing quarterbacks nightmares. Denver needed to improve their defense and Chubb is the right pick to do just that.

6. Indianapolis Colts (from Jets) — Quenton Nelson, Offensive Line, Notre Dame

Protecting Andrew Luck was the obvious priority for the Colts heading into the 2018 NFL Draft. Chris Ballard has loved Quenton Nelson throughout the entire process and got his man at No. 6. Nelson will be a massive upgrade on the offensive line for the Colts and will help keep Luck on the field and healthy.

7. Buffalo Bills (from Buccaneers) — Josh Allen, Quarteback, Wyoming

In the first blockbuster trade of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills moved up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to select Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen. News broke ahead of the draft that Allen had used racial slurs back in high school, but that did not affect his draft stock. Buffalo believes they have their quarterback of the future and the fans should be ecstatic to see him play.

8. Chicago Bears — Roquan Smith, Linebacker, Georgia

Roquan Smith was drafted by the Bears and the fans will absolutely fall in love with his game. He is a hard-hitting linebacker that will turn into a great leader for the defense. Smith was mocked as high as No. 6 to the Colts, but the Bears were happy to snag him to help beef up the middle of their defense.

9. San Francisco 49ers — Mike McGlinchey, Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame

San Francisco came into the draft trying to build the offense around new franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Mike McGlinchey was the second rated offensive lineman in the draft class behind his college teammate Quenton Nelson, who went No. 6 to the Colts. This pick isn’t flashy, but it was the right decision for the 49ers future.

10. Arizona Cardinals (from Raiders) — Josh Rosen, Quarterback, UCLA

Arizona needed a quarterback after Carson Palmer chose to retire at the beginning of the NFL offseason. Now, they have found their man in UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen. There were some character issues that teams were wary of during the draft process, but the Cardinals may very well have gotten the best pure quarterback in the draft at No. 10.

11. Miami Dolphins — Minkah Fitzpatrick, Defensive Back, Alabama

In a bit of a surprise, the Miami Dolphins chose defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. They were expected to consider a defensive lineman, but Fitzpatrick was their guy and will improve their secondary playmaking in a big way. Fitzpatrick was considered to be the most versatile defensive back in the draft and the Dolphins will be very happy with their pick moving forward.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Bengals via Bills) — Vita Vea, Defensive Tackle, Washington

After seeing Minkah Fitzpatrick go No. 11, the Buccaneers drafted Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea. Tampa Bay wanted to improve their defensive line in the draft and Vea is exactly the right solution. At 6-foot-4 and 347 pounds, Vea is going to be a massive presence on the line for the Buccaneers.

13. Washington Redskins — Da’Ron Payne, Defensive Tackle, Alabama

Da’Ron Payne was a bit of a surprise for the Redskins at No. 13, but they needed help on the defensive line. The flashy pick would have been Derwin James or Tremaine Edmunds, but they believe Payne fills the biggest need. At 6-foot-3 and 311 pounds, Payne is going to be a nice addition for the Redskins’ defense.

14. New Orleans Saints (from Packers) — Marcus Davenport, Defensive End, Texas-San Antonio

In a surprise move, the Saints traded all the way up from the No. 27 overall pick to the No. 14 pick to draft defensive end Marcus Davenport. New Orleans gave up the No. 27 overall pick, a 2018 fifth-round pick, and their first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Davenport was one of the top pass rushers in the draft and the Saints had a need to fill.

15. Oakland Raiders (from Cardinals) — Kolton Miller, Offensive Line, UCLA

Jon Gruden and the Raiders knew that they needed some offensive line help coming into the first round. Kolton Miller isn’t going to be the flashy pick the fans were hoping for, but he fills a major need. Keeping Derek Carr upright and protected is the main priority for the Oakland offense, which is why Miller was the pick.

16. Buffalo Bills (from Ravens) — Tremaine Edmunds, Linebacker, Virginia Tech

Finally, Tremaine Edmunds is off the board. He is the best linebacker in the 2018 draft class and the Bills decided to trade up for the second time in the first round to get him. Edmunds is going to be a cornerstone for the Buffalo defense for years to come and will make quite a few teams regret passing on him.

17. San Diego Chargers — Derwin James, Defensive Back, Florida State

Derwin James may end up being the biggest steal of the 2018 NFL Draft for the San Diego Chargers. He was one of the elite defensive back prospects in the draft and snagging him at No. 18 is huge for San Diego. James is going to be an immediate playmaking threat for the Chargers and will have a chip on his shoulder after sliding so far.

18. Green Bay Packers (from Seahawks) — Jaire Alexander, Cornerback, Louisville

Green Bay needed to add help in the secondary and Jaire Alexander is exaclty the kind of piece that they needed. Alexander will bring more playmaking to the secondary alongside Kevin King and Tramon Williams. Brian Gutekunst may have received some heat for trading back and not taking James or Edmunds, but the Packers will be very happy with Alexander.

19. Dallas Cowboys — Leighton Vander Esch, Linebacker, Boise State

While many thought the Cowboys would target a wide receiver in the first round, they decided to go a different route. Leighton Vander Esch ended up being their selection and will help bolster the linebacker position for Jerry Jones and company. He is an extreme athlete, also being known for being a former basketball star, and will bring quickness and playmaking as a linebacker.

20. Detroit Lions — Frank Ragnow, Center, Arkansas

This might be the most interesting pick in the first round thus far, as Frank Ragnow has been a late riser throughout the draft process. Detroit needed to bring in more talent on the offensive line, which is why this pick was made. Ragnow is a huge center and could end up being a very nice piece for the Lions long-term.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (from Bills) — Billy Price, Offensive Line, Ohio State

Just like the Browns did at No. 4, the Cincinnati Bengals drafted an in-state prospect in Ohio State offensive lineman Billy Price. Most mock drafts had Price going in the second round, but the Bengals think he is going to be a major impact player on their line. Andy Dalton needs more protection and the Bengals need better run-blocking, which Price will bring to the table.

22. Tennessee Titans (from Chiefs via Bills) — Rashaan Evans, Linebacker, Alabama

Another potential steal late in the first round, Rashaan Evans is a huge addition for the Titans’ defense. Mike Vrabel is the new head coach in Tennessee and Evans is exactly the kind of explosive linebacker that can change an entire defense. Evans will bring speed and playmaking to the middle of the field for the Titans.

23. New England Patriots (from Rams) — Isaiah Wynn, Offensive Line, Georgia

Bill Belichick decided to go with an offensive lineman with his first pick in the first round. Isaiah Wynn is 6-foot-3 and 313 pounds and is going to be a nice fit for the Patriots. Tom Brady can always use more protection and Wynn will offer that both now and in the future.

24. Carolina Panthers — D.J. Moore, Wide Receiver, Maryland

It’s about time someone drafted a wide receiver and D.J. Moore ended up being the first taken. Carolina wanted to bring in another target for Cam Newton and the speedy Maryland receiver fit the bill. At 6-foot-0 and 210 pounds, Moore runs a 4.42 40-yard dash and is going to be a dangerous weapon for the Panthers.

25. Baltimore Ravens (via Titans) — Hayden Hurst, Tight End, South Carolina

Ozzie Newsome has had an amazing drafting career and the Ravens are hoping that he drafted another future star. Hayden Hurst is the first tight end to go in this years draft and Baltimore was in need of finding a talented tight end. Hurst is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds and will be a great target for Joe Flacco.

26. Atlanta Falcons — Calvin Ridley, Wide Receiver, Alabama

Calvin Ridley was considered the top wide receiver in the 2018 draft class throughout the majority of the draft process. Heading to Atlanta, Ridley will team up with Julio Jones. Atlanta now has two big, athletic wide receivers across from each other and will force mismatch nightmares against most defenses.

27. Seattle Seahawks (from Saints via Packers) — Rashaad Penny, Running Back, San Diego State

Seattle may have made the most shocking pick in the first round of the draft. Many fans believe that the Seahawks reached a bit too far with Penny, although he did rack up 2,248 yards and 23 touchdowns on 289 carries last season. Penny was taken ahead of Sony Michel and Derrius Guice, who were both expected to be long gone when Penny was drafted.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers — Terrell Edmunds, Safety, Virginia Tech

Terrell Edmunds saw his brother Tremaine go earlier in the first round and now has found his own NFL home. Ryan Shazier was able to walk across the stage to announce the pick in what was an incredibly emotional moment. Pittburgh is getting a playmaking safety with this selection and Edmunds will help turn their defense around in 2018.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars — Taven Bryan, Defensive Tackle, Florida

Jacksonville’s defense nearly took them past the New England Patriots in the NFL Playoffs last season. Taven Bryan will simply add to their monstrous defensive line and at 6-foot-5 and 291 pounds will be another threat for the Jaguars. His father was a Navy Seal and Bryant will now patrol the line for Jacksonville.

30. Minnesota Vikings — Mike Hughes, Cornerback, UCF

Minnesota nearly made a run to the Super Bowl last season, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. Mike Hughes will simply add to their dominant defense, although there are some questions about his character. He has had a couple of run-ins with the law, although on the field he is a major playmaker that will make the Vikings very happy if he stays on the straight and narrow.

31. New England Patriots — Sony Michel, Running Back, Georgia

Sony Michel is the third running back taken in the first round of the draft. New England lost Dion Lewis in free agency this offseason, which makes this pick make complete sense. Michel has top-notch quickness and speed and will be a perfect compliment to Tom Brady in the Patriots’ backfield.

32. Baltimore Ravens (from Eagles) — Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, Louisville

With the final pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the fifth quarterback was drafted. Lamar Jackson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, who traded back into the first round to get him. Ozzie Newsome wanted to make a splash tonight and Jackson is being drafted to be the future at quarterback in Baltimore.

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