Early Impact -- Offense:
There were several highly skilled offensive players in this draft, most of whom will make their teams very happy. They'll also need time to develop and for their teams to improve. Should we expect JaMarcus Russell to make an immediate impact on the hapless Raiders? Of course, we shouldn't expect too much. That'd be like asking Russell D'Souza '07 to play double-bogey golf -- some goals are simply impossible to reach. Rather, look for the most talented player in the draft to make the biggest early impact. Calvin Johnson will be given the chance to line up opposite the talented Roy Williams for Detroit. Despite a great deal of criticism for the Lions picking their fourth wide receiver in five years, none have come in with the abilities of Johnson. Look for the two stud receivers to wreak havoc on opposing defenses next year.
Early Impact -- Defense:
Pitt cornerback Darrelle Revis should make an immediate impact on the Jets, as last season's surprise team addressed their biggest need. Revis and his 4.38 will look good in a secondary already led by safety Kerry Rhodes. With this defense, Revis should transition well into a good situation. In fact, with the Jets trading up to get him, Revis now finds himself in better position than most of the other elite players taken in this year's draft. In his first year as coach, Eric Mangini demonstrated that his team will play smart football. Revis is not prone to mistakes and will fit Mangini's system well. I will now resume my column with no further hometown bias.
Biggest Reach:
Unfortunately, I can't let the Dolphins off the hook for passing on Brady Quinn. Ted Ginn Jr. isn't a reach in the traditional sense of the word. Ginn should emerge as a good pick for the Dolphins so long as Ray Finkle doesn't kidnap him while Ginn's filming a commercial for Isotoners. However, when the Dolphins surprised most of the football world by passing on Quinn for Ginn, they reached simply by passing on one of the best players in the draft, and on top of that, the Fins needed a quarterback. Instead, the Dolphins selected BYU quarterback John Beck in the second round. Beck's stock was rising in the days leading up to the draft, but Beck better be able to get Ginn the ball, or heads will roll in the Dolphins front office.
Biggest Steal:
As if you don't already know, Brady Quinn falling to the 22nd pick is the biggest steal in this year's draft. Though there were some great steals at the top of the second round, a player with Quinn's skills should not under any circumstance be available that far into the draft. I can only imagine the euphoria in Cleveland -- it must be how my editor feels every time I submit my column.
Best Overall Day One:
Mel Kiper Jr. We all know him by his hair and love him for his analysis, but no man alive on all habitable planets this side of Gliese-C gets up for the draft more than him. Apologies to Schmidley, who was convulsing in excitement before the draft, but we were all treated to a gem of a draft, which Kiper probably enjoyed more than anyone. As far as teams are concerned, the Browns had their best day since bringing football back to Cleveland. Ending up with both Joe Thomas and Quinn makes this a very special draft for the Browns.
