Draft and Redraft

As an avid NFL fan, yesterday’s first round of the 2012 NFL Draft provided some expected picks (Luck and Griffin, anyone?) but also some remarkable trading (Cowboys moving on up to get Clairborne) in what was apparently the quickest 1st round in history.

From the perpsective of a Green Bay fan, I know little of the Packers’ draft choice. However, I did watch on with vested interest at the fate of the Alabama Crimson Tide players up for grabs. Trent Richardson went to the Browns where, although good, it’ll take more than Weeden taking over the QB role to get them winning anything. Dont’a Hightower was perhaps the most surprising, landing a plum role at the Patriots, who I’ll be seeing in action at Wembley in October.

The moves I found the most intriguing, however, were the Jaguars moving up to get Blackmon, and the rather forced move of St Louis trading down, but still getting a pick which Jeff Fisher insisted was always on their draft battleboard.

This draft class was certainly packed with on-paper potential. If you believe the hype, Luck and Griffin are the best QBs for a generation - although I think it will take a fair bit for either to match the rookie season of a certain Cam Newton, who should be even better in a Carolina team with a chance of the playoffs.