2013 1st Round Draft Summary

Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Xavier Rhodes (Florida State) is introduced as the number twenty-five overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

With the 1st pick in the 2013 NFL Draft the Kansas City Chiefs Select Andrew Luck. Not exactly, this year’s NFL Draft doesn’t have the flash or the instant star player’s in it like the 2012 Draft. The 2013 NFL Draft was full of meat and potato players, 6 of the 1st 11 players Drafted in the 1st round were Offensive Lineman.

The Kansas City Chiefs used almost every second of their 10 minutes on the clock and after months of film study and listening to possible trades they selected Offensive Tackle Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan, Fisher is slated to protect Alex Smith’s blindside. The Jacksonville Jaguars knowing that is would get to take whichever Offensive Tackle the Chiefs didn’t take, took Offensive Tackle Luke Joeckel from Texas A&M. Joeckel was thought by many to be the 1st pick although in the last few weeks his hold on the top Draft pick slot weakened.

The Miami Dolphins continued their aggressive off-season by trading their 1st and one of their 2nd Round picks with the Raiders for the right to the 3rd pick of the Draft which they used to select Dion Jordan Outside Linebacker from Oregon. Another notable trade was made by the St. Louis Rams who jumped in front of the New York Jets to snag speedy Wide Receiver Tavon Austin from West Virginia. Buffalo Bills who moved back in the draft after completing the trade with the Rams and made the biggest surprise pick of the Draft by selecting EJ Manual Quarterback from Florida State. Manual who has the size and speed to be a starting Quarterback, although he was projected as a 2nd or even a 3rd round pick, thus leaving Geno Smith the Quarterback from West Virginia still on the board when all of the 1st round selections were completed.

The San Francisco 49ers moved up from the 31st pick to the 18th pick after swapping with the Dallas Cowboys and also throwing in an additional 3rd round pick. The 49ers looked to fill the void at Safety left by Dashon Goldson when he left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Free Agency. That void was filled by selecting hard hitting Eric Reid out of LSU.

The Minnesota Vikings were able to Draft three players between the 23rd and the 29th picks. The Vikings selected Shariff Floyd Defensive Tackle from Florida selected 23rd, Xavier Rhodes Cornerback from Florida State selected 25 (pick received in the Percy Harvin Trade with Seattle Seahawks), and with the 29th pick from the New England Patriots they selected Cordarrelle Patterson Wide Receiver from Tennessee.

The 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft didn’t have the high profile names or the marketability of recent Drafts but it did give teams plenty of opportunities to fill needs both on the Offensive and Defensive Lines. Many teams ditched the best player available motto and went after players of need. With plenty of specialty players available in the 2nd Round of the 2013 Draft there could be almost just as much excitement on day Two and there was in round One.