NFL Draft: Biggest Takeaways from Day 1

The NFL Draft is usually filled with a surprise or two. Whether it’s a team that unexpectedly trades up or another drafting a player well ahead of their projected round, it makes for an exciting draft. However, every team thinks they got their future star on day one. Here is Day 1’s biggest takeaways:

Quarterback With Best Chance Of Success

With so much of a focus on quarterbacks this draft, there’s going to be plenty of talk this year and next when it comes to who swung big and missed. The first three picks were quarterbacks and plenty were taken. So who’s got the best chance at success? Sam Darnold’s replacement, Zach Wilson.

Look, no one is saying that Wilson is the best quarterback in this draft, but the Jets give him the perfect opportunity to succeed. NY played better than their record showed. Not only did the Jets get their QB of the future, but it’s also rare to get the line fix in the same round. New York might’ve gambled by trading up to get it done, but when you got a rookie needing to hit the fast forward button, giving him a line is a must.

Immediate Impact Players

If the Atlanta Falcons can hold on to Julio Jones, then Kyle Pitts will be the most productive player coming out of the top 5. The Falcon’s have few years at best with Matt Ryan and weapons are a must. Pitts is a huge target at tight end.

Jaylen Waddle can come in and make an immediate impact. Miami has struggled to get separation, an area where Waddle excels. The Dolphins have playmakers but they’re inconsistent at best. Both Waddle and Fuller will require more focus and take pressure off some of the guys who struggled. If he picks up the playbook quickly, he can easily be the receiver from this draft.

More NFL: Which WR Will Have Biggest Impact?

Biggest Disappointment

The New York Giants easily have to be frustrating fans. Not only did they trade down, but they also missed out on the top receivers in the draft. The team hasn’t had consistency at receiver in years. They needed explosive players who can stay healthy and they ended up taking a WR out of the second tier of the draft. Without taking anything away from Kadarius Toney, but NY should’ve been a little more aggressive going after playmakers instead of settling what fell to them.

Best Defender Taken

The Dallas Cowboys might’ve got the steal of the NFL Draft. It’s hard to believe that a player taken 12th overall can be considered a steal but that’s exactly what happened. A linebacker who can flat-out motor, there will be a couple of teams wishing they took him in this year’s draft. Micah Parsons will be a gamechanger early on in his career and will make their struggling defense better.