NFL 2009 Draft: Lions Make Matthew Stafford 1st Pick Overall; Highlights of 1st Round

With the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft over, it's time to put away the "Mock Draft Boards" and examine how the critical first round of the NFL Draft went down. Here then are the highlights of the first round of action in this year's NFL Draft.

Lions take Matthew Stafford 1st overall:

The Detroit Lions took the guess work out of who would be picked first in the 2009 NFL Draft by signing Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford to a six year $78 million contract on Friday. The contract includes a record setting $41.7 million guarantee. For that amount, the Lions get a 6-3, 237 lb quarterback with a rocket arm and a high degree of accuracy in his passes. Sanchez who also has great field vision and a quick release, will most likely do a heck of a lot better than the last first round quarterback selected by the Lions, Joey Harrington. Best compared to Carson Palmer, Stafford has the makings of a franchise quarterback.

Jets trade up to take Mark Sanchez 5^th overall:

It was probably not a big secret that the New York Jets were high on USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, but the chances that Sanchez would be left on the board when the Jets finally drafted were slim, so the Jets did what any team in their shoes would do, they traded up to get their man. Well suited for the Jets West Coast Offense, the 6-3, 225 lb Sanchez has a big time arm and can throw any kind of pass required in today's NFL. Intelligent and a good leader, Sanchez still comes with limited experience as a starter, making him a moderate risk, high reward pick.

Raider's surprise with Darrius Heyward-Rey at 7^th overall:

With Michael Crabtree, Kenny Britt and Jeremy MaClin still on the board, the Oakland Raiders made a bit of a reached with the 7^th pick overall in the draft by drafting Darrius Heyward- Rey. While there is little question about Heyward-Rey's speed, his receiving skills are still a bit raw, and he may take time to develop. Still, this 6-2, 205 lb receiver has the potential to be another Chad (Ocho Cinco) Johnson.

Michael Crabtree drops to the 49ers at 10^th overall:

Most Mock Drafts had Crabtree slated to be a top 5 pick, so it's a surprise to see him go 10^th overall to the 49ers. Potential character issues and lack of world class speed aside, Crabtree is considered to be the best overall receiver in the draft. A Biletnikoff Award winner in his only two season of college football, the 6-3, 208 lb receiver is capable of catching anything thrown in his general direction, including high off target throws. If he plays to his potential, Crabtree could be the second coming of Jerry Rice in the Bay area.

Knowshon Moreno first Running Back taken at 12^th overall:

The University Georgia has a history of producing great runners and the Denver Broncos seem to be able to turn almost any runner into a 1,000 yard back. So while taking a Defensive Lineman may have made better sense, Denver can't go wrong with first round pick Knowshon Moreno. Moreno, who does not possess the breakaway speed of most elite backs in the NFL, is nevertheless a runner with great instincts and vision, who can run equally well between the tackles or around the end.

Other highlights of the first round:

Other highlights of the first round included Chris Wells falling to the Cardinals at #31; Aaron Curry being the first LB taken overall (by Seattle at #4 overall); The Bengals ignoring character issues to take OL Andre Smith with the 6^th overall pick.

Sources:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/live_draft

"Sporting New: Draft 09," America City Business Journal Inc, 2009