Round 5 has concluded and all the big names have been taken off the board and added to their future rosters. Quarterbacks fell, punters rose, Chattanooga had a first-round pick – what a weekend that was. With picks dwindling, let’s take a look at the winners of this year’s draft.
Philly Eagles
Seriously – how the heck did Nakobe Dean fall into the third round? A pectoral muscle injury that doctors said wasn’t even severe enough to operate on? It may forever remain a mystery, but it’s a huge advantage for the Eagles, who snapped Dean along with teammate Jordan Davis. The duo played a pivotal role in Georgia’s championship-winning defense in 2021, and many Eagles fans were hoping to get Dean in the first round. The Eagles have said that Dean was medically acquitted.
With just three picks in the first five rounds, they also selected center Cameron Jurgens, who gets a year to learn under Jason Kelce before taking the starting position. With a limited number of picks, they may have maximized their quality. Remember, they also extended AJ Brown by four years by trading a few early-round picks (the highest was Carson Wentz’s pick) for a mid-draft blockbuster trade announcement. Not too shabby.
Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore continued to fill out its already robust defense with some of the biggest steals of the draft: Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton at No. 14, considered by some to be the best overall prospect of this year’s class, and Michigan’s David Ojabo at No. 45, a linebacker, he would have left much sooner if he hadn’t had a tough break with a torn Achilles heel on his Pro Day. You might have to wait a little longer for its production, but this should be an investment that pays off handsomely.
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They filled an immediate need down center with Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum and filled their offensive line with Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele, a nearly 400-pound beast who decimates defensive lines. Add in a few cornerbacks and tight ends — the Ravens should be a dangerous contender this year.
New York Jets
The Jets signed some of the most notable names in this year’s class and competed in the first round with Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson. They know what they need and want to improve in almost every position and level of play with this first-round pick. They’ll have a top pass rusher, a guy who didn’t concede a touchdown in college, and an elite WR, all in their rookie class, which hopefully can help Zach Wilson succeed, especially with new signings in third and fourth round of an offensive tackle and a tight finish.
With Iowa State RB Breece Hall, widely regarded as one of the top two RBs in the class, they’re picking up the pace, and maybe, just maybe, this rebuild can start in earnest. A swap aside, the Jets are done with picks this year and ready to get down to business.
