Round One Recap of the 2010 NFL Draft

It’s New York City. It's primetime. It’s the 2010 NFL Draft. Although a rowdy bunch of Jets fans wouldn’t be my first choice as background noise, nothing feels better than watching NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell walk onto that green stage at Radio City Music Hall, except if your team won the Superbowl of course.

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The night kicked off just as expected with the St. Louis Rams selecting Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford with the first pick. I’m sure not many were worried Bradford wouldn’t be chosen, but let’s not forget the 2006 draft when Mario Williams was selected first overall ahead of Reggie Bush. I think my jaw hit the floor when I saw that one. But no, St. Louis did not disappoint because they have no room to. With a whopping 1-15 2009 record (0-5 at home) they need Bradford! Why would they pass up the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner who hasn’t played since the beginning of the 2009 season? Bradford holds impressive records at Oklahoma and will certainly be looking to make some in St. Louis. Have no worries about Bradford’s transition into the NFL because if he doesn’t have a good one, he’ll be the next Marc Bulger, unemployed. Good luck kid!

There was a definite confusion during the draft when the 25th pick rolled around which ultimately belonged to the Baltimore Ravens. But all of a sudden, America got a flash of Tim Tebow on the television screen. I looked up at the beaming former Florida QB and was wondering why someone was placing a Denver cap on his head when Jimmy Clausen was still up for grabs? Two QB’s from Notre Dame on the roster would probably be awkward though. So finally we learned that the Ravens traded their pick to the Broncos, and Denver now has Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, and Tim Tebow available. I was not aware that Tebow was going to be drafted in the first round, but I suppose anything can happen in the first round.

One of the more developing stories behind Sam Bradford going first and Tim Tebow being selected in the first round is that Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen made his way into Friday and, feared territory, the second round. There’s no doubt that Clausen improved in 2009, only his junior season, but he also wasn’t able to participate in the NFL combine and drills because he was recovering from toe surgery. Everyone knew Bradford would be the first QB selected and most of those people had Clausen going second! Where did Tebow come from? Tebow has won national titles and has better college stats, but Jimmy Clausen was said to be better suited for the NFL with a better ability to adapt. I guess Denver didn’t think so. You can ask anyone, Clausen is the number one draft prospect going into the second round and won’t make it to the third. Remember 2005 when Alex Smith was drafted before Aaron Rodgers? Wonder who has hard feelings about going late in the first round these days. Like I said before, Clausen shouldn’t be worried. This could be a good thing for him, as it was for Rodgers.

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By: Brittany Svoboda
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer