Instant reaction to NFL draft selections is dangerous territory, but we’re running with the Bears while we have the chance.
Chicago comes out of Thursday with two of the top seven players in the Field Level Media Top 100 rankings. The Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams first overall and paired him with polished pass catcher Rome Odunze, the Washington wide receiver picked ninth overall.
Not every team was blessed with the same great fortune on Thursday night but have a chance to shift the narrative around the following flash reactions Friday and Saturday.
WINNERS
Minnesota Vikings
–Drafted QB J.J. McCarthy 10th, DE Dallas Turner 17th
When the offseason began with Kirk Cousins waving goodbye, the Vikings were left reeling for only a moment. Minnesota struck early and often in free agency and acquired a second first-round pick from the Houston Texans to be in position to attempt a 1-2 punch in the first round capable of setting the foundation for the franchise for years to come.
“As excited as our fans are, they can know that J.J. McCarthy really wanted to be a Minnesota Viking and he can’t wait to get here and get to work,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said.
Seattle Seahawks
–Drafted DT Byron Murphy II 16th overall
As Aaron Donald is ushered out of the NFC West, the Seahawks sit tight and let one of the top players on their draft board fall into their laps. Murphy is a freakish athlete and fits at multiple positions in the varied fronts of new head coach Mike Macdonald.
“It’s a dream come true. I don’t know too much about Seattle, but I heard it rains a lot,” Murphy said Thursday night from his draft party in Dallas.
Arizona Cardinals
–Drafted Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. 4th, Missouri DE Darius Robinson 27th
Twenty years and a day since Arizona selected Larry Fitzgerald Jr. No. 3 overall, they hit it big again.
Harrison Jr. might be the best player in the draft — he was ranked No. 1 by multiple teams — but QB need was undeniable for the teams at the top in 2024. Harrison Jr. is bigger and faster than most expect, and Ohio State felt he was elite in other areas — work ethic and leadership.
Robinson was a defensive end but his skill set projects well to multiple positions on the defensive line, a major need for the Cardinals. He’ll help the overall defense and upgrade the pass rush.
Jacksonville Jaguars
–Drafted LSU WR Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd
Thomas runs pristine routes and led the nation in touchdowns, representing a well-played mulligan for Jacksonville following the botched free agency negotiations with Calvin Ridley.
Detroit Lions
–Drafted CB Terrion Arnold 24th
One of the most maligned draft picks of the first round last year? Easily the Lions selecting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who turned into an ideal playmaker after a slow start. And second-round safety Brian Branch was described as the “heartbeat of the defense” by Dan Campbell. So why not take a swing for a No. 1 corner from the Crimson Tide? It took a trade up in a swap with the Cowboys. But Arnold is legit, ranked as high as No. 10 and projected to be the first cornerback off the board far earlier than this point in the draft.
LOSERS
Atlanta Falcons
–Drafted Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. 8th
Penix was a fringe first-round pick and the Falcons spent serious capital — $180 million over four years — to lure Kirk Cousins in free agency and fix their QB concerns. Now they’ve created friction without addressing major needs on the roster, including almost every defensive position.
“I feel like there’s definitely something special going on over there in Atlanta,” Penix said.
Cousins leaned on Aaron Rodgers for advice and benchmarks to check in his recovery from a torn Achilles this season. Now Cousins finds himself in a situation eerily similar to the position Rodgers was in when the Packers drafted Jordan Love 26th overall in 2020.
Denver Broncos
–Drafted Oregon QB Bo Nix 12th
The sixth of six first-round quarterbacks selected, Denver bought the end of the run rather than taking better value with their choice of the top edge, cornerback, safety, linebacker and one remaining blue-chip talent — Georgia tight end Brock Bowers — a boom-or-bust roll of the dice brings Nix to a QB room in Denver that includes Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham.
–Field Level Media