Predictification: 2013 NFL Draft Round 1 Recap

I've done some amazing things in my life.

For example, last season (during preseason) I correctly predicted that the Baltimore Ravens would be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the year. Heck, soon after Bruce Arians took the Arizona Cardinals head coaching job I correctly predicted that Carson Palmer would be his quarterback - while he was still under contract with the Raiders. I'm good.

But nothing could have prepared me for what happened last night. There were 32 players selected last night during the first round of the NFL Draft and I missed them all.

Every. Single. One.

Wow. (In fairness I did call my predictions a 'mockery')

I can't say that has ever happened to me (or that it'll ever happen again) but I guess there is a first time for everything, huh? Here is your recap of the NFL Draft Madness from last night.

How long until there are Colts t-shirts that say 'I was Bjoern ready'? I'm sure there are a thousand other stupid things (yes, Indy 500 references are included in that) that folks will come up with... Hey, it's a long offseason.

Who had the best night? The Vikings.

They had to give up a lot to get it (2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th round picks) but the Vikings jumped back into the late part of the first round to grab WR Cordarrelle Patterson (who I wanted the Colts to take). Patterson, combined with the DT Shariff Floyd (who was falling like a rock) and CB Xavier Rhodes (who a lot of people thought the Colts would take) should give the Vikings three starters out of the first day of the draft. While they gave up a lot, they still have plenty of ammunition for the later rounds (4th, 5th, 6th and 2 7ths). Not too shabby.

Who had the worst night?

The Cowboys (well, at least of the teams that actually picked in the first round). Dallas dropped from 18th in round one to 31st and netted a third round selection for their trouble. While they should have probably received more value, the worst part came when it was time to draft. All of the players that the Cowboys had first round grades were gone and they admittedly reached at a second round player - C/G Travis Frederick. They would have been better off trading down again.

Here's a recap of the picks (and my incorrect predictions).

1. Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Fisher, T Central Michigan (I predicted Luke Joeckel, T Texas A&M)

This was probably splitting hairs. These players were pretty even and it came down to which guy the Chiefs liked better. They liked Fisher and it started my night off wrong.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Luke Joeckel, T Texas A&M (I predicted Dion Jordan, DE Oregon)

Who knows if the Jaguars would have taken Fisher if the Chiefs had taken Joeckel? The Jags should have a decent line next season, if nothing else (probably nothing else).

3. TRADE! Miami Dolphins - Dion Jordan, DE Oregon (I predicted Shariff Floyd here and CB Xavier Rhodes to Miami)

Everyone seemed to think that the Dolphins were jumping up in the draft to get T Lane Johnson. It would make sense after the top two tackles were taken 1-2 and trade talks for Branden Albert stalling. But, no - in what seemed like the first reach of the draft, the Dolphins went after boom or bust DE Dion Jordan.

4. Philadelphia Eagles - Lane Johnson, T Oklahoma (I predicted Eric Fisher, T Central Michigan)

At least I correctly predicted that the Eagles would go after one of the top tackles. No surprise here (except that the Dolphins didn't take him).

5. Detroit Lions - Ezekiel Ansah, DE BYU (I predicted Dee Milliner, CB Alabama)

The Lions did go after defense (as I predicted) but it was a replacement for Cliff Avril that they were seeking.

6. Cleveland Browns - Barkevious Mingo, DE LSU (I predicted Ezekiel Ansah, DE BYU)

Again, I accurately predicted that the Browns were going to chase a pass rusher - and, who knows, maybe they would have taken Ansah if he were available. But alas, another miss as the Browns take Mingo.

7. Arizona Cardinals - Jonathan Cooper, G North Carolina (I predicted Chance Warmack, G Alabama)

I can take a little solace knowing that once again I picked the right position - just the wrong player. This happened frequently throughout the night.

8. TRADE! St. Louis Rams - Tavon Austin, WR West Virginia (I predicted Ryan Nassib here and WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Rams later in the draft)

The Rams must have been looking at my mock draft and knew they would have to jump ahead of the Jets to get Tavon Austin. Good decision - in my opinion, Austin is the most explosive playmaker in the draft.

9. New York Jets - Dee Milliner, CB Alabama (I predicted Tavon Austin, WR West Virginia)

I think the Jets were thrown off guard by the Rams trade up. They used nearly all of the clock before selecting Milliner. Milliner will be asked to replace Darrelle Revis right away... Good luck.

10. Tennessee Titans - Chance Warmack, G Alabama (I predicted Star Lotulelei, DT Utah)

The run on offensive lineman and pass rushers continued. The Titans are clearly trying to give Chris Johnson no excuses if he decided to suck again this year.

11. San Diego Chargers - D.J. Fluker, T Alabama (I predicted Lane Johnson, T Oklahoma)

Another case of right position, wrong player. The Chargers needed someone for the offensive line and took the best of what was left.

12. TRADE! Oakland Raiders - D.J. Hayden, CB Houston (I predicted Xavier Rhodes here and Shariff Floyd for the Raiders)

The Raiders were one of the winners of the first round. They didn't miss much by trading down and still ended up with one of the drafts top prospects. Win-win.

13. New York Jets - Sheldon Richardson, DT Missouri (I predicted Barkevious Mingo, DE LSU)

Another head scratching pick for the Jets. At first glace, Richardson doesn't seem to fit with Rex Ryan's defensive scheme. Time will tell, but some speculate that when Ryan is fired after this season the Jets will change to a 4-3.

14. Carolina Panthers - Star Lotulelei, DT Utah (I predicted Sheldon Richardson, DT Missouri)

In yet another case of right position, wrong player (are you getting the theme here?) I saw the man that I predicted go the pick before to the Jets. The Panthers take the next best player available.

15. New Orleans Saints - Kenny Vaccaro, S Texas (I predicted Jarvis Jones, LB Georgia)

Going in I think everyone expected this to be a S or a LB - and S won out. Hard to argue with the pick as the Saints snag the best safety in the draft.

16. TRADE! Buffalo Bills - E.J. Manuel, QB Florida State (I predicted the Bills would select Ryan Nassib)

Ugh. Right position and wrong player again. I don't know that anyone saw Manuel as a first round pick - especially if Geno Smith, Ryan Nassib, Matt Barkley and Landry Jones hadn't already been taken. Another head scratcher.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jarvis Jones, LB Georgia (I predicted Kenny Vaccaro, S Texas)

I switched the picks for the Saints and Steelers thinking New Orleans would go a different way. Looks like everyone else was right to give Jones to the Steelers - perhaps he was destined there all along.

18. TRADE! San Francisco 49ers - Eric Reid, S LSU (I predicted the 49ers would draft Reid later in the round)

I guess this may count as getting one right. I did predict that the 49ers were after Reid but I thought they'd wait to select him. What the heck, I'm giving it to myself! I got one right!

19. New York Giants - Justin Pugh, OT Syracuse (I predicted Alec Ogletree, LB Georgia)

With the run on offensive linemen early in the draft, you can hardly blame the Giants for snagging one before they were all gone. Maybe the Giants were planning on getting Pugh in round two but the draft was dictating that you weren't going to be able to wait.

20. Chicago Bears - Kyle Long, OG Oregon (I predicted Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame)

This is another pick that seemed a bit shocking. I remember watching Long at the combine and thinking that he would be an excellent value to someone as a late second, early third round pick. The Bears apparently decided that they didn't want to wait.

21. Cincinnati Bengals - Tyler Eifert, TE Notre Dame (I predicted John Cyprein, S Florida International)

Cincinnati grabbed another offensive weapon for QB Andy Dalton - and I really like the pick. The Bengals seem to be heading on the right track and may compete for the division title this season.

22. TRADE! Atlanta Falcons - Desmond Trufant, CB Washington (I predicted D.J. Hayden to the Falcons later in the round)

Yet another case of wrong player, right position. The Rams traded up to get Austin and then traded down with their second first round pick - definitely another of the day one winners.

23. Minnesota Vikings - Shariff Floyd, DT Florida (I predicted Robert Woods, WR USC)

In my defense the Vikings did snag Cordarralle Patterson later in the draft - so they DID go WR, just not here. I imagine the Vikings were pretty excited to see a potential top 5 pick fall into their laps at 23.

24. Indianapolis Colts - Bjoern Werner, DE Florida State (I predicted Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Tennessee)

The need for a pass rusher trumped anything else for the Colts in round one. I actually like the pick and it seems the Colts expect Werner to fill the 'Paul Kruger' role in the defense.

25. Minnesota Vikings - Xavier Rhodes, CB Florida State (I predicted Manti Te'o, LB Notre Dame)

I really thought that Te'o would be drafted here - but the Vikings apparently liked the size and skill of Rhodes. Can't say I disagree with them.

26. Green Bay Packers - Datone Jones, DE UCLA (I predicted Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama)

Had Werner gone earlier, I truly believe this would have been the Colts pick. The Packers grab someone to help fill the void left behind by Erik Walden (insert sarcasm here).

27. Houston Texans - DeAndre Hopkins, WR Clemson (I predicted Justin Hunter, WR Tennessee)

Everyone seemed to expect the Texans to take a WR with their first round pick - I don't think many expected Hopkins to still be available. Quality pickup for our division rivals.

28. Denver Broncos - Sylvester Williams, DT North Carolina (I predicted Bjoern Werner, DE Florida State)

The Broncos added some meat to their defensive line. Not a sexy pick by any means - but the Broncos don't need much.

29. TRADE! Minnesota Vikings - Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Tennessee (I predicted the Vikings would take WR Robert Woods earlier in the draft)

The Vikings seemed surprised to learn that Patterson was still available and decided to jump back into the first round to get him. It wasn't cheap - but if Patterson can become the playmaker it seems he may be, it will be a winning deal.

30. TRADE! St. Louis Rams - Alec Ogletree, LB Georgia (I predicted the Rams would take DeAndre Hopkins and Jonathan Cooper with their first round picks)

The Rams aren't afraid of guys with character issues - and this may pay off in a big way. Time will tell, but most agree that Ogletree was one of the best defensive players in the draft.

31. TRADE! Dallas Cowboys - Travis Frederick, G/C Wisconsin (I predicted the Cowboys would select Sylvester Williams earlier in the draft)

I think the Cowboys gambled and lost. I think they expected a player to still be around at #31 that didn't last - and then they panicked and took the best player they had on their board. It was, by far, the largest reach of the night.

32. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Elam, S Florida (I predicted Keenan Allen, WR California)

The Ravens decided to try and fill the voids left by safeties Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard. Can't say anything negative about this pick. The Ravens haven't panicked all offseason.

So who are the best players remaining for day two?

Manti Te'o, LB Notre Dame

Justin Hunter, WR Tennesee

Geno Smith, QB West Virginia

Manelik Watson, OT Florida State

Tank Carradine, DE Florida State

Matt Barkley, QB USC

Robert Woods, WR USC

John Cyprein, S Florida International

Ryan Nassib, QB Syracuse

Keenan Allen, WR California

Eddie Lacy, RB Alabama

The Colts have these picks remaining:

3rd Round - #24

4th Round - #24

6th Round - #24

7th Round - #24

7th Round - #48

As always, you can leave your thoughts in the comments section below. If you want more of me - in smaller doses (140 characters at a time) - you can follow me on Twitter at @ColtsInsiders.