The NFL draft is all about teams trying to find stars, and these five teams may have done that with their first round selections.
Every NFL front office heads into the first round hoping they can select a future All-Pro. That doesn’t happen for very many people, but these five selections have a real chance to pay off handsomely for their respective franchises.
There’s never a guarantee that a particular first round pick is going to blossom into a star, but some teams do a better job of managing the risk/reward calculation than others. Give real credit to these five picks as being the top selections in Round 1.
5. Montez Sweat to the Redskins at No. 26
There’s no question why Sweat fell so far in the first round. NFL teams were clearly concerned about his medicals. Obviously, Washington felt comfortable with what they heard from doctors.
If Sweat’s heart turns out to be a non-issue, he has a chance to develop into a Pro Bowl edge rusher for the Redskins. Getting that kind of talent doesn’t happen very often with the No. 26 selection in the first round.
Don’t forget, Sweat ran a blistering 4.41 40-yard dash at the Combine. That kind of time for a player who checked in at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds in Indianapolis should score opposing offensive tackles. Sweat could easily turn into be a defensive star in the nation’s capital.