Well, another NFL Draft is in the books. Just like every year, there were plenty of surprises to be had, and that's exactly what makes the NFL Draft so exciting. When the Miami Dolphins traded up to the #3 pick, how many of you were ready to see offensive tackle Lane Johnson hold up a Dolphins uniform? Hearing linebacker Dion Jordan's name called by Roger Goodell was just one of many shockers from the first round (EJ Manuel being the first quarterback selected and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd's drop were also shocking), and the crowd at Radio City Music Hall made it all the more riveting. Even some big names such as linebacker Manti Te'o and quarterback Geno Smith fell to the second round of the draft, keeping everyone in suspense in the meantime. So, with the draft finally over, the question remains just like it does every year: who had the best draft? There are many factors to consider when addressing this question. Value picks, picks that filled a need and how a team used the amount of picks they had all have to be considered to find out who had the best draft on paper. Of course, we can't really judge who had the best draft until we see these college players actually play in the NFL, but we can get an idea of who made the best picks based on rankings of the players going into the draft. Generally, the best drafts go to the teams that sit at their position, wait for players to fall in their lap, and pick them immediately. Teams such as the Buffalo Bills ignored this philosophy all together, but that's for another article at another time. Let's take a look at the 5 teams who seemed to walk away with the best draft classes this year:
Honorable Mention: Green Bay Packers
Many analysts and common fans believe the Packers had the best draft, and I can see why. Defensive tackle/end Datone Jones was a solid pick in the first round, and will contribute immediately for the Packers defense. For the offense, the Packers grabbed two of the best running backs in the draft: Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin. Last year, after Cedric Benson went down with an injury, the Packer's running game never had a chance, getting stuffed time and time again with the likes of Alex Green and James Starks leading the backfield. Lacy and Franklin could create a great 1-2 punch for this explosive offense, especially if Lacy can stay healthy and motivated. The rest of their draft didn't live up to the level of these three picks, but the Packers came out of the draft overall as winners yet again.