Most mock drafts had Will Levis, a quarterback from Kentucky, being picked early in the first round. Kentucky quarterback Will Levis waiting in the green room with his family. He was on site at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., enduring the agonizing wait in the green room that quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Lamar Jackson experienced during past drafts. Meanwhile, Will Levis, the 6-foot-4 Kentucky quarterback who was projected to be among the top picks, did not hear his name called. That sparked a run of four straight receivers - the longest first-round run for the position since the A.F.L. In an another anachronistic turn, the first receiver did not come off the board until the Seahawks took Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. Coach Dan Campbell’s Lions, who a few picks later chose an inside linebacker, Jack Campbell, were not afraid to zig when the rest of the league is zagging. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons - becoming the first running back taken in the top 10 since the Giants’ Saquon Barkley in 2018.Īn even bigger shock came just four picks later when the Detroit Lions - who signed the former Bears running back David Montgomery in free agency - selected Alabama’s Jahmyr Gibbs at No. Texas’ Bijan Robinson, who was named college football’s best running back last season, went No. One unexpected development was the move toward running backs, a position that has been devalued in the N.F.L.

Carter, a standout performer on Georgia’s top-ranked defense, pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing last month, stemming from a car crash in January that killed two people, including a Georgia teammate. In another high-profile trade, the Philadelphia Eagles moved up one spot to select defensive tackle Jalen Carter at No. celebrating with fans after being chosen by the Texans at No.

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