The Rich Top 5: the Teams Nailed the NFL Draft’s First Round

Rich used his Top 5 segment, presented by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, to hand out first-round draft grades while admitting the entire exercise is premature. The teams he ranked were the ones whose boards lined up with their actual picks, whose trades produced extra capital, and whose value matched outside consensus, and the list ended with a question mark next to the Los Angeles Rams that the room would not let him close.

At number five, Rich slotted the Philadelphia Eagles for taking USC receiver Makai Lemon 20th overall, the third Trojan wideout drafted in the first round in five years and a player ranked 12th on Daniel Jeremiah's top 150, an eight-spot value bump. "He's competitive in all situations," Rich quoted Nick Sirianni saying about Lemon's tape, including a chase-down on an interception return. The Cleveland Browns came in at four for executing a board that called for an offensive lineman first and a receiver last, moving down from six to nine to land Spencer Fano while still adding Casey Concepcion later.

Number three was the Tennessee Titans, who took Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate fourth overall and gave new quarterback Cam Ward a true alpha at the position. "The last time they chose an Ohio State player in the first round, this franchise was Eddie George," Rich said, noting that Kelrick Faulk later in the round was the Titans' first first-round defender since Caleb Farley. The Dallas Cowboys landed at number two for trading two fives into two fours while still moving up for Caleb Banks and adding edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku with the pick acquired in the Micah Parsons trade.

The number-one slot went to the New York Jets, a call Rich defended against the homer accusation before it was made. He cited David Bailey as the sixth player since 2000 selected in the top ten after leading the FBS in sacks, a list that includes Will Anderson, Chase Young, Von Miller, Terrell Suggs, and Julius Peppers. Tight end Kenyan Sady ran faster than Odell Beckham at the combine, jumped higher than Julio Jones, and broad-jumped further than Andre Johnson. Receiver Omar Cooper Jr. came in at thirtieth overall as the single biggest value gap on Jeremiah's board, plus thirteen.

The debate started when Rich added a sixth, the Rams, with a question mark next to the Ty Simpson pick. "You cannot look at the Tai Simpson pick in a vacuum," Rich said, defending the inclusion on the strength of cornerback Trent McDuffy. Chris Brockman pushed back hard. "I think this is the biggest first round whiff in years," Brockman said. "Not as long as Caleb Banks is here, we will never say they had the best." Rich's counter was the patience the moment requires. "We just do not know and we will not know until he gets out there," he said.