ESPN NFL

The New York Giants play their second preseason game of the year Saturday night at 7 pm against the Jets in East Rutherford, N.J. (It's technically a Jets home game, in case you're wondering.) Here's a look at what I'll be watching...

Most closely: The tackles. Will Beatty is out again with the same back injury that's been bugging him since the spring. Based on his brief time as a starter last year, this is still a player who needs practice. And he's not getting any. The longer they go without Beatty on the field, the more the Giants have to wonder if the player they have been hoping could be their long-term answer at left tackle is someone on whom they can rely. If the answer is no, a solution must be found, and I don't think it's as simple as moving David Diehl back over from right tackle in the middle of the preseason. And even if it is or not, someone like Sean Locklear or James Brewer will have to show something on the left or right side to make the Giants think he can be their Week 1 starter. Beatty still could be that, of course, but the game is in 18 days and he can't get on the field. So I'll be watching to see how Diehl, Locklear and Brewer look blocking for the run and against Quinton Coples and the Jets' pass rush.

On the other side of the ball: Prince Amukamara. The Giants' second-year cornerback and 2011 first-round draft pick was picked on during the first preseason game against Jacksonville and said this week he expects more of the same while he works to prove himself. He's getting a chance with Terrell Thomas on the shelf, and the uncertainty that surrounds Thomas and his recovery from knee surgery means Amukamara is a starting corner for the time being. He's got a chance to look good against a banged-up Jets wide receiver corps tonight.

If I think of it: Jayron Hosley, at nickel corner and on punt returns... D.J. Ware vs. David Wilson for the backup running back spot... Mark Herzlich vs. Chase Blackburn at middle linebacker... Which receivers Eli Manning looks as though he trusts most, out of Rueben Randle, Domenik Hixon, Ramses Barden, Jerrel Jernigan and, yes, Martellus Bennett.

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The New York Jets will hold their first team-wide scrimmage of training camp Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET. The AFC East blog will be there to take in all the action.

Here are a few things we will be watching:

• Which quarterback stands out? Starting quarterback Mark Sanchez and popular backup Tim Tebow will be leading separate teams. This will be a good chance to watch both Sanchez and Tebow go head-to-head.
• Overall, I want to see a better performance from the offense. That side of the ball was whipped pretty bad by the defense on Friday. There were few running lanes on the ground and both quarterbacks struggled. Granted, the Jets have a top-five defense. It will be very difficult to dominate New York’s defense in practice on a regular basis. But I want to see the offense, particularly the starters, step up to the challenge and put together some plays against New York’s tough defense.
• Watching New York’s safeties will be interesting. The Jets will have two new starters this year in LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell. Landry has been on a “pitch count” in training camp and practices about every second or third day due to a prior Achilles injury. But Jets head coach Rex Ryan says Landry will scrimmage tonight. Neither safety is great in pass coverage. This will be a chance to see how the Jets’ safeties work together and communicate in a game-like atmosphere.
• Finally, which rookies will flash? The Jets are hoping for production from draft picks such as first-round pick and defensive end Quinton Coples and second-round pick and receiver Stephen Hill. This is the preview before next week’s preseason. This is a chance to get an early look at which first-year players have a chance to show up when the lights are on.

» NFC Camp Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Dates

Three thoughts as training camps open around the NFL:

One thing I'm certain of: The Jets’ defense will be fast and physical. Despite a top-five rating in 2011, New York’s defense was angry this offseason. The Jets’ goal is to have the best defense in the NFL, and this group will take it out on the offense throughout training camp.

New York’s defense is well ahead of its offense. So things could get ugly. The Jets are using more 4-3 concepts to put pressure on the quarterback. The additions of first-round pick Quinton Coples and veteran safety Yeremiah Bell should add more physicality to this group.

One thing that might happen: I'm still not sure Darrelle Revis' contract saga is completely over. Yes, Revis is showing up to training camp on time. But that doesn't mean he's suddenly happy with this contract. Revis will make $13.5 million over the next two years, which is a bargain rate for the best cornerback in football.

The Jets have held firm on their stance. They've paid Revis very well over the past two years and feel their Pro Bowl corner can play at least one season at a discount. So far it looks like New York has the advantage, especially with Revis giving up his only leverage by reporting. But this could still be a story if Revis chooses to make a public display.

One thing we won't see: We will not see a quarterback competition in training camp. Despite the immense outside pressure, Tim Tebow is not competing with starting quarterback Mark Sanchez. Media and fans will be tracking their every move. Each game and week of practice will be scrutinized. But the Jets have no plans to start Tebow right away.

But it will be important for Sanchez to perform well. If Tebow is lighting up the preseason and Sanchez struggles, that leash gets even shorter during the regular season. Sanchez needs to start training camp fast and carry that momentum into the season.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets held their first mandatory minicamp practice at the team's training facility Tuesday. The AFC East blog was there to take in all the action.

Here are some news and notes:

• It was a hot-and-cold day for the quarterbacks. I thought starter Mark Sanchez had the most consistent day. Sanchez threw some beautiful passes in team drills. He completed three touchdown throws to tight end Dustin Keller and receivers Royce Pollard and Chaz Schilens. The catch by Schilens was particularly impressive, because he made a leaping catch over Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis, which doesn’t happen often. Tim Tebow had an up-and-down day but made a couple of nice throws, as well.

• Revis briefly spoke about his contract but didn’t want to make a big issue of it. "The situation will take care of itself," Revis said. The cornerback still said he can't answer whether he will be on time for training camp but pointed out that he’s been in workouts every day so far.

• The injury list was lengthy, but there weren’t many serious ailments to report. Among the key players who did not practice were receiver Santonio Holmes (hamstring), safety LaRon Landry (Achilles) and rookie second-round pick Stephen Hill (hamstring). Hill said he wasn’t sure if he would be able to participate in minicamp this week.

• Holmes suffered his hamstring injury last week, when he made headlines by pulling himself out of practice. He was criticized for it, but the injury was legit. Jets head coach Rex Ryan said veteran players know when something doesn't feel right. Holmes was inactive for a while after a trip to Germany to visit troops.

• Finally, New York rookie first-round pick Quinton Coples stood out on a few plays. He nearly picked off Sanchez near the line of scrimmage on one play but dropped the ball. He did pushups after the drop. Coples also zipped around the corner for a would-be sack of Sanchez in team drills.

It's not a newsflash that the Pittsburgh Steelers wanted David DeCastro. Pittsburgh selected the Stanford guard with the 24th overall pick, taking him over Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower.

But how much the Steelers coveted DeCastro will probably surprise you. According to NFL Network, the Steelers had a draft-day trade in place with the New York Jets to move up to No. 16, one spot ahead of the Bengals, and take DeCastro.

The Jets were reportedly willing to fall back to the Steelers' spot at No. 24 to get pass-rushing defensive linemen Bruce Irvin or Quinton Coples. Once the Seahawks surprisingly chose Irvin at No. 15, the Jets backed out of the trade with the Steelers and drafted Coples, NFL Network reported.

On April 26, the night of the first round, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert was asked if the team had attempted to trade up for DeCastro after selecting him. "I’ll leave that to the imagination," Colbert said last month. "I’ll just say again, we identified several guys that we thought we would entertain trading up to get, and this kid was one of them."

You could tell the Steelers were excited to get DeCastro that night because they used the word "excited" three times in Colbert and Mike Tomlin's opening statement about DeCastro. In the end, the Steelers still got the top-rated guard in the draft by staying put and not losing draft picks.

It's not known what the Steelers were willing to give up, but they might have had to trade their picks in the third and fourth rounds to move up for DeCastro, according to the draft trade chart. Pittsburgh selected linebacker Sean Spence in the third round and moved up in the fourth for nose tackle Alameda Ta'amu. The Steelers' entire draft would have looked completely different and wouldn't have been as strong.

The reason behind the trade was getting in front of the Bengals, who had been heavily linked to DeCastro leading up to the draft. But Cincinnati was more interested in Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler than DeCastro. The Bengals passed on DeCastro at No. 17 (when they chose Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick) and No. 21 (when they traded back to No. 27). According to the Bengals' official website, the team got an extra third-round pick to fall back six spots to get Zeitler, who would've been their choice if they remained at No. 21.

Russell Wilson, the quarterback the Seattle Seahawks drafted in the third round Friday, probably lost millions of dollars when he stopped growing.

His height, measured by NFL scouting combine officials at 5-foot-10 and five-eighths of an inch, doesn't measure up to long-established league standards. That is why the Seahawks were able to draft the Wisconsin quarterback with only the 75th overall choice even though Wilson appears dynamic by other measures, including his arm, athleticism and leadership.

ESPN's Herm Edwards liked the selection and explains why in the video above.

History discounts the chances for a shorter quarterback. Wilson is not small, however. He had the fourth-largest hands of any quarterback at the combine: 10 1/4 inches, tied with defensive lineman Quinton Coples, guard Kevin Zeitler and 21 others for the 24th-biggest hands at the combine.

Brock Osweiler, the tallest combine quarterback at 6-foot-7, had smaller hands than Wilson. Ryan Tannehill, drafted eighth overall, had substantially smaller hands: 9 inches, tied with Yale's Patrick Witt for smallest at the combine.

Wilson, who finished second to Robert Griffin III among combine quarterbacks with a 4.55-second time in the 40-yard dash, did have the third-shortest arm length for any quarterback at the combine. Nick Foles, Osweiler and Andrew Luck ranked among the top five. The difference between Luck's arm length (32 5/8 inches) and that of Wilson (31) means what, exactly? I'm not sure.

Some of these measurement differentials might not mean much. Height would matter more to teams as they assess whether a quarterback can see the field well enough from inside the pocket. Edwards' feeling is that Wilson should be a good backup, with a chance to become more.

The NFL draft is in the books, and the next step is to get rookies signed with their new teams. The new rookie wage scale has helped teams sign players much easier. The drama and potential for holdouts have been taken away now that teams, players and agents already know what kind of contract to expect based on their projected slot.

Here is a quick look at what players made last year, and what the latest AFC East rookies can expect:

No. 8 pick: QB Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

2011 No. 8 pick: QB Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (four years, $12.58 million)

No. 10 pick: CB Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo Bills

2011 No. 10 pick: QB Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars (four years, $12 million)

No. 16 pick: DE Quinton Coples, New York Jets

2011 No. 16 pick: DE Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins (four years, $8.72 million)

No. 21 pick: DE Chandler Jones, New England Patriots

2011 No. 21 pick: DT Phil Taylor, Cleveland Browns (four years, $8.1 million)

No. 25 pick: LB Dont'a Hightower, New England Patriots

2011 No. 25 pick: OT James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks (four years, $7.641 million)

These contracts are absolute bargains for teams. That is why so many were trading into the top 10 at an unprecedented rate.

Even Miami's pick at No. 8 will be cheap compared to what quarterbacks in the draft usually make. Tannehill will average about $3-$4 million per year on his rookie contract? That’s not much risk for the Dolphins. Other AFC East teams will be risking even less thanks to the rookie wage scale.

The New York Jets had an unexpected luxury Thursday night when former North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples and former South Carolina defensive end Melvin Ingram were both on the board at No. 16. Most expected to the Jets to take Ingram, who appeared to be a great fit in Jets coach Rex Ryan's 3-4 defense.

But New York took Coples instead. He has a ton of natural ability but questions about his motor. The San Diego Chargers happily took Ingram two picks later, and the development of both players will be something to keep an eye on.

Did the Jets make the right choice? ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. weighed in :

"The Jets surprised me when they went with Quinton Coples over Melvin Ingram in Round 1. To be blunt, I just think Ingram is the superior player -- and I have outside linebacker as New York's top need. Coples is a more natural fit as a 4-3 defensive end, and the obvious conclusion is Rex Ryan intends to move him inside. Still, I don't see him as a significant help in a need area -- the pass rush."

The Coples-Ingram debate will linger in New York for the next few years. Coples should have a chip on his shoulder to prove he was the right choice for the Jets over Ingram.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


The AFC East struggled mightily last year. Only the New England Patriots finished with a winning record. The New York Jets (8-8), Miami Dolphins (6-10) and Buffalo Bills (6-10) are all playing catch up this season.

The draft is the best way for the Jets, Dolphins and Bills to close the gap with the reigning AFC champs. It's also an opportunity for New England to get better, particularly on defense, in order to make another Super Bowl run.

Here are the highlights of the AFC East draft:

BEST MOVE

The best move was actually a series of moves by the Patriots. It was clear New England needed defensive help. The Patriots' defense was ranked 31st overall, and it was an issue on the final drive of the Super Bowl.

New England drafted six straight defensive players. Defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower, both first-rounder, have a chance to make an immediate impact. New England moved up twice in the first round to pick Jones and Hightower.

"I felt like we got good value for them," coach Bill Belichick said. "[We] took Dont'a and Chandler, probably could have been in either order. But we felt like we would have a better chance to end up with both players if it went that way, not that we were sure we would get the second one, but we thought we might have a shot at it. Looking forward to working with both guys."

New England also took pass-rushing defensive end Jake Bequette in the third round. He could be a sleeper. The Patriots made one curious pick on defense in the second round that we will get to later.

The Patriots did a good job overall, but an individual move I really like is Miami's pick of former Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin. I had the chance to watch Stanford several times, and I was really impressed. He moves well, has a good frame and is intelligent.

"He's used to playing with a very demanding quarterback with Andrew (Luck), and they trusted him to protect Andrew for three years," Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said of Martin. "We're very happy with the pick."

Martin has to move from left tackle to right tackle, because Pro Bowler Jake Long is on Miami's roster. But that's an easier transition to make than going from right to left tackle.

The Buffalo Bills also made some solid picks, particularly first-round corner Stephon Gilmore and second-round offensive tackle Cordy Glenn. Buffalo had a safe draft that should help the team immediately next season.

RISKIEST MOVE

The New York Jets entered the offseason with a lot of questions. Can they fix their locker room issues? Can they handle the Tim Tebow phenomenon?

Instead of going safe, the Jets continued to roll the dice by taking risky prospects with their top two picks: defensive end Quinton Coples and receiver Stephen Hill. Both are boom-or-bust prospects the Jets plan to rely on next season.

New York needs help rushing the passer and hope Coples can provide it. He has all the physical tools, but there are big questions about his motivation. The Jets also need a big-play receiver, and Hill could be that player. He has all the measurables but wasn’t productive at Georgia Tech, which ran a triple-option offense. Hill caught just 28 passes last season but averaged an astounding 29.3 yards per reception.

"I feel great. Especially now, I'm in more of an offense where I can catch the ball a little bit more," Hill said. "And you know, catching the ball from [quarterback] Mark Sanchez is great. I'm going to make sure I get with him as soon as possible and we both try to get this roll on."

Both players have the potential to start as soon as next season.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

Belichick has some explaining to do. The Patriots took a player in the second round who wasn’t invited to the NFL combine or any pre-draft all-star games.

Patriots second-round pick Tavon Wilson caught everyone completely by surprise. The defensive back wasn’t on anyone’s radar, especially in the second round. But New England liked him enough to take Wilson No. 48 overall.

"He played plenty. You can see him plenty at Illinois," Belichick said. "You can see him against whoever you want to see him against: All the Big Ten schools, Arizona State, teams that throw the ball. He’s playing corner, he’s playing safety, he’s playing the inside positions, the nickel position, the dime position."

Belichick is known to go off the radar in the draft at times. He continues to defend the Wilson pick.

"Similar situation with [Sebastian] Vollmer a couple of years ago. We drafted guys -- I think one year, didn't we draft like three of four guys that were non-combine guys?" Belichick said. "Some guys play in all-star games, some guys don't. I don't know who picks all those all-star teams. In all honesty, I don't know who picks the combine for that matter."

New England needs immediate help in the secondary. Wilson has experience in college at cornerback and safety and will get a chance to show what he can do in New England.

FILE IT AWAY

This is the perfect category for Miami first-round selection and rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. You can probably file this pick away until 2013.

Tannehill will begin the season third on Miami's depth chart behind incumbent starter Matt Moore and free-agent signing David Garrard. The odds that the rookie will jump two veteran quarterbacks before Week 1 are long. But Tannehill isn't resigning himself to holding a clipboard.

"I'm a football player and I'm a competitor," Tannehill said Saturday. "I want to be on the field and I want to compete. But I also realize that I'm coming in and there's veteran quarterbacks on this team that I can learn from."

The race for the No. 2 quarterback in the AFC East behind Tom Brady is wide open. Tannehill has the potential to fill that void in two or three years. But the Dolphins have to do the right things to nurture the young quarterback, despite very high expectations.

Tannehill is the first quarterback taken in the first round by Miami since Hall of Famer Dan Marino in 1983.

"I didn't take him as the eighth pick in the draft to be a backup quarterback," Ireland said. "I picked him to be a starting quarterback in this league at some point, to have an impact on this football team, to help us win football games and championships. That's the expectation that I have going down the line."

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The shift in NFL disciplinary emphasis from off-field behavior to on-field safety should serve the NFC West well over the coming months.

The division took calculated gambles early and often in the 2012 NFL draft, selecting players with rap sheets as varied as the players' on-field skill sets.

But player safety is trumping player behavior as the prevailing NFL issue these days, and NFC West teams aren't likely to draw much scrutiny for their decisions, at least initially.

Five of the first 10 players NFC West teams selected had, at various times, faced accusations relating to drunken driving (Michael Floyd), robbery (Bruce Irvin), marijuana possession (Janoris Jenkins), attempted strangulation (LaMichael James) and resisting arrest (Trumaine Johnson).

They were not all charged nor convicted. They are not necessarily bad guys, of course. But each carried red flags into the evaluation process. Each represents a heightened risk for his new NFC West team.

What's going on here?

A theory: Pete Carroll, Jeff Fisher and Jim Harbaugh, in particular, are three of the higher-profile, more highly paid coaches in the NFL. Higher-paid coaches tend to have more power (Carroll and Fisher demanded personnel influence as a condition of employment). Coaches also tend to listen to their assistants. They might be more apt to take chances, confident in their ability to manage players.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, also well-compensated and facing a pivotal year at quarterback, has made it clear that he's a believer in drafting with character in mind. He also might need to win his bet on Kevin Kolb, perhaps one reason the Cardinals, having done their homework on Floyd, took the first calculated gamble among NFC West teams.

Arizona made Floyd the second receiver drafted, taking him at No. 13. Irvin went to Seattle two spots later, followed by Jenkins to St. Louis (39th), James to San Francisco (61st) and Johnson to the Rams (65th).

BEST MOVE

The Rams' pre-draft move to trade back four spots from the second overall pick set up their next three drafts, beginning with this one.

Moving back again from sixth to 14th overall brought a 2012 second-rounder in return, leaving the Rams with six of the first 96 overall selections -- the most for any team in recent seasons (New England had six of the first 97 picks in the 2009 draft).

With three second-round choices this year, the Rams felt comfortable taking a chance on Jenkins, a player widely regarded as a first-round talent. Jenkins might have the ability to make this draft for the Rams, but taking him at No. 39 and amid so many other early selections insulated the team from undue risk.

The Rams move forward with four first-round selections over the next two drafts. They're in position to get better the right way through the draft.

RISKIEST MOVE

There were a few candidates for consideration, including the Cardinals' decision to draft a wide receiver instead of an offensive tackle at No. 13.

But Irvin's selection with the 15th overall choice stands out given his background, one-dimensional nature and the surprise factor associated with his selection.

Irvin dropped out of high school, lived on the streets for two years, was arrested on robbery charges and more recently was charged with disorderly conduct. His life and career have been trending in the right direction for a few years, but with so few analysts projecting Irvin for the first round, the Seahawks can expect louder than usual criticism if Irvin fails to develop.

Seattle could have drafted Fletcher Cox, Quinton Coples, Michael Brockers, Melvin Ingram or Chandler Jones among the defensive players available when the Seahawks were scheduled to select with the 12th overall choice. They traded back and took Irvin after Philadelphia took Cox at No. 12 and St. Louis took Brockers at No. 14.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

We could double up on Irvin in this space, but the 49ers deserve a mention as well.

They made Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins a surprise selection with the 27th overall choice. Analysts knew San Francisco might consider a receiver in the first round, but if any of them projected Jenkins as a possibility in that slot, that would be news to me.

Personnel people I've spoken with said they liked Jenkins. The Rams reportedly had him ranked not far behind Justin Blackmon, the first receiver selected.

Receivers Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffery and Rueben Randle drew more mention before the draft. All were available when the 49ers selected Jenkins, as were Brian Quick and Ryan Broyles, all taken in the second round. The 49ers will get an up-close look at Quick, drafted by the Rams. But Jenkins was the player they wanted.

FILE IT AWAY

The quarterback situations in Seattle and Arizona have become more competitive.

The Seahawks used a third-round choice for Wisconsin's Russell Wilson, a strong-armed quarterback with fantastic intangibles. Concerns over Wilson's 5-foot-11 height knocked him down draft boards, but a third-round pedigree in Seattle should put Seahawks quarterbacks Matt Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson and Justin Portis on notice.

Arizona used a sixth-round choice for San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley. The Cardinals have shown a willingness to let less-heralded quarterbacks compete for playing time. John Skelton and Max Hall over the last couple seasons come to mind. With Kolb and John Skelton battling for the starting job, Lindley arrives as a potential alternative for the future.

The 49ers did not head into this draft needing to draft a quarterback, but this is a good time to recall the move they made to acquire Colin Kaepernick in the second round a year ago. Alex Smith is the incumbent starter, but his contract gives the 49ers an easy out after one or two seasons.

We noted early Friday morning that the Green Bay Packers plan to use first-round draft pick Nick Perry as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme. Perry bulked up to 271 pounds this offseason, presumably in preparation to land with a 4-3 team and play defensive end, but the Packers believe his speed and athletic ability will allow him to make the transition.

I'm never a big fan of questioning such football technicalities a day after the draft, but it's fair to point out that not everyone across the league is completely sold on the idea of Perry in a 3-4. Longtime general manager Bill Polian, now an ESPN analyst, said that the selection of Perry, along with Quinton Coples by the New York Jets and Whitney Mercilus by the Houston Texans raise questions about fit and scheme.

"In the picks of Mercilus, Perry and Coples," Polian said, "you have guys that you don't on the surface say, 'Oh that's a perfect fit for the defensive system. So I'll be very anxious to see -- these are all good football payers, by the way, and good picks -- but I'll be very anxious to see how they plan to be used by the team's that acquired them. It's interesting."

My take: It's not whether a player fits into a scheme, but how the team adjusts or massages its scheme to fit the player. Eliminating talented players because of short-term scheme questions significantly limits the pool of help for any team. Perry will play the biggest role in his own success, but the a chunk of the responsibility lies with the Packers in finding the best way to use him within their structure.

We'll obviously have much more throughout the day. For now, feel free to check out ESPN.com's pick-by-pick draft analysis, complete with Scouts Inc.'s take on each player and video assessments from Todd McShay.

Our latest SportsNation poll in the AFC East obviously focuses on the NFL draft. Day 1 is in the books, and we want your take.

Which division team had the best first round? There were five picks total on Thursday night, and four picks were used on defense.

Was it the Miami Dolphins? They drafted first at No. 8 and took former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill. He is one of the biggest mysteries in this draft. Did the Dolphins land the next prolific quarterback or another draft bust?

Did the Buffalo Bills have the best draft? The Bills played it safe with cornerback Stephon Gilmore at No. 10. He is a solid player with the ability to start right away.

What about the New York Jets. They stood pat at No. 16 and drafted former North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples. There are questions about Coples’ motor but not his ability. Was he the best draft pick in the AFC East?

Finally, the New England Patriots made two shrewd moves to land defensive prospects Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower. The Patriots traded up twice, which was unconventional for them. Did New England have the best Day 1?

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team had the best first day of the draft. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

RENTON, Wash. -- There were no bold strikes up the draft board for NFC West teams Thursday night.

There was resignation among those hoping the St. Louis Rams would emerge with a No. 1 wide receiver for quarterback Sam Bradford. The Rams traded down instead, taking LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers after wideouts Justin Blackmon and Michael Floyd vanished from the talent pool right before St. Louis picked.

There was the expected in Arizona, where the Cardinals went with Floyd over tackle Riley Reiff, no slam dunk but a widely projected scenario in recent weeks.

There was waiting in San Francisco, where the 49ers did not pick until No. 30, where they selected Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins shortly after two top guards landed elsewhere.

And then there was utter shock in Seattle, where the Seahawks used the 15th overall choice for a player with more time logged in jail than in the mainstream media mock drafts circulating recently.

The Seahawks could have had pass-rushers Quinton Coples, Melvin Ingram or Chandler Jones, but instead they went with West Virginia's Bruce Irvin, a former junior-college transfer with a rough past, a sensational first step and a history with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who once recruited him to USC.

Irvin is not Charles Haley, Chris Doleman, Derrick Thomas or Dwight Freeney. He is not even Von Miller or Jevon Kearse. The Seahawks think he'll become that type of player quickly, however, and they are not shy about leaving that impression. It's an upset if Irvin fails to reach double digits in sacks this season, to hear the Seahawks speak of him.

"This guy comes off the ball like Dwight Freeney and Von Miller and Jevon Kearse," general manager John Schneider said.

Irvin is not for everyone. At 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, he's a pure pass-rusher, not a player with the strength to anchor against the run on early downs. Irvin represents what Carroll wants for the "Leo" role manned capably by Chris Clemons in recent years. Irvin will play immediately as a situational pass-rusher. The plan will be to groom him as Clemons' successor eventually.

"He is exactly the makeup that you are looking for," Carroll said. "This goes all the way back to Charles Haley and Chris Doleman and Derrick Thomas. That is the kind of effect this guy has a chance to have. He has a lot to learn. He is going to have to grow up with us and learn our system. But the makeup of this player is so rare. He looks like a carbon copy of Von Miller rushing the passer."

Seattle spent big to retain run-stuffing defensive end Red Bryant in free agency. The money Bryant commanded means he'll be on the field for early downs. And with Clemons coming off an 11-sack season, that meant the Seahawks weren't looking for an every-down defensive end. They were looking for a player with a unique set of skills, and Irvin fits on that front. His 6.7-second time in the three-cone drill was the fastest for any player at the scouting combine.

"This position is so rare to find a guy that runs this fast," Carroll said.

Irvin follows a pattern in Seattle. Bryant is much bigger than the typical defensive end. Brandon Browner (6-4) and Richard Sherman (6-3) are taller than the typical cornerback. Kam Chancellor is the biggest strong safety in the league. Earl Thomas might be the NFL's fastest free safety. Linebacker K.J. Wright stands 6-4 and is rangier than most.

Now comes Irvin, who played wide receiver in high school before flunking out as a junior. Irvin was living on the streets for two years, at one point keeping his possessions in a bag. He spent a couple weeks in jail after allegedly robbing a drug dealer. Irvin pulled himself together, earned his GED and landed, eventually, on the football team at Mount San Antonio College.

"I went through a lot of stuff in my life," Irvin said. "I've seen a lot. The average person would not be on this call."

Nothing came of a more recent arrest for destruction of property.

"The Lord knew it was B.S.," Irvin said, drawing laughter from reporters huddled around a conference-call speaker at Seahawks headquarters.

A year ago, the Seahawks shocked draft analysts by selecting tackle James Carpenter with the 25th overall choice. Carpenter hadn't appeared in many first-round mock drafts, but the Seahawks weren't the only team with a first-round grade on him. Pittsburgh and Green Bay also liked him. An injury derailed Carpenter last season, making it tough to evaluate that choice. The Irvin selection was similar in that virtually no one projected the move.

So far, though, Carroll has usually been right when targeting specific defensive players for specific roles. And there is precedent within the division for surprise first-round selections making an immediate impact.

The 49ers selected Aldon Smith seventh overall last year when few projected the Missouri pass-rusher to San Francisco. Smith, unlike Irvin, was widely considered a top-15 prospect by analysts. Smith finished his rookie season with 14 sacks, finishing behind only Miller in defensive-rookie-of-the-year balloting, even though conventional wisdom suggested Smith would need time to develop.

Smith succeeded right away largely because the 49ers used him properly, asking him to do the one thing he could do best: rush the passer.

The bar has been set high for Irvin.

"I'm just a great athlete," Irvin said. "I'm going to do great things for this organization. The sky is the limit for me."

MIAMI -- The New York Jets pulled off a mild surprise at No. 16. They had their choice of two pass-rushers, and picked Quinton Coples over Melvin Ingram.

Coples has a world of talent, but doesn’t have a high motor. He has top-10 ability, and the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan feel they can get the most out of him.

I thought Ingram was a better pick and a better fit for New York’s 3-4 scheme. Ingram was a safer pick, but doesn’t have the physical abilities Coples have. The Jets went for the player with more natural ability.

The Jets still have several needs at safety, wide receiver and right tackle that could be addressed later in the draft.