This might have been the most interesting first round of the NFL Draft from the past 10 years or so. Goodness me, there was drama at the top with a huge trade, while the Carolina Panthers got their guy in Bryce Young.
For the NY Giants, fans are hyped up about Deonte Banks making his way to town - he's surely got a bright future. Overall, there were countless talking points from the first night of the draft. In this piece, we have our five main takeaways from the big night:
5. The Lions reached with Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs
This is a pick that's going to be talked about for a long time. With the No. 12 overall pick, the Detroit Lions were on the clock and people couldn't believe that they went with Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Everyone on Twitter continues to call them out!
Gibbs is a great talent and his ability to catch the ball and fly up the field makes him dangerous. However, did anyone have him going this high? Nope. Bijan Robinson going No. 8 overall was one thing, but for another running back to go at No. 12 is not something that people expected.
The Lions clearly are focused on adding more offensive firepower and they think that they've done just that with Gibbs. This is a move we can't really agree with, however. There were far better offensive options for the Lions here other than Gibbs. It's a big gamble and we're not sure it's going to pay off for them.
4. Colts made the right call in going with Anthony Richardson over Will Levis
The Indianapolis Colts officially have their franchise signal-caller. With the No. 4 overall pick, general manager Chris Ballard made the right call, going with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson after weeks of speculation on who Indy would go with.
Richardson saw his stock go up in major fashion after an unreal showing at the NFL Combine. He followed things up with a superstar showing at his Pro Day. However, the buzz had continued to grow in recent days that Ballard was thinking about going with Will Levis.
No disrespect to Levis, but there's a reason he fell out of the Top 10. Heck, he wasn't even taken in the first round! Richardson has all the tools to be a dynamic QB in this league and Colts fans are fired up about what he's going to be able to get done in the future. Ballard should enjoy a great meal to celebrate landing such a head-turning player.
3. Houston Texans were huge winners on draft night
After years and years of suffering, the future is looking bright for the Houston Texans - we have no problem admitting that. To start things off, the Texans got their QB as well, going with Ohio State sensation C.J. Stroud. Stroud was in the No. 1 mix for a reason - he's got a cannon for an arm and fantastic athleticism.
Then, the Texans were able to move up and immediately make another pick at No. 3 overall. With that selection, they took the No. 1 defensive player for this class in linebacker Will Anderson Jr. out of Alabama. So, in a matter of minutes, the Texans front office landed both Stroud and Anderson? Holy smokes.
General manager Nick Caserio is putting the right pieces in place for head coach DeMeco Ryans. Yes, the Houston faithful have suffered quite a bit in recent campaigns, but they're surely feeling good right about now. Stroud and Anderson were two of the best players available. Good for the Texans.
2. Eagles DL just got even scarier with the Jalen Carter move
We're not going to lie - we hated the fact that the Eagles were able to draft Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter. Carter was Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 1 best prospect for the NFL Draft and he fell out of the Top 5, which was expected. However, Philly moved up to No. 9 to land him, and all they had to give up was a fourth-round pick.
Carter is a freak of nature. He was a 2022 All-American after recording a dominant campaign for the Bulldogs, helping them win the National Championship Game for the second consecutive season. Imagine Carter lining up next to Jordan Davis on the defensive line for Philly. Sheesh, that's too much talent to handle for opposing linemen.
With the Giants, their interior offensive line is a weakness. So, you're telling us that now they not only have to deal with Davis, but ALSO Carter twice as season? Yeah, we don't like that one bit. The Philly defense got a lot better on Thursday night. Oh, and they also added Nolan Smith right before we hit publish on this article. What a nightmare for the rest of the NFC East.
1. New York Giants crushed it with their first-round pick
Last but not least, Giants general manager Joe Schoen continues to showcase why he's a rockstar in New York and New Jersey. While some people didn't love the fact that the Giants traded up one spot to land Banks - with people assuming he'd still be there at No. 25 - Schoen didn't want to risk someone jumping in front of him for the Maryland playmaker.
Cornerback was a major need for this team entering Thursday's Day 1 of the draft. We'll admit, we wanted to see the Giants land a wide receiver to help out Daniel Jones, but Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston, Jaxon Smith-Njigba AND Zay Flowers were all off the board by the time it was NY's turn.
Minnesota took Addison at No. 23 overall, which broke a lot of NY hearts. Had he been on the board for the Giants, it would have been pretty dang tough for the G-Men to pass on him. However, Minnesota got in the way there. With that said, Banks is a stud CB and he has Pro-Bowl potential. We're ready to see what he can do come the 2023 campaign and beyond.
READ MORE: Giants trade up to land star CB at No. 24 overall