Like every sporting event, the NFL draft has winners and losers. Unlike most every other sporting event, though, the draft’s ultimate outcome is not immediately known.
The early returns are always subjective, but in the world of sports and politics, those early returns can generally point to the eventual decision.
Here are three teams that made positive statements and three that made some curious moves during the first three rounds of the NFL draft:
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The Chiefs were desperate to address a porous and aging secondary. Mission accomplished. They had the draft’s best overall player fall to them at No. 5 when teams passed on Tennessee safety Eric Berry. In the second round, the Chiefs added Alabama cornerback Javier Arenas, who also is an all-star kick returner, and versatile weapon Dexter McCluster.
Each of those players has a wide array of skils, especially with the football in his hands. Look for Berry to be the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, for Arenas to be an immediate contributor in five-back situations and on special teams and for McCluster to a perfect complement to free agent acquisition Thomas Jones and a third-down back.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Ravens added supreme value. They traded out of the first round when Jermaine Gresham out of Oklahoma was off the board. Baltimore used two second-round picks on players who had been mentioned as first-round possibilities and added youth to its traditional strong defense.
The Ravens took Texas linebacker Sergio Kindle with the 43rd pick and Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody with the 57th pick. Each fits in Baltimore’s system, and each could be a starter when the season starts. The Ravens added Oregon tight end Ed Dickson, a nice threat in the passing game, in the third round.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
The 49ers went big in Thursday’s first round — drafting tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati — and went after big potential Friday.
The 49ers added safety Taylor Mays, who has the athletic ability of a top-10 pick, in round two and linebacker Navorro Bowman with the 91st overall pick.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
With the 10th overall pick, the Jags — a team with a lot of needs and needing to make a big splash with a lethargic fan base — reached for California defensive tackle Tyson Alualu. Alualu is a decent prospect, but he likely would have been on the board when Jacksonville picked in the second round.
Granted, the Jags had their hopes pegged on C.J. Spiller, who went a pick before at No. 9 to Buffalo, but still.
Without a pick in the second round, the Jags added another project defensive tackle in Louisian Tech’s D’Anthony Smith in the third round. Wow.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Desperation is never a good description of a draft plan, but that’s the one that best fits the Chargers’ mode the last two days.
After Spiller was off the board early in round one, the Chargers moved up to take Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews with the No. 12 pick. Mathews is a fine player, but almost every projection had him staying on the board until the Chargers picked late in the first round. The Chargers’ only other pick in the first three rounds was used on inside linebacker Donald Butler, who is described by Scouts.com as lacking instincts and at times is undisciplined.
ATLANTA FALCONS
The Falcons had just one pick in the first two rounds, but Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon was a reach. Atlanta had hoped to get Michigan defensive Brandon Graham or Georgia Tech defensive end Derrick Morgan, but each was picked a few spots before the Falcons’ slot at No. 19.
Graham will help a defense that has lots of holes, but he does not appear to be the pass rusher the franchise needs, especially with TCU’s Jerry Hughes still on the board.
The team rebounded in round three, though. Atlanta addressed defensive tackle with Kentucky’s Corey Peters and offensive guard with Alabama’s Mike Johnson with a couple of nice third-round picks.