32 thoughts about the first round - Dolphins, Colts, Patriots and more

You never know what you're going to see in the NFL Draft and last night was no exception. While there weren't a whole lot of trades, there were some head scratching picks. Of course, we don't know exactly what a team's plan may be heading into the rest of the draft and we have no idea how these teams evaluated these players. However, from what I know and from what has been discussed, we can at least build a foundation of our opinions. With that said, here are my thoughts about every draft pick in round one of the 2015 NFL Draft.

• Jameis Winston was the right move to the Buccaneers. Not only will he help sell tickets down in Florida, but he'll be able to bring energy and swagger to a franchise that desperately needs it.

• I don't know if Marcus Mariota will succeed with Ken Whisenhunt, but the Tennessee Titans absolutely made the right decision to keep the pick and draft him. You simply don't pass up on a franchise quarterback, especially when the rest of the class is weak along with the 2016 class.
  

• The Jacksonville Jaguars could have gone with Amari Cooper to pair up with Blake Bortles but instead, stayed on defense and drafted Dante Fowler. This is a solid pick, but I believe that Cooper would have helped the Jaguars more than Fowler will.
  

• The Oakland Raiders seemed destined to select a wide receiver and when the Jaguars passed on Amari Cooper, they didn't hesitate to turn in their card. He'll do great things with their young quarterback, Derek Carr.

• The Washington Redskins selecting Brandon Scherff was confusing. Yes, they need some offensive line help but I believe they needed much more help on defense and Leonard Williams was still on the board. Williams would have made a major impact from day one - Scherff will be an absolute beast on the line but how much better is he going to make the Redskins?

• How could the New York Jets pass on Leonard Williams? They clearly went best player available here because as of right now, there isn't much room on the line for him. However, they'll figure out a way to make it work, giving them one of the scariest defensive lines in the league.

• I love that the Chicago Bears picked Kevin White. He is an impact player and paired with Alshon Jeffery, White is going to do great things. Now, if they could find a quarterback to get him the ball on a consistent basis, then he'll be able to take the next step and become truly elite.

• This one was one of the most obvious picks in the draft with the Atlanta Falcons selecting Vic Beasley. Beasley will be a force on the defense and is someone the Falcons desperately needed.

• Some may consider Ereck Flowers a reach by the New York Giants but there are those who say that he will end up being the best offensive lineman in the draft. In addition, we don't know if they had any good offers from teams looking to trade up. The Giants liked Flowers and got their guy.
  

• Was this the biggest surprise of the first round when the St. Louis Rams picked Todd Gurley? I think so. No one expected Gurley to go here but when looking at it more, you shouldn't be surprised that Jeff Fisher and the Rams' front office took the best player available. Great pick for the Rams. I'm rooting for Gurley.

• Remember when Rick Spielman ran the Dolphins and made head scratching picks? He made another one last night when he selected Trae Waynes. Yes, the Vikings need secondary help but Waynes has a few flaws in his game that may make it hard for him to transition to the NFL. They also need wide receiver help and DeVante Parker was still on the board. Waynes may end up being a great player, but we'll have to see how this shakes out.

• Danny Shelton was one of the top players available when the Cleveland Browns were on the clock and they took him, solidifying the middle of their defensive line. The Browns needed help there and they got one of the top three tackles in the draft.

• There are many who say that Andrus Peat will be the best tackle in this draft when it's all said and done. The New Orleans Saints must agree as they selected him to protect Drew Brees. Nice, solid pick here.

• Leading up to the draft, DeVante Parker was linked to the Miami Dolphins. When Gurley and Cooper were off the board, this seemed like the most obvious pick. They wasted no time turning in their card and got the guy who was the number three player on their draft board. Parker has been compared to AJ Green and has all the potential of being something special in the NFL.

• How perfect of a fit is Melvin Gordon  in San Diego? The Chargers traded up for him and he'll be their number one running back right away, taking a ton of pressure of quarterback Phillip Rivers. Great pick.

• The Houston Texans selected Kevin Johnson. Johnson was the Dolphins' target had Parker been off the board when they picked at 14. He'll be able to come in and start from the first day, although he is a bit undersized.

• Everyone saw this coming when the San Francisco 49ers selected Arik Armstead. He'll be able to provide solid play on the defensive line and is a good fit for the new regime.

• I didn't think of it when the Kansas City Chiefs were on the clock but when they announced that Marcus Peters was the pick, it made complete sense. Andy Reid is well known for working with troubled players and Peters is no different. I think Reid got an absolute steal here and Peters will go on to do great things with the Chiefs.

• The Browns have no quarterback so they are doing everything they can to protect whoever will be under center. By picking Cameron Erving, they have one of the top offensive lineman in the draft. He'll be a solid force on the line, although I still think the Browns had more pressing needs and could've went in a different direction, such as wide receiver.

• Nelson Agholor is a great fit in Chip Kelly's offense. He is similar to Jeremy Maclin in terms of the possession type receiver. Kelly will have fun running slants and other horizontal routes with Agholor. If he is everything as advertised, he can make a big impact in his first year with the Eagles.

• I'm not very high on Cedric Ogbuehi and when the Cincinnati Bengals selected him, it was a plain reaction. It appears that they are doing what they can to help Andy Dalton and get him over the hump.

• I do think the PIttsburgh Steelers were targeting a cornerback but with Johnson and Peters off the board, they went with Bud Dupree. The Steelers love their defensive players and Dupree will be able to make an impact right away.

• The jokes will write themselves here with the Denver Broncos selecting Shane Ray. Ray was busted for marijuana in the days leading up to the draft and guess what's legal in Colorado? Yup, marijuana! Ray has all the talent in the world but if he can't knock his off the field problems, he won't be able to do much. Risky pick for the Broncos.

• The Arizona Cardinals wanted Dupree but they couldn't trade up with the Bengals to get him. Instead, they played it safe and went with offensive lineman D.J. Humphries. It's not exciting but he will get the job done for Bruce Arians.

• The Carolina Panthers desperately need help for Cam Newton and the offensive line so one would think they move in that direction. Who did they pick though? Shaq Thompson, a versatile player who seems like he can play everything except offensive line. This is a pick that makes you think what the Panthers are doing.

• I don't like Breshad Perriman and that makes me wonder why the Baltimore Ravens selected him. OF course, they know way more than me but the drops and inconsistency with Perriman has been well documented by major analysts. Usually, the Ravens go for the sure thing but Perriman is anything but a sure thing. We'll see how his career plays out in Baltimore.

• The Dallas Cowboys did good picking Byron Jones. Jones grew up in my hometown and I'm glad to see him head to a team that will compete for a playoff spot basically every year. He fits a big hole for them and can play both cornerback and safety. He'll be a starter from day one.

• The Detroit Lions went safe with Laken Tomlinson. They do need to consider finding a replacement for Ndamukong Suh and with Malcolm Brown, Eddie Goldman and others on the board, one might wonder why they didn't go in that direction. Certainly, this will be something to focus on the rest of the draft for the Lions.

• I do not understand why the Indianapolis Colts selected Phillip Dorsett. They have a great group of wide receivers already and there is going to be a battle for playing time. Make no mistake - Dorsett will thrive with the Colts. However, their offense wasn't the reason why they couldn't get to the Super Bowl. It was because their defense was absolutely gashed by the New England Patriots in the playoffs.

• One year after selecting Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, the Green Bay Packers picked another safety in Damarios Randall. The jury is out on Randall and some were surprised he went in the first round. Nonetheless, they'll have two young safeties to roam the top of the defense. They just need to hope that Randall becomes everything they think he can.

• Another player that some may wonder why he was selected in round one is Stephone Anthony. Yes, he has quite a bit of talent but many had been projecting him in the middle of the second round. The Saints must've had a conviction on him and they got their guy. I just don't fully understand the pick here as I feel there were better players on the board.

• The New England Patriots strike again, this time selecting Malcolm Brown. Some will say that Brown will be the second best defensive tackle in the draft behind Leonard Williams. Brown isn't the most motivated guy but I have no reason to believe that he can't be changed, especially in the Patriots locker room.

This column was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs