2018 NFL Draft: Lamar Jackson caps off wild first round
The first round of the 2018 NFL Draft was every bit as entertaining as it was unpredictable, right up to the final pick, Lamar Jackson to the Baltimore Ravens.
More: Follow our instant grades and live reactions for every top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft
While the Baltimore Ravens were expected to make some offensive upgrades with their first round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, no one saw coming what they pulled off at the very end of the first day of the festivities. Baltimore traded up to take the spot of the Philadelphia Eagles to cap off the first round, at pick No. 32.
With that 32nd overall pick the Ravens selected the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson. This night for Jackson looked similar to that of former Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Brady Quinn, as he fell down draft boards back in 2007.
However, fans knew that Jackson should have come off the board by the end of the first round, and that’s exactly what ended up happening. Jackson also gets to learn under a Super Bowl winning quarterback in Baltimore in Joe Flacco, as he looks to pass the torch to the former Louisville star.
More: Ravens spend additional first rounder on tight end Hayden Hurst
Altogether, Baltimore gets to add nearly 100 total touchdowns over the last two years of Jackson’s college career to the mix of a suspect offensive group. The Ravens also got an upgrade at tight end by taking the 25-year-old standout from the South Carolina Gamecocks in Hayden Hurst. So, Jackson has a premier target to look to in this draft class too.
The first round could not have been capped off better for Baltimore fans than it did with the Jackson selection. Since Baltimore traded down originally, they played their cards in the initial round of the 2018 NFL Draft very well.
For Jackson to succeed with the Ravens, the franchise needs to be very careful with his development process. Louisville head football coach Bobby Petrino did a great job preparing Jackson for the 2017 season after coming off such a huge sophomore campaign in 2016.
Next: Final 7-Round 2018 NFL Mock Draft
Don’t expect Jackson to come out of the gates throwing for more than 3,000 yards and totaling 30 touchdowns in his rookie season. Given the circumstances surrounding the Ravens, it could take a while before Jackson is ready to go. Because Flacco is there, the Ravens can afford to give him that allotment of time to develop.