Adam Zobel

The annual NFL draft this past weekend offered die-hard football fans an opportunity to salivate over their favorite team’s new players. While the true impact of the selection process will not be gauged for several years, here are some noticeable highs and lows from this year’s draft.

Highs

Detroit: They traded down one spot with Cleveland and were still able to draft an elite wide receiver in Roy Williams; they also gained a second-round pick, giving them the flexibility to trade up to grab running back Kevin Jones in the late first round. Steve Mariucci gives the Lions a chance to be a team on the rise in his second season.

San Diego: The Chargers got the quarterback for their system in Philip Rivers and two high picks (including a first-rounder next year) after they stood their ground on the first pick with Eli Manning and the Giants.

Minnesota: Mike Tice knows he needs a strong defense this year to get into the playoffs and keep his job. They focused on the defensive line and linebacking corps before grabbing an offensive tackle and running back for the future in the fourth round. Finally, my beloved Vikings did not screw up on the draft clock this year.

Lows

New York Giants: Eli Manning has the potential to be as good as his brother Peyton, but giving up several picks for a quarterback who was comparable to Rivers is not the best way to build a team. In addition, the G-Men’s second-round pick is also the father of the head coach’s grandson. This was definitely not a strong start for the Tom Coughlin era.

Cleveland: His dad may be a Hall of Famer, but Kellen Winslow, Jr. and his immaturity were not worth trading a second-rounder so the Browns could move up one spot, especially for a team that had numerous holes to fill.

Green Bay: Brett Favre is not getting any younger. Yet, the Packers did not draft a heir to #4 since Buffalo traded ahead and grabbed Farve idol J.P. Losman. They focused on adding cornerbacks to their roster and took some players ahead of their projected slot.