3-Wide: Which first-year QB faces the most pressure?
3-Wide is a weekly feature in which theScore's NFL editors debate the hot topics around the league. Grab a cold towel and brace for hot takes.
Which first-year QB faces the most pressure?
Arun Srinivasan: Carson Wentz is unfairly the face of a new era for the Eagles organization, borne of the despair left in the aftermath of Chip Kelly's departure. Even if he remains on the bench to start the year, Wentz will be counted on in the near future - perhaps by the end of 2016 - to steer the Eagles to the playoffs for the first time in three years. Both the Eagles' fan base and owner Jeffrey Lurie are notoriously impatient and Wentz will face the burden of heavy expectations from all parties involved.
Mitch Sanderson: Jared Goff may be happy about being the first overall pick and all the attention that comes with it, but that may not last long. He's not head and shoulders above his fellow rookie quarterbacks, but his first overall status requires he be the best or be dubbed a bust. His receiver group won't give him much help. He's going to be one of the faces for the NFL's return to Los Angeles and he's expected to be comfortable in that setting as a California kid.
Joe Thomson: Paxton Lynch is going to be the starting quarterback for the defending Super Bowl champions. He and his horrendous facial hair will likely be under the spotlight from Week 1 on and if he proves unworthy of the franchise moving up in the first round to take him, things could get testy. Especially if early losses start piling up and veterans on defense start clamouring for a veteran option at quarterback.
What was the worst pick of the draft?
Sanderson: Who trades back into the second round for a kicker? A kicker? Seriously, Tampa Bay? Roberto Aguayo is a fine kicking prospect, but there is no justification for trading away your third- and fourth-round picks for a guy you can replace with a 40-year-old. Aguayo is far from perfect, only hitting 14 of 22 kicks from beyond 40 yards. With help available at actual positions of need, the Bucs will be haunted by this pick for years to come.
Thomson: The Ravens panic over Laremy Tunsil smoking pot on camera led to the worst pick in the draft. Ronnie Stanley is a nice option, but passing on the best offensive tackle prospect in years is what makes the pick unforgivable. Squandering a gift like Tunsil will come back to haunt Ozzie Newsome and Co.
Srinivasan: New York's selection of Christian Hackenberg in the second round is a further indictment of its inability to commit to the quarterback position. Hackenberg figures to be a long-term project, while Geno Smith and Bryce Petty vie for the team's starting job in 2016, and his rampant inaccuracy does little to separate him from his competition. If the Jets end up re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick, Hackenberg will be rendered irrelevant and an absolute waste of a precious second-round pick.
Which team got the best value after the first round?
Thomson: The Seahawks. Getting first-round talent Jarran Reed late in the second was a steal and they followed it up a round later by taking one of the most exciting offensive weapons in the draft in C.J. Prosise. They got value while addressing position needs, solidifying their depth along the defensive and offensive lines while taking flyers on athletes like tight end Nick Vannett, who could wind up being a hidden gem.
Srinivasan: For the second consecutive year, the Minnesota Vikings nailed the draft, extracting maximum value on the latter two days of the draft. Mackensie Alexander could end up being the draft's best cornerback and will immediately fit into the Vikings' aggressive nickel packages. Moritz Boehringer dominated in Germany, and while he's an unknown commodity, the wide receiver is said to have star potential from many scouts. Linebacker Stephen Weatherly and safety Jayron Kearse will be given ample opportunity to become functional starters and Vikings general manager Rick Spielman ought to rest easy.
Sanderson: The New Orleans Saints needed a solid draft to help an aging offense and the league's worst scoring defense and they made it count. The Saints took Michael Thomas from Ohio State with their second-round pick to be Marques Colston's replacement. They then traded back into the second to get another Ohio State product Vonn Bell, who was called the safest player in the draft by his college coach Urban Meyer. New Orleans went back to the Canadian university well that found them Akiem Hicks for Manitoba's David Onyemata to help their defensive line.