11 PM ET April 27:

That’s a wrap… The 2008 draft is in the books. And if nothing else the NFL’s attempt to speed things up appears to have been a success. The opening round, for example, literally just rocketed along taking barely 3 and a half hours, compared with last year’s deadly six hours plus. In fact, this year’s first two rounds actually were done in less time than it took to complete the first in 2007. And overall, it certainly felt like the draft moved at a really nice past through the seven rounds. There was enough time between picks to digest what had happend, as well as look ahead, but this year's draft didn't drag over long stretches when nothing was happening and the TV guys had long run out of meaningful things to talk about.

Go deep young man...  After a very slow start in which nary a layer at the position was selected in this year's opening round, WR ultimately turned out to be the  position of choice at the 2008 draft. Overall, 35 WRs were taking over the course of the even rounds including 10 in the second. The WRs, though were shut out of the opening round as just about every one of the top-rated receivers got red-flagged for one reason or another. In fact, the top receiver off board was unheralded Donnie Avery of Houston, while receivers like Devin Thomas, James Hardy, DeSean Jackson, and Malcolm Kelly, each of whom had been expected to go in the first round dropped deeper into the second.

After WR, the next most popular position at this year's draft was CB with 30 players chosen at the position, followed by RB with 27 players selected, DE with 24, OT with 23, LB with 22, DT with 18, and QB with 13. Overall, it was a somewhat disappointing weekend for the QBs. Boston College’s Matt Ryan did go third overall to Atlanta, while Delaware’s Joe Flacco was a surprising first round selection when Baltimore took him with the 18th pick after migrating all over the board in the opening round. On the other, Louisville’s Brian Brohm and Chad Henne of Michigan, both of whom had hoped to go late in the opening round, dropped deep into the second round before being selected on successive picks, while the other top second-tier QBs like John David Booty of USC, Kentucky's Andre Woodson and Eric Ainge of Tennessee all dropped deep into the second day. In fact, San Diego State's Kevin O'Connell was actually the 5th QB off the board, while both Dennis Dixon of Oregon and Josh Johnson of San Diego actually were taken ahead of Woodson. 

There was also a mixed bag story at OT. Prior to the draft, scouts from right across the league were talking up the depth at OT with numerous league personnel people calling this year’s crop at the position perhaps the best ever. That certainly showed up in the opening round as a record 8 players at the position went in the first 26 picks, however, only 8 more OTs were selected in the second through sixth rounds, while another 7 were final round selections.

Small schools make in-roads… The draft has pretty much been the preserve of the D1A conferences, and especially the BCS schools, in recent years, and that was the case again this year. Indeed, 72% of all players selected this year were from the so-called BCS conference schools; in fact, 26 of his year’s 31 first round picks (84%) were from the major programs. At the same time, though, smaller schools were able to make some in-roads. In fact, no player from a non-D1A school had been a first round pick since 2000, however, two non-D1A players went within this year’s top 18 picks with Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie going 16th overall to Arizona while Baltimore selected Delaware QB Joe Flacco with the 18h pick. Overall, 32 players from non-D1A conferences - 13% of the total - were selected this year's draft. In fcat, three non-D1A schools - Northern Iowa, Appachian State and Montana - all had two players taken, which tied with traditional powers like Florida and Penn State and ahead of the likes of Alabama, Washington, Stanford and Syracuse which were all shut out on the weekend. 

All hail the Trojans!!! Southern California got some consolation for failing to get to last year’s BCS title game by leading all schools with ten players selected at the this year's draft with four going in the opening round. USC was followed by surprising Virginia Tech, which had 8 players selected, while LSU had seven and Arkansas, Michigan and California had six each.

Despite Southern California's dominance, the SEC was able to come back and lead all conferences with 35 picks this year, but just barely as the conference edged out both the Pac 10 and ACC which had 34 and 33 players taken respectively. On the other hand, it wasn't a particularly strong draft for the Big 10 which had just 28 players taken, one behind the Big XII in 5th place overall. Meanwhile, the Big East had 19 players drafted, while the Mountain West had 10, followed by the MAC with 8, the C-USA and WAC each with 7 and the Sun Belt with three.

The streak is alive... For the second time in three years, it came down to one of the ery last picks, but Miami was able to run its streak of having at least one player selected in the opening round to 14 years when the Giants selected FS Kenny Phillips with the final pick of the round. Meanwhile, this was also the 14th straight year in which no Notre Dame player has been a top 10 pick. Indeed, the Irish have still had just 4 players selected in the opening round overall in that pariod after being shut onu in this year's first round.

Thumbs up and thumbs down… Of course it takes several years for a draft class to fully prove itself making post-draft grades rather meaningless, however, its hard not to look at what the different teams did around the league and not be more impressed with what some teams versus others. Heading the list of teams that deserve a thumbs up on first blush is Kansas City which had LSU DT Glenn Dorsey, who more than one team had rated as the best player overall in the 2008 draft class, drop into their laps at the 5th pick and then moved up a couple of spots later in the opening round to nab rugged Virginia G/T Branden Albert, the guy the Chiefs just may have taken had Dorsey not been on the board. The Chiefs also got a potentially useful player in the second round in Virginia Tech CB Brandon Flowers, while RB Jamaal Charles and DB Dajuan Morgan in the 3rd and WR Will Frranklin in the 4th were all solid picks with the potential to contribute sooner rather than later. 

Other teams (in no particular order) getting two unofficial thumbs up include:

Miami: The Dolphins could at least start to see some light at the end of the tunnel which featured OT Jake Long, the first player taken this year, while QB Chad Henne and DE Phil Merling were olid second round picks as were DE Kendall Langford in the 3rd and OG Shawn Murphy in the 4th. Both 6th rounders - RB Jason Parmele and OG Donald Thomas could ultimately be steals.

Carolina: The Panthers were solid right through the draft starting with the selection of RB Jonathan Stewart and OT Jeff Otah in the first, while both 3rd rounders - DB Charles Godfrey and LB Dan Connor - were great picks at those spots. In fact, all the Panthers picks have a chance to stick and eventually contribue. 

Green Bay: The Pack didn't have an opening round pick, but had a nice second round haul including QB Brian Brohm, CB Patrick Lee and WR Jordy Nelson, while DE Jeremy Thompson is an interesting 4th rounder.Not content to start a QB controversy though with the selection of Brohm in the 2nd, the Packers also took LSU's Matt Flynn in the 6th.

New Orleans: The Saints couldn't find a way to move up to get local hero Glenn Dorsey in the first round, but did the next best thing moving up to get USC DT Sedrick, then aded a CB that can run in Tracy Porter in the second.  OT Carl Nicks in the 5th and WR Adrian Arrington in the 7th could also help.

Philadelphia: The Eagles traded out of the first round acquiring an extra 1st rounder in 2009, but still got some very good prospects the rest of the way including Notre Dame DT Trevor Laws and Cal WR/KR DeSean Jackson late in the second round and FS Quentin Demps in the 4th. CB Jake Ikegwuono, though, was a gamble in the 4th.

Arizona: Speaking of ’we never thought the guy would be there moments,’ the Cardinals qualified when they filled a huge hole with Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who has tremendous upside and then got a very interesting prospect in 6-8 Miami DE Calais Campbell in the second, while LSU WR Early Doucet was a nice addition in the third round..

Minnesota: The Vikings’ draft will be remembered most for the trade to acquire Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen, but Minnesota also get a very good defensive prospect with their only pick in the first four rounds when they selected emerging Arkansas State safety Tyrell Johnson in the second round, while USC QB John David Booty was an interesting 5th round selection..

Meanwhile, again in no particular order, we also liked what Chicago and Pittsburgh did this weekend, while Cincinnati started slowly but had one of the stronger second days in the league.  On the other hand teams, again in no particular order, that left us scratching our heads just a tad included:

San Diego: CB Antoine Cason was a sensible opening round pick, however, its just hard to justify taking RB Jacob Hester with the 69th pick. No question Hester is a great character kid, but really doesn't have a position; plus it is hard to believe that he was worth giving up a second rounder in 2009 to get him. 

Houston: The Texans appeared to reach big-time for Virginia Tech OT Duane Brown late in the first round with their only pick on Saturday as they tried to fill a need after the rest of the league had picked over the position. RB Steve Slaton and CB Antwaun Molden though were nice third round picks.

Seattle: Neither of DE Lawrence Jackson nor TE John Carlson, the Seahawks’ first and second round picks respectively are particularly great athletes and don’t appear to offer much upside, although both give an honest effort. And what was that long snapper business in the 6th?

Atlanta: QB Matt Ryan, OT Sam Baker and MLB Curtis Lofton make a nice first day haul but figure the Falcons had to be expecting more after going into the draft with four of the first 48 picks. Like the Texans, the Falcons got caught at the end of the run on OTs in the opening round and may have reached for Baker who cost them an extra pick to boot.

Detroit: In moving down three spots the Lions passed on the chance to take G/T Branden Albert, possibly the second best OL prospect in this draft, and ended up with Gosder Cherilus, who wasn’t. And MLB Jordan Dizon likely went at least a round early in the second, while the rest of the draft didn't do much to excite. Super nice touch taking Army S Caleb Campbell in the 7th; plus the kid can play.

Baltimore: Does the still-good but aging Ravens’ defense have the time to wait for QB Joe Flacco to develop. And did the Ravens really have to go all the way to the 18th pick (from the 26th after starting out at #8) to get Flacco. Meanwhile, Ray Rice is a nice player, but its hard to see where he addresses anything remotely resembling a Ravens’ need. The Ravens though did have a nice third round adding LB Tavares Gooden, Safety Tom Zbikowski and OG Oneil Cousins.

<>San Francisco: Hard to see where many of the players the 49ers selected are going to make them a better team. DT Kentwan Balmer looks like a lousy fit to their scheme while their isn't much athleticism in their draft, although 3rd round DB Reggie Smith should play somewhere eventually.

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