In Round Four, they traded up for UNLV LB Beau Bell and later swung a deal for Missouri TE Martin Rucker. The latter deal involved the Browns trading into the Cowboys' spot and sending their old wheeling-and-dealing pals a 2009 third-rounder.

You can tell GM Phil Savage is operating with a lot of confidence right now, and it's hard not to believe in what he's doing, given the improvement we've seen from Cleveland in the last year or so.

The NFLN reports the Ravens have traded a fourth-round pick (No. 125 overall) to Oakland for CB Fabian Washington. The Raiders have been trying to move Washington for some time, and a deal -- or an out-and-out release -- became likely after the trade for DeAngelo Hall. The Ravens, who needed CB depth, were willing to take a chance on a player with track speed but not a lack of production to this point of his career. Not a bad trade for Baltimore, which has struggled to draft CB depth of late.

About a minute after the Titans selected East Carolina RB Chris Johnson at No. 24 in Round One, I received a text from my buddy Matt asking, “Didn’t the Titans draft him last year?” I chuckled because I had exactly the same thought. We’re referencing, of course, Tennessee’s absurd second-round pick of Chris Henry in ’07, who personified the definition of a “workout warrior.” Henry was a marginal runner at Arizona who dazzled scouts and coaches with his measureables in pre-draft workouts enough to convince Tennessee to reach for him early.

After a thoroughly uninspiring rookie season, the Titans evidently felt they needed another running back to complement LenDale White. So who do they draft in the first round? Another mid-round prospect whose crazy workout numbers enabled him to make a lot more money than he should be earning. Yes, there are differences between the two. Johnson was incredibly productive in college — albeit primarily against Conference USA competition — and is considerably smaller and faster than Henry, but their commonality was too humorous to ignore.

Speaking of those workout warriors, for the most part teams should be commended for avoiding those guys in the first round this year. Outside of Johnson, only the Cardinals’ selection of CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would I consider a reach based on Combine numbers.

The thought was the Steelers would address their offensive and defensive lines in the draft, and those picks may still be coming. But when RB Rashard Mendenhall fell to 23, Pittsburgh couldn't pass. Nor could they resist taking WR Limas Sweed at No. 23. Mendenhall was projected as a mid first-rounder, while Sweed could have gone late in Round One without many eyebrows raised. What is eyebrow-raising, though, is that an offense that needed a couple more playmakers -- the Steelers, don't forget, were 17th in yards gained last season -- got them. Mendenhall and Sweed will play part-time roles in 2008 and perhaps '09, too, but they are likely to be starters down the road. All in all, good work by Pittsburgh on Day One.

I just saw where the Rams slected WR Donnie Avery with their second pick. And DeviThomas went to the Redskins. Finally. Here comes the run on WRs, which I thought was going to start much earlier. who would have thought the first receiver taken this year would be a tight end, Dustin keller out of Purdue, by the Jets at No. 30? And who would have thought Avery would be the first receiver?

I'm particularly surprised the Niners didn't go for a WR with their first pick, opting instead for DT Kentwan Balme when they already had Aubrayo Franklin and Isaac Sopoaga inside. How satified can Mike martz be with a WR corps headed by ancient Isaac Bruce? I don't get it.  

Carl Peterson’s legacy in Kansas City will be determined by the success of this draft class. Or, more to the point, Peterson needs this class to be outstanding to salvage a decent standing amongst the Chiefs’ faithful.

Regardless of how well the Chiefs rebound from their disaster 2007 campaign, Peterson’s entering his final years as president and general manager of the franchise he’s directed since 1989. There’s a tacit agreement between Peterson and owner Clark Hunt that the long-time leader of the Chiefs is best off jetting into retirement when his contract expires after the 2009 season, but there was more than a smattering of folks who figured he’d would need to have a standout draft this weekend to ensure he’d even make into ’09.

Mission accomplished. The football gods were smiling on Kansas City when Glenn Dorsey, considered by many the most talented player in the draft, dropped to the fifth pick, and the Chiefs wisely pounced on the opportunity. The pick of Dorsey was more fortuitous than cunning, but their second first-round selection was an equal mixture of good fortune and savvy. Sitting at the Vikings’ No. 17 slot courtesy of the Jared Allen trade and seeing Virginia’s Branden Albert sitting for the picking at 15, Kansas City gave up a fifth-rounder and swapped third-rounders with Detroit to move up and nab him.

The most versatile lineman in this draft, Albert was shooting up draft boards in the weeks leading up to the draft, and is considered a steal at the 15th spot. He’ll be the best player on a shoddy line from the start, with Herm Edwards having the option of inserting him at either guard position or right tackle.

Make no mistake, Peterson put all his eggs into the Allen deal. And while I still think the trade was foolish, Peterson has redeemed himself as well as he possibly could’ve with his first two selections.

With a league-high 13 picks to play around with, the Chiefs had the ammunition to go in a number of different directions. And with the full understanding that they wanted to stockpile picks as part of as complete a makeover job as the NFL has seen in years, the Chiefs were surely tempted to trade down even more. But ultimately, they saw golden opportunities to take premier talents, even if it went against their overarching 2008 draft philosophy of quantity over quality.

We’re still just at the end of the first round, but so far this draft class is shaping up as one that could save the future of the franchise. And if the future unfolds as brightly as they’re hoping, the once vilified Peterson should be able to regain his good name.

The Ravens traded recently their recently acquired first-round pick (No. 26) and third-round pick (No. 89) as well as a sixth-round pick (No. 173) to Houston for the No. 18 pick. Baltimore's selection: Delaware QB Joe Flacco, the mystery man in this draft, a big, strong-armed pocket passer who probably will get every chance to beat out Kyle Boller and Troy Smith to start in his first NFL season.

Was this a high price for Baltimore to pay? Absolutely. But the Ravens clearly believed someone was going to move up between picks 18-25 to get a quarterback. And they were not taking that risk.

Personally, I think Flacco has an uphill battle to start in his first season unless he 1) clearly outplays the other quarterbacks and 2) wins over the veterans, and don't underestimate that aspect -- this is a team that suffered through a terrible season in '07, and rebuilding is not something the veterans don't have time for.

Boller, flawed as he is, might give Baltimore the best chance to be competitive in 2008.

The Texans now have seven draft picks. Expect them to address the defense with the 26th pick.

Wow! Can we already be at the halfway point of the first round? The Bears just selected Vanderbilt OT Chris Williams, and while I would have opted for Virginia's Brandon Albert -- who sources tell me definitely was considered by Jerry Angelo & Co. — Williams looks like a nice fit who should be able to play left tackle and allow John Tait to move to right tackle. Actually, there haven't been any huge surprises left in my opinion, although I didn't see Jerod Mayo coming for the Pats. But I trust New England knows what it's doing.

The most intriguing storyline as far as I'm concerned is the Ravens' treacherous trek downard in the first round in the hopes they can still land a decent starting Qb of the future at the 26th spot previously oowned by Jacksonville. If they can pick up a Brian Brohm and get additional booty along the way, more power to them. Giving Ozzie Newsome more picks to play with is a good thing. but are there other teams ready to rise up and go after the second-tier QBs behind Matt Ryan? I can hardly wait to find out.

The trades are coming fast and furious now. Jacksonville acquired the No. 8 pick from Baltimore and drafted Florida DE Derrick Harvey.  Baltimore gets No. 26 and quite a bit more, something tells me, given that the Ravens are dropping 18 spots. (UPDATE: Baltimore acquired two third-round picks, Nos. 71 and 89, and a fourth-rounder, No. 123. This means the Ravens have three third-rounders and three fourth-rounders. Don't be surprised if the Ravens use a pick or two in these rounds to move up for a prospect -- likely a QB or CB -- at some point.) 

Why would the Ravens make this deal? Well, Matt Ryan is off the board, for one. And there's this: Age and wear and tear is creeping up on Baltimore in several key defensive positions (DL, LB, CB). A quarterback must be added to the Kyle Boller-Troy Smith mix. Another pass catcher, whether it be at TE or WR, is needed. The RB depth behind Willis McGahee isn't great. Oh, and the offensive line will likely lose OLT Jonathan Ogden.

In short, dropping from No. 8 to No. 26 while picking up three other picks is a logical maneuver.

The Jaguars? They are going for the Super Bowl. And pass-rush pressure is one of the many atttributes you need in ample amounts to get there.

Just heard ESPN's Chris Mortensen say that this is a "needs-based" draft as he explained why the Rams were going to pick Virginia DE Chris Long. We all know Mortensen is wired, so other folks may be using this term or saying similar things about this draft. So what's the true meaning of this? That there isn't a lot of separation between the top picks this year, and with that in mind, you might as well fill needs first and foremost? Perhaps. But let me say this: If I owned a team, I wouldn't want my decision-makers throwing around the "needs-based" term around very often in public. On Draft Day, hope springs eternal, and it's time to sell those season tickets. "Best player available" has a much better ring to it, anyway.