49ers
49ers
Notre Dame tackle taken with 9th pick
SANTA CLARA, Calif.
Even before speaking with his new boss after being selected by San Francisco with the ninth overall pick, Mike McGlinchey had a pretty good idea of what to expect from 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.
McGlinchey’s cousin, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, spent two seasons working closely with Shanahan from 2015-16 when Shanahan was the team’s offensive coordinator. So who else for McGlinchey to go to for advice about his new gig?
“I’ve heard quite a bit about Kyle,” McGlinchey said on a conference call with reporters. “He’s done obviously a great job both with the Falcons and the 49ers. My cousin Matt has said nothing but great things about Kyle. I’m really excited to get to work with him.”
McGlinchey was the consensus top tackle available in the draft. He started 29 games on the left side over the past two seasons but will most likely play on the right side in the NFL. San Francisco has six-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Staley, who is the longest-tenured player on the 49ers.
The pick was somewhat surprising because many speculated that general manager John Lynch and Shanahan would continue to target the defense.
giants
Penn State’s Barkley acquired with No. 2
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.
The New York Giants passed on an heir apparent to two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and took a running back that many think is the best to come out of college in decade.
The Giants selected Penn State’s Saquon Barkley with the second pick overall, a player many football experts consider the best running back to enter the NFL since Adrian Peterson came out of Oklahoma in 2007.
Barkley, who entered the draft after his junior season, has all the ingredients to become a great. He has quickness, speed, strength, character and can pass protect. He also can catch and is a dynamic returner, although the Giants don’t plan on using him as the top returner.
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said he hasn’t seen a player like Barkley in almost three decades. He has the speed and feet of the little guy with the power and strength of a big guy.
“This kid makes our quarterback better,” Gettleman said. “He makes our wide receivers better. He makes our O-line better. He makes our defense better because we’ll have a much stronger ability to hold the ball. He is a great kid and he is going to be great for our culture. He was the unanimous best player in the draft.”
JETS
USC’s Darnold is second QB selected
FLORHAM PARK, N.J.
The cool, calm and confident kid from Southern California is going from Hollywood to the Big Apple.
The New York Jets selected USC quarterback Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick and they didn’t have to endure a horrific season to get him, after all.
Since the glory days of Joe Namath nearly 50 years ago, the Jets have been searching for a homegrown QB to deliver a similar type of sustained success as the face of the franchise.
New York is counting on the athletic and strong-armed Darnold to be their man.
Many draft pundits projected several months ago that Darnold would be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, and still tabbed him as the best overall quarterback of this year’s class.
broncos
Elway pounces when Chubb slips
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.
Seven months after calling his team a bunch of softies, Broncos general manager John Elway picked one of the toughest players in the draft in Bradley Chubb at No. 5.
The prolific edge rusher from North Carolina State is a high-motor pass rusher with a rare mix of speed, strength and savvy that helps him beat double teams to get to the quarterback or stuff the running back.
Despite constant attention his senior season, Chubb collected 26 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and the Bronco Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defender.
Associated Press