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topicnews · September 26, 2024

Allen, Jackson and Co. – The top stars of the 2018 NFL Draft

Allen, Jackson and Co. – The top stars of the 2018 NFL Draft

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  • Allen, Jackson and Co. – The top stars of the 2018 NFL Draft

    In week 4 of the 2024 season, two top NFL teams, the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens, will face off. Both have one thing in common: their starting quarterback comes from the 2018 NFL Draft. Both proved to have a great hand in selecting talent back then. sport.de shows you the first ten picks and other top picks from the 2018 draft, which produced several other stars.

  • Pick 1: Baker Mayfield (Cleveland Browns)

    Pick 1: Baker Mayfield (Cleveland Browns)

    The Heisman winner was selected by the Browns. He played solidly there, but did not lift the franchise to the desired level. He was then replaced by Deshaun Watson. After stops in Carolina and the Rams, his career threatened to become a permanent journey, but in Tampa Bay, Mayfield allowed his career to blossom again.

  • Pick 2: Saquon Barkley (New York Giants)

    Pick 2: Saquon Barkley (New York Giants)

    The running back came to the NFL with a lot of advance praise from college and kept his promise. At the end of his first year, Barkley was voted Offensive Rookie of the Year. Before the 2024 season, Barkley, who had been battling injuries in the meantime, left the Giants for Philadelphia, where he has now once again shaken up the NFL.

  • Pick 3: Sam Darnold (New York Jets)

    Pick 3: Sam Darnold (New York Jets)

    Sam Darnold went straight to the Big Apple. However, he was unable to bring success to Gang Green. So the Jets were looking for a new team a few years later, while Darnold sought his luck elsewhere. After the Panthers and the 49ers, Darnold signed with the Vikings, where he was planned as a backup, but now had to step in and suddenly started to deliver.

  • Pick 4: Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns)

    Pick 4: Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns)

    The Browns’ second pick in the 2018 draft went to the defensive end. They selected Denzel Ward, who still plays in Cleveland today and is a mainstay in the secondary and also team captain.

  • Pick 5: Bradley Chubb (Denver Broncos)

    Pick 5: Bradley Chubb (Denver Broncos)

    The pass rusher quickly found his way in the NFL and delivered good numbers for the Broncos. In 2022, the Miami Dolphins traded for Chubb, who signed a long-term contract in Florida. On the penultimate game day of the 2023 season, Chubb tore his Achilles tendon and thus missed the start of the 2024 season.

  • Pick 6: Quenton Nelson (Indianapolis Colts)

    Pick 6: Quenton Nelson (Indianapolis Colts)

    The Indianapolis Colts made an absolute stroke of luck when they selected Quenton Nelson, one of the best O-Liners of our time. Since Nelson joined the NFL, he has been in the Pro Bowl every year and was rewarded for his performances with a four-year contract ($80 million, $60 guaranteed) in 2022.

  • Pick 7: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)

    Pick 7: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)

    The next stroke of luck! When the Buffalo Bills chose Josh Allen, not all fans were particularly happy with this pick. However, Allen quickly convinced the Bills mafia of his quality and has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL for years.

  • Pick 8: Roquan Smith (Chicago Bears)

    Pick 8: Roquan Smith (Chicago Bears)

    The linebacker had an immediate impact on the Bears’ defense. Nevertheless, the Bears made Smith count in 2022 when they traded him to the Baltimore Ravens. There he signed a linebacker record contract in early 2023 and is still one of the centerpieces of the Ravens’ defense

  • Pick 9: Mike McGlinchey (San Francisco 49ers)

    Pick 9: Mike McGlinchey (San Francisco 49ers)

    The offensive tackle served the 49ers very well throughout his rookie contract. He then went to the Denver Broncos as a free agent, where he signed for five years and $87 million. In Week 2 of the 2024 season, McGlinchey injured his knee and will miss the rest of the season.

  • Pick 10: Josh Rosen (Arizona Cardinals)

    Pick 10: Josh Rosen (Arizona Cardinals)

    The first real bust in the 2018 draft! Josh Rosen was supposed to be the new solution for the Cardinals after Carson Palmer retired. But nothing came of it. Rosen never found his feet and was traded after just one season. He then began his journey as an NFL backup, and has been without a team since 2022.

  • Pick 11: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Miami Dolphins)

    Pick 11: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Miami Dolphins)

    The first pick outside the top 10 was also a complete success. The safety is one of the best in his position and has already been voted All-Pro three times. However, the Dolphins traded him after just two years as part of a rebuild, but received a first-round pick from the Steelers in return.

  • Pick 17: Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers)

    Pick 17: Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers)

    The next safety from the 2018 draft who left his mark on the NFL. Derwin James still plays for the Chargers today and continues to show off his skills. In his rookie season, he made it to the Pro Bowl, as he did in 2021 and 2022.

  • Pick 18: Jaire Alexander (Green Bay Packers)

    Pick 18: Jaire Alexander (Green Bay Packers)

    Alexander kept his promise. He has now been with the Packers for six years and is an absolute top performer. That’s why the Packers made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league at the time in 2022.

  • Pick 32: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

    Pick 32: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)

    The Baltimore Ravens went back into the first round to select quarterback Lamar Jackson. And things couldn’t have gone much better. Jackson is now a two-time league MVP. What’s still missing, however, is a Super Bowl.

  • Pick 35: Nick Chubb (Cleveland Browns)

    Pick 35: Nick Chubb (Cleveland Browns)

    The running back, who is Bradley Chubb’s cousin, quickly established himself as one of the best running backs in the league. In 2018, he missed the magical 1,000 yards by four yards, but after that he always cleared the hurdle with ease. In 2023, he was seriously injured and even his career was a possibility, but Chubb is about to make a comeback.

  • Pick 36: Shaquille Leonard (Indianapolis Colts)

    Pick 36: Shaquille Leonard (Indianapolis Colts)

    The linebacker entered the draft under the name Darius Leonard and was selected by the Colts. Especially in his first few years, Leonard was one of the best linebackers in the NFL. After many injuries, he landed in Philly in 2023, and is currently without a team.

  • Pick 54: Jessie Bates (Cincinnati Bengals)

    Pick 54: Jessie Bates (Cincinnati Bengals)

    Another top pick in the second round! Bates has blossomed into an absolute top safety over the years. He was named All-Pro in 2020 and 2022, and in 2023 he moved to the Falcons, who made him one of the highest-paid safeties in the league.

  • Pick 70: Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers)

    Pick 70: Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers)

    We’ve already looked back to Round 3, where the 49ers found an absolute diamond. Fred Warner has been one of the best, if not the best, linebacker in the league for years and has played a major role in the 49ers’ success.

  • Pick 83: Orlando Brown (Baltimore Ravens)

    Pick 83: Orlando Brown (Baltimore Ravens)

    The Ravens brought Orlando Brown to Maryland to protect the previously drafted Lamar Jackson. And with that, the Ravens made another right choice. Brown became one of the top tackles in the league. Between 2019 and 2022, he was in the Pro Bowl four times and was traded to the Chiefs in 2021 to protect Patrick Mahomes. He is now under contract with the Cincinnati Bengals.

  • Pick 86: Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens)

    Pick 86: Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens)

    And the Ravens’ next top selection was only three picks away. Tight end Mark Andrews went to Maryland, where he still plays today and made the Pro Bowl three times and was named All-Pro in 2021.

  • Pick 233: Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles)

    Pick 233: Jordan Mailata (Philadelphia Eagles)

    The Australian played rugby for a long time but was looking for his chance in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles had the courage and were rewarded. Mailata has been an integral part of the strong Eagles O-Line for years. He signed a contract extension in both 2021 and 2024 and is now in the top 5 highest-paid tackles.

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