The 49ers traded up to select Eric Reid (USA Today Sports Images)

The San Francisco 49ers have selected LSU safety Eric Reid with the 18th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Big, powerful safety with outstanding range down to linebacker depth, Dynamic tackler. Brings a lot of power to his game as well as a fearless personality.

Cons: Not an optimal pass defender -- more of a box player with some coverage ability in the short to intermediate areas.

What he brings to the team: Physical intimidation. With Dashon Goldson gone to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 49ers needed that same kind of enforcer. Reid provides that, but coverage isn't up to Goldson's level.

Was it the right pick? There are a few safeties I liked better as pure pass defenders in this draft class, but Reid certainly provides the physicality synonymous with this franchise.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones with the 17th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Jones has outstanding speed around the edge and can turn inside to the pocket in a hurry. Even when he's blocked out, can move back inside the octagon for the sack. Bursts off the snap to establish advantage against outside blockers. Gains speed quickly from wide formations. Gets under blocks when turning the edge -- already has a consistent "dip-and-rip" maneuver. Reads the action well at the line when asked to do so. Outstanding chase player who will take the play to the sideline. Good wrap tackler. Redirects well in space and will stop plays away from his starting point. Quick enough to drop into coverage and mirror tight ends and even outside receivers well. Tackles for loss by sliding off blocks -- does this better than he takes on blocks directly. Has an embryonic bull-rush but needs to develop better strength and leverage to effectively use it.

Cons: Needs open space at the edge to consistently disrupt -- tends to get wrapped up with inside contact. Got a lot of his sacks running around blockers. Will chase and read more than he alters blocks with pure power off the snap. Sometimes has blind spots on rushing lanes when he's edge-rushing; doesn't always push to re-direct. Tall (6-foot-3, 235 pound), rangy athlete who comes off the ball high (necessities of a two-point stance) and will lose strength and leverage battles in one-on-one situations. Not functional as a lineman in short-yardage situations -- gets washed out in power plays. Needs to develop a better array of hand moves, a spin move, and an inside counter before he'll be able to disrupt at the next level.

Has been cleared of the spinal stenosis issue, but some teams may still red-flag him. Slow 40 time at his pro day, but plays much faster than that on tape.

What he brings to the team: The pass-rush potential the Steelers need. As a wide outside linebacker, or weakside defender, Jones has the ability to disrupt opposing offenses at an elite level. However, the fact that he hasn't yet developed a full palette of pass-rush moves is a two-edged sword. Comparisons to Von Miller when Miller came out of Texas A&M in 2011 are legitimate, though Miller had a better set of hand moves, and under the right circumstances, Jones could have the same type of NFL impact.

Was it the right pick?

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In the biggest shocker of the NFL draft so far, the Buffalo Bills have selected Florida State QB E.J. Manuel with the 16th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

[Also: E.J. Manuel leaves other QBs behind in first round]

Pros: Excellent play-action and boot-action quarterback with good touch on first-read screens and slants out of simple rollouts. Sells playfakes very well, especially on reverse boot rollouts. Smooth and elusive runner for his size who gains acceleration the longer he's carrying the ball. Will keep his eyes downfield even as he's running (a must for any option quarterback who can actually throw the ball). Can run to break pressure when the pocket collapses, but this is not a run-first guy who sees the pass as an afterthought. Good pocket presence and movement -- will slide around out of pressure without losing his bearings and can shift out of the pocket and still make accurate downfield throws. Reads blitzes and pressure well and can adapt on the fly. Practiced at stepping up in the pocket and driving the ball. Has a quick, efficient, overhead delivery for the most part -- doesn't revert to sandlot stuff, and you can tell that he's trying to keep technique in mind.

Cons: Though Manuel will scan the field and find second and third receivers, he is primarily a "see it/throw it" passer in an offense designed for quick and easy first reads. That's common in college and more prevalent in the NFL these days (it's basically what Tim Tebow did for the Denver Broncos in 2011), but Manuel will have to develop the multi-read aspect of his game. Will occasionally get too fine with his delivery, try to over-finesse throws, and lose his bearings for a few snaps at a time.

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What he brings to the team: A lot of potential. When I first saw Colin Kaepernick at Nevada a few years back, I wondered if a guy with an elongated "pizza delivery" throwing motion, a gangly running style, and a primary role in one specific style of offense (the Pistol under Chris Ault, the man who invented it), I wondered if he could become a legitimate NFL quarterback. Jim Harbaugh saw what a lot of other people didn't, took Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft, and built a perfect weapon for his run-heavy/deep-passing offense.

Similarly, I think that E.J. Manuel is a willing student under the right kind of teacher, and that became apparent to me during Senior Bowl week. Working with new coaches (the Detroit Lions' staff) and a bunch of receivers he'd never timed before, Manuel looked to grasp a system he'd had little time to prepare for.

Was it the right pick?

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The New Orleans Saints have selected Texas S Kenny Vaccarro with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Dynamic run tackler and slot defender who really excels in the front half of the defense. Jumps routes very well out of the slot and covers from tackle to tackle in motion. Shows a smooth backpedal and hip turn no matter where he's covering. Comes down to the line like a rocket from deep coverage to help on running plays; this speed also shows up when he has to jet to either sideline to help out with tackles. Excellent at trailing and mirroring slot receivers into and out of their routes. Covers speed slot receivers very well; help his own against West Virginia's Tavon Austin. As a tackler, has tended to go for the kill shot too often, but is learning to wrap up nicely in space. Extremely rangy player who will make plays other safeties simply can't -- he's very tough to elude between the seams. Has the speed and aggressiveness to blitz off the edge.

Cons: Plays a very high number of snaps and tends to wear down over time as a result -- late in games, For all of Vaccaro's dynamism, he needs to get it under control on the field at times. Tends to bite on his keys and will get lost regarding what else is going on. Struggles with angles and placement at times in the run game and will get easily blocked out as a result. Tends to bite on fakes and counters and has to use his estimable recovery speed to bail himself out. Though he can play deep halves, Vacarro isn't strictly a side-to-side burner in pass coverage -- it takes him a step too long to get to the sideline to help cover. Can be taken out of his game at times -- tends to be too emotional on the field. Tendency to aim himself like a rocket could see him on the wrong side of the NFL's discipline.

What he brings to the team: The potential to re-define New Orleans' defense. Though the NFL passing game is more and more wide open, leading to the increasing valuation of defenders who can cover a lot of ground in a big hurry, there's still a place in the league for those pass defenders who bring the lumber on nearly every play, and fly around with reckless abandon. Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed are two such players, and though Vaccarro doesn't yet possess their football acumen, it's worth mentioning that elite NFL safeties aren't generally so right out of the box -- it takes time to harness all that frantic energy. When Vaccaro does so, he'll be tough to beat.

Was it the right pick?

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The Carolina Panthers have selected Utah DT Star Lotulelei with the 14th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Displays tremendous power, burst and suddenness as a nose tackle -- either shading to the guard or with his head over center, which makes him a potential force in multiple fronts. Comes off the snap with alarming speed, pushes back with superior leverage and a wide base, and makes bad things happen to enemy blockers. Gets his hands out right away to attack the pads and chest of his opponent. Has the power to bull-rush and push blockers back, but his first instinct is to disrupt. At times, displays freakish upper-body strength and will throw a blocker aside to advance in the pocket.

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Cons: Plays a very high number of snaps and tends to wear down over time as a result -- late in games, he'll lose some strength, agility, and run-and-chase. Could use a more consistent set of pass-rush moves as he relies too much on his strength and starts to get pancaked when it runs short. Has struggled with weight in the past. Passed all the heart re-checks following irregular reading at the scouting combine, but some teams may still shy away.

What he brings to the team: Pure, unadulterated power. While it's clear that Lotulelei can become even better with a few technique fixes, it's his sheer physical dominance that puts him on a different level, and has some comparing him to Baltimore's Haloti Ngata. I'm of the opinion that while he isn't quite as agile as Ngata, he's even more powerful, and I'm reminded of Warren Sapp in his prime. Lotulelei doesn't have Sapp's ability to knife through blockers as a dominant pass-rusher, but in a power/speed sense, he's very comparable.

Was it the right pick? Oh, yeah. Carolina's defense just got a whole lot nastier up front.

(Getty Images)The New York Jets have selected Missouri DT Sheldon Richardson with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Absolutely marvelous gap penetrator with the quick-twitch speed and hand movement to upset any blocker. Has a very quick first step off the snap and propels himself through the action. Sifts through blockers well (including double-teams) when angling and trying to beat slide protection. Keeps his head up and his body balanced after initial blocking contact, allowing him to make plays after fist impact. Gets skinny off the snap when facing a single blocker -- will turn his body to get through and has an impressive rip move to reinforce it. Can maul if he gets his hands up before the blocker, though this isn't his predominant attribute. Keeps his feet moving and will wear double teams down. Keeps his eye on the play and will disengage from blockers quickly to make plays downfield. Terrific space defender for his size -- will careen from sideline to sideline more quickly than a big man should. Has the pure agility to back into defense on screen passes, and the ability to drop in zone blitzes.

Cons: Richardson is not a consistent physical "winner" in that he will get stoned by more powerful blockers, especially in the run game. Will also tend to get boxed out if he's moving to the side and into the pocket. Comes off the snap too high at times, leading him to lose leverage and angle battles he should win. Limited experience at the FBS level could hurt him on some draft boards, but his play against better teams will more than make up for it on others.

What he brings to the team:

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The Oakland Raiders have selected Houston CB D.J. Hayden with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Hayden has by far the best backpedal of any defensive back in this draft class -- starts his feet smoothly, gets up to top speed quickly, and transitions very well to turn and run. Has a smooth hip turn -- doesn't get lost in transition against faster receivers. When playing off coverage, fires back to receivers making catches underneath and tackles well enough to prevent high gains after the catch. Plays press coverage more with mirroring skills than pure aggression, but has a great sense of how to re-direct off the line. Establishes inside and outside position off the line with angle and body control. Has the pure speed to run deep seam and sideline routes, and make plays along the way.

Does a fantastic job of baiting quarterbacks by playing just far enough away from his receiver, then closing quickly for the deflection or interception. Has the cross-field velocity to impact the passing game far away from his original spot (forced fumble against UCLA was a prime example). Redirects in space extremely well. Smart player who won't be fooled by combo routes and other tricks. Transitions to the safety in zone coverage without a hitch. Good wrap tackler for his size (5-foot-11, 191 pounds) -- will take on blocks, keep his eyes on the target, and disengage to make the play. Has the quickness to play the slot, and the natural aggression to deal with traffic in that role.

Cons: Will get too aggressive with his hands on straight-line routes at times and needs to remember to play the ball to avoid penalties. NFL quarterbacks will try and toy with him, as he tends to keep his eyes on the backfield too long at times. Questions about strength of competition will come up, but the extent to which Hayden held up against better teams and receivers, and how he keeps popping off the tape with his obvious attributes, should put some minds at ease. Medical concerns are even more obvious, but teams will undoubtedly do their due diligence, and all the news regarding his recovery is good so far.

What he brings to the team: A miraculous story, for one. Last November, Hayden suffered a tear of the internal vena cava, the primary vein to his heart, during practice, and he came very close to dying.  less than six months after nearly losing his life, Hayden ran a 4.33 40-yard dash at the aforementioned pro day. He's checked out just fine medically.

Was it the right pick?

(Getty Images)The San Diego Chargers have selected Alabama OT D.J. Fluker with the 11th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Big, powerful man with an exceptionally wide base and a wingspan (36 3/8"-inch reach) that makes him nearly impossible to get around once he sets his feet and gets his hands going. Has struggled with weight at times, but can carry 330-340 pounds with his massive frame. Monstrously powerful player who can demolish defenders for long stretches at a time. Understands leverage and drives with outstanding force. Absolutely explodes underneath his opponent's pads at times and makes said opponents look pretty silly. Surprisingly agile in his kick-step and pass set. Opens huge rushing lanes when he engages, commits and sets the edge.

Cons: Fluker's power allows him to get away with a few things that could bedevil him in the NFL for a while. He doesn't always anchor blocks, and faster edge rushers can get around him fairly easily. Has to double back on too many missed tags around the edge, and isn't always agile enough to do so. Doesn't lock on and tends to shove in space. Needs to learn to mirror with more consistency -- isn't always able to take a defender where he wants him to go. Susceptible to linemen who know how to use their hands -- NFL defenders will get around him after contact until he understands how to stop them.

What he brings to the team: Power at the right tackle position. I've heard some analysts say that Fluker might be best-served by moving inside to guard at the NFL level, but most of those same people compare him to former Alabama and current Seattle Seahawks lineman James Carpenter, and I think Fluker is already more agile and quicker than Carpenter. In addition, as he gains a better handle of the techniques required of tackles at the NFL level, I think he'll make that transition very well. Fluker isn't a speed monster, and his agility is nothing to write home about, but you don't enter a premium 18-wheeler in the Indy 500.

Given the increasing importance of the right tackle position at the professional level over the last few years, Fluker's dominant but embryonic skill set, and the fact that he seems determined to improve, he seems to be a relatively safe bet as a first-tier power blocker.

Was it the right pick? Questionable.