For casual NFL fans, the first hour of the draft was a snooze.

It went lineman, lineman, lineman, lineman, lineman, lineman, lineman. Not too many jerseys are were sold over the first seven picks of the draft.

This draft had almost no star power at the top. There were no can't-miss quarterbacks at the top. No star running backs like Trent Richardson. No game-breaking receiver. The Rams traded up to the eighth pick to select receiver Tavon Austin and finally break the lineman run, a welcomed sight to anyone who likes following the players who touch the ball.

[Photos: Biggest first-round NFL draft busts]

But hardcore football fans will understand, the first seven picks represent life in the NFL. You better be able to rush the quarterback on defense and protect the quarterback on offense, or you have no chance.

The New York Jets have selected Alabama CB Dee Milliner with the ninth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Physical press cornerback with good size (6-foot-0, 201 pounds) who plays receivers aggressively but intelligently at the line and trails his targets downfield. Adapts for lack of backpedal by playing angles well and dropping quickly into coverage. Very adept and field-aware when playing off-coverage -- keeps his eyes on progressions and reads the action as it develops. Violent and accurate tackler who understands how to close, and wraps up well. Reads quarterback progressions while covering and has the speed to make plays away from his spot.

[Photos: Best and worst dressed at NFL draft]

Outstanding run blitzer who screams into the backfield with authority -- could also be a very effective pass-blitzing defender. Fearless in power situations -- absolutely loves to come up and play the run. On vertical routes, establishes inside position with outstanding footwork and trails the boundary. Times jump balls for the interception. Not a route-jumper per se, but sticks to his man well and knows when to work for the deflection. Plays run fits and excels as a force defender as long as he doesn't have to take on a lot of blocks -- has a safety mentality at times, in a good way.

Cons: Milliner will need to develop a backpedal in the NFL -- you can see the effect of the lack of a functional backpedal when he loses to bigger receivers inside on angular routes, and the margin for error is reduced. Less than optimal recovery speed. Lacks the extra gear some speed cornerbacks have, though he plays fast enough to be very effective in most situations. Will get caught flat-footed at times between two receivers -- over-reads at times and can get fooled in certain combo situations. Medical history is cause for considerable concern, especially as his physical style is such a crucial part of his play.

What he brings to the team: A great overall sense of the position. Though there's a bit of "buyer beware" in his overall report, there's also a great deal of positional versatility, and Milliner combines an excellent fundamental knowledge of the game with an exciting and physical playing style. There are cornerbacks who are separately faster, bigger, and better against the pass in this class, but none of them bring the full-scale skill set Milliner does.

Was it the right pick? Not really sure. D.J. Hayden is a better pass defender, and he was still on the board. Milliner will have to top out and beyond to match up to Darrelle Revis. All the pressure is on Antonio Cromartie now.

After a trade with the Buffalo Bills, the St. Louis Rams have selected West Virginia WR Tavon Austin with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Has rare on-field speed and agility that allows him to do some pretty epic damage from a number of positions. Austin is quick enough to break away from chasing defenders even when they're moving in a straight line and he's heading at an angle. Could be the most devastating Pistol running back ever because his lack of height works to his extreme advantage -- defenses lose Austin's first step while they're picking him up, and one step is all Austin needs.

Possesses amazing straight-line speed, but it's his lateral agility and quickness that makes him so tough to stop. Whether at the line or in space, he can cut on a dime and leave defenders in his dust. Puts his foot in the ground at full speed and drives his body away from contact. Has some ability to move through contact for his size,. though this is not a primary asset. Very durable for his size -- never missed a game in high school or college. Understands how to break contact by spinning out of hits and running out of bounds.

[Photos: Best and worst dressed at NFL draft]

Cons: Has probably topped out from a size perspective, because he's already pretty decently muscled and any more mass could affect his speed and make him average. Not a pure running back per se -- this is more an adjunct skill, because he tends to go east-west too often and doesn't have the body mass to break out of tackles. Boom-or-bust player to a point; if he runs into too many brick walls, his athleticism might be negated. Will face more multiple defenses in the NFL; many college opponents of West Virginia's high-flying offense played on their heels and just tried to hold on. Needs a coaching staff that understands his total positional value.

What he brings to the team: Unprecedented athletic multiplicity. There are two fairly common perceptions when it comes to Tavon Austin's NFL prospects, and I think both might be egregious when you consider how the league has changed. Some believe that Austin will max out because he doesn't play one specific position, and others think that his size will limit his potential. But when the Seattle Seahawks traded a first-round draft pick for former Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin and gave him a six-year, $67 million contract in March, it forwarded what the Vikings knew with Harvin, what the Green Bay Packers have developed with Randall Cobb, and what the New England Patriots have done with Aaron Hernandez. More and more, players who can win battles in multiple spaces are providing optimal value, and Austin may wind up as the next-level example of this process. If he's half as explosive as he was in college, he's going to make the Rams coordinator very, very happy.

Was it the right pick? It's a risk/reward move, but the Rams need dynamic playmakers, and there's nobody in this draft who fits the bill better.

St. Louis Rams GM Les Snead continues to boldly makeover his team's roster, working out a deal with the Buffalo Bills to move up to the eighth overall pick in the draft to select West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin.

Austin was the No. 12 player in the "Shutdown 50", with editor Doug Farrar referring to the speedy wideout as "the most exciting and explosive player in this draft class". During his final season in Morgantown, Austin caught 114 passes for 1,289 yards and 12 touchdowns, added 643 yards and seven touchdowns on 72 rushing attempts, returned 32 kicks for 813 yards and a touchdown, and returned 15 punts for 165 yards with another touchdown.

[Photos: Biggest first-round NFL draft busts]

The 5-foot-8, 174-pound Austin projects as a slot receiver, working between 2012 draft picks Brian Quick and Chris Givens in a Brian Schottenheimer's offense that also added downfield threat Jared Cook at the tight end position. The Rams let Danny Amendola, their slot receiver the last few seasons, depart via free agency this offseason.

(AP)The Arizona Cardinals have selected North Carolina OG Jonathan Cooper with the seventh overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Amazingly quick, agile athlete for his size. Sets up in his pass pro like a tackle -- comes up from excellent leverage, establishes a side base, gets a good kick-step going, and stones defenders with an outstanding hand-strike. Pulls with impressive speed and agility from left guard all the way around to seal the right edge, and has the ability to read, stop, and block along the way. Also pulls with great speed and agility from left guard outside left tackle and into space upfield. Tremendous lateral agility and power allows him to excel in slide and zone slide protection. Gets upfield to linebacker depth in a hurry, but with leverage and power, to beat defenders downfield.

[Photos: Biggest first-round NFL draft busts]

Cons: Inaccurate with cut blocks, especially in space -- tends to lunge instead of targeting and will whiff as a result. Played at under 300 pounds at times and may struggle to maintain weight if he's in a high-volume offense similar to the one he was in before. Gets rocked back at times if he comes off the snap too high, but adjusts and re-sets on the fly. Underwent shoulder surgery before the 2012 season to relieve chronic inflammation.

What he brings to the team: Cooper is a very physical blocker, and the only reason that fact gets second billing is because he's so very athletic. At 6-foot-2 and playing anywhere from 290 to 310 pounds, Cooper comes into the NFL as athletically gifted as any guard currently playing in the pros. It's why he's gaining momentum among the analysts are studying him, and it's also why some seem to believe that he might be able to switch to center at the next level.

"I’d say I’m a combination of power and athleticism," he said at the scouting combine. "I can, especially with the addition of weight, I can run power. You can look at it from my first three years of film where we’re a pro-style offense where power was our staple play. And then this year it really showed my athletic ability, getting out in space. We ran a bunch of screens and a lot of things where I was on the second and third level getting on linebackers and defensive backs and such."

The tape proves every one of Cooper's points -- he's set to be a franchise player from day one.

Was it the right pick?

(Getty Images)The Cleveland Browns have selected LSU DE Barkevious Mingo with the sixth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Possesses rare length and burst off the snap -- comes off the ball very quickly and gains an impressive edge with first-step speed. Gains pass pressure by rocketing past tackles' outside shoulders before his blockers can establish their pass set, and gaining on quarterbacks after plays have broken down. Not a bull-rusher per se, but is able to generate impressive power through his speed when taking blockers straight on. Has an embryonic spin move that could be devastating if he develops it -- for now, it's more of a bailout move. Very quick defender from sideline to sideline. Clearly has the quickness to break off into coverage. Takes the occasional play off, but is generally very good at keeping his motor running, and he'll become especially dangerous when the offense is forced to improvise.

Cons: Played end for LSU but will likely have to transition outside to linebacker to best exploit his speed in the pros. Generally runs straight at, or around, tackles, and needs a far more comprehensive and consistent array of hand moves and counters to make his edge velocity work. Struggles to dislodge from blockers; tends to wrestle at the line more than he pursues at times. Comes off the snap high at times and can be blocked out pretty easily by tight ends and running backs. Forward motion player who struggles to redirect off the rush. Stunted inside a bit but needs to work on that aspect of his game some more.

What he brings to the team: Upside, but question marks. Though he played end for the Tigers most of the time, I'm not sure that's Mingo's best position -- unless he develops many of the techniques required to be elite in the NFL as a pass-rusher. Right now, he gets away with things against lesser tackles that tend to render him invisible against better blockers, and that issue could expand through his early pro career. He's not really a "boom-or-bust" player; more the kind of player who needs to learn a few things he should have been taught in college.

Was it the right pick? In this system, very possibly. I liked the idea of the Browns getting an elite cornerback to pair with Joe Haden, but defensive coordinator Ray Horton could use Mingo in a lot of different ways. The Browns now have a formidable front line.

lanejohnson310gettyThe Philadelphia Eagles have selected Oklahoma OT Lane Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Very quick and athletic tackle who gets in his set off the snap in a hurry. Has the best pass-blocking kick-step in this draft class -- smooth, thorough, and economical when he's moving to establish the edge of the pocket. Pesky blocker at the line -- mirrors exceedingly well and matches counter-moves and foot-fakes. Uses his long arms (35 inches) to keep pass-rushers at bay and out of the octagon. Creates knockdowns with leverage; he's more powerful in one-on-one matchups than he's given credit for. Plays left and right tackle with equal aplomb. Hits to pull and shift to the second level -- he chips well and creates areas for backs by sealing the edge to linebacker depth and beyond.

Cons: Needs to pack on more muscle and play with better width -- doesn't always get wide in his base, will snap up too high, and lose leverage battles at times. Susceptible to inside moves if he doesn't get his hands up quickly enough. Tends to pop off blocks at times; needs to engage longer on a consistent basis. Will occasionally lunge when he should lock on and move through his progressions.

[Photos: Best and worst dressed at NFL draft]

What he brings to the team: Speed, athleticism, and football frequency. Johnson has the ability to play very well in space, bring protection to multiple passing concepts, and there's a lot of room for growth here. Johnson hammered that home at the scouting combine, because he was able to show off his freakish athleticism. Terron Armstead of Arkansas-Pine Bluff set a record for offensive linemen with a 4.71 40-yard dash, but Armstead looks like a fourth-round player on tape. It was when Johnson, with his first-round tape in tow, ran a 4.72 40 that people really stood up, took notice, and started ranking him with the Joeckels and Fishers of the world. More importantly to his position, Johnson's 1.61-second 10-yard split was the best among all offensive linemen, and he aced the agility drills. NFL teams may have already had him in rarefied air, but there was little doubt when he left Indianapolis that Johnson was going to be a top-10 player.

Was it the right pick? Yes. Johnson is the most athletic tackle in this draft class, he fits Chip Kelly's high-volume offense like a glove, and he covers the Eagles' most glaring need.

(Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions have selected BYU DE Ezekiel Ansah with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

Pros: Ridiculous athlete. Outstanding chase defender upfield and to either sideline -- disengages quickly from blocks to move and make plays away from his original spot. Will grind through the play, sift through bodies, and continue to move to the ballcarrier. Gets in the backfield and makes things happen, as evidenced by improved tackle for loss totals. Has the reverse speed to become an excellent zone-dropper over time. Ability to engage double teams consistently increases his play-to-play value. Is developing an impressive ability to shoot through gaps, and will occasionally flash scary speed through blockers and into the pocket. For all the talk about Ansah's athleticism, perhaps the most intriguing (and most immediately NFL-transferable) aspect of his play is his power inline when he wins the leverage battle, and sometimes when he doesn't -- there's enough pure upper-body strength to push through technique flaws at times.

Cons: Has some pretty serious issues with leverage -- this showed up on his game tape, and was very obvious in Senior Bowl practices against dominant blockers. Comes off the snap too high far too often and loses a great deal of his forward power and momentum as a result. Can be bulled back and walled off in ways he shouldn't, given his size and athleticism. Doesn't yet have an array of useful and consistent hand moves, which leads to him wrestling with blockers at times when he should be disengaging. Falls for fake snap counts far too easily and will burst forward and back pre-snap. Still learning to diagnose more advanced run keys and gets in his own way sometimes.

What he brings to the team: Potential. Scary potential. As with most athletic marvels who still struggle with the finer points of the game, Ansah will need the help of his NFL team to make that transition smoothly and over time. He is frequently compared to New York Giants pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul -- not just because he has a similar build and potential explosive ability, but because Pierre-Paul was also a raw prospect coming out of South Florida. He spent one year there after two seasons in junior college, and the Giants worked him into one of the NFL's best defensive lines after selecting him with the 15th overall pick in 2010. Pierre-Paul played in all 16 games that first season, but didn't start a game until his second year, when he blew up with 16.5 sacks and his current well-deserved reputation as one of the toughest matchups in the game. Under a wise and patient coaching staff, Ansah could have the same career curve.

Was it the right pick?