First Round Signing Tracker

A few more first round picks signed recently so it felt like a fine time to update the First Round Signing Tracker. 

1.   Jacksonville Jaguars-Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

2.   New York Jets-Zach Wilson, QB, BYU

3.   San Francisco 49ers-Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State

4.   Atlanta Falcons-Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida

5.   Cincinnati Bengals-Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU-Signed

6.   Miami Dolphins-Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama-Signed

7.   Detroit Lions-Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon-Signed

8.   Carolina Panthers-Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina 

9.   Denver Broncos-Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama-Signed

10. Philadelphia Eagles-DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama-Signed

11. Chicago Bears-Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State-Signed

12. Dallas Cowboys-Michael Parsons, LB, Penn State-Signed

13. Los Angeles Chargers-Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern

14. New York Jets-Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC

15. New England Patriots-Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

16. Arizona Cardinals-Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa-Signed

17. Las Vegas Raiders-Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama-Signed

18. Miami Dolphins-Jaelan Phillips, Edge, Miami-Signed

19. Washington Football Team-Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky-Signed 

20. New York Giants-Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida-Signed

21. Indianapolis Colts-Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan-Signed

22. Tennessee Titans-Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech-Signed

23. Minnesota Vikings-Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech-Signed

24. Pittsburgh Steelers-Najee Harris, RB, Alabama-Signed

25. Jacksonville Jaguars-Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

26. Cleveland Browns-Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern

27. Baltimore Ravens-Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota-Signed

28. New Orleans Saints-Payton Turner, Edge, Houston-Signed

29. Green Bay Packers-Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia-Signed

30. Buffalo Bills-Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami-Signed

31. Baltimore Ravens-Odafe Oweh, Edge, Penn State-Signed

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Joe Tyron, Edge, Washington

***

21 of the 32 first round picks have signed their first NFL contracts.

I find it interesting that blocks form of players that have signed their rookie contracts. In this year’s draft there’s a block of three (#5-#7), a block of four (#9-#12), a block of nine (#16-#24), and a block of five (#27-#31). There isn’t a signed first-round player that wasn’t selected adjacent to another signed first-round player. I get that each signing of a drafted player can be a trigger to the signing of the player drafted just before or just after but the 2011 CBA basically scripted these rookie deals. This pick gets this pile of money. That pick gets that pile of money. The amounts are determined before the draft. Maybe there’s extra motivation on the team-side and/or the player-side to get the deal done when an adjacent player signs their deal. Who knows? These blocks often form during the pick-signing process. 

Alabama players have shown an eagerness to get their deals done. Five of the six Alabama players selected in the first round have signed. All but the quarterback, Mac Jones. 

Justin Fields signed his rookie deal Thursday. He’s the first of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round to sign. 

The Minnesota Vikings signed about half of their draft picks during the couple days preceding their Rookie Minicamp. Once that initial weekend of workouts ended the rookie signings slowed. It’s a completion thing but it drives me nuts to see a few unsigned draft picks hanging there for days, weeks. It’ll get done. I just want it done yesterday. Here’s the signing status of the Vikings 11 draft picks:

1. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech-Signed

3. Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M

3. Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

3. Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State

3. Patrick Jones II, Edge, Pittsburgh

4. Kene Nwangwu, RB, Iowa State-Signed

4. Camryn Bynum, S, Cal-Signed

4. Janarius Robinson, Edge, Florida State-Signed

5. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, WR, Iowa-Signed

5. Zach Davidson, TE, Central Missouri-Signed 

6. Jaylen Twyman, DT, Pittsburgh-Signed

Seven of 11. Only the four third-round picks remain unsigned. Still.