Winners and losers from Day 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft

theScore's football editors evaluate the biggest winners and losers after the first 32 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Winner: Eagles

Philly fans are famous for booing their own team, but even they have to be pleased with what the club did Thursday.

The Eagles made their first splash at No. 13, trading up a couple spots to select Jordan Davis. The former Georgia star was the top defensive tackle in the draft, and his combination of production and athleticism screams "eventual superstar." The Bednarik Award winner will begin his career behind veterans Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave on the depth chart, but it shouldn't take long for him to take over as the Eagles' anchor up front.

Philadelphia pulled off a blockbuster trade for A.J. Brown later on, finally acquiring the No. 1 wide receiver it long coveted. The Eagles immediately signed the 24-year-old Brown to a long-term extension, and will pair him with DeVonta Smith going forward to create a dynamic duo out wide.

Moreover, Philadelphia didn't have to surrender an extra pick in the top three rounds to get Davis, while Brown cost a similar price to what the Arizona Cardinals paid moments earlier for a lesser receiver in Marquise Brown. The Eagles made both moves without touching either of their first-round picks in 2023, meaning they can keep loading up next year or get in position to draft a quarterback if Jalen Hurts stalls out.

Loser: Aaron Rodgers

New year, same issue in Green Bay.

Six wide receivers were taken in the first round, and two others were traded as part of stunning moves on the first day of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Packers had nothing to do with that, though.

Green Bay left Round 1 without adding a pass-catcher despite having two first-round picks and a major need at wide receiver after losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the offseason. Granted, the two players the Packers did take in the first round - linebacker Quay Walker and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt - instantly make the team's defense better. But the major hole in the club's receiving corps remains.

As good as Aaron Rodgers is, it's hard to envision the Packers making a Super Bowl run with their current wide receiver depth chart, which is headlined by Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard. Green Bay will likely add to the position in the later rounds, but there are no guarantees that Rodgers will get the pass-catcher he deserves. Green Bay still hasn't taken a wideout in the first round since 2002. The clock is ticking.

Winner: Jets

Jets general manager Joe Douglas hit Thursday's action-packed first round out of the park, arguably more than anybody else, by adding three potential cornerstone pieces in cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (No. 4 overall), receiver Garrett Wilson (No. 10), and pass-rusher Jermaine Johnson (No. 26 via trade-up).

New York desperately needed to inject some blue-chip talent into its roster, and it came away with some wild value based on its own board. Douglas said after the draft that the Jets had Gardner, Wilson, and Johnson ranked in their top eight, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic. They seemingly weren't alone in that view. Many experts believed Gardner and Wilson were the top players at their respective positions, and the Jets got them as CB2 and WR2. Meanwhile, some had projected that New York could even use its fourth overall pick to take Johnson, who ultimately fell 22 spots below that.

The AFC is set to be extremely competitive this season, and the Jets appeared to be in no man's land before this draft. It's too soon to call New York a wild-card contender, especially after 11 years without a playoff appearance, but it's far easier to see that becoming a reality with the addition of this ultra-talented trio. All eyes are on Zach Wilson now.

Loser: Patriots

Bill Belichick just doesn't care how the fans, the media, or anyone else in the NFL values draft prospects. He picks who he wants, even if that's a beefy FCS offensive lineman no one pegged as a Day 1 or even Day 2 selection.

The Rams' reaction to the pick says it all:

Strange indeed.

Winner: Kenny Pickett

Pickett's NFL draft experience had a Hollywood-like ending Thursday as the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the first round.

Though the Steelers opted not to gamble on such quarterbacks as Malik Willis, the team's investment in a familiar face could pay dividends in Pickett's development. While many other prospects will be forced to adjust to their new homes after being drafted, Pickett, a former Pittsburgh Panther, will be afforded the luxury of staying put.

No stranger to the Heinz Field crowd, the former Pitt passer may very well find himself in the most comfortable position of any quarterback drafted when all is said and done. That could be a major factor in Pickett reaching his full potential. Whether he does or doesn't will be determined at a later date, but it's easy to see that the 23-year-old quarterback has been provided with all the tools necessary to succeed.

Losers: Every other rookie quarterback

For the first time since EJ Manuel was the 16th overall selection in 2013, only one quarterback heard his name called on Day 1 of the draft. The Lions, Giants, Panthers, Falcons, Seahawks - all teams in sore need of a quarterback upgrade - opted to use their top-10 picks on other positions. The Saints picked twice in the top 19 but passed on the position.

Malik Willis entered the draft with the most buzz. More than a few mocks had Willis coming off the board to the Lions at No. 2. But where there's smoke there's not always fire, and the Liberty product's buzz quickly dissipated when the Steelers, the team most often linked to him in the media, picked local star Kenny Pickett at 20th overall. The rest of the first round went down without a hint of a quarterback in play.

Willis joins fellow quarterback Matt Corral, linebacker Nakobe Dean, and cornerback Kyler Gordon as the only players invited to the draft who didn't make it out of the green room Thursday. One wonders if the quarterbacks' wait might extend well into Day 2.

Winner: Georgia defense

Georgia's defense lived up to its billing on the first day of the draft. Months after winning the national title on the heels of the nation's top-ranked defensive unit, the Bulldogs set the record for the most defenders taken in the same first round with five selections.

The party started with edge rusher Travon Walker, who the Jacksonville Jaguars took first overall. The Eagles traded up to select defensive tackle Jordan Davis at No. 13. Linebacker Quay Walker and defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt went to the Packers at No. 22 and No. 28, respectively, before the Minnesota Vikings closed out Round 1 by taking safety Lewis Cine 32nd overall.

The total topped the four Miami defenders taken in the opening round in 2004 and the four Florida State defensive players called in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

Loser: Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson seemingly didn't try and hide his anger about the Baltimore Ravens' stunning decision to trade Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals midway through the first round.

Baltimore used the compensation gained from the Brown trade (No. 25 following a two-spot drop in a deal with the Buffalo Bills) to take center Tyler Linderbaum, 11 picks after adding safety Kyle Hamilton. Both selections were very Baltimore: unsexy but likely to provide an instant impact. But Jackson is trying to earn a life-changing first extension in the NFL, and his receiver group now looks dangerously thin.

Rashod Bateman had a solid first season in the NFL, catching 46 passes for 515 yards and one touchdown in 12 games. But is he ready to be a primary option? Devin Duvernay, James Proche, Tylan Wallance, and Jaylon Moore fill out Baltimore's depth chart. Of course, Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrew is a great player, but he can now be double-teamed on every play.

Jackson and Brown were close friends, and it's a curious decision by the Ravens to potentially strain their relationship with their franchise player while trying to lock him down to a long-term deal. Maybe Baltimore can ease the pain with a veteran addition like Jarvis Landry and/or a receiver at No. 45 overall. But as it stands, Jackson is one of the major losers after Day 1.