The first round of the 2014 NFL draft is in the books, and the results were as astonishing and compelling as ever, beginning with the No. 1 overall selection of Jadeveon Clowney to the Houston Texans.

Clowney is the first defender taken with the top choice since the Texans took Mario Williams—now a member of the Buffalo Bills. Speaking of that latter team, they made a bold trade up and spent a 2015 Round 1 pick to do so, acquiring Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

That opportunity presented itself thanks to the Cleveland Browns' willingness to trade down. New general manager Ray Farmer would trade up twice more on the evening, nabbing Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert and Texas A&M Heisman quarterback Johnny Manziel.

And there's more where that came from, prompting Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman to tweet this:

That was the best first round I've ever seen in the NFL draft.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) May 9, 2014

Here is a look at all 32 picks in the books so far, along with predictions for Friday's second and third rounds and an updated draft order.

 

 

Day 2 Draft Predictions: 1st 3 Off the Board

Oakland Raiders (via Houston, No. 33 overall): Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

The best quarterback left on the board is Carr, and the Raiders have been rumored to be interested in him. Although they have Matt Schaub already, they can move into the Houston Texans' spot from No. 36 and still hang onto their third-round choice.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Friday that the Texans are mulling trading out of the first pick in the second round, while colleague Ed Werder noted how Carr's family lineage could rule out landing with the Texans:

Here we go again: Texans listening to offers and open to moving the top pick in the second round.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 9, 2014

Epic failure of David Carr as #Texans first-ever draft choice, though not his fault alone, impacts consideration of QB brother Derek today

— Ed Werder (@Edwerderespn) May 9, 2014

Bleacher Report expert Matt Miller weighed in on the potential smokescreen tactics Oakland has been using regarding Carr, along with the dilemma besetting Houston:

Raiders put out a lot of smoke that they wanted Derek Carr at No. 5. Maybe they meant at No. 36

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) May 9, 2014

You do have to wonder, if the Texans aren't drafting a QB at 33, just who the heck is their starter?

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) May 9, 2014

The Texans need a quarterback of their own, yet should have faith in reputed QB guru and head coach Bill O'Brien to mold anyone general manager Rick Smith brings in. How long can they afford to wait for a quality option, though?

Carr has exceptional arm talent and threw a ridiculous 50 touchdown passes as a senior. His superior life experience to the other underclassmen that were chosen ahead of him should make Carr marketable to teams seeking a mature, fiery leader under center.

"He's very, very accurate and very athletic. He has a ton of velocity but can make the touch throws as well. To me, he's a guy that could really rip it, get it out of his hands really quick," said Fresno State coach Tim DeRuyter, per SFGate.com's Vic Tafur.

One underrated element to Carr's game is his speed, as he ran a 4.69-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The Raiders need some excitement, and there's no guarantee that Schaub will pan out after an awful 2013 campaign in Houston. This would be a neat, full-circle sort of trade up by Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie, and he can give his QBs a receiver weapon early in Round 3 from the deep pool of playmakers available.

 

Washington Redskins (No. 34 overall): Kony Ealy, DL, Missouri

Depth is necessary across the defensive line, and Ealy is the best possible fit for Washington at this point. Ealy is athletic enough to stand up and has the functional strength and leverage to make an immediate impact in the rotation.

The National Football Post's Dion Caputi shares Miller's opinion in that he feels Kony should be off the board already:

Very surprised Kony Ealy is still around. A top 15 talent, in my view. Lesser expectations + more patience will only help him develop.

— Dion Caputi (@nfldraftupdate) May 9, 2014

Washington needs to make a splash, and can get a first-round caliber talent early in the second after losing out on a No. 2 overall choice thanks to the Robert Griffin III trade. Veteran safety Ryan Clark shores up the secondary, so the focus must shift to the front seven.

Perhaps a disappointing 4.93-second 40 time at the combine may be hurting Ealy's stock and caused him to fall that far.

But some players just have better game speed, which could very well be the case with Ealy here. Registering eight sacks this past year in the SEC can't be a fluke, and it suggests Ealy could even start right away in the pros.

Just look at what's happened in the NFC East this offseason. The Redskins can't have enough dynamic players in the trenches to stymie the Philadelphia Eagles' high-octane offense, and the Dallas Cowboys have once again invested a first-round pick in the offensive line. A slew of signings in free agency also fortified the New York Giants' O-line, creating an even bigger need for a spark in the defensive trenches.

All of these factors point to Ealy as a logical choice to land in the nation's capital at No. 34.

 

Cleveland Browns (No. 35 overall): Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State

Hailing from a pro-style offense in Happy Valley, Robinson has an understanding of NFL concepts, a developed route tree and the size, physicality and ball skills to match.

It's easy to get lost in how many wideouts are great in this class, per the Philadelphia Daily News' David Murphy:

Allen Robinson > Most of the guys who will get drafted ahead of him in the first round (notable exceptions include Evans, Watkins)

— David Murphy (@ByDavidMurphy) May 8, 2014

Robinson is also ranked No. 6 in CBSSports.com's prospect rankings, behind only Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks—all of whom were drafted in the top 20.

USC's Marqise Lee is the only player ahead of Robinson still on the board, but he doesn't bring to the table as much of what the Browns should be looking for. Cleveland needs another threat opposite Josh Gordon, because Greg Little just isn't going to cut it with his frequent drop issues.

Lee is more of a slot option, while Robinson is a surefire outside weapon, and NBC Sports noted how much he improved his measurable athleticism at the Nittany Lions' pro day:

WR Allen Robinson of @PennStateFball improved his combine numbers at #PSU's Pro Day @ProFootballTalk #NFLDraft2014 pic.twitter.com/gFPeuGt3s9

— PFTonNBCSN (@PFTonNBCSN) April 8, 2014

With those types of testing numbers, it was frankly surprising that Robinson fell out of Round 1. Cleveland should provide new franchise QB Manziel with another bigger, friendly target to toss the pigskin to, creating nightmare matchups for opposing secondaries in the process.

Uncertainty about quarterbacks is still a prominent theme on Day 2 of the draft. The Texans seem reluctant to take a flier on the signal-caller who seemed to be the consensus best remaining on the board. They may even luck into trading out of No. 33 and gaining valuable assets because of their lack of conviction about any individual at the position, but they must find a better solution than Ryan Fitzpatrick or Case Keenum.

Plenty of movement could happen at the top of Round 2, and given the depth of this draft, NFL fans will want to stay parked in front of the TV on Friday evening. There are still plenty of starters available, and Ealy and Robinson are just two of them.