Sudden Impact: 32 Second-Day NFL Draft Picks Who'll Play on Opening Weekend

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

AFC EAST

Shawn Nelson, TE, Buffalo Bills (Round Four, Pick 21, Southern Miss)

Draft analysts were surprised to see Nelson drop all the way to the fourth round, as many of them had the big tight end pegged as a first or second-rounder. Nonetheless, Nelson (6'5", 240) found a good home in Buffalo.

A better pass catcher than inline blocker, Nelson has the speed (4.56) to split the seam and draw safeties away from Buffalo’s newly acquired receiver, Terrell Owens, and from veteran wideout Lee Evans.

Patrick Turner, WR, Miami Dolphins (Round Three, Pick 23, Southern Cal)

After running a rather pedestrian 40-time at his pro day (4.59), and with the specter of USC draft busts like Mike Williams and Dwayne Jarrett fresh in the minds of scouts and general managers, Turner remained on the board until the 23rd pick of the third round.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington, one of the NFL’s most accurate short-to-intermediate range passers, is surely glad to have him, however, as the 6'5", 223-pound Turner provides the signal caller with a big target in the red zone and a possession receiver who will work the sidelines and the middle of the field.

Julian Edelman, ATH, New England Patriots (Round Seven, Pick 23, Kent State)

Typically, most seventh-round draft picks have a hard time making the final roster, let alone making an immediate impact on his team, but Julian Edelman is not a typical football player.

Although the Patriots have him listed as a wide receiver, Edelman was a dual-threat quarterback at Kent State, scoring 13 rushing and 13 passing touchdowns in 2008, making him an ideal candidate to line up behind center in the Wildcat formation. Edelman also will be given an opportunity to fill the void at kick returner, which was created when Ellis Hobbs was traded to the Eagles.  

Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (Round Three, Pick One, Iowa)

With both of the Jets’ primary running backs, Leon Washington and Thomas Jones, unhappy with their respective contract situations, general manager Mike Tannenbaum quickly traded up on Day Two of the Draft to select Iowa’s Shonn Greene with the first pick of round three.

Should the Jets be without the services of Washington or Jones for an extended period of time, Greene (5'11", 227) provides offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer with a powerful inside runner who possesses a good burst through the hole and the agility and body control to bounce his runs to the perimeter when necessary.

AFC WEST

David Bruton, FS, Denver Broncos (Round Four, Pick 14, Notre Dame)

The Broncos spent three of their 10 draft picks on defensive backs to help fortify a pass defense that yielded 228.5 yards per game and 20 touchdowns (with only six interceptions) to its opponents last season, numbers that ranked 26th overall in the NFL.

Just a two-year starter at Notre Dame, Bruton is a bit raw as a defensive back and therefore might need some time to refine his coverage skills, but he should contribute immediately on special teams, as he was regarded as one of college football’s premier “gunners” on coverage units.

Alex Magee, DE, Kansas City Chiefs (Round Three, Pick Three, Purdue)

Magee is a good example of a team drafting to fit its scheme. After spending three seasons at defensive tackle, the former Boilermaker switched to end for his senior campaign.

While Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli attempts to reshape his team’s defensive roster, transforming it from 4-3 to 3-4 personnel, Magee (6'3", 298) provides the Chiefs’ decision-maker with a player who can handle any position along the defensive front, lending defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast more flexibility with his defensive line rotation.

Louis Murphy, WR, Oakland Raiders (Round Four, Pick 24, Florida)

There’s little doubt as to what induced Al Davis to select Murphy in the fourth round. Like the Raiders’ first-round selection, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Murphy is a former track athlete with tremendous speed, running a 4.43 40-yard dash at the Combine.

If he improves his strength (he managed just 12 reps on the bench press) in order to beat the press coverage that he’ll encounter in the NFL, Murphy can utilize his quickness and acceleration to separate from defenders and provide a much-needed target for quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Louis Vasquez, G, San Diego Chargers (Round Three, Pick 14, Texas Tech)

After allowing starting right guard Mike Goff to leave the team via free agency, Chargers general manager A.J. Smith entered the 2009 Draft with a position of need on his offensive line. Consequently, the Chargers selected Louis Vasquez, a strong, wide-bodied guard from Texas Tech, who will battle Kynan Forney in training camp for the vacant right-guard spot. Vasquez’s presence alone increases competition, which should result in improved play at the interior portion of the Chargers’ offensive line.

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