NFL Draft Tracker 2012: Tracking the Best and Worst of Draft's Top 10

If there's one word that has defined the first round of the 2012 NFL draft to this point, it's "transaction," as six of the first seven picks in this year's draft changed hands at some point in a frenetic beginning to this year's festivities.

That's wasn't the only action that transpired Thursday night however, and here's a quick recap of the some of the highs and lows of the first 10 picks of the 2012 NFL draft.

Best Pick: Minnesota Vikings

The Pick: Matt Kalil, OT, USC (fourth overall)

After allowing the fifth-most sacks in the National Football League in 2011, the Minnesota Vikings badly needed to address the offensive line. However, even taking that into consideration just the selection of the All-American from USC wouldn't be enough to vault the Vikes to the top of the top-10 heap.

When you add in the three picks that the Vikings picked up from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for moving down one spot, it becomes a different story, however, as Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman effectively had his cake and ate it too.

Worst Pick: Miami Dolphins

The Pick: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M (eighth overall)

I feel like I'm beating the proverbial dead horse here, and I have nothing against Ryan Tannehill as a player or a person.

However, a team with too many holes to fill let the tail wag the dog by reaching for the quarterback they couldn't land in free agency.

In the strong-armed but inexperienced Tannehill, the Dolphins took easily the biggest risk of a top 10 team this year, and while it's possible that Tannehill will one day develop into a fine NFL starter by the time he does, general manager Jeff Ireland will probably be long gone.

Biggest Impact Move: Dallas Cowboys

The Pick: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU (sixth overall)

Say what you will about Jerry Jones, but the Cowboys owner doesn't sit on his hands.

After watching the 2011 season come to an unceremonious end as the Dallas defense was shredded by Eli Manning and the New York Giants, the Cowboys have now added the top cornerbacks available in both the draft and free agency with Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr.

The price that Dallas paid the St. Louis Rams to move up (their second-round selection) wasn't an insignificant one, but neither is the effect these moves will have on both the Dallas defense and the NFC East in 2012.

Biggest Surprise: Carolina Panthers

The Pick: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College (ninth overall)

In a start to the 2012 draft that was dominated by teams jockeying for position, the biggest surprise of the top 10 may have come from a team that stayed put, as the Carolina Panthers used the ninth-overall pick to choose Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly.

That isn't to say that the pick is a bad one, as Kuechly led the nation in tackles last year and will help stabilize a Carolina linebacker corps that seems to be annually ravaged by injuries.

However, given Carolina's susceptibility against the run last year, many pundits (myself included) expected the Panthers to select a defensive tackle, and with all the top talent at the position still on the board, it was something of a shock to see the Panthers eschew the position in favor of Kuechly.