FORT Benning, Ga., (May 14, 2014) -- The 2014 NFL Draft has come and gone, and while there have been countless examples of late-round picks going on to superstardom, it's still the first round that garners the most attention from fans and media alike.

I know there are always many differing opinions and grades for each team's first-round pick, but after watching the first round May 8, I can't think of a draft in recent memory where I thought so many teams near the top were able to find the right balance of talent and need.

Jadeveon Clowney went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans, and it's hard to argue with that pick. As someone who's watched a lot of SEC football, I've seen the force Clowney can be.

Some questioned if he actually is a good fit for the Texans' 3-4 scheme, but I've seen him play as more of a standup linebacker at times during his tenure at South Carolina. He'll fit in just fine.

Buffalo made perhaps the most aggressive move of the first round, trading up five spots from No. 9 to No. 4 to land former Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins. As someone who was privileged enough to watch Watkins play in person, I can tell you his combination of speed, agility, hands and route running ability could make him the next superstar receiver in a league that is increasingly dominated by explosive passing attacks.

Finally, you can't talk about the draft without talking about quarterbacks.

Jacksonville, Cleveland and Minnesota all landed potential star signal callers in the first round, and all three did it at appropriate times.

Jacksonville knew they wanted Blake Bortles, and took the draft's most NFL-ready QB at No. 3.

I believe both Cleveland and Minnesota, meanwhile had identified Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater as players of interest, but both teams played it smart by not overreaching and drafting a quarterback in the top 10.

Instead, both teams were able to land the quarterback they so desperately needed by trading into the late first round.

So, both teams were able to fill other positions of need early in the draft before adding a quarterback. I'm not saying both are future Hall of Famers, but I personally expect big things from Manziel in Cleveland and Bridgewater in Minnesota once they have had the proper time to develop.

But, nothing is for sure until these young players lace up the cleats and take the field. We're just over 113 days away from the start of the 2014 season, and I can't wait.