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Detroit Lions made Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford the No. 1 overall pick in Saturday's NFL Draft after signing him to a six-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News reported Friday night the deal could reach $78 million, with $41.7 million guaranteed.
"I was at dinner with about 18-20 people - parents and friends and family. I went outside and took the call from Tom Condon, my agent, and walked back inside and just kind of gave everybody the thumbs up that we got it done and a bunch of picture taking happened after that and everybody just got really excited," Stafford said on a conference call. "It was a whole lot of fun."
Stafford was a Second Team All-SEC selection in 2008 when he threw for 3,459 yards and a school-record 25 touchdowns, against 10 interceptions. He also established a new program record for total offense in a single season with 3,499 yards, his passing total ranking second all-time at Georgia.
"His style of leadership has come from a lot of different people," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's a calming influence on the huddle. He's not a 'rah- rah, hey fellas let's get going.' The team has confidence when he's in the game, they have confidence that they're never out of the game and this goes way back with him."
The $78 million deal is the richest in the history of the draft. It also tops the six-year, $72 million deal the Falcons inked with QB Matt Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick last year.
Detroit was awarded the first pick after finishing 0-16 last season, becoming the first team since the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers to complete a full season without a victory.
"I know they haven't won a championship for 50 years - I guess 1957 was the last year that they won," Stafford said. "Obviously since I've been watching they've been struggling some, but it's all about getting out there, competing and doing what it takes to win and that's what I plan on doing."
Last season, the Lions had three different quarterbacks throw for over 700 yards - Dan Orlovsky, Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna.
Schwartz was asked if Stafford will sit for a while to learn the offense or be thrown in as the starter right away.
"We're at a really good position right now with a rejuvenated Daunte Culpepper," Schwartz said. "Daunte has done an incredible job between the end of the season and now of making a commitment and being back. I think anybody that saw any of our mini-camp sees a lot of the old Daunte Culpepper. I think it's a great situation to be in where we have a comfort level with what Daunte has done up to this point and we have a good young quarterback and we don't have to force our hand. We don't have to make a decision that's not based on merit."
While Detroit took Stafford to be the centerpiece of its offense, the St. Louis Rams firmed up their offensive line with the No. 2 pick, selecting Baylor tackle Jason Smith.
Smith earned All-America honors in 2008 for the Bears, helping them finish 21st in the nation in rushing with an average of 195.75 yards per game. The Rams finished 25th in the NFL in rushing last season with 103.1 yards per game.
"(Other candidates) all fit what we were talking about, but at the end of the day, just the mentality that this guy plays with," Rams general manager Billy Devaney said. "We've been stressing the smart part, the passionate, the productive part. He's off the charts in those categories and we just thought, for what we are trying to put together here, he's a perfect fit for us."
Kansas City took LSU defensive end Tyson Jackson with the third pick, which was a mild surprise judging by the crowd noise after the selection. Jackson was a three-year starter at left defensive end and piled up 19 1/2 sacks and 31 1/2 tackles for loss during his collegiate career.
Jackson has an ability to get into the backfield to create trouble for opposing offenses, which should help a Chiefs team that finished dead last in the NFL in sacks in 2008 with 10.
With the fourth pick, Seattle took another defensive player in Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry. He turned in a stellar 2008 season as a senior, winning the Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker.
Curry also earned All-ACC First Team honors after accumulating 101 tackles -- 15 for loss -- three forced fumbles and an interception.
Cleveland was scheduled to have the fifth pick, but traded the spot to the New York Jets, who selected USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. In exchange for the fifth pick, the Jets gave their original first-round pick (No. 17), a 2009 second-round pick and three players to the Browns. The Jets sent the Browns defensive end Kenyon Coleman, quarterback Brett Ratliff and defensive back Abram Elam.
Sanchez made the decision to enter the NFL Draft early after throwing for 3,207 yards and 34 touchdowns, against just 10 interceptions, in his junior season, leading the Trojans to a Rose Bowl victory.
Sanchez goes to a Jets team that had Brett Favre at quarterback in 2008. But a late-season collapse saw New York miss the postseason, leading to the firing of head coach Eric Mangini and the retirement of Favre.
"I'm really pleased with the pick and I knew that something was going on," Sanchez said. "I didn't know if it would be this pick, but it's pretty special. I am fired up about it."
At No. 6, the Cincinnati Bengals took standout tackle Andre Smith of Alabama. Smith won the Outland Trophy, given to the top offensive lineman in the nation, as a junior in 2008. He was also a unanimous All-SEC First Team choice and was named to the 2008 All-America squad by several sources, though was ruled ineligible to play in the 2009 Sugar Bowl after contacting an agent.
The Oakland Raiders made a surprising choice at the seventh spot, taking Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree -- a two-time All-American and two-time Fred Biletnikoff Award winner -- was seen by many as the top wideout in this year's draft, but the Raiders opted for Heyward-Bey.
The 6-foot-2 Heyward-Bey caught 42 passes for 609 yards and five touchdowns in 2008 for the Terrapins as a junior. However, his numbers were somewhat deflated because Maryland had quarterback problems and did not run a pass- heavy offense.
Crabtree, meanwhile, was taken three positions later by San Francisco with the 10th pick. Unlike Heyward-Bey, Crabtree had gaudy statistics, compiling 231 catches for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns in just 26 games over two collegiate seasons.
Virginia's Eugene Monroe became the third offensive tackle selected in the draft, when Jacksonville picked him eighth overall. As a senior in 2008, Monroe won the Jacobs Trophy as the top blocker in the ACC, helping the Cavaliers allow a conference-low 16 sacks.
At No. 9, Green Bay took Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who was a First Team All-ACC selection in 2008. Raji tallied 75 tackles -- 16 for loss -- 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles as a senior, as he returned to the field after missing 2007 because of academics.
After Crabtree was selected with the 10th pick, Buffalo took Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin at No. 11. Maybin entered the draft early after playing as a redshirt sophomore in 2008, when he recorded 49 tackles -- 20 for loss -- and a Big Ten-leading 12 sacks.
At 6-foot-4 and about 235 pounds, Maybin is a bit more slight than some ends, but makes up for it with quickness and drive. Maybin was a consensus First- Team All-American in 2008.
The Broncos then picked Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno at No. 12, perhaps a curious move after a number of offseason moves. Denver signed a host of free agents in the offseason, including running backs J.J. Arrington, LaMont Jordan and Correll Buckhalter.
However, with Moreno, Denver gets a tremendous athlete who ran for 2,734 yards and 30 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Bulldogs. Moreno also has pass- catching ability out of the backfield, having caught 53 passes for 645 yards out of the backfield in his two seasons at Georgia.
"Well, I'm going to try to fit in wherever I do; no matter where it is on the field," Moreno said. "I'm going to work hard, prepare myself for the league, for passing and some things like that. I'll fit in where I can and learn from the guys that are there and compete and work hard."
At No. 13, Washington selected Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, who earned a number of awards in his senior season. Orakpo was honored with the Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player), the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) and Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end) for his play in 2008, when he made 42 tackles -- 19 for loss -- totaled 11.5 sacks and forced four fumbles.
Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins was selected by New Orleans with the 14th pick. Jenkins won the Jim Thorpe Award, given each year to the nation's top defensive back, in 2008, and was a First Team All-Big Ten selection in each of his final three seasons with the Buckeyes.
The Houston Texans then made USC linebacker Brian Cushing, a 2008 Butkus Award finalist, the 15th pick, while San Diego took Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English at No. 16.
Cleveland was then scheduled to pick at No. 17, but traded the selection in the first of several late first-round swaps. The Browns had attained the pick from the Jets earlier in the draft, but dealt it to Tampa Bay in exchange for the No. 19 pick and a sixth-rounder (191).
The Buccaneers moved up in order to take Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman, who set school career records for completions (680), attempts (1,151), yards (8,078) touchdowns (44) and total offense during his tenure with the Wildcats.
Freeman, a threat through the air and on the ground, threw for 2,945 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior in 2008, and rushed for 404 yards and 14 more TDs.
Denver had the 18th selection, which it had acquired from the Bears when it traded quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago in early April. The Broncos used the choice on Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers, who broke through in 2008 as a senior for 49 tackles (15.5 for loss) and three sacks. Ayers was also a First Team All-SEC selection by the conference's coaches.
At No. 19 the Browns were again scheduled to pick, but once more swapped it for draft choices. Cleveland traded the 19th pick to Philadelphia for the No. 21 selection and a sixth-round choice (195).
The Eagles then took dynamic Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin at No. 19, while Detroit followed with the 20th pick and selected Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew. The 6-foot-6, 260-pound Pettigrew had been a possible pick for the Eagles, but instead will become a big target for Stafford.
With the No. 21 pick in hand, Cleveland actually made a selection, taking California center Alex Mack.
Minnesota quickly followed with the No. 22 selection, taking Percy Harvin, Florida's speedy wide receiver. Harvin is 5-foot-11 and weighs a bit under 200 pounds, but is a game-breaker who runs well in the open field.
Baltimore selected Ole Miss tackle Michael Oher at No. 23, a pick the Ravens acquired from New England in exchange for their No. 26 pick and a fifth- rounder (162).
Atlanta took Oher's former teammate, defensive tackle Peria Jerry, at No. 24, while Miami made Illinois cornerback Vontae Davis the 25th pick.
The Patriots dealt the 26th pick to Green Bay in another first-round trade, as the Packers took USC linebacker Clay Matthews. New England also sent the fifth-rounder (162) acquired from Baltimore to the Packers in exchange for the No. 41, No. 73 and No. 83 overall picks.
At No. 27, Indianapolis selected Connecticut running back Donald Brown, who led the nation in rushing in 2008 with 2,083 yards. He also scored 18 touchdowns.
Buffalo took Louisville center Eric Wood with the 28th pick, which the Bills acquired from Philadelphia after trading offensive tackle Jason Peters to the Eagles.
The New York Giants chose North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks with the 29th overall selection. Nicks caught 68 passes for 1,222 yards and 12 scores in 2008 as a junior, and will ideally help offset the loss of Plaxico Burress, who the Giants released earlier this month.
Rutgers wide receiver Kenny Britt went to Tennessee at No. 30, while Ohio State running back Chris "Beanie" Wells was taken 31st by NFC Champion Arizona. Reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh selected Missouri defensive tackle Evander Hood with the final pick of the first round.
The first two rounds of the NFL Draft were completed Saturday, and the remaining five will be held Sunday.
