Friday 29 April 2016 13:12, UK
The Los Angeles Rams selected Jared Goff with the first pick of the NFL Draft as the franchise prepares for a new era.
The Rams are relocating from St Louis ahead of the 2016 season and they made a big splash earlier this month when trading multiple picks to the Tennessee Titans for the first selection in the rookie draft.
Most assumed the trade was made to add a quarterback - either Goff or Carson Wentz - and confirmation came on Thursday when commissioner Roger Goodell announced California product Goff as the opening pick of the first round in Chicago.
"Just truly a dream come true," Goff said. "I'm taking it as an honour and I'm going to have to prove them right, that they made the right decision."
"If you're a first-round quarterback, there's going to be pressure regardless. I'm very excited, very ready to go, ready for the challenge."
The Philadelphia Eagles also traded up to get hold of the second pick, knowing they would get whichever quarterback the Rams passed on - North Dakota State's Wentz as it predictably turned out.
"I'm happy to be an Eagle," said Wentz. "I'm bringing it. They're getting a passionate player. I'm pumped to be an Eagle and ready to go to work."
The rest of the draft was less predictable, starting with the San Diego Chargers passing on Laremy Tunsil and instead selecting defensive lineman Joey Bosa.
Tunsil's drop would continue all the way to the 13th pick, where the Miami Dolphins selected him to bring an end to a night that had seen his stock affected by a social media post.
The offensive tackle was shown in a video with a gas mask on, smoking through what appeared to be a bong, and it led to a number of teams removing him from their draft board completely.
After being picked by the Dolphins, he said: "It was a mistake. It happened years ago, like I said before. Somebody hacked my Twitter account and that's how it got on there.
"It's a crazy world. Things happen for a reason. I'm glad to be in Miami. I'm going to work my butt off and give it all I got."
The Dallas Cowboys selected running back Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth pick of the draft, with the top five being rounded out by cornerback Jalen Ramsey, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
There were also four trades completed during the evening, with possibly the most interesting seeing the Denver Broncos move up five slots to pick Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch.
The draft continues on Friday night with rounds two and three, with the remaining selections to be made on Saturday.
First round selections:
1.01 Los Angeles Rams: QB Jared Goff
1.02 Philadelphia Eagles: QB Carson Wentz
1.03 San Diego: DL Joey Bosa
1.04 Dallas: RB Ezekiel Elliott
1.05 Jacksonville: DB Jalen Ramsey
1.06 Baltimore: OT Ronnie Stanley
1.07 San Francisco: DE DeForest Buckner
1.08 Tennessee (via trade): OT Jack Conklin
1.09: Chicago (via trade): OLB Leonard Floyd
1.10 New York Giants: DB Eli Apple
1.11 Tampa Bay: DB Vernon Hargreaves
1.12 New Orleans: DT Sheldon Rankins
1.13 Miami: OT Laremy Tunsil
1.14 Oakland: DB Karl Joseph
1.15 Cleveland (via trade): WR Corey Coleman
1.16 Detroit: OT Taylor Decker
1.17 Atlanta: DB Keanu Neal
1.18 Indianapolis: C Ryan Kelly
1.19 Buffalo: DE Shaq Lawson
1.20 New York Jets: LB Darron Lee
1.21 Houston (via trade): WR Will Fuller
1.22 Washington: WR Josh Doctson
1.23 Minnesota: WR Laquon Treadwell
1.24 Cincinnati: DB William Jackson III
1.25 Pittsburgh: DB Artie Burns
1.26 Denver (via trade): QB Paxton Lynch;
1.27 Green Bay: DT Kenny Clark
1.28 San Francisco (via trade): OG Joshua Garnett
1.29 Arizona; DT Robert Nkemdiche
1.30 Carolina: DE Vernon Butler
1.31 Seattle (via trade): OT Germain Ifedi
