NFL Draft Wrap: Impressions after a busy weekend in Chicago

The 2016 NFL Draft is in the books and the weekend led to many different reactions, some good, some surprising and some downright disappointing. Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell and Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst Adam Gorney have a few impressions to share.

RELATED: Rivals rankings of 31 first-round picks

The Dallas Cowboys taking linebacker Jaylon Smith with the 34th pick of the draft, ahead of linebacker Myles Jack who was initially supposed to be a top five pick. Smith, who suffered a horrific injury in Notre Dame’s bowl game against Ohio State, was rumored to be falling as deep as round four but the Cowboys showed the guts to take a chance. It was the Cowboys' team doctor who did the surgery on Smith’s knee, so perhaps he knows something no one else does. Regardless, it was a feel-good moment as Smith is one of the highest character kids you can ever have on your team. – Mike Farrell, National Recruiting Director

Ohio State had an absolutely phenomenal weekend, especially on the first night as the Buckeyes had three top 10 picks in defensive end Joey Bosa, running back Ezekiel Elliott and cornerback Eli Apple. Ohio State had five first-round picks and 12 players drafted overall -- all in the first four rounds. Even coach Urban Meyer on the NFL Network couldn’t hold back his excitement as his former players kept going off the board. Not that he needed any more help, but all those picks should be a huge boost to Ohio State’s recruiting efforts. The only question is with such a loaded roster is how did the Buckeyes not compete for a national title this past season? – Adam Gorney, Rivals.com National Recruiting Analyst

How can someone not be impressed with the meteoric rise of Jack Conklin over the last few seasons? He went from a former walk-on at Michigan State to the eighth overall pick, from someone whose offensive tackle credentials were questioned to holding the responsibility of protecting Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota. Conklin battled through injuries and so much more to find himself as one of the top players taken. Now he’s a millionaire. – Gorney

Let’s not forget the Clemson Tigers. While Ohio State had an amazing 12 players selected, Clemson had nine go off the board and finished right behind the Buckeyes for that honor. They didn’t have the same amount of high picks, but this is clearly a turning point of sorts for the program with the most selections since 1983. And the scary part? The best talent is still on the current roster. - Farrell

This could have been an anomaly, but this draft was proof that a quarterback does not need to play at a Power Five school to be drafted high. Sure, Cal’s Jared Goff was the first pick, but the Eagles traded a lot of picks away to land North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. Later in the first round, Denver took Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch with the No. 26 pick. Note to QBs: The NFL will find you if you’re talented enough. – Gorney

Alabama only getting one pick in the first round was definitely surprising as the only Crimson Tide player to go off the board was center Ryan Kelly to Indianapolis. Defensive tackles A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed, linebacker Reggie Ragland and even running back Derrick Henry were mentioned to go that high but Kelly was the only one. – Gorney

Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook falling all the way to the fourth round and being selected by the Oakland Raiders, a team with a young emerging star at quarterback already. It wasn't a stunner that Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg was selected ahead of Cook, but also Jacoby Brissett of N.C. State and Cody Kessler out of USC? – Farrell

Former four-star corner Eli Apple going so high – No. 10 to the Giants – is confounding as there are so many talented players at that position in this draft but New York seemed to like him more. He has the length and physical ability but he’s almost too physical on the outside at times and passing on Vernon Hargreaves III, William Jackson III and maybe even some others was confusing. – Gorney

The fall of the defensive tackles. Robinson and Reed, as Gorney mentioned, were two guys expected to land in round one but didn't. Players such as Javon Hargrave from South Carolina State, Sheldon Day out of Notre Dame, Hassan Ridgeway out of Texas and especially Andrew Billings from Baylor all fell far from where they were projected to land by many. The NFL wants guys who can get after the passer up the middle, that has become clear. - Farrell

Ole Miss had a bad weekend even with three first-round picks. Offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil went from being the consensus No. 1 pick to No. 13, losing million along the way, as teams traded up to go after quarterbacks Jared Goff and Carson Wentz. Then the leaked video of the former five-star smoking what looked like marijuana out of a gas mask happened and teams took lesser offensive tackles because of it. Former five-star Laquon Treadwell was the fourth receiver off the board as teams chose speedy receivers earlier. The one bright spot was actually former five-star Robert Nkemdiche, who could have fallen out of the first round but was taken No. 29 by Arizona. – Gorney

Three punters, one kicker, a long snapper and a guy who hasn’t played football since middle school all got drafted but players like Jeremy Cash out of Duke, Tyvis Powell out of Ohio State, Marquez North out of Tennessee, Eric Striker and Dominique Alexander out of Oklahoma, Denver Kirkland out of Arkansas, Landon Turner out of North Carolina and others get left out of all seven rounds? Sometimes NFL teams overthink things. -- Farrell

It was disappointing to see former UCLA standout Myles Jack plummet into the second round because of injury concerns. Either the team doctors know something and are really concerned about his future or the Jacksonville Jaguars just got one of the biggest steals in this draft. To the layman’s eye, Jack proved over the last few months that he is perfectly healthy and his athleticism is off the charts. Maybe there is something there, but it looks like the Jaguars stole Jack. – Gorney

The Texas Longhorns had one player taken, Hassan Ridgeway, in the entire draft. The same can be said for talent-producing programs like Pitt, Oklahoma State and Louisville. - Farrell