NEW YORK (AP) - The Kansas City Chiefs took offensive tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan to begin the NFL draft Thursday night, then Jacksonville went for Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel.
It was the first time since the 1970 merger of the NFL and AFL that offensive tackles went 1-2.
Fisher became the first player from the Mid-American Conference taken to open the draft. He is the third offensive tackle picked No. 1 overall since the merger, joining Orlando Pace in 1997 and Jake Long five years ago.
“This is so surreal,” Fisher said. “I’m ready to get to work right now. I’m ready to start playing some football. I can’t process what’s going on right now.”
Fisher is the first selection by new Chiefs coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey, who entertained trade offers before selecting the 6-foot-7, 306-pound Fisher over All-American Joeckel.
Not that Joeckel was any less thrilled to go second.
“I don’t have words for all the emotions I feel. It’s the best feeling of my entire life,” he said.
After Commissioner Roger Goodell paid tribute to the first responders at the Boston Marathon bombings and the victims of the West, Texas explosion, he announced Fisher’s name.
It broke a string of four straight quarterbacks taken first: Matthew Stafford, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck. This is considered a QB-weak draft.
A quick trade followed the first two picks: Miami acquired the No. 3 spot from Oakland and chose Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan, who the Dolphins envision as the next Jason Taylor.
The Raiders received the Dolphins first-rounder, 12th overall, and a second-rounder.
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