It’s definitely as it should be when the league’s worst teams pick first in the NFL draft and probably as it should be when they actually make good use of those selections. Most of the league’s worst teams made giant steps forward this weekend, not only with solid first selections but with multiple hits later on as well.

Bad teams make strides

Among the biggest winners in the draft were the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins started the draft by doing what Zoneblitz thought they should – selecting offensive tackle Jake Long. But Bill Parcells & Co. didn’t stop there. Miami didn’t stop their reconstruction there. When DE Phillip Merling dropped out of the first round they jumped on him and then they grabbed a top quarterback, Chad Henne, to challenge John Beck for the job long-term.

The Merling pick along with the addition of 300-pound defensive lineman Kendall Langford from Hampton may help facilitate a future trade of Jason Taylor. On offense, guards Shawn Murphy in the fourth and Donald Thomas in the sixth join Long on a rebuilt line.

Kansas City made the most of its haul from the Jared Allen deal, grabbing Branden Albert with the Vikings’ pick after having nabbed Glenn Dorsey – whom one half of Zoneblitz believes is the best player in the draft – with their own first rounder.

The team also selected cornerback Brandon Flowers in the second round, a player many had ranked as a first round talent. Running back Jamaal Charles gives the Chiefs another option for spelling Larry Johnson and he may take the job over eventually, as well.

The Falcons made some progress too. While Zoneblitz felt Atlanta should have taken Glenn Dorsey they chose QB Matt Ryan. The choice does give them a new face for their offense. But they also chose to protect him, trading up in the first round to grab left tackle Sam Baker, a productive starter from USC. In the third round they added wideout Harry Douglas to help Roddy White. The defense wasn’t ignored either, as LB Curtis Lofton joined in the second round and two defensive backs were added in round three.

Questionable decisions

There weren’t any dramatic reaches in the first round. Tennessee probably came the closest, selecting Chris Johnson, a running back from East Carolina. Johnson is a decent talent, but was taken too early, as he is not an every-down back. The team also could have had its choice of wide receivers, a position of need if the Titans want to provide quarterback Vince Young with a complete set of weapons.

The St. Louis Rams took Donnie Avery, from Houston, as the first wide receiver selected in the draft in round two while several more-heralded options were still available. But by-in-large, the Rams did alright for themselves, adding Chris Long in the first round and then getting value from third-round guard John Greco, fourth-round cornerback Justin King, and fifth-round guard Roy Schuening.

Many “experts” have been critical of Detroit and their failure to land one of the elite running backs. But I think they may have nabbed a sleeper in Kevin Smith from Central Florida.

McFadden but not much else for the Raiders

The Oakland Raiders continue to confuse. I guess it’s hard to fault them for taking running back Darren McFadden, the top-ranked back available. But the Raiders have so many holes, including defensive tackle, where Glenn Dorsey was available.

And running back wasn’t one – Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan and Dominic Rhodes remain from last year and Michael Bush, injured last year, might have been the most talented back on the roster.

McFadden will probably be the best of the bunch, but the Raiders had a chance to upgrade elsewhere … but then again, why would the Raiders do something conventional? At this point Jordan reportedly is a roster casualty. And now with the other guys they’ve probably at least got trade bait.