The Carolina Panthers selected former Alabama quarterback Bryce Young with the first pick of the 2023 NFL draft.
The 21-year-old, awarded the Heisman Trophy for best college player in 2021, had replaced CJ Stroud as favourite to be the first off the board.
Ex-Ohio State quarterback Stroud, also 21, was selected second by the Houston Texans in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Texans then made a big play by trading up from the 12th pick to third to take pass rusher Will Anderson Jr.
Ex-Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, whose athleticism has drawn comparisons with Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson, was taken fourth overall by the Indianapolis Colts.
But the biggest story on draft day actually involved 26-year-old Jackson, the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2019.
Three hours before the draft started, the Ravens announced they had agreed a new five-year contract with Jackson reportedly worth $260m, which would make him the NFL’s highest-paid player less than two weeks after Jalen Hurts claimed that title.
Baltimore have already boosted Jackson’s offence by signing free agent Odell Beckham Jr and they added another wide receiver in the draft, claiming Zay Flowers with the 22nd pick.
It was thought as many as four quarterbacks could be among the first 10 picks, but Will Levis was kept waiting in the green room on day one.
Several trades made in draft-day scramble
Some NFL analysts predicted several draft-day trades in the scramble for the best young players coming out of the US college system.
There proved to be three among the first nine picks alone, plus the trade Carolina had already agreed last month to move up from ninth to gain the first overall pick from the Chicago Bears.
The Panthers were eager to acquire a franchise quarterback having gone through three starting QBs last season, when they missed out on the play-offs for a fifth straight year.
In Young they hope to have finally found a long-term successor to Cam Newton, who Carolina selected the only other time they had the first pick in 2011 and was the 2015 MVP as he led the Panthers to the Super Bowl.
Houston had draft capital as a result of Deshaun Watson’s trade to the Cleveland Browns last year and they took advantage of it to claim the third pick from the Arizona Cardinals, who went back up from 12 to six to select tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
The Philadelphia Eagles, narrowly beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs in a thrilling Super Bowl in February, then traded up one spot to nine to reunite Jalen Carter with two of his former team-mates on the Georgia defence, who they drafted last year.
A total crowd of 300,000 people is expected at this year’s draft; 17 of the top prospects attended, waiting to be called in an immaculate green room inside Kansas City’s Union Station.
The NFL has constructed a giant stage in front of the building’s iconic facade and Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce made an appearance during Thursday’s festivities, showing off the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Kelce’s mother Donna – renowned for speaking to worldwide media about the ‘Kelce Bowl’ before her sons Travis and Jason became the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl – also appeared on stage to announce the 30th pick, with Philly adding another ex-Georgia player on defence as linebacker Nolan Smith became Jason Kelce’s newest team-mate.
The three-day event continues with the second and third rounds on Friday (midnight BST).
