While I was optimistic they maybe could creep into the end of the first round, the two most heralded Irish prospects going into this draft were off the board by midway into the second round. If you could survive all the inane yammering from the experts, a speedy but rather anti-climatic first day cruised right by.

John Carlson was taken at 38, the seventh pick in the second, by the Seattle Seahawks.  Just because he's almost unanimously regarded as a really nice, upstanding guy, he's immediately the opposite of Seattle's last high draft pick of a tight end, Jerramy Stevens, who might be one of the worst people who have ever played in the league.  Carlson joins a fellow ex-Irish player as Julius Jones signed with Seattle this winter.  The former Mackey Award finalist should become a pretty big-time target in the Matt Hasselbeck-led Seahawk offense, and while the folks over at Field Gulls are worried they may have reached for him, they're pretty pleased, referring to him as "a pick with no downside."  As far as second round picks go in the NFL draft, getting a tight end with decent blocking ability, good athleticism, good hands and a good head on his shoulders that played in a NFL-style offense the last two years of his college career is probably as good as you can get if that position is a need for you.

Trevor Laws went only nine picks later, rejoining teammate Victor Abiamiri on the Philadelphia Eagles.  I love how Mel Kiper called Laws "arguably the best player on Notre Dame last year" when absolutely no one - not an avid Irish fan, not someone who watch only one Notre Dame game - would even begin to argue with you over the merits of big 98.  The Eagles representatives on SBNation are pretty pleased with the pick, as I think a lot of teams would be.  I think how well former trench-mate Derek Landri has fit in the big leagues bodes well for Laws, as they both had the same type of unstoppable motor - with bonus kick-blocking ability - in their time in South Bend.  I think the Seahawks and Eagles will be very pleased with their second round investments.