Yesterday, less than an hour into the NFL draft, the New York Jets traded their first- and second-round picks, plus three players, to the Cleveland Browns so that they could select Sanchez with the fifth overall pick.

Sanchez started just 16 games for the Trojans, including his last in January against Penn State in the Rose Bowl, and yet Sanchez became the second quarterback drafted yesterday after the Detroit Lions picked Georgia's Matthew Stafford with the No. 1 overall selection.

St. Louis selected Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith second overall, Kansas City took Louisiana State defensive end Tyson Jackson third, and Seattle picked Wake Forest outside linebacker Aaron Curry fourth.

"This is exactly where I wanted to be," Sanchez told ESPN after watching the draft with his family in Irvine, Calif. "It's the right place."

Before the draft started, the speculation was that few, if any, teams would try to move up into the top 10. The talent pool was considered deep, but not particularly outstanding.

Of all the players after Stafford, Sanchez appeared in the days leading up to the draft to be the most coveted by teams needing a difference-making quarterback, and he could probably thank Penn State for that. In a 38-24 win in the Rose Bowl, Sanchez accounted for all five of the Trojans' touchdowns - four passing (to go with 413 passing yards and an .800 completion percentage) and one rushing.

Following in the footsteps of Carson Palmer, John David Booty and Matt Leinart, Sanchez went 14-2 as a starter, but went against coach Pete Carroll's recommendation and submitted his name for the draft after his junior season.

Carroll was frosty at Sanchez's news conference announcing his decision, and even called the move a mistake, but it appears to have been the right move for Sanchez, who had 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year in his only full season as a starter.

To get Sanchez, the Jets traded the 17th and 52d overall picks in the draft plus backup quarterback Brett Ratliff, starting right defensive end Kenyon Coleman, and safety Abram Elam to Cleveland, where their former coach, Eric Mangini, is now the coach. (The Browns traded down twice more in the first round, before selecting California center Alex Mack at No. 21.)

The Jets got a quarterback who should challenge Kellen Clemens, who was supplanted as the starter last season after the Jets brought in Brett Favre for one unspectacular year.

Yesterday was the sixth time in franchise history that the Jets picked a quarterback in the first round. First-year coach Rex Ryan said afterward that Sanchez would challenge Clemens for the starting job.

Kansas State's Josh Freeman was the other quarterback selected in the first round, by Tampa Bay.

Overall, three tackles were picked in the first eight selections - Smith, Alabama's Andre Smith (Cincinnati), and Virginia's Eugene Monroe (Jacksonville). Oakland surprised everyone by taking speedy Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick, while San Francisco took Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree, widely considered the biggest threat at receiver, at No. 10.

"I always feel like I'm the best," said Crabtree, who appeared unfazed by the Raiders' slight. "I work to be the best. I've got some big shoes to fill going to the 49ers with Jerry Rice."

Denver snagged Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno with the 12th pick; many analysts speculated that the Eagles would take Moreno with the 21st pick.

And Sanchez has big shoes to fill with the Jets. He steps into the largest media market in the country and likely will get a sizable contract. On Friday, Stafford agreed to a six-year, $78-million deal that included $41.7 million in guaranteed money.

"He's got all the attributes and all the tools," said Cushing, who went to Houston at No. 15. "On top of it, he just brings that competitive spirit unlike any other player I've been around. He's got that fire in his eye to really win and lead a team."

Contact staff writer Ashley Fox

at 215-854-5064 or afox@phillynews.com.