Grading the Top-10 Picks from the 2013 NHL Draft

Feb 6, 2014; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Nashville Predators defenseman

(3) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Wild defeated the Predators 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Seth Jones, Nashville Predators

Once expected to be the 1st overall pick, defenseman Seth Jones surprisingly fell big time in the 2013 NHL Draft, and the Predators were the lucky team to draft him.

How he dropped to #4, I still do not know. Jones has the ability to turn into a top-pairing guy sooner rather than later in the NHL, and with superstar blue-liner Shea Weber and young defensemen Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis already on the team, Smashville is going to be strong on the backend for a very long time.

Like Nathan MacKinnon and Aleksander Barkov, Seth Jones was not sent back down to Juniors, instead, he has played a full 2 season in Nashville, tallying 35 points in 116 games played.

After a slow rookie year, Jones has started to break through in his sophomore campaign, proving that he was a steal with the 4th overall selection.

Jones has the family roots (his father is a retired NBA player), talent, and good team around him to make him a star defenseman in the NHL.

He was undoubtedly the best defenseman in the 2013 draft, and he has lived up to that so far, for the most part. For where he was selected and the potential he possesses, it was a high value pick for the Preds at #4.

Next: 5th Overall: Carolina Hurricanes