From an NFL.com article published on the 16th written by Daniel Jeremaih and Bucky Brooks (located
here):
Quote:
1) Josh Rosen is the QB most likely to slide: Everyone I've talked to around the league believes there will be three quarterbacks selected within the first five picks of the draft. That means someone out of the "big four" QBs -- USC's Sam Darnold, Wyoming's Josh Allen, Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and UCLA's Rosen -- could slide a little bit.....
3) Colts are looking to trade down again: The Colts' roster is in bad shape and many around the league expect them to trade down from the No. 6 spot to gain more draft picks. As you'll recall, Indianapolis traded down from the No. 3 spot in a deal with the Jets last month. I would keep an eye on teams like the Bills and Cardinals as potential trade partners should their quarterback of choice make it to Indy's pick at No. 6.
4) Quenton Nelson's range is between picks 6-8: I have the Notre Dame guard rated as the No. 3 player in this class, but he's probably not going to be a top-five pick. Most evaluators expect the first five picks of the draft to consist of three quarterbacks, Bradley Chubb and Saquon Barkley. The teams picking next -- Colts (No. 6), Bucs (No. 7) and Bears (No. 8) -- would be ideal fits for Nelson.
5) Teams are in love with Georgia's Roquan Smith and Virginia Tech's Tremaine Edmunds: These two linebackers are universally praised by the executives I've spoken to in the last week. I've been asked this question multiple times: "Do you think either of those linebackers will be there when we pick?" To those teams picking outside the top 10, my answer is brief: "No."
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Put that all together and it could mean that:
A. The only one of the "elite 3" non-QBs left on the board after pick 5 is Nelson.
B. If Colts trade out and someone picks up the last of the 4 big QBs with the #6 pick, then Nelson, Edmunds and Smith could be the next 3 picks off the board at 7/8/9.
C. Secondary should then go from 10 to the early teens with Fitzpatrick, James, and Ward probably being the best defensive players left on the board.
D. OT McGlincy should be somewhere in the mess of the top 15.
E. DT Vea should be somewhere in the mess of the top 15.
I think this all means that dropping to #12 means we will be "settling" for a Tier 1B players like Vea, McGlincey, Davenport, Alexander, Payne or LVE.
After Barkley, I don't feel like there are any offensive skill players in high demand until the late teens. I think it will be QB and defense in the top 15 except for Nelson (and Barkley).
Walk Worthy,