With the draft in less than 24 hours, several names have started to surface as potential first-round upsets. It would not surprise some around the league to see TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor and Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet end up as first-round picks, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes. The Eagles have surfaced as a Reagor candidate; the TCU product clocked two sub-4.3-second 40-yard dashes recently. The tight end class is not viewed to be nearly as strong, but an AFC coach said Kmet’s landing spot will likely be in the back end of the first round or start of the second.
Notre Dame pass rusher Julian Okwara and Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette profile as players who could sneak into Round 1, per Pelissero. One exec compared Romeo Okwara‘s younger brother to an Anthony Barr type who could rush passers and drop into coverage. Julian Okwara registered 12 sacks over the past two seasons. Arnette would join Jeffrey Okudah as a first-rounder in this instance and follow a host of recent Buckeye corners by being a Thursday-night draftee. Arnette started 38 games in his Ohio State career.
Here is the latest from the draft world:
- While Jalen Hurts is not expected to creep into the first round, Pelissero notes some NFL personnel believe he will go higher than most predict (Twitter link). So will Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Pelissero adds. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Hurts going off the board at No. 49 overall to the Steelers; Scouts Inc. grades the dual-threat quarterback as its No. 94 overall prospect. The Packers, Chargers and Raiders are among the teams believed to be interested. Winfield (29th per Scouts Inc.) is a second-generation NFLer, the son of former Vikings Pro Bowl corner Antoine Winfield. The younger Winfield intercepted seven passes last year and is also seen as a player who, like his father, could move into the slot.
- Ex-Hurts teammate Tua Tagovailoa is “very well-regarded” in New England, per Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston. However, Curran also believes the scenario NBC Sports’ Peter King suggested of the Patriots moving up to No. 13 (the 49ers’ slot) to draft a falling Tagovailoa doesn’t make much sense for the team, due to the Pats’ various other needs. Tagovailoa may now be back in play for the Dolphins at No. 5 anyway.
- Buzz has surfaced about the Giants having a trade partner. While it is not certain the Jaguars are that team, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets several GMs have pointed to the Giants moving down from No. 4 and the Jags climbing up from No. 8. The Giants are believed to be serious about wanting to move down. Although the Jaguars are believed to be planning to give Gardner Minshew a legitimate opportunity, JLC speculates a move up would be for a quarterback.
- This draft could well see five tackles taken in the first round. With Hall of Fame executive Gil Brandt listing Ezra Cleveland as a player who will go higher than expected, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds that the Boise State tackle is a “mortal lock” to be chosen in Round 1 (Twitter link). The Browns were believed to be eyeing Cleveland, which would be a fun fit. If they pass on a tackle at No. 10, the Browns may need to consider making an early move back into Round 1 for the rising player.
Jags have 9, not 8
Does it matter? Even if they hit on a pick he will be traded in 3 years.
Rams will have 1st Round Picks by then
Very sad situation there. They’ve drafted some amazing talent only to mismanage it.
Picking up Bortles 5th year option with no security blanket screwed them that one year too
Pretty obvious Kahn wants them #1 on the list to move to London
Maybe Jags want Trent Williams by giving up both of the guys on the block and swapping 2 for 9?
I guess Cleveland really SHOULD go to the Browns…
I was going to say that.
Great minds…
And of course Jerry Jones would want to upstage the Browns by drafting Dallas Robinson…lol.
Would be awesome but I see them taking actual need at o-line
Giants give up #4 and Williams (now that he signed his tag) for #9, 2nd rounder and Yanneke
Man Giants fans really dont like Leonard. Dude is a beast
“Planning to give Gardner Minshew a legitimate opportunity” instead of drafting a franchise QB sounds like a great way to remain the most irrelevant franchise in the NFL.
That said, the big 3 QB’s are gone by #6 because the Bengals and Dolphins will each take one and the same logic above applies to Tyrod Taylor.
The Chargers are going to compete against the Rams, Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Ducks, myriad college teams, beaches, Hollywood, etc. etc. etc. with Tyrod Taylor? No ____-ing way.
Look at minshew a numbers and say he doesn’t deserve a shot. He played better than daniel jones and the giants aren’t looking to take a qb early round 1 why would the jags
I also just don’t think there’s a quarterback worth taking that kind of risk on this year, other than Burrow.
I think the Jaguars would be best served giving Minshew a real shot this year and addressing other needs elsewhere, instead of throwing another high pick at a quarterback without knowing if you need to.
Best case, Minshew is your guy and you’ve got a better roster around him because you used picks elsewhere. Worst case, Minshew regresses and you get a high pick next year to take Lawrence or Fields. I just don’t see the need to risk all of that to roll the dice on Herbert or Tua this year.
The differences are:
-the Giants spent a high draft pick on Jones and therefore, he’d be starting even if he played horribly; Jags can afford to gamble on a potentially great QB because they have almost nothing invested in Minshew
-Minshew was not highly-regarded (6th round pick) and therefore, his numbers would seem more of a fluke than Jones
-Minshew had a couple of brilliant games and three or four downright awful games
-Minshew’s poor performances were weighted towards the end of the season whereas Jones seemed to play better despite teams getting to know him more (GM final 6 games, 8 TDs-4 INT; Jones 14-5
-Minshew (arguably) had better weapons; Barkley was out a while (then not 100%), NYG’s WR corps was decimated with injuries/suspensions (and not good to begin with), Engram missed lots of time
Splitting hairs in some places here, but those are some reasons that Minshew is different.
Sure. Give him a shot. Maybe he pulls a Drew Brees.
But, you don’t pass on a top pick for a schmuck who had a few random good games.
Not unless you are trying to pull a Rachel Phelps and move the team to London.
It’s logical team building to try to see what you have in the young cheap 6th round pick bec if he’s the starter of the future, you have him for pennies on the dollar. Drafting a 1st round QB, when none are franchise QBs; makes little to no sense.
Yeah, for me it’s because there’s not a quarterback in the draft that I love that much other than Burrow.
If there was a guy I loved on the board then maybe I’d be more willing to discard Minshew. But the combination of him playing well enough to get a longer leash AND the fact that I’m not a fan of Herbert or Tua means that I’d keep building around Minshew for now and revisit a quarterback next year if he regresses.
Minshew had a better rookie year than daniel jones so if the jags need a “franchise qb” then so do the giants. Just cause he wasn’t picked high doesn’t mean he’s not good
In the 21 years since Brady created the myth that you can find a QB anywhere, pretty much every good starter in the NFL has been a first round pick.
You have a random Tony Romo (who wasn’t even that good really) and a Russel Wilson who dropped because he’s short but other than that, let’s look at who wins.
The other non-Brady QB’s to win since Brady started hogging them all…
Roethlisberger twice. #11 pick.
Peyton Manning twice. #1 pick.
Eli Manning twice. #1 pick.
Dree Brees. #32 pick.
Patrick Mahomes. #10 pick.
Aaron Rodgers. #24 pick.
Joe Flacco. #18 pick.
The aforementioned Wilson and the flukey Nick Foles are the only others to win.
This doesn’t include the long term starters yet to win…
Ryan. #3 overall.
Goff. #1
Wentz. #2
Watson. #12.
etc.
Picking high doesn’t guarantee success (RG3 and JaMarcus Russell say hi) but finding a QB late almost never works.
You have to take the chance when you get it.
I would like to applaud your research effort but it doesn’t actually prove any meaningful hypothesis. It ignores two irrefutable facts. 1) It takes more than one player to win a championship title. 2) Regardless of what position your discussing, better results are more likely in early rounds than late rounds.
Ok I’ve never done this before…in 28 years of producing “Rockin’ Randy’s Mock Draft” (it used to be just me and Mel Kiper
And then he got picked up by ESPN and I had a substance abuse issue, now everyone and there cousin has a mock) I’ve never changed anything after my final mock is released which I did earlier today, but after getting off the phone just now with an NFL executive I must! Gang there’s a
Lot of movement up front just FYI
1. Bengals: Joe “Wheel” Borrows
2. Bears: Chase Young
3. Dolphins: Tua Tongue
4. Buccaneers: DeAndre Swift
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jalen Hurts “Don’t it”
You still seem to have a substance abuse issue. I admire your boldness but you are on crack.
Thanks for the laugh!
1 for 1
2 for 2
I think Ryan Pace has learned his lesson about drafting second overall and even if he hasn’t, he would probably draft Neil Young by mistake.
If Hurts goes 1st round I can easily see the Patriots being the team pulling the trigger. With Bill Belichick connection to Nick Saban you know there had to be trusted communication between the two.
They’ll have to trade up to get him before pick 5
I don’t think you are that far off when they redo the draft in a couple years. For some reason not known to man or beast I think Hurts has a better career than Tua. Not sure why but just feels that way. Down the road nobody will remember not even me. I can’t remember who this text is to.
I’m all for the Steelers finding a QB to replace Ben and liked the idea of Hurts. The idea. Then I saw a few of his highlights.
His ball wobbles.
Reminded me of Tim Wakefield.
Pass.
Steelers should hope Pittman or a top RB falls to them.
If you get him 4th round or later, it’s worth the risk….but somebody is going to take him in the 2nd round.
The Pat’s have too many needs to draft a QB in the first 3 or even 4 th round. By the number of QB’s in the draft the one they want will be gone early.
Smart money find one on the waiver wire during camp.
Dalton or Fitzpatrick would be a nice #2 or # 3 to back up Stidham.