The first round of the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft has been billed as one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. There is plenty of top talent that will anticipate hearing their names called from picks 1-15 or so, but NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport believes that, past that, first-round picks will be used on players that some teams have third-round grades on, and, ultimately, some players with first-round talent may fall to the third round. This is part of a common analysis that the Draft lacks the top-end talent of most drafts but is much deeper than most with the strength of this Draft being in picks 30-90.
Beyond the regular challenge of guessing who a team might pick or where a player might fall, there is the near certainty that every mock draft on the internet will go down the drain when a team ultimately makes a draft-day trade. When discussing what might go down this Thursday with the Patriots, ESPN’s Mike Reiss is riding the odds.
Since head coach Bill Belichick joined New England in 2000, the Patriots lead the NFL in draft-day trades with 83. The next closest team is the Eagles with 64. Reiss believes that Belichick will stay true to form and strongly attempt to trade down later into the first round, allowing the Patriots to collect more draft capital in that deeper part of the Draft.
Here are a few other rumors concerning how teams in the AFC will be approaching the Draft:
- In accordance with the opinions above, Michael David Smith of NBC Sports reported that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told the media they have 16-18 players on the board with first-round grades. The good news: the Chiefs have two first-round picks. The bad news: those picks are 29th and 30th overall. Veach doesn’t love their chances of having one of those guys fall to them at the end of the first round. The Chiefs could either combine those picks together to try and trade up and nab one of the guys on their board or, more likely, Kansas City will trade down, exchanging those picks for others in the 30-60 range that Veach likes, adding to their current picks at 50th and 62nd.
- When the Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, they surrendered their two earliest picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Without those picks, they won’t have an opportunity to draft anybody until the last pick of the second round, which they acquired from the Rams in exchange for outside linebacker Von Miller. General manager George Paton says that if they suffer from the fear of missing out, they’ll just “watch Russell Wilson highlights.” Since the Wilson-trade took their first two picks of the 2023 NFL Draft, as well, ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reports that Paton will certainly be open to fielding trade calls in order to potentially get Denver some more draft picks for next year.
I’m sick of this annual draft grade nonsense. Every year “we’ll, there are only X amount of players with a first round grade and then the next Y amount are the same”. It’s crap. If a team really believes that then they have two options imo. You need a first round talent with a first round pick. Trade up to where the real first round talent is or trade out into the next years first round. You can always trade back in to round two, but that’s a gamble. This way you improve your chances of getting a true impact player. You may have to wait a year, but with 2 first round picks you guarantee yourself a shot at a stud. But in all honesty it’s a crap shoot. I would have my list of players I’d draft at 21. If they are running low at 16 I’d trade up and grab. If they are depleted at 21 I’d trade into next year while also netting a day 2 pick in return.
But you meed to actually have partners to trade
You’re kidding, trades never happened in the NFL draft. Look at the current order it’s full of teams who all have their original selections
but if many teams believe the draft is low on first round talent who is wanting to trade in? many of the picks already traded were before/during the season or in the Seahawks instance, they needed a pick back in the Wilson trade
If you don’t believe trades are going to happen on draft day you’ve never watched the draft before. This draft is no different than any other draft. Revisionist history
never said there wouldn’t be trades. 32 guys will be first rounders, but teams may view a first next year as being more valuable than a first this year.
Billy squared – It’s just that simple until you go looking for a trade partner. Just because you want to trade up or trade back doesn’t mean you can do so.
He has a point, though. Those are, as always, the two options. This draft is like any other in that sense, even though the actual specifics may be different.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if Belichick defies history and uses the general dis-interest at the top of the draft to move up to take the top pick on his board?
As for the Broncos watching Russell Wilson highlights – Paton needs to remember you don’t put people on your roster for what they did in the past, but only for what you think they can STILL do for you. If you simply formed your roster based on highlights Jim Brown would still be on somebody’s roster…
“Brett Veach told the media they have 16-18 players on the board with first-round grades.” That makes no logical sense. There are 32 first round picks, so their top 32 ranked players have to have first round grades.
It’s means outside of those 16-18 selections, they normally would not be considered for first round picks, based on their talent and potential.
Let me help clarify this a little more. He looks these 16 to 18 guys like he’s just eyed up a Chic-fil-A – he’s pulling over doesn’t care what the line looks like – gotta have it.
Everyone else is just Chicken of the Sea. Sure it’s food, and you’ll eat anything if you’re hungry enough, but you’d rather have that Chic-fil-A.
Some years there’s 40 guys looking like Chic-fil-A. This year 16 to 18.
Apparently Belichick was quite upset to learn that you can only trade for other draft picks or players and not surveillance equipment.
Dumb.