It’s that time of the year when everyone is posting their mock drafts, insisting they are entirely correct and anyone who doesn’t have the Commanders drafting Drake Maye to the Commanders is wrong! It is the point in the year where fans of team are at their most optimistic. No matter what happened last year, they have new players, possibly new coaches, the weather is improving and all looks right with the world again.
Now, attention turns to who will go where in the draft. We have had months of watching college tape, debates bout schematic fits, which teams need a Quarterback, which teams hold the ‘key’ to the draft, who should trade where and more.
The good news is, the time for talking is almost over. The draft will take place in Detroit on April 25-27. So, let’s see what could unfold in a few weeks.
Who will be drafted No.1?
The consensus No.1 draft pick for this year is Caleb Willaims, the QB out of USC. The Bears, who hold the No.1 pick, have made no secret of the fact they need a new QB. If there was any doubt, the fact they traded their former QB, Justin Fields, to the Steelers, made their stance clear. Williams has long been touted as a future NFL star, with some evaluators likening him to Patrick Mahomes, no pressure then! Willaims is currently +1000 to get drafted first and it seems like a no brainer.
We could see the top three picks all be QBs this year. The Commanders, who are drafting at No.2, and the Patriots, who have the number 3 selection, also need Quarterbacks. There is some debate in which order they will go, but most believe Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels will be the next two QBs off the board.
Maye put up huge numbers at UNC, throwing for 4,321 yards with 38 touchdowns. He has all the physical tools scouts look for in a modern day NFL QB, with a massive arm to boot. Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner, threw 57 touchdown with 21 rushing scores last year for LSU. The key thing with Daniels is he is a true dual-threat playmaker. He can evade tackles and use is legs in tricky spots.
You can wager on Daniels to go No.2 at -220, while Maye is +170.
Strongest position group
There offensive line and wide receiver groups look particularly strong this year. The QB position takes all of the attention, but there is starting quality to be found elsewhere. The WR corps is intriguing. Most agree that the top three receivers in this year’s draft class are Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. What most don’t agree on, however, is the order they will be drafted.
There is also quality to be found in the later rounds. History is littered with players, especially receivers, who have been drafted far lower than they should have been. On the offensive line, Joe Alt, Troy Fautanu, JC Latham and Laiatu Latu are all expected to go in the first round.
