With the 2018 NFL Draft just over a month away and free agency itself winding down, the focus is going to soon turn to the annual event, which is being held in Dallas this year.
From a commissioner that's not too well liked in Texas to a quarterback prospect that has made enemies in both Dallas as well as other parts of SEC country, drama will unfold in a big way.
The backdrop here is an NFL that's suddenly been inundated with trades. Now that multiple teams are jockeying for position to find their franchise quarterback, will we see more wheeling and dealing during the draft?
It's in this that we check in on seven reasons why we're looking forward to the coming 2018 NFL Draft.
Big Texas welcome for Roger Goodell
The NFL Commissioner comes in No. 11 on the SNIPdaily Brass Top 100 for the year. And much like every other year before 2018, it's not necessarily for the best of reasons. Sure he's popular. But is it really a good popular?
Most recently, Goodell and the NFL found themselves in a legal battle with both Ezekiel Elliott and Jerry Jones of the Cowboys. The 2018 NFL Draft is being held in Dallas. We all know Texans are about the most welcoming of people, right? Yeah, this is most definitely going to be a popcorn-worthy show on ESPN, NFL Network and Fox. Have fun, Rog.
Finding out where Saquon Barkley is actually drafted
Now that the Jets have moved up to No. 3 overall, we can pretty much stop talking about Barkley going No. 1 to the Cleveland Browns. If that's the case, where will this generational type running back actually land?
We can easily envision a scenario where Barkley falls outside of the top five. If that is indeed what ultimately happens, will teams selecting in the bottom half of the top 10 or in the early teens look to make a move up? As we've seen with recent top draft picks at running back — Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette — players at this position can be immediate game-changers on the field.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield won't attend the draft. But in no way does that mean the reigning Heisman winner won't be the center of attention. With a high-water mark that could see him go No. 1 to Cleveland, it's also possible that Mayfield falls outside of the top 10 completely.
As has been noted many times in the past, Mayfield's off-field issues and personality have been a topic of conversation. It has him as the most popular college football player from the 2017 season, per our SNIPdaily metrics. But it could also turn teams off in a big way. This is definitely something to be intrigued about moving forward.
What the Jets do at three
We continue with a look at the first of three New York teams that will play a major role in determining what happens early in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Jets exhausted a whole heck of a lot in a move-up to No. 3 overall with the Indianapolis Colts. That much is already known.
The issue here is that they only moved up to the third spot. So if both Cleveland and the New York Giants select quarterbacks, these Jets might be forced to go with a signal caller they don't have at No. 1 on their board. It's also very possible they could move up to the top spot with Cleveland, assuming the Browns are willing to move down a couple spots.
Drama in Western New York
The Buffalo Bills have put themselves in a great position to move further up in the draft after trading the 21st pick in the annual event as well as Cordy Glenn to Cincinnati for the 12th pick. This gives Buffalo two picks in each of the first three rounds come April. What the Bills do here could very well define the remainder of the draft outside of the top five.
It seems to be common logic that Buffalo might give Cleveland a call at No. 4. We know the Bills are looking to move up. We also know the Browns are likely going for their quarterback at No. 1 overall. It just makes too much sense. In any event, a Bills team that finds itself ranked No. 27 on the SNIPdaily Franchise Top 100 for the year will surely be one of the most-popular entities come draft time in Dallas next month.
No, he's not a wide receiver
Any time someone mentions Lamar Jackson as wide receiver, all I do is picture this scene from A Christmas Story. Maybe Dumb and Dumber might come to mind, too. In fact, it might be best for Bill Polian's tongue to be stuck to a frozen pole here over the next several weeks so we don't have to hear him talk.
As he has proven over the past two seasons, this former Louisville quarterback is just that...a quarterback. Talk about the tape. Fine. It's pretty awesome. Talk about the stats. Fine. They are, too, pretty awesome. The narrative being thrown around NFL circles is just sickening. And this one scribe just can't wait until Jackson is among the first 20 players selected in April's draft. Old guard, go away. Welcome in the new guard, and enjoy.
Trades, and a lot of them
If the NFL offseason has been any indication, there promises to be a plethora of trades during the three-day draft next month. Do the Bills use their excess of picks to move up past the Jets at No. 3 for a quarterback? If not, will Denver look to move up past the Jets from five overall? The backdrop here is obviously what Cleveland does at No. 1 and whether GM John Dorsey and Co. are in fact open for business there.
Obviously, there will be other surprises on the horizon here as well. Second-year 49ers GM John Lynch was not afraid to move up and down the board in his first draft leading the team's front office. In desperate need of a quarterback to call their own, the Cardinals might also look to move up for a signal caller. These seemingly never-ending trade scenarios have surely piqued our interest and will continue to do so.
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://snipdaily.com/2018/03/seven-reasons-why-were-looking-forward-to-the-nfl-draft/
Loved the point about Lamar Jackson
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