Six bold predictions for the 2017 NFL draft
USA TODAY Sports NFL staffers offer their bold predictions for the 2017 NFL draft, which kicks off Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET in Philadelphia.
Jarrett Bell
He may not ultimately go down as the Michael Jordan of this draft class, but some team will make a deal to move to into the top 10 to select Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. With so much buzz about the Cleveland Browns angling to select Mitchell Trubisky as their franchise quarterback, Sashi Brown and Co. will have to trade up, too, because Trubisky won't be available when they are slotted for their second first-round pick at No. 12. It's the premium on quarterbacks, silly. I'm having a hard time buying that Trubisky, with his small sample size of experience, is the best quarterback in the crop. In Watson's case, he will have to cut down on the picks, but there's so much to be said for his knack of winning big under pressure.
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Nate Davis
Right or wrong, quarterbacks tend to dominate the pre-draft conversation every year, whether they deserve the attention or not. The 2017 NFL draft has been no different, with some speculating as many as five passers could be picked in Round 1, even though it’s been almost universally acknowledged that none seem ready to play as a rookie. But I’ll venture a guess that only two go in Round 1 — North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky and probably Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes — as teams sober up and instead enlist some of this year’s more intriguing positional players on Thursday night rather than inflate the value of the QBs, who should be clustered in the second and third rounds on merit. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s still a run on signal callers, maybe just a day later than we all thought.
Lindsay H. Jones
The Browns are going to wind up with a new quarterback Thursday, but it’s not going to be a rookie. After playing coy about rumors that they might try to trade for a passer (other than Brock Osweiler, who was acquired from the Houston Texans in a March salary dump), the biggest move Cleveland could make in the first round is to trade for New England Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The Patriots are reportedly reluctant to trade Garoppolo, but the deadline of the draft could finally spur some action. New England lacks a first-round pick, and the Browns have two of them. And though Cleveland has been reluctant to trade picks in the brief Sashi Brown era, this is a move that would be worth it. The Browns can still use the No. 1 pick on Myles Garrett, and then package No. 12 and other later-round picks (and possibly a future No. 1) to get Garoppolo.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
The persistent narrative of this draft has been that it is a seller's market at the top. That might be true, but there's still talent that teams might not be content to wait on. At No. 12, the Browns loom as a team that could easily jump up to take Mitchell Trubisky after going with Myles Garrett at No. 1. Regardless of where they land, Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey also might warrant a bold move from several teams. Don't expect every team to sit on their hands simply because the quarterbacks might not drive a bidding war.
Tom Pelissero
Multiple teams with established veteran starters will draft their quarterbacks of the future by the middle of the second round. I think the Arizona Cardinals want to take one. Depending whom you ask, they might be on Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer or Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes. I think the Kansas City Chiefs do, too. They hosted all the top guys on visits, and word is they’ve been exploring options to trade up, one year after trying (and failing) to go get Paxton Lynch. The Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers have put in work on this QB class as well. Some teams with more obvious needs (e.g. the New York Jets) may sit out, providing the opportunity for other clubs. And considering none of the top QB prospects projects as a Week 1 rookie starter, there could be value in stashing a guy who needs time to develop anyway.
Lorenzo Reyes
No team has amassed more draft capital than the Browns, who have stockpiled picks after multiple trades down. They have enough to take Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett first overall and then package the No. 12 selection as well as a combination of next year's first- and second-round selections to secure the second pick in the draft from the San Francisco 49ers. Multiple reports have stated Cleveland wants to climb back into the Top 10 to take a quarterback, but several teams ahead of them also need a passer. If they're worried about the one they like (likely Deshaun Watson or Mitchell Trubisky) being gone, the only option may be to make the move for that No. 2 spot. Of course, Cleveland moving up to the No. 5 slot could also be a possibility, but that wouldn't be as fun. Or as bold.
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