2. This probably ties in to our first question: When all is said and done, in what order will the top four QBs (Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Will Levis, Anthony Richardson) be selected? (Bonus points if you add which teams will take them.)
Dochterman: The Panthers struck gold the last time they drafted the No. 1 overall pick from the state of Alabama (Cam Newton out of Auburn in 2011), so I think they snag Young with Stroud immediately following to Houston. I’ll project
Tennessee to jump ahead of rival Indianapolis and trade up for Richardson to learn behind
Ryan Tannehill. Finally, I’ll pick the Colts to go with Levis at No. 4. Young, Stroud and Levis are first-day starters, while the Titans’ staff designs some scary packages for Richardson alongside
Derrick Henry.
So, yeah, I’m thinking four quarterbacks in four picks. Meanwhile, Seattle and Detroit will unveil an app that night to start taking playoff ticket applications.
Baumgardner: I’m sticking with Stroud as the best combination of game ready/high ceiling among the QBs in this draft. So, Stroud to Carolina and Frank Reich, then
Houston gets its new regime off on the right foot with Young at No. 2.
I’m not sold that Arizona will be overwhelmed with elite offers for No. 3, as I still don’t know how many teams are willing to give up what it’ll take to go get Richardson — outside of, say, Seattle (which might not want to) or Detroit (which doesn’t really need to). If Arizona takes Anderson and the Colts or a team trading up goes Richardson, then we could be waiting a minute, potentially, to hear Levis’ name.
It only takes one team to fall in love with him. Unless more than a few
other teams are also in love with him, though, you might be able to get him in the teens. I think we’ll see three in the top 10. I’m not sold on four.
Burke: The 2021 draft marked just the third time quarterbacks went 1-2-3 overall (
Trevor Lawrence,
Zach Wilson,
Trey Lance). There have been four quarterbacks selected within the top 10 twice
since 1948. Are we to believe that this particular QB class — one we’ve harped on for months as being somewhat uncertain — is suddenly going to be historic? I mean … maybe, but that outcome would require a team trading up to No. 3
and the Colts being satisfied taking QB4.
I’ll follow Nick by sending Stroud to Carolina and Young to Houston. And I’ll even go so far as three-for-three with Las Vegas jumping Indianapolis for Richardson. But I hate that for the Colts and have Levis sliding as a result, until a team like
Washington or
Tampa Bay takes advantage by moving into the 12-13 range.
4. We’re two weeks out from the start of this year’s event. Give us a couple of players we’re not talking about enough as potential Round 1 picks and one or two who’ve been overhyped to this point.
Baumgardner: Folks have slept on a few of these tackles, which is not shocking or even remotely new. It’s a weird tackle class, but it’s not a bad one — similar to what we’ve often said here about the quarterbacks. There are some really nice OTs at the top, if not any generational guys. Several prospects should earn first-round grades, including Tennessee’s Darnell Wright and
Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison. I also would add
TCU guard/center Steve Avila to that mix, as it wouldn’t shock me to see a team fall crazy in love with him.
Boston College WR Zay Flowers is another guy who a team could wind up over-the-moon on, and the same thing goes for Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt. This is not an elite wide receiver class and opinions are rather varied at the top. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the receivers wait a minute to hear their names called or for the order they’re called to surprise a few people.
I’m not there on Hendon Hooker as a first-rounder in this class. I’ve long thought he’s no worse than a Round 3 prospect, most likely Round 2. He’s almost certainly going to be the fifth QB off the board.
Dochterman: Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith has freakish physical skills for a player who weighs 323 pounds. While he had just half a sack last year, he added 25 pressures. Converting more of those chances is all about technique and finishing, something a good D-line coach can bring out of him. Smith can control the line of scrimmage when he’s two-gapping and has the quickness to penetrate with relative ease. He should be a target for Seattle or Detroit, should neither team select Jalen Carter.
Iowa linebacker
Jack Campbell has a second-round grade and might have some slight athletic limitations, but he will anchor a defense for 10 years. When you grade intangibles such as toughness, leadership and accountability, nobody’s better. In the long run, passing on a player like that at, say, No. 27 because he’s 31st on your board will cost you playoff seasons in adverse situations. Don’t believe me? How did
Iowa win eight games last season with the Big Ten’s worst statistical offense this century?
Richardson and Levis are this year’s versions of draft catnip. No matter how many times teams watch prospects like Richardson or Jake Locker or Carson Wentz, they close their eyes and imagine
Patrick Mahomes or Steve Young or Ben Roethlisberger. When they evaluate Zach Wilson, Blaine Gabbert or Levis, they squint hard enough to envision Andrew Luck or
Matthew Stafford or
Josh Allen. Since 1990, there have seemed to be more first-round quarterbacks who’ve fail than have become high-level starters, and the odds are strong that at least two of the top four quarterbacks this won’t pan out. The only question is: Which two?
Burke: Rather than double up on Avila, I’ll mention Minnesota center John Michael Schmitz. We’ve seen teams place an increasing focus on advanced, plug-and-play centers —
Tyler Linderbaum,
Garrett Bradbury,
Frank Ragnow, etc. — and Schmitz is the type of presence who could give a bump to a playoff team.
Jahmyr Gibbs (and maybe Devon Achane) is another prospect whose Round 1 chatter has been way too quiet. Given how offenses are spreading the field and getting their pass-catching backs into space, Gibbs’ game should be an outstanding fit for the
NFL.
Flip side, I’m not banking on the tight end run happening quite as early as others. Would I consider Michael Mayer, Darnell Washington, Luke Musgrave or Dalton Kincaid with a pick in the mid- to late-first round? Absolutely. I’ve been telling our Lions beat writers for weeks that Detroit should think about Mayer at 18. That’s still not a premium position in the NFL, though, so I’d be very surprised if three or four tight ends fly off the board over the receiver, edge and DB talent that should be there in the teens and 20s.