Courtesy: USA Today
1. The Philadelphia Eagles will trade up for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota
With several teams around the NFL looking for a franchise quarterback, Mariota has be the leader in trade rumors. In the end, the Philadelphia Eagles pull the trigger to complete the process that began months ago to bring in the Heisman trophy winner. Whether it is with the Tennessee Titans, or the Oakland Raiders, Chip Kelly will give up a package of picks and players in the NFL Draft to get his former pupil. There is also the strong possibility that they will have to involve a third party team, with the San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns as options.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
2. Edge rushers Missouri’s Shane Ray and Nebraska’s Randy Gregory, and LSU offensive lineman La’el Collins all fall out of the top 15 picks.
Though all are considered top talents in the NFL Draft, each has issues that will lead to the top 15 teams to pass on both. Now their stock has fallen, but will have to wait for an extra hour or so on Thursday night to see how far they drop. Ray has injury concerns, as a foot injury could hold him out for the beginning of the season if surgery is necessary. Also, his recent drug arrest could not have happened at a worst time. While Gregory’s failed drug test at the combine will also raise concerns of his maturity and dedication, let alone being in the NFL’s drug program to start his career. Collins has recently be questioned in connection of a murder, though he is not considered a suspect at the time. Many teams will shy away from him simply because they do not have time to understand the situation.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
3. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes will be taken in the top 10 picks.
As the consensus top corner in the NFL Draft, Waynes is an elite level prospect that could be a shut-down defender early in his career. With the new emphasis on larger cornerbacks, he has great value and one of those top 10 teams will bite. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and St. Louis Rams all could make the first big surprise in the draft by taking Waynes.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
4. UCLA Quarterback Brett Hundley will be taken in the first round
Most analysts believe that their is a major separation between the top two quarterbacks (Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Mariota) in the NFL Draft and the rest of the group. Hundley has a lot of potential with his rare combination of size, arm strength, speed and athleticism. With a league that sees teams desperate to find a franchise quarterback, someone will make a leap of faith that with some tutelage, they can hone in Hundley’s skill set. With a good head on his shoulders and a smart quarterback coach on his side, there is no reason why he cannot be a Donovan McNabb type signal-caller in the NFL.
Courtesy: Boston Herald
5. The Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots, will use their extra picks to move up in the early rounds.
Both the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots are notorious for trading down in the NFL Draft and savoring extra picks. But each have specific needs that could put each team back into into Super Bowl contention. They will have a similar mindset in prospects, looking into wide receivers, defensive backs, offensive linemans and defensive linemans. With their amount of draft pick flexibility, each could look at one specific prospect that fits their system to move up for in any of the first three rounds.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
6. The best running back in the draft will not be taken in the first round.
This could be the best NFL Draft class in the past decade for running backs, with Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon and Georgia’s Todd Gurley set to go in the first round. But the most productive ball carrier will be Indiana’s Tevin Coleman. He has been consistently underrated because he lacks elite strength and agility. But he is a back that hits the hole hard and explodes up the field, that could be found in the second to third round. He has arguably the best breakaway speed of anyone in the class, along with great vision to see the holes. Think of Coleman as a faster version of Arian Foster and will produce as such in the NFL.
Courtesy: Rant Sports
7. Florida State will lead all universities with the most draft picks.
Head Coach Jimbo Fischer has collected elite level talent for his Florida State Seminoles over the past five years. That talent that was able to produce a National Championship in 2013 and a trip to the first ever College Football Playoff. Everyone knows that Jameis Winston will be the top overall pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But they will have another eleven picks in the NFL Draft from the school including: running back Karlos Williams, wide receiver Rashad Greene, tight end Nick O’Leary, offensive lineman Cameron Erving, Tre Jackson, Josue Matias, Bobby Hart, defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr., Eddie Goldman and defensive backs P.J. Williams and Ronald Darby.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
8. The Buffalo Bills first pick (in the second round) will be a quarterback.
After a strong offseason, the Buffalo Bills look like a team ready to take the next step and return to the playoffs. Even with four quarterbacks on the roster, they still lack a signal-caller that can lead the team in the future. With a strong defense, a stellar running back duo in LeSean McCoy and Fred Jackson and strong young core of pass-catching playmakers, a rookie signal-caller could be eased into to his role. Expect Baylor’s Bryce Petty, Oregon State’s Sean Mannion or Colorado State’s Garrett Grayson to end up in Buffalo come Friday night.
Courtesy: CBS Sports
9. No tight end will be selected in the first two rounds.
Even though there is solid depth at the position, this NFL Draft class lacks top end talent at tight end. Top-rated Minnesota’s Maxx Williams has major question marks about his athleticism and blocking ability. While the best overall talent, Miami’s Clive Walford, has rubbed many teams the wrong way with his overconfidence in interviews. Teams can find better value by waiting for the middle rounds on tight ends. But once the first is selected in the third round, expect a run at the position with five to six going in the proceeding hundred picks.
Courtesy: CBS Local Boston
10. Cornerback will be the most selected position in the draft.
If last season’s Super Bowl has taught teams anything, a strong cornerback tandem is a must to contend. More and more athletes are switching from offensive skill positions to defensive backs because of their college team’s values. With the spread offense increasing scoring across the football landscape, teams are using their top talents to combat that at cornerback. Expect to see at least 40 taken within the seven rounds of the NFL Draft.
