At this point it would be bold not to predict Chip Kelly trading for Marcus Mariota, so I’m leaving any trade talk of No. 2 off this list. I could see as many as eight to ten trades taking place tonight, including two or three before we reach 9:00 PM EST. Without giving away anymore predictions here’s five predictions to keep in mind leading up to tonight’s festivities.
The Fun Begins at No. 2 and Doesn’t Stop Until Chicago
As I alluded to in the lead in, the odds are in favor of Tennessee dealing the second pick to Philly, Cleveland or anyone else that is willing to give up a king’s ransom. I don’t see the fun ending there as the next four picks could be in play. First, Jacksonville could be a prime target for someone that wants to come up for Leonard Williams or Dante Fowler. Ditto for Oakland. As I alluded to in my mock draft last night I think Jacksonville values Todd Gurley very highly and would love to move down the board a bit to secure the guy who may be No. 1 on their board. Oakland would probably run the Leonard Williams card to Rodger but if he’s off the board, look for teams to swoon over Dante Fowler at this spot. With Shane Ray and Randy Gregory falling by the wayside, edge rush needy teams could come calling at this pick. Next up is Washington, who would probably love to get out of their pick. If Fowler is there, expect him to be there pick. If he’s not a team may be able to move up on the relative cheap as they could target an offensive lineman down the board at a cheaper price tag. While I think the Jets want to get out of No. 6 – little chance Fowler makes it down this far – I’m not sure the market won’t be dried up by a flurry of trades ahead of them. That said, if Amari Cooper remains on the board at No. 6 teams may decide to pull the trigger at a relatively inexpensive price tag. Read the rest of this entry » «Five (Not-So) Bold Predictions for Tonight’s First Frame»