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Sam Craft/Associated Press
As the 2020 NFL draft draws closer, the one thing that is becoming clear is that the early first round could be more unpredictable than previously thought.
There’s still a strong chance that LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young are the first two prospects off the board. After that, however, it’s anyone’s guess. The Detroit Lions own the third overall pick, and they’re already looking into the possibility of trading back.
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
One team to watch during the NFL Draft is the #Lions: At No. 3, I’m told they’ve had discussions with teams about potentially moving back from their slot and that teams wanting to move up have been receptive. As it maps out possibilities, Detroit is always an intriguing team.
Presumably, Detroit would trade out of the No. 3 spot so that another team could come up for a quarterback.
For much of the predraft process, the second-best quarterback has been either Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Now, though, it’s looking like Tagovailoa’s injury concerns could be pushing him down draft boards.
The Crimson Tide standout underwent two ankle surgeries in college and suffered a fractured and dislocated hip this past season. According to Michael Lombardi of The Athletic and The GM Shuffle, that has caused “at least one team” to fail Tagovailoa on medical evaluations.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, other teams view Tagovailoa as a major risk in the top 10:
Barry Jackson @flasportsbuzz
Spoke to two more NFL personnel people who have been in league a long time – with no horse in this race -who insist Tua in top 10 is simply too risky.Whether Fins ultimately believe it or not,the notion of giving up valuable assets to trade up for Tua seems increasingly illogical
As Jackson notes, it could be a mistake for the Miami Dolphins to trade up to secure Tagovailoa. If Miami or another quarterback-needy team moves up for a signal-caller—the Dolphins own the fifth overall selection—then it may not be for Tua.
Of course, all the recent chatter about Tagovailoa’s injury concerns could also be the work of a team hoping to see the lefty gunslinger fall.
Prediction: No team trades up for Tagovailoa, but he still goes in the top 10.
Don’t Assume That the Browns Are Taking an Offensive Tackle
Louisville’s Mekhi BectonMichael Conroy/Associated Press
The Cleveland Browns are scheduled to cap off the top 10, but they don’t need a quarterback—at least not yet. They have Baker Mayfield, and this is a pivotal year for the 2018 first overall selection. Protecting Mayfield and putting him in position to succeed should be the team’s primary concern.
This is why Cleveland is widely expected to draft a left tackle like Louisville’s Mekhi Becton or Georgia’s Andrew Thomas with the No. 10 pick. According to general manager Andrew Berry, however, no one should assume what Cleveland is going to do.
“I would not make any assumptions regarding that. Like I mentioned, Jack (Conklin) has played left tackle before. (T) Chris Hubbard has played left tackle before. (T) Kendall Lamm has played left tackle. I would not make any assumptions about what we may or may not do moving forward,” Berry told reporters Friday.
The Browns do have options at left tackle outside of the draft. As Barry mentioned, Conklin—the team’s prized free-agent acquisition—could move to the left side if needed. Jason Peters remains on the open market, and Washington Redskins left tackle Trent Williams remains available via trade.
“The Browns explored trading for Williams after the Redskins gave him permission to seek a deal two weeks ago. He is still a possibility if the Redskins lower their asking price and/or if Williams is willing to accept less in an extension,” Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com wrote.
Still, drafting a franchise tackle would be the best long-term option for the Browns, even if they have to move up a couple of spots to get their guy. Cleveland isn’t going to admit its intentions more than a week out from the draft, well, because it doesn’t have to. Unless there’s an early run on tackles that puts the Browns in a position to reach at the position, they’re probably getting a blocker in Round 1.
Prediction: Cleveland drafts an offensive tackle with their first selection.
Teams Looking to Trade Down
As previously mentioned, the Lions are willing to trade down in this year’s draft. They aren’t the only ones. According to Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders are also interested in moving back to acquire additional draft picks.
“Early word is this year’s draft is no different than most—with more teams near the top willing to move down than up,” Breer wrote. “The Jaguars have also kicked around the idea of moving down. The Raiders, too, a team that could well be looking to replace the second-rounder they lost this year, with the last pieces in the Khalil Mack trade finally in play.”
There’s a simple reason why teams are open to moving back in this year’s draft. This is a class loaded with talent at key positions like offensive tackle and wide receiver. The Baltimore Ravens, for example, believe they can get an impact receiver as late as Round 5.
Jeff Zrebiec @jeffzrebiec
DeCosta said that the Ravens feels like there is enough quality WRs available that they could get a guy to come in and make an immediate impact in the fifth round.
Additional picks are extremely valuable in a draft this deep—for potential contenders and rebuilding teams alike. For a team like Las Vegas, which isn’t one or two players away, adding an extra starting-caliber player could be huge. For a relatively complete team like Baltimore, adding several high-end contributors could be the key to winning a title.
Prediction: The first round will be littered with draft-day deals.
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