The first day of the 2018 NFL Draft, when first round selections are made, shapes up to be one wild spectacle. I saw one forecaster who’s predicting that more than a half-dozen last-minute draft pick trades will be made concerning first-round picks alone.
The teams holding the first 15 or so picks are in a delightful position for this year’s draft. Even the Packers are rumored to be ready to move up or down the list, depending on who’s available. The Packers are in a tricky situation, as they have needs for a top-notch recruit for at least three positions. That does, however, give them a great variety of trading options.
My theory is that the team seeking the trade is almost always going to get the better of such deals. If so, it might be in the Packers’ best interests to see who wants to move up to the No. 14 spot and just how eager they are to do so.
I’m guessing there will be a number of teams punching in the Packers’ phone number on April 26. I’m also thinking that only three or four teams holding one of those first 15 choices will have any interest in trading. Most of them probably are already drooling over the player they plan to choose. I’m further thinking that Green Bay is going to be one of those three or four receptive suitors.
One deduction leads to another: that 14th pick could plausibly wind up being used on either the fourth or fifth quarterback taken on this most intriguing of draft nights – and it just might be the Patriots making that trade and selection.
The speculation is that the Pats got that 23rd pick in the Brandin Cooks trade as an intermediate step toward moving further up in the first round. I doubt that they’ll be able to trade up to a top-five selection and it’s there that the first three quarterbacks will probably be taken. The Browns, Giants, and Jets all need a franchise QB in the worst way.
Put the beer in the fridge and get ready for some fireworks on April 26. The show starts at 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, or 6:00 depending on your U.S. time zone.