The Day Before Draft Day Overreaction

It’s been a slow news period in the NFL, so coming off of a vacation I figure I’ll tell you what your favorite team is going to do in the first round. Here we go (in order of where the teams will pick):

 

The New York Jets. Every year one AFC East team makes a head scratching trade to move up in the top 10 to select a seemingly redundant player and this year the Jets will be that team. The Jets will pick somewhere between #2 and #4 tomorrow night and they will take Leonard Williams of USC. I know, they hold the #6 pick and they need a QB so desperately; but Mohammed Wilkerson has everyone in the swamps of New Jersey freaking out so I predict that the Jet trade Mo for a decent haul to the Titans, Jags or Raiders, use the pick they get in return for Williams (who actually could be the best player in this draft) and take a flier on a later round QB- probably Bryce Petty.

Next to pick will be the Miami Dolphins at #14. Now I know that many you might assume that the Cap Wizard Mike Tannenbaum might try and get crazy in an effort to trade up for a good wide receiver. He will try, but the new power structure in Miami will result in his official request to make the trade landing on the desk of the head of janitorial services; who does not have the proper authority to approve such deals.   Not getting any response on his trade request and with the clock running down on his pick, Tanny and company will panic and take Shane Ray in an effort to replace the newly suspended Dion Jordan. Good pick in my estimation. (There is also a chance that they take Todd Gurley with this panic pick).

The next to pick will be the Buffalo Bills. “But the Bills traded their pick to the Browns last year.” I know, but the Bills are in “win now” mode like the people of Erie County have not seen since the early ‘90s and they are more than willing to mortgage future drafts in an effort to find one more impact player for this year’s roster. With some big name defensive players still on the board, Rex is going to trade Doug Whaley a sweet foot rub for the right to move back into the first round (somewhere between 15 and 20) select Eric Kendricks, a replacement for Kiko. Most Bills fans will instantly hail Kendricks as the second coming of Ray Lewis, when he is in fact nothing of the sort.

And lastly, the New England Patriots will do something that no one expects and draft not only a talented football player n from Rutgers or that “school” down in the swamp, but they may even move up to do it. Cameron Erving is going to be a Patriot by the end of the first round. Erving is everything that Belichick covets in a draft pick; he’s versatile- can play any position on the line, he has great “value”- probably would be a top 10 projection had he stayed at tackle all last season, someone on the team knows him- he played for two years with Bryan Stork and Bill has had a guy basically imbedded in Tallehassee since January- ex- O-line/ asst HC Dante Scarneccia. All of these things point to Bill wanting Cam badly so if he has to move up a few picks to get him, he will do what it takes. This pick will happen somewhere in between picks 25 and 32.