It Hasn't Happened Since The 1999 NFL Draft
The last time the NFL Draft opened with three consecutive signal callers was in 1999. In '99, the Browns selected Tim Couch first overall. The Eagles got Donovan McNabb second, and then the Bengals picked Akili Smith third. Couch and Smith ended up being massive busts, which goes to show there is no such thing as a sure thing, even in the most stacked of QB classes. Daunte Culpepper and Cade McNown also went in the first round, the 11th, and 12th picks respectively. Hopefully, this QB class is a little more successful than the 1999 class.
Lawrence will be a Jaguar
Trevor Lawrence to the Jacksonville Jaguars seems like a lock. Lawrence has been considered QB1 since he won the National Championship as a Freshman. His tantalizing combination of poise, arm talent, high IQ play, and athleticism make him one of the best quarterback prospects of the century. Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer attended his pro day and gave him advice on how to approach an injury on his non-throwing shoulder. It certainly seems like Lawrence is already a member of the Jaguars organization. It would take an unprecedented amount of guts to pass on Lawrence in this NFL Draft.
The Jets Have Their Sights Set on Wilson
The Jets refused to trade with San Francisco, which indicates that they’ve got a QB that they like. That QB is most likely Zach Wilson. A scout at Wilson’s pro day, reportedly thought that Wilson in that number two spot is a “done deal.” Wilson has been getting Rodgers and Mahomes comparisons for the last couple of months. There are a couple of teams out there who buy into that hype and have Wilson as their quarterback. If the Jets for some reason change their mind and decide that they’d be willing to trade down, whoever is trading up is going to do it for Wilson. He’s going number two in the NFL Draft.
The 49ers Have Big Plans to Upgrade
The San Francisco 49ers traded up to the number three spot in the NFL Draft. The prevailing theory is that they did it to select Justin Fields. Fields' stock has fluctuated wildly over the past two years. Some teams have him as a top 5 prospect. Others have a day three grade on him. So who knows if he's the guy they want. George Chahrouri said on a PFF podcast that he has it “on good authority that there are people in the 49ers’ building that love Mac Jones.” That would certainly be a surprise. The NFL draft is not known for its normalcy. Trey Lance would be a solid pickup as well. At any rate, it is overwhelmingly likely they traded up for a quarterback, we just have no idea which one.
The Streak Might Not End at Three
It’s almost a guarantee lock that the first three picks are all quarterbacks. But let's go one step further and say that the first four picks are all quarterbacks. If the 49ers do take Mac Jones, there is a good chance that the first five picks will all be quarterbacks. The amount of teams that need a QB seems much higher this year than in the past. You could easily see the Falcons, Lions, Panthers, Broncos, Eagles, Patriots, Football Team, Bears, and Steelers being in the market for a first-round quarterback. The bidding war could be intense. This is also a weaker defensive class. So there’s plenty of reason for teams that don’t need a QB to capitalize on the demand and get a haul.
The off-season moves puts more pressure on other teams as the opportunities for young franchise QBs start to get taken up. Expect there to be some more big trades coming in the next few weeks. Buckle up, it’s officially draft season.
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