Keep up with the latest NFL Draft rumors
The NFL Draft is this week, and the rumors are aplenty. We’re keeping track of them right here.
There’s never a lack of rumors when it comes to the NFL Draft, especially as it grows nearer. Despite mock draft after mock draft, it’s incredibly difficult to predict how the real thing will go, especially when it comes to trades and how those will affect the rest of the draft.
There also needs to be some pause when it comes to certain rumors. It’s not beyond teams to selectively plant a trade rumor to drive the price of picks either up or down.
We’re going to give you the hottest draft rumors while also determining whether or not you should put a lot of stock into them.
Day 1 rumors
There’s a “50 percent” chance four QBs go in the first five picks
Late Tuesday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped this nugget:
One GM estimated today that there is a “50 percent chance” that four QBs will go in first five picks Thursday night. Would be a big help to top 10 teams not in QB market.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2018
The assumption is that those four quarterbacks would be (in no order) none other than Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Rosen.
The Browns are choosing between Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen
Does anybody really know?
Dan Patrick on @dpshow citing a source who told him #Browns are choosing between Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen for No. 1 pick echoing what @DustinFox37 has said. Josh Rosen and Sam Darnold off the board.
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) April 23, 2018
Because...
The Browns won’t take Josh Allen
Our first draft week rumor comes from the MMQB’s Peter King, who said, “We’re all prisoners of the people we know in this league. And someone I trust, who is very often right and is very well-connected, told me Sunday it’s not Allen [for the Browns].”
The Browns will draft Sam Darnold
NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said on a media call Friday, April 20 that he believes the Browns will take Darnold No. 1 overall.
The Browns are still considering Baker Mayfield
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that the Browns still had Mayfield in the mix:
Just to add a bit more murkiness to top of draft: one NFL executive said this morning that Baker Mayfield is “definitely” in Cleveland’s conversation to become the No. 1 overall pick.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 24, 2018
Schefter added, “The source said the Browns may have already decided whom they would select at No. 1. But before that final decision, whenever it was made, Mayfield was in that conversation.”
The Browns could draft Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley
“I would be surprised if he traded down,” the friend told the MMQB’s Peter King. “This would be his chance to take his two offensive cornerstones for the next eight or 10 years.”
The Giants will pick Saquon Barkley ... if they stay at No. 2
Mayock also said that he believes that Barkley is the pick for the Giants at No. 2. He would give them their best chance to have their first 1,000-yard running back since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012. But that all depends if they don’t trade the pick, per Mayock.
Josh Rosen is the likeliest QB to slide in the draft
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah reported that after talking with personnel executives, they believe Rosen is the quarterback most likely to slide. It’s because of “durability concerns” added with people questioning his “intangibles as a leader.”
The Raiders want Georgia linebacker Roquan Smith
ESPN’s Todd McShay believes that the Raiders are sold on the linebacker. “Roquan Smith is the guy,” McShay said on a conference call Wednesday morning. “I don’t know that they would be willing to give away additional picks later to go up and get him. But he’s the guy they want.”
The Bills, Dolphins and Cardinals are aiming for a top 5 pick
According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the Broncos have fielded calls from Buffalo, Miami and Arizona regarding the No. 5 pick. That makes sense considering all three teams could be in the market for a quarterback. Don’t be surprised if one or more of those teams makes an aggressive move up the draft order to secure a passer.