No more re-runs. No more living in the past. It’s time to live for now. Sports of yesteryear are put on hold. We finally get sports happening NOW! It may not be dudes getting buckets. It may not be QBs throwing dimes. It may not be dudes hitting dingers.
But, it is NFL teams securing their futures. We finally get a dose of the present.
The NFL Draft is one of my favorite sporting events each year. Everything about it gets me excited. When does the positional run come in the draft? Who trades the farm to move up for their guy? Who falls further than they should?
All of that will be answered tonight.
Unfortunately, I will not be able to get together with my buddies for some draft day shenanigans as per usual. Thank goodness for Zoom though. My draft day starts with watching Kevin Costner make magic in the movie Draft Day. That will be followed by some mock drafts which will be put in play for a pool I do with my friends.
Needless to say, it is a great day for me. As always, there are many questions prior to the draft.
The Questions Surrounding the QB Market
What a complicated mess the quarterback situation has become. There is no question that Joe Burrow will be drafted number one. As it stands now, the Cincinnati Bengals hold said pick. However, there are rumors swirling Miami is looking to trade up to number three only to make the move to number one to secure Burrow.
If that were to happen, my jaw may break from hitting the floor.
The reality is people question Herbert for Oregon and the system. Tua has the film, wins and hardware. However, he has a list of injuries scaring people.
If there is one thing I know about the draft, there are plenty of smoke and mirrors in order for teams to pull the swerves. “Inside information” gets leaked, but it could be the long game of misinformation in order to secure their guy.
That brings me to question, are teams really scared of Tua? What happens if Tua gets drafted before Herbert? Does the latter slide and if so, how far?
The magic team in all of this is Miami. They have the best chance to trade up to the 3rd pick. If they don’t and the Chargers don’t, do they take a QB or go after a tackle (also rumored)? So many questions.
No matter what happens, I do believe Tua ends up being drafted in the top 10. Herbert, I am not so sure. The reason being is not many teams are in the market for a QB. Those that are, will they trade up for Herbert?
There are three teams who need a QB right now (Bengals, Dolphins, Chargers). The Chargers do have Tyrod Taylor and a great defense with some supporting pieces on offense, but he isn’t a long term answer. The Bengals and Dolphins both are in dire need of one.
The Colts and Saints both have QBs they will be looking to replace in the near future (Philip Rivers and Drew Brees). They could be in the market. The Colts would need to trade their two seconds and then some depending on where they look to make a move.
The Saints are trying to win one final ring before Brees calls it a day. While Jordan Love could make sense to groom, it seems odd to waste the one early pick they have on a QB. If they had more draft capital, it would seem more likely.
The biggest question is the Patriots. They obviously lost Tom Brady. Does Bill Belichick see something in Jarrett Stidham or does he think his defense is good enough to win with Brian Hoyer?
The only three other potential teams in the market for a QB are the Lions, Raiders and Jaguars. The Lions and Raiders have quality veterans Matthew Stafford and Derek Carr. The Jaguars seemed to strike gold with Gardner Minshew last season. Do they believe in him long term though?
The Jags seem more likely than the other two to take a QB. The other two have more stable situations. That being said, are those teams willing to risk the unknown for a rookie and causing potential locker room issues?
The Jags could because they are in full re-build it seems with plenty of draft capital over the next two years.
All of these questions become factors in the equation. That is a prime example of why the draft is one of the most fun days of the year for sports fans like myself.
The 4th Pick
The Giants own the fourth pick in the draft and for all intents and purposes, one of the defensive studs will be there. In all likelihood, guys like Isaiah Simmons and Derrick Brown should be there no matter what.
Most are anticipating them taking an offensive tackle. There are four highly touted tackles in this draft. Should they go tackle, especially if Miami trades to 3rd for one, that likely causes other teams to jump on the train before missing it. That would in turn push the defensive studs back further.
On the flip side, should Giants GM Dave Gettleman not pull a Gettleman and actually take Simmons, now the board may become flurried with grabbing defensive pieces like Javon Kinlaw, Derrick Brown and CJ Henderson.
This is Draft Day
If reading this column seems like a clusterfuck, it was by design. This is what draft day is. There are too many scenarios of ABC that have a direct impact on XYZ. Reach too soon and a trend may follow. Wait for your guy and you may end up missing the train.
A major wrench was tossed in the draft wheel because of coronavirus. Teams are not meeting in unison. Everyone has their own war rooms set up in the confines of their own homes. That creates an interesting dynamic in and of itself. Do they trade more? Do they sit back? Do GMs go rogue and make deals without consent of the war room?
THE QUESTIONS KEEP COMING!
All of them get answered tonight. As per usual, my excitement is through the roof.
Read or listen to my previous draft content…
Hotard Huddle Mock Draft 3.0 (Podcast)
Hotard Huddle Mock Draft 2.0
Hotard Huddle Mock Draft 1.0 (No Trades)
Draft Analysis and Questions (Podcast)
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