Usually, the experts have a decent idea of who is going to go where in the NFL Draft. On May 8, nobody knows what’s going to happen, and that could make this year’s draft the most entertaining in history.
The Houston Texans pick first overall and even that pick is yet to be determined. There are about five players the Texans could pick, including Jadeveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack, Blake Bortles and Greg Robinson. Most believe Clowney take in that top spot, but it’s anybody’s guess as to who the Texans will pick.
This year’s draft could feature more trades than usual. Teams like the Atlanta Falcons want Clowney and they may trade up to get him, just as they did in 2011 to get Julio Jones. Other teams may trade up to get help in positions like offensive lineman and linebacker, both of which are loaded in this year’s draft.
It all comes down to who really wants a quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft. Teams such as the Texans, Jaguars and Browns all need quarterbacks. It is unknown whether they will pick quarterbacks or not in the first round. Somebody like Sammy Watkins, a Clemson wide receiver, may be picked in the top five instead of a quarterback or lineman.
The Falcons hope that the teams in need of a quarterback fall in love with guys like Bortles, Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater. The Falcons need an offensive lineman and if those few teams take quarterbacks, they will get to take a lineman such as Greg Robinson or Jake Matthews.
Like the Falcons, each team has its needs, but it’s tough to tell if they will be able to fill those needs with the right guys. The degree of mystery leading up to the 2014 NFL Draft is something that is relatively unheard of. On May 8, anything could happen and that’s just how the NFL likes it.