With under three weeks till the 2022 NFL Draft, the rumor mill is on fire. How much of it can you believe? Not much. However, between all the rumors flying around and the top 30 visits happening, it creates plenty of questions surrounding the draft. Let’s look at a couple of those questions.
Will a team Trade into the Top 10 for a Quarterback?
As we get closer to the draft, quarterbacks get pushed up draft boards, and teams become more aggressive in trading up for one. Currently, there are three teams with top 10 picks that could consider taking a quarterback: the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Seattle Seahawks. If a team like the New Orleans Saints or Pittsburgh Steelers want to guarantee their choice of a quarterback, they will need to move ahead of the Panthers at sixth overall.
Recently the Saints made a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire the 16th overall pick. As a result, they now own two top-20 picks and have the ammunition to move up into the top five of the draft. Furthermore, with the Houston Texans and New York Giants reportedly wanting to trade back, expect a team to move into the top 10 for a quarterback, with the Saints at the top of the list.
What will the Houston Texans do with the 13th Pick?
After trading Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns, the Texans have two picks in the top 13 selections. They will likely take an edge rusher or offensive lineman with the third overall pick unless they trade back. However, the 13th pick is a total unknown. They could go in several directions, from taking a wide receiver to picking the best player available. That said, this is a prime trade spot as well. The Texans are a perfect trade partner if teams like the Steelers or Saints haven’t moved up for a quarterback yet.
The 13th pick is also an excellent spot for a wide receiver needy team to trade up. One team to keep an eye on are the Kansas City Chiefs. Rumor has it that they love Jameson Williams. However, the Eagles at pick 15, the Saints at pick 16, the New England Patriots at pick 21, the Green Bay Packers at pick 22, and several other teams in the 20s need wide receiver help. After trading away Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs have the ammo to move up and grab Williams. With so many needs on their roster, the Texans should move back and add more draft capital.
Over/Under 2.5 Quarterbacks in the First Round?
This over/under number is the magic number for bettors. Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett are first-round locks and potential top-10 picks. After that, it’s unclear which quarterbacks and how many get selected in the first round. Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder are potential first-round quarterbacks but are far from guaranteed to go on opening night. That said, I would take the over here. We could even see four quarterbacks go in the first round, though that’s less likely.
Whether it’s to one of the quarterback-needy teams at the top of the draft or a team moving up, let’s assume both Willis and Pickett go in the top 10. After that, the Saints and Steelers are the only possible teams who could select a quarterback between picks 11 and 31. However, the Detroit Lions are sitting at pick 32. They could pick a quarterback there if they don’t use the second overall pick on Willis. Even if the Lions don’t select a quarterback with the 32nd pick, they likely trade it to a quarterback-needy team picking early in the second round.
As teams see the price go higher and higher on second contracts for quarterbacks, getting that cheap fifth-year option at the end of the first round has become more valuable. Not only could the Lions trade the 32nd pick to a quarterback-needy team, but the Cincinnati Bengals at pick 31 have reportedly entertained potential trade options. If the Falcons or Seahawks don’t select a quarterback in the top 10, they could move up from the early second round to pick 31 or 32 to grab Corral or Ridder.
Will there be the Surprise Pick in the Top 10?
Every year, there is a surprise first-round pick. This year, we could see that happen in the top 10. Georgia’s Jordan Davis stole the show at the combine and pushed himself into the top-15 picks of the draft. As we get closer to the draft, coaches become more involved in evaluating players. They will see the raw talent and upside with Davis and believe they can turn him into an All-Pro player. If Davis lands in the top 10, the two teams who could pick him are the Seahawks and New York Jets. Both teams could use some interior defensive line help and value athletic players.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
