Some key questions for today's NFL draft
That much we know. What else will happen is a crapshoot.
This year's draft, which takes place today and tomorrow in New York, is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable selection meetings in years. Some teams are trying to move up (the Saints), and others (Ravens, Panthers) could look to move down if their targeted players are gone when it's their turn to pick.
Here's a look at five storylines that will shape this year's draft:
The Falcons hold the keys: The Dolphins have made their pick, and the Rams are looking at defensive help if they don't agree to a blockbuster deal for the second pick. That leaves Atlanta, at No. 3, with several options to work with.
The Falcons could use some help just about everywhere, but especially on the defensive line, where either LSU's Glenn Dorsey or Virginia's Chris Long will be available. The guess here is they pick Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, giving fans hope for the future and a new face for their franchise. The Chiefs, at No. 5, will probably be hurt by the pick, but the Ravens, at No. 8, will be devastated.
Fans of those three teams will no doubt be on the edge of their seats, hoping they make some franchise-changing decisions.
Will the Jets-Patriots feud continue to escalate? It's incredibly ironic that with all the bad blood between these two franchises, they will pick back-to-back in the first round. The Jets are picking sixth, and the Patriots are seventh following a draft-day trade with the 49ers last year.
The possibilities are endless here. The Patriots could trade ahead of the Jets to take a player they might want. The Jets could trade out of their slot, giving another team the chance to select a player the Patriots might covet. The Jets could also just pick someone that the Patriots want. One thing certainly won't happen: Executives from both teams won't be on the phone with each other working out any trades.
Any chance a player suffers an Aaron Rodgers-Brady Quinn type of fall? Probably not. Ryan isn't going any lower than eighth. He's the only quarterback who's a sure-fire first-round pick. It wouldn't be shocking if the other quarterback prospects — Louisville's Brian Brohm, Michigan's Chad Henne and Delaware's Joe Flacco — slip to the second round.
You can be the first to comment on this story.