The NFL Draft is finally here, and as a big fan of this event, I have been eagerly anticipating this day for weeks. If you want to catch up on what’s going on, you can read IONYOU’s Draft Preview.
There are a lot of predictions and rumors floating around, but I believe that there are three key things that we can expect to see tonight.
- JJ McCarthy will take a tiny tumble
I predict that JJ McCarthy will fall further than many people expect. While he has been hyped up by some draft analysts, I believe that his value has been inflated, and he will likely fall lower in the first round. General Managers spend most of their time scouting players, not listening to sports talk radio or watching TV. McCarthy’s experience is impressive, but it’s not enough to justify a top-five pick. I expect him to go in the first round, but not as early as some people think.
2. The Arizona Cardinals will sit
I don’t think that the Arizona Cardinals will trade their fourth overall pick. While some experts have suggested that they might, I believe that they will keep the pick and select the best player available to them. That player will likely be Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., the player I consider the most talented in the entire draft class. This is because the value of the fourth pick is so high that teams are unlikely to trade up and give away additional draft picks. Also, after the first three picks, the quarterback talent pool drops to a lower tier, which means that teams may not be willing to trade up to get a quarterback who is not considered a top-five pick.
3. OT & WR’s will steal the show
I think that we will hear a lot about the offensive tackle and wide receiver positions tonight. The offensive tackle position is incredibly deep this year, with as many as nine qualified players potentially being taken in the first round. This is the most since 2008 when seven tackles were taken in the first round. In addition, the wide receiver position is also very strong, with as many as three receivers likely to be taken in the first few picks. However, because wide receivers can be hit or miss in terms of their success in the NFL, teams may choose to select a high-ceiling receiver in the second or third rounds instead of taking a risk on a first-round pick who may not pan out.
The draft is always full of surprises, but by keeping these three things in mind, we can be properly prepared for the ‘shocking moments’ of draft night.
