Very rarely is there this much mystery surrounding the No. 1 overall pick the week of the draft.
If you’ve been reading Bob McGinn’s nine-part series, you know a lot of that has to do with a lack of elite talent in the 2022 draft. By the sounds of it, many teams are trying to trade down.
Who do you expect the Jacksonville Jaguars to select No. 1 overall — Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson? Georgia’s Travon Walker? Someone else? Here is McGinn’s look at the edge rushers, icymi. Scouts are torn.
The Jaguars spent as much money as they could a month ago in free agency. A smart move with a talented quarterback on a rookie contract. Now, they’ve got to nail this pick.
Feel free to share how you see the top 10 picks going below, too. Not much of a #MockGuy myself, but they are fun.
As a Packer fan, there are probably 15 sure picks ahead of us. It doesn't much matter what order they go in, so I don't much care. The real intrigue is trades; will it be cheaper to trade up? If it is significantly so, we might see a jump. That's where things could get interesting. Or it might be cheaper for someone to jump ahead of the Packers and take someone I'd like.
Logically trading down from one of the first rounders might make sense, but I hate when that happens.
I think they (Jacksonville) want out of the pick, tbh. Most years it would take a king's ransom to get the #1 pick, but if Detroit offered them a ham sandwich they might ask for some cheese too and take the offer. They're not a good team, but the top guys listed are positions they have the most options at.
Two of their last three drafts they've taken Edge guys in the first, and got another maybe solid one in Smith. They signed Key to be in the rotation, as well. I don't know that Hutchinson is elite as a 3-4 edge, either.
Had Hamilton run well he could have been the pick just because there are so few guys like him, and Jordan Davis is a wildcard too, but you don't see NTs go #1 any more either.
Cam Robinson isn't very good, but they're paying him a lot of money and they took Walter Little in the second last year.
Best bet might be Travon Walker if they stay put since he can probably move around more.
If it were me, I'd take Neal to protect the franchise. If that means Robinson ends up inside even with the tag money, so be it. Seeing what they paid wideouts in free agency, I don't think salaries mean much to them at this point as they have cap to work with, for a couple more years anyway.
I think Hutch is going #1 and they're just drumming up draft intrigue ahead of a not-as-interesting-without-top-QBs draft. No idea who Holmes selects after that, and really have no idea what Caserio will do. Should be interesting... for real football fans.
Discuss: Who's No. 1?
As a Packer fan, there are probably 15 sure picks ahead of us. It doesn't much matter what order they go in, so I don't much care. The real intrigue is trades; will it be cheaper to trade up? If it is significantly so, we might see a jump. That's where things could get interesting. Or it might be cheaper for someone to jump ahead of the Packers and take someone I'd like.
Logically trading down from one of the first rounders might make sense, but I hate when that happens.
Travon Walker. #1. The upside puts him over Hutchinson.
I think they (Jacksonville) want out of the pick, tbh. Most years it would take a king's ransom to get the #1 pick, but if Detroit offered them a ham sandwich they might ask for some cheese too and take the offer. They're not a good team, but the top guys listed are positions they have the most options at.
Two of their last three drafts they've taken Edge guys in the first, and got another maybe solid one in Smith. They signed Key to be in the rotation, as well. I don't know that Hutchinson is elite as a 3-4 edge, either.
Had Hamilton run well he could have been the pick just because there are so few guys like him, and Jordan Davis is a wildcard too, but you don't see NTs go #1 any more either.
Cam Robinson isn't very good, but they're paying him a lot of money and they took Walter Little in the second last year.
Best bet might be Travon Walker if they stay put since he can probably move around more.
If it were me, I'd take Neal to protect the franchise. If that means Robinson ends up inside even with the tag money, so be it. Seeing what they paid wideouts in free agency, I don't think salaries mean much to them at this point as they have cap to work with, for a couple more years anyway.
If they can't get out of the pick, then I don't think they'll regret having Hutch on the roster right?
I think Hutch is going #1 and they're just drumming up draft intrigue ahead of a not-as-interesting-without-top-QBs draft. No idea who Holmes selects after that, and really have no idea what Caserio will do. Should be interesting... for real football fans.