ESPN draft expert Todd McShay has already released a mock draft, with unsurprising names atop the list. While the NFL season hasn’t ended just yet, the potential order of the picks is looking certain.
Fans of teams that are out of the playoff hunt are no doubt turning their attention to draft preparation and hoping their team absolutely nails it. These are some teams that aren’t drafting where they need to, and may trade up to get the player they want.
New York Jets
The Jets shot themselves in the foot a bit by beating the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, dropping themselves to No. 6 overall. It’s abundantly clear they need a quarterback, but McShay has the two former Heisman winners in this class, Marcus Mariota (Oregon) and Jameis Winston (Florida State) going No. 1 and No. 2.
Gang Green could hang tight and take the best player available at No. 6, but it’s possible a new head coach and general manager take the reins this offseason. They may want to make a splash and grab a quarterback of the future. Don’t rule out a big move from the Jets—they’ve done it before.
St. Louis Rams
The Rams are 6-8 behind a stellar defensive line, solid run game, and a defense that has gotten stingier week after week. They may not have elite names in their receiving corps, but they’ve managed respectability despite flipping between backup-caliber QBs.
They built a sturdy roster by trading out of the No. 2 overall pick in 2012 and acquiring years’ worth of picks from the Redskins. Now that they’re on the cusp, all they need is a QB. They aren’t likely to trade away as much as Washington did, but a move up in the draft could net them the passer they crave.
Washington Redskins
It’s entirely possible that the Redskins move on from beleaguered QB Robert Griffin III this offseason and have to get another franchise quarterback. It will be very difficult to do that from the No. 5 spot.
Would Washington trade another truckload of picks for a franchise savior just three years after the last one didn’t pan out? It is the Redskins we’re talking about…
Houston Texans
It’s safe to say that Ryan Fitzpatrick’s not their quarterback of the future, and while they just drafted Tom Savage in Round 4 last year, fourth-rounders are rarely treated as sure-thing successors to the QB throne. Houston has some talented skill players in place, and a defense that is well-stocked. They can use a quarterback to take them to the next level, or even another big-play receiver like Amari Cooper to transition into Andre Johnson’s role.
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