As the NFL draft approaches, fans and analysts alike are eagerly anticipating which players will go where. While some predictions are based on in-depth scouting reports and careful analysis, others are little more than educated guesses. To get a clearer picture of what might happen in the first round of this year’s draft, we reached out to several NFL experts for their insights and predictions.
First on our list of experts is Mike Tanier, a longtime NFL writer and analyst who has covered the league for numerous outlets over the years. Tanier offered his thoughts on the top picks in this year’s draft, including some potential surprises.
According to Tanier, the top pick in the draft is likely to be quarterback Trevor Lawrence out of Clemson, who is widely regarded as the best QB prospect in years. “Lawrence has all the tools you look for in a franchise quarterback,” Tanier says. “He’s got the size, arm strength, accuracy, and mobility to be a top-level player at the next level.”
After Lawrence, the next few picks are likely to include quarterbacks as well. Zach Wilson out of BYU and Justin Fields out of Ohio State are both highly touted prospects who could go in the top five. “Wilson is a bit of a wild card, but he’s got a ton of talent,” Tanier says. “Fields is more of a known quantity, but he’s still a great prospect.”
Beyond the quarterbacks, there are several other players who could be selected early in the draft. Penei Sewell, an offensive tackle out of Oregon, is widely regarded as one of the top non-QB prospects in the draft. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase out of LSU and DeVonta Smith out of Alabama are also likely to go in the top 10, according to Tanier.
Another expert we spoke to was Daniel Jeremiah, a former NFL scout who is now an analyst for NFL Network. Jeremiah has his own mock draft on the network’s website, and his top pick is also Trevor Lawrence.
After Lawrence, Jeremiah has the New York Jets selecting Zach Wilson with the second pick. “Wilson is a gunslinger who can make all the throws,” Jeremiah says. “He’s got a chance to be a star in the league.”
Jeremiah’s mock draft also has Justin Fields going to the San Francisco 49ers with the third pick, which would be a bit of a surprise given that the team already has a starting quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. But Fields’ talent may be too much for the 49ers to pass up.
Other top picks in Jeremiah’s mock draft include Penei Sewell, Ja’Marr Chase, and Kyle Pitts, a tight end out of Florida who has drawn comparisons to Rob Gronkowski. “Pitts is a matchup nightmare who can do it all,” Jeremiah says. “He’s going to be a huge weapon for whoever drafts him.”
Of course, these are just predictions, and there are sure to be plenty of surprises and unexpected twists and turns on draft night. But with the insights of experts like Tanier and Jeremiah, fans can get a better sense of what to expect when the picks start rolling in.
