There are always surprises in the NFL Draft, and this year is no exception. Here are his five storylines to watch in this week's draft. Round 1 begins on Thursday.
quarterback
Projections project four QBs to advance to the first round: Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and JJ McCarthy. Last year, three players were in the top five picks. In 2022, only one quarterback (Kenny Pickett) made it to the first round. This class has talent at that position. Whether that will lead to long-term success is unclear.
Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are quarterbacks who could go late in the first round. Imagine six quarterbacks going in the first round. Is that possible? Denver, Minnesota, Chicago, Washington and New England all need them. The New York Giants may choose one. The Vikings have two first-round picks, but will give up one pick for the promotion along with future compensation. The team is in desperate need of a quarterback.
Strong tackle class
The best tackle in the draft is Notre Dame's Joe Alt. The 6-9, 321-pounder has started 33 games at left tackle. Once the quarterback settles down, Alto takes the lead and the tackles come off the board. JC Lathan, Talese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, Tyler Guyton, Amarius Mims, Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Graham Burton and Jordan Morgan all have first-round projections. The team needs tackles on either side of the line, and there are plenty of them in this class.
What will the Cowboys do?
This draft and development franchise will do a good job in April. However, that 2023 class ended in disappointing results due to injuries. This class, led by defensive tackle Maji Smith, should show improvement in year two. Come 2024, the needs are a center, a tackle, an inside linebacker, and a running back. The top half of the first round is expected to be filled with trades. A team in need of a quarterback will need to move some talented players down the draft board.
In the past, the Cowboys have acquired talented players like CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs not because of their talent, but because their stock dropped on draft day. The Cowboys will decide if the tackles and centers they want are available in the 20s. Getting tackled means Tyler Smith remains alert. But if college tackles have positional flexibility, Smith could change spots. Is it a wise decision to take a center in the first round, especially with West Virginia's Zach Frazier? Jackson Powers Johnson's health issues could cause him to fall. Would you like to bet on 24th place? Finding a bigger linebacker and inside defensive lineman is a must. The Cowboys visited some of their top inside linebackers in the process, so we'll find out on Day 2. How about running back? Did you forget about Zeke Elliott? The draft is at the running back position. However, this class is not considered strong, so you might want to wait until day 3.
What will the NFC East do?
For the third year in a row, every team in the NFC East will receive a first-round pick before the Cowboys. In 2022, the Cowboys drafted guard Tyler Smith, who turned into a Pro Bowler. The Giants have acquired two quality starting pitchers on both sides of the ball (Kayvon Thibodeau and Evan Neal), but Philadelphia (Jordan Davis) and Washington (Jahan Dotson) are still waiting to make a big impact. They were all evenly matched last season, but Washington's Emmanuel Forbes (one interception in 14 games) may have had a slight advantage. We know Washington will take a QB in this draft, while the Giants and Eagles will be looking for offensive upgrades. We know the Cowboys' needs here, and being 24th isn't a bad thing.
Best local talent
North Texas produces NFL players. It doesn't matter what position we are speaking from. DeSoto's Byron Murphy II (Texas) is the best of the local talent. He's projected to be a top-15 pick, and if he slides down draft boards, it'll be because of teams looking for a signal-caller. Murphy was named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and was named to the All-Big 12 First Team. He finished 2023 with 8 1/2 tackles for loss and five sacks. He has measurable numbers: 6 feet, 297 pounds, 33 inches vertical, 28 bench press (225 pounds), 4.87 40.
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