Four weeks from today, the NFL world will come from the climax that was the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Reading the tea leaves, it looks like the New York Jets are destined to pick BYU fullback Zach Wilson with the No. 2 pick.
So what about QB Sam Darnold, the overall number 3 pick in 2018?
Pro Football Network draft analyst Tony Pauline says he has an idea.
“The market is shrinking, of course. This is probably going to be a third choice. The Colts are out; the 49ers are out now. Maybe you’re looking at Washington; maybe you’re looking at Chicago. I think the sleeper would be the Carolina Panthers. This is the place to sleep, unless they want to move up and get a quarterback. They talked about Deshaun Watson. The owner, David Tepper, wanted Deshaun Watson. I do not know if this is the situation now, given everything Deshaun Watson goes on, but I think the Panthers would be the sleeper team as far as Sam Darnold is concerned. And you’re probably looking at a third-round pick or a fourth-round pick that could be a conditional upgrade, depending on how much Darnold plays in the Carson Wentz trade to the Indianapolis Colts. ”
As for the Jets, Pauline said there is virtually no chance the team will pick anyone other than Wilson.
‘Last week before the pro-day I said it was 90% that Sam Darnold will be traded, and they would take Zach Wilson with the second choice. I was hedging because I wanted to see his pro day. This is about 99%. I think Zach Wilson will be a New York Jet. I’m not going to say it was thrown in stone because we have to wait for that medicine. ‘
If the Jets surrender Wilson, they include the Justin Quarters in Ohio in Ohio, the Trey Lance in North Dakota and Mac Jones in Alabama.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to select Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence with the number one pick.
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