QB TOM BRADY, who will continue to wear #12, goes off on the NFL’s new rule that heads toward college football’s anarchy.  Jenna Laine of ESPN.com:

While several NFL players expressed excitement this week over a newly adopted rule that allows more flexibility when it comes to the numbers worn on players’ jerseys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is not at all a fan.

Brady took to Instagram on Thursday to express his dissatisfaction with the rule change, believing it will cause safety issues for the offense, such as identifying blitzers or who’s the middle linebacker of the defense.

“Good luck trying to block the right people now!” Brady posted on his Instagram story, with an image of the new numbers permitted. “Going to make for a lot of bad football!”

Brady then posted a screen capture of a story about the rule and directed it to the NFL and NFL Players Association, with the words “DUMB” and “Why not let the Lineman wear whatever they want too? Why have numbers? Just have colored jerseys…why not wear the same number?…DUMB.”

The NFL’s new rule, adopted Wednesday with a number of other proposals, allows quarterbacks, punters and place-kickers to wear numbers 1-19, defensive backs 1-49, and then running backs, tight ends and wide receivers 1-49 and 80-89. Offensive linemen can wear 50-79, defensive linemen 50-79 and 90-99, and linebackers 1-59 and 90-99.

As someone who has tried to identify MLB players on Jackie Robinson Day (where they all wear identical #42 jersies) we wouldn’t want them to all wear the same number.  Although there are quite a few double numbers for no apparent reason in the college football.

NFC NORTH

MINNESOTA

We wouldn’t buy that RB DALVIN COOK jersey with number 33 on it right now.  Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com:

The land rush for single-digit jersey numbers begins. If the price is right.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cooks is looking into switching from No. 33 to No. 4, the number he wore in high school and at Florida State.

Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, citing an unnamed source, reports that Cook “would love to go back to” No. 4, but that Cook currently is “looking at the inventory costs.”

Players who want to change for 2021 must purchase the unsold inventory. A change could currently be arranged for 2022, at no cost to the player.

The Vikings currently don’t have any player in No. 4, so Cook wouldn’t have to find a way to persuade another player to surrender it.

NFC EAST

DALLAS

Jerry Jones is said to really, really like TE KYLE PITTS.  Demetrio Tenente of the Dallas Morning News:

While pretty much every expert seems to agree drafting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 10 overall pick in this year’s draft is just a fantasy (or maybe not?) for the Dallas Cowboys … that hasn’t stopped any one from talking about it.

And you better believe that nothing sounds sweeter to the ears of Jerry Jones than the people talking, speculating, and even arguing about his Cowboys.

The Cowboys added some fuel to the fantastical fire Wednesday by releasing a two-and-a-half-minute recording of their virtual meeting with Pitts. In the video, Jones made it clear just how much he’d love to see Pitts with a star on his helmet, catching passes from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

“Boy, I’ll tell you what — I’m excited to have you come into this league, and man, what a pair up we could do with ole Dak Prescott and some of these guys that we’ve got out there with options to get you the ball,” Jones said. “So we can dream of visions of sugar plums around here.”

Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore also asked Pitts who was the toughest defender he faced this past season and Pitts named a prospect Dallas has been tied to all offseason.

“I would say Jaycee Horn. That was one of the best DB’s I went against. It was someone that, you know, we’re good friends,” Pitts said.

NEW YORK GIANTS

Despite never having done it, GM Dave Gettleman claims he would trade down – for the right harvest of picks.  Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com:

Dave Gettleman insists he would trade back in the NFL draft and called it an “urban myth” that he’s unwilling, despite never having done so in his eight years as a general manager with the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers.

Gettleman, the current general manager of the Giants, has the 11th pick in next Thursday’s first round and six selections overall to work with this year.

“I’ve tried in the past. Honest, I’ve tried to trade back,” Gettleman insisted with a laugh when asked about his track record. “But it’s got to be value. I’m not getting fleeced. I refuse to do it. If someone wants to make a bad trade back, God bless them.”

Gettleman has made 54 total selections as a general manager. He’s traded up a few times (most recently back into the first round for Georgia cornerback DeAndre Baker in 2019), but never back. It has almost become an annual running joke. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said earlier this week that he thinks “we’ll see a right turn in a NASCAR race before we see Dave Gettleman trade back.” Gettleman himself laughed at that and thought it was a good line.

At this point, Gettleman has admitted it’s almost an urban myth. He just can’t seem to set the record straight.

That is perhaps because he can only be judged on results. Not almosts, which he insists have happened.

“We’ve had opportunities. I’ve tried,” Gettleman said. “You have to understand, the other piece of this is sometimes you have a trade and the guy that the team is trading up for gets picked in front of you. We’ve had that happen to us. ‘We got a trade. We got a trade. So and so selects … no trade, Dave. Goodbye. Hang the phone up on me.’ So that happens too.”

It’s still quite a streak. The Cleveland Browns have made five trades back in the first round alone since 2013, according to ESPN Stats & Information. All of those came between 2014 and 2018.

This just might be the year for Gettleman and the Giants, who haven’t traded back as an organization in any round of any draft since the first round in 2016. New York needs an edge rusher and the consensus at that position is that none of this year’s options are top-11 players.

ESPN senior draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has Michigan’s Kwity Paye as the top edge rusher. He’s ranked 16th on Kiper’s latest Big Board.

NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA

Albert Breer of SI.com on the Falcons, the 4^th pick and transcendent TE KYLE PITTS:

Lots of teams think the Falcons are going to sit where they are and take Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, and really for two reasons. One, the asking price for a team to get up to No. 4 is high, as you’d expect it would be after what the Dolphins got for the third pick. Two, it’s been pointed out by a few people how the Matt Ryan contract restructure makes it more difficult for the Falcons to move on from him not just this year, but next year too—and how if they were looking to set up a quarterback transition, they’d be more likely to take their cap medicine now. So yes, Atlanta’s looked very hard at all the quarterbacks, and the Falcons are among a small group of teams to have multiple people at both pro days for both Fields and Lance. If I had to guess, this may well come down to which quarterback falls to them and how that quarterback compares to Pitts.

While we’re there, I’ve said this before, but the way people talk about Pitts reminds me a lot of how people talked about Quenton Nelson coming out of Notre Dame three years ago—where the only thing to pick at, really, is whether or not to draft a player at his position that high. And as one veteran evaluator said to me, someone is going to have to put that thought in the proper place on draft day: “He’s the best player, so get over it.”

NEW ORLEANS

Just because a player takes the field, doesn’t mean he is in optimum condition.  This from DREW BREES about 2020.  Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Drew Brees said he knew going into the 2020 NFL season that it would be his last as an NFL quarterback, and he estimated Wednesday he was only 100% for one of those games.

The former New Orleans Saints quarterback participated in the Zurich Classic’s Pro-Am event Wednesday and met with local media for the first time since his retirement last month. He revealed then that the Saints’ game against Detroit on Oct. 4 was the only time he felt like himself last season.

“I only really felt good in one game,” he said, “from the perspective of I had all the tools in my tool box. So is limited the word? I had a lot of limitations throughout the season, what I could and couldn’t do, and I recognized that. And that’s really hard for a competitor. That’s really hard to know what you should be able do and yet you can’t because of various injuries and things that are taking place with your body.”

Brees played in 12 regular-season games in 2020 and still put up excellent overall numbers. The Saints went 9-3 in those games as Brees completed 70.5% of his passes with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He ranked sixth among NFL quarterbacks with a 106.5 passer rating.

But the only game where Brees truly felt like himself was against Detroit in Week 4, when he helped the Saints eclipse a 14-0 deficit with 246 yards passing and two touchdowns.

At other times throughout the season he said he was dealing with a litany of injuries. In addition to the well-chronicled broken ribs and punctured lung that forced him to miss 4½ games, Brees also deal with a torn plantar fascia to go along with injuries to his shoulder and abdomen.

“This abdominal thing I was dealing with for pretty much most of the season,” Brees said. “As a quarterback, everything you do is rotational, and when you can’t rotate the way that you want, you all of a sudden begin to accommodate in ways. Everything for you kind of narrows. I know I can’t make that throw, I can’t make that throw, I can’t make that throw, so what’s now in my tool box?

 “It’s hard to play a game that way, it is. And yet you’ve got to find a way to get it done. And I felt like we did that.”

Brees returned from his rib injuries in Week 15 and struggled to meet his usual standard in the five games that followed, throwing six interceptions — three of which came in the divisional round loss to Tampa Bay.

The injuries he endured last year didn’t play a large part in Brees’ decision to retire, but he said they did reinforce “the fact that that stuff doesn’t get any easier the older you get.”

After that final game, Brees and his family hung around on the Superdome turf for hours, soaking up the moment on his final night as a Saints player.

“I knew that was it,” Brees said. “Going into this season I told myself (2020) would be it. This year with COVID was tough because obviously we didn’t have that same interaction with the fans like we normally would in the Superdome.”

Those moments after the games, he said, are among his favorites throughout his career. As players grew with the franchise, so did their families. The moments with wives and kids on the field after games rank up there with the moments that happened in the games themselves, he said.

“So we missed that this year and I felt like, doggone it, my kids are going to get an opportunity to do this one last time, we’re going to make them shut the lights out on us, and they did, about midnight.”

TAMPA BAY

An insurrection against the Glazers in Manchester.  Rob Dawson of ESPN.com:

A group of Manchester United supporters broke into the club’s Carrington training base in protest at the failed plans for a European Super League before leaving after a conversation with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

A group of around 20 fans entered United’s training ground on Thursday morning with banners which read “Glazers out” and “We decide when you play.”

“At approximately 9 a.m. [BST on Thursday] a group gained access to the club training ground,” a United statement confirmed. “The manager and others spoke to them. Buildings were secure and the group has now left the site.”

It is understood they also blocked both entrances while players and staff were arriving for training ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match with Leeds United.

NFC WEST

SAN FRANCISCO

This from Chase Goodbread in NFL.com on Daniel Jeremiah’s belief that Kyle Shanahan could indeed see Alabama QB MAC JONES as uniquely gifted for Shanahan’s offense:

Few would argue that Mac Jones is the No. 3 overall talent in the 2021 NFL Draft, but that’s where many expect the San Francisco 49ers to take Jones off the board next week. It’s a classic question of fit versus ability, and the former Alabama quarterback could be precisely the fit head coach Kyle Shanahan is looking for at the game’s most critical position. Arrogance, however, would be too strong a word to attach to such a decision, according to Jeremiah.

“You always hear it’s about the Jimmys and Joes, not the Xs and Os. That would be an Xs and Os decision. It is ‘I believe so much in the Xs and Os, I need somebody that can just see the game through my eyes and make those decisions.’ But I don’t call it arrogance,” Jeremiah said. “Because I don’t know how you argue with him. You watch the tape every week of these teams, and Kyle gets guys more open than anybody else in the league. There’s a reason why so many teams are picking off all the guys from his tree to run that offense, because it’s the best offense there is.”

There’s no doubt the 49ers have someone specific in mind, almost certainly a quarterback. You don’t move up nine spots from the No. 12 overall pick without a red circle around someone’s name. If Jones is indeed Shanahan’s guy, the clock of expectations will tick quickly. It has to when the price includes two future first-round picks.

A related take from Albert Breer of SI.com:

When I had Dilfer on my podcast, he said that Jones has a “twitchy mind,” a reference to how fast he processes and plays. This, so you know, checks out with NFL people. One team told me that it asked him in April to recall the first thing they’d installed with him over predraft meetings, and Jones immediately spit out everything about the play. And remember, at this point of the process, these kids have a lot floating around in their heads, given the number of teams (and other people) they’re talking to. “He’s as smart as advertised,” said one exec. “I’d say borderline genius when it comes to football.”

Obviously, the possibility that Jones would be in play has led to a lot of intrigue with the Niners at No. 3. The team’s brass is still swearing to other teams that they haven’t made a final decision on what they plan to do. Seem impossible? Sure it does, until you really think about it. Of course, Kyle Shanahan had a leaning when the trade was made. He’d done two months of work on those guys. It’d be hard not to have one at that point. But what if, for argument’s sake, Shanahan came to a comfort level with one of the three quarterbacks (beyond Lawrence and Wilson) that the Niners saw as first-rounders? And what if he said, I can see Mac Jones being my quarterback for the next 15 years? And what if he was also intrigued by Lance and Fields, but used Jones as the baseline, the I know I’m going to like what I get at No. 3 regardless guy? And what if that was just the starting point for a month of work to get to know all three and make the best call? That, it seems to me, would be a smart approach for a smart organization. And honestly, I think it is their approach.

– – –

RB WAYNE GALLMAN, the leading rusher for the Giants in 2020 with SEQUON BARKLEY on the shelf, has signed a one-year deal with the 49ers.  The New York Post:

The Giants selected Gallman in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, and the back played there for four years. Used primarily as a change-of-pace back during his time in New York, he ended up starting 10 games in 2020 following an early season injury to Saquon Barkley.

Gallman, 26, led the team in rushing attempts (147), rushing yards (682) and rushing touchdowns (six) — all single-season career highs.

With the Giants, Gallman rushed for 1,444 yards on 338 attempts and scored 11 touchdowns — nine rushing and two receiving. He joins a running back room in San Francisco led by Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert.

SEATTLE

QB GENO SMITH is back for another year.  Joe Fann of NBCSports.com:

ESPN’s Field Yates reported that Smith has agreed to a deal to return to the Seahawks for a third-consecutive season to serve as Russell Wilson’s backup. The Seahawks have also confirmed the signing.

Smith has appeared in just one game over his two years in Seattle, that being the blowout against the Jets last season. He completed 4-of-5 pass attempts for 33 yards in that fourth quarter against New York.

Everyone within the organization has raved about Smith ever since he arrived in the Pacific Northwest, which made him the obvious choice to back up Wilson once again. Back in 2019, Smith beat out Paxton Lynch to earn the team’s No. 2 job.

Having a veteran with experience in the system is about all you can hope for in that role.

Smith was originally a second-round pick to the Jets back in 2013. He’s appeared in 41 career games (31 starts), posting 6,215 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and 36 interceptions.

AFC WEST

DENVER

GM George Paton tries to downplay the idea that Denver will trade up from #9 for one of the Big Five quarterbacks.  Andrew Ortenberg of ProFootballRumors.com:

We heard just a couple of days ago that the Broncos were a team potentially looking to move up in the draft. Speaking to the media today, new GM George Paton made it sound like that’s not something he’s planning on as of right now.

Paton says the team has not made any calls about moving up in the draft from their current ninth spot, James Palmer of NFL Network tweets. Paton also said has received calls from teams looking to move up next week. If Denver truly does stand pat at nine, they likely wouldn’t be able to draft one of the true top passers.

That’s relevant, because notably Paton did confirm bluntly that the Broncos are going to bring in a new quarterback to push Drew Lock. “We want to bring in competition at the quarterback position,” Paton said, via Mike Klis of Denver 9 News.

It doesn’t get much clearer than that. Lock certainly can’t be considered etched in stone as the Broncos’ Week 1 starter at this point. Paton also didn’t rule out moving up in the draft, saying something could materialize on draft day, only that nothing is in the works right now. If the team doesn’t draft a quarterback early it’s unclear what kind of competition they’d bring in, since the veteran market has mostly dried up. Paton did refer to a “trade market,” so maybe they could swing a deal for another team’s veteran backup.

It’s possible that if the Broncos don’t trade up and miss out on the first-round guys, they could draft a quarterback on Day 2. At that point, Davis Mills of Stanford, Kyle Trask of Florida, and Kellen Mond of Texas A&M would all be realistic options.

AFC EAST

NEW ENGLAND

Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com says Bill Belichick thought about abandoning QB TOM BRADY before Brady left him.  Hannah Byrd of Boston.com:

Bill Belichick has led the Patriots since 2000, the longest tenure among active head coaches in the NFL.

During that time, amid six Super Bowl wins, it’s been thought of as a virtual impossibility that he would leave for another NFL team.

Yet according to a recent claim from ESPN reporter Seth Wickersham, the 69-year-old Belichick may have pondered his options of a potential exit in 2018.

Wickersham, whose 2018 piece for ESPN (“For Kraft, Brady and Belichick, is this the beginning of the end?“) pulled the curtain back on the relationship between the Patriots’ key triumvirate, was a guest on “The Harrison Vapnek Podcast” earlier this week.

Asked about his work reporting the story in 2018, Wickersham included an interesting tidbit of knowledge regarding Belichick.

“There was a lot of pushback to that story. But, I felt comfortable with what I was writing and what I was working on,” Wickersham explained. “At the time, I think there was a sense that Brady wasn’t going anywhere and Bill left the impression that he might be open to a move.

“There were some reports that came out at the time that the Giants were looking at him,” Wickersham continued. “I think he talked to the Washington Football Team and the Dolphins about sort of their openings. And it was unclear whether he was interested or not, but he was still talking to them and subsequent reporting has only sort of shown how in that offseason, Brady skipped the offseason program for the first time in his career and he had just kind of had enough.”

Wickersham remembered that while Belichick and Brady ultimately put their differences aside for another two years (including a victorious Super Bowl run at the end of the 2018 season), the internal disagreements became more public in that time.

“It was a fascinating offseason,” Wickersham recalled. “Remember, [Brady] got up on stage in Los Angeles at that tech conference and he said, ‘I plead the fifth’ when asked if he felt appreciated. We never heard that language out of Tom Brady before. It was an interesting offseason to say the least.”

THIS AND THAT

A MOCK DRAFT WITH EVERY PICK A TRADE

From Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com (edited for space):

Every year, I offer up my own piece of vaguely NFL draft-related content by producing a mock draft consisting entirely of trades. There are 32 picks in the first round and for each of those selections, I try to construct a trade that makes sense for two or more teams given their respective needs and team-building styles. These trade ideas, all of which are created in good faith, almost always make fans angry. Not a single one has actually come to fruition.

With that move to spark us, let’s do this again. Thirty-two picks, 32 trades. Each of the trades exists in its own universe, so you’ll see a pick dealt more than once or a team move up or down in multiple deals. Picks in the 2021 draft will be notated with the round and the overall selection, so “2-47” would be the 47th overall pick, which comes off the board in the second round.

I try to use a combination of the traditional Jimmy Johnson draft chart and the more modern, quantitatively built draft chart created by Chase Stuart to underpin each pick’s value, using history to see where teams have typically been willing to pay over the odds.

In a typical year, finding a trade that makes sense for the first overall pick is the toughest part of the article. This year is no exception:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars get: QB Justin Herbert, S Derwin James, 1-13

Los Angeles Chargers get: 1-1, 3-65

Before you get started, I know. There’s no way to make a Jaguars trade out of the first overall pick make sense. I asked a few people around the league where Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence would stand on a trade value board as he enters the NFL and the responses ranged from five to 15. He is the best quarterback prospect we’ve seen since Andrew Luck, and the Jaguars are going to have him for at least three years on a rookie deal before they even have to worry about talking extension. This pick might be worth something in the ballpark of $100 million in surplus value over the next five years.

To be a completist, though, we have to make a trade. Let’s imagine a scenario in which, like John Elway and Eli Manning before him — eventual No. 1 picks who were traded away from the teams that drafted them — Lawrence decided that he didn’t want to play in Jacksonville. If the Jaguars were going to trade this pick, they could have undoubtedly amassed a haul of selections from a team such as the 49ers. Given the disappointment of missing out on Lawrence, I would rather make a move for a superstar quarterback. Deshaun Watson would have made sense, but the sexual assault allegations against the Texans star means he’s off the trade market for the time being. Dak Prescott re-signed with the Cowboys, so he’s out. Realistically, we’re looking at 11 quarterbacks who are still on rookie deals.

Of those 11, we can rule out Sam Darnold, Drew Lock, Jalen Hurts and Daniel Jones, who haven’t done enough to justify being a significant part of a trade. Joe Burrow is coming off of a serious knee injury, which would put him off-limits. Tua Tagovailoa is coming off an inconsistent rookie season. You’re left with five guys: Herbert, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray.

Herbert could be the most appealing of those five. Allen and Jackson have had better years than him as pros, but Herbert was the best of the bunch as a rookie. Allen, Jackson and Mayfield are all three years into their rookie deals and eligible for extensions, while Herbert still has two years before coming due for a massive raise. Herbert wasn’t the same caliber of prospect as Lawrence entering the NFL, but he just had a wildly impressive rookie season while playing behind the worst offensive line in football.

The Chargers could also flesh out a Lawrence deal. James was one of the best defensive players in football at any position as a rookie, but he has played just five games over the past two years while dealing with foot and knee injuries. If the guy we saw in 2018 is back on the field in 2021, the Jags could end up trading Lawrence for a superstar quarterback, a Hall of Fame-caliber safety and the 13th overall pick. When the Chargers were forced to trade the Manning pick in 2004, they netted their own longtime quarterback in Philip Rivers and a short-lived superstar defender in Shawne Merriman with the Giants’ first-round pick in 2005.

Would the Chargers do this? If they saw Lawrence as a once-in-a-lifetime quarterback prospect, they’d have to take the shot. Herbert was very good as a rookie; his 105 adjusted yards per attempt index (AY/A+) is one of the best marks we’ve seen for a quarterback, but it’s not proof of consistent MVP-caliber play. Mayfield was at 106 as a rookie and took a major step backward in Year 2. Jameis Winston was just behind Herbert at 101. Matt Ryan was ahead of him at 114, and while Ryan has had an excellent career and won an MVP, if the Chargers think Lawrence is a surefire Hall of Famer, that’s worth more than Ryan.

The idea of this trade undoubtedly will make both sets of fans very angry, which is fine, but it’s more of a thought exercise than an actual proposal.

2. New York Jets

Jets get: QB Russell Wilson

Seattle Seahawks get: 1-2, 1-23 (from SEA), 4-107, 2022 first-round pick (better of NYJ and SEA selections)

The Wilson trade talk has died down in recent weeks, but to make a move out of the second pick work for the Jets, they need to find a solution at quarterback. It’s tempting to think about the Browns and Ravens looking at disastrous quarterback extensions in recent years before at least considering moving on from Mayfield or Jackson, but I don’t think those moves are plausible. A Wilson trade remains unlikely, but if the Seahawks really decided that the future Hall of Famer had become too much of a problem in Seattle, this is the sort of return they would need to cut ties.

The No. 2 overall pick would get the Seahawks their pick of the non-Lawrence quarterbacks. They would get back two additional first-rounders, including the first they sent to the Jets for Jamal Adams. General manager John Schneider & Co. would also get the best-positioned first-rounder between the two selections the Jets have in 2022, which would give Seattle some leeway if it struggled without Wilson in 2021.

Why would the Jets do this? Well, about 40 years of subpar quarterback play comes to mind. The only quarterbacks in Jets history to post more than two seasons with an AY/A+ of 100 or more are Joe Namath and Ken O’Brien. Wilson has done that in each of his first nine seasons as a pro and hasn’t missed a start. At 32, he realistically has another five or six years at a high level, if not more. Wilson probably doesn’t single-handedly propel the Jets into contention, but he raises their floor at quarterback dramatically and gives them their best option since Namath.

3. San Francisco 49ers (via MIA through HOU)

49ers get: 1-4, 3-68, 2022 third-round pick

Atlanta Falcons get: 1-3

When the 49ers traded up to the No. 3 overall pick, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that San Francisco had talks with the Falcons at No. 4 and the Bengals at No. 5 before moving into the third slot. We’ve spent the ensuing few weeks wondering whether the 49ers are moving up for Alabama’s Mac Jones, Ohio State’s Justin Fields or North Dakota State’s Trey Lance. Schefter’s report makes me wonder whether the Niners have a strong preference; there’s a chance that Kyle Shanahan thinks they’re all franchise quarterbacks and that the trade up is more about getting a cheaper, healthier option than Garoppolo over the next few years.

If that’s the case, there’s also a scenario in which the Falcons want to draft a quarterback and do have a quarterback preference. Moving up would allow them to get the passing prospect they want to learn behind Matt Ryan in 2021. We’ve seen the Niners make a trade like this in the past, when they moved down one spot early in the 2017 draft to let the Bears jump ahead and draft Mitchell Trubisky. That move from No. 3 to No. 2 cost the Bears two third-rounders and a fourth-rounder, and this would be a similar haul.

4. Atlanta Falcons

Falcons get: 1-15, 3-96, 2022 first-round pick, CB J.C. Jackson

New England Patriots get: 1-4, 2022 fourth-round pick, CB Isaiah Oliver

I still think it’s more likely that the Falcons trade down and add more pieces to fix their defense while trying to win around Ryan over the next couple of years. They’re a terrible fit for the receivers and tackles who are likely in the discussion at No. 4, so they can trade down and still address the edge or their secondary. I think they’ll have talks with the Broncos at No. 9, but once the 49ers traded up, the most obvious team to move up became the Patriots.

No, the Pats don’t typically package multiple first-rounders to move up in the draft. That’s true. They also don’t typically make a splash by signing more than a half-dozen players across the first two days of free agency, though, and that’s exactly what Bill Belichick did this March. We can’t assume that the Patriots are going to play by their old, Tom Brady-era rules when it comes to roster construction. They added weapons for Cam Newton this offseason, but Newton was inconsistent in 2020, has a rough injury history and isn’t under contract in 2022. The Pats still need a long-term solution at quarterback.

5. Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals get: 1-13, 4-118, 2022 first-round pick

Los Angeles Chargers get: 1-5

The Bengals typically turn off their phones on draft weekend and pick when it’s their turn, although they did move down in the second round in 2019. They’re popularly linked to Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell here, but they did just draft Jonah Williams in the first round in 2019 before signing Riley Reiff in free agency last month. It’s not out of the question that they’re looking toward receiver, which is a position they could comfortably hit later in Round 1. The extra first-rounder would be nice for a team that needs to hit on more young talent in the years to come.

For the Chargers, meanwhile, this would be a move up to get Sewell.

6. Miami Dolphins (via PHI)

Dolphins get: 1-10, 4-138, WR Amari Cooper

Dallas Cowboys get: 1-6, 3-81

This could work for both sides. The Cowboys have a quarterback starting a contract worth $40 million per season, and given how much they’re spending elsewhere on their core, something has got to give. Cooper has a cap hit of $22 million in each of the final four years on his deal, and they notably didn’t restructure his deal when they created cap space this offseason. They would be on the hook for only $8 million in dead money as part of a Cooper trade. Michael Gallup is a pending free agent after this season, and the Cowboys could very well see themselves using Cooper’s money on two players.

One would be Gallup, who would get a new deal shortly after this trade. The other would be Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, with whom team owner Jerry Jones is reportedly infatuated.

Dolphins fans who had visions of adding a young superstar to their lineup might not like the idea, but ask yourself this: Would you rather have Pitts or, say, the combination of Cooper and Northwestern lineman Rashawn Slater? Heck, there’s a good chance that the Dolphins could add Cooper, trade down and still land one of the top-tier wideouts at No. 10. I think Miami will stay put at No. 6 after trading back up, but if we have to include another move for them, locking in a star wideout and staying in the top 10 is an easy victory. And if the Cowboys plan to move on from Cooper in the next year or two, adding Pitts would keep their passing attack humming.

7. Detroit Lions

Lions get: 1-23, 3-66, 2022 first-round pick

New York Jets get: 1-7

The Lions should be amassing as many picks as possible. The Jets should probably be doing the same thing, but I could see one argument for trading up. They added wide receivers Corey Davis and Keelan Cole this offseason, but regardless of which quarterback they draft with the No. 2 overall pick, he’ll be inheriting a below-average group of weapons.

If general manager Joe Douglas sees LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase or Kyle Pitts as a generational pass-catcher and they’re still on the board at No. 7, he could use one of his extra first-rounders from the Jamal Adams trade to get his quarterback a new best friend.

8. Carolina Panthers

Panthers get: 1-19, 2022 first-round pick, DT Matt Ioannidis

Washington Football Team gets: 1-8, 2022 fifth-round pick

The Panthers traded for Sam Darnold this month, which likely takes them out of the quarterback market here. If Trey Lance is still on the board at No. 8, teams in the bottom half of the first round might try to move ahead of the Broncos at No. 9 or the Patriots at No. 15 to get him.

Washington coach Ron Rivera already made one deal with his old team last year when he dealt for Kyle Allen; this time around, he would be moving up for his quarterback of the future. Lance would get to spend at least part of 2021 learning behind Ryan Fitzpatrick before taking over as the full-time starter the following year. The Panthers would move down 11 spots and get a potentially juicy first-rounder in 2022, given Fitzpatrick’s relative inconsistency.

9. Denver Broncos

Broncos get: 1-4, 5-148 (from ATL)

Atlanta Falcons get: 1-9, 3-71, 2022 first-round pick (from DEN), 4-131 (from BAL)

Baltimore Ravens get: WR Tim Patrick (from DEN)

This is our first three-way trade, but it won’t be our last. If the Falcons don’t trade out of the No. 4 overall pick in a deal with the Patriots, the Broncos would be the second-most plausible candidates to move up. Drew Lock has shown flashes of competence as a pro quarterback, but Denver has a playoff-caliber roster around a questionable passer. If new general manager George Paton thinks there’s a franchise signal-caller on the board at No. 4, this is a move he’ll have to seriously consider making.

It’ll cost the Broncos their first-rounder in 2022 and a useful wide receiver. Patrick had three 100-yard games while filling in for the injured Courtland Sutton last season, but with Sutton back and Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler potentially ahead of him on the depth chart, Patrick’s role in the offense is uncertain.

As a restricted free agent, the Broncos would be at risk of losing Patrick to unrestricted free agency in 2022, so it might make sense to send him out as part of this deal. The Falcons don’t need another wide receiver, but they could pass along Patrick to the Ravens for a midround pick. Patrick would be part of the wideout rotation in Baltimore and a possible breakout candidate catching passes from Lamar Jackson.

10. Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys get: 1-14, DE Danielle Hunter

Minnesota Vikings get: 1-10, 2-44, 4-115

There’s a scenario in which the first nine players off the board all play offense: the five quarterbacks, Penei Sewell, Kyle Pitts, Ja’Marr Chase and one of the two Alabama wide receivers (DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle). The players on the board at No. 10 would include the remaining Alabama wideout, Slater and Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. It’s not a great fit for the Cowboys, who probably want to look toward help on the edge or in the secondary.

11. New York Giants

Giants get: 1-7 (from DET)

Detroit Lions get: 1-11, 2-42 (from NYG); 2-61, TE Dawson Knox (from BUF)

Buffalo Bills get: TE Evan Engram (from NYG), 5-153 (from DET)

The Giants, as a rule, do not trade down. It’s been 15 drafts since either Jerry Reese or Dave Gettleman have traded down in a draft. Gettleman didn’t trade down once during his time in Carolina, either. Virtually every one of the optimal trades I would try to concoct for the Giants would involve trading down and addressing the interior of their line or the edge with additional picks in the early rounds. The Giants also aren’t drafting a quarterback and don’t need a wide receiver after they signed Kenny Golladay in free agency. They just drafted a left tackle with the fourth overall pick last year, so they’re probably not trading up for Penei Sewell. We’re left with Kyle Pitts, who projects as a much more impressive version of Engram, the Giants’ current tight end.

So how would swapping Pitts for Engram work? If quarterbacks come off the board with the first four picks, the Bengals choose Sewell at No. 5, and the Dolphins go for Ja’Marr Chase at No. 6, Pitts would still be on the board. The Lions probably wouldn’t go for a second tight end in the top 10 after using their first-rounder on T.J. Hockenson in 2019, and the extra second-rounders would help fill out their roster. They would still be in position to draft the best available player at No. 11.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA through SF)

Eagles get: 1-18, 2-50

Miami Dolphins get: 1-12, 3-84, 6-224

The Eagles will be open for business here, and with the Chargers and the Vikings both in the market for an offensive tackle with the next two picks, they should hear some calls from teams that want to move up and get ahead of those organizations for Rashawn Slater or USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker.

The Dolphins just made a deal with the Eagles, of course, but this move up would get them another building block with which to protect Tagovailoa. This is an almost perfect swap on the Stuart chart, which would be more likely to align with these two analytically inclined franchises and how they typically value picks.

13. Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers get: OT Orlando Brown, 1-27

Baltimore Ravens get: 1-13, 4-113

This is another way for the Chargers to get their left tackle of the future. Brown filled in at left tackle for the injured Ronnie Stanley last season, and with the former first-rounder returning to the lineup in 2021, Brown wants to be traded to an organization in which he can play on the (often more lucrative) left side. The Ravens will likely lose Brown after the season in free agency, so while they would gain a compensatory pick in the 2023 draft, they have to be giving some thought to the possibility of a Brown trade.

14. Minnesota Vikings

Vikings get: 1-24, 2022 first-round pick

Pittsburgh Steelers get: 1-14, 2022 fourth-round pick

If you want what the Patriots might be having, this is your last chance to get ahead of New England at No. 15. In some scenarios, that could be for a linebacker such as Micah Parsons or Tulsa’s Zaven Collins. Here, though, it would be in a world in which one of the five first-round quarterbacks is still left on the board. The Vikings aren’t taking a quarterback, and they’ll be able to address their defensive depth and tackle concerns later in the first round.

The Steelers have plenty of needs elsewhere on their roster, which is why I think they probably would package their 2022 first-rounder as opposed to trying to use their second-round pick. This would be a move up to grab a quarterback such as Trey Lance if he’s still on the board. With Ben Roethlisberger entering what appears to be the final year of his career, the future is totally uncertain in Pittsburgh. Getting their quarterback now gets the Steelers ready for 2022 and hedges their chances if Roethlisberger isn’t able to play at a high level in 2021.

15. New England Patriots

Patriots get: 1-20, 2-52, 6-204

Chicago Bears get: 1-15, 7-242

Bill Belichick has changed his roster-building style in recent months out of necessity, but unless he’s making a major move up to grab a quarterback, I still think he’s going to lean toward amassing extra picks while taking advantage of desperate teams. He has hooked up with general manager Ryan Pace and the Bears in the past, with Chicago moving up in the second round to grab Anthony Miller in 2018.

This time, the Bears would be moving up ahead of the Cardinals for a cornerback such as South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn.

The Pats would move down and add an extra second-rounder, which would be helpful for a team that lost a second-rounder in 2020 to the Mohamed Sanu trade and a third-rounder in 2021 for filming the Bengals during a game.

16. Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals get: 1-22, 3-85, 5-166, 2022 third-round pick

Tennessee Titans get: 1-16

The Cards have dealt away their third-, fourth- and sixth-round picks, so a trade down makes sense. The Raiders are a bit of a wild card when it comes to draft selections, and teams such as Washington and the Bears and Colts could be looking at offensive tackles, so I wonder if this is where the Titans would consider making their move.

Tennessee needs a right tackle after 2020 first-rounder Isaiah Wilson flamed out in spectacular fashion, and if Alijah Vera-Tucker or Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw are still on the board here, this is where it could make its move.

17. Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders get: 1-7 (from DET), 5-177 (from NE)

Detroit Lions get: 1-17, 3-80, 2022 first-round pick (from LV)

New England Patriots get: QB Marcus Mariota (from LV)

I don’t think you can ever rule out the possibility of Jon Gruden falling in love with a quarterback. Derek Carr hasn’t been holding the Raiders back, of course, but remember how the Chiefs leveled up when they replaced the steadiness of Alex Smith with the upside of Patrick Mahomes? If Gruden thinks Justin Fields or Trey Lance have something close to that sort of ceiling, he’s not going to let Carr (or Mariota) stand in his way.

Marcus Mariota only attempted 28 passes as Derek Carr’s backup in 2020, and a quarterback-needy team could pursue him for next season. Chris Unger/Getty Images

So, we have a three-way trade. The Raiders send a third-round pick and their 2022 first-rounder to the Lions to move up 10 spots and grab their quarterback of the future. Carr will start in 2021 and then become a trade candidate as he enters the final year of his deal in 2022, just as was the case for Smith in Kansas City. The Raiders also send Mariota, who just took a pay cut, to the Patriots for a fifth-round pick, where there will be a battle of Heisman Trophy winners at quarterback between Mariota and Cam Newton.

18. Miami Dolphins

Dolphins get: 1-31, 2-63

Kansas City Chiefs get: 1-18, 7-231

The Chiefs are another one of the teams that will be in the market for a tackle after cutting both Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz this offseason. Mike Remmers is expected to lock down the right side, but left tackle is a huge question mark, and we just saw in the Super Bowl how a struggling offensive line can slow down Mahomes.

To get a plug-and-play left tackle, the Chiefs will probably have to move up from their spot at No. 31; this would net the Dolphins yet another premium pick at the bottom of the second round.

19. Washington Football Team

Washington gets: 1-9

Denver Broncos get: 1-19, 3-74, 2022 second-round pick

Washington made huge strides on defense last season, as Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio helped coax a unit that ranked 27th in the league on that side of the ball in 2019 all the way to third. Surprisingly, for a defense run by two former linebackers, Washington didn’t invest much in terms of players at that position. The Football Team has an expensively assembled secondary and a defensive line with four first-round picks, but not much in between.

This move would change that, with Washington moving up to grab Micah Parsons. The 2020 opt-out could come off the board earlier in the first round, but Washington probably is eyeing the Eagles as a possible landing spot for Parsons at No. 12. (Philly hasn’t valued off-ball linebackers during the Howie Roseman era, but if you had to watch Philadelphia’s linebackers for 16 games last season, you might change your mind, too.) With division rivals in Dallas and New York picking at Nos. 10 and 11, respectively, Washington probably would need to get to No. 9 to ensure a major upgrade with Parsons. The Broncos would move down and address their depth later in the round and also add two Day 2 picks.

20. Chicago Bears

Bears get: 1-10, 2022 fifth-round pick

Dallas Cowboys get: 1-20, 2022 first-round pick, QB Nick Foles

This would be the move for the Bears if they want to jump the line for a quarterback. The Eagles might not draft a quarterback at No. 12, but they would probably be open to trading their pick to a team such as the Patriots or Washington if they want to move up from their spots for Trey Lance. With the Giants entrenched at No. 11, moving up to No. 10 would get the Bears in the right spot.

The Cowboys would move down 10 spots and reap a tantalizing draft pick in Chicago’s 2022 first-rounder; if the Bears collapse with Andy Dalton under center, that pick could fall somewhere in the top 10.

21. Indianapolis Colts

Colts get: 1-28, 3-98, 3-105

New Orleans Saints get: 1-21

The Colts need a left tackle to replace Anthony Castonzo. After trading their first-round pick last year for DeForest Buckner and then sending their third-rounder with either a first- or second-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Carson Wentz, though, they also need to replenish their draft capital.

22. Tennessee Titans

Titans get: 1-12, 5-150

Philadelphia Eagles get: 1-22, 2-53, 3-100

The Titans don’t need a left tackle with Taylor Lewan entrenched on Ryan Tannehill’s blind side, but they could want to take one of the draft’s top tackles to play the right side. Kendall Lamm, who came over from the Browns, is probably best as a swing tackle in the role Dennis Kelly used to play for Tennessee.

Moving ahead of the Chargers and Vikings could get the Titans Rashawn Slater. Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson would send the Eagles a second-rounder and the third-round compensatory pick they netted for losing Jack Conklin, the team’s prior solution at right tackle.

23. New York Jets (via SEA)

Jets get: 2-51, G Brandon Scherff

Washington Football Team gets: 1-23, 3-86, G Greg Van Roten

Here’s another way for the Jets to surround their new quarterback with talent. Scherff has been franchised twice by Washington, leaving him one season away from free agency. His $18 million cap hit in 2021 is the largest for any guard in football by more than $3 million, and he would be in line for a quarterback-level franchise tag in 2022. If Washington doesn’t get a deal done by the franchise deadline, Scherff is as good as gone next year for no more than a third-round compensatory pick.

Here, Washington would trade Scherff to the Jets for what amounts to the 37th pick in a typical draft by the Johnson chart. Washington also gets a short-term replacement on the interior in Van Roten, who played under Ron Rivera in Carolina before joining the Jets. Scherff would be in line to become the highest-paid guard in football after joining Gang Green, but with the Jets holding more than $28 million in cap space, they can afford the All-Pro’s price tag. Washington could use this pick to draft its own lineman or a linebacker.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers get: 2-48, 3-79, 3-80

Las Vegas Raiders get: 1-24, 4-140

The Steelers have shed talent on both sides of the ball this offseason and have used their picks to trade up (Devin Bush) or away (Minkah Fitzpatrick) for talent over the past two years. This is a spot in which they probably want to try to gather multiple picks over first few rounds of the draft. Trading down here would net the Steelers three top-100 picks from a Raiders team that often finds itself on their wavelength during the draft.

Las Vegas could be trading up for help in the secondary or at wide receiver. Pittsburgh could use its extra picks to shore up depth along the line of scrimmage.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR)

Jaguars get: 1-10

Dallas Cowboys get: 1-25, 2-33

By the Johnson chart, the 25th and 33rd picks are a perfect match for the 10th overall selection. I’m not sure either of these teams are actually using the old-school chart at this point, but this is close enough to make sense for both sides. The Cowboys probably want to hit multiple parts of their defense with early picks.

The Jags added Marvin Jones this offseason and have a potential No. 1 (DJ Chark) and No. 2 (Laviska Shenault) on the roster, but they can’t add enough in the way of weapons for their young quarterback. If Jaylen Waddle or DeVonta Smith are still on the board, they could build one of the league’s most promising receiving corps with a move up. If Kyle Pitts somehow fell to No. 10, this would be an even bigger must for new coach Urban Meyer & Co.

26. Cleveland Browns

Browns get: 3-67, 2022 first-round pick

Houston Texans get: 1-26, 3-89

Let’s pitch another creative trade between these two teams. The Texans have been without their first-round pick in three of the past four drafts — those picks went to trades for Deshaun Watson and Laremy Tunsil — and they don’t have much in the way of cheap, talented young players. Houston and new general manager Nick Caserio will finally have something close to a full complement of picks in 2022, but what if somebody they have as a top-five or top-10 talent in a weird year falls to the 26th pick?

The Browns could speculate on the possibility of adding a truly premium pick. The chances that the Texans will finish with one of the seven best records in football next year are slim, meaning that Cleveland could come away with a superior pick for its patience. If it ends up getting a pick in the 20s, this deal won’t be anything to write home about. But if a Tyrod Taylor-led Texans team struggles to win five games, the Browns could net a top-five pick out of this deal.

27. Baltimore Ravens

Ravens get: 2-57, 3-88, 2022 second-round pick

Los Angeles Rams get: 1-27

The Rams hate first-round picks, but having just mentioned the Texans, Sean McVay’s team is the last team we need to include to mention all 32 in this piece. If Los Angeles were going to make an exception to its policy of avoiding picks at the bottom of the first round, it might be to add talent at a critical position.

Andrew Whitworth turns 40 this year, and there’s no left tackle of the future on the roster. If Alijah Vera-Tucker, for example, is still on the board here, the Rams could start him out on the interior before eventually moving him to left tackle. This would be a departure for the Rams, but then again, who thought they were about to cut bait on Todd Gurley and Jared Goff in consecutive offseasons?

The Ravens can address their front seven with additional picks in the second and third round.

28. New Orleans Saints

Saints get: 1-9

Denver Broncos get: 1-28, 3-98, 2022 first- and third-round picks

Let’s make one final trade up the board for a quarterback. The Saints are bringing back Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston for 2021, but it would take a big leap forward for either quarterback to serve as this team’s long-term solution under center. Sean Payton’s team has the talent to compete for Super Bowls if it can find an answer at quarterback, and if it can get a cheap option with upside under center, New Orleans can keep everybody left on the roster and even add a key player or two in free agency over the next few seasons.

In 2017, the Saints tried to draft Patrick Mahomes at No. 11 overall, only for the Chiefs to trade up and beat them to the punch. This time around, if a quarterback such as Trey Lance is still on the board at No. 9, the Saints can’t afford to move up to only Nos. 12 or 14 to try to get ahead of the Patriots as they search for their passer of the future, because New England might move up to No. 10 and beat them to the punch. Getting all the way to No. 9 should lock the Saints in for a quarterback, although it’ll take the Broncos passing on that same signal-caller.

29. Green Bay Packers

Packers get: 2-36, 3-81

Miami Dolphins get: 1-29, 4-142

Will the Packers stay put and draft the wide receiver their fans have wanted them to add for years? Well, the evidence we’ve seen from the past couple of years suggests that’s unlikely, but they could still move down seven spots and add a weapon for Aaron Rodgers at No. 36.

Offensive line depth also could come into play. If the Dolphins add a receiver at No. 6 and an offensive lineman at No. 18, this could be a spot in which they move ahead of the Bills and Chiefs to try to add an edge rusher.

30. Buffalo Bills

Bills get: 2-35, 4-108

Atlanta Falcons get: 1-30

The Bills lost a little bit of depth this offseason, and given how well they’ve drafted in recent years, there are worse things for general manager Brandon Beane & Co. than adding extra picks in the first few rounds of the draft.

Buffalo doesn’t need any immediate starters, but it probably wants to refresh its depth on defense, which it can do in the later rounds of the draft. This could be a spot for a team to trade up for a running back — likely Clemson’s Travis Etienne or Alabama’s Najee Harris — ahead of teams such as the Bucs (No. 32) and Jets (No. 34); a rookie runner would be in position to trade carries with Mike Davis in 2021.

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs get: 1-12, 2022 fifth-round pick

Philadelphia Eagles get: 1-31, 2-63, 2022 second-round pick, WR Mecole Hardman

A lot of teams in the NFL will try to pretend at one point or another that they’re one player away from winning the Super Bowl. The Chiefs might actually have been one good left tackle away from back-to-back titles, given how quickly their offense fell apart without Eric Fisher against the Buccaneers. We know Andy Reid takes left tackle very seriously; he traded a first-round pick to the Bills for Jason Peters during his time with the Eagles and made Fisher his first draft pick after joining Kansas City.

This would be a lot to give up for one player, but the Chiefs might think left tackle is just that important. By getting ahead of the Chargers and Vikings, Kansas City could have its pick of the non-Penei Sewell left tackles in the class.

By making a deal with their old coach, the Eagles would get a first-round pick, two second-rounders and add a wide receiver with upside to their roster in Hardman, whose role with the Chiefs is capped by the presence of Tyreek Hill.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers get: 2-45, QB Gardner Minshew

Jacksonville Jaguars get: 1-32, 5-176

The Buccaneers were able to bring back just about everyone from a team that finished second in DVOA and won the Super Bowl. They could use depth along the offensive line, a rotational edge rusher and the thing they get here: a backup quarterback. Tom Brady looked like his old self last season, but the Bucs would be foolish to not bring in an upgrade over Ryan Griffin behind Brady just in case. The cliff can come at any time, and there’s always the chance of a freak injury, like the ACL tear that felled Brady in 2008.

Getting Minshew would lock down the most obvious collapse point on the Tampa Bay roster and give it a possible bridge quarterback behind Brady. Minshew doesn’t have much use for the Jags after they draft Trevor Lawrence, but with two years left to go on his deal at a total of just over $1.8 million (before any performance incentives), he is a bargain in terms of backup quarterbacks. This deal would value him in line with the 86th pick in a typical draft by the Johnson chart and get the Jaguars a third first-round pick.

2021 DRAFT

They are not all first rounders, but Charles Davis, writing at NFL.com, has a list of 17 players he really likes, that he would pound the table for, at an appropriate spot in the draft.

Each year, every NFL general manager, scout and coach has a personal list of favorite prospects — guys to pound the table for when the clock is ticking and a decision must be made about which player to invest precious draft capital in.

Well, I’m no different. With one week to go until the 2021 NFL Draft gets underway in Cleveland, here is my list of prospects I feel most passionately about. This exercise isn’t all-encompassing, and it’s not just limited to the most highly touted players. I’ve included likely Day 1 (Round 1), Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) and Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) picks here. There are others I would strongly advocate for, too, but I don’t want to completely wear out the poor table!

Note: Players are listed by position, and in order of how early they’re projected to be picked at positions with more than one player listed.

Trey Lance

North Dakota State · QB

Trevor Lawrence is the guy at quarterback in this year’s draft. There’s no real argument about that, in my opinion. However, Lance excites me the most when I think about seeing how it all progresses for this year’s QB class. He reminds me a lot of Bills QB Josh Allen, and interestingly enough, Allen sees a bit of himself in Lance. They were both lightly recruited out of high school and ended up at schools off the beaten NFL path. Heading into the 2018 draft, people questioned Allen’s accuracy and level of competition. Lance is hearing the same questions now. We saw Allen take on the challenge and improve over the last three years. I think we could see a similar evolution from Lance once he enters the league. His upside is immense.

So, if I’m in the draft room with Kyle Shanahan when the 49ers are on the clock at No. 3 after Lawrence and Zach Wilson are picked (as we all expect), I’m telling him that if you’re planning to stick with Jimmy Garoppolo in 2021, this is a perfect situation for Lance. But once Lance takes over, San Francisco will be set at the QB position for the next decade-plus.

Trey Sermon

Ohio State · RB

Sermon is the prototypical old-school running back, and I love him for it. Put the ball in his chest 20 times, and he’ll grind up the opposition. He reminds me of Derrick Henry coming out of Alabama in that it’s not that he can’t catch the ball, it’s just not a huge part of his game. The biggest thing for me is the way he wears down defenses. If a team wants to be strong in the fourth quarter, he’s your type of back. When you look into his backstory, you’ll see he’s determined to be great. That’s one of the reasons I’m pounding the table for him.

Simi Fehoko

Stanford · WR

Fehoko set a school record with 23.6 yards per reception in 2019, and then he had an amazing finish to the 2020 season, making 22 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns in the final two games. At 6-foot-4, 222 pounds, he has the measurables. He has the speed, too (4.43 40 at his pro day). He’s been an outstanding team player, but now he understands he can be more of a featured guy. Folks will want to compare him to Eagles WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside because they went to the same school, but I always thought Fehoko was the better prospect. He’s a better route runner and I think he’s better with the ball in his hands after the catch. He can be a complete receiver, and I view him as an ascending talent.

Brevin Jordan

Miami · TE

I know that Jordan was disappointed with his pro day performance, including a 4.67 40-yard dash. Having watched him on tape, I believe he plays faster than that timed speed. He’s also versatile enough to run a variety of routes, whether he’s lining up in-line, split out or outside. Miami called a lot of quick-hitting passes to get the ball in his hands because of his ability to do damage after the catch. He was the only college tight end with 300-plus yards after contact last season, per Pro Football Focus. Jordan is a willing and decent blocker, as well. He’s firmly in the collection of top tight ends behind Kyle Pitts and Pat Freiermuth, and I’m pounding the table for him if I need someone at the position and those two are off the board.

Brady Christensen

BYU · OT

Christensen might not be a first-round pick, but he understands how to play left tackle with the modern NFL QB who can move. Take a look at the Packers. One of the beautiful things about David Bakhtiari and the rest of that offensive line is they know to never assume a play is over. Sometimes things take longer to develop with an athletic QB like Aaron Rodgers. Christensen played that way with Zach Wilson at BYU, which allowed for all those off-platform throws that have had people drooling this spring. Christensen has excellent footwork and he’s very athletic, putting on a show at his pro day. Guys like him are invaluable these days, and I have no doubt he loves the game. Teams in need of O-line help will make decisions in the first round knowing that Christensen will likely still be out there offering value on Day 2.

Trey Smith

Tennessee · OG

You know I had to get a fellow Tennessee Volunteer in here! But this isn’t just a homer pick. Smith has rightly been honored for his tremendous work on and off the field, earning UT’s Torchbearer Award — the highest student honor conferred by the school — and the Fritz Pollard Trophy for extraordinary courage and community values, among other accolades. He’s obviously worked hard and accomplished some great things, but let’s not overlook the fact that he is gifted athletically and has a little nasty to him come game day. He’s battled through adversity, too. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs in 2018 and it looked like his career might be over, but he came back to play at a high level. He can move people at the line of scrimmage and pass protect. He’s reminiscent of my colleague, Shaun O’Hara: a guy who thinks the game as well as he plays it. Smith’s going to learn the playbook early, he’s going to know his assignments early and I think you can plug him in as a Day 1 starter.

Creed Humphrey

Oklahoma · C

I know a lot of people have Landon Dickerson ranked first at the position, but I think Humphrey is the best center in the draft. He first caught my eye in 2018, as the pivot for a Sooners offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award (most outstanding O-line in college football) and featured four starters who are already in the NFL. Humphrey looked like one of the best of the bunch, even back then as a redshirt freshman. He’s tough, agile, holds up very well in pass protection and gets to the second level in the run game. Now, center is a tough position. You need a guy who is in sync with the quarterback and makes the proper calls for the O-line. So, there can be some hesitancy to start a rookie at such a challenging position, but I wouldn’t hesitate with Humphrey. If I’m drafting him, he’s an immediate starter.

Brett Heggie

Florida · C

Heggie battled through injuries in his first two seasons and answered the bell in the SEC against some big-time talents in the past two years. I’m a big fan of his intelligence, toughness and physicality. He’s going to be dependable. Years ago, I saw Corey Linsley play at Cal when he was with Ohio State. I was really impressed with the way he played in that Buckeyes victory. We got to the draft the next spring, and he ended up going in the fifth round to Green Bay. That stuck with me, because I thought he was a good player. He turned out to be an incredible value for the Packers, earning first-team All-Pro honors last season, and he was rewarded last month by the Chargers with a free-agent deal that made him the league’s highest-paid center. Heggie will probably be drafted on Day 3, and he could follow the same kind of path as Linsley, becoming a starting center before long.

Jay Tufele

USC · DT

Tufele opted out of the 2020 season last summer while his sister, Noreen, was fighting for her life after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Thankfully, she recovered, and I’m excited to see Tufele get his shot at the next level. He moves well up and down the line of scrimmage laterally. I think he has better pass-rush ability than he’s been able to display thus far. I know a lot of people are down on this year’s defensive tackle class, but Tufele can be a guy who causes issues in the backfield. The arrow is pointing up here.

Wyatt Hubert

Kansas State · DE

Hubert was all over the field when I turned on the tape from Reese’s Senior Bowl practices. He’s a high-motor player, and he has a full arsenal of moves and counter moves when rushing the passer. As my colleague Daniel Jeremiah would say, he has a lot of clubs in his bag. That said, I think people might underestimate him a little bit. He was highly productive in college (34 tackles for loss in the past three seasons) and I expect him to be a very good all-around pro. He’ll be a nice find for a team early on Day 3 of the draft.

Zaven Collins

Tulsa · LB

Ball-magnet alert! Every time I turn on his tape, Collins is making a play. Now, I know he reportedly weighed in at 270 pounds recently at the NFL Scouting Combine, which is 11 pounds more than he weighed at his pro day early this month. I think he’d be better off playing between 250 and 260 pounds. I’m not overly concerned about the weight right now, though. Collins can play inside or on the edge, like the Patriots have used Dont’a Hightower. My comp for him is Leighton Vander Esch, another big linebacker who played the passing lanes really well and went in the first round.

I realize Micah Parsons is the No. 1 linebacker in the draft, but I believe Collins is a very similar player and might even have a little chip on his shoulder after being pegged as the No. 2 prospect at his position coming out of Tulsa.

Paddy Fisher

Northwestern · LB

I was talking to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin last year about scouting wide receivers. He broke it down as succinctly as this: “When we evaluate wide receivers, we start with whether they can catch the football.” Makes too much sense, doesn’t it? That’s what they do. Well, what do linebackers do? They tackle people! Fisher tackles people! All the time! I want people on my roster who are going to do what they’re supposed to do. Fisher might be a starter or he might be a backup, but I know this: When it comes time to make a tackle, Fisher’s going to get the job done. I don’t like to overlook guys as productive as Fisher, who made 400-plus tackles (!) and posted a school-record 11 forced fumbles during his time with the Wildcats.

Caleb Farley

Virginia Tech · CB

I know Farley’s stock is said to be falling after a back procedure that prevented him from participating in Virginia Tech’s pro day, but he’s still my top cornerback in the draft. If I’m an NFL GM, as long as my medical experts tell me he’s going to heal, I’d love to take a shot on him. I see some similarities between him and Richard Sherman. Both are WRs turned CBs, although Sherman made the transition later in his career (which is part of the reason he lasted until the fifth round). Farley also has the elite mind that Sherman possesses. I like the former Hokie’s length, ability to play the football, speed to run with receivers and willingness to step up to make a tackle. I expect him to keep improving in all of these areas. Remember, he only has two seasons of experience at corner. I think his best is yet to come.

Elijah Molden

Washington · DB

Molden is my top candidate to be this year’s Antoine Winfield Jr., a second-rounder in 2020 who is coming off a sensational rookie season that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. I viewed Winfield as a player in the Tyrann Mathieu mold because of his instincts and the willingness to do it all — tackle, cover, play in the slot or deep at safety. Molden is just like Winfield: The son of a former NFL player who was raised in the game and displays the same type of instincts. I think he’s an automatic starter at nickel back no matter where he’s drafted.

Trevon Moehrig

TCU · S

A potential first-round pick, Moehrig is the best safety in the draft. He can play in the box, up high or cover in the slot. I love that versatility, but what cinched it for me was a chat with TCU’s Gary Patterson, who teaches as much defense as any college football coach in the country. He told me Moehrig’s the best flat-foot man-coverage safety he’s ever had. Patterson coaches his players hard, and Moehrig is sharp. He understands all the concepts. Moehrig’s going to make his fellow DBs better, no matter what’s asked of him at the next level.

Richard LeCounte III

Georgia · S

I think some people see him as undersized for a safety (5-10 1/2, 196), but we’re starting to lose some of those prerequisites about size, aren’t we? Mathieu (5-9, 190) is not exactly a giant playing safety. LeCounte has spent his time in school covering elite talents from the likes of Alabama, LSU and Florida. He’s held up well against top competition. LeCounte might not be drafted until Day 3, but I think he’s a really good football player. At the end of the day, he makes plays.

Brett DioGuardi, LS, Florida

This one is personal. I’ve known this young man since he was 4 years old. He’s good friends with my son. They grew up playing ball together. DioGuardi has the frame to be a long snapper in the NFL, and he no doubt has the determination to make it. He decided to walk-on at Florida to live his dream of playing for the Gators and waited his turn, working hard behind the scenes before becoming a starter in 2020. He did an excellent job snapping for one of the best kicker prospects available this year, Evan McPherson. DioGuardi is not going to show up in all the rankings (there are other guys who have more athleticism and experience), but if he gets an opportunity, he could be a 10-year snapper in the NFL. I know there aren’t many long snappers who get picked, but I would pound the table for him whether he’s being considered in the draft or for a spot as an undrafted free agent.

– – –

Here is the latest Mock Draft, two rounds worth, from Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com:

The NFL draft community can become an echo chamber this time of year and settle into very limited projections for each pick. The reality is that there are always surprises and that is how experts that spend a year studying the event are only able to correctly pick five out of 32 first round picks. In an effort to change the exercise, I set a parameter to challenge myself this week: outside of the first two picks (Trevor Lawrence to Jacksonville and Zach Wilson to New York), give each team a player that was not projected to them in last week’s mock draft. It led to some interesting picks and provides what I hope is a unique look at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Without further ado, let’s kick this off!

1 – JACKSONVILLE

Trevor Lawrence QB

CLEMSON • JR • 6’6″ / 220 LBS

Trevor Lawrence is donating money to the Jacksonville community if you needed any further proof that the Jaguars have informed him of their intentions.

2 – NY JETS

Zach Wilson QB

BYU • JR • 6’3″ / 210 LBS

Zach Wilson to New York is a consensus at this point. It does not make sense to shake this pick up for no reason.

3 – SAN FRANCISCO (from Miami)

Mac Jones QB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’3″ / 214 LBS

Last week, I had Justin Fields to San Francisco so I could have gone Trey Lance as well. Mac Jones and Fields just seem like the two most likely outcomes.

4 – ATLANTA

Kyle Pitts TE

FLORIDA • JR • 6’6″ / 240 LBS

Last week, I had Atlanta trading down to allow Denver to select a quarterback. This week, they stay put and take the highest-ranked player on their board to bolster the offense.

5 – CINCINNATI

Ja’Marr Chase WR

LSU • JR • 6’0″ / 208 LBS

Cincinnati’s decision should be between Kyle Pitts and Penei Sewell, but I get the feeling that it is between Ja’Marr Chase and Sewell. I gave the Bengals Sewell last week so I’ll flip it to Chase this week.

6 – DENVER (MOCK TRADE from Miami)

Justin Fields QB

OHIO STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 228 LBS

Worst case scenario plays out for Miami as Kyle Pitts and Ja’Marr Chase are both gone before they get on the clock. They move back as Denver moves up for Justin Fields. The Broncos get No. 6 and No. 81 overall in exchange for No. 9 and No. 40 overall.

7 – NEW ENGLAND (MOCK TRADE from Detroit)

Trey Lance QB

NORTH DAKOTA STATE • SOPH • 6’4″ / 226 LBS

New England sacrifices a future first-round pick and No. 15 overall to move up to No. 7 overall. With the pick, the Patriots take Trey Lance to lead an overhauled roster.

8 – CAROLINA

Penei Sewell OL

OREGON • JR • 6’6″ / 330 LBS

Carolina made the commitment to Sam Darnold. I believe the Panthers will be motivated to avoid the same mistakes that led to his demise in New York, which entails adding some offensive pieces. It is a concept that makes sense considering they addressed the defense last year.

9 – MIAMI (MOCK TRADE from Denver)

Jaylen Waddle WR

ALABAMA • JR • 5’10” / 182 LBS

Miami moves back, adds another top-50 pick and still lands Jaylen Waddle to pair with his former quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa.

10 – DALLAS

Rashawn Slater OL

NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’3″ / 305 LBS

The offensive line was a big problem for Dallas last season. The Cowboys have shown over time that they are not afraid to invest in the offensive line. Rashawn Slater has five-position flexibility and Dak Prescott is coming off a devastating injury.

11 – NY GIANTS

Kwity Paye EDGE

MICHIGAN • SR • 6’4″ / 272 LBS

Giants fans are not a fan of this pick, I’m sure, but we all agree that it is not totally unforeseen, right? Dave Gettleman loves to add players at the line of scrimmage and he missed on Josh Allen a few years ago. No one saw Clelin Ferrell, Mitchell Trubisky, Blake Bortles and others being selected where they were taken either. If the draft was ever straight forward, you likely would not be reading a mock draft to gain insight.

12 – PHILADELPHIA (from Miami)

Devonta Smith WR

ALABAMA • JR • 6’1″ / 175 LBS

Philadelphia was able to trade back, acquire future picks and still land one of the premier pass catchers in this draft class.

13 – LA CHARGERS

Jaycee Horn CB

SOUTH CAROLINA • JR • 6’1″ / 205 LBS

I had the Chargers taking USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker last week so I turned the magnifying glass back to the defense and added Jaycee Horn to Brandon Staley’s defense.

14 – MINNESOTA

Alijah Vera-Tucker OL

USC • JR • 6’4″ / 315 LBS

Alijah Vera-Tucker has shown that he is capable of playing left tackle but his future is likely destined for the interior offensive line.

15 – DETROIT (MOCK TRADE from New England)

Patrick Surtain II CB

ALABAMA • JR • 6’2″ / 203 LBS

If Detroit were able to acquire another 2022 first-round pick and still manage to pick Patrick Surtain II, it would be a home run in Brad Holmes’ first draft.

16 – ARIZONA

Azeez Ojulari EDGE

GEORGIA • SOPH • 6’3″ / 240 LBS

Arizona drafts Azeez Ojulari to replace Haason Reddick, who left the team in free agency after a breakout season.

17 – LAS VEGAS

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB

NOTRE DAME • JR • 6’1″ / 215 LBS

The front seven and wide receiver appear to be points of interest for Las Vegas. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is a versatile coverage player that can make plays in space.

18 – MIAMI

Teven Jenkins OL

OKLAHOMA STATE • SR • 6’6″ / 320 LBS

The selection of Teven Jenkins, a physical right tackle, allows them to move Robert Hunt inside. Austin Jackson remains at left tackle. The offensive line is in a good position for the future.

19 – WASHINGTON

Micah Parsons LB

PENN STATE • JR • 6’3″ / 244 LBS

Micah Parsons slides a bit and Washington fills a position of need with the best player at his position.

20 – CHICAGO

Trevon Moehrig S

TCU • JR • 6’2″ / 208 LBS

Trevon Moehrig is added to eventually take over for Tashaun Gipson in that Chicago secondary.

21 – INDIANAPOLIS

Jaelan Phillips EDGE

MIAMI (FL) • JR • 6’5″ / 266 LBS

Indianapolis fills a position of need with arguably the most talented at his position. Edge rusher and left tackle were two big priorities for the Colts entering this draft.

22 – TENNESSEE

Caleb Farley CB

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’2″ / 207 LBS

Tennessee gambled on Jeffrey Simmons and it appears to have paid off for them. Although these are different circumstances, Caleb Farley presents another risk with high upside.

23 – NY JETS (from Seattle)

Greg Newsome II CB

NORTHWESTERN • JR • 6’1″ / 190 LBS

Greg Newsome II has missed some game time over the past three years but he is accountable and productive when on the field. With the Jets entering a new era in the franchise, Newsome is the type of player that can create expectations in that locker room.

24 – PITTSBRUGH

Christian Darrisaw OL

VIRGINIA TECH • JR • 6’5″ / 314 LBS

Pittsburgh lands one of the best left tackle prospects in this draft class. He is a really poised player that can be a stabilizing presence on an offensive line in flux.

25 – JACKSONVILLE (from LA Rams)

Kadarius Toney WR

FLORIDA • SR • 6’0″ / 193 LBS

It is not the direction I would go but Urban Meyer loves speed and few possess the type of speed Kadarius Toney has. He offers Trevor Lawrence another outlet.

26 – CLEVELAND

Christian Barmore DL

ALABAMA • SOPH • 6’5″ / 310 LBS

Cleveland moved on from Sheldon Richardson and that creates a rare weakness on an otherwise promising roster. Christian Barmore is expected to be taken higher within league circles but this would be a mutually beneficial outcome.

27 – BALTIMORE

Jayson Oweh EDGE

PENN STATE • SOPH • 6’5″ / 253 LBS

Edge rusher and wide receiver are the two camps that have been set up around the Ravens’ draft expectations. The team values length and Jayson Oweh has that in spades. He is an intriguing player that could join a lengthy list of successful Baltimore edge rushers, such as Matt Judon, Pernell McPhee and Za’Darius Smith.

28 – NEW ORLEANS

Jamin Davis LB

KENTUCKY • JR • 6’4″ / 234 LBS

To the delight of the Saints, Jamin Davis is still on the board after an overwhelmingly positive pro day. He is a really athletic player that is only scratching the surface of what he can become consistently.

29 – GREEN BAY

Zaven Collins LB

TULSA • JR • 6’4″ / 260 LBS

Zaven Collins has added some weight during the offseason but he is a well-rounded player that provides some toughness to the second level of Green Bay’s defense.

30 – BUFFALO

Asante Samuel Jr. CB

FLORIDA STATE • JR • 5’10” / 184 LBS

Buffalo has a roster capable of contending for the Super Bowl. The secondary is one area that could benefit from the addition of a few pieces. Asante Samuel Jr. gives them a sound football player opposite Tre’Davious White.

31 – KANSAS CITY

Landon Dickerson OL

ALABAMA • SR • 6’6″ / 325 LBS

Kansas City is committing to upgrading the offensive line. The interior is now set with Landon Dickerson at center and Joe Thuney, Kyle Long on either side of him. If the Chiefs can add another offensive tackle, the table will be set for another deep playoff run.

32 – TAMPA BAY

Gregory Rousseau EDGE

MIAMI (FL) • SOPH • 6’7″ / 265 LBS

Gregory Rousseau is an enigma in NFL draft circles. Some remain bullish on his potential while others believe he should not be taken before the third round. There is no better place for him to land than Tampa Bay, where he can learn from Jason Pierre-Paul.

Round 2

33. Jaguars – Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington

34. Jets – Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson

35. Falcons – Joe Tryon, EDGE, Washington

36. Dolphins (via JAX) – Najee Harris, RB, Alabama

37. Eagles – Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State

38. Bengals – Alex Leatherwood, OT/G, Alabama

39. Panthers – Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia

40. Dolphins (via DEN mock trade) – Carlos Basham Jr., EDGE, Wake Forest

41. Lions – Terrace Marshall, WR, LSU

42. Giants – Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri

43. 49ers – Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford

44. Cowboys – Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky

45. Jaguars (via MIN) – Richie Grant, S, UCF

46. Patriots – Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

47. Chargers – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota

48. Raiders – Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina

49. Cardinals – Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina

50. Dolphins – Quinn Meinerz, OG/C, Wisconsin-Whitewater

51. Football Team – Walker Little, OT, Stanford

52. Bears – Joseph Ossai, EDGE, Texas

53. Titans – Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State

54. Colts – Sam Cosmi, OT, Texas

55. Steelers – Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma

56. Seahawks – Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF

57. Rams – Elijah Molden, CB, Washington

58. Ravens – Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State

59. Browns – Ronnie Perkins, EDGE, Oklahoma

60. Saints – Davis Mills, QB, Stanford

61. Bills – Jevon Holland, DB, Oregon

62. Packers – Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue

63. Chiefs – Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State

64. Buccaneers – Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M