The 2018 NFL Draft will play home to a number of quarterbacks with Round 1 grades. Which teams might surprise the masses by selecting a quarterback?
The beauty of the NFL Draft is that most of our expectations will be shattered within a matter of minutes. All it takes is one team reaching for a prospect or another passing over a player whom we believed to be can’t-miss for the entire board to change.
Come the 2018 NFL Draft, there’s one position that will likely have a bigger influence than any other—and it’s the position you’d expect: Quarterback.
In alphabetical order, Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Rosen are all believed to be first-round locks in 2018. Joining them on that list are fringe prospects such as Luke Falk and Mason Rudolph, as well as the enigmatic Lamar Jackson.
It’s unlikely that seven quarterbacks will be drafted in the first round, but with the potential for four field generals to be selected in the top 10, it’s within the realm of possibility.
The underrated factor is that teams are far more picky with quarterbacks than they are at other positions. In other words: If the quarterback whom a general manager specifically wanted isn’t on the board, they may not select a quarterback at all in Round 1.
Knowing the precedent, one can’t help but ask: Which teams could capitalize on what transpires in the top 10 by unexpectedly selecting a quarterback later in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft?
Think the Kansas City Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes II in 2017.