There will be a trade in the top 10 of the draft order.
John Schmeelk: Fiction – I could easily be proven wrong here, but usually in years where there aren’t a ton of players at premium positions, trades in the top 10 become unlikely. If one of the top edges like Rueben Bain, David Bailey or Arvell Reese start to slide, a trade up becomes more likely if a team craving a top pass rusher gets desperate. Another team to watch is the Dallas Cowboys, who own two first-round picks (12 and 20) and just acquired a third-round pick for Osa Odighizuwa. They are desperate for a defensive playmaker, and if one of the edges (Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane), linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs or cornerback Mansoor Delane start to slide, I could see them trying to move ahead of the Bengals and Chiefs to grab one of those players. They are in win-now mode given Dak Prescott’s age and still have work to do remaking their defense.
Dan Salomone: Fact – The “positional value” debate continues to dominate the top of the draft given the nature of the elite prospects. It could lend to some volatility as we get closer to draft night, not to mention it takes only one team to go all in and move up for a quarterback.
Matt Citak: Fact – Every year, we see a quarterback or two sneak their way up draft boards as we get closer to draft day. As of now, Fernando Mendoza is locked into the No. 1 spot. But beyond the Indiana quarterback, no other signal-caller is projected to go in the top 10. Could Alabama’s Ty Simpson move up after his strong pro day? It’s possible, and with the Dolphins sitting at No. 11, a team interested in Simpson might have to jump into the top 10 in order to get him. I think there’s a better chance a team trades up to select Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese or Caleb Downs, though. And in order to get any of those four players, a team will most likely have to move up or into the top 10.
There will be more offensive players drafted in the top 10 than defense.
John Schmeelk: Fiction – The top 10 should lean defense with three edge players (Bain, Bailey, Reese), one cornerback (Delane), one safety (Downs) and one off-ball linebacker (Sonny Styles) all going in the top 10. It is certainly possible that one of those players drop out of the top 10, but I think is less likely that they do. On offense, Fernando Mendoza and Jeremiyah Love will almost certainly be top 10 picks. The other players in consideration would be offensive linemen Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano and Vega Ioane, and wide receivers Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon. I will be interested to see if more than two of that second group of five figures out a way to knock one of those defensive players out of the top 10 of the draft.
Dan Salomone: Fiction – If you go by players who are locks to be taken in the top 10, you’re probably talking two, maybe three players on offense. The other side of the ball is a different story. I’ll take defense on this one. There are too many big hitters there.
Matt Citak: Fiction – It’s going to be close, and there’s a good chance it ends up being a 5-5 split, but I’m going to give the slight edge to the defensive side of the ball here. Mendoza, Love, and Carnell Tate should all be top 10 picks. Outside of those three, though, it remains unclear. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Jordan Tyson, Francis Mauigoa, and/or Spencer Fano to make their way into the top 10, but that is far from guaranteed. On the defensive side of the ball, guys like Reese, Styles, Downs, David Bailey and Rueben Bain all have a strong chance of being among the first 10 picks. I’ll take a guess that one of the cornerbacks, likely Mansoor Delane but possibly Jermod McCoy, end up being the sixth defensive player taken in the top 10.