With Rams-Pats trade GBN projection updated … In the aftermath of last week’s trade in which the LA Rams acquired veteran WR Brandin Cooks from New England for the 23rd pick in the opening round of the 2018 draft, the GBN’s three-round projection has been updated. As usual, we also add a note that we generally aren’t big fans of mock drafts. Not that they aren’t fun to do and, analyzed correctly, can provide some useful information. However, most fans tend to read them as ‘mini-drafts’ and focus only on the picks assigned to their respective team and ultimately miss the point of the exercise which is not to identify which particular player a particular team is going to pick at a particular spot in the draft, but to give some idea what players are likely to be available at different spots in the draft. It’s not a bad bet that QBs will go 1-2-3 in some order at the top of this year’s draft and that the real drama of this year’s opening round could come when Cleveland gets on the clock with the 4th pick. The Browns are expected to take a QB with the #1 pick overall meaning they should get their choice of the top-rated non-QB prospects. The Browns, though, are also expected to get plenty of calls about a potential trade for the pick. Buffalo, in particular, is believed to be almost desperate to get up into the top 5 to get one of those QBs. According to reports out of Cleveland, the Browns are leaning toward keeping the 4th pick and going for quality over quantity. However, we would not be surprised if Buffalo ultimately doesn’t make an offer the Browns simply can’t refuse so we have projected that trade in this mock, although, of course, we won’t know for sure until the 26th. Hang in there!
