Where could Shedeur Sanders land? Which teams could make trades? What's going on with Kirk Cousins? Here's what Adam Schefter is hearing.
Ryan Clark and Jeff Darlington react to the Giants holding a private workout with Shedeur Sanders ahead of the NFL draft. ,' even though his team doesn't have a first-round grade on either. This particular general manager said he believes both Penix and Nix are Day 2 picks.
Some teams disagree, and there now is speculation Penix could go as high as No. 8 to the Falcons."in this draft -- we'll see soon enough. But the information below is gathered from weeks of calls with front offices and coaching staffs, and it will play out Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Green Bay, where ESPN and its crew will be as the first round begins at 8 p.m. ET, live on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App. This is the first NFL draft in Wisconsin in more than 85 years, since the 1940 draft was held on Dec. 9, 1939, at the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee. It was held on the night before the 1939, which saw the Packers beat the Giants 27-0. The same hotel still is there, but it is now known as the Hilton Milwaukee City Center.are expected to be gone by New England's turn at No 4. But that's where it gets murky -- and this year might be murkier than any other in recent memory. Multiple teams have said the player who will be drafted at No. 10 is the same quality as the player drafted at No. 32. It will be about each team's preference, but in the opinion of multiple personnel people, there is not a tremendous amount of difference.of the quarterbacks in this draft. The general manager of another team said there are"no surefire quarterback solutions" and the top-rated passer in this class -- Ward -- would be the seventh-rated passer in last year's class."And I don't think it's close," he added. Some teams and prognosticators have predicted four quarterbacks to go in Round 1, but there are smart people around the league who believe there might only be one or two who go in the top 32 picks. There is a scenario in which Friday night could be more interesting and active for quarterbacks than Thursday night. If fewer quarterbacks are drafted in Round 1, Rounds 2 and 3 set up to be explosive. Currently, the Browns are scheduled to hold pick No. 33, Friday night's opening selection. The Giants are next at No. 34, and the Saints are scheduled to pick No. 40 but already are making calls about trading up. In the eyes of some around the league, It's possible there could be more signal-callers selected in the first eight picks on Friday than there are in the 32 picks on Thursday. Additionally, there isn't an elite offensive tackle in this draft. No cornerback is, in the eyes of evaluators, a can't-miss prospect. There seem to be more questions in this draft than answers. Multiple teams consider the value to be not in Round 1, but in Rounds 2 and 3 and maybe bleeding into Round 4.Atlanta has asked for any acquiring team to pay $20 million of the $45 million worth of guarantees left on Cousins' contract. To date, no has been willing to do that, and no team is expected to be willing to. But what happens this weekend -- and which franchises come out of the draft with or without rookie quarterbacks -- could influence how much guaranteed money a team might be willing to absorb on Cousins' contract.There is a feeling around the league that a team, whether it is the Vikings or Steelers, might be willing to pay down roughly $10 million. How much any team would be willing to pay also would influence the compensation it gives up. The higher the payment, the lower the draft compensation; the lower the payment, the higher the draft compensation. The Falcons and Cousins recognize their future is not together, and how it will play out could very well be influenced by this draft. What could the Falcons do in the draft? As much as anything, they need pass-rush help. They have not had a player record seven sacks in a season in any of the past five years. No other team since 1982 went five straight years without a player reaching at least seven sacks in a season. Atlanta's sack leaders since 2020: There is a belief that the Falcons' pick at No. 15 could be used on a pass rusher -- if they don't trade back. They have only five picks in this draft; if they can find a trade partner, they'd be willing to move back to stockpile extra picks.heading into Thursday night. No team has done more work on one player than the Giants have done on Sanders. Officials from the Giants' organization were at most, if not all, of Sanders' games last season. They went to some of his practices. They met with him at the combine in Indianapolis in March. They flew him to New Jersey for aand spent a full day with him exactly one week ahead of the draft. As another NFL general manager said about the Giants general manager:"Joe Schoen has lived in Boulder." The Giants even had access to added unique insight that no one else did: Colorado's director of on-campus recruiting for the football team is Maileka Slayton, sister of Giants wide receiver And yet there still might not be consensus within the building about whether to draft him. There is a belief around the league that certain segments of the Giants organization want Sanders more than others. Per sources, Sanders wants to be in a place where he has the full support of an organization, and there are questions about whether the Giants fit into that category. Here are insights into each of the three teams linked to the Sanders and their perceived level of interest in him: Scheduling a private workout for Sanders on Thursday initially seemed like a big deal, but it was not as big as it seemed. The Giants did the same thing with the top quarterbacks they considered in last year's draft. They had visits and/or private workouts with This year's private workouts came later, and closer to the draft, but that was only because Sanders held his pro day on April 4. Even if the Giants bypass Sanders with their top pick -- and there are split opinions across the league about whether they will -- they always can attempt to trade back into Round 1 to try to land him later. As some evaluators pointed out, however, if they like him enough to trade back up for him, they should like him enough to take him at No. 3. As an NFL executive said about the Giants:"If they like Shedeur, they're taking him at 3."The Giants and Browns had full staffs in attendance at Colorado's pro day, but the Saints had limited attendance that didn't even include coach Kellen Moore and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. The Saints coaches spotted at Sanders' pro day were quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien and wide receivers coach Keith Williams. If the Saints needed any further insight into Sanders, veteran running backThere is a belief around the league that the Saints are more interested in using a high pick on an offensive or defensive lineman, because there are questions about two starters: tackle. The belief is they want to draft a quarterback -- just maybe not at No. 9, and maybe not Sanders. As another personnel executive said:"I don't think New Orleans is taking Shedeur. I think they're hot and heavy on Speaking of Dart, there is skepticism about whether the Saints would take the Ole Miss passer at No. 9 -- it feels high to many around the league. They have an equally strong need on defense, and had a contingent of officials -- including Moore, assistant general manager Jeff Ireland and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley -- in Athens, Georgia, on Thursday to visit with defenders or a trade-up. An then there's this: New Orleans already has made exploratory calls about trading up in Round 2, per league sources, and it's worth noting it has two third- and two fourth-round picks. Sources said the Steelers had not been planning to draft a quarterback in Round 1, but they also were not expecting Sanders to fall out of top 10. Now, all options seem to be on the table, and they are preparing in case they have the option to draft Sanders., leaving the franchise short-handed heading into the draft's early rounds. This makes it more likely the Steelers will trade back in the draft, not up. It also might make their choice at No. 21 even more critical. If they pass on a quarterback, they very well might not have another chance to get one until Round 3. It accentuates the pressure on this pick. In the eyes of some across the league, it now feels like Sanders could go as high as No. 3 to the Giants or as low as No. 21 to the Steelers -- with a team potentially trading up to a spot anywhere in the No. 4 to No. 20 range to select him. But what if Sanders slides past Pittsburgh? He could be the object of a trade up from a team such as the Giants, or he could fall to one of the top picks in Round 2. It all makes for great intrigue -- and the biggest predraft storyline.: He is the rare player whose NFL experience will be a reversal of his college experience. He has played for his father Deion Sanders throughout college; he didn't have the chance to be on his own. Now, at the NFL level, he will be without his father's presence in football for the first time, and he will have to adapt to his new life the way some players do when they go from high school to college. This, in the eyes of some, will be an opportunity for Sanders to grow, continue to learn and take his game to an even higher level. And then there's this: Short of Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, any other coach who drafts Sanders better be comfortable with his standing within the organization. Because if that team struggles and the fan base is calling for a coaching change, speculation will start to swirl about Sanders' father, his buyout is not overly restrictive. It starts at $12 million if he leaves before Dec. 31, 2025, then drops to $10 million if he leaves in 2026, $6 million in 2027, $4 million in 2028 and $3 million in 2029.all on its own: Now that it is three days away, this is the closest to the start of Round 1 that there have been no trades for first-round picks in the common draft era . One of the biggest reasons for the lack of movement is what evaluators perceive to be the lack of blue-chip quarterbacks; for most teams, there isn't a quarterback outside of worth trading up for. The Browns inquired about the possibility trading up from No. 2, and the Giants at No. 3 were even more persistent in their efforts to try to trade up for the top pick with Tennessee. The Titans have resisted those overtures and are expected to hold on to their pick.On the other side of things, the Steelers are among the teams interested in moving back from their first-round slot. That list also includes the Jaguars , Panthers , 49ers , Falcons , Seahawks , Buccaneers and Vikings , who currently have There has been, however, a lack of teams willing to trade up -- at least so far. Denver is one of those: The Bronco have made inquiries about moving up in Round 1, according to sources. But there aren't many others. This always could change when players start falling and teams are on the clock. Draft weekend is also a busy time for trades of players already on rosters. Here are players on rookie contracts who could be deemed expendable:, who turns 26 in September. Some teams view his age and experience as a positive, as they would be drafting a mature professional. To put Shough's age in perspective: He is three months older than his high school rival whom he played against four times -- 49ers quarterback, not far from where they grew up, in a game in which Purdy's Iowa State team beat Shough's Oregon team There are teams that actually have Shough rated as their top quarterback in this draft. The concern is that, even at his age, he has only started one full season across his seven at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville, though he did make 32 career starts. He could figure into the back part of Round 1 or possibly into Round 2. There are a group of teams after Tennessee that would like to address quarterback early, including the Browns, Giants, Saints and Steelers. Cleveland also happens to own the ever-valuable No. 33 pick, the first pick at the top of Round 2, which is why the Giants or Saints could explore trading back into Round 1 to jump them. Shough is likely to land on one of these quarterback-needy teams.in Green Bay doesn't mean the league expects him to be picked on Thursday night. The league invites players it believes have a chance to be picked high, and even some that could still be on the board on Day 2. A team of league officials reaches out to the top prospects, but that should not be confused for a projection nor with the idea that the league has any inside info. The league invited Milroe because he's one of the top quarterback prospects, and even if he is not picked in Round 1, he could be in attendance Friday night. Teams certainly like Milroe enough, and it's fair to say many are incredibly intrigued:"Rare physical talent," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said of Milroe last week."Maybe the only quarterback who's faster thanto the Eagles in 2020, while Milroe figures as a potential second-round pick to a team willing to bet on his upside.. There is one factor, however, that separates Jeanty, according to evaluators. He has a remarkable ability to break tackles and gain yards after contact. In fact, Jeanty had 1,733 rushing yards after contact last season while Hampton -- regarded as the No. 2 back in this class -- had 1,660rushing yards. Jeanty's total rushing yards after contact are the most by any FBS player in a season over the past five years. There are multiple personnel people who believe the Bears are praying that Jeanty slips to them at No. 10. They think new Bears coach Ben Johnson could feature Jeanty andEach year there are players who go higher than prognosticators predict. Here are four who evaluators are expecting to go higher than projected:, have generated less talk than some of the other prospects at their positions. But both are in position to go higher than some people realize, with Banks being in play for Miami at No. 13 and Barron being linked to the Jets at No. 7., projected by many as a Day 2 pick, has a chance to go in the end of Round 1 to a team such as the Commanders or Bills that might be be looking for additional defensive help.to work with, including four in the top 90 -- might not be that predictable. As one league executive said recently:"Jacksonville is a wild card -- watch."Our mock draft simulator allows users to act as the general manager of their favorite team, giving them the opportunity to make picks in all seven rounds and conduct trades throughout the draft.Jaguars coach Liam Coen has long had a soft spot for wide receivers in the draft, and the top-rated wideout in this class, Arizona's. Coen, who coached Evans last year, knows how valuable a player like that can be to an offense. Some have questions McMillan's passion for football, but others suggest he is misunderstood and that, when he's on a football field,"he's an absolute baller.", have made a concerted effort to"move in silence" this offseason, as new coach Aaron Glenn put it at last month's league meeting. There has been less talking out of their building as they begin to focus on how to turn around a team that went 5-12 last season. So what the Jets wind up doing this week still is the subject of speculation, shrouded in more secrecy than usual. But they did recently and quietly have Penn State'sin for a visit, and there are certain members of their organization who are said to be enamored with the player many consider to be the top tight end in this class. If the Jets target the other side of the ball, some people around the league believe Glenn could target a cornerback, with Texas'Welcome back to the top of the draft, Cleveland. The Browns have not made a top-50 pick in any of the past three drafts. Since 1990, the only other team to go three consecutive years without a top-50 pick was the Rams, who had a five-year streak from 2018 to 2022. At least they have a The Browns will be returning to the top 50 in style, holding the No. 2 overall pick and the opening pick, No. 33, on Day 2. The closer the draft has gotten, however, the more it has seemed like they will not take over the league lead for drafting the most quarterbacks since returning to the NFL in 1999. They have drafted five in Round 1, tying Chicago and Washington for the highest total. Cleveland's first-round QBs since 1999:It feels as if Cleveland will not go quarterback in Round 1 on Thursday, but nobody would be surprised if its next pick -- whenever it comes -- turns out to be a passer.," Howard said."He's been special throughout his whole career here, and he's going to be special at the next level. I see something different with him, man. He's got unbelievable route-running ability, he's got great speed, he's got some of the best hands that I've been around. On top of that man, he's one of the best guys I've been around. He's super into his faith, understands the game like a quarterback. You could sit him down in a quarterback meeting and he spit stuff out damn near like I could, and it's pretty impressive. I know he's got a really bright future ahead of him.", the most of any school. If there are 15 Buckeyes drafted, it would be the program's most in a single year, surpassing the 14 it had selected in 2004.Thursday night of the draft always is the headliner. But Friday night gives teams just as much of a chance to upgrade their roster. One of the strengths of the 2025 class is the wide receiver talent available on Day 2, where Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates had nine wideouts being selected in theirA team looking for more firepower on Friday night will be the Titans, who in a bit of irony don't have a third-round pick thanks to their own general manager, Mike Borgonzi. Just over a year ago, Borgonzi was the assistant GM for the Chiefs and a central figure inNow, Borgonzi has been hired to help build up the Titans' roster. Borgonzi turned down the Giants' overtures to trade up to No. 1 in a package of picks that would have included a third-round pick this year. Now he'll have to see if he can find a way back into that round.No general manager seems to enjoy making draft weekend deals more than the Texans' Nick Caserio. During the four drafts he has run, the Texans have made a remarkable 22 trades either shortly before or during the draft, includingThe trade with the Vikings was just a warmup for draft weekend, when the Texans went on to make three more deals -- two with the Eagles and one with the Lions that involved nine draft picks in last year's draft. As busy as they were last year, it was nothing compared to how active they've been during other drafts.. at No. 3 overall. During the 2022 draft, they made seven. During the 2021 draft, they made three. If history is any guide, the Texans -- who have seven picks this year -- will be moving all around the board again this weekend. Speaking of trades, no team is in a better position to make them this week than the Eagles. They own 20 selections over the next two drafts -- more than the actual number of players who can make their team. Therefore, they have added bargaining power should they try to trade for available veterans -- a certain possibility during the draft -- or if they decide in a less-likely scenario that they want to move up. Moving up is what they've consistently done in the past. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman traded up in 2019 to get offensive tackle, Davis' college teammate. With the added pick firepower, Philadelphia is armed to make more trades, but deals for veterans instead of moving up in Round 1 are considered more likely.John Schneider has done many good things during his 17 years as the Seahawks general manager. He just hasn't drafted many quarterbacks. The only two quarterbacks he has drafted arejust over a year ago in a deal with Washington. Howell is available, and if the Seahawks wind up trading him this weekend, it would open up the possibility of drafting just the third quarterback during Schneider's tenure.• One source predicted this is going to be one of the most talented lists of priority free agent in recent years. The class is filled with players who won't get drafted but have draftable grades on them. It's two COVID classes and underclassmen combined together. Prospects who normally are late-round picks now will go undrafted and become PFAs. The Vikings have only four picks, so they would figure to sign as many of these players as they could. The Falcons, who have five picks, also will be in the mix., who threw 33 touchdown passes and had just four interceptions last season. The Steelers, Jets and Broncos all sent their quarterback coaches to North Dakota State last month to meet with Miller, who is expected to be a late-round pick.
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