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NFL Mock Draft 9.0: Quarterbacks push defensive prospects down board

By Jacob Camenker

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs walks in to the locker room prior to the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 29: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks for an open receiver against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 29: Sam Darnold #14 of the USC Trojans looks for an open receiver against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Sam Darnold. 2. player. 16. . Quarterback. USC

This pick seemingly has to be a quarterback. Whether or not the New York Giants are making this pick is irrelevant at the moment. With the way that the Cleveland camp appears to be projecting the draft, it seems unlikely that a position player will be taken here. It almost has to be a quarterback.

As mentioned earlier, the Browns are high on Saquon Barkley, but would like to land him and their top quarterback. With the Jets almost certainly ready to opt for a quarterback at No. 3, the Browns just have to worry about the Giants getting in their way of landing both Josh Allen and Barkley. As it stands, the intention of the Giants is unknown and unpredictable. They could go five different directions here, but I still think a quarterback is the most likely selection.

That said, a trade down is also looking like a strong possibility. Dave Gettleman and his mentors haven’t exactly been big on making trades, but the value they could pick up by moving down, at least two first round picks and maybe even more, could be too enticing to pass up. So, for this reason, I have the Bills trading up to get Sam Darnold at this juncture.

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    • The connection between Gettleman and the Bills could be a strong one, as Brandon Beane was his assistant GM during his final couple of seasons in Carolina. Beane has been aggressive in trying to move up and get a quarterback to compete with A.J. McCarron, and calling his old mentor and giving him a couple of picks wouldn’t be a bad move. In this case, the Giants could move down and give Eli Manning one more chance while the Bills convert some of their assets into a new starter.

    And if the Bills move up, Darnold and Allen will likely be their targets. With Allen off the board, they can get a prototypical quarterback with a nice arm and good accuracy. Darnold needs to gain some confidence and cut down on turnovers at the next level, but the Bills could surround him with weapons and a strong running game to help him develop.

    There’s no guarantee that the Bills will trade up here, but it would be a sensible move for sure. And, it would answer their questions at quarterback for the long-term.

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