With the third pick....

[sherck]

QB Needy Teams in the Top 15 Picks of 2018:

#1 CLE
#2 NYG
#5 DEN
#6 NYJ
#11 MIA ?
#12 CIN
#13 WAS ?
#15 ARI

The thought that the #3 pick has little trade value but that the #2 pick had a lot is, I think, false.

Even if QBs go #1 and #2, there is little clear consensus that there are only 2 QBs who are worthy of being a top 5 pick. Sure, DEN or NYJ could just sit tight and hope that their guy falls to them but they also might want to come up and ensure that they get their guy.

Best non-QB pick in the draft? #3. You sure someone else is not going to want to come up for the right to pick Barkley? Or Chubb? Or Fitzpatrick? Or Nelson? Or Williams? Or whomever they are in love with? Heck, if CLE is indeed enamored with Barkley, they might trade up 1 spot to make sure that no one else gets him. Then that #4 pick is more in range for DEN and NYJ for QB.

We don't know how it is going to work out until April, but I think there will be a ton of trade offers for the #3 pick conditioned on how the first 2 picks go. Those all get worked out ahead of time and then triggered on draft day.

If Ballard picks a guy at #3, then he is convinced that the kid is a stud. Cool.

However, if Ballard wants to trade down, I have little doubt that he will find trade partners.

Walk Worthy,