key events
The grand occasion has come. We just enjoyed Angela Davis’s delightful Lift Every Voice and Sing. 9.5/10. There were tears, cheers and just a few people drinking beers (come on, Detroit).
The plot is about to begin. Well, not exactly. The Bears will be on the field soon, with Caleb Williams headed to Chicago.
Don’t tell this Vikings fan that Minnesota’s bold strategy of trading an extra first-round pick in March, giving them ammunition to compete for one of this year’s top quarterbacks, may be… in vain.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlingon reports that things are “tense” in Minnesota’s war room as they try to move up the draft board.
oops. It’s a bit strange that Minnesota felt the need to make a deal with the Texans so early rather than wait until draft night to see how the board panned out.
It’s almost time to start. There’s a subplot worth watching: Can Roger Goodell give his infamous bear hug? ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the commissioner underwent back surgery three weeks ago, putting his typical “Welcome to the NFL” moments in jeopardy.
Remember when Goodell conducted drafts from a recliner in his basement? This is interesting (and a little weird). He should be able to relax in his recliner and make draft picks every year.
This is the first time Detroit has hosted the league’s annual carnival. They do things in typical Detroit fashion. How about Dan Campbell playing the fortune teller in “Courage and Glory”?
Lions create Dan Campbell “Gourd and Glory” fortune teller in NFL Draft experience.
“I feel the wind under my damn wings, man.” pic.twitter.com/AlxFxzne0b
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 25, 2024
If you can’t hang out with Campbell in Detroit, you can attend the draft here:
Caleb Williams will almost certainly become the Bears’ first player selected with the No. 1 overall pick. Who will be the No. 2 pick? Here’s what our authors (myself included) have to say:
Congratulations to Kliff Kingsbury, because the Washington offensive coordinator is going to have a lot of fun LSU’s Jayden Daniels is having a stellar year with the Tigers. His explosiveness is obvious, but his work in the pocket has also improved significantly. This kid is just getting started. Melissa Jacobs
North Carolina’s Drake Maye has more upside, but Washington has been through 20-plus years of badness and now needs a quarterback who can win. Daniels is a shortcut to respectability: He was a speedy, mobile, creative force for LSU who ran for 10 touchdowns last season and threw with razor-sharp accuracy. David Lengel
Feeling like Daniels is a lock, I don’t think I’ll let the Commanders fall in love with Michigan State’s JJ McCarthy. Daniels is a stylish rookie. He was a star matchup threat at LSU, but it’s hard to see whether the best elements of his game — his running game, his deep ball — would make a smooth transition to the NFL. He doesn’t have Lamar Jackson-style breakout speed and has a fragile frame. As a player who throws out of the pocket, he has good velocity but struggles to transfer to second and third reads. There’s something RGIII about his game. Does Washington want to go down this road again? Oliver Connolly
I’m Derek Meyer. Rumors suggest Washington is in love with Jaden Daniels, but when head coach Dan Quinn explores his feelings, he’ll discover Meyer bears a striking resemblance to his former quarterback in Atlanta, Matt Ryan . The UNC star has a cannon for his arm (both a blessing and a curse, causing accuracy issues) and is the unflappable team leader the call-callers need. Graham Sayles
You can also learn more about our draft previews here:
First round draft order
Here’s a reminder of tonight’s draft order.Fun and games will real Starting with the second overall pick, the Bears are expected to select Caleb Williams with the first overall pick. According to all reports, trade will be in disarray from that point on. Who would trade for JJ McCarthy? Will the Patriots move the third pick? How many teams are going to fight for this group of offensive linemen? It won’t be long before we find out.
1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
2) Commander Washington
3) New England Patriots
4) Arizona Cardinals
5) Los Angeles Chargers
6) New York Giants
7) Tennessee Titans
8) Atlanta Falcons
9) Chicago Bears
10) New York Jets
11) Minnesota Vikings
12) Denver Broncos
13) Las Vegas Raiders
14) New Orleans Saints
15) Indianapolis Colts
16) Seattle Seahawks
17) Jacksonville Jaguars
18) Cincinnati Bengals
19) Los Angeles Rams
20) Pittsburgh Steelers
21) Miami Dolphins
22) Philadelphia Eagles
23) Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland)
24) Dallas Cowboys
25) Green Bay Packers
26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27) Arizona Cardinals (from Houston)
28) Buffalo Bills
29) Detroit Lions
30) Baltimore Ravens
31) San Francisco 49ers
32) Kansas City Chiefs
You can see the order of all seven rounds here .
Oliver will be here soon. In the meantime, here are our predictions for tonight and the coming days.
