Ohio State Football: How Buckeyes could slip in the NFL Draft
Former Ohio State football players are expected by many to be chosen in the top three picks in this year’s NFL Draft. That may not be the case.
Joe Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah were teammates on the Ohio football team during the 2017 season and many expect them to be the first three picks in this year’s NFL Draft. Burrow going to the Cincinnati Bengals as the first pick followed by Young at No. 2 to the Washington Redskins and then Okudah chosen by the Detroit Lions.
There are reasons that may not happen, in large part because of the teams with the top three picks. Cincinnati hasn’t played in a Super Bowl since 1989, Washington hasn’t since 1992 and Detroit has never played in the big game.
Obviously these organizations have made poor decisions over the years so it’s possible one will this time. You also have to factor in a quarterback who could change the draft order.
Most thought Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft before he was injured last season, He has the potential to be a star in the league if he can stay healthy, and it only takes one team to think he will to change the draft order.
I’m going to pencil in the Bengals doing the correct thing, a big assumption, and choose the Heisman Trophy QB No. 1. Then things get interesting.
If new head coach Ron Rivera isn’t enamored with last year’s first round pick Dwayne Haskins, Washington could choose Tagovailoa at No. 2. If that would happen, Detroit would almost certainly take Chase Young with the third pick as he is considered by many to be the best player in the draft.
If the Redskins play it safe and choose Young, the Lions could take the Alabama QB instead of Okudah. Matthew Stafford is a good quarterback but was injured last season and is 32 years old. I could see Tagovailoa sitting for a time and then Detroit trading Stafford for players and draft picks.
The Lions are a long way from becoming a Super Bowl contender, but another team may just be a QB away and willing to make a sweet offer to get Stafford. Then Tua could step in and take the reins.
If Tagovailoa is chosen in the first three picks Okudah will slide down, and possibly a few spots. Teams may opt to choose players at positions of need and pass on a potential lock-down corner.
Then there is also a chance a team could trade up for a QB, either for Justin Herbert or Jordan Love. The two quarterbacks appear to be trending up.
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I have no personal knowledge how much Herbert and Love are moving up in the opinions of general managers, but going by things reported in the media it seems their stock is rising.
If any team thinks one of these guys might become a franchise QB it could change the draft order big time.
The one thing I have learned about the NFL Draft over the years is to expect the unexpected, especially when quarterbacks are in the mix. Add in the fact general managers get infatuated with how players perform at the NFL Combine and strange things can happen.
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It makes sense that Joe Burrow, Chase Young and Jeff Okudah should be chosen with the top three picks. All are safe bets and each player has the potential to have an outstanding NFL career. But when teams like Cincinnati, Washington and Detroit have the first three picks, I wouldn’t lay money on it.