Key events
This is Detroit’s first time hosting the league’s annual carnival. And they’re doing things in a typically Detroit style. How about Dan Campbell as a ‘Grit and Glory’ fortune teller?
The Lions created a Dan Campbell ‘Grit and Glory’ fortune teller at the NFL Draft experience.
“I feel the wind underneath my freakin’ wings, man.” pic.twitter.com/AlxFxzne0b
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 25, 2024
If you can’t be in Detroit to hang out with Campbell, you can catch the draft here:
Caleb Williams will almost certainly be the first player off the board to the Bears with the No 1 overall pick. Who will be the No 2 pick? Here’s how our writers (myself included) view it:
Congrats to Kliff Kingsbury because the Washington offensive coordinator is going to have a blast with LSU’s Jayden Daniels, who is coming off a spectacular year with the Tigers. His explosive playmaking is evident, but his play in the pocket has vastly improved. This kid is just getting started. Melissa Jacobs
North Carolina’s Drake Maye has more upside, but Washington, riding 20-plus years of stink, need a quarterback with wins in his arm, now. Daniels is the fast track to respectability: a speedy, mobile, creative force at LSU, he ran for 10 touchdowns last season and threw with deadly accuracy. David Lengel
It feels like a lock that it will be Daniels, thought I wouldn’t put it past the Commanders to fall in love with Michigan’s JJ McCarthy. Daniels is a funky prospect; he was a starry duel threat at LSU, but it’s tough to see whether the best elements of his game – his running, his deep ball – will smoothly transition to the NFL. He doesn’t possess Lamar Jackson-esque breakaway speed and has a brittle frame. As a thrower from the pocket, he has a snappy delivery but struggles to shift to his second and third reads. There is some RGIII to his game. Do Washington want to tread that path again? Oliver Connolly
It’s Drake Maye. The buzz suggests Washington are in love with Jayden Daniels but when head coach Dan Quinn searches his feelings he will find Maye bears striking similarities to his former QB in Atlanta, Matt Ryan. The UNC star has a cannon for an arm (both a blessing and a curse, leading to accuracy issues) and is the unflappable franchise leader the Commanders need. Graham Searles
You can also catch up on more of our draft previews here:
Draft order for the first-round
And here’s a reminder of tonight’s draft order. The fun and games will really begin with the second pick, with the Bears expected to take Caleb Williams with the No 1 overall pick. From there, based on all reports, it’s going to be trade bedlam. Who will trade up for JJ McCarthy? Will the Patriots deal away the third pick? How many teams will leap up for this crop of offensive linemen? It won’t be long until we find out.
1) Chicago Bears (from Carolina)
2) Washington Commanders
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
Oliver will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at our predictions for tonight and the days to come.
