No one knows anything about anything heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, which opens tonight at 8 p.m. ET in Philadelphia.
How do we know this for fact?
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
The idea that this will be the most unpredictable draft in the modern era has been pervasive, specifically when it comes to the Cleveland Browns, who pick No. 1 and No. 12 overall on Thursday.
With ESPN still touting the idea that the Browns could take quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer reporting that Myles Garrett remains the "likely" pick, the truth is we don't know squat about squat.
The Browns could trade up or down, and they are stacking contingencies upon contingencies. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Browns have contacted "roughly 27" teams to gauge interest in moving up or down. Putting aside that there is nothing "rough" about 27 -- in fact it's pretty specific -- that number is all but one team with a first-round pick heading into tonight.
As Rapoport pointed out, based on the Browns' philosophy towards valuing picks, they might not be as willing to part with the selections needed to move up in the draft as we on the outside might consider them to be. This is a team, after all, that essentially paid $16 million for a second-round pick.
The Browns' draft capital means they will cast a long shadow over Thursday's entire proceedings, from the first pick, to the 12th pick, to the possibility they will swap the No. 33 overall pick to hop back into the first round.
It's all on the table and nobody outside of Berea, Ohio, has any idea how it will go down.
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It's no secret the Arizona Cardinals could be on the hunt for a quarterback with their first-round pick, but which passer might be on their draft board?
According to NFL Network's Omar Ruiz, Deshaun Watson's connections to the Cardinals could make him a favorite among the team's top brass.
"The intriguing prospect to keep an eye on is Deshaun Watson here, and here's why: They had a chance to scout him a couple years ago in the national championship game here played in Arizona, a rare opportunity for an NFL head coach to scout in-season, in person during the year," Ruiz said on NFL Network's Path to the Draft on Thursday. "His college coach, Dabo Swinney, was Bruce Arians' tight ends coach back when Arians was Alabama offensive coordinator in 1997 and Watson has been training with Jordan Palmer during this pre-draft process -- of course, Carson Palmer's younger brother. So even though he hasn't been as talked about, Cardinals know exactly what they have in Deshaun Watson if they decide to go with him."
Still, there are plenty of directions for the Cardinals to go with their first pick.
Speaking on Draft Kickoff Live, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Redskins president Bruce Allen and other team brass met worked out Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers in Ann Arbor last weekend and had dinner with him.
Rapoport added that the Redskins are on the hunt for secondary help in the draft:
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Two Pac-12 prospects with injury histories could fall in the draft.
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Good Morning Football's Peter Schrager reported the 49ers, who hold the No. 2 pick, have received calls from three different top 10 teams to see if they can move up to that No. 2 spot, and the Niners could move down and maybe collect more assets.
Watch the NFL Draft LIVE tonight at 8 ET on NFL Network.
