The NFL draft drama starts at No. 3.
Monday’s trade between the Jets and Panthers brought a little more clarity to the top of this year’s draft board. New York sent quarterback Sam Darnold to Carolina in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, and 2022 fourth-round pick, bringing the Jets’ commitment to a young QB with the No. 2 overall pick.
MORE: Darnold assigning grades to trade
Clemson star Trevor Lawrence is expected to be the top pick and join the Jaguars, according to ESPN’s Todd McShay, and now that Darnold is gone, BTU’s Zach Wilson has jets off. Sharp Alert!
New York’s interest in Wilson is not a secret, as several draft analysts have suggested that the Jets have always wanted the 21-year-old to lead the offense, including McShea’s ESPN affiliate Steve Young. The Darnold trade only confirms what was previously stated.
As to the biggest question of the 2021 NFL Draft: What will the 49ers do at No. 3? San Francisco made an aggressive deal to avoid moving forward in the draft order and disappearing from their future quarterback. Lawrence and Wilson ruled, 49th is near Alabama’s Mack Jones, North Dakota State’s Trey Lance, or Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
While Fields and Lance think Jones has shown more potential than his huge physical gifts, the 49ers are reportedly leaning toward the Crimson Tide QB, who threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns last season. .
“Most people around the league believe it belongs to Mack Jones.” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said recently On the “Athletic Football Show” podcast. “Of the people you want to believe in and bring your faith in, the majority believe it is with Mac Jones.
It is worth noting that the NFL Draft is more than three weeks away, so a lot of things can change before the 49ers bring out their own Sharpie.
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