Rumors are flying fast and recklessly today leading up to the start of the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. After the jump, I dissect some of them in an attempt to figure out their plausibility.
Dissecting some of the day’s hot NFL Draft rumors
If you see an interesting rumor or news story, share it in the comments.
The source: Peter King, Sports Illustrated
The stories: Drafting QBs highly and Cleveland as the trading post
One NFL general manger told King that both Andy Dalton and Jake Locker will be drafted in the first 20 picks. The only way this is happening is if teams at the top of the second round decide to jump back into the teens. Are Locker or Dalton really worth a high second-round pick and a first-round pick in 2012? I don’t see it.
King expects the Cleveland Browns to be a fluid team in the draft this year. It's likely given the team is switching its scheme on offense and defense. The rumor is that the New England Patriots offered Cleveland the 17th and 28th pick to the Browns. Is that enough? Too much? It seems Cleveland would be settling on lesser players.
The source: Pro Football Talk
The story: An odd top quarterback
PFT was told recently that one team had Nevada's Colin Kaepernick as the No. 1 quarterback in this year's draft. Unsurprisingly, it appears to be the Oakland Raiders. This is no shock. Al Davis is nuts. If he really has no faith in Jason Campbell, he'd have to couple the 48th pick this year with the team's first next year to get Kaepernick.
The source: Jay Glazer, Fox Sports
The story: Atlanta wants a playmaker
Atlanta has been floated as a team that wants to work its way into the top 10 and get an impact player like wide receiver Julio Jones or wide receiver A.J. Green. Considering the Falcons have the 27th pick in the first round, they'd have to give up a lot. Most likely to get the fifth, sixth or seventh pick, the team would have to give up a first and second this year and next year's first. Don't forget that picks in the next year's draft are always devalued when traded a year early.
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