NFL Draft rumors 2018: Tracking the potential moves that could happen

There’s never a lack of rumors when it comes to the NFL Draft, especially as it grows nearer. Despite mock draft after mock draft, it’s incredibly difficult to predict how the real thing will go, especially when it comes to trades and how those will affect the rest of the draft.

There also needs to be some pause when it comes to certain rumors. It’s not beyond teams to selectively plant a trade rumor to drive the price of picks either up or down.

We’re going to give you the hottest draft rumors while also determining whether or not you should put a lot of stock into them.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that, along with the timeline of how he informed others in the Browns organization:

Dorsey was reportedly going to keep that information to himself until hours before the draft.

With rumors that the No. 1 pick will be Mayfield, the Jets’ options at No. 3 are a little more clear. And while the first logical thought was that the pick would be Sam Darnold — the quarterback that the Browns would be passing over — rumors indicate that’s not the case.

According to NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein, it could be UCLA’s Josh Rosen instead:

Or it could be Wyoming’s Josh Allen, according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller:

The dominoes are falling fast and it looks like quarterbacks will dominate the top five.

The Browns have kept their QB choice close to the vest, but the arrow is starting to point Mayfield’s way:

Mel Kiper, who had the Browns taking Josh Allen in all his previous mock drafts, moved Mayfield to No. 1 in his final mock, as did NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah.

More picks could help the Giants more than staying at No. 2:

On the other hand, NFL Network’s Kimberly Jones said that “all signs” indicate the Giants will draft Saquon Barkley.

One less obvious team that might be after a quarterback — and could move up to get one — is the New Orleans Saints.

Drew Brees is still a Pro Bowl quarterback, but he’s 39 and only under contract for two more years. So don’t be surprised if it happens.

Teams trying to move up get most of the attention, but a few teams are hoping to pick later — for the right price:

While most mock drafts have Cleveland’s choices narrowed to Sam Darnold or Josh Allen, there seems to be a real possibility that Baker Mayfield is in the mix. But if it’s not the Browns for Mayfield, NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein says most teams expect the Jets to scoop up the 2017 Heisman winner two picks later.

There reportedly hasn’t been much talk about a trade for the No. 1 pick and that makes sense, because Cleveland can grab a quarterback there. But the No. 4 selection could be a different story with so much quarterback demand at the top of the draft.

Bradley Chubb has been the favored pick for the Browns at No. 4, but scooping up another first-round pick in 2019 to move down a bit could be a tough offer to ignore.

Late Tuesday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter dropped this nugget:

The assumption is that those four quarterbacks would be (in no order) none other than Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Josh Rosen.

Does anybody really know?

Because...

Our first draft week rumor comes from the MMQB’s Peter King, who said, “We’re all prisoners of the people we know in this league. And someone I trust, who is very often right and is very well-connected, told me Sunday it’s not Allen [for the Browns].”

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock said on a media call Friday, April 20 that he believes the Browns will take Darnold No. 1 overall.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that the Browns still had Mayfield in the mix:

Schefter added, “The source said the Browns may have already decided whom they would select at No. 1. But before that final decision, whenever it was made, Mayfield was in that conversation.”

A friend of John Dorsey’s told the MMQB that he believes the Browns will go with Josh Allen No. 1 overall, and Saquon Barkley at No. 4.

“I would be surprised if he traded down,” the friend told the MMQB’s Peter King. “This would be his chance to take his two offensive cornerstones for the next eight or 10 years.”

Mayock also said that he believes that Barkley is the pick for the Giants at No. 2. He would give them their best chance to have their first 1,000-yard running back since Ahmad Bradshaw in 2012. But that all depends if they don’t trade the pick, per Mayock.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah reported that after talking with personnel executives, they believe Rosen is the quarterback most likely to slide. It’s because of “durability concerns” added with people questioning his “intangibles as a leader.”

ESPN’s Todd McShay believes that the Raiders are sold on the linebacker. “Roquan Smith is the guy,” McShay said on a conference call Wednesday morning. “I don’t know that they would be willing to give away additional picks later to go up and get him. But he’s the guy they want.”

According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, the Broncos have fielded calls from Buffalo, Miami and Arizona regarding the No. 5 pick. That makes sense considering all three teams could be in the market for a quarterback. Don’t be surprised if one or more of those teams makes an aggressive move up the draft order to secure a passer.