The 2025 NFL Draft is only a day out! It is the most wonderful time of the year for fans of all 32 NFL teams. The NFL does a better job of selling hope to all of its fan bases than anyone. Your favorite team may stink right now, but all it may take is a few smart decisions in the upcoming draft to change one's fortunes. It obviously takes way more than that, but you catch my drift. The NFL Draft is back!
One thing that I thought would be oodles of fun in the lead-up to tomorrow night's draft is to sniff out some of the draft-day rumors. So many are circulating right now. It is crazy. Truth be told, I buy a few of these quite a lot, while others do nothing for me. In the hopes of being so totally wrong with this, I will answer some of the hardest-hitting NFL Draft rumors questions in the only way that I know how.
One of my passions outside of writing about sports is following along with the stock market. It is a nerdy and somewhat torturous hobby, but we all need things in our lives to keep us grounded and level us out a bit. What I am going to do now is address six NFL Draft rumors with a positional verdict: Will I be buying, selling or holding on these rumors? Some are no-brainers, while others are complicated.
Let's start with the New Orleans Saints quarterback situation and work our way through the rest.
Will New Orleans Saints end up drafting a quarterback in the first round?
The New Orleans Saints have not drafted a quarterback in the first round since taking Archie Manning out of Ole Miss way back in 1971. So what is the hurry? Well, it comes down to the health of Derek Carr. Had he been fully healthy at this point of the offseason, I would have passed on the notion of the Saints drafting a quarterback completely. He is costing them too much money to draft another guy.
However, he may not play this season, meaning it might be The Spencer Rattler Show for a season, one that will get cancelled after 17 hard-to-watch episodes. So you would think that would make the Saints draft a quarterback without hesitation at No. 9 overall, right? Not so fast! All eyes are on the prize that is the 2026 quarterback draft class. Kellen Moore and Doug Nussmeier know what is up.
I think they should take Shedeur Sanders, but they could end up with Garrett Nussmeier in 2026.
Verdict: Sell
Will the Denver Broncos trade up from No. 20 to get Bo Nix a weapon?
I touched on this a bit yesterday for FanSided.com. The Denver Broncos seem to be the one team that is the most inclined to trade up in the 2025 NFL Draft. Head coach Sean Payton wants to get second-year quarterback Bo Nix a weapon. Denver picks at No. 20. While they could stand pat and end up with North Carolina running back or Penn State tight end Tyler Warren, what if they are gone?
With every team picking where they are supposed to, I would not be the least bit surprised if Denver were one of the teams to upset the apple cart by trading up. I mentioned in my article yesterday that moving up to No. 15 in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons could happen. Atlanta needs more draft capital and could get a serviceable pass rusher a few picks later. It comes down to Denver's aggressiveness.
One of the reasons why Payton has won so much during his coaching career is his aggressiveness.
Verdict: Buy
Will the Cleveland Browns pass on drafting a quarterback this spring?
Much has been made about the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation. They added Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in free agency, but still have Deshaun Watson under that albatross of a contract. While most people have punted on the idea of them taking Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders at No. 2, I will believe it when I see it if the Browns decide to not draft a rookie quarterback.
Do I think they will take one in the first round? Probably not. If they did, they would almost certainly have to trade back into the latter part of it. If Sanders or Ole Miss Rebels star Jaxson Dart fall, the Browns may not be able to help themselves. I could also see them trading up for Alabama starter Jalen Milroe. Frankly, I need to see what the Browns do through day two to make a decision on this.
I am leaning sell, believing they will inevitably draft a quarterback, but I need a bit more time to think.
Verdict: Hold (Leaning Sell)
Will the Atlanta Falcons find a new home for Kirk Cousins after NFL Draft?
For obvious reasons, this is one question I am most attached to. Kirk Cousins' status is up in the air when it comes to returning to my Atlanta Falcons for a second season. So far this week, I have written about the Easton Stick signing, Aaron Rodgers playing games, punting on a return to the Twin Cities, and three teams vying for him in a developing trade market. My head will be spinning until Saturday...
Do I want him traded? Yes. Do I think it will happen? Probably, but not as early as everyone thinks it will happen. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers all have varying levels of interest in him. Minnesota is the least likely, Pittsburgh the most and Cleveland strangely somewhere in between. I do think he gets traded but give it time.
I am leaning buy he will get traded at some point this weekend, but let's watch the dominoes fall first.
Verdict: Hold (Leaning Buy)
Will Jacksonville Jaguars steal Ashton Jeanty from Las Vegas Raiders?
The Jacksonville Jaguars might do something crazy. It is in their blood. Who else shouts DUUUVAL at the top of their lungs? When you cut them open, they bleed black and teal. So what are the Jags going to do now? They might make one of the dumbest decisions in the 2025 NFL Draft by taking Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty over Michigan defensive lineman Mason Graham at No. 5.
This move would ruin the Las Vegas Raiders' draft plans picking at No. 6. The Silver and Black have long been tied to the Doak Walker winner. We all know how much Pete Carroll likes to run the ball as a defensive-minded head coach. Even though Liam Coen is an offensive-minded head coach in Jacksonville, I think new general manager James Gladstone will come to his senses and pick Graham.
This will be a loaded running back draft class, but only Graham could become the next Warren Sapp.
Verdict: Sell
Will Shedeur Sanders suffer a draft-day stumble of epic proportions?
Perhaps the biggest storyline to follow in the 2025 NFL Draft is what will happen to Shedeur Sanders. The Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback could conceivably go as high as No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns, or fall out of the first round entirely. He may be my favorite quarterback in this draft, but I am of the extreme minority just because I do not trust Cam Ward to develop into a franchise cornerstone.
So, how far will Sanders fall? Will he fall at all? I am of the belief that his draft stock has been depreciated quite a good bit, but there are simply too many teams picking in the first round for him to fall out of it entirely. The earliest I could see him go is No. 7 to the New York Jets. The New Orleans Saints at No. 9 is a real possibility. He does not fall any further than the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21.
Sanders is a lock to go in the top 25, possibly inside the top 10, but is likely to go to the Steelers.