After quarterback Shedeur Sanders wasn’t drafted in round one, most thought he would be drafted in round two. After he wasn’t drafted in round three, most think he’ll go in round four.
If that happens, where are the hot spots?
The first one that stands out is the Raiders, at the sixth pick (No. 108). They did their homework on Shedeur, and they need a long-term answer at the position.
Then there’s minority owner/majority influence Tom Brady’s relationship with Shedeur. They now have something else in common — and Brady can use that shared experience of being made to wait way too long to light a raging fire that will never be extinguished.
Two picks later, the Jets will be on the clock. The Jets have 2024 draft pick Jordan Travis, who was a Heisman finalist before suffering a serious leg injury during the 2023 college season. For now, their contenders to start are Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor.
The Eagles are a sneaky wild card at No. 111, one pick after the Jets. If they’re committed to taking the best available player, why not Shedeur? While his style is different from starter Jalen Hurts, there’s real value in snagging Shedeur this late in the process.
The same thinking applies to the 49ers at No. 113. With Brock Purdy’s long-term deal not done, what if coach Kyle Shanahan becomes intrigued by the possibility of making Shedeur into the next Purdy?
The Colts at No. 117 could make sense, since they basically have co-starters who may not coagulate as the answer.
The Steelers will be back on the clock at No. 123. While it’s clear that they expect Aaron Rodgers to show up, they need a developmental quarterback. Shedeur could be the answer.
The Rams at No. 127 also make sense. They took a fourth-round flier on Stetson Bennett two years ago. Sanders is objectively better than Bennett — and the Rams clearly need a post-Stafford answer.
We’ll see how it goes. Round four starts soon. If Sanders is still on the board when round five starts, one of the nuttiest stories in draft history will be even nuttier.
Jason Taylor played for the Jets late in his Hall of Fame career, but his son will be starting his NFL run with the AFC East club.
The Jets took tight end Mason Taylor in the second round on Friday night. Taylor is the 42nd overall pick and he joins tackle Armand Membou as new members of the Jets offense.
Mason Taylor spent the last three seasons at LSU and set the school’s single season record for tight ends with 55 catches last season. He’s also the only tight end in school history with more than 100 catches and more than 1,000 receiving yards.
Jason Taylor played for the Jets in 2010 and had five sacks before returning to the Dolphins for his final season.
The Jets selected offensive tackle Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick in the draft on Thursday night, but their press conference after the pick wasn’t limited to questions about the incoming rookie.
General Manager Darren Mougey was asked about “rumors swirling” ahead of the draft about the team looking to trade running back Breece Hall. Mougey said that there have not been any discussions on that front.
“I haven’t had any talks with any teams about Breece Hall. He’s on the team,” Mougey said, via a transcript from the team.
Hall is entering the fourth and final season of his rookie deal and new head coach Aaron Glenn has indicated that the Jets will be using a committee of running backs in 2025, which fed into the idea that they could look to move Hall to another club. For now, though, it is status quo in the backfield.
Entering round one, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the biggest wild card in the draft. Exiting round one, he still is.
Sanders slipped out of the first round, and it’s not clear where he’ll land.
The Browns hold the 33rd and 36th overall picks. The latter came from the trade that dropped Cleveland from No. 2 to No. 5 in the first round. They could easily justify taking Sanders at No. 33 and then addressing other needs at No. 36. Or they could dangle the 33rd pick to someone like the Saints, who might be interested in moving up from No. 40.
Or maybe neither the Browns nor the Saints will bite. If so, the slide will continue.
The Jets could be interested at No. 42. The Rams are possible at No. 46. The Seahawks aren’t out of the question at No. 50 or No. 52.
There simply aren’t many teams with a glaring need.
And Sanders isn’t the only one waiting. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe remains in the green room. Louisville’s Tyler Shough is still waiting. We’ll see whether and to what extent any of those three will end up in round two.
From 2022 through 2024, only one quarterback was taken in round two. Last year, no quarterback was taken from Bo Nix to the Broncos at No. 12 until No. 150, when the Saints took Spencer Rattler.
The Jets addressed the left side of their offensive line a year ago, selecting tackle Olu Fashanu with the 11th overall pick. Among their needs this season was some right side help for their line.
The first pick of the Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn era wasn’t a sexy one, but they hope he will pay huge dividends.
The Jets selected Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou, who will replace Morgan Moses at right tackle. Moses left for the Patriots in free agency.
Membou was the second offensive lineman selected, following LSU’s Will Campbell, who went to the Patriots with the fourth pick.
The Jets have seven picks remaining, with the next coming Friday at 42nd overall. They still have needs at tight end, wide receiver, edge rusher and defensive tackle.
They passed on Penn State tight end Tyler Warren to select Membou, who will protect Justin Fields’ blindside.
