It's one of the best nights of the year, and the fortunate end to all the speculation about who likes which players. In the last few days such talk has reached a fever pitch, and two teams -- Washington and Oakland -- are the focus of lots of rumors.
First there was Jon Gruden's team, the Raiders, sending all of its scouts home. They've got three first-round picks, and are supposedly worried about leaks tipping their hand about how they plan to use them. There's apparently some momentum for the idea that they're not enamored enough of Derek Carr to pass on the chance to select a franchise quarterback. Kyler Murray? Dwayne Haskins? All the talk about Arizona selecting a quarterback while they've got Josh Rosen has overshadowed Oakland possibly doing the same with a more accomplished quarterback on the roster.
Yesterday was Jay Gruden's Washington team's turn to get in on the drama. Two different reports have Washington, currently sitting at No. 15, interested in trading up for a quarterback -- a different quarterback. In one story they're enamored of Dwayne Haskins, while in the other it's Daniel Jones who they covet.
Both stories can't be true, or at least both targets. The other possibility is they're trying to force the Giants (also apparently targeting one of these quarterbacks) to move up for a player Washington doesn't particularly want anyway. This may be giving Dan Snyder's team too much credit for subterfuge.
Considering Washington's quarterback room consists of Case Keenum and a couple of other veteran quarterbacks dealing with complicated leg injuries (Alex Smith, Colt McCoy), I can believe Washington will come out of tonight with a quarterback. They also have a history of trading up (who can forget the Robert Griffin III move).
Maybe a little Gruden on Gruden crime? Perhaps the Raiders could trade down with Washington, picking up an extra first next year. Although moving out of the chance to select a defensive star at No. 4 overall would be a roundly criticized and suspect move. At least Mike Mayock could spend the first half of the round visiting the announcing booth to analyze each pick on air again.
Of course, NFL.com's well-connected writers believe the Raiders themselves might want Haskins at No. 4. If so, a Derek Carr trade could conceivably happen over the weekend.
There are four and possibly five quarterbacks going in the first round tonight, so we need to match them up with four and possibly five teams. I'm sticking with Kyler Murray to the Cardinals, and thinking Haskins, Jones and Drew Lock go to Washington, the Giants and the Broncos. Somebody might trade up to select Will Grier at the end of the first round, like Baltimore did with Lamar Jackson a year ago. Maybe a surprise team like the Titans, or perhaps the Packers take him at 30 just to really tick Aaron Rodgers off.
I also think we might see 4-5 wide receivers go, unless the depth at the position has teams thinking they can wait until the second round (in which case Friday will be really receiver heavy). Good news is that in about 11 hours, we won't need to speculate any more.
--Andy Richardson