23. Minnesota Vikings – WR Jordan Addison, USC
That makes a first-round record four wideouts in a row. At 5-11 and 173 pounds, you'd like Addison to have better than 4.49 speed. However he was highly productive at Pitt (100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 TDs in 2021) before transferring to the Trojans and leading them with 59 grabs for 875 yards and eight scores last year despite missing time with an ankle injury. His ability to play wide or in the slot is appealing, and Vikes WR Justin Jefferson is surely thrilled to have a new Robin now that Adam Thielen has moved on to Carolina.
24. New York Giants (from Jacksonville Jaguars) –
25. Jaguars (from Giants) –
26. Dallas Cowboys –
27. Buffalo Bills –
28. Cincinnati Bengals –
29. Saints (from San Francisco 49ers via Dolphins and Broncos) –
30. Eagles –
31. Kansas City Chiefs –
After years of failed negotiations, Baltimore and QB Lamar Jackson agreed to a five-year contract extension Thursday afternoon – meaning the Ravens can definitely spend their first-round pick (22nd) overall on another position. The team shared a tweet with Jackson sharing the news. – Nate Davis
The mystery of which quarterback the Carolina Panthers will select with the No. 1 overall pick remains unresolved. Uncertainty reigns further down the draft board as well, as this year's class has left plenty of room for disagreement on the pecking order for top talent, even though several of the marquee names have established themselves in the premier tier. And comparisons become even more difficult when trying to weigh players at different positions.
It is a pretty good juncture to reflect on the NFL players who rate as history's biggest deterrents to playing the draft lottery over the past half-century.
Some words about the methodology: This ranking and analysis are certainly interspersed with opinion. But we tried not to view these wayward picks in a vacuum – taking into account what teams sacrificed to take a player, either in terms of trade currency or whom they opted not to select, when evaluating each bust. Some deals themselves are included since many prevented teams from choosing superior options. Naturally, extra weight was given to quarterback gaffes.
Lastly, we tried to have some fun and creativity in select spots to keep you (and me) engaged, so try not to get too bent out of shape if that defensive tackle or tight end your team took in the top 10 before he petered out didn't warrant a mention.
Read Nate Davis’s complete rankings here.
![Daniel Jeremiah, right, is part of the NFL Network's NFL draft coverage, along with Colleen Wolfe, left, and Charles Davis.]()
Chasing ghosts might feel like a futile task. For Daniel Jeremiah to be best prepared as NFL Network’s lead draft analyst, it’s essential.
Jeremiah said that with roughly two weeks before the draft, the level of studying a prospect is not as intense compared to the weeks before the combine in March. At this point, he’s doing his best last-minute work to be prepared for three days of broadcasting from Kansas City.
“You're just pulling guys out of the pile,” Jeremiah told USA TODAY Sports. “I kind of joked that it’s like the scene from ‘Gladiator.’ This is not a full scouting report. It’s a thumbs up or thumbs down operation, whether or not these guys are draftable or not draftable types of players.
“You’re kind of drinking through a firehose.”
Todd McShay, ESPN's senior NFL Draft analyst alongside Mel Kiper Jr., said that by April, most of the work is done. “At this point, to be quite honest, it’s a lot less stressful because ‘the hay is in the barn,’ as they say,” McShay wrote in an email to USA TODAY Sports.
Read Chris Bumbaca’s full feature here.
Even in jurisdictions where sports betting is regulated, the state may not offer wagers on the NFL draft. Of the states where sports betting is legal, NFL draft bets are not permitted in:
- Connecticut
- New York
- Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
It comes down to what the state's sports gambling governing body considers a competition. The rules vary state-to-state, with deadlines and bet limits differing across certain borders. – Chris Bumbaca
![New New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers shows off his new jersey and number at Wednesday's introductory press conference.]()
After months of speculation, Aaron Rodgers is finally Big Apple-bound ... or at least headed to the New York Jets' rustic New Jersey base of operations. By finally reaching middle ground Monday, the Jets and Packers can now focus on their draft boards without the Rodgers specter lurking over Thursday and/or Friday nights. Still, this transaction, expected as it was, marks a seismic shift to the NFL landscape and seems to further shift the balance of power to the AFC. Here’s our breakdown of the winners and losers of the Rodgers deal. – Nate Davis
***
Send an email
