What to Watch For on Day 1 of the NFL Draft
In 2018, building consensus is seemingly akin to finding Atlantis. There is comfort and passion in divisiveness.
So it should come as no surprise that, as we inch closer to the 2018 NFL Draft, everything is uncertain, beginning at the top with the Cleveland Browns.
That they own the top pick is no surprise, as their desire to tank has yielded them the top prize the past two seasons. But who they will pick is still shrouded in secrecy, with Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, and Saquon Barkley all being mentioned at some point during this draft process.
And while NFL decision-makers absolutely love lying to the public in the days and weeks preceding this spectacle of an event, once teams are on the clock, the honesty begins.
Do teams really love Josh Allen, who hasn't been good at any level of football in his entire life? Are the New York Giants really going to pass on a quarterback and refuse to trade down for a bounty of picks in order to land a running back? Are the New England Patriots really interested in Lamar Jackson as the heir apparent to Tom Brady?
Come 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday night, the smokescreens will fade away, and all that will be left in the aftermath of this chaos is the honest evaluation of 32 NFL teams.
And optimism. Well, unless your team takes Josh Allen, that is.
With just hours to go until the clock officially starts ticking for the Browns, let's take a look at some of the most compelling storylines to watch for in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
