2013 NFL Draft: Ryan Nassib to go Ahead of Geno Smith?

Dec 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib (12) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at the 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Syracuse defeated West Virginia 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

In Todd McShay’s latest mock draft, he has projected the Buffalo Bills to take Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib–before top ranked QB Geno Smith.

This is certainly not the first time we’ve heard this suggested. A number of draft experts and analysts believe that Nassib is the top quarterback in a class that is as tough to figure out as any. Nassib has all the skills required to be a very solid NFL quarterback, and he has the benefit of his former college head coach Doug Marrone having a head coaching job with the quarterback-needy Buffalo Bills as he enters the draft.

Nassib to Buffalo probably makes more sense than any other move at QB in this draft, if only for the fact that Nassib has better connections to the head coach than any prospect in the draft.

So what will become of Geno Smith? Will he be in for a draft night fall? Could he fall out of the first round entirely? I don’t think so, personally. I think Smith will wind up being the first QB off the board, but I could be wrong about that. I envision the Bills trading down in the first round, and I think some team will move up to take Geno. Will it be Philadelphia? Arizona? Cleveland? The Jets?

It could be that the New York Jets, who now have two first round picks, could be looking to trade down in the first round and accumulate additional picks because they intend on using one to take Geno Smith. That wouldn’t surprise me at all. Or, they could just not trade down at all and see if he falls to them at 9 or 13.

There are a few teams reportedly trying to trade up in the first round, even all the way up to the top 10. It will cost them a bit, but in this year’s draft you might be able to trade up for less than you would have had to in most drafts because of the lack of impact players this year.

Ultimately, I feel like Nassib will be the 2nd or maybe even 3rd quarterback off the board. I think you will see he and Smith go in the first round, and you could also see teams move around the board to get Matt Barkley and E.J. Manuel. Even in a draft where the QB class is nothing close to what we had last year with Andrew Luck and RG3, there could still be three or four QBs taken in the first round. Or, there could just be one. Draft night is going to be a wild ride, that’s the only thing we know for certain.