2017 NFL Draft: 3 Dark Horses That Could Go QB in 1st Round
By Erik Lambert
By now everybody knows who the major players are in the 2017 NFL draft. At least when it comes to the quarterback position in the 1st round.
Then again the running joke is stranger things have happened when it comes to this time of year. Just because teams like the Browns, 49ers, Bears and Jets are considered the most QB-needy doesn’t mean another team won’t sneak into the mix when the 1st round gets going this April. It’s happened before and can easily happen this year with the chances of a top name slipping towards the second half of the top 32.
Should that happen, here are three prime teams to watch who may just take the leap at getting their next man under center.
New York Giants
Even though he’s the younger brother of Peyton Manning, it’s easy to forget Eli is 36-years old. The playoff loss to Green Bay was another sign that he’s lost some of his edge over the past few years. Sure the numbers still look good but his clutch factor and poise under tough conditions has slipped. New York knows they’re on the clock with this since they have nobody on the current roster even close to resembling a future replacement. Why not get him now and put more competitive pressure on Manning at the same time?
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Kansas City Chiefs
The rumors are growing. Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo are just the first names mentioned but it offers a clear insight into the Chiefs situation. Alex Smith has been a dedicated and loyal soldier to Kansas City across four seasons. He got them to the playoffs three times, won their first postseason game since 1994 and the AFC West this past year. Unfortunately all ended the same: without a Super Bowl. It’s apparent the team may have peaked with him under center and it’s time to explore for possible upgrades.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Don’t just shrug off the Ben Roethlisberger retirement talk. It was serious. The man is into his mid-30s but the amount of abuse his body has taken would make it seem like he’s in his mid-50s now. That AFC championship loss can be so draining to the psyche of a veteran player and that’s what Ben needs to keep playing at this point. He has nothing else to keep him going. It’s for that reason the Steelers can’t put off finding his eventual heir any longer. Don’t mess around. Get a guy in the 1st and sit him behind one of the best in the business for a year or two.