The NFL draft starts on Thursday and the first round could see more trade deals than usual, as teams like the Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins, Jaguars, Jets and Titans could trade down with this being a deep class of players and names like Amari Cooper, Kevin White and Todd Gurley are at the top and could be targets for the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings.
According to Pro Football Talk, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said to ESPN that "trade inquiries" are rising heading into the draft and that teams could trade more often than usual. The Cleveland Browns reportedly have looked into the number five pick with the Redskins, while the Dolphins have also been "kicking the tires" on a move into the top 10. This year could see more trades than in the past, as Mariota has been getting a ton of attention.
Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, NY Jets and other teams in the top 10 could consider trades the day of the draft and once the first round starts. The Buccaneers arte likely staying tight with Jameis Winston, but names like Amari Cooper, Vic Beasley, Leonard Williams, DeVante Parker, Shane Ray, Shaq Thompson, Kevin White, Brandon Scherff and Jaelen Strong could all be potential first rounders.
The Buccaneers locked in the number one pick with a loss in Week 17 against the Saints and now they are in the clock for the draft. Many expect the team to go for Winston, although Marcus Mariota could be the surprise pick. Heading into draft night, Peter King at the MMQB writes that there are "numerous teams" looking to trade up into the top 10, and trade down from the top 10. The 49ers, Vikings, Rams and Browns all could move up, while reports have the Jets and Redskins considering trades down.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the number one pick in the 2015 draft and the expert mock picks have Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston number one. After that the Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, NY Jets and Washington Redskins have top 10 picks and could target names like Amari Cooper or Vic Beasley, while teams could trade up for Mariota. The Browns reportedly are interested in Mariota along with the Bears and the Jets.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Redskins are considering moving down if certain players are off the board by the number five pick. The Eagles and the Browns reportedly are interested in moving up for Mariota and that could lead to the Titans making a move down in the draft. The Dolphins and Raiders have reportedly been in contact and both teams could consider making moves.
The Dolphins have a number of targets, including Todd Gurley and DeVante Parker and they could make a trade up to secure those players. The Bears were mentioned as an option to move up Mariota, but they likely will sit tight at seven. The ream reportedly is targeting Kevin White and will take him if he is available. The 49ers and the Vikings could look at moving up, while the Browns are reportedly interested in Sam Bradford from the Eagles as well.