The NFL Draft is a fluid and ever-changing thing as teams move closer to the official date in April and the scouting combine in Indianapolis has helped teams clear up what they think about top prospects and who they would like to draft in a few weeks, including with players like Geno Smith, Luke Joeckel, Manti Te'o, Matt Barkley and Jarvis Jones.
The trade of Alex Smith to the Chiefs totally changes things at the top of the draft, as Kansas City was likely in the running for one of the top quarterbacks before competing the deal. West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith was the presumptive number one pick, but now that the team has solved its quarterback issues, there is a chance he will slip to one of the teams drafting later.
The quarterback position is one of the deepest in the draft, but it is not top heavy, meaning that the offensive linemen and defensive players are likely to dominate the top part of the draft, including names like Jarvis Jones, Dee Milliner and Luke Joeckel.
The Chiefs had rough quarterback play from Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn last season, which one of the main reasons why they made the trade. The deal for Smith opens up the top pick for the Chiefs, as they basically could do whatever they want at the top of the draft, including trading the pick to a team like the New York Jets who also needs a quarterback.
Here is a look at some of the top picks in the draft and what they could be come April in New York City.
Kansas City Chiefs, Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Luke Joeckel was considered to be one of the top linemen in the draft leading into the combine and he performed well enough to stay at the top of the list. Now that the Chiefs have acquired Alex Smith, the team will not need to draft a quarterback like Geno Smith at the top of the draft, leaving new coach Andy Reid flexibility to take who he thinks is the top player in the draft or the player he feels can help the Chiefs the most. The team still needs to sign free agent lineman Brandon Albert and if they feel like he is asking for too much money, Joeckel could be the pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars, Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
The fact that the Chiefs traded for Smith gives the Jaguars the biggest benefit, as they now can decide to draft a quarterback if they feel former pick Blaine Gabbert is not the answer for the future. The team could go with a defensive pick here as they need to upgrade at every position on the roster, but Smith could be the perfect fit for the team as he has proven to be mobile with a solid arm. He was not as accurate as he would have liked to be while working out at the combine, but the Jaguars could overlook that if they feel he is a game changer like Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin.
Oakland Raiders, Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
The team also could benefit from the Chiefs trade for Alex Smith, as they would likely draft Geno Smith if the Jaguars pass, but if they do not the Raiders will likely pick one of the top defensive players or one of the many strong offensive lineman at the top of the draft. The pick her likely will be Fisher out of Central Michigan, as he proved at the combine that he is one of the best blockers in the draft. He proved that he is a top pass blocker, which is something the Raiders desperately need and he looked great in senior bowl practices leading up to the combine. He could follow in the footsteps of All-Pro Joe Staley, who the 49ers picked out of Central Michigan a few years ago.
Philadelphia Eagles, Jarvis Jones, LB, Georgia Bulldogs/Dee Milliner CB, Alabama
Chip Kelly and the Eagles could take a number of different routes with this pick and they are clearly out of the quarterback race as they decided to bring back Michael Vick and bring in Dennis Dixon. The team has needs on both sides of the ball, but they will likely use this pick on a defensive player, as the struggles at times while losing 11 of 12 games at one point last season. Jones would make the linebacker unit strong with Demeco Ryans, while Milliner could take the place of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who both appear to be on the way out of town.
