Business is booming in the NFL with free agency starting this week. While a few teams have made moves to lock up their quarterback position, two big names—Miami's Cam Ward and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders—will be added to the mix in the draft next month.
Where will those two star prospects land? Many analysts think in the top five of the first round, as a few teams in those spots desperately need a new quarterback.
ESPN's Field Yates dropped his new mock draft on Tuesday, but he kept it to a look at how the top 10 picks could play out now that free agency has begun. He has the Tennessee Titans taking Ward with the No. 1 pick and then has Sanders going to the Giants at No. 3.
Here's his take on Ward:
It seems clear Tennessee will listen to offers for this pick, but there has been no concrete movement on that yet, so I don't necessarily feel that a trade down is imminent. Plus, the Titans have not made any movement on the veteran free agency market at quarterback, with names like Sam Darnold and Justin Fields already off the board. They do have Will Levis under contract, but the dynamic Ward would fill their biggest need. He is a crafty innovator with a great arm.
Fields then has the Browns taking Travis Hunter at No. 2 and the Giants going with Sanders.
The Giants will stay focused on landing a quarterback this week, but that won't preclude them from examining the draft class at that position, too. This approach would allow the Giants to institute short- and long-term plans at quarterback, adding a veteran over the next few days and then also developing Sanders for the future. Sanders' ball placement and ability to throw with touch are outstanding traits.
Yates's top 5 ends with the Patriots taking Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter at No. 4 and Jacksonville taking Michigan DT Mason Graham at No. 5.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as New ESPN NFL Mock Draft Has Shedeur Sanders Going to NFC Team After Free Agency Start.
