It’s that lying time again.
Saturday’s NFL draft has more smokescreens than a Boy Scouts camping jubilee. Everybody talks out of both sides of their mouth. Nobody tips their intentions for fear someone will trade up to grab their player.
In the Washington Redskins’ case, they may simply not know which way to go. It’s easy to think the Redskins want Southern Cal quarterback Mark Sanchez, but at No. 13 it’s doubtful he’ll still be there. Seattle and Cleveland have shots at No. 4 and 5 respectively. The New York Jets are lurking at No. 17.
The Redskins are squeezed in a guessing game. The rule is if a quarterback is truly good, he goes in the first five picks. Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford should be selected first by Detroit. To let a quarterback dangle through the first round like Brady Quinn falling to 22nd in 2007 means there’s a flaw. Quinn hasn’t done anything yet.
Still, New York will make noise through back channels of getting in front of the Redskins, partly to see if they can make Washington spend extra picks to get Sanchez when he may fall to it anyway. If Sanchez isn’t taken by Cleveland, he’ll probably be there for Washington. If the Redskins think the Jets are going to jump them by trading for the 11th or 12th pick, Washington might throw in their third-rounder to needlessly move up.
Teams love suckering others. It’s a chess game inside the NFL draft. Unfortunately, Redskins owner Dan Snyder is still playing checkers with his first-rounders. He has yet to make a decent move despite regularly moving up or down. Other teams know it. Snyder cost other owners money when inflating coaches pay for Steve Spurrier and Joe Gibbs and they haven’t forgotten it.
Another other pawn in the draft is Maryland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. His 4.25 speed at the NFL Combine sparked interest. Baltimore really, really, I mean really, hopes Heyward-Bey falls to No. 26. In a perfect world based on talent, he would.
Oakland is considering Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick, though. That’s way too early for the Terp, but the Raiders may be thinking Heyward-Bey is the next Tim Brown. If Michael Crabtree slips to Oakland, then Heyward-Bey could fall to Baltimore. Miami at No. 25 might also go for Heyward-Bey one spot before Baltimore.
Meanwhile, the week will be filled with rumors. That’s what makes the draft so interesting.
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more at TheRickSniderReport.com or e-mail [email protected].
