NFL Draft rumors: Could Deshaun Watson fall out of the first round?
By Matt Conner
Could the Clemson Tigers quarterback fall out of the first round? The latest rumors about Deshaun Watson indicate that he could.
Deshaun Watson is often mentioned as one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2017 NFL Draft. He comes with a long list of clutch performances, a championship ring, fantastic stats and the rave reviews of every teammate and coach he’s ever had. Yet as the draft gets closer, Watson’s stock might be sliding rather than gaining steam.
Tony Pauline at DraftAnalyst.com asked a couple teams about their top 32 players available and neither team, albeit anonymous ones, admitted that Watson was pegged as a second round talent. Pauline writes:
"Neither team grades Deshaun Watson as a top-32 material. Watson has always been a second-round prospect on our board. It doesn’t mean he won’t be selected in the first round."
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Pauline is right in saying that any team’s perceived notion that they could lose Watson by playing completely for value and not need might panic and take him earlier than expected. Quarterbacks are, after all, the most valuable position in the game, so if a team believes in him enough, they should grab him and not risk him getting away. Watson certainly has enough going for him to justify the first round pick.
That said, the idea of Watson as a second round possibility is intriguing for a team like the Kansas City Chiefs. First of all, it might mean they could grab their quarterback of the future without even moving a single spot or trading a single asset to move from their current landing spot at No. 27 overall. Even more, it could mean they might be able to maneuver in the second, when the bounty is much, much less, to get their man while still landing an impact talent in the first—perhaps an edge rusher or inside linebacker.
If Watson’s stock drops, as with any of the draft’s top quarterbacks, the Chiefs will have some real possibilities on the board and maybe even the ability to come home with one as well as some great competition for other positions.