For weeks and weeks mocks drafts have looked much the same. Sure, experts would flip the order of some of the top quarterbacks or wide receivers, but with the top of the draft the same order for three months, mocks had become monotonous. That is until Friday when two blockbuster draft-pick trades occurred.
The trades could end up having significant ramifications on how the Dallas Cowboys handle draft night with their No. 10 overall selection, and for the clubs directly involved the deals are potentially franchise-altering for seasons to come.
The first domino fell whenever the San Francisco 49ers traded this year’s No. 12 overall, a 2021 3rd-round pick, and two future first-round picks to the Dolphins for the No. 3 overall selection that Miami held (via @AdamSchefter).
Filed to ESPN: Dolphins trading No. 3 overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers for the No. 12 pick, a 2021 third-round pick (SF’s comp pick for Robert Saleh hiring) and first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, per sources.
Blockbuster deal with massive ramifications for years to come.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2021
Miami, who had just traded out of the top ten, turned right around just minutes later and jumped back up the board. The Dolphins acquired the Eagles first round selection, No. 6 overall, in exchange for the No. 12 pick (that they just received from the 49ers) and a 2022 first-rounder (via @FieldYates).
The Eagles have traded the 6th pick in the draft to Miami for 12 and a 2022 first-rounder.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 26, 2021
Here is the updated 2021 top 12 draft picks:
- Jaguars
- Jets
- 49ers (From Dolphins via Texans)
- Falcons
- Bengals
- Dolphins (From Eagles)
- Lions
- Panthers
- Broncos
- Cowboys
- Giants
- Eagles (From 49ers)
In the big picture as far as the Cowboys are concerned, San Francisco jumped ahead Dallas while Philadelphia dropped to two spots below Dallas.
The Cowboys have no interest in taking a quarterback in the first round after signing Dak Prescott for four years. One can presume that San Francisco would only make this leap unto the top five to acquire a new franchise quarterback, while it was unclear if the Eagles would use their top-six pick on the position.
Every quarterback that is selected before Dallas’ No. 10 pick greatly increases the chances of an elite player at a position of greater need, such as Oregon offensive lineman Penei Sewell or Alabama cornerback Patrick Surtain II, being available while Dallas is on the clock.
The two trades also result in the Cowboys now holding the highest pick in the draft out of the four NFC East teams, with Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia currently set to pick consecutively at No. 10, 11, and 12, while Washington stands at No. 19.
[lawrence-related id=667079]