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Year after year, the NFL Draft is always full of intrigue and can be pretty compelling theatre. But even by those standards this year’s selection process seems poised to be a cut above the rest. What’s unique is the fact that five quarterbacks are projected to be selected in the first round – with many predicting four among the top 10 picks – yet there remains so little consensus about the order in which they will be selected.

Seven intriguing questions leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft:

1. Who will the Cleveland Browns take with the first overall pick?

It feels strange to have so little certainty about the No. 1 pick, which seemed to be down to one of two quarterbacks, USC’s Sam Darnold or Wyoming’s Josh Allen, until reports this week stated Cleveland had not ruled out taking Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield. Darnold appears to be the safest choice, possessing both physical tools and intangibles both on and off the field. Given the Browns failed history at the quarterback position (they’ve taken four in the first rounds of 19 previous drafts), they may want to take a guy who talks openly about preparing to become a franchise quarterback. Allen has a big arm and a large upside. But he faced lesser competition in college and has been criticized for his lack of accuracy. The high interception rate is why many see him as the biggest boom or bust quarterback prospect in the draft. Mayfield, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner, is neither NFL prototypical in terms of physical makeup or demeanour which may be too much risk for the Browns.

2. How many quarterbacks will go in the first five picks?

We’ve known for a while that five or six quarterbacks are likely to be selected in the first round of the draft. But the fascinating question is how many quarterbacks might go in the first four picks. Could it really be four? That scenario involves the Browns, New York Giants and New York Jets likely taking Darnold, Allen and Mayfield off the board in some order. While there have been reports of the Browns discussing taking a “second” quarterback with the fourth overall pick, the more likely scenario would be another team trading up to take UCLA’s Josh Rosen to complete a 1-2-3-4 to start the draft. This scenario could also play out with the Giants trading out of the second spot to a team that wants a quarterback. Which teams would be looking to trade up into the top-five picks for a quarterback? Please see Question 3.  

3. Which teams are most likely to trade-up to make a quarterback selection?

The Buffalo Bills have A.J. McCarron at the top of their quarterback depth chart right now, but his chances of staying there when the season begins all depends on whether the Bills draft a quarterback who can be ready to open the season. With six picks in the first two rounds, Buffalo has plenty of ammunition to make a trade happen. Reports heated up this week that the Arizona Cardinals, at No. 15, are looking to make a move and the Miami Dolphins, at No. 11, may as well be in trade-up-for-a-QB mode. Could New England from the No. 23 spot and be in that game as well?

4. Besides the Browns at pick No. 4, which teams are most likely to trade out of the top 10 and what’s the likelihood of that happening?

If a team that covets a quarterback sees the guy it likes still available when the Giants go to make the second selection, there will be some opportunities for them to trade that pick and move down. And do they care that trading down would mean forfeiting their right to pick right ahead of the rival Jets? The Browns, at No. 4, might face a similar dilemma, especially if the Giants don’t select a quarterback, meaning that one of Mayfield, Allen or Darnold would be available. The Denver Broncos, at the fifth pick, and the Indianapolis Colts, at six, are other prime trade targets since neither is in the quarterback market and could reap value by exchanging with a team that is.

5. Who is the best running back in this draft and where will he go?

It’s become rare for running backs to go among the top selections of the draft simply because there are so many great athletes at the position and so few who truly stand above the others. By all accounts, Soquon Barkley is one of those. Strong, fast, agile and explosive, his skill set includes catching the football and returning it as well. He three times rushed for in excess of 1,000 yards at Penn State and averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry in every one of those campaigns. If the scouts are right and this is a once in a generation kind of running back, the Giants might not be able to resist at pick No. 2. If they do, he would make sense for the Browns at No. 4.

6. Who is the best defensive player in this draft and when is he likely to be taken?

North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb is appealing enough that it’s not out of the question he goes second overall to the Giants or to Cleveland at No. 4. Chubb is the runaway winner at a quality NFL teams cherish – getting to the quarterback, drawing comparisons to the game’s elite pass rushers, such as Vaughn Miller and Khalil Mack. With consecutive seasons of 10 sacks as a junior and senior, and 54.5 tackles for loss during his college career, he’s projected in most mock drafts to be a top-five pick.

7. How high will Ajax, Ont.,’s Nathan Shepherd go?

The Fort Hays State defensive tackle has impressed this off-season both with his physical skills and intangibles off the field, sending him upward on draft boards and allowing him to crack the top 50 among NFL.com scout Gil Brandt’s Top-50 prospects list. A big-bodied defender, he specialized in tackles for loss in college. Teams seem to love the combination of his bottomless work ethic, raw ability and willingness to be coached. A run on defensive tackles could put him high in the second round or conceivably late in the first.