Lamar Jackson should be target of many at NFL Draft

The NFL Draft begins on Thursday at AT&T Stadium, and the league is going to be going gaga over the quarterbacks. We all know about Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen and Josh Allen. It would be more surprising if any of them got out of the top 10 than if they were picked within that range.

Then there is Lamar Jackson, the most talented athlete of the entire group. Jackson won the Heisman Trophy at Louisville, a school he almost single-handedly had in the national championship conversation a few years ago. The two-time reigning ACC Offensive Player of the Year and overall ACC Player of the Year threw for 9,043 yards and 69 touchdowns against 27 interceptions during his three-year stint with the Cardinals, showcasing a prolific arm.

However, Jackson was also a tremendous threat with his legs, giving him a dimension that the other four aforementioned quarterbacks decidedly don’t have. In Louisville, Jackson ran for 4,132 yards and 50 touchdowns, beating teams with his extra dimension.

Now, Jackson brings his talents to the NFL, and for some reason the hype train isn’t solidly behind him. Perhaps it is his choice not to have an agent, or maybe it’s the idea that a running quarterback can’t succeed in the pro game. Either way, Jackson is coming in with less fanfare than quarterbacks far less accomplished than he.

While the youngster won’t be going in the first five picks, there should be a real market for him once the selections get into the double digits. The Buffalo Bills could try and trade a bevy of draft choices to move up and take Allen, Rosen or Mayfield, or they can hold firm at No. 12 and likely land Jackson. The Arizona Cardinals could move up a few spots from No. 15 and try to take Louisville star, costing them little in comparison to going into the top few picks.

In today’s NFL, a team is nothing without a quarterback, shown time and again by the New England Patriots and their run with Tom Brady. Considering it has both the 23rd and 31st-overall picks, would New England try to package those choices and move up for Jackson, taking the eventual successor to Brady in Foxborough? It wouldn’t be the worst idea.

While Jackson has been overlooked throughout the process, don’t be surprised if he ends up being the steal of the night when all is set and done.