A lot can change in the 2 1/2 months between the Super Bowl and NFL Draft. Right after the Eagles beat the Chiefs, there was uncertainty as to whether the Titans would pick Cam Ward or Shadeur Sanders — or if they'd even pick a quarterback. Now, Ward has separated himself and is a clear favorite to be the first pick.
Sanders' stock has fallen, and there are other players who in late February were surefire picks for the first half of the first round whose stocks have fallen. Action Network's Evan Abrams has monitored the markets and has identified the biggest movers in the pick number markets leading up to the first round.
These are consensus lines as of Thursday afternoon with the draft fast approaching.
| Player | Open | Current | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadeur Sanders | 3.5 | 21.5 | -18 |
| Kelvin Banks Jr. | 24.5 | 7.5 | 17 |
| Will Johnson | 11.5 | 24.5 | -13 |
| Tet McMillan | 18.5 | 12.5 | 6 |
| Matthew Golden | 12.5 | 17.5 | -5 |
| Jihaad Campbell | 15.5 | 19.5 | -4 |
| Ashton Jeanty | 9.5 | 6.5 | 3 |
| Will Campbell | 9.5 | 6.5 | 3 |
| Colston Loveland | 15.5 | 12.5 | 3 |
| Jahdae Barron | 20.5 | 17.5 | 3 |
| Emeka Egbuka | 29.5 | 26.5 | 3 |
Shadeur Sanders
Obviously, the biggest mover is Shadeur Sanders. If you told someone one month ago that on the day of the first round he was closer to the second round than the first overall pick on the odds board, you would've been seen as insane. That's our reality, though.
Concerns over the interview process have leaked out through the media about Sanders, and there are definite question marks on his scouting report. The obvious destinations are No. 9 to the Saints and No. 21 to the Steelers, but even those aren't concrete links.
Kelvin Banks Jr.
Kelvin Banks Jr. has been the player whose hype has risen the most in the first round. Banks went from a late first-rounder to potentially the second offensive lineman off the board. His rise throughout the process is somewhat reminiscent of J.C. Latham last year, although more drastic since Latham's line was in the mid/late teens instead of the 20s.
Will Campbell has been pegged for the Patriots at No. 4 throughout the draft process, but it's up for grabs now after him.
Will Johnson
The concerns surrounding Will Johnson are more around injuries than his performance.
Johnson's knee issues have been described on social media as "potentially chronic," so his stock has fallen from a sure fire first-round pick to one who may go in the back half of the round.
Tet McMillan & Matthew Golden
The story of the receivers may come down to what kind of players teams prefer.
Tet McMillan is a 6-foot-4 receiver who is physical and won't blow anyone away with a perfectly respectable 4.48 40-yard dash time. Matthew Golden, meanwhile, ran a 4.29 at the combine.
McMillan's stock has risen, and he's rumored to even be a potential target for the Jaguars at No. 5 to play opposite Brian Thomas Jr. Golden has been the consensus No. 2 receiver on people's boards over the past week or so with Ohio State standout Emeka Egbuka not far behind.
