Trey Lance should be drafted at the seventh pick in the NFL draft, by George!
Here’s the deal: The Broncos trade Nos. 9, 71 (third round) and 252 (their third seventh-round selection) to the Lions and receive Nos. 7 and 113 (fourth round).
General manager George Paton uses the team’s second-round choice on Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Alabama’s Najee Harris or the appropriately named Kenny Gainwell from Memphis.
The G-Man could add the dynamic quarterback and a terrific running back, then select a cornerback and a safety with two fourth-round picks.
Scoff if you must, but in previous drafts, I gave you Garett Bolles, Noah Fant, Dalton Risner, Drew Lock and Jerry Jeudy.
Paton traveled with quarterback coach Mike Shula and Brian Stark to Fargo on Friday to examine Lance, the major mystery in next month’s draft.
What did the trio think of Trey? They aren’t talking.
The general consensus among representatives from 10 franchises who don’t possess quarterbacks named Patrick, Justin, Joe and Josh was that Lance performed admirably with his arm, although he declined to show what he can do with his legs on the vacant field at the FargoDome.
According to Draft Network’s Jordan Reid, Lance threw an array of short, medium and long passes, completing 58 of 66 (81 percent). Perhaps he should have been accurate on all, but scouts, coaches and GMs were just as intrigued with technique, release point, arm strength and his measurements (6-foot-4, 224 pounds). This was their first live look at a QB who is as raw as a North Dakota cauliflower.
Lance has four strikes. He doesn’t turn 21 until May; he has started only 17 college games; his North Dakota State Bison played just one game last season; and the school isn’t a member of the NCAA’s elite division.
However, he has won a college championship; his record as a starter is 17-0; he accounted for 4,178 yards passing and rushing yards, and he was responsible for 46 touchdowns.
Trey, though, is as perplexing as the Badlands Overlook.
He has been compared to the late Steve McNair, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, even Andrew Luck. His college quarterback coach, Randy Hedberg, says, as could be expected, Trey has much in common with Deshaun Watson.
Lance will be a project who may take two-three seasons to become an NFL starter or star, if he ever does.
Two prime suspects to draft Lance, and who were in attendance in Fargo, are the Falcons, at No. 4, and the Panthers four spots lower, just ahead of the Broncos. There would seem to be no way for the Broncos to reach above Atlanta for a trade without giving up considerable draft value. If the Falcons select Trey, he would serve as a backup until Matt Ryan retires.
The Broncos could jump over the Panthers, who would have Lance play behind Teddy Bridgewater initially, without mortgaging the draft.
Paton should negotiate with the Lions again. He connected with Detroit, which holds the seventh pick, in the Matt Stafford auction. The Lions now have Jared Goff, but new coach Dan Campbell did make the trip to Lance’s Pro Day. The Lions might be thinking future QB.
But the Lions have immediate need at wide receiver and can get one of the top three at No. 9. They also can secure a third-round pick from the Broncos. The trade chart utilized by NFL teams has the Broncos’ first choice worth 1,350 points and the Lions at 1,500. The Broncos third-round pick is valued at 235, and Detroit’s spot in the fourth round is 70 points.
The exchange would be fair for both sides, especially if the Broncos offered a bonus seventh-rounder.
The Broncos would draft Lance to be Lock’s reserve this year. Yet, he could operate as a wildcat back in situations, be installed if Lock became injured for the third consecutive season and take over toward the end of the season if Lock falters.
If Lock succeeds, Lance could be traded before 2022 for a first-round pick.
Paton and coach Vic Fangio both said they want competition at quarterback, and the GM said he would consider drafting one.
Two chances of the Broncos developing a new version of John Elway and Peyton Manning is better than none — or drafting a cornerback.
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