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If you have been following the NFL Draft rumor mill, you likely have noticed the rise in wild and contradictory rumors over the last few weeks.
Just take this tweet.
Draft tidbits:
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) April 11, 2018
-Mayfield isnt going later than three.
-Chubb is either going two or four.
-Chargers have "legitimate significant interest in Lamar Jackson."
-Josh Allen wont fall further than Arizona.
Then note a line from this story.
Josh Allen doesn’t get past the Jets
These are both major members of the media. These reports have both happened in the last nine days.
Mayfield isn’t going later than three, and Josh Allen won’t get past the Jets. The tweet implies that the Jets will pick Baker Mayfield no matter what if he is on the board when they pick. The article says the same of Josh Allen.
These obviously both can’t be the case. It is quite plausible both Mayfield and Allen will be on the board for the Jets if Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen are the top two picks.
‘Tis the season for misinformation. Agents have a clear incentive to make reporters believe their player will go high in the Draft.
Teams themselves also are working the media at this point in time. Sometimes they put bad information out there. Let’s say hypothetically the Jets really do want Mayfield. They might leak to the media that they are in love with Allen to prevent another team from trading to 2 for Mayfield. The other team might think the Jets will pass on Mayfield, meaning other team wouldn’t need to trade up to get him.
Of course, the other teams know the Jets could put out misinformation. The Jets know the other teams know this, but nothing stops this silly gamesmanship.
The point is anything can happen. You can try and read something into every minor event...who the Jets have visiting...who the front office was spotted dining with...who the team isn’t going to work out.
Everything happening right now is one giant smokescreen. One day I might write an article with all of the ridiculous Draft rumors I have heard at one point. There are plenty of good reporters out there who have accurate information. We just don’t know which ones they are.
None of this will stop any of us from bringing up rumors as we hear them and speculating what they mean. It is just worth keeping in mind that nobody knows for sure at this point of the year.