With just two weeks remaining until the NFL Draft, it is officially smokescreen season. Given the outpouring of rumors that get unearthed between now and April 24, it is important not to take everything at face value.
Some teams are intentionally leaking information to disorient other war rooms so the board potentially falls in their favor. The Dallas Cowboys are no exception, though it seems more likely than not that they will take a receiver with the No. 12 overall pick.
We won't know for sure until Dallas hits the clock on April 24. After all, the WR prophecy could hit a snag if Ashton Jeanty were to fall outside the top 10.
Rumors continue to connect the Raiders with Jeanty. Pete Carroll has no problem taking running backs high, but Las Vegas has more pressing needs. If they take a corner or WR, that should pave the way for Jeanty to drop to Dallas, right? Not exactly.
Cowboys' Ashton Jeanty dream is fading as 2025 NFL Draft approaches
ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller is hearing that the Bears could take Jeanty at No. 10 if he slides past the Raiders at No.6.
"The Bears love Ashton Jeanty, according to scouts around the league who've observed the team's activity this offseason," Miller writes. "So the Boise State running back could be the pick at No. 10 ... if he's still around."
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That shouldn't come as a surprise.
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New Bears head coach Ben Johnson leaned heavily on the run game during successful tenure as Lions offensive coordinator. The Bears already have D'Andre Swift, but if you remember, Detroit drafted Jahmyr Gibbs No. 12 overall after signing David Montgomery in free agency.
While Chicago needs another pass rusher, they have two second-round picks. They could either let the board fall to them or use one of them to trade back into the first round. Many insiders are hearing that multiple teams may look to trade out of the first round.
The bottom line is it's easy to envision the Bears taking Jeanty. The offense will need 2024 No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams to make a second-year leap, but the Boise State phenom is a match made in heaven with Johnson's scheme. He figures to produce regardless of how Williams performs.
Again, we won't know anything until draft night, but it seems increasingly unlikely that Jeanty will fall outside the top 10. That might be a blessing in disguise for Dallas, which has long-standing connections to Boise State and is surely enamored with the former Bronco.
It might be time to put the Jeanty hopes to rest.