Five Draft Day Surprises

Trades, reaches and home run dingers happen every year in the NFL draft. Whether they pan out that way or not is not what matters in Cleveland this weekend at least.

Teams want to splash social media with the flashiest highlights they can get their hands on and ESPN wants to sing those same praises or bury a 22 year old as the worst pick of a franchise in a decade.

Before these misadventures in human dopamine fluctuations can take place, NFL teams have to play along. Here's a look at five draft day surprises guaranteed to get NFL teams social media interns fingers fidgeting.

1. 49ers smokescreen everyone; pick Trey Lance, watch Mac Jones slide

When San Fransisco traded up to the third pick in the draft they weren't going to let anyone pencil them in for a safe pick. Honing in on Mac Jones was heavily questioned, and seemed odd to telecast out voluntarily when he looks like the fifth best option at QB. Like dropping a smoke-bomb in an elevator, the 49ers might have confused themselves as much as anyone else.

All an act at the end of the day, San Fransisco take the best available in Trey Lance, which triggers a huge slide for Mac Jones from the three spot all the way to the late teens.

2. Panthers trade up one spot to take Justin Fields

With the first three picks of the draft a lock to take quarterbacks off the board, and a run of talent in Pitts, Chase and Sewell/Slater going four through six, Detroit is the only team in front of Carolina. Rumoured to be looking to trade down, Carolina will swoop in and scoop up the fourth quarterback of the draft, getting their future starter and Sam Darnold migraine all in one.

With Lawrence, Wilson and Lance already donning their respective teams hat, the Panthers gladly take Justin Fields with the seventh pick.

3. Jerry Jones makes big splash in Micah Parsons

When your franchise is the most valuable in the country, year after year, regardless of how recently you've qualified for a Championship Game, there's reason to believe big name splashes are just as valuable as putting a good product on the field.

Enter Jerry Jones.

Able to make the splash as CeeDee Lamb fell into his lap last year, Jones is chomping at the bit to manufacture sports radio talking points for Saturday morning.

With Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith already two of the better off ball linebackers in the NFL, Jerry triples down and takes Micah Parsons at 10. Forgoing needs at cornerback, offensive tackle and edge rusher, Jerry doesn't care much what anyone else thinks, as long as they're thinking it out loud.

4. Patriots trade for Garoppolo before their first pick

Before he was traded to the 49ers, Belichick wasn't shy in expressing his desire to see Garoppolo take over for Tom Brady and see the dynasty continue. Brady playing at an MVP level threw a spanner in the works and Garoppolo was sent cross-country at a bargain bin rate.

With Brady now gone and Garoppolo's replacement being picked within 24 hours, look for Belichick to reclaim his damaged goods before their first round pick on Thursday and have the sports world singing his praises all weekend.

5. Bears trade up for Mac Jones

As Mac Jones' head swirls from a dizzying fall on draft day, the Chicago Bears move in and take the Alabama quarterback one spot before Washington can pick him up. Trading with the Dolphins at 18 - who are happy to drop two spots to pick up draft capital - Ryan Pace signs his fate as Chicago's GM.

Either Mac Jones is the star Mitch Trubisky was supposed to be, or Bears fans are again pining for the days of a Rex Grossman lead Superbowl outfit.