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With just a few more days until the 2024 NFL draft begins, it's time to share some information and insight ahead of Round 1. Where could the quarterbacks go in the top 10 picks? Which teams are already making calls about trading up or down? And is there a sleeper to be the first defensive player drafted? Subscribe: "The Adam Schefter Podcast" ESPN and its draft crew will be in Detroit later this week, as the first round begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, live on ESPN, ABC, and the ESPN App. It's one of the best weeks of the year, with several unknowns throughout the draft and a few teams serving as pivot points in Round 1. Here's some of what we're hearing:  NFL draft coverage:
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  Why the Cardinals are 'in the catbird seat'
Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort has advertised, with the No. 4 overall pick, his team is open for business. But no sales are expected to be final until the Cardinals are on the clock. Ossenfort has told teams around the league that have inquired about trading up that he wants to wait until he is in position to pick before agreeing to any trade. A team always could try to outbid the market and lock in the selection now, but it's difficult to give up the haul of compensation it would take without knowing exactly which quarterbacks will be available. And so Ossenfort is sitting, in the eyes of one coach, "in the catbird seat." The coach explained: "He sits at [No.] 4 and can take all the calls he wants." Thus, while the football world waits to see whether the Giants, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders or any other team is interested in trading up to potentially select the fourth quarterback in this draft, the Cardinals will wait for the right offer. In last year's draft, no team was more active in the first dozen picks than Arizona, which went from No. 3 to No. 12 to No. 6, all to wind up with offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., Houston's 2024 first-round pick and more selections. The Cardinals might be able to pull off a similar feat and still come away with one of this draft's elite wide receivers, along with added draft compensation. Arizona already has six picks in the top 90, so a significant trade down isn't as urgent unless it's a huge package.
 What the Commanders could be getting with a new QBHeisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels (LSU) knows he's entering the draft, not free agency, which is why he is ready to accept wherever he is selected and attempt to become the face of that franchise. While Daniels would have liked more face time with Commanders officials during his visit last week -- which included three of the other top quarterbacks in the class -- the signs continue to point to Washington taking him at No. 2. The Commanders have been highly impressed with Daniels' abilities, and they are not alone. One NFL head coach whose team is not in the quarterback market said he would take Daniels over Caleb Williams (USC), who is expected to be drafted No. 1 by the Bears. "It's a no-brainer to me," the coach said. "Jayden looks like the best guy in this draft." Another head coach compared Daniels to Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson: "If you pick Daniels, you're getting Lamar 2.0, but he's further along as a passer than Lamar was when he came out," the coach said. Washington still is going through its process, but Daniels is the favorite to be its pick. He will become the fourth LSU quarterback to be selected in Round 1, after Joe Burrow (No. 1 in 2020) JaMarcus Russell (No. 1 in 2007) and Bert Jones (No. 2 in 1973).
 Could the Pats trade down ... and then move back up?The Patriots, slated to pick No. 3, also have been fielding calls from teams. It would take a big offer for New England to move off that spot knowing it needs to come out of Round 1 with a quarterback, but the team has listened. And the Vikings, among others, have attempted to move up. Some around the league believe if the Vikings can get as high as No. 3, their preference would be quarterback Drake Maye (North Carolina), who was coached in high school by Minnesota's new quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. But many are waiting to see how the Patriots value Maye vs. J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) and whether New England could make a play like the Cardinals, who made two trades in Round 1 a year ago. At the NFL owners meetings last month, team owner Robert Kraft said this: "One way or another, I'd like to see us get a top-rate, young quarterback." If the Patriots opt to trade out of No. 3, they could follow a similar path as Arizona to get a quarterback they covet.
 Bears try something different with their QB visitWhen Caleb Williams visited Chicago in early April, the Bears did something smart. Rather than have Williams go to dinner with their front office and coaches, they sent him to dinner with team leaders Cole Kmet, DJ Moore, T.J. Edwards and others. The thinking was, those are some of the team's most respected players, the players whom others listen to, and this group then would be able to tell the other players what they were getting in Williams, who is likely to be the No. 1 overall pick. And the Bears believe -- after using first-round picks in previous years on quarterbacks Justin Fields, Mitch Trubisky, Rex Grossman, Cade McNown, Jim Harbaugh and Jim McMahon -- they finally have their man. If Williams goes to the Bears, it will be USC's sixth No. 1 overall pick in the common draft era (since 1967), which would break a tie with Oklahoma for the most by any school in that time. Williams, of course, played his freshman season at Oklahoma.
 
Jim Harbaugh's Michigan ties, and a big opportunity for the ChargersChargers coach Jim Harbaugh and J.J. McCarthy, his former quarterback at Michigan, are inextricably linked. If McCarthy sneaks into the first four picks, it will mean the Chargers, who hold the No. 5 selection, will likely have the first non-QB pick. If McCarthy doesn't find his way into the first four picks, there could be a team calling Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz to trade for the No. 5 pick and the chance to draft McCarthy. Either way, McCarthy is poised to get Harbaugh's new NFL coaching job off to a successful start without even taking a snap for him. And, there is one other ironic scenario: If McCarthy winds up going at No. 4, it would leave Harbaugh with the chance to select former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., uniting the former Michigan coach with one of the Buckeyes' best players in recent years. During an interview Friday in Ann Arbor that will be played in its entirety on this week's Adam Schefter podcast, McCarthy praised Harrison as the most feared wideout any of his teams faced and the only receiver he actually would stand up and watch when Michigan was on defense, uneasy about what Harrison could do. In the same interview, McCarthy was asked which Michigan player was poised to make a bigger impact at the next level than people expected, and he cited tight end AJ Barner. Michigan's offense relied more on Barner's blocking than receiving, but McCarthy believes the 6-foot-6, 251-pound Barner will make an impact in both areas at the next level.
 Ohio State's recent history of rookie starsSpeaking of Harrison, it would be no surprise if he wins 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, as it would be a continuation of what Ohio State players consistently have done at the next level. Take a look at all the Rookies of the Year the school has produced since 2016: 2016 DROY: Joey Bosa (Chargers) 2017 DROY: Marshon Lattimore (Saints) 2019 DROY: Nick Bosa (49ers) 2020 DROY: Chase Young (Commanders) 2022 OROY: Garrett Wilson (Jets) 2023 OROY: C.J. Stroud (Texans)
This will be the third straight draft in which a Buckeyes wide receiver will be a first-round pick. They had Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) in 2023 and Wilson and Chris Olave (Saints) in 2022.
 Will the Seahawks draft a QB?The Seahawks will have additional insight into a few local prospects, including quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu who both played at Washington and could be first-round picks. New coach Mike Macdonald hired former Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as his OC and offensive line coach Scott Huff as his O-line coach, which means Seattle could have an intriguing decision to make if both are available when its pick comes up at No. 16. With regards to Penix, though, it should be pointed out that the Seahawks are high on quarterback Sam Howell, whom they traded for last month, and feel he offers some unique advantages. The 23-year-old Howell started 18 NFL games for the Commanders, is the same age as Penix (and Daniels) and is one year younger than Bo Nix (Oregon). Macdonald and the Seahawks feel they have invested in their future at the position with a player who already has game experience. Bypassing a quarterback also would be consistent with Seattle and continue an odd trend for the franchise. In the 15 years John Schneider has been the Seahawks general manager, the team has drafted only two quarterbacks: Russell Wilson in the third round in 2012 and Alex McGough in the seventh round in 2018. Despite the fact that Ron Wolf, Schneider's former boss in Green Bay, used to advocate drafting a quarterback on a nearly annual basis, Schneider has not followed that path. He still has managed to field some of the league's top rosters, however. The Seahawks haven't taken a QB in Round 1 since 1993, when they drafted Rick Mirer at No. 2.
 
The Rams' ties to one QB in the classThe Rams are scheduled to make a first-round pick (No. 19) for the first time since 2016, when they used the No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Jared Goff. Now, with 11 total picks -- tied for the most in the league -- they're in a position to strengthen their defense, which lost Aaron Donald to retirement. Should L.A. decide to look for a future successor for quarterback Matthew Stafford, who currently has no more guaranteed money on his contract after the season, general manager Les Snead could turn to a familiar face: Bo Nix. Snead was a graduate assistant coach at Auburn in 1993, when the school's quarterback was Patrick Nix, Bo's father. Patrick helped lead Auburn to an 11-0 record as a sophomore that season. Snead could go from watching one Nix make a mark on a team he was associated with early in his career to another Nix trying to make a mark on his team years later. One NFL general manager said he believes "there is an undercurrent of support for Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix," even though his team doesn't have a first-round grade on either. This particular general manager said he believes both Penix and Nix are Day 2 picks. Some teams disagree, and there now is speculation Penix could go as high as No. 8 to the Falcons.
 The Eagles' history of first-round tradesEagles general manager Howie Roseman has a history of trading up in Round 1 for the player he wants. He did it in 2019 to get offensive tackle Andre Dillard, in 2021 to get wide receiver Devonta Smith, in 2022 to get defensive lineman Jordan Davis and again in 2023 to get defensive tackle Jalen Carter, Davis' teammate at Georgia. If Roseman wants a cornerback at No. 22, as many people around the league believe he could, he might have to move up again. Per sources, he already has been calling around, gauging what a trade up might look like to be prepared for what has become a near-annual tradition. It's also worth noting Roseman, who has been Philly's GM since 2010, has never drafted a corner, tight end, running back or safety in Round 1.
 Expect the Chiefs to keep a close eye on WRsRashee Rice's looming legal issues and potential NFL discipline could push the Chiefs to look even harder at a wide receiver early in this draft. Rice is facing eight charges after he and another driver of a speeding car allegedly caused a crash involving a half-dozen vehicles on a Dallas highway last month. He is facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury. He turned himself into police last week at the regional jail in DeSoto, Texas, before being released on bond. On top of the legal issues and lawsuit he is facing, Rice is expected to be disciplined by the NFL, resulting in at least a multigame suspension. Kansas City, which owns the No. 32 pick, would have been expected to look for wide receiver help even before Rice's troubles. The team had the most drops in the league (38) last season. Now, it sounds like it's the right draft to add a wideout. Asked to assess the wide receivers in this class, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said: "I think it's one of the deeper classes. ... There is a large group of receivers in the first 50 picks that we have great grades on. Then I think there's another pocket right behind that."
 
A sleeper to be the first defender off the boardIt feels as if most mock drafts are predicting edge rusher Dallas Turner (Alabama) will be the first defensive player drafted Thursday night. And maybe he will be. But there are some front office executives who believe defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (Texas) has a realistic chance of seizing that honor. It's possible a defender might not be picked until Atlanta at No. 8 or Chicago at No. 9. Murphy could be a consideration for both teams. Murphy, who had five sacks last season, is talented, plays a coveted position and has gotten clean character reports. He might interest new Falcons coach Raheem Morris, who had Aaron Donald dominate at that position when he was the coordinator in Los Angeles.
Resolution expected soon for tampering chargesThe NFL's investigation into alleged tampering charges against the Falcons for their involvement with then-free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Eagles for their involvement with then-free agent running back Saquon Barkley is ongoing and could reach a conclusion as early as this week, per sources. Sources believe the discipline, which is likely to involve draft picks, is expected to be more severe for the Falcons. Here are two examples of tampering discipline from the NFL: The Dolphins forfeited their 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 third-round selection for tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton on three occasions from 2019 to 2022. Team owner Stephen Ross and vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal were fined; Ross was fined $1.5 million, while Beal was fined $500,000. The Chiefs forfeited their 2016 third-round pick and a 2017 sixth-round selection for tampering with Jeremy Maclin in 2015. The Chiefs were also fined $250,000. Coach Andy Reid was fined $75,000, and general manager John Dorsey was fined $25,000.
 The Texans love to wheel and dealNobody seems to enjoy making draft weekend deals more than Texans general manager Nick Caserio. During the three drafts he has run in Houston, he has made 18 trades: eight in 2023, seven in 2022 and three in 2021. Caserio has increased the number of draft trades he has made in each of his three drafts in Houston, and he likely will do whatever he needs to continue the trend. The Texans don't own a first-round pick after they traded out of No. 23 with the Vikings. Their first pick is scheduled to be No. 42.
Why it's not always easy being a GMNew Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz admitted last week his offseason promotion has come with a cost. Hortiz said his new job has altered his sleeping habits and made him more like other front office executives. "Once I got the job, other GMs would ask me, 'Hey, have you woken up at 3 a.m. just because yet?'" he said. "Like, your mind is spinning and you just can't go back to sleep. I'm like, 'No, that hasn't happened yet.' Then once we left the combine, it just does -- you don't sleep as much as you did in the past because something pops in your head and you start thinking, early in the morning, and you're rolling." And so it turns out NFL general managers are just like so many other people, lying there in the middle of the night, pondering professional issues and wondering how to address them. The Chargers are willing to listen to all offers for the No. 5 pick, but maybe they shouldn't be. They have had the No. 5 selection in two other years as well. And when they have used that pick, it has produced two of the greatest players in franchise history: Junior Seau and LaDainian Tomlinson. If Hortiz knew he could get a player of that caliber at No. 5, there would be no reason to trade back.
Expect this RB to make an impact as a rookieHad Jonathon Brooks (Texas) not torn his right ACL last November, he likely would have been the top running back selected, possibly in the middle or later portion of Round 1. Now, his knee injury is expected to push him into the second round. Whichever team drafts Brooks, however, still is likely to have him for training camp. He had surgery on his clean ACL tear Dec. 1, was told he would be fully recovered in nine months and already is running. The team that drafts him likely would be getting a discount due to the knee injury, with a player still likely to make an impact during the 2024 season. Even in a draft considered subpar at the position -- more on that in a moment -- some think it would be a surprise if Brooks made it past Dallas' turn at No. 56.
 More interesting notes, tidbits and trends for this draftUnlike last year, when two running backs were drafted in Round 1, no RBs are expected to be selected Thursday night. In fact, this draft could set a mark of a different sort. It could challenge the record for the latest the first running back has been selected, which stands at No. 54 in the 2014 draft, when the Titans picked Bishop Sankey. The top running backs in the 2024 class are considered to be Brooks, Jaylen Wright (Tennessee), Blake Corum (Michigan) and Trey Benson (Florida State). Many expect the first back to be selected in the middle of Round 2. There have been three NFL drafts -- 1968, 2004 and 2009 -- in which a record 19 offensive players were picked in Round 1. The 2024 draft, with its depth at wide receiver and offensive line, could break the record. The Bears have two of the draft's first nine picks but then only two more out of the remaining 249. The four picks they are scheduled to have -- Nos. 1, 9, 75 and 122 -- mark the fewest of any team. On the flip side, the Cardinals, Rams and Packers have 11 picks, tied for the most in the league. USC's Lincoln Riley could become the first college head coach in the common draft era to produce three No. 1 overall picks: Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield. With Drake Maye vying to be a top pick in this draft, North Carolina players are used to going No. 2 overall. Former Tar Heels standouts Mitch Trubisky, Julius Peppers and Lawrence Taylor each was the No. 2 pick in his draft. Marvin Harrison Jr. will become the fifth son of an NFL Hall of Fame player to be a first-round pick. The others: In 2014, Jake Matthews, son of Bruce Matthews; in 2013, Kyle Long, son of Howie Long; in 2008, Chris Long, son of Howie Long; and in 2004, Kellen Winslow II, son of Kellen Winslow. Quinyon Mitchell is expected to become the first Round 1 pick from the MAC since Corey Davis in 2017, and he is expected to become the third MAC defensive back to go in the first round, joining Ron Johnson in 1978 and Jimmie Ward in 2014. UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu is expected to become UCLA's first Round 1 pick since 2018, when Josh Rosen and Kolton Miller were drafted there. Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham is expected to become the ninth offensive lineman under coach Nick Saban since 2008 to be a first-round pick; no other school has produced more than five. Georgia offensive tackle Amarius Mims had the largest wingspan at this year's combine at 86¾ inches -- only a quarter-inch smaller than that of two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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