The annual question heading into the NFL draft is which teams might attempt to move up or down the board depending on how the picks fall, particularly in the early rounds.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht believes there could be less action this year. The Super Bowl winner cited the makeup of the 2025 class -- which is viewed as fairly even, with solid starters but fewer surefire franchise-changers -- as his reasoning that fewer clubs could be itching to move.
"You can't walk into it saying, 'I am definitely looking to trade back,' because you don't know what's going to fall to you. I do think this year is going to be -- I could be wrong -- you're going to see maybe a little less people maybe wanting to move up and offering enough to make it worth your while just because the draft is pretty leveled-out at a certain point," Licht said, via the team's official transcript. "You might be able to get the same level of player in the second round as you can in the fourth round at certain positions, so I think you'll maybe see a little bit less of that."
Licht has found success in mid to later rounds. Last year, he selected stud running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round. In the third, he snagged wideout Jalen McMillan and nickel corner Tykee Smith.
The GM was asked if that ability to find gold outside of the first round lends itself to trading down.
"It might have something to do with it, but I think it's just the way this draft is," he said. "We've had some good production. My staff and the coaches have done a great job. The last three years -- I would say combined, those drafts were elite when you put them all -- add them all together. We want to try to keep doing it. It doesn't always work out that way, but keep doing it. I think this particular draft just seems it be a little bit more leveled-out which I'm excited about. I'm not saying that's something I don't like about this draft. It's something I do like about the draft."
Fewer high-end quarterbacks in this class might immediately curtail trades -- will teams attempt to trade back into the end of the first round for a potential borderline signal-caller? Viewed as a meat-and-potatoes draft, clubs could have vastly different boards than other years.
That leveled-out nature of this draft class could make for interesting decisions come draft day. While Licht suggests that it could lead to fewer trades, it's possible that teams could see the demarcation lines where the very top players on their boards fall off and decide to move up to get them before the plate shift. If a club has 15 first-round grades and there is a fall-off after, it could provide the impetus for more moves. Or might most teams, if they have a similar grade on players 20-60 on their boards, simply hoard their middle-round picks to get additional solid starters?
As with everything draft-related, educated guesses are part of the game. Clubs can prepare as best as possible for any eventuality. The best GMs are the ones who can react on the clock to major shifts and deftly maneuver the seven-round sprint.
