Justin Fields was a phenomenal quarterback at Ohio State. He might become a phenomenal NFL quarterback. He has become the most discussed prospect in this year’s draft, and he is the player most likely to be the story of draft night.
Fields, in a way, sums up the story of the modern draft itself. There is the media narrative, which happens outside NFL offices, and then the team evaluations. Sometimes the two overlap. But often, they don’t.
Consider this phrase, which has been uttered in recent weeks, and could be uttered a lot Thursday night: Justin Fields is dropping in the draft.