Position Preview: Quarterbacks

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round, starting with the quarterbacks.

First-Round Candidates

Matt Stafford (top 10 pick), Mark Sanchez (top 10 pick), Josh Freeman (mid-to-late first round).

Stafford may not go No. 1, and if he doesn't go No. 1, there is a chance he could slide to late in the top 10 because few teams at the top of the draft have quarterback as their biggest need. Sanchez is the true wild card. There were plenty of rumors that the Jaguars are interested in him at No. 8, even if the Jags already have a solid quarterback under contract for another six years in David Garrard. Whatever happens with Sanchez, it's hard to see him falling much past the Broncos at No. 12.Even though the Jets are counting on Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff or Erik Ainge to lead a playoff-caliber team, New York doesn't seem that excited about taking Josh Freeman. If they don't, most mock draft scenarios have the Bucs taking him at No. 19. No matter what happens in the teens, Freeman will almost assuredly go in the first round--the absolute lack of a viable No. 4 quarterback in this year's draft means teams either take Freeman or roll the dice on a late-round pick who is a long-term project at best.

Could Sneak Into The First Round

There's no one. After Freeman, there is no quarterback expected to be taken on the first day, and the next quarterback taken will likely be Patrick White, who will probably be only a Wildcat QB in the NFL who spends most of his time at wide receiver.

First-Round Breakdown Chart

Here's a rundown of which teams could take a first-round quarterback. While there are 14 first-round picks by teams with some sort of quarterback need, but only the Lions, Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos, Redskins or Bucs are expected to be in the running to take a first-round QB by most draft experts.

1.Detroit Lions	Strong Need	12.Denver Broncos	Need	23.New England Patriots
2.St. Louis Rams	Slight Need	13.Washington Redskins	Slight Need	24.Atlanta Falcons
3.Kansas City Chiefs		14.New Orleans Saints		25.Miami Dolphins	Slight Need
4.Seattle Seahawks	Slight Need	15.Houston Texans		26.Baltimore Ravens
5.Cleveland Browns		16.San Diego Chargers		27.Indianapolis Colts
6.Cincinnati Bengals		17.New York Jets	Strong Need	28.Buffalo Bills (from Philadelphia)	Slight Need
7.Oakland Raiders		18.Denver Broncos (from Chicago)	Need	29.New York Giants
8.Jacksonville Jaguars		19.Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Need	30.Tennessee Titans	Slight Need
9.Green Bay Packers		20.Detroit Lions (from Dallas)	Strong Need	31.Arizona Cardinals
10.San Francisco 49ers	Strong Need	21.Philadelphia Eagles		32.Pittsburgh Steelers
11.Buffalo Bills	Slight Need	22.Minnesota Vikings	Need