Unlike trade rumors at the MLB and NBA trade deadlines, the days and weeks leading up to the NFL Draft feature a lot of trade rumors in more of a vacuum. We will always hear how teams X, Y and Z are looking to move down, but we hear less about teams looking to move up, and virtually nothing that pairs up two teams specifically. Trades involve specific picks and unlike with player for player trades, it is difficult to get too specific and match up teams.
Mike Sando put together an interesting post yesterday afternoon in which he provided a chart showing all trades since 2000 that involved the first round draft picks currently held by NFC West teams. It is not really something we can use to predict the future, but it is still interesting to at least consider some moves that have been made.
The 30th pick has been traded five times since 2000, three times dropping down into the second round and two times climbing up in the first round. None of those trades happened last year, when most people figured a new rookie cap would be put in place. The rookie cap has changed some of the value of first round picks, so it is hard to make nearly as many comparisons to trades that took place prior to 2011.
As it currently stands, if I had to make my prediction for what goes down today, I think there is a strong chance the 49ers deal out of their current pick into the top of the second and draft Amini Silatolu. The 49ers might be intent on drafting Silatolu with pick No. 30, but I could see move down. My gut tells me the 49ers move No. 30 in some form or fashion.