Mock Draft 1 – 3/16/19

Posted on by Kamron Selby Posted in Uncategorized

We are six weeks away from the 2019 NFL draft. A time where most kids dreamed of one day hearing their name called, while rejoicing and embracing with those most influential to putting them in that position. Full of emotion after putting on their team’s new hat, and grasping that jersey with a one on it, imagining all the moments that will transpire over the coming years while representing that fabric on their back. Walking across that stage in delight, a chorus of cheers and jeers in the background, they show off the first of many custom-tailored suits, flashing all kinds of signs from pointing up to the sky, giving glory to God, to the money signs (sorry not sorry Johnny). All of this leading up to the hugging of their new Commissioner Roger Goodell and posing to the camera to offer a glimpse to millions of fans, coaches, and players of what the newest member of the National Football League really looks like. After the wild first wave of free agency, along with the culmination of the NFL Combine, we are beginning to grasp a better understanding of how this year’s draft is going to shake up. Of course, a lot will change within the next month and a half, but for now, let’s see how I believe things will shake out. Holy crap, there’s mock trades too?? You DAMN right!!

*MT indicates Mock Trade*

*Teams without a first round pick include: Cleveland Browns (Odell trade), Chicago Bears (Mack trade), Dallas Cowboys (Cooper trade), and New Orleans Saints (Davenport trade)*

  1. ARIZONA CARDINALS- Kyler Murray QB OU

Rumblings over recent weeks have suggested that Arizona will take Kyler after one year with Josh Rosen to give Kliff Kingsbury the best chance to succeed in his system. The Cards have several other needs, especially a massive overhaul of the offensive line, however it looks as though they are going to give the reigning Heisman winner the keys to the kingdom. The walls to the kingdom appear to be brittle enough that a few years of unnecessary punishment could push the young quarterback back to the diamond.

2. OAKLAND RAIDERS (MT w/ SF)- Nick Bosa DE OSU

TRADE. The soon-to-be Vegas Raiders trade up to get the best pass rusher in the draft, a dire necessity. The younger Bosa boy was neck and neck with the results his brother Joey put up at the combine a few years prior. Before the Kyler rumors came into fruition, the OSU product was recognized by most to be the number one pick, so as long as his core injury had healed without complications. The Raiders have been big spenders this off-season and would sure like to find a guy that will get to the talented quarterbacks in their division, and in turn find a guy that will help get the team more than a putrid 13 sacks as a team (dead last in 2018).

3. NEW YORK JETS- Josh Allen Edge KY

“And Josh Allen escapes the pocket and is taken down by Josh Allen!” Come on, you know it is the perfect scenario for the Wildcat to chase down the Buffalo quarterback of the same name twice a year. Draft prospect Josh is a very talented edge rusher, which is exactly what the Jets would like to add after getting stood up by LB Anthony Barr, who committed to the team before changing his mind and re-signing with the Vikings. The Jets have had a fantastic off-season thus far, and will be more than happy to bring along the highest graded pass rusher on the board.

4. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (MT w/ OAK)- Quinnen Williams DT BAMA

The 49ers trade a few spots back in a similar fashion to 2017 when they took DE Solomon Thomas and have a player with one of the highest ceilings fall in their laps. A so-so defense has been improved drastically this off-season, signing LB Kwon Alexander and Pro Bowl pass rusher Dee Ford to lucrative deals this past week. The addition of the latter makes me believe San Fran will shy away from taking a third defensive end in the first round in the last five drafts due to Thomas and Arik Armstead being quality starting-caliber players still, while pushing either inside to a permanent three or five-technique might not be the best fit. Pairing the Alabama product with Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner inside will solidify the 49ers with one of the best front sevens in all of football.

5. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS- Montez Sweat Edge MISS ST

Tampa can go in a lot of directions with this pick, but with MLB Deone Bucannon reuniting with Bruce Arians on a prove it deal, I believe that is enough to get the Bucs to focus on improving the pass rush. And with that, why not look further than the man that set a combine record for the 40 yard dash by a defensive lineman (4.41)? Sweat has a great combination of size and speed, while also being quite the productive player at Mississippi State. The Bucs desperately need to improve their defense in all facets, so they go with a guy that will get to their division’s three Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks.

6. NEW YORK GIANTS- Rashan Gary DL MICH

From what I have heard, the Giants have not been hugely impressed with this quarterback class (including Kyler Murray) and GM David Gettleman for whatever reason is not ready to admit that 2019 Eli Manning is not even close to 2011 Eli Manning (not even sure if he can compare to a 42 year-old Peyton Manning at this point, or even 69 year-old Archie Manning). Nevertheless, the Giants have expressed interest in potentially trading for Josh Rosen from Arizona, which is where my 2nd mock trade comes in. They allow Josh to sit behind Eli for what fans should hope to be a very VERY short time and get their franchise signal caller for a third rounder, instead of paying a first for a guy like Dwayne Haskins, who in my eyes is nothing more than a mid-level NFL starter. With that being said, Giants find a replacement for defensive lineman Olivier Vernon, who was most recently dealt to the Browns. Gary has all the physical tools to become a force in the NFL, I am concerned however, with his lack of production the last few years at Michigan.

7. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS- T.J. Hockenson TE IOWA

Jacksonville should be jumping for joy now that they are led by a Super Bowl MVP quarterback in Nick Foles. There’s just one issue: Who is he going to throw it to? Jacksonville lost so-so wideout Donte Moncrief in free agency and their top options currently are an inconsistent Dede Westbrook and Marqise Lee, who missed all of last year with a knee injury. So why not go wide receiver? I personally think this is too high of a draft choice to target any of the top receivers in this class, and there will still be some quality guys available when the second round comes along. Therefore, the Jags, being in win-now mode, go with a fantastic tight end in Hockenson. The Hawkeye is the perfect blend of a pass catching and run blocking player, a feat that could lead to multiple Pro Bowls for a guy at a position that is relatively thin league-wide. I understand tight ends have a greater difficulty contributing as rookies, but with the talent this man possesses, as well as Nick Foles’ infatuation with targeting his tight ends in Philly, I believe he can be a fantastic plug and play starter this season. Perhaps he could even assist Leonard Fournette break out, who has struggled to live up to expectations early on.

8. MIAMI DOLPHINS- (MT w/ Det)- Dwayne Haskins QB OSU

TRADE. Trading Ryan Tannehill on Friday to Tennessee fully solidified the Dolphins plan to start a rebuild. Miami becomes desperate in finding a new starter, which will result in the team trading up to snag their brand new signal caller. Haskins has arm talent, there is no doubt about that, however he struggles to thrive when being flushed out of the pocket, which in my eyes makes him a raw prospect. He may get thrown into the fire early on, but Miami has enough talent where he can potentially show flashes and in turn, become the future down in South Beach.

9. BUFFALO BILLS- Jawaan Taylor OT UF

The Bills have quietly had a great off-season, improving their team across the board with not sexy players, but quality starters. Signing center Mitch Morse from the Chiefs is one of my favorite signings thus far, showing a serious attempt by GM Brandon Beane and HC Sean McDermott to protect quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills continue to build on that by finding the guy to shield his blindside with the former Gator. He is probably the safest offensive tackle to pick in this class and it will pay large dividends for Buffalo to keep it low key and continue building the team starting up front.

10. DENVER BRONCOS- Devin White LB LSU

This is my favorite prospect in this entire draft class, and yet he is bafflingly not called on until the Broncos are on the clock. He could go earlier than this, but Denver has the most glaring need of all the teams in the top ten to improve the middle guy of their solid defense. New HC Vic Fangio has spent decades running the defense for various teams, most recently the top ranked Chicago Bears defense of 2018. Of course Khalil Mack had a lot to do with it, but everybody was contributing on that side of the ball, which is why you know he is going to want to strengthen an already solid unit due to all the high flying offenses in the AFC West. White is the perfect type of middle linebacker in today’s NFL. He was the heart and soul of the Tigers defense this past year, flying all over the field making play. If you don’t watch football and turned on an LSU game in 2018, he stands out. He is that good. The early off-season trade for Joe Flacco takes Denver out of the running for a quarterback, so they “settle” on who could very well be the 2019 defensive rookie of the year.

11. CINCINNATI BENGALS- Greedy Williams CB LSU

This may be a reach for a corner, but the Bengals have not done much to improve their secondary, which allowed the most yards and second-most points during the 2018 season. B.W. Webb will not do much at all to change that, so the striped cats get greedy and go with Greedy (see what I did there?). The second straight LSU Tiger off the board, Williams is a long and athletic corner that has the size to match up with most number ones. He did have a few tough games last season, but overall played well enough to earn his 2nd consecutive first-team All-SEC, which speaks volumes, considering the talent in the conference. Many more holes to fill, but this is a low-risk, high-reward type of player, which is what Cincinnati needs at this point.

12. GREEN BAY PACKERS- Jonah Williams OL BAMA

I would love to see this happen. Everybody and their great-great-great-great grandmother from their mother’s side, twice-removed had the Packers taking a pass rusher here, but the Cheeseheads spent $118 million combined on a couple of savvy Smith’s, which essentially takes that need firmly out of the question. I nearly projected Green Bay to trade up to get Nick Bosa, due to having two first rounders and not many needs, but that is merely wishful thinking due the fit and trading such high draft capital for a non-need. Jonah in my eyes is the best lineman in this class, without question. Scouts however, have the big Bama boy, who allowed zero sacks and only three pressures all season, shifting inside to guard at the next level. Green Bay needs to sure up their offensive line, after their future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers was hobbled all year after taking a beating in September coming off a 2017 broken collarbone.

13. DETROIT LIONS (MT w/ MIA)- Devin Bush LB MICH

Detroit could’ve taken White with the 8th pick, but in this scenario, the Lions settle on the next-best option, along with a couple of extra draft picks. Bush is another quick linebacker that can serve multiple purposes, including dropping back in coverage, a feat that the Lions struggled mightily at last season. Matt Patricia is another defensive-minded coach that would like to follow suit of their three division rivals, all of whom have very strong defensive units.  

14. ATLANTA FALCONS- Christian Wilkins DL CLEM

Atlanta is solid across the board, but after franchising DT Grady Jarrett, who graded out as a top five player at his respective position according to Pro Football Focus, the dirty birds find his running mate in the form of a guy that played his last college game in their very stadium. Wilkins is a big bodied defensive lineman that led the Clemson Tigers fantastic front four en route to the routing of the favored Cremson Tide back in January. Atlanta is going be sneaky good this year and having Wilkins up front will certainly help matters.

15. WASHINGTON REDSKINS- Cody Ford OL OU

Washington needs to take a quarterback more than anyone in this draft, only it now makes no sense to do so. Quarterback Alex Smith’s future is filled with uncertainty after the devastating leg injury suffered late last season, which put the ‘Skins in a prime spot to take a rookie QB, seeing as though they have considerable talent across the board (started 6-3 last year). But instead, Owner Dan Snyder made a head-scratching move last week, acquiring journeyman Case Keenum from Denver. That now puts three quarterbacks on a roster in a day in age where NFL teams only keep two rostered guys under center, thus wasting a roster spot, seeing as though Smith may not even play this year. Washington ends up taking a solid lineman in Cody Ford, who could be plugged into multiple areas on the line. Seeing as though the team posted over a dozen starting lineups last year due to injury, this makes the most sense.

16. CAROLINA PANTHERS- Andre Dillard OT WSU

The releasing of Matt Kalil on Friday further indicates the Panthers’ desire to find a new left tackle. They find the best available one sitting right here in the dead center of the first round. Cam Newton needs to become more of a pocket passer if he wants to continue to play in this league in five years. The first step to helping his development as a passer is setting him up in a spot where he has time to throw and does not have to worry about defenders barreling down on his shoulder that earlier in the off-season was reported was so bad, he was considering sitting out the 2019 season. Dillard can be the guy to prevent Cam from being paranoid of footsteps in the coming years.

17. NEW YORK GIANTS (from CLE)- Clelin Ferrell Edge CLEM

I thought this was a toss-up between wide receiver and pass rusher, but after the signing of Golden Tate, I thought the Giants would continue with the rebuild, this time going with the more impactful selection. Clelin Ferrell has a knack for getting to the quarterback, and will be a solid starter for years. It’s time the dysfunctional Giants start to function and pick the conventional guy. Injuries pending, they will not regret it.

18. MINNESOTA VIKINGS- Garrett Bradbury C NC STATE

Bradbury has flown up draft boards more than anybody in the last few months. This can be a high pick for a center, but Minnesota does have a glaring need at the position, which gives all the reason to go with the best available lineman, regardless of position. The Wolfpack product impressed at the combine and solidified his status as a first-rounder. He is easily one of the most likeable players in this draft, which is why this selection by the SKOL could turn into an A based on fit, need, and quality of talent.

19. TENNESSEE TITANS- Noah Fant TE IOWA

Mariota really struggled last season when he did play in large part due to Delanie Walker tearing his Achilles in the waning moments of the season opener. That does not bode well for a guy that turns 35 in August, especially with that type of injury. If the Titans want to see that Mariota is capable of hanging with the other quarterbacks in the division, they need to surround him with weapons that will allow him to thrive in the short to intermediate areas. Enter the second Hawkeye tight end of this draft. Fant, however, is more of a receiving specialist and more athletic compared to his soon-to-be former teammate. Fant will fit perfectly in this scheme, splitting TE-1 reps with the aging Walker, allowing the young guy to ease in and develop chemistry with his Hawaiian quarterback.

20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS- Johnathan Abram S MISS ST

Many are flirting with the idea that the Steelers could replace All Pro wide out Antonio Brown with his cousin Marquise from Oklahoma, but I do not believe they will find it necessary. Ju Ju is the new go-to-guy after his breakout 2018 campaign, and he has a couple of young teammates that could follow suit. Don’t forget that Pittsburgh is fantastic at drafting receivers, and 2018 2nd rounder James Washington is the next man up. He was an absolute stud at Oklahoma State, but just was not given many opportunities in his rookie year. Ryan Switzer is another guy that could become a top slot receiver due to his quickness and sure hands. Not to mention the signing of Donte Moncrief, so with all things considered, I cannot see them attacking the receiver spot early at all. Meanwhile, they look into taking a very solid safety from Mississippi State. Secondary was definitely a weakness last year, but with the addition of Steven Nelson from KC gives reason for me to believe they will try to sure up the safety position, which has been an issue since Ryan Clark left in 2013. Abram is a physical safety that fits the mentality of the franchise and could help reintroduce the team to its former glory, albeit in a lesser fashion.

21. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS- Ed Oliver DL UH

This could potentially be the steal of the first round. If anybody has the chance of sliding in this draft, it’s the former Houston Cougar. That is not a knock on his talent by any means, however it is a combination of other needs being addressed in the middle of the round, and issues Oliver had with the Houston coaching staff in the previous year, when his attitude and desire or lack thereof to playing while banged up could rub some teams the wrong way. Pairing him with Pete Carroll will allow even a potentially immature athlete to come in and thrive due to the player-friendly environment Carroll has instilled in the teams he has coached over the years. Talent-wise, Oliver can be a top five player in this draft, which is why getting him at 21 should have Seattle licking their chops.

22. BALTIMORE RAVENS- Brian Burns Edge BC

Baltimore is another team that is in desperate need of a wide out, especially after cutting Michael Crabtree and losing John Brown. The tables have turned in the last week however, after Baltimore’s top rated defense in 2018 was decimated after losing four quality starters, including multi-time Pro Bowler C.J. Mosley and most notably pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and long-time Raven Terrell Suggs. Baltimore has always taken pride in building their defense, and being the well-run organization that they are, I see them finding one of the replacements of the holes on the edge. There are plenty of receivers to target later on, but pass rushers are dropping like flies in the first round, so it is best to snag one if given the opportunity.

23. HOUSTON TEXANS- Dalton Risner OT KSU

The Texans did the right thing by avoiding an attempted improvement along the offensive line through free agency. Juwaan James and Trent Brown were significantly overpaid and Roger Saffold would have been an expensive short-term solution. Nonetheless, Houston is in a tough spot. They have the worst offensive line in football and every team knows that. Which is why once the top few options in the draft are gone by the teens, one may think it might be necessary to trade back. After Risner, the talent at tackle drops off considerably, from a perspective of first round-worthy offensive tackles. It would not be worth the risk of hoping the last guy will fall back to you when you had the chance to take him in the first place. Even with that, Houston has two 2nd rounders (54th and 55th) so if any trading is going to happen, it needs to be up and will likely have to be before 15th (Carolina and Washington need OTs). Seeing as though other needs such as secondary and MORE lineman, it is not worth taking two quality selections and flirt with trading them away when you can deal with the slight reach of a guy that can play either tackle position for the next five plus years.

24. OAKLAND RAIDERS (from CHI)- Josh Jacobs RB BAMA

Oakland definitely upgraded the receiving corps with the additions of Antonio Brown and sneaky good down field threat of Tyrell Williams, so that gives the leeway for their second 1st round selection to become their new running back. Jacobs is very physical runner (what’s new, he is from Bama) and has very little mileage due to the committee approach the Tide had taken during his tenure. Marshawn Lynch’s days are numbered as an affective back and bringing in Jacobs while complimenting him with Jalen Richard as the change of pace back, could be intriguing to watch. Not to mention, there has been a considerable success rate of quality young running backs over the last two drafts.

25. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES- Deandre Baker CB UGA

Philly was decimated with injuries at corner in the latter part of the year, which is primarily why the defense began to struggle. Former second round pick Sidney Jones was once a first round prospect, however a serious injury before the 2017 draft took his rookie year. He did not play very well in his first NFL season last year, finding himself out of position constantly. Although there is room for improvement, the position needs to be upgraded, and it is any easy choice with the former Bulldog. Baker is only 5’11, but he plays much bigger than his size indicates, using his physicality to make up for it. He can step in and instantly compete for a day one starting gig.

26. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS- Rock Ya-Sin CB TEMPLE

Indy had a sneaky good defense last year, but was relatively thin in the secondary, often finding themselves in shootouts, primarily due to youth and inexperience on the back end. Pierre Desir is back after finishing the season strong with an impressive performance against DeAndre Hopkins in the wild-card round, but he does need a running mate on the other side of the field. Look no further than Ya-Sin, who became a potential first round talent after an impressive showing in the Senior Bowl.

27.OAKLAND RAIDERS (from DAL)- Byron Murphy CB WASH

The Raiders continue to hit on pressing needs with the plethora of picks in this round, and this time they find themselves a solid corner. Murphy is a nifty defensive back that is very good at playing the ball in the air and using his hands to get positioning on opposing receivers. The Husky will able to start day one and have his work cut out for him with the talented receivers in the division.

28. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (MT w/ LAC)- D.K. Metcalf WR OLE MISS

TRADE. This scenario has the 49ers sneaking back into the first round with the ammunition they received from Oakland at the beginning of the round to pounce on the hype of D.K. (no, not Donkey Kong). The big bodied receiver threw himself towards the top of the receiver class after an impressive showing in the 40 and bench press. He did struggle with the agility drills, but Kyle Shanahan is not going to put this dude in the slot to run all kinds of Wes Welker routes. No, he is going to tell Jimmy G to float the ball up in the air and let the Rebel go and get it. Marquise Goodwin can handle the route running, while breakout tight end George Kittle can be the QB’s go to. All of the sudden, San Fran will have an intriguing trio of pass catchers that defensive backs on the other side are not going to want to sleep on.

29. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS- Nasir Adderly S DEL

The Chiefs let go of Eric Berry this week, so it will be a must to find a replacement to pair with brand new Chief Tyrann Matheiu. The Honey Badger is a flexible back that can play next to anywhere on the field, so that really gives the Chiefs the ability to pick the best available DB. Adderly is the top prospect from the FCS and is a very skilled safety with size. KC could have really used these two in the postseason, when Tom Brady was finding all kinds of holes down the stretch in the AFC title game.

30. GREEN BAY PACKERS (from NO)- Marquise Brown OU

Green Bay gets Rodgers a brand new toy in the form of the speedy Sooner. Brown may hear his name called later than desired, but should not be upset when he gets to catch balls from the likes of A-a-ron to begin his pro career. Rodgers struggled last season without a great group of skill players outside of Davante Adams. Having the 1-2 punch of Adams and Brown will allow #12 to sling it like we are accustomed to seeing. Oh and I bet you a nickel Jordy Nelson reunites as his trusty 3rd guy at a relatively inexpensive price.

31. LOS ANGELES RAMS- Dexter Lawrence DT CLEM

The Rams are likely not going to be able to bring back Suh, so they will replace him with a stud like Lawrence. The 3rd Clemson D-lineman to come off the board, Dexter will be able to plug the middle primarily as a run stopper. The 350-lb defensive tackle should have no problem fitting in and will allow Aaron Donald to roam just as he has done so elegantly the last two seasons, en route to back-to-back DPOY honors.

32. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS- Irv Smith Jr. TE BAMA

It has still not been determined if Rob Gronkowski will retire or not this off-season, but the Patriots should still look to find his future replacement regardless. Smith Jr. had considerable success as both a receiver and run blocker at Alabama, a feat that New England typically likes to get out of their tight ends. He has a high IQ and the potential to become yet another weapon for Tom Brady, especially during two TE sets should Gronk be available.

Trade Compensation:

*SF gets 4th overall pick, 35th pick, 2020 OAK 3rd 

  • OAK gets 2nd overall pick

*MIA gets 8th overall pick, DET 2020 6th

  • DET gets 13th overall pick, MIA 2019 4th, MIA 2020 2nd

*NYG gets QB Josh Rosen

  • Ari gets 2019 NYG 3rd, NYG 2019 comp. 5th

*LAC gets 35th pick (via OAK), 2019 3rd, SF 2019 comp. 6th

  • SF gets 28th overall pick

Top 50 according to Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network Analyst

  1. Nick Bosa DE OSU
  2. Quinnen Williams DT BAMA
  3. Josh Allen Edge KU
  4. Christian Wilkins DT Clemson
  5. T.J. Hockenson TE IOWA
  6. Ed Oliver DT UH
  7. Josh Jacobs RB BAMA
  8. Devin White LB LSU
  9. Rashan Gary Edge MICH
  10. Montez Sweat Edge Miss St.
  11. Andre Dillard OT WSU
  12. Kyler Murray QB OU
  13. Jawaan Taylor OT UF
  14. Devin Bush LB MICH
  15. Noah Fant TE IOWA
  16. Marquise Brown WR OU
  17. D.K. Metcalf WR OLE MISS
  18. Jeffery Simmons DT MISS ST
  19. Jonah Williams OL BAMA
  20. Dwayne Haskins QB OSU
  21. Clelin Ferrell DE CLEM
  22. Garrett Bradbury C N.C. ST
  23. Drew Lock QB MIZZ
  24. Brian Burns EDGE BC
  25. Johnathan Abram S MISS ST
  26. Byron Murphy CB WASH
  27. Irv Smith Jr. TE BAMA
  28. Rock Ya-Sin CB TEMPLE
  29. Cody Ford OL OU
  30. DeAndre Baker CB UGA
  31. Greedy Williams CB LSU
  32. Dexter Lawrence DT CLEM
  33. Nasir Adderly S Delaware 
  34. Jerry Tillery DT ND
  35. Daniel Jones QB DUKE
  36. Riley Ridley WR UGA
  37. AJ Brown WR OLE MISS
  38. Dalton Risner OT KSU
  39. Taylor Rapp S WASH
  40. Erik McCoy C A&M
  41. Kaleb McGary OT WASH
  42. N’Keal Harry WR ASU
  43. Miles Sanders RB PSU
  44. L.J Collier Edge TCU
  45. Jaylon Ferguson Edge L.Tech
  46. Justin Layne CB MSU
  47. Deebo Samuel WR SC
  48. Trayvon Mullen CB CLEM
  49. David Montgomery RB ISU
  50. Tytus Howard OT ALA ST

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001021874/article/daniel-jeremiahs-top-50-prospects-for-2019-nfl-draft-30

https://www.prosportstransactions.com/

https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/

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