The NFL Combine is over, and now come the big moves – especially with free agency kicking in. How does the 2019 NFL Draft look in March?
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2019 NFL Draft: April 25-27
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Pick Will Be: QB Kyler Murray, OKlahoma
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
Is this one big bluff to get someone to move up to the No. 1 spot to grab the Oklahoma quarterback? If it’s not, the Cardinals are certainly putting out the vibe that they’d love to restart the franchise with new exciting passer to go along with head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
The better move would be to do with one of the all-timer defensive tackle prospects or one of the freakish ends, but Murray is a fun call … if that’s really the pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers
The Pick Will Be: DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
The word you’re looking for is YOINK. The Niners might think about Kentucky’s Josh Allen, but nah. If it’s possible to get good value with the No. 2 pick in the draft, Bosa would probably be it.
3. New York Jets
The Pick Will Be: DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
In most normal years, Williams would be the slam dunk No. 1 overall choice without thinking. He’s the big, fast, aggressive defensive tackle that can change around a defense and a franchise. It’ll kill the Jets to not go with Josh Allen, but boo hoo. Williams would be a brilliant addition.
4. Oakland Raiders
The Pick Will Be: DE Rashan Gary, Michigan
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
And here’s where the fun begins. What do Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden want to do with their three first round picks? Josh Allen might be Khalil Mack lite, but Gary is way too freakish and has way too much upside in a variety of ways. He’s an instant fit, and then …
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Pick Will Be: DE Josh Allen, Kentucky
Biggest Need: Defensive Back
The Buccaneers will sit back and see who drops to five. No matter if it’s Gary or Allen, there’s no wrong answer here to restart the defense. There are other big needs – like defensive back and offensive tackle – but you don’t mess around with anything other than Best Player Available at the five.
6. New York Giants
The Pick Will Be: QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
Biggest Need: Quarterback
It’s actually a really nice spot and option for the Giants. They can stick with the Eli plan for one more year and ease Haskins into the gig, and get the new guy some work along the way. But what would happen if Murray fell here? Nah, it still might be the Ohio State bomber.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Pick Will Be: DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
Biggest Need: Quarterback
With Nick Foles a seemingly mortal lock to be a Jaguar, there’s no need to overreach for a Drew Lock or Daniel Jones. Sweat might not be a fluid as some might like, but ends with his size, speed and upside are rare.
8. Detroit Lions
The Pick Will Be: DE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
Jacksonville takes one top pass rusher, and Detroit takes the other. The Jaguars could easily take Sweat with the seven, or Gary if he drops. The Lions will go after whichever disruptive force is still available.
9. Buffalo Bills
The Pick Will Be: OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
Time to protect the franchise. Alabama’s Jonah Williams, Washington State’s Andre Dillard, and Greg Little at Ole Miss will be on the board, but building up the line for Josh Allen is the priority – even though grabbing Iowa TE TJ Hockenson would be a huge grab.
10. Denver Broncos
The Pick Will Be: CB Greedy Williams, LSU
Biggest Need: Cornerback
There are enough concerns in Williams’ game to keep him from going higher than this, but he’s too fast and has too much upside to hang around much longer. The first nine players and picks are going to be relatively easy in terms of guys going off the board. To go cliché, this is where the draft really starts.
NEXT: 2019 Mock Draft: 11-20
11. Cincinnati Bengals
The Pick Will Be: OT Greg Little, Ole Miss
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
Little flew under the radar a bit at the Combine. He didn’t do anything fantastic, he wasn’t fast, and he wasn’t particularly amazing outside of measuring 6-5 and 310 pounds. He’s an Day One starter of need for the Bengal line.
12. Green Bay Packers
The Pick Will Be: DT Ed Oliver, Houston
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
Enough is enough. The Packers need outside pass rushers and could really use Iowa TE TJ Hockenson, but Oliver is way too good and way too dangerous not to go with here. There’s a second Green Bay pick later in the round to potentially grab a Noah Fant or another tight end.
13. Miami Dolphins
The Pick Will Be: QB Daniel Jones, Duke
Biggest Need: Quarterback
It’ll be among the draft’s most interesting moments. The Dolphins have to upgrade from the Ryan Tannehill experience. Will it be Drew Lock, Will Grier, or Jones? The Duke passer is an overreach, but the position is a need pick.
14. Atlanta Falcons
The Pick Will Be: DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
Green Bay will likely go with one of the top tackles on the board, and Atlanta will take the other. Offensive tackle might be a thought, but Oliver or Wilkins will be too good to pass up.
15. Washington Redskins
The Pick Will Be: QB Drew Lock, Missouri
Biggest Need: Quarterback
The offense can’t count on Alex Smith to be back and ready to roll, so the pick here has to potentially be a Day One starter. The Redskins will take Lock or Jones, whichever one is still there.
16. Carolina Panthers
The Pick Will Be: OT/OG Jonah Williams, Alabama
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
This would be the Jachai Polite spot if the Florida defensive end didn’t have such a disastrous combine. The Panthers could use a little versatility on the offensive line, and if Williams works out at tackle, great. If he’s needed more at guard, that’s fine for this line, too.
17. Cleveland Browns
The Pick Will Be: WR DK Metcalf, Ole Miss
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
The quarterback needs a star receiver to work with over the next several years. Metcalf’s health issues – he suffered a neck injury last year – has to check out, but a guy this big, this fast, and this good is perfect for Baker Mayfield.
18. Minnesota Vikings
The Pick Will Be: OT Andre Dillard, Washington State
Biggest Need: Offensive Line
The Vikings have to upgrade the offensive front. They have to get the running game going, so they’re going to take a star from the Washington State offense? Yeah, but if Little or Williams are still on the board, Minnesota will grab one of those two tackles.
19. Tennessee Titans
The Pick Will Be: TE TJ Hockenson, Iowa
Biggest Need: Wide Receiver
If this Marcus Mariota thing is going to start to really work, he needs more weapons to work with. Hockenson is a do-it-all type who’ll help blocking as well as with his pass catching skills. He won’t slide any further than this.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pick Will Be: CB Byron Murphy, Washington
Biggest Need: Cornerback
The Steelers will go with the best corner on the board, and it could be Georgia’s Deandre Baker if he’s still around. Murphy rocked on the explosive jumping drills in Indianapolis to make up for the mediocre 4.55 in the 40. He’s the sort of playmaker on the board the Steelers would use right away.
NEXT: 2019 Mock Draft: 21-32
21. Seattle Seahawks
The Pick Will Be: LB Devin White, LSU
Biggest Need: Offensive Tackle
It’s a little too obvious and by-the-book for Seattle, but White is way too good and is lasting way too long. White might not be the end and the pass rusher the team needs, and he’s obviously not a help for the offensive line, but he’s a future leader and star who’ll be a longtime starter.
22. Baltimore Ravens
The Pick Will Be: RB Josh Jacobs, Alabama
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
Jacobs might boost back up the charts after his Pro Day, but tapping out of the Combine didn’t help his overall cause, considering the one big knock on him is his lack of proven durability – he wasn’t used enough by Bama. With Alex Collins off the team, the Ravens need a new thumping running back to build around.
23. Houston Texans
The Pick Will Be: CB Deandre Baker, Georgia
Biggest Need: Offensive Line
It’ll either be Washington’s Byron Murphy or Baker, whichever one is still there for the taking. NC State’s Garrett Bradbury and Boston College’s Chris Lindstrom would a consideration for the O line, but Baker fills a need, too.
24. Oakland Raiders
The Pick Will Be: DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher, Running Back
This is assuming the Raiders go with Rashan Gary with the fourth overall pick. If Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence really is on the board, he’ll be a consideration, but at 24, Mike Mayock is buying low on a top ten overall talent who needs a redshirt year to heal up his injured knee.
25. Philadelphia Eagles
The Pick Will Be: DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
Biggest Need: Cornerback
He’s too good to last this long. He’s a No. 1 overall pick talent who’ll keep sliding thanks to the PED issues that kept him out of the College Football Playoff, but he’s a rare anchor talent.
26. Indianapolis Colts
The Pick Will Be: DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
Biggest Need: Defensive Line
Jones is the right fit at the right time. Lawrence or Simmons would go here if one of them is still on the board, but Jones is a dangerous disruptive force who can get into the backfield.
27. Oakland Raiders
The Pick Will Be: CB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher, Defensive Back, Offensive Line
Again, trying to read Oakland’s earlier picks, the defense continues to get more help with a No. 1 tough guy corner who can do a little of everything right. Ya-Sin would be a nice value get considering how early the other top corners went.
28. Los Angeles Chargers
The Pick Will Be: LB Devin Bush, Michigan
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
Defensive line, offensive tackle, developmental quarterback – the Chargers have a whole lot to go after. However, grabbing a tone-setting big hitter who’d grow into the leader of the linebacking corps and the defense isn’t bad.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
The Pick Will Be: CB JoeJuan Williams, Vanderbilt
Biggest Need: Cornerback
The Chiefs always seem to order off the menu. Williams isn’t a crazy pick in the first round, and he fits considering his size and toughness. There’s a chance KC goes with Florida State’s Brian Burns to add another pass rushing option.
30. Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans Saints)
The Pick Will Be: DE Brian Burns, Florida State
Biggest Need: Pass Rusher
The Packers can go Best Player Available with the 12th pick, and then get a good value here. Either it will be a tight end like Iowa’s Noah Fant, or they’ll get the pass rusher they need in Burns.
31. Los Angeles Rams
The Pick Will Be: DE Jachai Polite, Florida
Biggest Need: Outside Linebacker
Value, value, value. Polite is a top ten overall talent who reportedly had an undrafted free agent level interview and overall combine. At the very least, he’s a great get to be a part of an already nasty line – even if there are a few free agent losses.
32. New England Patriots
The Pick Will Be: DT JErry Tillery, Notre Dame
Biggest Need: Defensive Tackle
This won’t be all that hard for a Patriot team that needs to get younger and stronger on the defensive front. Tillery’s versatility and skills fit what New England needs as a part somewhere up front.
