The draft is nearly here, which means all of the speculation is just about finished. In short time, will know what teams will have drafted which players, and we will soon turn toward analyzing and dissecting every move. So, the fun is just beginning.
Here are my final projections for the 2019 NFL Draft.
ROUND 1
1. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: This has been no secret. Murray is going to Arizona unless the Raiders make a big-time move up to No. 1.
2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State: A lot of teams have Bosa as the best player in this draft. They add the premier edge player to a young, dynamic defensive line.
3. NEW YORK JETS: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: Oliver’s stock has been rising. And fast. He may have overtaken Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen as the choice for Gang Green.
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky: I don’t expect the Raiders to move up for Murray, so they stand pat and add a premier talent at a huge area of need. Great choice.
5. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama: With Gerald McCoy seemingly on the outs in Tampa, they find a ready-made replacement in Williams, the best player in this draft.
6. NEW YORK GIANTS: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke: The Giants are rumored to have Jones as the top quarterback on their board. I’m not sold, but I’m not making the decisions for Big Blue.
7. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama: The best offensive lineman in this class, Williams, goes to Jacksonville where he can play either guard or tackle. Either way, the Jaguars want to protect new quarterback Nick Foles.
8. DETROIT LIONS: TJ Hockenson, TE, Iowa: The Lions would love to move down, but are unable to. So, they take what might be the safest player in this entire draft in Hockenson. He’s huge, can run, catch, and is a monster in the run game. Great fit.
9. MIAMI DOLPHINS (Miami sends #13, #79, and #235 to Buffalo for #9): Drew Lock, QB, Missouri: The Dolphins jump John Elway and Denver to land the quarterback they covet. Lock has all of the tools necessary to become a star. He also can redshirt for a season with Ryan Fitzpatrick having signed in the offseason.
10. DENVER BRONCOS: Devin White, LB, LSU: The Broncos were one pick short of landing the quarterback they want. But, they stand pat and take White, a playmaking linebacker from LSU. He immediately steps into a three-down role Denver.
11. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: The Bengals are torn between trying to improve and compete now and building for the future. Haskins is the one quarterback they would choose in this slot as they think he can be the face of the franchise moving forward.
12. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State: Burns may be the best pure pass rusher in this draft. The Packers need more help with their pass rush. Easy pick here.
13. BUFFALO BILLS (via trade with Miami): Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State: The Bills would have taken Dillard at No. 9 if they stood pat. So, this is a win. They pick up a third and a seventh and still land the player they wanted. Well done.
14. ATLANTA FALCONS: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson: The Falcons love their roster. But, adding a monster on the inside to free up their playmaking linebackers is a need. Wilkins is a perfect fit on the interior.
15. WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan: The Redskins reportedly love Dwayne Haskins, but don’t pull the trigger to move up and land him. They also can use help in a number of other areas. Should they add a playmaker for Case Keenum/Colt McCoy? Or, try to shore up the defense by adding the best remaining playmaker. I think Bush is the pick here.
16. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State: Sweat is tough to peg. He has a heart condition that may cause some teams to remove him from their draft boards completely. But, the upside is undeniable and the Panthers are the ones to pull the trigger and land a potential top-10 talent.
17. NEW YORK GIANTS: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson: Ferrell is an all-around edge player that can both rush the passer and play the run. The Giants just traded Olivier Vernon to Cleveland and still haven’t replaced Jason Pierre-Paul since he bolted last offseason. Ferrell gives them a building block.
18. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: Garrett Bradbury, G/C, North Carolina State: Bradbury is an instant starter as the best interior line prospect in this draft. The Vikings could use him at center and kick incumbent Pat Elflein to left guard, or Bradbury, himself, could play guard. Great fit as an impact player at a position of need.
19. TENNESSEE TITANS: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa: Fant is the best pure receiving tight end in this class. His athleticism is off the charts. While the hands are inconsistent, he is an impact player and gives the Titans another weapon with which to work. Great complement or replacement for Delanie Walker.
20. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington: The Steelers would have loved for Devin Bush to fall here, but they “settle” for the best corner in this draft. Murphy is a playmaking cornerback that will play opposite Joe Haden from Day 1.
21. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan: Despite a shoulder injury, Gary fits the Seahawks’ aggressive scheme and helps replace Frank Clark. Gary is semi-positionless, but Pete Carroll does not care.
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (Philadelphia sends #25 and #128 to Baltimore for #22): Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama: The Eagles love Jacobs and make the move to get in front of Oakland to land the best runner in this class. He was the lesser end of a committee in college, meaning that he has less mileage than most first-round backs do.
23. HOUSTON TEXANS: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida: The Texans will probably take the best offensive lineman available, regardless of position. Their line has needs all over and Taylor just happens to be a borderline top-10 talent. He’s a great player that will start at right tackle from the jump.
24. OAKLAND RAIDERS: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Mississippi: Metcalf is a polarizing prospect. His elite size/speed combination is intriguing. But, a neck injury in college has some concerned. Also, he hasn’t shown elite route running. Either way, adding another weapon to an offense with Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams should make things interesting in the Bay Area.
25. BALTIMORE RAVENS (via trade with Philadelphia): Erik McCoy, G/C, Texas A&M: McCoy has the versatility and the skills to play either center or guard. Much like Bradbury, he will be a Day 1 starter on the interior. The Ravens with a run-centric offense could do much worse than adding a player of this caliber.
26. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU: The Colts have an elite offense with Andrew Luck protected by a very good offensive line. Certainly, a wide receiver like A.J. Brown or Hakeem Butler could be a target here, but the Colts go to the other side of the ball and add a potential shutdown cornerback in Williams.
27. OAKLAND RAIDERS: Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame: Tillery may be the best inside rusher in this draft. Despite being taller than your average interior player, he has a great burst and plays with great leverage. Tillery teams with Maurice Hurst and P.J. Hall to form an excellent interior rotation. Pairing him with Josh Allen in the first round goes a long way to solve their pass rush problems.
28. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (San Francisco trades #36, #105, and 2020 3rd round pick for #28): Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State: Butler is a huge target that will help keep defenses off star tight end George Kittle. Butler has excellent size and contested catch ability. At worst, he’s a big slot, but certainly can play outside and give them another weapon for Jimmy Garoppolo.
29. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (via trade with Kansas City): Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia: Baker has excellent cover skills. He was one of the stingiest cover corners in college football last season. But, his speed is a concern. The Seahawks could look to add a pass rusher or a perimeter weapon on offense, but they settle for Baker as a potential Day 1 starter.
30. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Cody Ford, G/T, Oklahoma: The Packers land a big, nasty offensive lineman in Ford. Many believe he profiles best inside at guard, which is where he would begin his Packers career. But, he provides insurance for right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who has been injury prone and isn’t getting any younger.
31. LOS ANGELES RAMS: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State: Simmons is a top-10 talent in this draft if healthy. But, a torn ACL derailed his draft process and many think 2019 could be a redshirt season. The Rams love his potential next to all-world defender, Aaron Donald, as a replacement for Ndamukong Suh.
32. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Irv Smith Jr, TE, Alabama: With Rob Gronkowski no longer around, the Patriots have a big hole at tight end. They certainly could add an outside receiver, but Tom Brady loves to work the intermediate areas of the field, which is where Smith feasts. He is a perfect fit as a top-25 player in this draft.
ROUND 2
33. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma: The Cardinals take “Hollywood” and keep him paired with his collegiate quarterback in Murray. Kliff Kingsbury’s offense will keep things open and Brown’s speed/quickness/playmaking skills will certainly be a welcomed addition.
34. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson: The Colts continue to add to the defense and pick up a potential star in Lawrence. He was the anchor on a dominant Clemson line and certainly provides much-needed beef in the middle of the Colts defense.
35. OAKLAND RAIDERS: Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State: Layne has prototypical size and speed for a starter in today’s NFL. Over the last 20 seasons, only Antonio Cromartie, Jalen Ramsey, and Xavier Rhodes can match Layne’s measurables from the pre-draft process. This is a boom-or-bust pick for Oakland.
36. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (via trade with San Francisco): Dalton Risner, G/T, Kansas State: Risner is a mean, mean individual. He plays with a nasty streak that perhaps only Cody Ford can match in this draft class. He can play anywhere from left guard to right tackle and play each of them very well. This is an excellent pick.
37. NEW YORK GIANTS: N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State: Harry is a big, physical receiver with excellent hands. His cuts in and out of breaks could certainly be refined, but he has the chance to become the primary red zone target immediately in the Big Apple. A lot of experts have Harry as the top receiver in this draft.
38. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: AJ Brown, WR, Mississippi: Brown doesn’t have Harry’s height, but at a little over 6 feet, he can still play above the rim. He’s strong, both physically, and with his hands. He may project as a big slot, but I believe he has the skillset to play on the perimeter.
39. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware: Adderley is a well-rounded safety that fits a need in the Bucs secondary. He is a smart, instinctive player with the requisite range and playmaking ability to be a Day 1 impact starter.
40. BUFFALO BILLS: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina: The Bills added Cole Beasley this offseason, but Samuel has the potential to be a true game changer. He profiles best in the slot, but has the ability to play outside and win vertically, as well, which is needed with Josh Allen and his huge arm at the helm. His short area quickness off the line makes him incredibly dangerous in the red zone.
41. DENVER BRONCOS: Greg Little, OT, Mississippi: I keep trying to find faults in Little’s game, but there are so few. He’s ready right now as a pass blocker, which is key with Joe Flacco under center. He could get a little more physical in the run game, but I think he fits what Denver wants to do.
42. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan: Winovich may not be the best pure athlete off the edge, but he always seems to make plays. He doesn’t do any one thing great, but he’s as solid as they come.
43. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (Washington sends #46 and #154 to Detroit for #43): Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple: Ya-Sin has been generating a lot of buzz as a potential first-round pick. He possesses elite traits with good size and physicality for the position. His footwork needs some help, but he should pair with Josh Norman early to form a formidable duo.
44. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M: Sternberger is an excellent receiving tight end. The Packers would have loved to grab Hockenson if he had fallen to No. 12, but they addressed their pass rush instead. Here, they add a playmaker and eventual replacement for Jimmy Graham.
45. ATLANTA FALCONS: Charles Omenihu, EDGE, Texas: The Falcons added beef to their defensive front in the first round. Now, they add a potential playmaker. With their offense built to score a lot of points, keeping their defensive linemen fresh is key. Omenihu has some positional versatility as well and could be used as an inside pass rusher in certain packages.
46 DETROIT LIONS (via trade with Washington): Zach Allen, EDGE, Boston College: Allen, much like Winovich, doesn’t possess elite physical traits. But, he’s an all-around player that holds up well setting the edge in the run game and shows a relentless motor to get after the passer. I like him as a base defense left end and a potential inside rusher on passing downs.
47. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia: The Panthers two biggest needs are at edge rusher and protecting the passer. They addressed the former by adding Montez Sweat early, and here they take a shot on Cajuste, who profiles well in Carolina’s motion offense.
48. MIAMI DOLPHINS: Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State: The Dolphins are not expected to compete this season, so it makes sense to take a shot on Howard. He is a bit of a project, but possesses all of the physical attributes needed to be a dominant player. He may redshirt for his rookie season, but I like the fit for player and team.
49. CLEVELAND BROWNS: Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State: Oruwariye has excellent size and body control for a cornerback. The Browns have become a team with few holes and they go defense here, adding a press-man corner to their attacking defense.
50. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (Philadelphia trades #53 and #164 to Minnesota for #50): Chris Lindstrom, G, Boston College: Lindstrom should go much higher than this, but he falls and the Eagles jump up a few spots to land another anchor to the interior of their offensive line. Teaming him up with Jason Kelce and Brandon Brooks forms the best interior of any line in the league.
51. TENNESSEE TITANS: Christian Miller, EDGE, Alabama: Miller may not have the best get-off at the snap, but he’s always finding ways to get home. He possesses a wide arsenal of pass rush moves that will allow him to make an impact early on.
52. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama: The Steelers lucked out here. They wanted Bush in Round 1, but settled for a corner. Now, they land Wilson, who has all of the physical attributes to be an impact player early on. He needs to diagnose plays more quickly, but should be able to get downhill in the Steelers scheme.
53. DALLAS COWBOYS (Dallas trades #58 and #166 to Minnesota for #53): Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia: The Vikings moved back a second time, allowing the Cowboys to swoop in and land the top safety on their board. Thornhill fits a need as a deep safety with great range and instincts.
54. HOUSTON TEXANS: Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame: Love is a true cover corner in the mold of Darrelle Revis. He doesn’t have elite speed, but he’s physical, quick, and instinctive. He’s constantly in the pocket of receivers.
55. HOUSTON TEXANS: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida: Gardner-Johnson is a perfect fit for Houston. He projects as a chess piece with the ability to play in different areas. He can play deep, but his best attribute may be his man coverage from the slot. He takes over immediately to replace the departed Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu.
56. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State: Campbell is another piece for Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels to create mismatches with. His speed alone makes him extraordinarily dangerous in the return and screen games. He takes over for Cordarrelle Patterson with the potential to be a better true receiver.
57. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota: Cashman tested much better than most scouts thought he would. And, he was already viewed as having adequate game speed. He’s smart, instinctive, rangy, and sure-handed as a tackler. He doesn’t play with a ton of power, but he can certainly play on all three downs.
58 MINNESOTA VIKINGS: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford: Arcega-Whiteside has excellent size and hands. His speed is more than sufficient, as well. He isn’t the most polished route runner, but shows an outstanding catch radius and body control. Playing opposite Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen allows the Vikings to move the two superstars in and out of the slot to create mismatches. He is what the Vikings hoped Laquon Treadwell would be.
59. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Kelvin Harmon, WR, North Carolina State: Harmon is a big, physical receiver with excellent ball skills. The Colts have T.Y. Hilton and Devin Funchess as starters, but adding Harmon gives them a third option (fourth when you count Eric Ebron) and another with red-zone chops.
60. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: Stanley Morgan Jr., WR, Nebraska: Keenan Allen is one of the best route runners in the league. Morgan possesses similar traits. He just knows how to get defenders off balance and get open. With Philip Rivers throwing pinpoint passes all over the field, Morgan can make an impact behind Allen and potential star Mike Williams.
61. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida: Polite had a dreadful pre-draft process. He showed up overweight, out of shape, and looking like he didn’t care. Regardless, this is a first round talent that showed tremendous athleticism and effort on tape. After losing Dee Ford and Justin Houston, this is a potential home run pick for Kansas City.
62. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Will Grier, QB, West Virginia: The Saints eventually need to find a replacement for Drew Brees. Here, they get a guy with all of the attributes needed to be a star. He can hold the clipboard for a season and battle it out with Teddy Bridgewater in either 2020 or 2021. Perfect insurance pick for Sean Payton.
63. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Elgton Jenkins, OG, Mississippi State: Jenkins is a very good player who should probably go much higher than this. Despite not possessing any “wow” attributes for the position, he’s consistently able to win in man-blocking situations and has shown the ability to get to the second level. This is a great pick this late for the Chiefs.
64. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech: Ferguson tested extremely poorly during the draft process. However, his tape shows a player who is capable of making a lot of plays. The Patriots feel like they are the right team to handle Ferguson with his off-field issues and maximize his on-field talent.
ROUND 3
65. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Lonnie Johnson, CB, Kentucky
66. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Emmanuel Hall, WR, Missouri
67. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt
68. NEW YORK JETS: Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington
69. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: L.J. Collier, EDGE, TCU
70. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis
NEW YORK GIANTS: PICK FORFEITED (Sam Beal – Supplemental pick in 2018)
71. DENVER BRONCOS: Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
72. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma
73. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Trysten Hill, DT, UCF
74. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (Minnesota trades #82 and #164 to Buffalo for #75): Khalen Saunders, DT, Western Illinois
75. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Darnell Savage, S, Maryland
76. ARIZONA CARDINALS (Arizona trades QB Josh Rosen to Washington for #77 and #229): Ben Powers, OG
77. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Isaiah Johnson, CB, Houston
78. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (via trade with Miami): Germaine Pratt, LB, North Carolina State
79. ATLANTA FALCONS: Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
80. CLEVELAND BROWNS: Connor McGovern, G, Penn State
81. BUFFALO BILLS (via trade with Minnesota): Dawson Knox, TE, Mississippi
82. TENNESSEE TITANS: David Long, CB, Michigan
83. CHICAGO BEARS (Chicago trades #88 and #163 to Pittsburgh for #83): D’Andre Walker, EDGE, Georgia
84. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan
85. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame
86. HOUSTON TEXANS: Michael Deiter, G, Wisconsin
87. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (via trade with Chicago): Anthony Nelson, EDGE, Iowa
88. DETROIT LIONS: Amani Hooker, S, Iowa
89. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
90. DALLAS COWBOYS: Damien Harris, RB, Alabama
91. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: Max Scharping, OT, Northern Illinois
92. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Ben Banogu, EDGE, TCU
93. NEW YORK JETS: Justin Hollins, EDGE, Oregon
94. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (New England trades #97, #245, and #248 to LA Rams for #94): Cameron Smith, LB, USC
95. NEW YORK GIANTS: Marquise Blair, S, Utah
96. WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Renell Wren, DT, Arizona State
97. LOS ANGELES RAMS: Nate Davis, G, Charlotte
98. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Bobby Okereke, LB, Stanford
99. LOS ANGELES RAMS: Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio State
100. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State
101. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Dru Samia, G, Oklahoma
102. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (Buccaneers trade DT Gerald McCoy to Baltimore for #102): Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Eastern Michigan
