2019 NFL Mock Draft: Draft Day is Finally Here

2019 NFL Mock Draft
Quinnen Williams (Brett Davis/USA Today Sports)

Rise and shine everyone, it’s the most exciting day of the NFL offseason, draft day! 32 players will have their names called and dreams come true tonight, and the fan bases of each of those 32 players will immediately start drooling at the possibility of who that player can become one day. This draft cycle has been as tricky as any in recent memory, as the top of the draft still remains largely in flux as the Cardinals continue to hide their hand at #1. To try to predict the craziness that will ensue tonight, I’ve enlisted my good brother Garrett Woodlock to conduct the final mock of the draft season with me. I will be handling all of the odd selections and Garrett will be manning the even selections.

2019 NFL Mock Draft

1. Arizona Cardinals – Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State

Shayne: The Kyler Murray hype train has been chugging full steam ahead but quite frankly the Cards have too many holes to waste a pick on a position they just spent a top ten pick on last year. Have faith your offensive guru head coach can work with Rosen and create a deadly pash rushing duo with Bosa & Jones. This 2019 NFL Mock Draft kicks off with some dynamic players on the defensive end.

2. San Francisco 49ers – Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama

Garrett: With the addition of Dee Ford in free agency, the 49ers filled the need for an elite pass rusher. Williams is another dominant interior lineman produced by Alabama and is a plug and play lineman that will make an impact from day one.

3. New York Jets – Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky

Shayne: The Jets made big splashes in free agency to fast track their road to contention, and the next step to build the roster is by arming new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams with an impact pass rusher. Allen benefitted from coming back for his senior year in Lexington, developing himself into a versatile piece on the edge.

4. Oakland Raiders – Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

Garrett: The Raiders could select Kyler Murray with the fourth pick, but like the Cardinals, Oakland has far too many holes to fill on their roster to use this pick on a quarterback. Especially with Derek Carr behind center, who has shown flashes of being a guy who can make an impact in this league for years to come. Oliver has been one of the most disruptive players in the NCAA for the past three years.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White, LB, LSU

Shayne: The Buccaneers are sorely lacking in the talent department on the defensive side of the ball on all three levels so plenty of players make sense here, but Devin White is the selection at #5. White is the perfect replacement for Kwon Alexander has he possesses three down capabilities, as he is a talented, aggressive run defender and moves well in coverage.

6. New York Giants – Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

Garrett: Kyler Murray is the most exciting player in the 2019 NFL Draft. Although undersized, Murray has elite arm talent and makes good decisions with the ball. Drawing pro comparisons to Russell Wilson, Murray has the ability to make plays with his legs, but would prefer to get the ball to one of his playmakers on the outside. If the Giants go with Murray, Eli Manning’s time as the Giants’ starting quarterback might be in the past.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

Shayne: If the Jags plan on recapturing their 2017 magic, rebuilding the offensive line to protect new starter Nick Foles and pave holes for Leonard Fournette is priority number one. Taylor is a massive body and plays with controlled violence, mixing powerful hands & legs to manhandle opposing defensive linemen. A stud in the run and pass game, Taylor would be the perfect tone setter to plug into the Jags’ offense.

8. Detroit Lions – Rashan Gary, DT/EDGE, Michigan

Garrett: Coming off possibly the most underrated free agency class, the Lions desperately want to trade back to accumulate more picks in the first three rounds. If they do end up keeping the eighth pick, Rashan Gary is a physical specimen who could help the Lions replace Ziggy Ansah. Gary who was rated number one in the ESPN 300 going into his freshman season at Michigan has had issues with consistency, but has shown flashes of being special. Gary and Trey Flowers could be one of the best young pass rushing duos in the league.

9. Buffalo Bills – Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State

Shayne: After ranking a dismal 26th in total sacks last season the Bills should desperately be searching for impact pass rushers and luckily for them one falls right in their lap here. Burns is light but it doesn’t show on tape, as he shows the ability to defend the run and rush the passer, heavy emphasis on rush the passer, at a high level. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more flexible pass rusher than Burns.

10. Denver Broncos – Devin Bush, LB, Michigan

Garrett: The Broncos have needs at quarterback and tight end along with the need for a middle linebacker… but even with T.J. Hockenson still on the board, the Broncos are unlikely to reach for a tight end at number ten. Vic Fangio, who was previously with the Bears is now the head coach in Denver, and is reportedly very interested in Devin Bush, whom he sees a lot of Roquan Smith in, who was Chicago’s first round pick in 2018.

11. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonah Williams, OT/OG, Alabama

Shayne: The Bengals’ offensive line has been one big question mark for far too long to ignore it in favor for another position, so Jonah is the selection here to fill a huge hole for Cincy. A three year starter at Alabama, Jonah uses elite technique to excel in both run blocking and pass protection. Arm length shouldn’t be a problem at the next level if Cincy aims to keep him at the right or left tackle spot, but if it is Jonah should be able to easily slide inside to guard and thrive there.

12. Green Bay Packers – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

Garrett: Although the Packers have needs across their defense, and could even use some help in their receiving core, Hockenson is the right pick at 12. Hockenson has drawn comparisons to all-pro tight end Travis Kelce by multiple executives across the league. Even though Green Bay still has Jimmy Graham under contract for another season, Hockenson will fit right into that offense at some point, possibly sooner than later.

13. Miami Dolphins – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State

Shayne: Let’s take a gander at the Dolphins’ current quarterback situation, shall we? The current projected starter is Ryan Fitzpatrick. His projected backup is Jake Rudock. The third quarterback on the roster is Luke Falk. That is, in a word, bad. In a few more words, it’s complete and utter garbage. So let’s just skip all the nonsense and hook brand new head coach Brian Flores up with who I believe is the best quarterback in the draft, Dwayne Haskins. As a first year starter, Haskins wowed with his top notch arm strength, good decision making and ability to throw with anticipation. With nowhere to go but up for the young 21 year old gunslinger, Haskins is the perfect selection to kickstart the rebuilding process.

14. Atlanta Falcons – Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

Garrett: The Falcons aren’t too far away from being a contender in the NFC once again. Although they were not very good last year, that had more to do with injuries rather than lack of talent on the roster. The departure of Tevin Coleman will hurt them slightly on offense, but that is not an issue that needs to be addressed this early in the draft. Wilkins is a great fit for Atlanta’s 4-3 defense and could start alongside Grady Jarrett week 1 to make an outstanding group of defensive tackles.

15. Washington Redskins – D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

Shayne: The Redskins need an influx of talent on offense in the worst way, as evidenced by the fact that their current #1 receiver is their underwhelming first round selection from 2016, Josh Doctson. What better way to remedy that situation than by taking the physical specimen known as D.K. Metcalf. At the combine, the 6’3”, 228 lb Metcalf posted a 4.33 40, along with a 40.5 vertical jump, and that explosiveness jumps off the screen on film. Metcalf will immediately walk into Washington’s facilities as the best receiver on the roster.

16. Carolina Panthers – Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State

Garrett: Though Sweat has top 10 talent in this draft, teams are concerned about a pre existing heart condition that was discovered at the scouting combine in March. Though the condition didn’t cause Sweat to miss any time in the past, four teams found it to be serious enough to take him off their draft board altogether. If everything goes as planned for Sweat, he can make an immediate impact for this Panthers team which finished in the bottom five in the league with only 35.0 sacks as a team.

17. New York Giants – Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson

Shayne: After ranking second to last in the league in sacks at just 30 all year, the Giants responded this offseason by… trading their best pass rusher to Cleveland. Needless to say, a pass rusher should be of top priority to New York and with their second pick of the first round the Giants snag a top 10 talent at #17. A strong, crafty defensive end that can set the edge and put pressure on the quarterback with a variety of different moves, Ferrell would be an immediate impact player in New York’s front 7.

18. Minnesota Vikings – Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

Garrett: After the Vikings gave Kirk Cousins the highest guaranteed contract in NFL history last offseason, the expectations for the team skyrocketed. After all of the offseason hype, 2018 was disappointing for Minnesota to say the least as they missed the playoffs. Although Cousins got much of the blame for the subpar season, it was apparent that he had almost no time to throw the ball. Dillard is the second best pure tackle in this draft, and could help bolster the Vikings’ line very early.

19. Tennesse Titans – Noah Fant, TE, Iowa

Shayne: The Titans would be justified going any number of ways here at #19 but the best value currently on the board here is Noah Fant. With Delanie Walker coming off of a gruesome injury and getting up there in age, introducing fresh blood and a reliable target for Marcus Mariota at the tight end position in Fant is a brilliant move here. Fant is a sure handed, explosive receiver that excels in route running and getting yards after the catch.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams, CB, LSU

Garrett: While the Steelers could try to replace the production of Antonio Brown by selecting a receiver with the 20th pick, their need for a lockdown corner is more prominent. The biggest knock on Greedy Williams coming out of LSU is his lack of physicality in the run game. While that may not be ideal for somebody who has to play the Ravens twice per season, he has the size, speed and quickness to lineup across from AJ Green or Odell Beckham Jr. twice a year. Once Williams adds some weight he should be one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL.

21. Seattle Seahawks – Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware

Shayne: One does not simply replace Earl Thomas, the three time first team All-Pro safety that departed Seattle for Baltimore this offseason, but if you are to try filling that Earl Thomas sized hole at safety in this draft Nasir Adderley is the guy. Adderley has sideline to sideline range to effectively play center field and has exceptional ball skills to boot which will help a defensive unit that finished tied for 10th in takeaways last season take the ball away at an even higher rate. Adderley also is a sure tackler and has shown the ability to cover man to man, which gives Seattle an important and impactful chess piece to use all over their defense.

22. Baltimore Ravens – N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

Garrett: After losing both Michael Crabtree and John Brown this offseason, the Ravens are left with Willie Snead as their top returning pass catcher. At 6’3″ 220, Harry has the size as well as the speed and ball skills to make an immediate impact in Baltimore and force opposing defenses respect the passing game.

23. Houston Texans – Dalton Risner, OT/OG, Kansas State

Shayne: Priority A-Z for Houston should be protecting their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson, coming off of a year where the offensive line gave up a baffling 62 sacks. Step one to retooling the offensive line for success starts here by drafting Dalton Risner, a nasty mauler who will serve as a tone setter immediately on Houston’s offensive line.

24. Oakland Raiders – Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama

Garrett: The Raiders signed Isaiah Crowell in free agency and are bring back Jalen Richard next season, but neither one of them has shown that they are true three down backs in the NFL. By bringing in Josh Jacobs, they have a chance to balance their offense after acquiring wide receivers Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams this offseason. Jacobs showed a nice combination of power and speed in a limited role while at Alabama. With his touches being limited in college, Jacobs still has a lot of tread left on his tired and should make an immediate impact in Oakland during the 2019 season.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma

Shayne: Some of the Eagles’ more pressing needs, linebacker, edge rusher, and running back, wouldn’t provide good value here at #25 so instead the Eagles look to the future and snag Cody Ford. With injuries mounting up on the aging Jason Peters, investing in his eventual replacement here would greatly benefit Philadelphia. Ford is a huge dude at 6’4” 346 that goes into every play with very bad intentions for his opposition, proving to be a dominant run blocker and a good pass protector. Sitting in a reserve role while learning from Jason Peters and fellow Sooners alum Lane Johnson will serve Ford well in his career.

26. Indianapolis Colts – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

Garrett: Byron Murphy is possibly the best overall cornerback in this draft. He has the athleticism and fluidity to play man-to-man, as well as the discipline to play zone. For a smaller cornerback, Murphy loves being physical playing the run and on the line against receivers. Murphy is a strong safety trapped in a cornerback’s body and it shows on film. Murphy can improve the Colts’ defense from day one and should stick around for at least a decade.

27. Oakland Raiders – DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia

Shayne: After going defensive tackle first and running back second, the Raiders will fill another dire need here at cornerback. DeAndre Baker provides a good man to man corner that’ll give Oakland stability on the other side of young stud Gareon Conley.

28. Los Angeles Chargers – Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

Garrett: While the Chargers have other needs on their roster, if Drew Lock is available at 28, they should be sprinting the pick card up to Roger Goodell. As the Chiefs proved a few years ago, if there is a quarterback with special arm talent, you don’t pass on them. Lock has drawn many comparisons to Matthew Stafford, and if he ends up in LA behind Philip Rivers for a couple years, he should have a very productive career.

29. Seattle Seahawks – Chase Winovich, EDGE, Michigan

Shayne: The Seahawks’ pass rushing situation was already in dire straits before dealing away Frank Clark to Kansas City, but now their search for effective pass rushers is of utmost importance. With the first round pick they acquired for Frank Clark, selecting Chase Winovich would provide Seattle with a creative pass rusher with a variety of moves to beat his opposition. He won’t replace fellow Michigan alum Clark’s production immediately but he should provide a steady hand the Seahawks sorely need on the edge.

30. Green Bay Packers – Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State

Garrett: The 2018 Packers were possibly the most disappointing team in the league. Jeffery SImmons could help their defensive line down the road. Simmons is a top 10 talent in this draft, but he suffered a torn ACL in march. Simmons will fall because of the injury, but should still be selected in the first round, as he has the potential to be the most dominant player from this draft class in five years.

31. Los Angeles Rams – Garrett Bradbury, IOL, NC State

Shayne: After losing John Sullivan and Rodger Saffold from last season’s offensive line, the Rams find themselves with major holes to fill on the interior of their line, which makes offensive line the obvious selection here. Bradbury played center for the Wolfpack but projects to be able to play anywhere on the interior offensive line thanks to his technical run and pass blocking prowess, and ability to reach the second level and get hands on linebackers effectively.

32. New England Patriots – Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama

Garrett: With the retirement of Rob Gronkowski this offseason, the Patriots have a major void in their lineup to fill. While nobody will be able to match Gronk’s productivity for years to come, Smith Jr. has all of the physical skills to make the loss of Gronkowski a little less drastic. Smith is a day one starter for New England.

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