2019 NFL Draft Grades: NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: B
1.) Chris Lindstrom, OG, Boston College
1b.) Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington
4.) Kendall Sheffield, CB, Ohio St.
4b.) John Cominsky, DE, Charleston
5.) Qadree Ollison, RB, Pitt
5b.) Jordan Miller, CB, Washington
6.) Marcus Green, WR, Louisiana-Monroe

Atlanta’s squad was ravaged by injuries last year. When healthy, they have as complete a roster as any. With that in mind they moved aggressively to address their one major weak link — the offensive line. Taking Lindstrom first, the Falcons landed a technically sound player who should be there for the next ten-years. Then they traded up at the bottom of the the first-round for McGary. McGary, like Lindstrom, should start Day One and totally solidify the right side of the line.

It wasn’t until Day 3 of the draft, that the Falcons got back to work and they landed some interesting prospects on defense. Sheffield, has blazing speed and quality instincts in zone, but he didn’t provide many turnovers. He’s a work in progress, but there is promise. Same can be said for Cominsky. Cominsky, has massive size, but the production isn’t there. He can dominate and may play inside in the NFL.

The prospect to watch later is Ollison. Atlanta lost Tevin Coleman in free agency and needed another body to spell Devonta Freeman. Ollison, capped off his senior year with 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns. He can catch the ball out of the backfield as well. Ollison, could emerge as a surprise weapon.

Carolina Panthers: B
1.) Brian Burns, DE, Florida St.
2.) Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
3.) Will Grier, QB, West Virginia
4.) Christian Miller, LB, Alabama
5.) Jordan Scarlett, RB, Florida
6.) Dennis Daley, OT, South Carolina
7.) Terry Godwin, WR, Georgia

The Panthers had a nice, boring draft. Not moving up or down, the Panthers took things as they came draft weekend and walked away with an interesting haul. The most intriguing being the additions of Burns and Miller. Carolina heavily plays 4-3 defense, however Burns and Miller seemed better suited for 3-4 base schemes. Will that be a new wrinkle for head coach Ron Rivera’s squad in 2019? We shall see.

Offensively, the Panthers knocked it out of the park. Hopefully, the Panthers finally found their left tackle in Greg Little. Since the retirement of Jordan Gross, Carolina has been in dire need of a blindside protector for Cam Newton. Speaking of who, has only completed a full season twice out of the past five years. Grier, at last gives the Panthers a suitable backup plan.

Scarlett and Daley are notable late round additions. Scarlett, was effective in part time work at Florida. He averaged over five yards per carry and had 12 touchdowns. Daley, started the past two seasons at South Carolina and was a consistent force on the edge. He’s raw, but a mauler who could turn into a valuable backup.

New Orleans Saints: B-
2.) Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M
4.) Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
6.) Saquan Hampton, S, Rutgers
7.) Alzie Mack, TE, Notre Dame
7b.) Kaden Ellis, LB, Idaho

The Saints were void of a first-round selection after moving up last year to take edge rusher Marcus Davenport. That move remains to be seen as a good one or not. Having to wait until Day Two to make a move, the Saints struck gold with McCoy. After veteran center Max Unger retired, the team was left without a pivot. McCoy, will be the starter from the get-go and offers position versatility if need be.

Gardner-Johnson, is another versatile player having seen a lot snaps at both nickle and safety. With two safeties already entrenched atop the depth chart, perhaps Gardner-Johnson will mostly line up used at the former. Mack, as a late addition is intriguing. The team added Jared Cook in free agency, but there’s little depth. Mack, had an up and down stay in South Bend. Perhaps he can put together in the pros and surprise people. The talent is there and Sean Payton is a good coach.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C+
1.) Devin White, LB, LSU
2.) Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan
3.) Jamel Dean, CB, Auburn
3b.) Mike Edwards, S, Kentucky
4.) Anthony Nelson, DE, Iowa
5.) Matt Gay, K, Utah
6.) Scott Miller, WR, Bowling Green
7.) Terry Beckner Jr., DT, Missouri

New head coach Bruce Arians and new defensive coordinator Todd Bowles inherited the 27th ranked defense and are transforming it from a 4-3 base scheme to a 3-4. That’s not gonna be an easy project and that is why they invested six of their eight picks to that side of the field. White will team with Lavonte David and give the franchise an absolutely tremendous foundation to build from. That’s a lot of leadership.

On Day Two, the Bucs focused solely on the secondary. The most interesting addition being, Edwards. Edwards is an in the box, aggressive safety that Arians and Bowles covet. However, he also has tremendous ball skills. He picked off ten passes and broke up thirty-three more over his time as a four-year starter. Bunting and Dean, will provide depth and consistency. Bunting, could emerge as early playing the slot.

Two players to pay attention to from Day Three are Nelson and Gay. That’s right. We’re talking kickers again. In 2016, Aguayo was drafted in the second-round by the Bucs. A reasonable pick considering he was the most accurate kicker in college football history, but everything went bad as Aguayo lost his stroke and was cut. Hopefully, Gay can be more productive. The former soccer player can drill it, he hit 8-11 field goal attempts over 50-yards.

2019 NFL Draft Grades: NFC North

Chicago Bears: B
3.) David Montgomery, RB, Iowa St.
4.) Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia
6.) Duke Shelley, CB, Kansas St.
7.) Kerrith Whyte, RB, Florida Atlantic
7b.) Stephen Denmark, CB, Valdosta St.

The reason the Bears didn’t pick until Round 3 was due to the Khalil Mack trade last year, and ya know what? That is totally okay. Mack, was already regarded as a Top 5 player in the league and all he did last year was dominate to the tune of 12.5 sacks in 14 games. That’s worth a 1st and 2nd Round pick every time.

Once on the clock, the Bears made good use of what was left. They traded away veteran running back Jordan Howard to Philly and needed someone to run between tackles. Montgomery is just that. Now, he had a lot of work in college (624 carries in three years), but he should work well in tandem with Tarik Cohen.

Ridley, in Round 4, is another quality addition. After years of having injury ravaged receivers and little depth, the Bears finally have a quality receieving corps. Ridley, has to develop his game more, but working as a part of an arsenal with Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, and Taylor Gabriel will give him time.

Detroit Lions: B
1.) T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
2.) Jahlani Tavai, LB, Hawai’i
3.) Will Harris, S, Boston College
4.) Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
5.) Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn St.
6.) Travis Fulgham, WR, Old Dominion
6b.) Ty Johnson, RB, Maryland
7.) Isaac Nauta, TE, Georgia
7b.) P.J. Johnson, DT, Arizona

Last year the Lions focused drafting tough players. Clearly head coach Matt Patricia has a type, because he went out and drafted more of the same. Hockenson, is a classic grinder. He can play inline as a blocker and provide a passing threat. He’s as solid a prospect as you can kind entering the draft. He’ll have an immediate impact.

Harris and Oruwariye, are needed pieces to the secondary. Harris is the thumper that opposing receivers will be weary of as they cross the center of the field. Oruwariye, has notable ball skills with 27 pass-breakups and seven interceptions over the past two years. They need someone to play opposite Darius Slay and that might be Oruwariye.

Tavai and Bryant are two more prospects to watch. Tavai, seemed to be a reach, but he reads the field well and makes the stop. He missed a couple games last year and may surprise some people. Bryant, posted good numbers at Clemson, but were those his or the product of the talent around him? Detroit will find out.

Green Bay Packers: A
1.) Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
1b.) Darnell Savage, S, Maryland
2.) Elgton Jenkins, C, Mississippi St.
3.) Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M
5.) Kingsley Keke, DT, Texas A&M
6.) Ka’dar Hollman, CB, Toledo
6b.) Dexter Williams, RB, Notre Dame
7.) Ty Summer, LB, TCU

The Packers absolutely crushed this draft. Every pick has the potential to provide early and often in 2019. Armed with an extra first-round pick thanks to New Orleans’ eagerness for Marcus Davenport, the Packers double-dipped on defense. Gary, has some bust potential, but in Green Bay he has the potential to wreak havoc from the five-technique. Savage, is the safe and proven prospect the Packers have been looking for in the secondary. Able to play safety or corner, Savage will mix it up in run sport too.

On the offensive side of things, Jenkins and Sternberger can be Day One starter’s for the team. Granted, Sternberger will likely spell veteran Jimmy Graham, but he will have an impact. Sternberger exploited the seams at A&M and had 10 touchdowns last year. Jenkins, has the versatile to play center or guard. With Corey Linsley already established at the pivot, Jenkins might plug the gap at right guard.

Williams, is an intriguing late addition. He has all the talent to be a feature back, but had trouble staying on the field for the Golden Domers. He got things together (sort of) in 2018 and amassed 995 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Packers could use a power back, if Williams can keep it together, he could be a valuable asset.

Minnesota Vikings: B+
1.) Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State
2.) Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama
3.) Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise St.
4.) Dru Samia, OG, Oklahoma
5.) Cameron Smith, LB, USC
6.) Armon Watts, DT, Arkansas
6b.) Marcus Epps, S, Wyoming
6c.) Oli Udoh, OT, Elon
7.) Kris Boyd, CB, Texas
7b.) Dillon Mitchell, WR, Oregon
7c.) Olabisi Johnson, WR, Colorado St.
7d.) Austin Cutting, LS, Air Force

The Vikings really only had weak spot on their roster and they addressed it with one of the best prospects in the draft. By adding Bradbury, the Vikings landed a 10-year starter and allows them to utilize Pat Elflein’s versatility and shift him over to guard. Suddenly, the Viks’ lack luster line looks awfully strong.

Clearly the plan was to build things up around Kirk Cousins, because four of their next five picks were on the offensive side of the ball. Samia, adds grit to the interior of the line and he has starter upside. Smith, is a complimentary piece to starter Kyle Rudolph. He runs good routes. Mattison, is key to watch. Starter Dalvin Cook has had trouble staying healthy and lost their insurance policy in Latavius Murray. Mattison was very productive and can help preserve Cook.

On defense, Smith is a classic linebacker in coach Mike Zimmer’s scheme. He tallied over 350 tackles in four years. Even if he can’t crack the depth chart at linebacker, he is the reliable tackling to be a special teams ace for years. Epps and Boyd, prove that Zimmer can’t go a single year without drafting a defensive back.

2019 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: C
2.) Trysten Hill, DT, UCF
3.) Connor McGovern, OG, Penn St.
4.) Tony Pollard, RB, Memphis
5.) Michael Jackson, CB, Miami
5b.) Joe Jackson, DE, Miami
6.) Donovan Wilson, S, Texas A&M
7.) Mike Weber, RB, Ohio St.
7b.) Jalen Jelks, DE, Oregon

The Cowboys’ roster is pretty set, so this draft class was more of an exercise of adding depth. The defensive line was the most glaring need and they invested three picks to bolster it. Hill, is a unique prospect. The production isn’t really there, but the talent is off the charts. If he puts it together, Hill could be a starter. Jelks and Jackson, will be valuable additions to the rotation with proven pass rushing abilities. Jelks offers some versatility, having played linebacker.

The offensive investments are intriguing. McGovern, is exactly the type of player that the Cowboys need. Their starters have dealt with injuries recently along the interior of the line. McGovern can play all three interior positions and with the future of Travis Fredrick up in the air, he could wind up starting as a rookie.

Pollard and Weber are important additions. Outside of Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys have no running backs. That’s dangerous. Elliott is too valuable and if he goes down, no one is there to buoy the rushing attack. Pollard, is a versatile weapon. He had 941 rushing yards and 1,292 receiving yards. Weber, is another multifaceted threat, although he’s better running between the tackles.

New York Giants: B-
1.) Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
1b.) Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
1c.) Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
3.) Oshane Ximines, OLB, Old Dominion
4.) Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame
5.) Ryan Connelly, LB, Wisconsin
5b.) Darius Slayton, WR, Auburn
6.) Corey Ballentine, CB, Washburn
7.) George Asafo-adjel, OT, Kentucky
7b.) Chris Slayton, DT, Syracuse

Outside of reaching for Jones, this isn’t a bad haul. Speaking of Jones, it’s not the worst pick ever, but it is a reach and GM Dave Gettleman has taken a lot of heat. He said he was afraid of a couple teams swiping Jones before his team picked again at seventeen-overall. Truth or not, Jones is the future and sitting behind Eli Manning will be good for him, even if only to let the pick blow over.

In regards to the picks that will have a more immediate impact, there are a number of them. Lawrence, has rare athleticism for a big man and gives the Giants a true nose for their 3-4 system. Baker and Love provide immediate upgrades at the cornerback position. Baker, the only cornerback drafted in Round 1, has the experience and attitude to excel at the next level. Love, could become the nickle corner soon than later with his proven ball skills (40 pass-breakups and four interceptions over the last two years).

Ximines, is an intriguing player. Not many players from Old Dominion make it to the NFL, let alone get drafted in the third round from Old Dominion. Ximines’ numbers tell you everything you need to know. He had 51.5 tckles-for-loss and 33 sacks over the past four years. He still needs to get bigger, but the the sky is the limit with production like that.

Philadelphia Eagles: B
1.) Andre Dillard, OT, Washington St.
2.) Miles Sanders, RB, Penn St.
2b.) J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
4.) Shareef Miller, DE, Penn St.
5.) Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern

Another team with a will built roster, all GM Howie Rosman was addressing needs for the future. Dillard, will be the heir to future hall-of-famer Jason Peter’s spot on the left side of the offensive line. Giving Dillard a year to acclimate behind someone like Peters, isn’t the worst thing. Dillard can be a 10-year starter for the Eagles.

The Eagles traded a conditional sixth-round pick in next year’s draft to land veteran Jordan Howard. If things don’t work out for Howard, Sanders is the answer. And even then, Sanders has the capabilities to start based of his one year as the starter at Penn State. Arcega-Whiteside, gives the Eagles a building after DeSean Jackson and if they choose to move on from Alshon Jeffery in a year or two. In the meantime, he offers a serious red zone threat. He had 14 touchdowns last season.

Washington Redskins: B+
1.) Dwayne Haskins, QB, Maryland
1b.) Montez Sweat, OLB, Mississippi St.
3.) Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio St.
4.) Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
4b.) Wes Martin, OG, Indiana
5.) Ross Pierschbacher, C, Alabama
5b.) Cole Holcomb, LB, North Carolina
6.) Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State
7.) Jimmy Moreland, CB, James Madison
7b.) Jordan Brailford, OLB, Oklahoma St.

When reports of owner Dan Snyder taking over the reigns for the draft began to leak surface last week, I was fully prepared for a train-wreck of a draft from the perpetually inept Redskins. What we got instead was a surprisingly good draft class.

Starting with Haskins. Instead of making the trade up the draft board to take Haskins, the team waited and got their man at fifteen. A one-year starter, Haskins put up crazy numbers (4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns) and has the makings of a legitimate franchise quarterback. Sweat, fills the void left by Preston Smith opposite Ryan Kerrigan. He had 22 sacks in the past two years.

The talent Washington picked up later in the draft is impressive at every level. McLaurin, is the consummate team player, and will become a better receiver with time. He improved every year. Love’s stock fell due to injury, but if he can prove he’s healthy, he has the ability to be a starting back. Pierschbacher, was a four year starter and a rock for along the interior of the line. He has versatility to play guard or center. Harmon, is a giant target who posted back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons to close out his college days.

2019 NFL Draft Grades: NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: C
1.) Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
2.) Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
2b.) Andy Isabella, WR, UMass
3.) Zach Allen, DT, Boston College
4.) Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa St.
5.) Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
6.) Keesean Johnson, WR, Fresno St.
6b.) Lamont Gaillard, C, Georgia
7.) Josh Miles, OT, Morgan St.
7b.) Michael Dogbe, DE, Temple
7c.) Caleb Wilson, TE, UCLA

While this is a talent rich draft class, this draft class also highlights the colossal failures of the past, all while extending another. This tragedy is highlighted by the first overall pick. Murray, is a polarizing prospect in many ways and illustrates the poor decision making within the organization. Drafting a quarterback at No. 1 overall, just a year after trading up to draft Josh Rosen at No. 10 overall is just poor.

One of the the issues that plagued Rosen was a lack of weapons. The Cardinals invested three picks in Isabella, Butler, and Johnson, to help bolster Murray’s success. Where was that help for Rosen? The perpetuated failure mentioned earlier is that of the offensive line. It’s almost comical how long the Cardinals offensive line has been. Granted injuries ravaged some veterans, but nonetheless, where is the backup plan? Gaillard and Miles provide some depth, but that is too little too late.

Murprhy and Thompson highlight another lack of attention in previous years. The defensive secondary has been abysmal, outside of Patrick Peterson. And he is right to be frustrated with management. Murphy, has tremendous ball skills, but lack size. He should still be special. Thompson, was a one-year starter and needs to show the production in that one year wasn’t a fluke.

LA Rams: A
2.) Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
3.) Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis
3b.) David Long, CB, Michigan
3c.) Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma
4.) Greg Gaines, DT, Washington
5.) David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin
7.) Nick Scott, S, Penn St.
7b.) Dakota Allen, LB, Texas Tech

The Rams executed a very smart draft strategy. Over the past few years they have spent massive amount of money; $87 million to Aaron Donald, $45 million to Todd Gurley, and $50.5 million to Brandin Cooks (and that’s just the guaranteed money). So with the club so cash strapped, where can you get cheap work? The draft. They traded out of the first-round to collect more picks and thus help fill the roster.

Rapp and Long are perfect additions to the Rams secondary. Aqib Talib isn’t getting any older and Marcus Peters may not be the long term answer, so don’t be surprised if Long is the starting cornerback in LA sooner than later. Same can be said for Rapp, who will seemingly replace veteran Eric Weddle in a year or two.

The Rams made a splash pick with all three of their offensive picks. Henderson, is the perfect back to spell Todd Gurley and help take some of the work. He’s explosive, proven by his 22 touchdowns last year, and can be a target out of the backfield. Evans and Edwards give the Rams quality line prospects with starter upsides. The talent up front is old and has little depth behind it. Great value.

San Francisco 49ers: C+
1.) Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio St.
2.) Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
3.) Jalen Hurd, WR, Baylor
4.) Mitch Wishnowsky, P, Utah
5.) Dre Greenlaw, LB, Arkansas
6.) Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
6b.) Justin Skule, OT, Vanderbilt
6c.) Tim Harris, CB, Virginia

The Niners had a solid, unspectacular draft. Bosa was the final piece of a very quick and (hopefully) complete rebuild of their defensive line. They’ve spent a lot to address this area and after trading for veteran Dee Ford and adding Bosa, they won’t have to worry about it any further. Bosa, can set the edge as well as rush the passer. He’s the total package.

On Day Two, GM John Lynch had the clear plan of adding weapons, and did so by adding Samuel and Hurd. Samuel, has some injury concerns, but he runs good routes, has strong hands, and is a playmaking threat with special teams experience. Hurd, is a massive target (nearly 6’5″) and can play anywhere on offense, literally. He started off as a running back and can play inside and outside the numbers.

The rest of the draft was full of valuable depth additions. Most notably, Wishnowsky. I know what you’re thinking, and yeah, believe it. We’re talking punters right now! Wishnowsky, can boom a ball and get inside the 20-yard line fairly well. That being said, he kicked at Utah. Altitude helped. Hopefully, he can offer the same hang time at sea level. With Smith you know what you’re getting. Stanford has become TE U after sending a number of reliable prospects to league in recent years.

Seattle Seahawks: B
1.) L.J. Collier, DE, TCU
2.) Marquise Blair, S, Utah
2b.) D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
3.) Cody Barton, LB, Utah
4.) Gary Jennings, WR, West Virginia
4b.) Phil Haynes, OG, Wake Forest
4c.) Ugo Amadi, CB, Oregon
5.) Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington
6.) Travis Homer, RB, Miami
6b.) Demarcus Christmas, DT, Florida St.
7.)John Ursua, WR, Hawai’i

The Seahawks had a very solid draft class. The main thing to take away from this draft class is that they really trust last year’s crop. After trading Frank Clark, you could argue that a pass rusher and tight end were their two biggest needs. They didn’t bring in either, signaling that the team believes Rasheem Green and Will Dissly can do big things in 2019.

But what about this year’s class? Collier, in Round 1, fits the profile of the Trey Flowers-like player they were looking for. Someone that can do it all on the edge. He broke out for six sacks and 11.5 tackles-for-loss last season. Blair, will hopefully end the recent string of misses at safety. He’s better in the box than in coverage. The additions to the linebacking corps will boost competition.

The addition of Metcalf and Jennings, signal that the reports of Doug Baldwin being potentially forced to retire due to injury were legitimate and a concern for the organization. Baldwin aside, the team still need help at receiver. Baldwin provided the only consistent target for Russell Wilson.

2019 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

Here we go! The big day is here and we are just hours away from Day One of the 2019 NFL Draft. Is there anything more exciting? Probably, but for the football obsessed this is as good a day as any, and what a wild night it’s shaping up to be.

Conventional wisdom had Oklahoma quarterback, and reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Kyler Murray pegged at No. 1 overall and Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa locked at No. 2.

Well, things are up in the air now. How much? Just look at the number of sportsbooks that had Murrays odds of going first overall nosedive last night. And things don’t look any better when considering the fact that he blew off a charity event yesterday.

In a normal year, the Top 5 are fairly predictable. That’s not the case this year and with so much uncertainty, the probability of a trade happening within the Top 10 only grows more likely. Atlanta is latest to be rumored into a Top 10 jump, and Houston is also in consideration to pole vault up the draft board.

So where does that leave us with our mock draft? God only knows. But we are confident as ever in our mock draft and expect to once again hit .300….hopefully. Here is our final mock draft…

1.) Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
I’m keeping it boring. While we can totally see Oakland jumping into this spot, we don’t predict trades in our mock drafts. Wouldn’t be completely shocked to hear Bosa or Williams’ name called either.

2.) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio St.
Keeping things consistent with our first two mock drafts, Bosa is the man once again. Williams could be in contention here too.

3.) New York Jets: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
There has been a lot made of Oliver to the Jets. New defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was with the St. Louis Rams when they drafted Aaron Donald, and Oliver has drawn a lot comparisons to Donald. That being said, the Jets have expressed a desire to trade down. Keep an eye out.

4.) Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
In our last mock draft we had the Raiders taking quarterback Dwayne Haskins. There was a lot of back-and-forth over keeping him here or taking Williams, arguably the best player in the draft. In the end we went with Williams.

5.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, LB, LSU
The Bucs let former-LSU linebacker Kwon Alexander leave via free agency and now replace him the former-LSU linebacker Devin White. While White’s play is worthy of a Top 5 selection, his leadership qualities make him an even more valuable draft pick.

6.) New York Giants: Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
Talk about talent meeting need. Allen is a perfect fit for what the Giants are trying to do on defense. In a 3-4 defense you’re only as good as your pass rushers and the G-Men don’t have any. Allen had 17 sacks last season.

7.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
Another pick we are keeping from our last mock draft. It just makes too much sense. Adding a bookend to Cam Robinson is a smart move. Nick Foles needs to be protected.

8.) Detroit Lions: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
The tight end position is interesting this year. The top prospects are from the same school and it really comes down to preference. The Lions added veteran Jesse James via free agency, adding Fant would be a great complimentary piece. Also, don’t be surprised if Detroit trades down.

9.) Buffalo Bills: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington St.
Like Detroit, the Bills are also interested in trading down (allegedly). If they don’t, bolstering that front line would be a smart move. Adding Dillard would allow the Bills to flip tackle Dion Dawkins over to the right side, a position better suited for the veteran.

10.) Denver Broncos: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
New head coach Vic Fangio was the defensive coordinator in Chicago last year when they drafted linebacker Roquan Smith. Fangio, knows the importance of a sideline-to-sideline defender in the middle of a 3-4 defense. Bush, would be a welcome addition.

11.) Cincinnati Bengals: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
The Bengals’ offensive line was a joke last year. Was that a little too strong? Don’t care! Adding Williams would be a game changer. He is a Day One starter, the only question is where on the right side does he play, guard or tackle?

12.) Green Bay Packers: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
And so we have it! Two Iowa tight ends off the board within the Top 15. Hockenson, is a complete tight end and takes some pressure off of veteran Jimmy Graham.

13.) Miami Dolphins: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi St.
This is a very interesting position in the draft, if things shake out like this. There are two quarterbacks to watch here: Haskins and Duke’s Daniel Jones. It’s not outside the realm of possibility, but if Haskins starts to slide expect the Redskins to trade up and take him.

If they don’t go and grab a quarterback, watch for Sweat. Sweat, has medical red flags (breaking stories have refuted this), but he has been aware of it and still excelled in the SEC. Miami is very thin at defensive end, and Sweat could make a difference.

14.) Atlanta Falcons: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Atlanta is being linked with a move into the Top 10. The player that seems to be getting linked with them is Devin Bush. If they can’t move up to take the linebacker, look for them to add to their collection of Clemson defensive lineman (Vic Beasley and Grady Jarrett) by adding Wilkins.

15.) Washington Redskins: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio St.
This would be a perfect scenario for Washington. No trading up and still get their quarterback. But what happens if this mock gets it wrong (doubtful) and Haskins goes to Oakland? Look for a wide receiver, edge rusher, or Daniel Jones.

16.) Carolina Panthers: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
The Panthers need help in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The question then becomes, do they address the offensive side or the defensive? Ferrell, is a well-rounded end, who can rush the passer and set the edge. His sacks numbers went from 6 to 9.5 to 11.5 over the past three years. A great trajectory for the Panthers to gamble on.

17.) New York Giants: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
That’s right! No quarterback! I agree that Eli Manning looks like a deer trying to stand on ice while he plays football, but the Giants had the 11th ranked passing offense last year. Yes, you read that right. GM Dave Gettleman loves his “hog mollies” in the trenches. Gary, is just that.

18.) Minnesota Vikings: Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State
This is a matter of one player solving two problems. Bradbury, is a Day One starter and the reigning Rimington Trophy winner. His arrival to the team allows the Vikings to shift current center Pat Elflein to guard.

19.) Tennessee Titans: Brian Burns, OLB, Florida St.
Tennessee traded up to acquire two linebackers last year, but they still need more. They brought in veteran pass rusher Cameron Wake, but how much does he have left in the tank? Burns can start off as a third down speed rusher, before taking over as a starter.

20.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
The question isn’t which position will the Steelers address, but rather which player will they choose at cornerback? Will it be Rock Ya-Sin, DeAndre Baker, maybe Byron Murphy? Ultimately, we landed on Williams for our final mock draft. He is (arguably) the best player at the position and will bring some size to the secondary.

21.) Seattle Seahawks: Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
Seattle is such a hard team to read come draft season. James Carpenter? Bruce Irvin? Rashaad Penny? They are unconventional. The recent trade of Frank Clark has only increased the need they already had at end. Ferguson, racked up 17.5 sacks last season.

22.) Baltimore Ravens: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
We had the Ravens taking a wide receiver in our last mock draft, we only switched the name. This position is primed for either Marquise Brown or Metcalf. They both have wheels, but Metcalf is the bigger target. Either will work and the Ravens are in desperate need at wide receiver.

23.) Houston Texans: Cody Ford, OG, Oklahoma
The hubbub around the Texans trying to trade up centers around them addressing their offensive line. If they want one of the top tackle prospects they’ll have to move up to around the bottom of the Top 10. If they can’t pull off a move, Ford is not the worst backup plan. He offers position versatility and grit to the offensive line.

24.) Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
Veteran Marshawn Lynch has virtually retired, leaving the team with no real prospects to take over the lead back role. Jacobs, split time at Alabama which means he has plenty of tread on his tires. He would work well with third down back Jalen Richard.

25.) Philadelphia Eagles: N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona St.
Here’s something different. Yes, they have DeSean Jackson (again) and Alshon Jeffery, but they lost Golden Tate and the writing looks to be on the wall for Nelson Agholor. Harry, posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a Sun Devil.

26.) Indianapolis Colts: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi St.
In our last mock draft we had Simmons landing with the Colts in the second-round, but I don’t think teams will be sleeping on Simmons that long anymore. Simmons, tore his ACL in a pre-draft work out, but he is a Top 10 talent. The benefit of drafting him in the first-round, is that a team would then have a fifth year option to exercise on his contract.

27.) Oakland Raiders: Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple
Ya-Sin, has had a steady climb up draft boards all draft season. He only had one year at Temple, but it was a big one in which he tallied 14 pass break-ups and two interceptions. He sticks to his man, and closes quickly thanks to great awareness.

28.) LA Chargers: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
Admittedly, I don’t believe Jones lasts this long. But if he does, the Chargers would be wise to draft him. The Chargers don’t have a backup plan for Phillip Rivers and he isn’t getting any younger. Jones, has been molded to excel in the NFL.

29.) Seattle Seahawks: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
The Seahawks doing more Seahawk things. Gardner-Johnson, is a versatile and aggressive safety. Two things Seattle loves in their defenders. He can line up as a true safety, but has the coverage ability to play the nickle as well. A sure tackler, Gardner-Johnson is the next piece in a quickly revamped Seattle secondary.

30.) Green Bay Packers: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
Like Jones, I don’t see Lock lasting this long. Of course, it seems every year that a quarterback prospect falls to the bottom of the first-round and somebody trades up to snag them. While the Packers aren’t trading up, they still stop the slide of Lock and develop him in to Rodgers heir.

31.) LA Rams: Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M
The Rams are trying to (wisely) trade down and collect some picks. They’ve spent a lot of money on their stars and now are in need of some cheap labor, that comes from rookies. The offensive line needs a youth injection and they currently have no one at the pivot. McCoy remedies both problems.

32.) New England Patriots: A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
Another note on Jones, if Daniel Jones starts to slide and keeps sliding to the near bottom of the first-round, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pats move up and take the Duke quarterback. But again, no trades in our mock drafts. In this situation, Brown is the man. A big target, big production, and a quality route-runner.

2019 NFL Mock Draft: 2.0

We are just a few weeks away from the NFL Draft live from Nashville and things…aren’t really getting that much clearer.

Typically things begin to crystallize at this point, with the combine being done and most pro days being completed, but that’s not the case. Maybe things will get clearer as players now visit teams and conduct private workouts. Just the other day we saw the Oakland Raiders tweet out that Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray was in for a sit down.

But what are we are crying for? We live for mock draft season. The trickier the better. Speaking of which, lets launch into our second mock draft and of course it’s a two rounder…

1.) Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
(Rd 2: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama)
At this point Murray is still the top guy. With Josh Rosen being linked with Washington, this pick is starting to come in to focus. And once they have their man under center it makes sense to protect him, right? Williams is battle tested and versatile.

2.) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio St.
(Rd 2: A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss)
Nothing changes from our first mock draft. Bosa is arguably the best prospect in the draft and the Niners have a need at defensive end.

3.) New York Jets: Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky
This is where things get interesting. The Jets have made it very well known that they would like to move down and it might happen, but it also might not and if not than Allen is a pretty damn good consolation prize.

4.) Oakland Raiders: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio St.
(Rd 2: DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia)
A big shakeup here from our first mock draft. Haskins is a throwback quarterback prospect and with a throwback head coach in Jon Gruden, what better match could there be?

5.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
(Rd 2: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware)
New head coach Bruce Arians knows the value in having a dynamic 5-technique on defense. He worked with Calais Campbell while in Arizona. Williams is as disruptive as they come and a quality building block.

6.) New York Giants: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
(Rd 2: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke)
The Giants defensive coordinator is James Bettcher. He worked under Bruce Arians during his entire tenure in Arizona. See above. As for Jones, his ties to the Manning family and coach David Cutcliffe makes this all too obvious.

7.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
(Rd 2: Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia)
The Jaguars invested $88 million ($50 million guaranteed) in veteran quarterback Nick Foles. They also don’t have a right tackle. They need to protect their investment. It’s that simple.

8.) Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippit St.
(Rd 2: Irv Smith Jr, TE, Alabama)
Sweat is an interesting prospect suddenly. He crushed it at the Senior Bowl and at the combine, however it was revealed that he has a heart condition. The same one that sent defensive tackle Maurice Hurst from the fringe of the first round all the way down to the fifth round. Does Sweat fall as precipitously?

9.) Buffalo Bills: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
(Rd 2: Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State)
Another holdover from the last mock draft. This just seems to make too much sense. Head coach Sean McDermott is a defensive minded guy and he needs to bolster the trenches. Oliver lives in the opposition’s backfield.

10.) Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri
(Rd 2: Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas St.)
Of course General Manager John Elway is going to draft a quarterback, he is General Manager John Elway. In the second round, Risner gives the team versatility upfront and a bookend to former first-round pick Garrett Bolles.

11.) Cincinnati Bengals: Devin White, LB, LSU
(Rd 2: Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama St.)
The Bengals still don’t have any linebackers, so this is the most obvious selection to mock out. However, White is an ascending talent with some believing he is a Top 5 candidate. White may not be available when the Bengals are selecting.

12.) Green Bay Packers: Brian Burns, OLB, Florida St.
(Rd 2: Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford)
In our first mock draft we talked about how the Packers picked up two veterans in free agency and how that would dissuade them from addressing the position further. Well, we were wrong. You can never have enough of a pass rush in an increasingly talented division.

13.) Miami Dolphins: Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
(Rd 2: Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington)
A reach? Who knows. But Ferguson brings something to Miami that they currently don’t have, a pass rush threat. A new comer to our mock draft, Ferguson is as disruptive and coming off a 17.5 sack season.

14.) Atlanta Falcons: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
(Rd 2: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU)
Once again Wilkins is the best defensive tackle on the board in this scenario and once again the Falcons get the three-technique they’re looking for. Williams, in Round 2 gives them an instant player in the nickle and (potentially) a future starter.

15.) Washington Redskins: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
(Rd 2: Will Grier, QB, West Virginia)
The defense in Washington has been pedestrian in perpetuity. Bush can change that. A sideline to sideline defender who plays with passion is exactly what Washington needs. Grier, in the second, gives them something to mold for the future.

16.) Carolina Panthers: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
(Rd 2: Dre’Mont, DT, Ohio St.)
Long time center Ryan Kalil finally retired and finding someone to fill his shoes is of major importance, however six years ago another former stalwart retired– left tackle Jordan Gross. The position still hasn’t been addressed. Now it has.

17.) New York Giants: Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma
The Giants don’t have a right tackle. It’s that simple. With a 38 year old quarterback and an all-world talent at running back, that offensive line has to be in prime condition. With Ford in the mix, the Giants may be able to boost that 24th ranked rushing offense.

18.) Minnesota Vikings: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
(Rd 2: Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma)
Minnesota thinks they have the talent to make a Super Bowl run right now, alas it hasn’t happened. So what do you do with a loaded roster? Keep adding weapons. Fant would provide an excellent weapon for Kirk Cousins.

19.) Tennessee Titans: Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
(Rd 2: D’Andre Walker, OLB, Georgia)
Tillery is a monster and would give the Titans a quality bookend to Jurrell Casey. The Titans finished the year with a Top 10 defense, however their rushing defense came in at 18th. Tillery can help boost the Titans into a true terror.

20.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida
(Rd 2: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina)
The Steelers continually fail to add pieces to their defense. Yes, they hit with TJ Watt, but they have whiffed on multiple top picks. Polite gives the Steelers a bookend threat to terrorize quarterbacks.

21.) Seattle Seahawks: Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M
Sternberger has been rocketing up draft boards over the course of events and has now landed in our mock draft. Sternberger had to wait until 2018 to get his chance and he came through big time posting over 800 yards and 10 touchdowns. A team with no tight end like Seattle will welcome production like that.

22.) Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
The Ravens don’t have a wide receiver. Any. That can’t happen in 21st century football. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has a cannon and they need someone who can get open deep when he uncorks it, that man is Brown.

23.) Houston Texans: Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt
(Rd 2: Brandon Hitner, OT, Villanova; Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio St.)
The first corner is off the board! Williams has impressive size for the position and had 28 pass breakups over the past two seasons, to go along with four interceptions.

24.) Oakland Raiders: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
You have to at least try to replace Khalil Mack, right? Ferrell isn’t the pass rushing threat that Mack is (few are), but Ferrell can cause pressure and set the edge. He’s a little bit of everything that the Raiders don’t have.

25.) Philadelphia Eagles: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington St.
(Rd 2: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida; L.J. Collier, DE, Michigan St.)
Quite a precipitous fall from our first mock draft, but Dillard winds up in a good situation. Dillard, would sit for a year and study behind future hall-of-famer Jason Peters, who is nearly 40 years old at this point. An understudy is needed.

26.) Indianapolis Colts: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
(Rd 2: Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple; Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi St.)
Andrew Luck was impressive in first season back from injury and even more impressive when you consider who he was throwing the ball to. Outside of T.Y. Hilton and tight end Eric Ebron, there weren’t a lot of choices. Metcalf can take the top off a defense.

27.) Oakland Raiders: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
The Raiders brought in all the weaponry they could need via free agency, however they failed to replace tight end Jared Cook. Hockenson, could provide a reliable target for whoever is throwing the ball.

28.) LA Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
(Rd 2: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama)
The Chargers are pretty set with much of their roster, but age and a lack of depth sticks out along the interior of their defensive line. While they hit on Justin Jones last year, Brandon Mebane isn’t getting any younger.

29.) Kansas City Chiefs: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
(Rd 2: Joe Jackson, DE, Miami; Miles Sanders, RB, Penn St.)
There’s no easy way to put this…the Chiefs defensive secondary was hot garbage last year, and not much was done to address it over free agency. Murphy could step in to help. While he is on the smaller side, Murphy has the ball skills to excel, proven by his 27 pass breakups and seven interceptions over the last two years.

30.) Green Bay Packers: Jonathan Abram, S, Mississippi St.
The organization has spent a lot of draft capitol on the secondary in the past few years and have failed to come up with anything except cornerback Jaire Alexander. Abram is a tone setter and maybe, hopefully, a successful pick.

31.) LA Rams: Garrett Bradburry, C, NC State
Bradburry is the start of a youth movement along the Rams offensive line. The reigning Rimington Trophy winner can be a Day One starter for the Rams.

32.) New England Patriots: N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona St.
(Rd 2: Isaac Nauta, TE, Georgia; Oshane Ximines, DE, Old Dominion)
The Patriots have a surprising amount of holes in their roster for a team that just won the Super Bowl. Harry, was very productive at Arizona State and provides a lot of versatility, a key attribute for any Patriots player. He can play special teams and work the jet sweeps that are becoming increasingly popular throughout the league.

49.) Cleveland Browns: Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
Remember, it’s a two round mock draft which means we have some new teams to talk about! First up the Browns. Maybe the most trendy team entering 2019. Rapp helps fill the void in the secondary that was created in order to acquire OBJ.

58.) Dallas Cowboys: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
This may seem strange, but what is the backup plan if Ezekiel Elliott goes down with an injury? That’s right there isn’t one. Jacobs is used to working in a tandem and can help preserve the Cowboys most valuable asset.

62.) New Orleans Saints: Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa St.
Don’t forget that the Saints were in such dire needs at receiver that they signed Dez Bryant midseason. Butler gives the Saints a massive threat to pair with Michael Thomas and help take some attention off the Pro Bowler.