Ryan McCrystal’s 2019 NFL Mock Draft – Final Version (4/25)
4th most accurate mock draft projections over last five years via The Huddle Report
Round 1 – Round 2 – Round 3 – Team by Team
1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray – QB – Oklahoma
I’m more unsure about the No. 1 pick than most years (John Dorsey years excluded). The transition from Steve Keim’s traditional pocket passer (which describes Josh Rosen perfectly) to the complete opposite in Murray is fascinating. We simply don’t see GMs and coaches make such a dramatic shift in their model at any position, especially quarterback. If they go through with it, it will be interesting to hear Keim and the rest of the Cardinals staff discuss their process.
2. San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa – EDGE – Ohio State
The optics of drafting yet another defensive lineman aren’t great for the 49ers, but it’s unavoidable unless they trade down. At first glance it might seem like Bosa doesn’t fit on the roster with Dee Ford and Solomon Thomas, but Thomas frequently shifts inside on passing downs, which will allow the 49ers to get Bosa, Thomas and Ford on the field at the same time.
3. New York Jets – Ed Oliver – DL – Houston
Over the past three years the Jets have ranked 24th, 28th and 28th in sack rate. Their lack of a pass rush has to be hanging over their head like a dark cloud this offseason, and yet they haven’t made any moves to addressnz it yet. It’s no secret they want to trade down, but there doesn’t seem to be enough interest. Mike Maccagnan is rumored to have his eye on Oliver, although Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen are fits as well.
4. Oakland Raiders – Quinnen Williams – DT – Alabama
The Raiders have been linked to Williams and Oliver and will probably take whoever the Jets pass up. However, the Raiders have closed ranks and sent the scouts home early, which means all reports about their interest in Williams and Oliver are likely bogus. If a team shocks us within the first few picks, the Raiders are the ones who could do it.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White – LB – LSU
Personally, I’m confused by the Bucs interest in Devin White when other quality pass-rushers are on the board. But there’s a lot of smoke around this connection and I’m inclined to believe it. White definitely fills a need at inside linebacker, I’m just not sure it’s the best combination of value/need.
6. New York Giants – Josh Allen – DE – Kentucky
The Giants love Daniel Jones due to the Eli Manning/David Cutcliffe connection, but just because he’s QB1 on their board doesn’t mean they’re going to reach for him at No. 6. Gettleman isn’t shy about trading away draft picks, so he’ll likely land a pass-rusher here and then, if necessary, trade up again for Jones.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jonah Williams – OT – Alabama
As of right now, the Jaguars are set up to have a competition at right tackle between Will Richardson (2018 fourth-round pick) and Cedric Ogbuehi (free agent from Bengals). The Jaguars know Nick Foles needs to be protected in order to recreate the magic he had in Philly, so they will likely target a right tackle capable of winning that job. That likely means Jawaan Taylor or Jonah Williams.
8. Detroit Lions – T.J. Hockenson – TE – Iowa
Levine Toilolo, who led Lions tight ends in snaps in the passing game, was used in pass protection on 22.5 percent of those snaps, the fifth highest rate in the league. So if the Lions are going to draft a tight end, it’s likely they’ll target someone who can contribute as a blocker. Among the top tight ends in this class, that only describes Hockenson. It’s also worth noting GM Bob Quinn, VP of Player Personnel Kyle O’Brien and head coach Matt Patricia all came from New England and Hockenson is probably the closest prospect we’ve seen to Rob Gronkowski in a few years.
9. Buffalo Bills – Christian Wilkins – DL – Clemson
The Bills are looking for someone who brings a combination of leadership and productive play in the trenches. That probably narrows their targets down to Jonah Williams and Christian Wilkins, although if a prospect like Josh Allen or Quinnen Williams unexpected falls they would also fit.
10. Denver Broncos – Devin Bush – LB – Michigan
This has become one of the most poorly kept secrets in the league. Elway has decided to wait on a quarterback (although a trade back up into the late first-round is still possible). Bush will fill the void created by Brandon Marshall’s departure to Oakland this offseason.
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Andre Dillard – OT – Washington State
This would be a fascinating scenario for the Bengals. With Dwayne Haskins on the board, there will be a lot of anticipation among Bengals fans for him to be the selection. But I suspect they’re interesting in building up the rest of the roster more before replacing Andy Dalton. Zac Taylor’s offense requires athletes on the offensive line, which likely means Dillard is their top-rated offensive lineman.
12. Green Bay Packers – Brian Burns – EDGE – Florida State
This scenario isn’t ideal for the Packers, who likely have Hockenson, White and Bush all high on their board. But of none of those three slide, they may turn their attention to a pass-rusher.
13. Miami Dolphins – Jawaan Taylor – OT – Florida
The Dolphins offensive line isn’t ready to support a rookie quarterback, so hopefully they decide to build up the roster before targeting their quarterback of the future in 2020 or 2021. Right tackle is a glaring need after losing Ja’Wuan James in free agency, and traditionally the Dolphins have made the offensive line a high priority. Since Chris Grier was promoted to Dir. of College Scouting in 2007, the Dolphins have spent more first and second round picks on the o-line than any other position.
14. Atlanta Falcons – Cody Ford – OL – Oklahoma
Ford primarily played tackle at Oklahoma, but has a skill set some teams prefer at guard. The Falcons have a glaring hole there after losing both starting guards this offseason. They’ll likely plug Ford in at guard initially, but his flexibility will also be an asset in the long run.
15. Washington Redskins – Dwayne Haskins – QB – Ohio State
Last year at this time it looked like Washington was settling in for a few years of mediocrity with Alex Smith, but due to his injury they may have accidentally been forced to addressnz the quarterback position earlier than expected. Washington has conducted visits/workouts with at least eight different quarterbacks. Most QB-needy teams don’t meet with that many because they can narrow down the list from film alone. So the Redskins extensive search likely means they’re desperate. If Haskins falls they’ll likely jump at the opportunity.
16. Carolina Panthers – Montez Sweat – DE – Mississippi State
Bruce Irvin and Mario Addison are fine, but they’re both 31 years old. Even if Carolina feels good about its pass rush in the short term, targeting a younger lineman to groom for the future makes sense given the talent in this draft class. Sweat’s health concerns have reportedly scared off some teams, so it’s just a wild guess that Carolina is still interest. But if their doctors cleared him, he’s an ideal fit and a steal.
17. New York Giants – Daniel Jones – QB – Duke
As I said before, trying to guess what Gettleman will do is a fool’s errand. But obviously they need a quarterback and Daniel Jones is apparently coveted by certain teams. Jones and Eli Manning were both coached in college by David Cutcliffe, which could factor into Gettleman’s thinking. I’m not officially projecting a trade here, but I won’t be surprised if Gettleman uses his extra assets to move up for Jones.
18. Minnesota Vikings – Garrett Bradbury – C – N.C. State
The Vikings signed Josh Kline from Tennessee to fill one guard slot, but there’s still a glaring hole on the other side. It’s possible Bradbury could slide into the slot, but more likely they would put Bradbury at center and move Pat Elflein to guard, where he played at Ohio State.
19. Tennessee Titans – Clelin Ferrell – DE – Clemson
The Titans are a tough team to figure out this year. They’ve more or less plugged their most glaring holes in free agency, giving them some freedom with this selection. But they do still need some pass-rush depth, and getting younger at that position wouldn’t hurt either.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Rock Ya-Sin – CB – Temple
It’s hard to believe Rock Ya-Sin is going to be the first cornerback off the board, but it appears as though we’re headed that direction. The Steelers reportedly love him, and they’re not the only ones. Pittsburgh may even considering moving up a few slot to ensure they land him.
21. Seattle Seahawks: Rashan Gary – DE – Michigan
Injury concerns have made Gary’s draft stock murky but if the Seahawks clear him medically, he’s an ideal fit. Their scheme doesn’t require elite athleticism on the edge (Michael Bennett, for example), so they’re one of the few teams who probably view Gary as a good fit as an edge rusher.
22. Baltimore Ravens – Erik McCoy – C – Texas A&M
The Ravens will be harder to predict this year because Ozzie Newsome isn’t calling the shots (although he is still in the building). The Ravens have made it clear they want receivers from this draft class, but that could be the plan for Day 2. Adding a starting center is also a priority, and that will be much easier to fill if they target someone like McCoy, Bradbury or Elgton Jenkins here.
23. Houston Texans – Greedy Williams – CB – LSU
Williams didn’t make any pre-draft visits, which makes projecting his draft stock harder. Usually the safest prospects get fewer visits, so that’s a good sign for Williams. But teams selecting in the top half of the first round often visit with their intended targets. Add those two trends together, and Williams probably lands in the late first round to a team that maybe wasn’t targeting him, but is happy he fell. Houston needs offensive line help badly, but adding arguably the most talented cornerback (also a position of need) is the better option to reaching for a lineman.
24. Oakland Raiders – Josh Jacobs – RB – Alabama
The Raiders have shown significant interest in landing a running back, and with multiple first-round picks it will be easier for them to justify snagging Jacobs here than other teams. It’s more likely they snag him at No. 24 due to some reported interest from the Eagles and Colts.
25. Philadelphia Eagles – Jeffery Simmons – DT – Mississippi State
GM Howie Roseman has done such a fantastic job in recent years that he’s made predicting the Eagles difficult due to their lack of glaring needs. Since they don’t necessarily need a rookie to come in and start in 2019, Roseman might be willing to gamble on Simmons, who is a top-10 talent but is likely to miss the entire year due to injury.
26. Indianapolis Colts – Marquise Brown – WR – Oklahoma
I’m going out on a limb a little with this prediction. The Colts have shown minimal interest in wide receivers in this draft class, but they did show a strong interest during free agency in receivers who could stretch the field. Unfortunately, they came up short in those pursuits and ended up with Devin Funchess, a possession receiver. They’re probably comfortable with the Hilton/Funchess combo, but if Hollywood Brown were to fall into their lap, it might be an opportunity that is tough to pass up.
27. Oakland Raiders – Byron Murphy – CB – Washington
It’s still unclear what Jon Gruden thinks of Gareon Conley (although he had a nice year in 2018 and deserves to keep his starting job). 2018 fourth-round pick Nick Nelson also has yet to prove himself. So we should probably assume cornerback is still a need in Oakland.
28. Los Angeles Chargers – Dexter Lawrence – DT – Clemson
Tom Telesco has always valued big nose tackles, and this could be his opportunity to land Brandon Mebane’s replacement. Lawrence is also a better athlete than the traditional nose tackle and will still offer value as an interior pass-rusher.
29. Cincinnati Bengals – Drew Lock – QB – Missouri – Projected Trade From SEA
Seattle recently acquired this pick from Kansas City for Frank Clark, but they still need to accumulate draft picks and will likely shop one of their two first-round picks. As for the Bengals, if they land an offensive line at No. 11, that may make them more comfortable gambling on a quarterback in the late first round. Lock is not on Jared Goff’s level as a prospect, but he does have some similar traits (strong arm, adequate mobility) that make him a fit for Zac Taylor’s offense. The Bengals may also be motivated to find a quarterback sooner rather than later due to A.J. Green’s expiring contract. He might be more willing to sign another long-term deal if he’s already comfortable with the quarteracb
30. Green Bay Packers – Noah Fant – TE – Iowa
I’m not buying into the Packers interest in Fant at No. 12. That’s a reach for a one-dimensional tight end, especially for Matt LaFleur’s offense which requires his tight ends to block. However, if Fant slides this far, the upside might be worth the gamble. Due to their depth at tight end, he won’t be forced to play immediately, giving them time to work with him on his blocking.
31. Los Angeles Rams – Chris Lindstrom – OL – Boston College
The two areas where the Rams might end up with a rookie starter are defensive tackle (Suh’s old job) or the interior offensive line. And there should be options at both positions with this selection. Lindstrom played tackle and guard at BC, but is viewed as a candidate to shift to center, which could be his role in Los Angeles.
32. New England Patriots – N’Keal Harry – WR – Arizona State
The Patriots are reportedly interested in landing multiple receivers in this draft, and they could start with this selection. It’s tough to narrow down their list of targets, but Harry and A.J. Brown are likely high on their list. A darkhorse is Notre Dame’s Miles Boykin.
