Like just about every other mock draft in America, my final projection of the 2019 NFL Draft‘s first round has the Cardinals taking Kyler Murray at No. 1 overall. But how long will it take for the other top quarterbacks to come off the board?
As you can see below, I don’t believe we will see the usual aggressiveness on the signal-caller front, with a couple top-tier QB prospects having to wait until nearly the end of Thursday night.
To see every draft pick each team holds in the 2019 NFL Draft, click here.
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior (RS)
Despite debating over
Nick Bosa and
Quinnen Williams as foundation pieces on defense, the team decides to give Kliff Kingsbury his preferred franchise quarterback.
Nick Bosa – Edge
School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
The
49ers could field a dynamic edge-rushing duo with Bosa joining
Dee Ford. (Not to mention,
DeForest Buckner hunting from the inside.)
Josh Allen – Edge
School: Kentucky | Year: Senior
Gregg Williams would have all kinds of fun creating sack opportunities for Allen off the edge in an ultra-aggressive defense.
Ed Oliver – DT
School: Houston | Year: Junior
Jon Gruden could view Oliver as a Warren Sapp-like disruptor at the point of attack. The undersized 3-technique is a one-gap penetrator with a non-stop motor.
Quinnen Williams – DT
School: Alabama | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Gerald McCoy is no longer the high-level playmaker who dominated for years in the middle of the Bucs’ defense. Williams would be an ideal replacement as a big-bodied playmaker with exceptional size, strength and explosiveness.
Jonah Williams – OT
School: Alabama | Year: Junior
The
Giants show their undying commitment to
Eli Manning by selecting a top-notch tackle prospect to protect the veteran quarterback.
Jawaan Taylor – OT
School: Florida | Year: Junior
Taylor would give the
Jaguars a rugged edge blocker to help them get back to their run-heavy roots.
T.J. Hockenson – TE
School: Iowa | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Bob Quinn can’t go wrong selecting a rock-solid tight end considered to be the total package at the position.
Noah Fant – TE
School: Iowa | Year: Junior
Adding an explosive flex tight end would give
Josh Allen another weapon to target in the passing game.
Devin White – LB
School: LSU | Year: Junior
Vic Fangio can’t resist adding a violent traffic cop to the defense. White is an exceptional sideline-to-sideline player with excellent communication skills and leadership ability.
Devin Bush – LB
School: Michigan | Year: Junior
The
Bengals need to add more speed and quickness to their linebacker corps to compete with the explosive offensive units within the division. Bush is a rangy playmaker with outstanding instincts, awareness and cover skills.
Marquise Brown – WR
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior
Aaron Rodgers hasn’t had a consistent deep threat at his disposal since Jordy Nelson was in his prime. Brown is a
DeSean Jackson clone with the speed and explosiveness to run past defenders as a vertical playmaker.
Cody Ford – OL
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior (RS)
Upgrading the offensive line is a top priority for the
Dolphins after surrendering 52 sacks in 2018. Ford gives the team a rugged blocker with the capacity to play guard or tackle as a Day 1 starter.
Andre Dillard – OT
School: Washington State | Year: Senior (RS)
Adding a quality edge blocker is a priority with
Matt Ryan still in the prime of his career. Dillard is a polished technician with the footwork and athleticism to shine on either side of the line.
Dwayne Haskins – QB
School: Ohio State | Year: Sophomore (RS)
The ‘Skins could move up to grab their quarterback of the future or hope Haskins falls to them due to a surprising draft-day slide.
Montez Sweat – Edge
School: Mississippi State | Year: Senior
Losing Julius Peppers to retirement makes adding a DE a top priority. Sweat is an explosive pass rusher with a knack for getting to the quarterback.
Clelin Ferrell – Edge
School: Clemson | Year: Junior (RS)
New Yorkers might blow a gasket when Dave Gettleman bypasses a quarterback to select an edge rusher, but the
Giants general manager covets blue-collar frontline defenders with pass-rushing skills.
Garrett Bradbury – OL
School: N.C. State | Year: Senior (RS)
The move to Gary Kubiak’s zone-based rushing attack makes the N.C. State standout a natural fit as an interior starter with a versatile game that could make him a Pro Bowl-caliber player at center or guard.
Christian Wilkins – DT
School: Clemson | Year: Senior
The versatility of the Clemson standout makes him an intriguing puzzle piece in the
Titans‘ hybrid defense.
Byron Murphy – CB
School: Washington | Year: Sophomore (RS)
The
Steelers could use a high-IQ cover corner with superb instincts and a diverse skill set. Murphy is the perfect candidate to excel as a CB1 in a defense that mixes man and zone concepts.
Rashan Gary – Edge
School: Michigan | Year: Junior
Pete Carroll can’t resist an opportunity to groom an A-level athlete into a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
Erik McCoy – C
School: Texas A&M | Year: Junior (RS)
The team is committed to making over the offense to better suit the talents of young QB
Lamar Jackson. McCoy gives Baltimore an athletic interior blocker with the athleticism and quickness to climb to the second level, which is essential to succeeding in a zone-read-based offense.
Greedy Williams – CB
School: LSU | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Williams is an explosive athlete with the press-man skills and hands to be a turnover machine on the island. He would excel in Romeo Crennel’s defense as a CB1 in a year or so.
Josh Jacobs – RB
School: Alabama | Year: Junior
Gruden could view Jacobs as a Charlie Garner-like RB1 with the potential to upgrade the offense as a runner-receiver from the backfield.
Dexter Lawrence – DT
School: Clemson | Year: Junior
The
Eagles aren’t afraid to invest in trench players in the early rounds. Lawrence is a big, athletic defensive tackle with run-stopping skills and pass-rush potential.
Jeffery Simmons – DT
School: Mississippi State | Year: Junior
Colts general manager Chris Ballard might not be able to resist grabbing a top-five talent at this point of the draft. Simmons could end up being the best defender from this draft — a torn ACL could make him the best value pick in the 2019 class.
Brian Burns – Edge
School: Florida State | Year: Junior
Burns’ combination of speed, quickness and closing burst could allow him to annually produce 10-plus sacks in this league. The
Raiders‘ anemic pass rush needs a sizzle player on the edges.
Jerry Tillery – DT
School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior
With
Corey Liuget in free agency, Tillery could be a target for the
Chargers at this pick. As a natural 5-technique with outstanding strength and power, the Notre Dame standout could make his mark immediately as a starter.
Johnathan Abram – S
School: Mississippi State | Year: Senior
The hard-hitting safety would fill the role occupied by
Kam Chancellor during the “Legion of Boom” era.
Drew Lock – QB
School: Missouri | Year: Senior
The ultra-talented gunslinger would give the team a developmental prospect to groom behind
Aaron Rodgers.
Elgton Jenkins – C
School: Mississippi State | Year: Senior (RS)
The
Rams upgrade their interior with the rugged Jenkins coming onboard near the end of Round 1.
Daniel Jones – QB
School: Duke | Year: Junior (RS)
The
Patriots could take a position player with potential to contribute immediately … or they could make a long-term investment in the most important position on the field.
Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.