Happy NFL Draft day! The three-day stretch that we have all been waiting for is upon us. There have been months of speculation and rumors, but we will finally have answers to all of our questions starting tonight.  

With that being said, here’s my final 2019 NFL mock draft. 

1. Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

Needs: OL, DL, WR

Steve Keim and Michael Bidwell may have selected Josh Rosen last year with the No.10 overall pick, but being that they’re on their second coach in as many seasons, Kliff Kingsbury is likely to only receive one chance as an NFL head coach and he will pound the table for his preference, which I believe is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.

One of my favorite traits about Kyler Murray is how he's able to switch ball speeds on throws. His deep touch is elite though.

Here's some of his best throws: pic.twitter.com/de5tSGIUpd

— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 20, 2019

The first-year head coach will want the best prospect under center in order to succeed in the tough NFC West. Due to Murray’s fit and familiarity in the Air Raid offense, he becomes the future in the desert.

2. San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State

Needs: EDGE, WR, CB

The 49ers already have intriguing young pieces along the interior defensive line in DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, and Solomon Thomas. Last year, the defense set an NFL single-season record for the fewest forced turnovers ever (7). They took steps towards replenishing the talent off of the edge by trading for Dee Ford and signing him to a lucrative five-year, $85 million deal. Adding him alongside Bosa gives the franchise a formidable duo for the future.

3. New York Jets: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama

Needs: EDGE, OT, CB

The Jets have made it widely known that trading back is their ideal plan, but it may be a strategy that’s hard to accomplish due to teams not seeing a viable player worthy of trading up for at the third overall spot. Edge rusher is a need for the Jets, but they elect to take the best player available in Williams, even though they already have Leonard Williams present. Pairing the two gives the Jets a rock solid interior.

4. Oakland Raiders: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

Needs: EDGE, CB, LB

#Raiders GM Mike Mayock said he’s talked to every top quarterback in the NFL over the last few years and they have all said that pressure up the middle is what gives them the hardest time.

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) February 27, 2019

The Raiders finished with a league-low 13 sacks last season, and even though this is a talent-rich edge rusher class at the top, the Silver and Black are still searching for an identity on the defensive side of the ball. Whether it’s from the exterior or up the middle, the Raiders need to generate any type of pass rush from any area. Defensive Coordinator Paul Guenther saw the importance of Geno Atkins during his time in Cincinnati. It makes sense to select a player from a similar mold. That’s Oliver.

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

Needs: DL, LB, CB

With Kwon Alexander moving on to the Bay Area, there’s a huge void in the middle of the Buccaneers’ defense. White comes in immediately to provide the consistent leadership and demeanor that has been lacking. White’s presence alone gives the franchise a face-lift of sorts on the side of the ball that’s been a struggle for multiple years.

6. New York Giants: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky

Needs: QB, OT, EDGE 

It’s no secret that Dave Gettleman wants to continue to build up the trenches through the draft. After seeing early returns on the mid-round picks from a year ago in Lorenzo Carter, B.J. Hill, and R.J. McIntosh, he continues to build outward by adding Allen. The reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year brings a consistent edge rushing presence and continues the overhaul of the defensive line.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

Needs: TE, OT, EDGE

The Jaguars’ current tight end depth chart consists of Geoff Swaim, Ben Koyack, and Pharoah McKever. There’s a supreme lack of talent present. After investing a four-year, $88 million deal in Nick Foles, it would be wise to not only surround him with weapons, but also to provide an in-line or flexed out weapon in the offense. Hockenson fits in perfectly with the demeanor of the Jaguars’ offense and provides value in multiple facets, not only as a pass catcher but also as a tenacious run blocker.

8. Detroit Lions: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

Needs: EDGE, TE, S

Over the past few years, the Lions have been known as a team that takes a safe approach with early-round selections. Here, they address the offensive line in the first round for the second consecutive year (Frank Ragnow, 2018). Williams is as safe as they come because of his polish and consistency. There’s a bit of a positional fit debate, but he projects to make the transition inside to guard alongside Ricky Wagner and Graham Glasgow.

9. Buffalo Bills: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

Needs: DT, EDGE, OT 

A team that has had one of the better offseasons thus far, as far as filling their needs through free agency, Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have allowed themselves to take a true best player available approach.With that being said, they continue to make life easy on Josh Allen by adding more protection up front for him. Taylor adds more talent at the offensive tackle spot that has also added a depth piece in Ty Nsekhe. Combined with Dion Dawkins, the three would provide one of the more intriguing training camp battles heading into next season.

10. Denver Broncos: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan

Needs: G, QB, LB

Quarterback has been commonly slotted here, but with Vic Fangio in the fold, I’m not so sure that he wants his first ever draft pick to be an offensive player. After acquiring Joe Flacco, the team seems to be in win-now mode. Putting his stamp on this team right away, John Elway selects the rangy linebacker to pair with Josey Jewell in the middle of the defense and provide a young centerpiece for the future.

11. Cincinnati Bengals: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State

Needs: LB, QB, OL

I firmly believe that some team will trade up to select Haskins, but for the sake of this no trades mock draft, the Bengals elect to pick their quarterback of the future. After officially turning the page from Marvin Lewis, the new regime doesn’t have any ties to Andy Dalton. With zero dead money attached to the two remaining years of his contract, it will be easy for new head coach Zac Taylor to move on from him if his output and health remain the same as years past.

12. Green Bay Packers: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa

Needs: TE, LB, S

The Packers haven’t drafted an offensive skilled position since taking Javon Walker in 2002. With two picks in the first round and an offseason that has been primarily defense-centric to this point, Brian Gutekeunst opts to add another weapon to Aaron Rodgers’ arsenal. The Jimmy Graham signing hasn’t worked out to this point, and Fant adds more ammunition in Lambeau at multiple spots. The Packers are one Davante Adams injury away from taking the field with a corps consisting of all second and third-year late-round selections or undrafted free agents. Fant is the passing game hybrid that could help calm those worries.

13. Miami Dolphins: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

Needs: QB, OL, DL 

I firmly believe that the Dolphins will do everything in their power to trade back from this spot as they continue their attempts to stockpile picks for their short-term rebuild. Having not drafted a player in the trenches on the offensive or defensive side a year ago, they end that streak right away. Wilkins steps into a situation where he can be an instant impact type of talent for a team that’s starving for talent along the defensive front.

14. Atlanta Falcons: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State

Needs: DT, EDGE, OT

Scouting Report | Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State https://t.co/h9Nukm4Y7q

— Cover 1 (@Cover1) April 11, 2019

Atlanta rarely shies away from selecting explosive athletes, and Sweat is exactly that. After he was believed to be a top-10 pick, Sweat suffers a small tumble due to his reported heart condition. With holes at edge rusher and defensive tackle, Sweat is the ideal fit on the exterior of the defensive line in Dan Quinn’s scheme while also providing added competition for Takk McKinley and a hopefully motivated Vic Beasley.

15. Washington Redskins: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

Needs: QB, WR, Guard

Another team that has lots of needs, but difficult to project exactly which route they may go, it’s obvious that Case Keenum and Colt McCoy aren’t the long-term answers. With Alex Smith’s career still a question mark, drafting a quarterback remains a priority. Jay Gruden doesn’t have time to be patient with a young quarterback, but Lock has the upside that none of the current options on the roster possess.

16. Carolina Panthers: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

Needs: EDGE, OT, S 

This pick will most likely be the highest-ranked edge rusher or offensive tackle on their board. In fact, there are rumors that the Panthers want to trade up in order to secure their target. Replacing Julius Peppers as the best pass rusher in team history won’t be an easy task, but after admitting their mistake on the Matt Kalil deal, they opt to protect Cam Newton’s blindside. Dillard is an immediate starting option that fills the massive hole at left tackle.

17. New York Giants: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke

Needs: QB, OT, EDGE 

The Giants have only drafted two quarterbacks in the first round in the common draft era (1969): Phil Simms (1979) and Philip Rivers (2004). Jones becomes the team’s first opening-round selection in 15 years as the heir apparent to Eli Manning, who enters the final year of his contract. He brings the cerebral and calm demeanor to a demanding media market. Jones’s ability to operate in the short to intermediate areas while taking timely shots down the field makes him a classic fit in Pat Shurmur’s offense.

18. Minnesota Vikings: Garrett Bradbury, Center, N.C. State

Needs: OL, DT, TE

The Vikings haven’t drafted an interior offensive lineman prior to the third round since selecting Marcus Johnson (Mississippi State) in the second round of the 2005 draft. That streak may come to an end with Bradbury. He wasn’t healthy coming into last season (shoulder surgery), but Pat Elflein hasn’t worked out at center to this point.

Scouting Report | Garrett Bradbury, Center, NC State https://t.co/GTrRVBZLgX

— Cover 1 (@Cover1) March 21, 2019

Inserting Bradbury at center and moving the third-year pro back to left guard, a position in which he had experienced positive results during the 2015 and 2016 seasons at Ohio State, could solidify the interior. The reigning Rimington Award winner is a perfect fit in the predominantly zone-based scheme in Minnesota.

19. Tennessee Titans: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson

Needs: EDGE, Guard, WR

A lot of eyes will be on the team in the city hosting the 2019 NFL Draft. The stage in Nashville will be surrounded with plenty of blue while Jon Robinson and Mike Vrabel aim to fill the surplus of needs that their roster currently has. After not being able to perform at the Combine nor Clemson’s Pro Day, the buzz around Ferrell has quieted a bit. Having one of the highest floors of any defensive player in this draft class, pairing him with Harold Landry gives the defense a solid duo off of the edge.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

Needs: CB, WR, LB

It feels like the secondary is an area of concern entering the draft every year for the Steelers, but once again the team is vying to provide depth on the back end. Murphy provides versatility at multiple spots for a team that has been searching for cornerback help since the Artie Burns experiment in 2016. Murphy can fill in at nickel or outside corner and give the team a true shutdown option on the perimeter.

21. Seattle Seahawks: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State

Needs: EDGE, CB, S 

After trading Frank Clark to the Kansas City Chiefs, the franchise now has the No. 21 and 29 overall selections to add valuable young players while keeping the flexibility to re-sign Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner. As a pass rusher, there aren’t too many options that have more upside than Burns. After lighting up the Combine, he helped his stock tremendously. Still, the opinions remain mixed about his value as a run defender. Because of that, he lands in the perfect spot in Seattle.

22. Baltimore Ravens: Rashan Gary, EDGE, Michigan

Needs: WR, OL, LB

After spending 16 seasons in Baltimore, Terrell Suggs will not be suiting up for the Ravens next season, as he signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Losing a lot of key pieces from one of the top defensive units in the league, Gary fits in perfectly as Suggs’s replacement as the rush defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid. Gary suffers a bit of a slip because of the shoulder concerns. With off-the-charts traits but a questionable motor and production, the Ravens are the perfect landing spot because of his surrounding environment and the team culture.

23. Houston Texans: Cody Ford, OT/G, Oklahoma

Needs: OL, CB, TE

With three picks in the top 55, the Texans are another team that could be eyeing a trade up situation to secure one of its main targets. After surrendering a league-high 62 sacks last season, protecting Deshaun Watson should be seen as paramount, especially with the time approaching to potentially pay him a lucrative extension following next season. Ford has experience at left guard and right tackle, both spots at which the team need upgrades. He brings a presence and attitude that the team needs along its offensive front.

24. Oakland Raiders (via Bears): Greedy Williams, CB, LSU

Needs: EDGE, CB, LB

The run on cornerbacks continues with the Raiders selecting another LSU player in Williams. Having no pre-draft visits or workouts, it has been a bit of an awkward pre-draft process for him, but his height/length combination will still enable him to become a first-round selection. A secondary that lacks a true top option, the former LSU defensive back adds much needed talent to the back-end.

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State

Needs: OT, DT, RB

With Fletcher Cox and Malik Jackson already set in the interior and a roster that has few holes, selecting Simmons here makes a lot of sense. The Eagles don’t shy away from prospects with questionable pasts, and they continue to stockpile talent. There’s no rush for Simmons to play right away and, similar to Sidney Jones in 2017, he could use his first year as a redshirt season while the team still has the fifth-year option to fall back on.

26. Indianapolis Colts: Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame

Needs: DL, CB, WR

A fit that makes a lot of sense, Tillery has seen his draft stock blossom over the past few months. His game against Stanford is often the performance that’s brought up about him, but despite playing through a torn labrum during the back half of the season, he still managed to wreak havoc. The exact type of interior chess piece that the Colts need, the former Irish standout fits perfectly into the rotation in Indy.

27.Oakland Raiders (via Bears): Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama 

Needs: EDGE, CB, LB 

Whether it’s at No. 24 or No. 27, the Jacobs-to-the-Raiders fit makes a lot of sense, and the Raiders are one of the few teams who are an actual candidate to draft a running back early. Jon Gruden isn’t afraid to draft running backs, and Jacobs fits the toughness aspect that Mike Mayock has routinely preached. Isaiah Crowell is the only viable option sitting atop the depth chart and he’s only tied to the team on a one-year, $1 million deal.

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, NT, Clemson

Needs: NT, OL, WR

Even though the true two-down defensive tackle is a position of the past in the league, Lawrence has shown flashes of what he could be as a pass rusher. The consistency needs to show, but I think he’s a prospect that NFL clubs may value higher than what most are thinking because of how solid of an athlete he is despite his somewhat limited value. With Brandon Mebane entering his 13th season at 34 years old, they add a mammoth nose tackle on the interior between Melvin Ingram, Joey Bosa, and Justin Jones.

29. Seattle Seahawks (via Chiefs): Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia

Needs: EDGE, CB, S 

The second of two first-round selections, with the exit of long-time stalwart Earl Thomas on the roof of the defense there’s a clear void. Tedric Thompson filled in admirably at free safety, but the team could serve to upgrade with a player that has more upside. Thornhill is the prototypical one-high air traffic controller that is a mistake eraser, the exact type of player that has been missing in the secondary since Thomas’s injury a year ago. Adding Thornhill to Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers gives the Seahawks an intriguing young secondary for the future.

30.Green Bay Packers: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma

Needs: TE, LB, S

The Packers go with a bit of a luxury pick and continue to build up the offensive side of the ball. After adding Noah Fant with the No. 12 overall pick, they select Brown to add into the mix with Davante Adams. This gives the offense an added dynamic that isn’t present currently. Pairing Brown with Rodgers is a match made in heaven because of the explosiveness factor and game-breaking ability to stretch the roof of the defense and put them in a bind with the threat all of the surrounding weapons.

31.Los Angeles Rams: Dalton Risner, OT/G, Kansas State

Needs: OL, DT, LB 

The #Rams did a private workout with Kansas State OT Dalton Risner this week, per source. The 6-5, 312-pound Risner earned All-American honors last season in addition to winning Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 11, 2019

The absence of Rodger Saffold and John Sullivan leaves a void along the interior offensive line. 2018 third and fourth-round selections Brian Allen and Joseph Noteboom are the only serviceable options in contention to take over. Selecting Risner gives the Rams a prospect who has experience at center and tackle, but there are many who believe the former three-time team captain could make the transition to guard.

32.New England Patriots: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

Needs: DL, WR, S 

The biggest surprise of this mock draft happens with the last pick. Metcalf has been projected as high as the Jaguars at the No. 7 overall spot, while others have him out of the first round completely. Following his Combine performance, Metcalf became one of the most polarizing prospects in this draft class. With 12 draft picks, the Patriots decide to take a shot on the high upside receiver. Fit will be essential to Metcalf’s future, and New England is the perfect landing spot for him.

 

For more NFL Draft news and analysis, follow Jordan on Twitter @JReidNFL