NFL mock draft 2019 results: 32 reporters make their first-round picks
With the NFL draft less than a week away, reporters who cover their teams on a daily basis take a crack at predicting how the first round will unfold in The Times’ annual beat writers’ mock draft. Each reporter makes a pick and gives a rationale for that selection.
This year’s mock draft has ended. The Arizona Cardinals have the first pick of 2019 draft, and Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic made a somewhat surprising selection. Check out each of the 32 first-round selections below.
No. 1 Arizona Cardinals | DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama
The Cardinals like Josh Rosen, and I don’t see them taking a quarterback in the first round two years in a row. They need help on the defensive line and Williams would immediately provide that. General manager Steve Keim has made some mistakes in the first round by taking guys who weren’t that passionate about football (Jonathan Cooper, Robert Nkemdiche). So I can see them taking Williams. — Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic
No. 2 San Francisco 49ers | DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State
In this scenario, the 49ers will be tempted to trade back with a team seeking Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. If they don’t get the compensation they want, they’ll be happy with Bosa, who will form a bookend with Dee Ford the way the Chargers use Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. — Matt Barrows, The Athletic
3. New York Jets | OLB Josh Allen, Kentucky
The Jets have lacked a difference-maker at edge rusher for more than a decade. Allen is the perfect weapon for Gregg Williams’ 3-4, giving him that outside disruptive force to pressure the quarterback. — Brian Costello, New York Post
No. 4 Oakland Raiders | OLB Devin White, LSU
No quarterback for the Raiders. They likely look to trade back, where White becomes a better value than at No. 4 and another Day 2 pick can be acquired. I probably should have gone with an every-down rusher like Ed Oliver in this no-trade exercise, but White can rush, cover and lead this defense for a decade. — Michael Gehlken, Las Vegas Review-Journal
No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DT Ed Oliver, Houston
The Buccaneers would hope the phone rings for teams wanting to get ahead of the Giants to take a quarterback. They wouldn’t want to move more than three spots however. Linebacker Devin Bush is right there with White in the Buccaneers’ eyes. But with the team moving on from Gerald McCoy, they will select Oliver. — Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times
No. 6 New York Giants | DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
The Giants had one of the worst pass rushes in the NFL in 2018 and then traded away Olivier Vernon, who led the team in sacks. They need to find a way to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and, lucky for them, this may be the best draft in ages at that position (four of top five in this mock are up-front terrors). Sweat should give them the kind of sack numbers they haven’t seen since the days of Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and Jason Pierre-Paul. — Tom Rock, Newsday
7. Jacksonville Jaguars | OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida
Quarterback Nick Foles is going to need protection, the Jaguars have a hole to fill at right tackle after releasing starter Jermey Parnell to clear $6 million in salary-cap space, and Taylor is the No. 1 rated tackle prospect. — John Reid, The Florida Times-Union
8. Detroit Lions | TE T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
The Lions would love to add a defensive playmaker for coach Matt Patricia but with their best options off the board they go with the safe pick in Hockenson, a versatile tight end who embodies a lot of what they want in their players. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
9. Buffalo Bills | OT Andre Dillard, Washington State
With the top pass rushers off the board, I’d expect the Bills to explore a trade down with a quarterback-needy team. Short of that, it makes sense to continue to build around young quarterback Josh Allen. Dillard could push incumbent left tackle Dion Dawkins to the right side. — Jay Skurski, Buffalo News
10. Denver Broncos | QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
The Broncos have their starter (for now) in Joe Flacco, but acquiring Haskins sets the stage for the future. Flacco has no guaranteed money left on his contract, so the Broncos could walk away after a year without taking a cap hit. Haskins fits the mold of Elway’s preferred quarterback as a taller pocket passer, and after some time learning behind Flacco, he could be their longer-term answer at the position. — Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic
11. Cincinnati Bengals | LB Devin Bush, Michigan
Kyler Murray being available is a wild card the Bengals couldn’t be anticipating. That said, still don’t think the Bengals take him. They have plans to fix the front seven and offensive tackle. Bush is an ideal fit for what their defense lacked last year. — Paul Dehner, Cincinnati Enquirer
12. Green Bay Packers | OT Jonah Williams, Alabama
If Arizona doesn’t take Kyler Murray somebody else will before 12, but on the long odds that he’s there you can’t rule out Packers GM Brian Gutekunst taking him, just as Ted Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers in 2005. But if not, the Packers need just about everything, and Williams is the best value still on the board. — Pete Dougherty, Green Bay Press-Gazette
13. Miami Dolphins | QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
The Dolphins didn’t anticipate Kyler Murray’s draft-day slide, at least in this mock, but since he’s available at 13, they’ll rush to the podium and select a talent many believe will be this generation’s version of Russell Wilson. — Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
14. Atlanta Falcons | CB Greedy Williams, LSU
After parting ways with three of their four top cornerbacks from last season, the Falcons need a cornerback and Williams fits their scheme. — D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
15. Washington Redskins | DT Rashan Gary, Michigan
Redskins stick to their board and get a player few envisioned falling to them. He’s not the prototypical 3-4 edge rusher, but there’s just too much raw ability to pass up at No. 15. Ryan Kerrigan wasn’t a perfect fit either and that has worked out. — Kareem Copeland, Washington Post
16. Carolina Panthers | DE Brian Burns, Florida State
The Panthers’ defense, particularly the pass rush, got old and slow seemingly overnight last season. With Julius Peppers retiring, Ron Rivera needs a play-making edge rusher who fits in both the four-man front and three-man front, which Rivera plans to utilize more. Burns has great bend and speed on the edge and should make an immediate impact. — Joe Person, The Athletic
17. New York Giants | DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
The Giants are too light on the interior D-line. Not anymore. And they still get their quarterback, trading up into the back of the first round for West Virginia’s Will Grier. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News
18. Minnesota Vikings | C Garrett Bradbury, North Carolina State
The Vikings could consider a defensive tackle like Clemson’s Christian Wilkins here, but given how badly they need help in the middle of their line, Bradbury makes perfect sense. His athleticism and intellect will fit nicely in Gary Kubiak’s outside zone scheme, and could allow the Vikings to move Pat Elflein back to guard, where he played for three years in college. — Ben Goessling, Minneapolis Star Tribune
19. Tennessee Titans | DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
The Titans need to give Jurrell Casey some help up front and, though Clemson star Christian Wilkins is on the board, Tillery is the choice. He’s 6-foot-7, versatile and coming off an eight-sack senior season. — Joe Rexrode, The Tennessean
20. Pittsburgh Steelers | CB Byron Murphy, Washington
If this is how it comes down, the Steelers might try to move down a bit. They wanted one of the Devins (White or Bush) but they also need corners and outside linebackers. They haven’t had much success drafting corners but they can’t stop trying. — Ed Bouchette, The Athletic
21. Seattle Seahawks | WR N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
Expect the Seahawks, who enter the draft with a league-low four picks, to trade down and get more. But if not, Harry could be an enticing option as Seattle begins preparing for eventual life after Doug Baldwin. — Bob Condotta, Seattle Times
22. Baltimore Ravens | DE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
The Ravens lost Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith this offseason and their defense is predicated on being aggressive and getting pressure on the quarterback. Matthew Judon is their only established pass rusher, so this is a case where one of the best players available matches up with their biggest need. Ferrell had 21 sacks and 38 tackles for loss over his final two college seasons, so he should step in and contribute immediately. — Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic
23. Houston Texans | OL Cody Ford, Oklahoma
The Texans need to improve their offensive line in the worst way. Ford’s a mauler who can play right tackle or slide inside to guard. — John McClain, Houston Chronicle
24. Oakland Raiders | RB Josh Jacobs, Alabama
With so many top edge rushers off the board, the Raiders look away from their most glaring need and select a do-everything back seemingly tailor-made for Jon Gruden’s scheme. Jacobs joins Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams on a new-look Raiders offense that should be explosive in 2019 behind quarterback Derek Carr. — Scott Bair, NBC Sports Bay Area
25. Philadelphia Eagles | DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Eagles need a disruptor next to Fletcher Cox, along with Malik Jackson. The real issue with Jackson is that the Jaguars benched him; is he going to be a consistent contributor? — Les Bowen, Philadelphia Daily News
26. Indianapolis Colts | CB Deandre Baker, Georgia
The Colts have an adequate stable of cornerbacks, especially after re-signing veteran Pierre Desir. But what they don’t have is depth. And that’s hurt them at times during the past two seasons. Adding Baker solidifies this group for years to come. — Stephen Holder, The Athletic
27. Oakland Raiders | TE Noah Fant, Iowa
With tight end Jared Cook, their leading receiver last season, gone in free agency, the Raiders draft a potential replacement in Fant, who offers size (6-4) and speed (4.50 seconds in 40-yard dash) and caught 18 touchdowns over his final two college seasons. And defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is left waiting until Day 2 for a pass rusher. — Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle
28. Los Angeles Chargers | S Nasir Adderley, Delaware
The Chargers need a free safety to replace Jahleel Addae, and Adderley is a ball-hawk type they could really use. — Jeff Miller
29. Kansas City Chiefs | WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
The Chiefs could take a talented corner (like Rock Ya-Sin) or an edge rusher or D-lineman here, but they will take the best player available if they don’t flip the pick. As such, Marquise Brown would fit the bill as a field-stretching speed merchant who serves as insurance for Tyreek Hill (ongoing legal situation) and Sammy Watkins (injuries). — Terez Paylor, Yahoo Sports
30. Green Bay Packers | WR D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi
The Packers would like to trade this pick for extra picks and take advantage of depth at defensive line and tight end. If they can’t, they go with D.K. Metcalf and give new coach Matt La Fleur a player who can run deep and get the ball on jet sweeps. — Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
31. Los Angeles Rams | DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
This deep in the draft, and without a second-round pick, the Rams want to trade back and repeat the success they have had the last few years without a first-round selection. But Jones could help fill a void left by the departure of Ndamukong Suh. — Gary Klein
32. New England Patriots | TE Irv Smith, Alabama
The Patriots need weapons for Tom Brady, and Smith will be a good, versatile piece for them. He’s not much of a blocker, but they just signed Austin Seferian-Jenkins for that role, and Smith can be an Aaron Hernandez type – at least on the field. — Ben Volin, The Boston Globe
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