With the major free agency signings behind us, I take my initial stab at projecting where college football’s top prospects will land in the 2019 NFL Draft while also providing commentary that explains why each team is REALLY making their respective picks.
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma. Rarely do you find an athlete talented enough to get drafted in the first round of two professional sports leagues. You know Kyler Murray has the juice when he makes the Cardinals wanna leave the one they’re with after drafting Josh Rosen #10 overall just a year ago.
San Francisco 49ers: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama. I know y’all remember the press conference before Alabama played Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff. Now imagine this cat answering questions about Kyler Murray twice a year! The football gods are far too kind!
New York Jets: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State. Quarterbacks are going to be “sick and tired of being sick and tired” of this dude harassing their asses. Bosa has the pedigree and his pass rush skillset is refined like bomb wine.
Oakland Raiders. Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State. Listen. If this dude masters his rush technique with 4.41 speed coming off the edge...LOL!!
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Josh Allen, DE, Kentucky. Teams threw all over the Bucs like they were playing 7 on 7 last year (tied for 7th least sacks).
New York Giants. Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State. Dwayne Haskins completed over 70% of his passes and threw 50 TDs last year. In order for Gettleman’s “plan” to become a reality, Haskins needs to be Neo...The One!!
Jacksonville Jaguars. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston. If this dude plays the way he tests, he’s going to be a nightmare just like the dude a lot of people compare him to…Aaron Donald.
Detroit Lions. Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan. Gary is another cat who tested off the chain but his college production was just “ok”. If he balls out to his athletic potential, he could be a monster!
Buffalo Bills. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson. Wilkins drops down into splits, dresses up like a Power Ranger and isn’t scared to probe an opponent where other defensive linemen aren’t willing to go. If that doesn’t have Top 10 written all over it!
Denver Broncos. Noah Fant, TE, Iowa. The Broncos have been lacking a receiving threat over the middle since Orange Julius and The Sheriff roamed the Mile High.
Cincinnati Bengals. Devin White, LB, LSU. Devin White is an athletic LB who can ball sideline to sideline and should be able to stay off the sideline, unlike Vontaze Burfict.
Green Bay Packers. Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State. If the Packers don’t keep defenders off A Rod’s ass, they won’t sniff another Super Bowl anytime soon.
Miami Dolphins. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia. Even if you believe in FitzMagic, you better believe the Dolphins are drafting a quarterback. Grier has swag and his gunslinger skillset has been a popular trait for GMs as of late.
Atlanta Falcons. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson. The Falcons defense struggled in 2018 due to injuries to their back seven but addressing the front four is their main priority in 2019.
Washington Redskins. Devin Bush, LB, Michigan. Another sideline to sideline thumper with freaky athleticism. Washington needs a guy like Devin Bush roaming the middle when facing Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliott twice per year.
Carolina Panthers. Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech. The Panthers used free agency to help protect Cam and that bum shoulder, but after the retirement of Julius Peppers, they need to find someone to replace the most dominant player in franchise history.
New York Giants (from Cleveland Browns). Brian Burns, DE, Florida State. The G Men need “some milk” in a lot of places but finishing 2nd to last in sacks forces them to take the best edge rusher available at #17.
Minnesota Vikings. Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida. Dear Rick Spielman (Vikings GM), I’m still bleeding from my chest. From Kirk...with love...
Tennessee Titans. Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson. The Titans have a good mix of young and veteran talent on the defensive line. Add Dexter Lawrence to the mix and they’re cooking with Crisco!
Pittsburgh Steelers. Byron Murphy, CB, Washington. The Steelers defense only had 8 INT’s last season but they were 2nd in sacks. They better get their weight up on the back end with OBJ joining AJ Green in the AFC North.
Seattle Seahawks. Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame. The Seahawks gave up 4.9 yards per rush in 2018. Tillery should help them do something about that.
Baltimore Ravens. Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR, Oklahoma. “Hollywood” Brown is the best WR in the draft. His foot injury is the ONLY reason he falls to the Ravens.
Houston Texans. Jonah Williams, OL, Alabama. Deshaun Watson spent more time on his back than a dying cockroach in 2018.
Oakland Raiders (from Chicago Bears). Cody Ford, OL, Oklahoma. This pick isn’t sexy but the Raiders need to keep defenders off Derek Carr’s ass if they want him to get the ball to his newly acquired weapons.
Philadelphia Eagles. Greedy Williams, CB, LSU. The Eagles suffered a rash of injuries in the secondary last season and their pass defense was hot garbage with extra poop emoji sprinkles on top because of it.
Indianapolis Colts. A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss. T.Y. Hilton is that dude and Eric Ebron balled out last year, but it’s going to take more than Devin Funchess to add extra juice to that Colts’ offense.
Oakland Raiders (from Dallas Cowboys. Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama. Josh Jacobs flashed every time he touched the ball for Bama last year. Dude has a nice skill set that will allow him to get off in the run and pass game if Doug Pederson makes him the feature back.
Los Angeles Chargers. Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State. Two of the Chargers starting offensive linemen gave up 8 sacks in 2018. It would be wise to replace at least one of them in the draft.
Kansas City Chiefs. Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State. Mitch Morse signed with the Bills this offseason, but one of the better offensive linemen in the draft at a position of need falls right into the Chiefs’ lap at #29.
Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans Saints). D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss. The Packers need to replenish their WR corps after the departure of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb the past two years. There’s no way management passes up on the upside of Metcalf at this point in the first round.
Los Angeles Rams. Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia. Marcus Peters and Aquib Talib’s contracts are up in 2020 and one of the top corners in the draft falls to them at #31. Don’t you love when a plan comes together like butt cheeks?!
New England Patriots. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa. Gronk retires and Bill Belichick gets lucky to have the most complete TE in the draft fall to him at the bottom of the first round.
