Chase Hammes: 2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0
With the 2019 NFL Draft approaching quickly, having just finalized my latest big board, I took another look at all of the prospects in version 2.0 of my mock draft. (You can view my first 2019 NFL mock draft here.) Also, if you like this mock or want to give feedback follow me on Twitter @chasingthedraft.
1. Arizona Cardinals- Kyler Murray – (QB, Oklahoma)
The Kyler Murray to Arizona seems likely at this point in the draft season, and I think Arizona decides between Kyler or Nick Bosa. With so many holes on the Arizona roster needing help, I would trade down for a quarterback-needy team and accumulate picks. Kyler Murray is a big-time playmaker who has an elite arm and cat-like agility n the open field. Kliff Kingsbury can come into Arizona with his guy and trade Josh Rosen for a pick in this year’s draft for a high pick.
2. San Francisco 49ers- Nick Bosa – (EDGE, Ohio State)
Although I would think long and hard about D.K Metcalf or even trading down here, I feel like Bosa is gonna be a 49er come April 25th. The Niners are lacking an edge rusher and Nick Bosa will fill a hole as a pass rusher and could be an elite player from day one for the Niners. The 49ers are a couple of pieces away from being very competitive in the NFC, and adding Bosa would help them tremendously this year.
3. New York Jets – Josh Allen – (EDGE, Kentucky)
The Jets are a team that could also look to trade down and swap picks with the Raiders similar to the Bears-49ers deal for Trubisky two years ago, but I see them staying put and taking versatile linebacker Josh Allen. After adding C.J. Moseley, the Jets are making use of Sam Darnold’s rookie deal and using all their money on talented players. The Jets missed out on Anthony Barr but Josh Allen is a very similar player to Anthony Barr and could give the Jets the player they wanted on their defense.
4. Oakland Raiders- Quinnen Williams – (iDL, Alabama)
With Arizona taking Kyler Murray, the Raiders grab my top player in this years class. Quinnen Williams was an absolute monster for a great Alabama defense in 2018 and was one of the best players in college football. He faced double-teams from SEC defenses and beat them easily; he’s going to be an all-pro in the future, and with the Raiders looking at a full-on rebuild they will need a big-time player like him.
5. Washington Redskins (Via Tampa Bay) – Dwayne Haskins – (QB, Ohio State)
Washington lost Alex Smith to a nasty leg injury and unless they’re rolling with Colt McCoy, it looks like they will add a quarterback in the draft. Dwayne Haskins is a prototypical pocket passer that Jay Gruden will covet, and could be the franchise quarterback Washington needs for the future. This would be a bold move from a rather stale and bad front office, but Washington must make something happen or it’s gonna be a long year.
6. New York Giants – Brian Burns – (EDGE, Florida State)
It’s clear that Eli Manning is well past his prime and it’s time the Giants replace him with a young signal-caller, but with reports saying the Giants aren’t interested in Haskins and him already being picked, I’ll give them my fifth-ranked player in the class. Brian Burns packed on fifteen pounds since the end of his 2018 season with Florida State and still ran in the 4.5s. His fluidity and technique as a pass rusher will immediately turn teams on to him as the next month progresses.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – D.K. Metcalf – (WR, Ole Miss)
The Jaguars recently signed Nick Foles to a lucrative 4-year, 88 million dollar deal and they need some better weapons for him to succeed. D.K. Metcalf is one of the freakiest athletes I’ve ever seen. Standing at 6’4 and weighing in at 228, Metcalf lit up the combine with 27 bench press reps and a 4.33 forty-yard dash. He’s still raw as a route runner (as Ole Miss didn’t ask him to have an advanced route tree), but his ceiling is somewhere near Julio Jones.
8. Detroit Lions – T.J. Hockenson – (TE, Iowa)
After adding Trey Flowers, I don’t see a huge reason to draft a pass-rusher right here for the Lions, and they need another weapon in the passing game for Matthew Stafford. Hockenson is a perfect fit for the Lions at this spot, a big athletic tight end who can also step in and be one of the best blocking tight ends in the league from day one. He could be what the Lions need on offense to push for a playoff spot in the NFC North.
9. Buffalo Bills – Cody Ford – (OT, Oklahoma)
The Bills have been linked to D.K. Metcalf throughout this draft season but since he’s off the board why not take the best lineman available? Cody Ford has a big powerful frame, but his footwork in pass sets is what sets him apart as a prospect from other offensive tackles. Some people in the league view him as a guard but his tape as a tackle at Oklahoma shows he can go against top talent like Alabama and be lights out. I can see him being a Pro-Bowl caliber player in a few years.
10. Denver Broncos – Drew Lock – (QB, Missouri)
There isn’t a more obvious pick in the whole draft then this pick right here. Denver has been linked to Drew Lock for months and it makes sense for them considering their draft history of bigger strong-armed quarterbacks who have spotty accuracy. Lock has one of – if not the – best deep balls in this class and pairing him with a catch radii guy in Courtland Sutton could help improve his accuracy as time progresses.
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Devin White – (LB, LSU)
If you have watched the Bengals play in 2018, you will know why I gave them a linebacker. Their linebackers are one of the worst groups in the league, and Vontaze Burfict found his way out of Cincy this offseason (signed by the Raiders). Devin White has been one of the best linebackers in the country for two years and absolutely destroyed the combine. His mental processing is slow, but his play speed and aggressiveness will help the Bengals immediately.
12. Green Bay Packers – Noah Fant – (TE, Iowa)
Green Bay adressed their pass rusher problem by adding Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith in free agency. Tight end is a big position of need for them. There aren’t very many athletes at tight end like Noah Fant, and he was a monster for Iowa the last couple years. Fant has the size to be a major problem for opponents in the red zone and would make an impact on passing downs with his ability after the catch.
13. Miami Dolphins – Jawaan Taylor – (OT, Florida)
Miami has a need at quarterback but it looks like they’re eyeing one in 2020 (and they just lost Ja’Wuan James to Denver this offseason). Miami has the left tackle postion filled with Laremy Tunsil but they need a new right tackle to help protect their next franchise quarterback. Taylor is a near perfect right tackle prospect who anchors well as a run blocker, and shows the ability to mirror as a pass blocker.
14. Atlanta Falcons – Ed Oliver – (iDL, Houston)
This would be a blessing for Atlanta if Ed Oliver is still available at fourteen. Oliver is my fourth-ranked player in this year’s class and pairing him with Grady Jarrett could form one of the best defensive lines in the NFL. Oliver is a freaky athlete who weighed in much heavier at the combine than reports said, which was a huge plus for him. I expect Oliver to be an all-pro player very early on in his career.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin Bush, Jr. – (LB, Michigan)
I have Tampa trading down – and with the loss of Kwon Alexander to San Francisco – they need to add a linebacker to replace him. I’m not the biggest Devin Bush fan but I’ve started to come around to him the last few weeks. He’s not a huge linebacker, but his sideline to sideline range and coverage ability is very impressive and is what makes him a top fifteen pick.
16. Carolina Panthers – Montez Sweat – (EDGE, Mississippi State)
After shredding the combine with his forty time and posting pretty good agility scores, Montez Sweat has risen significantly higher over the last few weeks. Sweat has go-go gadget arms with a great frame as an edge rusher, and he plays with good leverage and strength to beat blocks in both the pass and the run. He doesn’t show elite bend, but his power and hand usage should make him a productive pass rusher on day one.
17. New York Giants – Hakeem Butler – (WR, Iowa State)
One of my favorite players in this whole class is Hakeem Butler (man was he fun to watch!) Butler is a huge 6’5″, 227 pound receiver that had the longest wingspan ever recorded for a receiver at the NFL Scouting Combine. Butler surprised me running in the 4.4s and his play strength and jump-ball ability make him destined to be a bonafide number one wide receiver in the league. He struggles with concentration drops, but he can fix those at the next level. He’s a clone of A.J. Green.
18. Minnesota Vikings – Dalton Risner – (iOL, Kansas State)
Minnesota had a disappointing year last year after making it to the NFC Championship the year before, and the offensive line was a main reason for that falloff. The interior offensive line must be addressed and Dalton Risner would be a perfect fit in Minneapolis. He’s a very versatile offensive lineman that played every position on the offensive line for Kansas State. Although I love him as an offensive tackle, his size will likely bump him inside to guard or center.
19. Tennessee Titans – Jonah Williams – (OT, Alabama)
After having one of the best offensive lines in the NFL a couple of years ago, Tennessee must grab another offensive lineman to protect Marcus Mariota. After adding Rodger Saffold this offseason, Jonah Williams could slide right in at the right guard spot for the Titans. Although Williams spent four years as a tackle for Alabama, the NFL doesn’t seem to view him as a tackle at the next level.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Byron Murphy – (CB, Washington)
To be pretty honest, the Steelers cornerback play has been sub-par the last several years, and Byron Murphy could turn that around for Steelers fans. Murphy is a smaller corner, but he’s very aggressive coming downhill to make tackles, and his ability as a playmaker showed with his great interception and pass break up numbers. Murphy is my top-rated corner and I think Steelers fans would love his attitude and takeaways for the Steelers defense.
21. Seattle Seahawks – Nasir Adderly – (SAF, Delaware)
There isnt a better fit in the draft then Nasir Adderly to the Seahawks. Adderly is a very rangy safety who makes crazy plays on the ball and has some of the best coverage skills I’ve seen from a safety since I’ve been covering the draft. He is more then willing to come downhill to make plays as a run-stopper, and he created takeaways for Delaware forcing fumbles. Adderly is a very underrated prospect who will be a very good contributed in year one.
22. Baltimore Ravens – N’Keal Harry – (WR, Arizona State)
It really seems like Baltimore hasn’t had a true alpha receiver in several years and N’Keal Harry has been on my radar since his freshman year. He won’t blow by you with speed, but his strength and strong hands will make him a favorite receiver for Lamar Jackson from day one. His lack of separation ability will scare some off, but I could see him being very productive as a big slot similar to JuJu Smith-Schuster.
23. Houston Texans – Greedy Williams – (CB, LSU)
Houston didn’t have a first round pick last year but it seems like they got a steal in Justin Reid, but they need corner help after losing Kevin Johnson. After being a top five player on my board at the beginning of the year, Greedy Williams has fell a little bit due to his lack of run support and lack of strength in press man. He still has great man-to-man abilities and has great athletic ability, but he will frustrate you if you expect him to make plays as a tackler.
24. Oakland Raiders – Rashan Gary – (EDGE, Michigan)
After adding Quinnen Williams at pick four, Oakland takes one of the most polarizing players in this year’s draft class. I’m very hot and cold on Gary, and I don’t really know what he is going to look like at the next level. He is built like a three-technique guy but has the athletic ability of an edge rusher. I would personally try to move him inside to make a bigger impact, but who knows what front offices are thinking about Gary at this point.
25. Philadelphia Eagles – Chauncey Gardner-Johnson – (SAF, Florida)
Avonte Maddox is a promising young player, but Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is a needed upgrade to the free safety position for Philadelphia. Gardner-Johnson rose significantly for me over the course of last season; he improved greatly in run support after he failed to finish tackles in 2017. His calling card will be as a nickle corner with his quickness and ability to cover smaller slot receivers like Randall Cobb and Golden Tate.
26. Indianapolis Colts – Christian Wilkins – (iDL, Clemson)
I never expected the Colts to improve this much in the course of one year, and all the credit goes to Chris Ballard in building a contender in the AFC in just a short amount of time. The biggest need for Indianapolis is the interior defensive line, and Christian Wilkins was a core leader for national powerhouse Clemson. Wilkins has powerful hands and good leverage to disrupt the run and has some quickness to get after the quarterback.
27. Oakland Raiders – Josh Jacobs – (RB, Alabama)
I’m not a huge fan of this year’s running back class, but Jacobs is head and shoulders above the rest of this year’s class. He was a monster this year when he got carried in a loaded Alabama offense. He’s a powerful runner; he will run through you when he wants to, and he has good lateral agility to get pass defenders in the open field. People will wonder why he wasn’t productive, but he was surrounded by Najee Harris and Damien Harris who are also two very talented running backs.
28. Los Angeles Chargers – Mack Wilson – (LB, Alabama)
Dating back to last year, I’ve had the Chargers drafting an inside linebacker, and Mack Wilson will be highly thought-of by league front offices. He was the leader of an always tough Alabama defense, and he would fit great into the Chargers defense. He is very good in coverage and is very good above the shoulders, but his finishing as a tackler has me slightly worried about what he will be at the next level.
29. Kansas City Chiefs – Jachai Polite – (EDGE, Florida)
It’s crazy the fall then rise and then fall that Jachai Polite has had. He was overweight in 2017 and lost over forty pounds to go back to his natural pass-rushing spot, but his interviews and testing at the combine has many people worried. I’m not as worried about it as some people, and I think he will be a steal here for the Chiefs who lost Justin Houston this offseason.
30. Green Bay Packers – Garrett Bradbury – (iOL, NC State)
The Packers have done a good job of building a solid core dating back to the picks of Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson, and after grabbing Noah Fant I have them getting someone to protect the aging Aaron Rodgers. Garrett Bradbury is a tough powerful center who will open up holes for Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. He isn’t the quickest center and struggles sometimes in pass protection, but his finishing ability is very impressive.
31. Los Angeles Rams – Clelin Ferrell – (EDGE, Clemson)
The Rams added Clay Matthews, but he hasn’t been healthy and they need to add a pass rusher anyway. Clelin Ferrell has been a very solid contributor for Clemson for the last couple of years and would be a great get for the Rams defense. He doesn’t have elite bend or explosiveness but his hand usage and technique will make him a solid contributor from day one.
32. New England Patriots – Charles Omenihu – (iDL, Texas)
Arguably the most surprising pick of the first round, Omenihu has been one of the biggest risers for me this season. He has an insane wingspan and has shown the ability to play inside as a three technique or bump outside as a five technique. He’s strong at the point of attack and disrupts plays against the run, but he has to work on his technique as a pass rusher. If he improves his hand usage and adds more go-to moves against pass protection he could be a perfect fit on Bill Belichick’s defense.
Round 2
- 33. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Tillery – (iDL, Notre Dame)
- 34. Indianapolis Colts – Justin Layne – (CB, Michigan State)
- 35. Oakland Raiders – Deionte Thompson – (SAF, Alabama)
- 36. San Francisco 49ers – Kelvin Harmon – (WR, NC State)
- 37. New York Giants – David Edwards – (OT, Wisconsin)
- 38. Jacksonville Jaguars – Irv Smith Jr. – (TE, Alabama)
- 39. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Juan Thornhill – (SAF, Virgnia)
- 40. Buffalo Bills – Deebo Samuel – (WR, South Carolina)
- 41. Denver Broncos – Jeffery Simmons – (iDL, Mississippi State)
- 42. Cincinnati Bengals – Yodny Cajuste – (OT, West Virginia)
- 43. Detroit Lions – DeAndre Baker – (CB, Georgia)
- 44. Green Bay Packers – Johnathan Abram – (SAF, Mississippi State)
- 45. Atlanta Falcons – Chase Winovich – (EDGE, Michigan)
- 46. Washington Redskins – Daniel Jones- (QB, Duke)
- 47. Carolina Panthers – Andre Dillard – (OT, Washington State)
- 48. Miami Dolphins – Parris Campbell – (WR, Ohio State)
- 49. Cleveland Browns – Darnell Savage – (SAF, Maryland)
- 50. Minnesota Vikings – Michael Dieter – (OT, Wisconsin)
- 51. Tennessee Titans – A.J. Brown – (WR, Ole Miss)
- 52. Pittsburgh Steelers – Vosean Joseph – (LB, Florida)
- 53. Philadelphia Eagles – Marquise Brown – (WR, Oklahoma)
- 54. Houston Texans – Erik McCoy – (iOL, Texas A&M)
- 55. Houston Texans – Tytus Howard – (OT, Alabama State)
- 56. New England Patriots – DaMarkus Lodge – (WR, Ole Miss)
- 57. Philadelphia Eagles – Darrell Henderson – (RB, Memphis)
- 58. Dallas Cowboys – Taylor Rapp – (SAF, Washington)
- 59. Indianapolis Colts – J.J. Arcega-Whiteside – (WR, Stanford)
- 60. Los Angeles Chargers – Tyree Jackson – (QB, Buffalo)
- 61. Kansas City Chiefs – Blake Cashman – (LB, Minnesota)
- 62. New Orleans Saints – Dawson Knox – (TE, Ole Miss)
- 63. Kansas City Chiefs – Trayvon Mullen – (CB, Clemson)
- 64. New England Patriots – Christian Miller – (EDGE, Alabama)
