Latest NFL.com mock draft features 5 defensive players in top 6 picks

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks published his latest 2019 mock draft, and it’s overflowing with defense in the first six picks.

The 2019 NFL Draft season is slowly winding down, and as we inch closer and closer to selection weekend, expect a flurry of mock drafts to be published from every corner of the draft industry.

It’s no different at NFL.com, where Bucky Brooks released his Mock Draft 3.0 on Tuesday.

And while it didn’t contain too many surprises, the first six picks were headlined by five defensive players.

Brooks bucked conventional thinking at No. 6 with the Giants; instead of sending New York an offensive lineman, he went with uber-talented Michigan edge defender, Rashan Gary.

"Gary is far from a finished product, but his combination of size, strength and athleticism could make him a star as a versatile edge defender."

The first real curveball in Brooks’ mock is at No. 9, where he sends Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard to the Bills. Dillard is a quality prospect and he’ll be a starting tackle in the NFL in 2019, but in this mock draft, he comes off the board before Alabama’s Jonah Williams. I find it hard to believe that will end up playing out in April.

And then there’s Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins, who Brooks sends to Miami at No. 13. While I think this is actually a good range for Haskins’ draft value, I don’t think the Dolphins are in the quarterback market this year. Their rebuild is still a year — maybe two — away from identifying the quarterback who will put them over the edge. Furthermore, Haskins projects as a prospect who needs an established offense to really thrive. And that’s not the case in Miami.

For Brooks’ complete mock draft, click here.