The 2019 NFL draft is less than one month away. Here’s a look at With The First Pick’s Mock Draft, 3.0.
It seems like a foregone conclusion at this point that Murray will be a Cardinal. And it’s the right pick, despite some in the media criticizing Arizona for their about-face on Josh Rosen. Bottom line? Murray is the kind of explosive playmaker teams are looking to build around in 2019. It’s OK for the Cardinals to move on from Rosen; they’ve already moved on from an entire coaching staff after just one season, too. Give Kliff Kingsbury his guy.
The 49ers are the big winners of Round 1 with the slide of Nick Bosa to the second overall pick. Yes, that’s a slide for Bosa, who by almost all accounts is the best all-around football player in the class. The Cardinals’ decision to draft Murray at results in San Francisco getting the top overall player on their board and an instant upgrade to their pass rush.
The Jets are big winners early in the first round, too, with Williams falling into their laps at No. 3 overall. It’s great value for an instant-impact interior defensive lineman who is just as worthy of being the first overall pick as Bosa is. Williams is the kind of prospect who teams will prioritize regardless of the makeup of their roster; he has Warren Sapp-like potential.
The Raiders’ need for edge rushers is the worst-kept secret in the NFL, and they’ll be the laughing stock of the league if they don’t address the position with their first pick in Round 1. Allen has the most upside as a pass-rusher in this year’s class, and while it may take some time for him to adjust to the NFL game, he has the skill set to be a double-digit sack guy sooner than later.
This might be the easiest pick to project in the entire first round. The Buccaneers need to replace Kwon Alexander at linebacker and White is — arguably — the top option at the position in this year’s class. He’s a fantastic sideline-to-sideline athlete who, despite some struggles shedding blocks, will bring a high-octane approach to Tampa Bay’s defense in 2019.