NFL.com mock draft features shocker at No. 2 overall

It’s officially that time in the 2019 NFL draft process for mock drafts to get bold and daring. The latest four-rounder from NFL.com did not disappoint.

The 2019 NFL draft is less than one month away, and this is always the time in the draft process when mock drafts can begin to go awry.

And it’s not because draft analysts are trying to get clicks. Instead, there are only so many ways a mock draft can unfold. So it’s OK to get bold and take a chance with a first-round prediction. It appears that’s exactly what NFL.com’s Chad Reuter chose to do in his latest four-round mock draft.

The stunner comes at No. 2 overall, where he has the Raiders trading up with the 49ers to select Missouri QB Drew Lock.

"PROJECTED TRADE WITH 49ERS. Jon Gruden gets his quarterback by moving up two spots. Gruden coached Lock at the Senior Bowl, and it’s easy to see him appreciating the former Missouri quarterback’s demeanor and physical tools. If the Raiders don’t move up to get him, the Dolphins,Broncos or Giants could make a deal with the 49ers to land Lock."

I respect the attempt, but this is a whiff. There’s no way Lock will come off the board this high, and if he does, it will be because a team like Denver moved up; not Oakland.

Sure, Gruden coached Lock at the Senior Bowl and of course, he praised him with superlatives during the process. But there’s no need for any team to trade into the second pick for Lock, who’s likely to be the third quarterback off the board anyway. And there’s also no way the 49ers will trade out of the second pick if Nick Bosa slips by Arizona.

The Raiders aren’t the only team to make a trade in the top 10 for a quarterback in this mock draft. According to Reuter, the Dolphins will get aggressive for Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins.

"PROJECTED TRADE WITH BILLS. If the Giants pass on Haskins at No. 6, the Dolphins can find their future starter and have bridge quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick run things in 2019 (or until the team thinks Haskins is ready)."

I like this prediction a lot. I’m not sold on the theory that the Dolphins are going to pass on a quarterback this year with the intent to draft one in 2020 after going through Year 1 of their rebuild. There’s at least a decent chance they’ll be in striking distance for Haskins, and with absolutely no idea how the 2019 regular season will unfold or what next year’s quarterback class will be, Miami can’t sit back and just wait.

For Reuter’s complete four-round mock draft, click here.