Hakeem Butler
Jordan Katz 2019 NFL Prediction Mock Draft 3.0: Final
Ladies and Gentleman, the spectacle that is the NFL Draft has arrived. Even though this draft class is not one of the stronger ones, this has still proven to be an incredibly interesting draft season. We still have no idea who the first overall pick will be, we still have no idea which teams are actually going to take quarterbacks, and we still have no idea how the New England Patriots will find enough talent in this draft to make it back to another Super Bowl next year.
Based on things I have read as well as pre-draft visits and workouts, this is my prediction for how I expect the NFL Draft will shake down next week. There’s some predictions in this mock draft that are to be expected, there are some curveballs, and as I alluded to earlier, the rest of the league just lets the Patriots clean up once again.
This is not one of my personal mock drafts where I assume the GM role for all 32 teams. This is strictly me trying to get every selection right, which is an exercise in futility, but it should help give you an idea of who your favorite team likes and what positions they are looking to target on draft day. As always, there are trades, and trades made in this mock draft are denoted with an asterisk next to the team.
Final Prediction Edition of #MockLyfeNeverSleeps. We are in the Endgame now.
ROUND ONE
1) *Oakland Raiders via Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma– There’s too much smoke here, right? Arizona has not only talked Murray up for weeks, they now appear to openly be fielding offers for Josh Rosen.
However, what if this truly is a smokescreen? The Cardinals still need multiple pieces in order to compete in 2019, and one way to accomplish that is to trade down and acquire some assets.
On the other hand, Oakland is definitely convinced they can win now. The one thing they do not seem to be convinced of is Derek Carr. The Raiders have met with both Murray and Dwayne Haskins a few times and appear to like both a lot. Now this would definitely be an out of the box move, but what if Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock use their assets in a weak draft to get a game changer at the QB position? Arizona and Oakland shock the world to start the Draft.
Editor’s Note: I have to give my brother Danny the credit for this prediction. For months he’s been telling me how bad the Raiders brass is at playing “the game,” that is the NFL Draft, and how Arizona and Oakland make sense as trade partners. He was first on this prediction and I’m now jumping on board.
2) San Francisco 49ers: Quinnen Williams, DT Alabama- Some may call this a curveball here, but I don’t think that’s apropos. Williams has dominated the athletic testing portion of the draft process, and many think he was equally as dominant as Nick Bosa was in college. I think more teams have Williams atop their board than the media realizes at this moment.
3) New York Jets: Nick Bosa, EDGE Ohio State- In just about every scenario, Mike Maccagnan will trade out of this pick. There should be enough buzz around Dwayne Haskins at this point for teams like Denver, Cincinnati or Washington to leapfrog the Raiders and Giants in order to land their QB of the future. If Kyler Murray is also available, the Jets could get a king’s ransom here.
However, this isn’t your normal scenario. If I’m right and the Niners take Quinnen Williams over Bosa, the Jets will have a massive dilemma on their hands. Is their roster good enough to compete if they do not trade down and pick Bosa? Do they still trade down even with Bosa on the board? It’s not a bad problem to have, but it will be very interesting to see how Maccagnan and company handle it.
4) *Arizona Cardinals via Oakland Raiders: Jawaan Taylor, OT Florida- Assuming Bosa and Quinnen Williams are both off of the board by this selection, which I’m not sure is a lock, Arizona would just move to their biggest need. Many think Taylor is the runaway best tackle in this draft and can slide over to the left slide while maintaining production. Arizona chooses to sure up their offensive line after narrowly missing the heist of the century in Bosa at the 4th overall pick.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, ILB LSU- White to the Buccaneers has been rumored for a while now. They lost Kwon Alexander in free agency, and they need a three down linebacker that can do it all to replace him.
6) New York Giants: Daniel Jones, QB Duke- Okay Giants fans, I am so sorry to continue to obliterate your front office in these prediction mocks, but here we go again. David Gettleman can praise Eli Manning all he wants, but he’s still looking for a QB of the future in this draft. By not taking one last year in the best QB draft we’ve seen since 2004, and thinking his team was in a win now position, Gettleman backed himself into a corner. He had to settle for a lesser offer in order to get Odell Beckham out of the locker room and start a rebuild, and now he will have to settle for one of the QBs in this draft.
I know what you’re thinking though. “Okay Jordan, that explains them going quarterback. But why on earth would they pass on Dwayne Haskins for Daniel Jones?” Ladies and Gettleman (pun intended), allow me to introduce you to how David Gettleman will mess this up even further.
Jones has the “ideal size and build,” just like Haskins, but it’s his connection to David Cutcliffe that will have NFL teams ready to pick him much higher than he should go. Cutcliffe is most well known for his work with both Peyton and Eli Manning, and his relationship with David Gettleman is very strong as a result of working with Eli Manning. I think the Giants QB target in this draft is Daniel Jones, and they will either take him at 6 or 17 depending on how the board falls.
7) *Cincinnati Bengals via Jacksonville Jaguars: Dwayne Haskins, QB Ohio State- I think Cincinnati is going to go all out for a QB in this draft. With Andy Dalton on the latter stages of his career, the Bengals need to find their quarterback of the future sooner rather than later. Having dodged a bullet with the Giants, the Bengals give the Jaguars a little extra to come up and get their guy.
8) Detroit Lions: Josh Allen, EDGE Kentucky- Allen has had multiple visits with the Lions during this draft process, including a private workout. Detroit needs a pass rusher opposite Trey Flowers to generate the havoc that Head Coach Matt Patricia would like. If Allen is on the board here, this is as far as he goes because Detroit is seemingly in love with him.
Editor’s Note: Assuming Allen is off the board before this spot, Detroit could be a candidate to trade down. I don’t think they are as enamored with Brian Burns and Montez Sweat as they are with Allen. Not to mention, a team looking to pick DK Metcalf will have to jump Buffalo to do so.
9) Buffalo Bills: DK Metcalf, WR Ole Miss- Speaking of Metcalf to Buffalo, allow me to introduce the layup of the Top 10. The Bills still need a game changer in their receiving core, and Metcalf is just that. He’s phenomenal off the line and he showed his deep ball ability with a freakish 40 time at the Combine. John Brown and Cole Beasley were nice additions in free agency, but Metcalf is the big playmaker they need.
10) Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB Missouri- Four QBs in the Top Ten of this draft class is absolutely abominable, but we’re trending that way. The Broncos have had multiple visits with Drew Lock, and it appears they are… Locked…. in to him should Dwayne Haskins land elsewhere on draft day.
Editor’s Note: If you’ve read my personal mock drafts, you know I’m not a fan of the QB class. Outside of Kyler Murray, I do not have a quarterback on my board with a round one or a round two grade. Having said that, this is a Quarterback driven league, and QBs will always be overdrafted because of the value they bring.
11) *Jacksonville Jaguars via Cincinnati Bengals: Rashan Gary, EDGE/DL Michigan- Jacksonville’s draft strategy is anyone’s guess at this point. They have a few obvious needs (OL, Pass Catchers, FS, DL), but the order in which they address them is a mystery.
Should the Jaguars trade down, a guy like Gary could be in play for them. He has the versatility to move all along the defensive front, and the athleticism to be productive at the next level.
12) Green Bay Packers: Ed Oliver, DL Houston- Green Bay has been very aggressive in attempting to improve their defense during the 2019 offseason. I expect that to continue during the first round of this draft.
Oliver would go right to 3-4 defensive end and solidify a new look front seven that should be much more productive than years past.
13) *Houston Texans via Miami Dolphins: Andre Dillard, OT Washington State- The Texans are desperate for offensive line talent early in this draft. They had a ton of money this offseason and chose not to spend it. With extra assets in a weak draft (and Miami’s willingness to trade down), the Texans come up for Dillard, who many people think is the top left tackle in the draft.
14) Atlanta Falcons: Christian Wilkins, DT Clemson- Ed Oliver would be the ideal pick for Atlanta at 14, but Wilkins is a nice consolation prize. He possesses a quick first step like Oliver, he’s very technically sound in the little things (pad level, gap assignments, exc), and he has a high motor. All three of these will be very appealing to Head Coach Dan Quinn.
15) *Pittsburgh Steelers via Washington Redskins: Devin Bush, ILB Michigan- Bush has put together a phenomenal pre-draft process. He was a combine warrior, posting terrific numbers in the 40, vertical jump and 3-Cone drill. Then he went to his pro day and showed the ability to flip his hips like a defensive back. Pittsburgh trades up to land a necessary three down linebacker in the middle of their defense.
16) Carolina Panthers: Brian Burns, EDGE Florida State- Carolina loves the bigger, more physical edge players like Rashan Gary, and Brian Burns isn’t necessarily that. While he possesses good strength for his skill set, his biggest “strength,” is his ability to dip and bend around the edge.
Having said that, I think Carolina could go a different route here and take a player like Burns. Carolina has hinted at wanting to run more 3-4 sets and show multiple looks this season. They signed Bruce Irvin as well, making me think that the idea to go 3-4 could become more of a reality.
Whatever the decision winds up being, the selection at 16 will tell you all you need to know about their defensive game plan for the upcoming season.
17) New York Giants via Cleveland Browns: Montez Sweat, EDGE Mississippi State- Here’s why I sense the Giants going with a Quarterback at 6 instead of 17. There are so little quarterbacks this year and so many edge rushers, there is a much better chance to grab a talented pass rusher at 17 than a talented quarterback. Sweat had a terrific pre-draft process and should be a top 20 lock in a week’s time.
18) Minnesota Vikings: Jonah Williams, OT/OG/C/OL/Please Play Him at Tackle, Alabama- The fact that Jonah Williams will not be the top offensive lineman taken this year is an absolute disgrace. This is Zack Martin all over again. At some point, NFL teams will learn that technique and intelligence are what matters along the offensive line, and not just length and athleticism. Williams will be an All-Pro talent.
19) Tennessee Titans: Noah Fant, TE Iowa- Fant hs been my TE1 all year because of his athleticism and quickness when running routes. He’s an excellent blocker and a weapon in the middle of the field. Fant is an ideal fit in Tennessee’s offense and the heir to Delanie Walker’s throne at the TE position.
20) *Washington Redskins via Pittsburgh Steelers: Parris Campbell, WR Ohio State- Campbell is flying up draft boards after a very impressive combine. He displayed quickness in and out of cuts as well, something that we didn’t always get to see during his time at Ohio State. I think NFL teams view Campbell as a better version of Curtis Samuel, who went top 40 in his own right. Washington needs weapons for whoever their quarterback is, making Campbell a solid selection.
Editor’s Note: Obviously Washington is a great candidate to trade up for a quarterback, but a second option is them pursuing a QB already in the NFL like Josh Rosen or Derek Carr (hint hint, wink wink). If they choose the latter, they can trade backward, get some assets to further their pursuit of Rosen or Carr.
21) Seattle Seahawks: Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, CB/FS Florida– CGJ is a definitive ball hawk, but it’s his versatility to man up in the slot and contribute from a single high position that will have him as the first safety off the board. Seattle is a tough team to predict, but a selection of Gardner-Johnson would help further advance the recreation of LOB 2.0.
22) Baltimore Ravens: N’Keal Harry, WR Arizona State- Baltimore has to find weapons for Lamar Jackson during this draft. Harry can move all around the field, winning route combinations from the boundary as well as the slot. His tape during the season combined with quality testing in Indianapolis should help him be a first round selection.
23) *Miami Dolphins via Houston Texans: Jeffery Simmons, DT Mississippi State- It’s not much of a secret that Miami is looking to rebuild over the next few seasons. This makes them a perfect team to draft a player like Jeffery Simmons.
Simmons is viewed by many as a top talent in this draft, but he tore his ACL during a workout in February. The Dolphins do not need him to contribute right away in year one, so why not trade backward and take an elite talent for the future?
24) *Arizona Cardinals from Oakland Raiders via Chicago Bears: Hakeem Butler, WR Iowa State- Regardless of whether the Cardinals stay with Josh Rosen or select Murray first overall, they will need to find weapons for whoever their QB is. Butler has freakish athleticism for someone of his size. His potential is off the charts if he can fix the drops that plagued him in college.
25) Philadelphia Eagles: Nasir Adderley, FS Delaware- Philly is a tough team to judge for prediction purposes because they have the ammo to move up high in this draft and land a big fish. However, I think it’s more likely that they stay put in round one, and look to trade up into the early portions of round two.
If they do stay here, a safety is a very likely selection. Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod are two sizable contracts for a team that will need to save money over the next two years in preparation to pay Carson Wentz.
26) Indianapolis Colts: AJ Brown, WR Ole Miss- In my personal mock drafts, I have been talking about this potential fit for months. Brown’s quickness in the short to intermediate windows out of the slot would be a huge boost to the Colts offense. It would allow T.Y. Hilton to see less double teams. I expect wide receiver to be the target for the Colts at 26, and Brown makes the most sense to me.
27) Oakland Raiders via Dallas Cowboys: Byron Murphy, CB Washington- Murphy’s size was a question heading into the combine. However, when scouts saw his footwork and technique during the on-field drills, the concerns went away. His versatility to do a number of different things and excel in multiple coverage schemes will have many teams jumping at the chance to take him in the backend of round one.
28) Los Angeles Chargers: Greedy Williams, CB LSU- Williams may be the most polarizing player in the draft, but I’m not sure that stops him from being selected in round one. He still has phenomenal collegiate production and very good ball skills. The Chargers secondary took a hit this offseason, particularly at corner. Assuming Desmond King goes back to being a full time nickel player/third safety, LAC needs a second boundary corner to play opposite Casey Hayward.
29) Seattle Seahawks via Kansas City Chiefs: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE Clemson- Ferrell has had a lackluster performance during the draft season, but I don’t think his draft stock will be too hampered by it. His tape is too good and his game is too complete for him to drop past the first 40 picks or so.
30) Green Bay Packers via New Orleans Saints: Chase Winovich, EDGE Michigan- Winovich has put together two terrific pre-draft workouts, both at the combine as well as the Michigan pro day. Throughout his tape he is constantly in the backfield, which shows in his tackles for loss totals during his final two years at Michigan. Now that he has answered some athletic questions, Winovich is most likely the surprise of the first round.
31) *New York Giants via Los Angeles Rams: Dexter Lawrence, DT/NT Clemson- The Giants appear to be in love with Lawrence’s skill set, but I don’t think he will make it to their selection at the top end of round two. To ensure they get their man, the Giants mortgage a few draft assets in a weaker draft class to come up and take a player they covet.
32) New England Patriots: TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa- Rob Gronkowski’s retirement puts offensive weapons at the top of the Patriots wish list for the 2019 draft. The Patriots will definitely attempt to move up for Noah Fant, but I think Bill Belichick is also very comfortable with staying put and seeing if he can land Hockenson or Irv Smith Jr. If he can somehow pull Hockenson, the rest of the NFL should be embarrassed and thoroughly terrified.
TRADES IN ROUND ONE
1- Oakland Raiders trade the #4, #24 and a 2020 1st Round Pick (from Chicago) to the Arizona Cardinals for the #1 and a 2020 3rd Round Pick.
2- Cincinnati Bengals trade the #11, #72 and a 2020 2nd Round Pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #7 and a 2020 5th Round Pick.
3- Houston Texans trade the #23, #54 and #55 to the Miami Dolphins for the #13 and #78.
4- Pittsburgh Steelers trade the #20, #83 and #122 to the Washington Redskins for the #15 and #206.
5- New York Giants trade the #37, #108 and #180 to the Los Angeles Rams for the #31.
ROUND TWO
33) Arizona Cardinals: Rock Ya-Sin, CB Temple- Arizona needs cornerback depth in the worst way. Outside of Patrick Peterson, it’s a giant question mark. Ya-Sin is a competitor and a ball hawk, two things that should compliment Peterson nicely considering all the targets Ya-Sin will see.
34) Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets: Anthony Nelson, EDGE/DE Iowa- I know Nelson is much higher on my personal board than he is being mocked by draft experts. Normally in this spot you would see a player like Jaylon Ferguson instead of my man Nelson.
However, I think NFL teams will agree with my analysis of Nelson. He’s just as technically sound as Clelin Ferrell, and despite the fact his first step isn’t quite as good on tape, he’s more adept at bending around the edge and running the arch.
Therefore, Nelson is the pick here and not Jaylon Ferguson.
35) Oakland Raiders: Josh Jacobs, RB Alabama- Oakland is now the frontrunner to land Jacobs after Marshawn Lynch decided to step away from football again. Whether they make that selection in round one or at the top or round two, it would take a miracle for one of the few three down runningbacks in this draft class to wind up elsewhere on draft day.
36) San Francisco 49ers: Deebo Samuel, WR South Carolina- The Niners need to find more weapons for Jimmy Garoppolo during this draft. Samuel has had a terrific draft process, shining ever since the Senior Bowl week back in January. He’s one of many quality pass catchers that will be selected on day two.
37) *Los Angeles Rams via New York Giants: Jachai Polite, EDGE Florida- Polite’s only saving grace to go in the first two rounds right now is the Rams. While Polite has had one of the worst Combine and Pro Day performances that I can remember, the one team he interviewed well with was the Rams. I still believe Polite stands a chance to be a good pro because his ability to come off the edge and generate pressure is so prevalent throughout his collegiate tape. This is why the Rams trade backwards and take him in round two.
Editor’s Note: An alternative move for the Rams could be to trade up in round three and try to snag him at the top of that round. If they believe he is truly off of many teams draft boards, they could look to do the same strategy with Polite that the Raiders did with Arden Key.
38) Jacksonville Jaguars: Darnell Savage, FS Maryland- A sneaky need for the Jaguars that they will most likely address early in this draft is a single high safety to keep their defense at the elite level it should be. Savage is that kind of player.
39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR Oklahoma- The Bucs used a pre-draft visit on Hollywood Brown, which makes sense seeing as they need a deep threat to replace Desean Jackson. I’m not sure I would spend a top 40 selection on a third wideout in their offense, but that appears to be the direction they are headed.
40) Buffalo Bills: Kaleb McGary, OT/OG Washington- McGary is nowhere near this evaluation on my personal board, but his athleticism and supposed versatility is what has a lot of teams chomping at the bit for him in round two.
41) Denver Broncos: Garrett Bradbury, C NC State- Matt Paradis was a big loss for the Broncos, but he’s replaceable in the front end of the draft. Even though Bradbury is likely to go higher than this, players fall to round two that should have gone in round one all the time. In this draft, that player is Bradbury.
42) Cincinnati Bengals: Cody Ford, OT/OG Oklahoma- Cincinnati signed Bobby Hart to… uhh… let up sacks? It surely wasn’t to protect the passer. One can only hope they’re wise enough to just draft offensive line anyway and act as if the Bobby Hart signing never happened.
43) *Kansas City Chiefs via Detroit Lions: Erik McCoy, C/OG Texas A&M- McCoy is a very similar player to Garrett Bradbury, showing good athleticism in short areas, as well as the technique necessary to excel in pass protection. Much like the Broncos a few picks earlier with replacing Matt Paradis, Kansas City needs to replace Mitch Morse. They trade up a few spots to land McCoy.
44) Green Bay Packers: Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama- Aaron Rodgers loves throwing to tight ends. The problem is, Rodgers has not had one that is truly a matchup problem in a long time. Irv Smith can block and he’s improved as a route runner. He’s a much better fit for the Packers current offense than Jimmy Graham.
45) *Philadelphia Eagles via Atlanta Falcons: Chris Lindstrom, OG Boston College- Atlanta has teased that they could trade down in this draft. If that truly is the draft strategy, it might make more sense to happen in round two rather than round one. Philadelphia could also trade in this draft, but their goal is to trade up not backward. Both teams could be perfect trade partners at some point in this draft.
Editor’s Note: Lindstrom is a good fit for either of these teams, but based on pre-draft workouts I think he’s more of a target for Philly than Atlanta. Hence the trade.
46) *Oakland Raiders via Washington Redskins: Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE Louisiana Tech- For some reason Ferguson’s three cone shuttle, which was north of eight seconds, has not scared NFL teams from talking about him on day two. Oakland acquires this selection by sending Derek Carr to Washington and takes Ferguson to double up on pass rushers in day two.
47) Carolina Panthers: Greg Little, OT Ole Miss- I really don’t like Little as a selection before day three, but Carolina has visited with him a lot throughout the draft process. He is most likely going to be picked on day two, and Carolina is a very likely destination for the former 5-Star recruit.
48) Miami Dolphins: Dalton Risner, OT/OG Kansas State- The Dolphins need to improve in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Risner can start on the right side of their offensive line from day one.
49) Cleveland Browns: Juan Thornhill, SS Virginia- Thornhill’s athleticism and ability to play downhill has teams very interested in him early in this draft. Many teams think he can be a chess piece in the backend of their defense. Thornhill makes sense as a target for the Browns because he can move around the field like Julius Peppers did.
50) Minnesota Vikings: Jerry Tillery, DT Notre Dame- Tillery is extremely athletic and a quality pass rusher along the interior. Minnesota needs an athletic starter next to Linval Joseph, making Saunders a perfect fit for them at 50.
51) Tennessee Titans: Khalen Saunders, DL Western Illinois- One of the best pound for pound athletes in this draft is Khalen Saunders. He’s a perfect fit in a 3-4 because he’s successful from multiple positions along the defensive front.
52) Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Layne, CB Michigan State- Layne has emerged as a day two lock during the pre-draft process. He’s long, he’s athletic, and he shows big time potential in man-to-man situations. The Steelers still need a number two corner, making Layne a very likely selection in the second round if he is available.
53) *Atlanta Falcons from Philadelphia Eagles via Baltimore Ravens: Tytus Howard, OT Alabama State- Howard has ideal size and length for a right tackle, but he needs to continue to refine his technique in order to become a quality starter. This makes Atlanta an ideal destination because he would not have to start day one, unless he earned it.
54) *Miami Dolphins from Houston Texans via Seattle Seahawks: Emanuel Hall, WR Missouri- The Dolphins have lacked an explosive deep threat for a long time. Hall is a definitive burner that separates with speed and athleticism down the field. He’s a good target for Miami at some point during this draft.
55) *Miami Dolphins via Houston Texans: Jamel Dean, CB Auburn- Here’s a classic reach on day two because of a good combine. Dean showed enough on tape to make teams covet his sheer athleticism over some more technical corners.
56) New England Patriots via Chicago Bears: Andy Isabella, WR Massachusetts- I know Patriots fans would rather see Isabella later in the draft, but I think he tested too well at the Combine for the Pats to do that. Isabella’s route running, athleticism and solid hands make him a perfect fit for the Patriots offense.
57) Philadelphia Eagles: Mack Wilson, ILB Alabama- The buzz around Wilson has cooled during the latter portions of the draft process. Having said that, the off ball linebacker class is so weak that his tape and collegiate production should still have him as the third player off the board in this position group.
58) Dallas Cowboys: Deionte Thompson, FS Alabama- The Cowboys have visited with a ton of safeties during this offseason, making a selection of one at 58 very likely. Thompson is easily the best cover safety still on the board, so he is the pick here.
59) Indianapolis Colts: Iman Marshall, CB/FS/SS USC- Marshall is going to go much higher than he should on draft day, and I still have not figured out why. Many teams think he possesses the versatility to play nickel corner or a cover two safety position. When I figure out what they are basing this off of, I will let you all know.
60) Los Angeles Chargers: Yodny Cajuste, OT West Virginia- Offensive tackle is a sneaky need for the Chargers during this draft. Okung has been up and down during the last few years, and Sam Tevi is better served as a backup. Cajuste steps in and competes for a starting job from day one.
61) *Detroit Lions via Kansas City Chiefs: Lonnie Johnson Jr., CB Kentucky- Teez Tabor has not stepped up and grabbed the number two cornerback slot like the Lions had hoped. Johnson’s length and athleticism combined with his (presumed) ability in press coverage are the two aspects of his game that NFL teams find attractive.
62) New Orleans Saints: Joejuan Williams, CB Vanderbilt- Williams had a tough combine, but redeemed himself during the athletic testing portion of his pro day. He’s a long, physical corner with the ability to press and solid ball skills. His traits on tape combined with his improved athletic testing should have him as a day two selection.
63) *Detroit Lions from Kansas City Chiefs via Los Angeles Rams: Amani Hooker, FS Iowa- Detroit continues to revamp their secondary by selecting the best cover safety left on the board. While this could be a thumper like Taylor Rapp or Johnathan Abram, I’m going to take a chance on Hooker because of his versatility in coverage.
64) New England Patriots: Blake Cashman, ILB Minnesota- New England does have a few defensive needs in this draft, one of which is addressing their linebacking core. Outside of Kyle Van Noy, it’s a weak unit. Cashman is an athletic three down linebacker who shows a great understanding for gap assignments on tape.
TRADES IN ROUND TWO
1- Kansas City Chiefs trade the #61 and #63 to the Detroit Lions for the #43, #111 and #224.
2- Philadelphia Eagles trade the #53, #127 and #163 to the Atlanta Falcons for the #45 and #230.
3- Washington Redskins acquire Derek Carr and a 2020 3rd Round Pick from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the #46 and 2020 Conditional 5th Round Pick.
ROUND THREE
65) Arizona Cardinals: Dawson Knox, TE Ole Miss
66) Pittsburgh Steelers via Oakland Raiders: Dennis Daley, OT South Carolina
67) San Francisco 49ers: Jimmy Moreland, CB James Madison
68) New York Jets: Elgton Jenkins, C Mississippi State
69) Jacksonville Jaguars: Terry McLaurin, WR Ohio State
70) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Johnathan Abram, SS Mississippi State
X) New York Giants- Forfeit Due to the Selection of Sam Beal in the Supplemental Draft
71) Denver Broncos: Isaiah Johnson, CB Houston
72) *Jacksonville Jaguars via Cincinnati Bengals: Jace Sternberger, TE Texas A&M
73) New England Patriots via Detroit Lions: Charles Omenihu, DL Texas
74) Buffalo Bills: Maxx Crosby, EDGE Eastern Michigan
75) Green Bay Packers: Michael Dieter, OL Wisconsin
76) Washington Redskins: Amani Oruwariye, CB Penn State
77) Carolina Panthers: Taylor Rapp, SS Washington
78) *Houston Texans via Miami Dolphins: Trysten Hill, DT/NT UCF
79) Atlanta Falcons: DeAndre Baker, CB Georgia
80) Cleveland Browns: Trayvon Mullen, CB Clemson
81) Minnesota Vikings: Michael Jordan, OG/C Ohio State
82) Tennessee Titans: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Stanford
83) *Washington Redskins via Pittsburgh Steelers: Kelvin Harmon, WR NC State
84) Seattle Seahawks: LJ Collier, DL TCU
85) Baltimore Ravens: Ben Banogu, EDGE TCU
86) Houston Texans: Connor McGovern, OG/C Penn State
87) Chicago Bears: David Long, CB Michigan
88) Detroit Lions via Philadelphia Eagles: Dru Samia, OG Oklahoma
89) Indianapolis Colts: Renell Wren, DT Arizona State
90) Dallas Cowboys: Zach Allen, DL Boston College
91) Los Angeles Chargers: Kingsley Keke, DL Texas A&M
92) Kansas City Chiefs: Christian Miller, EDGE Alabama
93) New York Jets via New Orleans Saints: Sean Bunting, CB Central Michigan
94) Los Angeles Rams: Bobby Evans, OT/OG Oklahoma
95) New York Giants from Cleveland Browns via New England Patriots: David Edwards, OT Wisconsin
96) Washington Redskins: Nate Davis, OL Charlotte
97) New England Patriots: Tyree Jackson, QB Buffalo
98) Jacksonville Jaguars via Los Angeles Rams: David Montgomery, RB Iowa State
99) Los Angeles Rams: Sheldrick Redwine, FS/SS Miami
100) Carolina Panthers: Damien Harris, RB Alabama
101) New England Patriots: Riley Ridley, WR Georgia
102) Baltimore Ravens: Germaine Pratt, ILB NC State
2019 NFL Combine Winners and Losers
With the NFL Draft prospects departing from Indianapolis, it’s time for a recap on how the two days went for both sides of the ball. Even though the NFL Combine is a point of contention among the draft community, the Combine serves a purpose. It is meant to seek out weaknesses in a player, both in terms of technique that you see on the field during the drills, as well as their fluidity as an athlete.
The question that trips up scouts and analysts is how much do you weigh what you see in Indianapolis against the tape? If an offensive lineman looks stiff in the hips during the drills, do you knock him down a peg even if his tape is good? Let’s say a wide receiver shows an elite 40 time, but struggles with the 3-Cone drill. Where does that put his athletic score? Does a defensive lineman that crushes the 3-Cone get a pass if he struggles in the 10 yard split because he has bad technique on his 40 yard dash?
Regardless of your views on the combine, down here there’s always winners and losers, and you don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of that line (to paraphrase Bruce Springsteen). So with that in mind, here’s who I feel were the winners and losers of the Combine this weekend.
Day One Winners (RBs and OL)
1- Chris Lindstrom, Garrett Bradbury and Erik McCoy: The top players along the interior really stepped up and made their presence felt this weekend. Garrett Bradbury and Chris Lindstrom were big breadwinners, dominating the athletic testing and showing elite level fluidity in their hips and ankles during the drill portion of the combine. I thought Erik McCoy stayed stride for stride with Bradbury throughout the day as well, and he remained my top center in this draft. All three of these guys should be quality starters at the next level.
2- Josh Jacobs: How do you win the combine without participating? When the rest of the position group performs incredibly average. Jacobs was easily most people’s RB1, but there was some buzz around the running backs you could get in rounds two and three, like Damien Harris, David Montgomery and others.
However, none of the potential three down backs tested well enough to challenge Jacobs for the top spot. This makes Josh Jacobs even more of a commodity come April, and a potential Top 20 lock.
3- Miles Sanders and Justice Hill: Keeping in mind the aforementioned analysis about the running backs, there were two players that did shine at the position. Sanders and Hill showed explosive athleticism, and both players on tape are shifty backs that show explosiveness in the open field. Sanders in particular is a favorite of mine. He’s a willing blocker and a terrific pass catcher out of the backfield. Teams should look at both of these guys as game changers out of the backfield in the pass game.
Day One Losers
1- Elijah Holyfield: Not many players had a worse combine than Elijah Holyfield. Holyfield tested extremely poorly during the athletic portion of the combine, with the pinnacle being a 4.79 and a 4.81 in the 40 yard dash. Even as a bigger back, you have to be able to show quality quickness and some breakaway ability. Holyfield showed none of that. His stock is definitely down.
2- Greg Little: This isn’t a shocker for me, but Little tested extremely poorly. His tape was constantly underwhelming because the supposed five star recruit and big time athlete never showed up. This weekend, Little confirmed that he is a right tackle at the next level, and he needs to be developed even further He was too stiff during the drills and too slow during the athletic tests.
3- Wisconsin Offensive Linemen: The buzz on the Wisconsin players was already low heading into this weekend. After the on field drills at the Combine, their collective stock might have dipped even further. David Edwards was a little high out of the stance when hitting the pads, and he was a little stiff in the hips during the other drills. The same goes for Michael Dieter. While I think Edwards still gets drafted between the third and the fourth round because of his intelligence at the position, this could be a rough go for a group that was deemed the best offensive line in college football just six months go.
Day Two Winners (QB, WR and TE)
1- Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins: The top QB’s had themselves a good weekend. First off, we have to start with the most anticipated measurement in the history of the combine. Kyler Murray came in at 5’10 and over 200 pounds, then decided to call it a Combine because he physically couldn’t help his draft stock any further. Now some will question his decision not to throw, and we’ll get to that later on in the article (Big J tease right there). The reason he didn’t is because he couldn’t further his draft stock by throwing. All the rumors were surrounding his measurements. People were questioning if Murray would come in over 5’9. Once he matched Russell Wilson, the only way his draft stock could fall is if he stunk it up during the drills throwing to receivers he didn’t know. So he took his paycheck and exited stage left.
On the other hand, Dwayne Haskins chose to let it rip, and boy did it work out. The ball popped effortlessly out of his hands. At least once a drill he showed some elite level anticipation, which was his big question mark for me. There were definitely still some questions on my end, a few throws were behind guys and a tad late. The other Quarterbacks were so average though, that Dwayne Haskins looked elite. He’s a top ten lock.
2- DK Metcalf and AJ Brown: The Ole Miss duo absolutely crushed the Combine. Metcalf’s freakish performance has been well documented, but that doesn’t mean it’s being over exaggerated. His athletic testing was otherworldly for his size. Don’t get trapped into his slow three cone either. This dude sinks his hips on tape and gets a clean release almost every time. Metcalf is an elite wide receiver at the next level if he stays healthy, and that was confirmed this weekend.
AJ Brown was someone who I thought would test much better than people realized. Not to brag, but he proved me right. Brown had a sub 4.5 40 and almost a 37 inch vertical. He could definitely wind up in the first round of my personal mock draft, and you should see him off the board in the first 50 picks come April.
3- N’Keal Harry and Hakeem Butler: Speaking of receivers, N’Keal Harry and Hakeem Butler put to rest any questions about their ability to win down the field. Harry was a quality prospect before this event, the one thing that he needed to answer to put himself into the round one conversation. He did that, so expect to see Harry off the board on day one.
Butler might have been the most impressive player in this position group not named DK Metcalf. At 6’5 he posted a 4.48 40 yard dash, a ridiculous number for someone of that size. I still have reservations about his tape; he often has drops and double catches. With that being said, I’d be shocked if Butler made it out of round two.
4- Noah Fant: TE1 is a legitimate conversation now. If you’ve read my mock drafts, you know I’ve had Fant higher than TJ Hockenson from day one because Fant does more in the passing game without losing a step as a blocker. Fant blew the combine away, testing through the roof and showing clean cuts in and out of route combinations on the field during the drills. TJ Hockenson had a great day in his own right, but a 4.51 40 yard dash and a 6.81 3 Cone drill have teams salivating at the idea of selecting Noah Fant.
5- Parris Campbell: Campbell was going to be extremely fast, so it’s not his athletic testing that wowed me. It’s how smooth he was during the drills. I didn’t love his route running on tape, and I thought he had some double catches as well. Campbell showed none of that this weekend. I will have to go back and rewatch Campbell’s tape because he showed none of the weaknesses I thought he would. Expect to see him go off the board early in a month or so.
Honorable Mentions: Tyree Jackson (ran a 4.6 at 6’7! He also flashed at times during the drills, showing that massive arm strength), Emanuel Hall and Andy Isabella (both receivers absolutely torched the athletic portion of the event), Josh Oliver and Kahale Warring (two small school TE’s that could be day three steals)
Day Two Losers:
1- Kyler Murray: Here is the wrap up to the Big J tease I alluded to earlier in the article. Murray obviously put on water weight to get up over 200 pounds, and this is why he chose not to participate in any drills or athletic testing. He wasn’t comfortable doing so at the weight he was at. For me, that would stem the conversation of if he is able to take NFL punishment. Murray will still be fine in terms of his draft value, but I can see teams not being thrilled about this decision.
2- Kelvin Harmon: Harmon really struggled in the athletic portion of the combine, which was a major concern for him. Obviously Harmon was not a blazer at NC State, but he showed quickness in and out of cuts on tape and the ability to high point the ball. He did not show the measurables to have those skills translate against more athletic NFL Defensive Backs. I’m still sticking with him as a high end round two pick, but he fell down my big board a bit.
3- Isaac Nauta and Kaden Smith: Here’s the deal; if you run a 4.9 as a skill position player, you’re out. It’s that simple. Both these guys tested dreadfully slow this weekend. They gone.
Day Three Winners (DL and LBs)
1- Brian Burns: Burns has been in my top five players the entire draft process, and he dominated this weekend. He moves so fluidly for someone that is nearly 6’5, and weighing in at 249 did not slow him down at all. This dude is a freight train coming off the edge.
2- Montez Sweat: Speaking of freight trains coming of the edge, Montez Sweat confirmed every reason why I had him in my top ten players. His technique was never a question, but he proved this weekend he was a better athlete than he was given credit for. He answered questions about his ankle flexibility with a good 3 Cone Drill, and you can’t ignore his 1.55 10 yard split. A great showing for Sweat in Indy.
3- “The Big Fellas,” Dexter Lawrence and Khalen Saunders: Both these guys were deemed to be phenomenal athletes for their size, and they proved it. These two beasts rolled into the combine over 320 pounds (D-Law was 340) and both came in with impressive 10 yard splits for their size. In my opinion, their tape matches their combine performances.
Lawrence is a behemoth in the run game and he can collapse the pocket to help his teammates get to the passer. Saunders was moved all over the lot at Western Illinois, he even stood up at times and rushed from the edge. He’s explosive for his size with a great first step.
These two will be quality starters in the NFL.
4- Anthony Nelson: Here’s another edge player that I expected to test better athletically, and he proved me right. Nelson showed good ankle flexibility with a terrific 3 Cone, and he was a fluid mover during the on field drills. I had him a little too low on my previous big board, partially because I was hedging my bets. That won’t happen next time.
5- Blake Cashman: Cashman won the “I need to go watch this player ASAP,” award this week. In a weak linebacker class, he made himself some money. To list off the athletic testing, 4.5 flat on the 40, a 37.5’’ vertical, 10’2 on the broad jump, sub 7 on the 3 Cone and a 4.12 short shuttle. Supposedly the production is there on tape, which would make him a very attractive option for teams that miss out on the big three off ball linebackers.
Day Three Losers:
1- Jachai Polite: Polite is a puzzler. His tape is really impressive, and everything you heard out of the Florida camp about him was positive. Having said that, he didn’t interview well at all, and he tested even worse, posting a 1.71 10 yard split at 258 pounds. He wasn’t particularly great at the start of the on-field drills either, and then inexplicably stopped the workout with a hamstring injury. Polite’s tape should still keep him in the first 75 picks, but the former Gator has definitely lost the first round hype. A big story on draft day will be how far Polite falls.
2- Clelin Ferrell: Ferrell showed very little dip and bend ability during the 3 Cone and Short Shuttle, and his drills weren’t much better. Now this isn’t a surprise to many, but as someone who thought he was a better athlete than his tape showed, he drops down my board a bit.
I do still think he will be a very productive pro. He’s great against the run and he collapses the pocket by long arming tackles.
However, Ferrell has to fall because his ceiling is just not as high as some of the other defensive linemen in this draft. That was confirmed this weekend.
3- LJ Collier: I was never on the LJ Collier bandwagon because I wasn’t high on his tape. For those that were, the athletic testing should have you extremely concerned. Collier never looked fluid and struggled all throughout the day. Maybe he can bulk up and kick inside, but I don’t think he has the technique to do so.
Honorable Category of Confusion: Ed Oliver- Okay, we all knew Ed Oliver put on some weight to measure in bigger, and that’s why he didn’t want to run. However, he could’ve ran and done all the drills at that weight and still tested in at least the 80th percentile across the board. He was made for weekends like this. Heck, he posted a workout video this summer where he was doing linebacker and defensive back drills! His stock could have received a freebie boost this weekend, but alas, he refused. I’ll never understand why.
Day Four Winners
1- The Safeties: The safety class was deemed to be ridiculously weak, and day four could’ve gone real bad for them with Deionte Thompson and Nasir Adderley sitting out. However, players like Jonathan Abram, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, and Amani Hooker stepped up and showed some surprising athleticism throughout their portion of the Combine. It’s still not a strong class, but this group did surprise a bit.
2- Byron Murphy, Justin Layne, David Long and Rock Ya-Sin: Here’s why this group is so big; these four were the only players among the cornerbacks to put up even an average performance during the drills on the field.
Murphy was the cleanest in and out of his backpedal, he flipped his hips fluidly and he never lost momentum coming out of his T-Step in the “W-Drill.” He confirmed CB1 for me despite an average 40 time.
Layne is a long, athletic corner that stepped up and showed precision in his backpedal down the hash marks. He also tested very well athletically.
Long was the biggest winner of the combine, catapulting his draft stock with a clean backpedal and natural footwork. His tape is a bit confusing, but some team will gamble on him in day two.
Ya-Sin ran a solid 40 on his second run, but he started slow during the drill process. However, there’s a reason they call it “Temple Tough.” The former Temple corner got better as the day went on and confirmed the first round player I saw on tape.
Day Four Losers
1- The Cornerbacks Not Named Above: This group is by far the biggest loser of the combine. The question about the corners was simple; would the athletic testing match the collegiate tape and production? The answer was a resounding no. Almost every guy struggled with their backpedal, many players flipped their hips before the coaches asked them to, and the technique was just stiff across the board. This will become a massive storyline during the NFL Draft because these cornerbacks furthered the polarizing analysis about him.
2- Trayvon Mullen and Greedy Williams: These two cornerbacks are worthy of their own category because of how rough their days were. Mullen never looked comfortable during the drills. He was often flat footed and stiff in the hips. His tape was inconsistent, and that was confirmed this weekend. It’ll be interesting to see where he winds up.
Greedy Williams is the biggest culprit of the polarizing analysis. He came out of the blocks and ran a 4.38, a terrific time. Then he got in the drills and couldn’t get it right. He stumbled out of his backpedal and he flipped his hips early on three separate occasions, once coming out of the backpedal in the first drill and twice during the backpedal and weave drill. Then he announced that he had cramped up, and his day was done. The guy who is by far the toughest evaluation for NFL teams became even more of a question mark this weekend.
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