2019 NFL Draft: Mock 1.0, picks 11-20
Is there anything better than a mock draft? Of course not. Which is somewhat surprising, since no one has ever actually read a mock draft that they like or agree with. Generally, the common response upon reading a mock is disgust and vehement disagreement while shaking your head at the inane stupidity of the writer, and then wondering how in the world that guy (or gal) gets paid to write about football.
Yet, we can't get enough of mock drafts, because they can't help but spin the wheels of wonder, pondering each scenario and running through your mind how X-team would look if they actually got X-player. So lighten up a bit, remember it's for fun and soak it all in!
Of note: for brevity's sake, I'm breaking this up into a 3-part series. Also of note: I'm not accepting for trade's in this scenario, because then I'll be opening up pandora's box. There will be at least a dozen or so trades in the first two days of the draft, and trying to predict who does what with who and for what is ridiculous. Alas...
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
What a combination of hitting on both need and value here. At the present moment, the Bengals have arguably the worst linebacker corps in the NFL, and adding a fast and instinctive 3-down ‘backer like Bush would provide immediate dividends on the weakside. His range and ability to cover are well suited to combatting the modern passing offenses and can also provide some juice rushing the passer.
12. Green Bay Packers – D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
Aaron Rodgers, meet your ideal deep threat. The star QB is obviously on the back-9 of his career, and he’s worked with a thin and mediocre receiving corps for far too long. Time to give him an enormous (6-3/230), fast (4.33) and explosive (134” broad jump) vertical threat with elite leaping ability (40.5” vertical), who can not only take the top off a secondary, but be the lethal red zone threat Rodgers has been craving.
13. Miami Dolphins – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
Truthfully, it’s hard to envision Haskins falling this far in the draft, as I think someone will trade up into the top 5 (or 10) to land him. Alas, no trades in this scenario, and he falls into the laps of the QB hungry Dolphins, who couldn’t be more pleased. This may come as a surprise, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is a very short-term fix, and with a new HC leading the team, it’s time to find the QB of the future.
14. Atlanta Falcons – Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma
The Falcons will be working with a rebuilt offensive line in 2019, and despite signing James Carpenter and Jamon Brown (two uninspiring additions, if we’re being honest) at both guard spots, there’s still a hole at RT after letting Ryan Schraeder go. Ford is an athletic mauler who projects well at RT, and if by chance he doesn’t have enough legs or length to handle the edge, he can slide inside, where he could become an All-Pro caliber guard. This would be a win-win for the Falcons.
15. Washington Redskins – Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State
Should this pick be a QB? Yes. But then, that would make sense, and the Redskins aren’t ones for pragmatism and logic. Instead of looking for their next franchise QB, they’ll continue toiling with another stop-gap QB in Case Keenum in the efforts to try and sneak into the playoffs to claim a moral victory to their long-suffering fan base. Instead I see them going with a WR here. Don’t get me wrong, they desperately need help at WR, too, and Campbell is an electrifying athlete with elite speed and burst, so this move could payoff, especially if they address QB in round 2.
16. Carolina Panthers – Montez Sweat, Edge, Mississippi State
Sweat, who lit up the Combine by running a 4.41 at 6-6/260, has production to go with freakish athleticism (22.5 sacks over final 26 games in college, 15 coming in SEC play), and is legitimately a top-10 talent in this class. What could cause him to drop to this slot is a heart condition discovered during medical testing at the Combine, though the doctors did clear him to participate. If he does fall to the Panthers, he’d be an absolutely ideal replacement for the recently retired Julius Peppers.
17. New York Giants (via CLE) – Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
I like Grant Haley at NB, but there’s uncertainty at outside CB. Sam Beal, who the team took in the 3rdround of the Supplemental Draft, missed all of his rookie season due to injury, so we still don’t know what to expect from him. Janoris Jenkins, due $14.75 million in both ’19 and ’20, is a prime candidate to be cut after this year, especially as his play has noticeably dropped off from his sterling season of 2016. Greedy is a freak in terms of length (6-2/185), speed (4.37) and playmaking ability (8 INT’s in ’17 and ’18), who has the tools to develop into an elite press corner. Definitely some boom-or-bust factor with Williams, but he could be worth the risk.
18. Minnesota Vikings – Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
Man, did I want to pencil in a DB here, because that’s what the Vikings do in every draft. Despite desperately needing help along the offensive line the past few years, Mike Zimmer always seems to get another DB for his already loaded defense. They need offensive line help in the worst possible way, but GM Rick Spielman is too smart to let a guy once-thought to be a top-3 pick (and who plays a position of need) slide past him at this point.
19. Tennessee Titans – Irv Smith, TE, Alabama
The Titans have been working on improving the talent level at the skill positions on offense since picking Marcus Mariota 2ndoverall in 2015, and while there’s cautious optimism that WR and RB is figured out, there’s no denying a major upgrade is needed at TE. Jonnu Smith hasn’t developed like they thought he would and Delanie Walker will be 35 when the 2019 season begins and is coming off a broken ankle, all meaning that adding an athletic playmaker who can feast in the middle, on 3rddowns and in the red zone, is exactly what Mariota, who is quickly running out of time, needs.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
The Steelers have sunk an extraordinary amount of draft capital on defense in recent years – 10 defensive players picked in first 3 rounds over the last 5 years – yet the unit is still very much a work in progress, especially in the defensive backfield. Joe Haden and Mike Hilton are entering the final years of their contracts and 2016 1stround pick Artie Burns can safely be labeled a bust at this point. Free agent addition Steven Nelson helps, though he tends to give up more big plays (7 TD’s allowed last year) than he makes (4 INT’s). Many consider Murphy to be the safest CB prospect in this class and would be an immediate contributor.
Rick Stavig is the owner and founder of SE Scouting. Email questions, comments and outrage to rgstavig@sescouting.com and follow him on the twitter machine @rickstavig.
