Sam’s 2019 NFL mock draft version 2.0: Shifts in the first round

Pick #1- Arizona Cardinals- Kyler Murray QB

Previous Pick in 1.0:

Until someone comes out and says otherwise, I’m assuming that Murray will be the first pick in the draft and that the Cardinals will move on from Josh Rosen.

Pick #2- San Francisco 49ers- Nick Bosa EDGE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Quinnen Williams DT

While I think Williams will be a better fit for the 49ers if the team still hopes that Solomon Thomas, a defensive end they drafted third overall in 2017, will turn into a reliable starter, it would be very easy just to replace the struggling third-year player with Bosa.

Pick #3- New York Jets- Quinnen Williams DT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Nick Bosa EDGE

Williams is head and shoulders above most of the remaining players in the draft. Personally, I think the Jets should take the best available player with this pick and in this mock that player is Williams.

Pick #4- Oakland Raiders- Josh Allen EDGE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

The Raiders defense recorded 13 sacks in 2018 which was last in the league. The Giants had the second least with 30. The gap from second worst to worst was 17 sacks. The Raiders need to replace Khalil Mack as quickly as possible.

Pick #5- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Devin White LB

Previous Pick in 1.0: Rashan Gary EDGE

The Buccaneers need to replace Kwon Alexander in the middle of the defense. It would be great to continue building the defensive line, but the linebacker position is a more prominent need.

Pick #6- New York Giants- Dwayne Haskins QB

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

The Giants have a lot of options with the sixth pick, but Eli Manning’s days of winning with the team seem to be done. The rebuild is underway in New York.

Pick #7- Jacksonville Jaguars- T.J. Hockenson TE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Noah Fant TE

I’ve flipped Hockenson and Fant in my rankings, choosing to favor Hockenson’s greater production in college over Fant’s athletic prowess.

Pick #8- Detroit Lions- Montez Sweat EDGE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

Again, the Lions already have Trey Flowers and Romeo Okwara, who recorded 7.5 sacks last season, but Sweat seems like he’d be a hard player to pass up on.

Pick #9- Buffalo Bills- Ed Oliver DT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Jawaan Taylor OT

Oliver is by far the best remaining player in the draft at this point. After Pro Bowl defensive tackle, Kyle Williams retired following the 2018 season, the Bills need a replacement.

Pick #10- Denver Broncos- Drew Lock QB    

Previous Pick in 1.0: Devin White LB

With White no longer available, John Elway decides to take another shot at drafting the team’s quarterback of the future.

Pick #11- Cincinnati Bengals- Devin Bush LB

Previous Pick in 1.0: Andre Dillard OT

The Bengals have an underrated defensive line and some young players in the secondary, but the linebacker corps needs some attention.

Pick #12- Green Bay Packers- Noah Fant TE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Jonah Williams OL

Marcedes Lewis was a nonfactor in the offense last year and Jimmy Graham had the worst year of his career since 2015. With Graham under contract through 2020, Fant is his eventual replacement.

Pick #13- Miami Dolphins- Rashan Gary EDGE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Clelin Ferrell EDGE

It’s the same position but players have been bumped back a few spots thanks to shifts in the top 12 selections. If Gary falls to 13, which is a possibility, the Dolphins will happily take him.

Pick #14- Atlanta Falcons- Jawaan Taylor OT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Ed Oliver DT

It looks like Ty Sambrailo is set to be the Falcons starting right tackle in 2019. That shouldn’t happen, and it won’t if Taylor is available.

Pick #15- Washington Redskins- Marquise Brown WR

Previous Pick in 1.0: Drew Lock QB

With the three best quarterbacks already gone, the Reskins decide to fix their crippled receiving corps by adding the top receiver in the draft.

Pick #16- Carolina Panthers- Jonah Williams OL

Previous Pick in 1.0: Devin Bush LB

Williams has emphasized he wants to play tackle, but he has said he’ll kick inside if that’s what NFL teams want. Either way, the Panthers need someone capable of protecting Cam Newton and Williams will certainly do that, no matter what position he plays.

Pick #17- New York Giants (from Cleveland Browns)- Clelin Ferrell EDGE 

Previous Pick in 1.0: Christian Wilkins DT

Ferrell fits the Giants defensive scheme better than Wilkins and will give them a true edge threat. The Giants had the second-fewest sacks in the league in 2018, so they need the help.

Pick #18- Minnesota Vikings- Andre Dillard OT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Cody Ford OT

This is just a situation where the position is the same, but a player gets kicked back because of changes. The Vikings have had a bed o-line going all the way back to the Adrian Peterson years. It’s about time that changed.

Pick #19- Tennessee Titans- Christian Wilkins DT

Previous Pick in 1.0: D.K. Metcalf WR

Imagine pairing up Wilkins with Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey. That would be a monster duo in the middle. He could also serve as an insurance policy ad Casey rehabs from an injury that landed him on IR in 2018.

Pick #20- Pittsburgh Steelers- Greedy Williams CB

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

Williams is my favorite corner in this draft and he seems like the perfect guy to help Pittsburgh get over taking Artie Burns a few years ago.

Pick #21- Seattle Seahawks- Cody Ford OT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Dexter Lawrence DT

Germain Ifedi got toasted by pass rushers almost every game last season. The right tackle absolutely needs to be replaced, for Russell Wilson’s sake.

Pick #22- Baltimore Ravens- D.K. Metcalf WR

Previous Pick in 1.0: Marquise Brown WR

With Brown not available, Metcalf is the best remaining receiver. The Ravens need to surround Lamar Jackson with as many weapons as possible.

Pick #23- Houston Texans- Dalton Risner OT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Byron Murphy CB

Deshaun Watson needs help. Risner is good enough to replace either of the Texans current tackles and provide the young quarterback with immediate relief.

Pick #24- Oakland Raiders (from Chicago Bears)- Byron Murphy CB

Previous Pick in 1.0: T.J. Hockenson TE

The Raiders haven’t had a good cornerback since Nnamdi Asomugha, despite trying to pick one several times in the draft. Maybe they’ll finally get it right.

Pick #25- Philadelphia Eagles- Dexter Lawrence DT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Josh Jacobs RB

This is by far the MOST ANNOYING pick for me to make. The Eagles need linebacker help, badly, but there are only two linebackers worth first rounds picks in this draft and both of them will be long gone by 25.

The Eagles also need to add depth on the offensive line or could draft a safety or cornerback to replace one of their average secondary players. There are several issues here.  One, the team probably doesn’t want to draft an offensive lineman in the first round, especially if he won’t start right away. Two, the Eagles have quantity at the cornerback position but not quality. Three, there’s a chance the Eagles take a safety but there’s no guarantee he would start immediately and there might not even be a first round worthy safety in this class.

I know the team just signed Malik Jackson and already have Fletcher Cox, but I’m giving them Lawrence because he’s my highest rated player available, not named Josh Jacobs.

Pick #26- Indianapolis Colts- Deandre Baker CB

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

Pierre Desir isn’t going to save the Colts cornerback corps. They need to really invest in their secondary, and Baker could play a big role in fixing that unit.

Pick #27- Oakland Raiders (from Dallas Cowboys)- Nasir Adderley S

Previous Pick in 1.0: Rock Ya-Sin CB

The Raiders have been trying to get rid of Karl Joseph for a few years now, which is weird considering he was taken in the first round of the 2016 draft. If the team is so focused on moving away from him though, Adderley is the top safety in the draft.

Pick #28- Los Angeles Chargers- Kaleb McGary OT

Previous Pick in 1.0: Dalton Risner OT

With Risner gone and the top safety in the draft off of the board, the Chargers decide to stick with protecting their future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Pick #29- Kansas City Chiefs- Garrett Bradbury C

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

The Chiefs lost their starting center in free agency. Bradbury has been jumping up draft boards since the combine and now scouts are saying he’s good enough to be a ten-year starter.

Pick #30- Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans Saints)- A.J. Brown WR

Previous Pick in 1.0: Same

The Packers need to stop wasting Aaron Rodger’s prime. Brown would pair nicely with Davante Adams and would give Rodgers a one-two punch as he had with many of his earlier teams.

Pick #31- Los Angeles Rams- Brian Burns EDGE

Previous Pick in 1.0: Jeffery Simmons DT

Burns is all over draft boards, it’s hard to tell where he’ll actually go. However, Dante Fowler is only under contract for one more year, and Burns could put pressure on him if he starts playing inconsistently.

Pick #32- New England Patriots- Riley Ridley WR

Previous Pick in 1.0: Jaylon Ferguson EDGE

The Patriots seem to be looking for new options for Tom Brady every year. Maybe they put an end to that by giving him someone who will be around for the rest of his career.

Best Remaining Offense-

Daniel Jones QB, Josh Jacobs RB, Greg Little OT, Irv Smith Jr. TE

Jones is a piece of the NFL’s quarterback puzzle that just doesn’t fit yet. Maybe as we get closer to the draft it will become clearer who’s targeting him. Jacobs has first round talent but there isn’t a first round need for running backs this year, especially after the last two drafts. Little could hear his names called on opening night if linemen get taken early and often. Otherwise, he’s a clear second round pick. Smith Jr. just can’t jump over the two Iowa tight ends and it would be extremely rare to see three tight ends go in round one.

Best Remaining Defense-

Jerry Tillery DT, Jeffery Simmons DT, Jaylon Ferguson EDGE, Mack Wilson LB, Rock Ya-Sin CB, Johnathan Abram S, Taylor Rapp S

Tillery would be a first round selection under normal circumstances, but this year’s draft is loaded with defensive tackles. I had Simmons in the first round in my first mock, but I think that recent ACL tear will be enough to drop him to the second. Ferguson fell out of the first round because Brian Burns rose into it. Wilson is the third best linebacker in this class but he’s not close enough to the two Devins to hear his name called on the first night.

Ya-Sin is a first round level prospect, but it all depends on how many teams want corners that early on. My battle to figure out the actual skill level and draft order of the top safeties in this class continues, which is why Abram and Rapp are both listed here.