This is the point of the football off-season where lists start to take over the media world, along with the first editions of the 2019 NFL Mock Draft.
The 2018 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and a ton of football fans are already looking forward to the following year (past the upcoming NFL and college football seasons) to a few versions of a 2019 NFL Mock Draft.
At this point in the process in determining who is selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, most of the speculation falls to the biggest returning stars in the nation. The quarterbacks are always the biggest topic of discussion in this regard. It takes a ton of foresight to know which quarterbacks will be drafted where, this far ahead of time.
Few draft pundits would have known that a quarterback like Baker Mayfield of the Oklahoma Sooners would go first overall to the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft. Most expected someone like Josh Rosen of the UCLA Bruins or Sam Darnold of the USC Trojans to be the first quarterback off the board from the 2018 class.
Yet, all this discussion is part of the fun of looking this far ahead. The 2018 NFL season and college football season have to play out with all its injuries, surprises, and letdowns that are sure to occur this fall. And, the draft order is tough to figure out at this point. Not even all of the 2018 off-season for the NFL has taken place yet.
This draft order was taken from the last 2019 NFL Mock Draft run by CBS Sports, through the complete first round. Here’s a look at all 32 first round projected selections for the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns had the first overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, and we’ll go with the same thing occurring the following year. With that selection, the Browns go with the common sense move and select the top player returning in the nation in 2018 with Houston Cougars defensive tackle Ed Oliver.
For the last two years, Oliver has dominated opposing offenses with his versatile ability to both stuff the run and rush the passer better than most defensive ends and outside linebackers out there.
Depending on who you ask, Oliver is also the top player on most draft boards for the upcoming NFL Draft. This 2019 defensive line class is so stacked that it’s hard to tell which lineman will fall where. Yet, if the Browns can get another top notch talent along the defensive line to go alongside former Texas A&M Aggies star Myles Garrett, they’ll be in a fantastic situation for the front seven.
And, with all the moves the Browns made to upgrade the offensive side of the ball, they shouldn’t need much help their next off-season. Oliver is the type of talent that can take Cleveland’s defense to the next level, so this is the perfect move.
The quarterback position is up in the air a bit for the 2019 class, but a true gunslinger in Mizzou Tigers’ Drew Lock is a great move to be the first one selected. Lock could end up with a team like the New York Giants at the next level where he’ll have a natural bridge to a starting role.
Eli Manning is definitely on his way out with the Giants, and it’s only a matter of time before they find the quarterback of the future for the franchise. Lock has a big arm that can instantly connect with weapons like Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, etc.
In the 2018 NFL Draft, the Giants invested the second overall pick into former Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley. Since many considered Barkley a “once in a generation” sort of talent out of the backfield, it was good for the Giants to go after him.
However, now it’s time to turn the attention of the front office to the most important position on the roster. We should recognize Eli for all he’s done for this franchise, winning two very improbable Super Bowls. Yet, now it’s right about that time to move on.
The New York Jets should’ve been able to take care of their biggest need on the offensive side of the ball this year, by taking Sam Darnold with the third overall pick. Much like the Giants, the Jets had a few gaping holes to address to get back to the point of contention.
Moreover, both the Giants and the Jets could take more than one off-season to rebuild the rosters to a level that can compete in both the NFC and AFC East divisions. For the Jets, that means selecting one of these top tier defensive lineman available in the early first round.
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There’s a ton of options available, especially by way of the Clemson Tigers, but they’ll go with an obvious option in Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Nick Bosa. His brother, Joey Bosa, was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers a few years back, and panned out pretty well.
The Jets can get an instant boost to their pass rush, and round out the defensive depth chart nicely, by taking the best defensive end in this class. Bosa could easily end up with double digit sacks this fall and that translates very nicely to the next level too.
In a big of a surprising selection, the Chicago Bears pass up the option of selecting one of the many Clemson defensive lineman left on the board, and go with a local product in Michigan Wolverines defensive tackle Rashan Gary.
The Big Ten should produce talent that translates easily to the next level. Gary is playing on one of the best defenses in the nation for head Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh in 2018. After a rough go at things for Michigan in 2017, they look to rebound in a big way this year.
Gary might be the biggest piece of a very solid defense in Ann Arbor in 2018. He’s a former top rated recruit in the nation and developed quickly for the Wolverines into a key role along the defensive line last year.
The Bears tackle a need on the defensive side of the ball, by also adding a top talent in this class. There’s not really a wrong way to go with any of the top lineman, and NFL teams should take advantage of this prevalent opportunity to stack up skill on defense.
This is the perfect opportunity for the second quarterback to fall off the board, and for the Cincinnati Bengals to finally move past the Andy Dalton era under center. It’s not like Dalton had a bad run in Cincy, but his time with the franchise is running out.
There might be a few more good years left out of Dalton, but the Bengals should take advantage of a deep and potent quarterback class coming out in 2019. And, they can get a good fit for their offense in West Virginia Mountaineers, and former Florida Gators, quarterback Will Grier.
Entering the 2018 campaign, few quarterbacks have as much hype surrounding them as Grier does in Morgantown. Yet, Grier will get tested a ton since the West Virginia defense has a large amount of question marks for the upcoming season and he’ll have to keep his team going each week.
Grier is also the perfect quarterback for what NFL scouts look for now. He doesn’t have a huge history of injury issues. All he had last year was a finger injury that knocked him out against the Texas Longhorns. That shouldn’t be anything that holds him back long term. And, he is very athletic with a big arm. Great fit for the Bengals next year.
Quite a few people expected the Miami Dolphins to select a quarterback in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Instead, they landed the Alabama Crimson Tide former All-American safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. With what was left on the board at the time of the selection, Fitzpatrick was an excellent choice.
Now, the Dolphins definitely should look in the direction of a new franchise quarterback. There’s no clear choice at this point for the top quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft class, although one might emerge early in the 2018 college football regular season.
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With both Will Grier and Drew Lock gone, the Dolphins can take the Oregon Ducks starting quarterback Justin Herbert, who also has a great skill set to take to the next level. Herbert can use his legs to escape the pocket and make some impressive throws when necessary.
Unless former Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill somehow gets healthy for the first time in his career, Miami needs a new answer under center. If they can nab someone like Herbert here with the sixth overall pick, that’s the best way to go.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers get the seventh overall pick for the second consecutive year, and go with the smart money move here by taking a player that could help them protect their biggest asset in former Florida State Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston.
Ole Miss Rebels offensive tackle Greg Little is one of the clear top lineman in this class. He had to protect for both current Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson and Ole Miss starter Jordan Ta’amu last year. Although Patterson went down with a season ending injury against the LSU Tigers, the Ole Miss offensive line generally stayed strong around Little’s blocking area.
Ta’amu also got to really show off his dual threat ability by having a blocker like Little in front of him. More than anything, it’s very impressive that the 2017 Ole Miss offensive line helped former running back Jordan Wilkins become the first individual 1,000-yard rusher in a single season for the Rebels since Dexter McCluster back in 2009.
There’s a lot of accomplishments at this moment to prove the resume of Little. Since the Buccaneers traded down, in place of the Buffalo Bills who nabbed Josh Allen, and swiped defensive tackle Vita Vea, it’s time to turn the attention to the other line. Little is the perfect pick here.
Since the Washington Redskins invested a lot into their offense during the 2018 off-season, they can focus on the other side of the ball the following summer. The Redskins possibly got the steal of the entire 2018 NFL Draft with former LSU running back Derrius Guice in the second round.
Guice could come in and be the Week 1 starter in the backfield for the Redskins, with young rushers like Samaje Perine and Chris Thompson still waiting for their chance to make an impact too. Yet, that takes away what could have been a major need for this team in 2019.
Instead, they need to bolster a position currently headlined by notable cornerback Josh Norman. If Norman is gone following the 2018 campaign, the Redskins need to find a solution elsewhere. There’s a clear top two grouping of cornerbacks in this class.
The Redskins can nab one of those top two cornerbacks, who both hail from SEC country, in Georgia Bulldogs’ Deandre Baker. As a key part of UGA’s 2018 College Football Playoff run, Baker has the experience of being successful in the brightest spotlight at the college level. That should prepare him well for the bright lights coming on Sundays at the next level.
Depending on how he fares with Michigan in 2018, former Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson could either be a first round pick or fifth round pick. It all depends on what type of an affect the pro-style offense of Jim Harbaugh has on Patterson.
Ole Miss plays more of an up-tempo style offense that can boost the stats of its quarterbacks. And, Patterson was spoiled with all the talent laden all over the Rebels’ offense. He could turn to guys like A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, and DaMarkus Lodge and could get away with some bad throws sometimes.
Another concerning sign coming from Patterson was the way he fared against the Crimson Tide last year. He was pretty bad, leading to more than a 60-point defeat in Tuscaloosa. Yet, all these factors could end up falling in the other direction, too.
Patterson could easily turn into a dark horse Heisman contender with a very talented Michigan roster in 2018. That would bode well for both him and the Denver Broncos with this ninth selection in the first round. John Elway could go with a very gifted player with Patterson to possibly take the place of Case Keenum and Paxton Lynch.
The Buffalo Bills might have whiffed on an early round selection from the 2017 NFL Draft in former East Carolina Pirates wide receiver Zay Jones, who had a rough rookie campaign last year. Now, the Bills can patch that up by selecting Ole Miss superstar receiver A.J. Brown.
Ole Miss and West Virginia should come back with the two best receiving corps in the nation in 2018. And, of all those names that highlight both talent laden groups of wide receivers, Brown is far and away the best of them all.
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That’s why the Bills should jump at the chance to take a proven 1,000 yard wide receiver that should be a First-Team AP All-American in 2018. He could also help out the quarterback that the Bills traded up to get in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, former Wyoming Cowboys signal caller Josh Allen.
Mainly, if the Bills don’t give any extra help to Allen, they might’ve just wasted a top 10 pick. Former Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron might end up being the starter instead of Allen and he would need help too. The good move here is to select Brown.
The first Clemson defensive lineman comes off the board with an opportunity to pair with a premier linebacker in Khalil Mack. Star defensive end Clelin Ferrell could end up being the first off the board among all the Clemson stud lineman, but no one knows at this point.
What we do know is that the Raiders could really use the chance to start building up a formidable front seven while Mack is still starting to enter his prime years. Drafting Ferrell gives the Raiders one of the most polished lineman in the entire class.
With that, the Raiders can see an immediate impact coming from a hopefully improved draft class altogether. That’s compared to a largely disappointing haul from the 2018 NFL Draft, where they selected UCLA offensive lineman Kolten Miller with the first round pick.
There’s a few different ways the Raiders could go here. Running back does make a lot of sense, but having a solid group on the defensive side of the ball to compete in what usually promises to be a strong division up front in the AFC West is very important for this franchise.
The Indianapolis Colts really didn’t get the opportunity to select a top tier running back in the 2018 NFL Draft, unless they jumped on the chance to nab Derrius Guice in the second round. Yet, Saquon Barkley was not available at the sixth overall pick in the first round.
With their 2018 first round pick, the Colts elected to go with the smart move and pick former Notre Dame Fighting Irish offensive guard Quenton Nelson. Indy needs a ton of help on the offensive line, and that’s exactly what they got from their draft haul in 2018.
The Colts did select two running backs, to compliment former South Florida Bulls rusher Marlon Mack, in Ole Miss product Jordan Wilkins and NC State product Nyheim Hines. Here, the Colts jump on the chance to get this draft’s version of Barkley, with Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love.
As the far and away Heisman favorite entering the 2018 campaign, Love is the clear best rusher in this class, as long as his health holds up. Love got a huge workload under head coach David Shaw in 2017, and hopefully it’ll be managed a bit better in 2018. Indy does not need another injury prone Stanford star.
The Arizona Cardinals got another one of the biggest steals of the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft by selecting former UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen. Arizona should build up on the opposite side of the ball with by far the best player left on the board here with Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
It’s very possible that Wilkins is the best Clemson defensive lineman in this class, even though Ferrell falls off the board first in this scenario. Yet, the Cardinals can continue the trend of keeping a solid defense in the NFC West by drafting an instant impact sort of talent in Wilkins.
The Cardinals’ front seven has an established group right now in terms of the pass rush with guys like Chandler Jones and Markus Golden. But, Wilkins could bring a presence along the defensive line itself that takes the front seven even another step forward.
If the Cardinals can nab a receiver like A.J. Brown here they should go for it. But, it’s not worth it for any other wide receiver given the selection of Texas A&M product Christian Kirk in the second round. Wilkins sounds great either way with this pick.
Another common sense move that an NFL team can make in the first round in 2019 is for the Seattle Seahawks to draft an offensive lineman early on. Seattle made an off-putting first round selection in 2018 with the choice of former San Diego State Aztecs running back Rashaad Penny.
This guy better pan out well, or the Seahawks just made life even tougher for their franchise quarterback in former NC State and Wisconsin product Russell Wilson. They can fix all this finally by taking an in-state offensive lineman in Washington Huskies tackle Trey Adams.
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Moreover, this move is very logical because it could make life easier for the Seahawks first round pick, Penny, too. Adams is one of the very best lineman available in this class, and should be off the board by the middle of the first round.
This really isn’t a reach at all for Seattle at pick No. 14. Adams is a big body that can provide value in both the run and passing game. It won’t take him that much time to adjust to the pace of play at the NFL level either.
With Deandre Baker already off the board earlier in the first round, the Detroit Lions can focus on nabbing the other top cornerback in this class by getting Greedy Williams of the LSU Tigers. Williams could be the most talented flat out, he just didn’t get quite the big time exposure that Baker did last year.
Moreover, the Lions really didn’t get to address their cornerback need during the off-season, whiffing on trying to land Malcolm Butler in free agency after he was done with the New England Patriots. Detroit can address what promises to still be a huge need next off-season.
Williams himself is well worth a top 15 pick in the upcoming first round. He’s got good size and can fit in opposite Darius Slay for the Lions. Williams has the physical tools that NFL teams look for now, at 6-foot-2, and with good speed and ball skills.
If the Lions can get a good draft haul next off-season, they’ll be in great position to make the best out of the situation remaining with the few years they might have left with Matthew Stafford under center. The Lions focused on building up the offensive line and the ground game this year, by getting running back Kerryon Johnson and offensive lineman Frank Ragnow early on.
The Tennessee Titans get an absolute steal here in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, after bolstering the defense already during the 2018 off-season. Tennessee got themselves a nice defensive haul with guys like former Alabama linebacker Rashaan Evans.
If the Titans can add another top talent to the mix in the front seven with Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, this group will be good to go. Tennessee’s defense wasn’t bad per say last year, but they could get better to compete with a divisional opponent like the Jacksonville Jaguars in the coming years.
Lawrence gives them a staple to build around for years to come on the defensive line itself. He’s an anchor for the Clemson defensive line now, and will do the same at the next level. Lawrence gives his squad the ability to stuff the run and pressure the passer at a much higher pace.
The Titans are set for the most part on the offensive side of the ball, with the running game a thing to focus on this year. Build up a solid defense to compete with the rest of the AFC South, and you’re good to go.
The last of the major Clemson defensive lineman falls off the board in the middle of the first round. Defensive end Austin Bryant brings a more unique skill set to the table that the rest of these talented Clemson lineman might not have in the NFL.
Bryant is fast and agile off the edge and could turn into a top tier pass rusher in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers also need to find the solution once the time is up for legendary defensive end Julius Peppers, who figures to be done here soon with his pro career.
Carolina took most of their focus to continue to building up the offense around former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton in the last two drafts. Last year, they took Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey in the first round, who had a great rookie season, followed by selecting Maryland receiver D.J. Moore in this past first round.
Now, the Panthers can focus on building up the foundation for the defensive line too continuously around a star like Kawaan Short. Bryant is a piece that can fit into the mix immediately and help out the Panthers complete a defense that can compete in the NFC South.
This class of offensive tackles looks much better than it was in 2018. Mike McGlinchey was the first offensive tackle off the board in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, selected by the San Francisco 49ers. That’s a nice upgrade along the entire offensive line.
Yet, a few positions along the 49ers offensive line have some aging players that are not part of the long-term picture. All that the 49ers have invested into what looks like their new franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, and they should also invest in protecting him.
If the 49ers can manage to snag a guy like Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams this late in the first round, they need to jump on that opportunity. San Francisco’s run game could also use some help with some more skilled players along the offensive line.
Williams has helped clear the way for a ton of talented Alabama running backs including Damien Harris, Najee Harris, and Bo Scarbrough. He could help boost a 49ers’ ground game that is now relying on Jerrick McKinnon.
The ground game for the Wisconsin Badgers under head coach Paul Chryst has been absolutely lethal. Even dating back before Chryst, Wisconsin is known for the way they can produce on the ground each and every year.
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With that comes the ability to produce running backs and offensive lineman at a good pace. Up next from Wisconsin along the offensive line is tackle David Edwards. He should be one of the first at his position off the board, after the top three of Trey Adams, Greg Little, and Jonah Williams.
It seems like a no-brainer for the Atlanta Falcons to continue to develop their line to protect so many valuable assets in the backfield between Tevin Coleman, Devonta Freeman, and Matt Ryan. The Falcons can get someone who is a force blocking in both pass and run plays.
Atlanta didn’t do too much to upgrade the offensive line in this past draft haul. They did get a steal by selecting Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley late in the first round. This seems like a logical next step for the Falcons to take to improve the roster.
The offensive line becomes a hot commodity in the middle of the first round in 2019. The first interior offensive lineman off the board is likely to come out of the SEC, with either Martez Ivey of the Florida Gators or Hjalte Froholdt of the Arkansas Razorbacks.
To protect Philip Rivers for a few more years possibly, and to upgrade the offensive line altogether, the Los Angeles Chargers elect to pick the more athletic of the two guards with Ivey. He’ll be able to start immediately for the Chargers.
It was quite the defensive haul for the Chargers in the 2018 NFL Draft. They got one of the biggest steals of the first round by nabbing former Florida State Seminoles safety Derwin James. While the defense got significantly upgraded, the offense can still use some work.
It wasn’t until the fifth round that the Chargers actually selected an offensive player, with a former UCLA center. If Scott Quessenberry does end up starting for the Chargers at some point, the interior of this team’s offensive line will be very good heading into the future.
The defense for the Dallas Cowboys was actually pretty good in 2017. Yet, that might not last too long if they don’t upgrade the defensive line to compete with some improving NFC East rushing attacks. The 2019 NFL Draft is the perfect opportunity to upgrade.
With the Washington Redskins landing Derrius Guice and the New York Giants getting Saquon Barkley, the two best running bacs in the 2018 class ended up in the same division as the Cowboys. Specifically selecting someone who can plug some holes up the middle would be huge.
With a great draft haul in 2018, the Cowboys landed a linebacker that could be a staple for years to come in Leighton Vander Esch from the Boise State Broncos, and they got a solid pass rusher in Dorance Armstrong from the Kansas Jayhawks.
This trio for the Dallas front seven can be rounded out by getting a lineman like Alabama defensive tackle Raekwon Davis. He’s a big body that is both athletic and rangy. The Cowboys could instantly become one of the better defensive lines in the division with Davis on the roster.
Hopefully you don’t get tired of too many defensive lineman selected in a short span of time in the draft. Even later in the first round of this class, the talent pool is still very deep. Chances are that guys like Raekwon Davis and Dre’Mont Jones of the Ohio State Buckeyes would be top 15 picks easy, maybe top 10, in a class like the one we had in 2018.
However, this luxury stacks up well for teams that could draft later in the first round like the Baltimore Ravens. Wherever the Ravens decide to upgrade, it’ll likely be a key pick that could decide the team’s contention status for years to come.
Baltimore is already on the brink of consistent contention in the AFC North, with teams like the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals out of the playoff picture at this moment. Adding to the defensive line strengthens up the front seven in a big way.
This pick more falls into the category of selecting the best player left on the board. If the Ravens do have A.J. Brown slip to them, they should go ahead and snatch him up. Yet, this late in the first round has a small chance of Brown still available.
Possibly the best overall linebacker in this class has a remarkable similarity to that of former Georgia standout Roquan Smith. LSU linebacker Devin White needs a big year in 2018 to solidify his first round status, unlike Arden Key last year.
We got to see first hand what can happen when a top notch talent at linebacker doesn’t pan out late in his college career like Key, who ended up as a third round pick to the Oakland Raiders. Even that was considered somewhat of a reach for the Raiders to nab Key in the third round.
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The Minnesota Vikings enter 2018 with one of the best defenses in the NFL, but the one spot they could use an upgrade is at linebacker. More than anything, if the Vikings can add depth anywhere on the defensive side of the ball, they’ll continue to be scary in the NFC for years to come.
White is an extremely athletic linebacker that could rack up more than 100 tackles per season on a consistent basis in the NFL. If he can continue to show improvement this fall, he could even end up as a top 10 pick in the upcoming draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars skipped out on taking a quarterback in the first round in 2018. Taking someone like former Louisville Cardinals’ Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson, but they did bolster the roster in other ways.
If Blake Bortles doesn’t end up panning out over the course of the next two years, the Jags need to make sure they have a guy in waiting that can take over under center. Bortles was signed to a three year contract over the off-season, so he’s not locked up for so long in Jacksonville.
However, it would be good for the Jags to have something of an insurance policy behind Bortles. NC State Wolfpack rising senior quarterback, and former Boise State recruit Ryan Finley, can provide that next option in the pipeline for the Jags.
It seems like the jags are set in most other areas of their roster. The wide receivers might use a boost but they could improve that position group in free agency too. This is another thin wide receiver class coming out in 2019.
The Green Bay Packers are rarely willing to select a wide receiver in the first round. However, if there’s any time they’re willing to do so, now would be it. Jordy Nelson is now gone, and Aaron Rodgers is actually staring at a lack of weapons in the Green Bay passing game.
South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Deebo Samuel could be the perfect answer to the poisslbe passing game woes for the Packers this year. Samuel got a medical redshirt to come back to Columbia for one more year, along with South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley.
The versatility of Samuel should make him an intriguing idea as a potential first round pick at wide receiver. He’s very fast and can burn defenders deep with a crisp route running ability. His health will be a big question, but he can stay healthy this fall he’ll be good to go.
Green Bay did pick up Mizzou wide receiver J’Mon Moore in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, but the first three picks were used to bolster the defense. Namely, the Packers went after Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson to get two legit starting corners.
Harold Landry was no t the only solid edge rusher coming out of the Boston College Eageles and Chestnut Hill, MA. Boston College also could have sent edge rusher Zach Allen into the 2018 NFL Draft, and he could have been a first round pick there too.
However, Allen elected to stay with the Eagles for another year, and he could benefit greatly from that. He should be a near lock for a first round pick in 2019, but he’ll need a solid campaign this fall to do so.
The Houston Texans could use a boost for their pass rush, opposite former South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, and Allen could definitely be that guy. Allen set a career high in tackles last season, with 100. The next step he needs to take is in the sack department.
The advantage of having Allen is the wide range of skills he brings to the table. He can make an impact in the pursuit of the ball carrier, pressuring the quarterback, and stuffing the run. This would be a huge win for the Texas in the first round.
Another year, another load of Ohio State and Alabama products littered all over the first round. One of those two schools sends a guy out that really helps the Kansas City Chiefs in cornerback Kendall Sheffield. This is just another Ohio State corner in the pipeline to of top notch NFL prospects.
Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward were the last two Ohio State corners picked high in the first round. The Clevelnad Browns actually took the leap to pick Ward with the fourth overall pick this year. We’ll have to wait and see if that pans out, but Ward was a huge talent at corner.
On the other hand, Sheffield is a tall and athletic defensive back that should fit the mold of what NFL teams are looking for now. Sheffiled is yet to claim a single career interception, but he did breakup nine passes last year, which is an impressive number.
He’ll see a jump in his stats in 2018, and teams like the Chiefs will take notice as they could find their next starting cornerback later in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Sheffield is a great find for a team like the Chiefs here.
There’s not amny areas as to where the Los Angeles Rams need much help. They might have the most complete roster in the NFC entering the 2018 season, barring possibly the Philadelphia Eagles. Yet, that doesn’t mean that they can afford to whiff in the first round of the draft.
A great position for the Rams to try to upgrade at is linebacker. If the only linebacker selected at this point is LSU’s Devin White, the Rams should go ahead and pull the trigger in grabbing the next best off the bard that fits into what the Rams are looking to do defensively.
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The Rams can accomplish that task by selecting the breakout Michigan linebacker from 2017 in Devin Bush. Michigan had an inexperienced, but skilled, defense altogether last year. Now with players like Rashan Gary and Bush returning, there’s no excuses for Jim Harbaugh.
Bush is a speedy linebacker that can take advantage of opposing run games and pass games that take a while to develop. He’ll be an immediate force in the NFL, and that should really gain a lot of appeal next off-season.
This former blue chip prospect has a great career going with Mizzou, and could be the second player form the Tigers taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, after Drew Lock. Talented defensive end Terry Beckner Jr. could be a force in the pass rush in whatever team scoops him up at the next level.
If the Green Bay Packers scoop him up in the first or second round next year, he could continue to help the rebuild move forward in the front seven. The Packers did take Dorance Armstrong from the rival schools of Beckner Jr.
Yet, this is the type of player that could get six or eight sacks in the early portion of his NFL career. He has a lot of maturity in his game, and that will easily translate. Last year, Beckner Jr. had his breakout campaign with a career high seven sacks.
This fall, Beckner Jr. will continue to look to make Mizzou a true competitor in the SEC East. He’ll be counted on to be a leader on the defensive side of the ball. Beckner Jr. also brings a diverse skill set to the table that makes him an attractive prospect to NFL scouts.
This is a good point in the first round for two straight true linebackers to get taken off the board. Next up is Kentucky Wildcats linebacker Josh Allen. This would also be the second consecutive year that a player named Josh Allen is selected in the first round, with the Wyoming Cowboys quarterback going to the Bufflao Bills in 2018.
With the very unfortunate injury to former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier, the Pittsburgh Steelers were left looking for an answer to lead that entire position group. This would be an underrated selection for the Steelers since Allen is an absolute stud.
In the past two seasons, Allen has gone under the radar with some stats the really jump off the page at you. In each of the past two years, Allen has seven sacks and forced a combined six fumbles. Playing in the SEC, you’d figure he’d get more attention than he did.
This seems like the perfect pick for the Steelers. An overlooked prospect so far can get in a good situation with a team that still promises to be a contender for the next three or four years at least. Allen would also be a more logical first round pick for the Steelers than in 2018 with Virginia Tech Hokies safety Terrell Edmunds.
One of the deeper positions for the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2018 was in the backfield. Highlighted by a huge trade with the Miami Dolphins back in 2017, the Eagles had a solid ground game by way of Pro Bowl running back Jay Ajayi.
Yet, there are some questions as it pertains to the durability of Ajayi, and the long-term depth of the Eagles backfield behind him. Former Wisconsin running back Corey Clement was huge for the Eagles last year, but they don’t really have a true starting rusher behind Ajayi.
All these questions can be answered by landing a running back like Alabama’s Damien Harris, who could very well be one of the most talented offensive players in the SEC entering the 2018 campaign. He’s a versatile back that can power his way through whimpy tacklers easily.
The reigning Super Bowl Champions could use a pick that keeps them in contention for as long as possible. Harris is the type of running back that could be a top 15 guy in the NFL for the first few years of his pro career. This is a great slot for him.
Turns out the Boston College defense could also be one of the very best in the nation in 2018. The Eagles have a low profile in the ACC, but could be a good eight win program in 2018 led by defensive standouts like Zach Allen and safety Lukas Denis.
As it pertains to the New England Patriots, the safety position could use a fresh injection of talent given some turnover in the secondary following the 2017 season. What’s better than a chance at getting maybe the best safety in this draft class.
After falling short against quarterback Nick Foles and the Eagles in the most recent Super Bowl, the Patriots focused on upgrading the ground game. New England took a chance on Georgia running back Sony Michel, who might have some injury issues right now, and a fellow Georgia product in offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn.
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The Patriots did pick themselves up an SEC defensive back in Florida cornerback Duke Dawson in an early round. Yet, more needs to be done for the Patriots to keep up a competitive secondary in the coming years. Denis might not be available at this point come the 2019 NFL Draft itself, but they should snag him if afforded the opportunity.