2019 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks rising in first round of NFL Draft
By Phil Poling
Linebacker. LSU Tigers. Devin White. 11. player. 56.
The Cincinnati Bengals would be absolute fools to not draft LSU’s Devin White if he somehow fell to them at No. 11. In this 2019 NFL Mock Draft, he falls, and the Bengals are there to catch him.
White anchored one of the best defenses in the SEC the past two seasons, leading the league in tackles (133) in 2017 as a true sophomore. He piled up another 100+ tackles and a handful of accolades this past year, but succeeded in coverage as well, batting down six passes.
It’s White’s speed that separates him from the rest of the linebackers in the draft, though. At the NFL Combine, he recorded the fastest 40-yard dash (4.42) time among the position group. That speed would greatly benefit a Bengals’ defense that surrendered the most yards in the league in 2018. White is a Day 1 starter.