2019 NFL Mock Draft: Quarterbacks rising in first round of NFL Draft
By Phil Poling
player. 32. . Quarterback. Oklahoma Sooners. Kyler Murray. 1
The first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft essentially belongs to a first-year NFL head coach. Kliff Kingsbury won’t make the decision alone, but the Arizona Cardinals chose him to run the show. So why not give him the power to do it his way?
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Kingsbury is on record saying, “I’d take him with the first pick in the draft if I could,” in reference to Murray. Well, the opportunity has presented itself, and it appears it’s going to happen.
There is one dilemma: Josh Rosen, the Cardinals’ 2018 first round pick. He, too, plays quarterback. Surely, keeping him to backup Kingsbury’s option at the position would create a toxic environment. What’s he worth to other teams, though? Could Rosen simply being on the roster cause Arizona to pass on Murray altogether?
Murray’s short. He doesn’t weigh a lot. He only started one full season at Oklahoma. But he also replaced a Heisman Trophy winner, winning one himself. And he led the Sooners to a College Football Playoff berth. In other words, Kyler Murray is a unique football player, regardless of his stature. And Kliff Kingsbury believes he’s his No. 1 pick.