NFL Draft 2019: 1st-Round Order and Top Prospects Contending for No. 1 Pick
January 23, 2019It's audition season for the 2019 NFL draft prospects, several of whom could send their stock in either direction at this week's Senior Bowl.
The quarterbacks, in particular, could have a big week. Between Duke's Daniel Jones, Missouri's Drew Lock and West Virginia's Will Grier, there are at least three signal-callers in Mobile, Alabama, who could cement themselves as first-round or even top-10 picks.
After running through our latest mock first round, we'll look at the top prospects competing to be the No. 1 pick.
2019 NFL Mock Draft
1. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
2. San Francisco 49ers: Josh Allen, DE/OLB, Kentucky
3. New York Jets: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
4. Oakland Raiders: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
6. New York Giants: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
8. Detroit Lions: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
9. Buffalo Bills: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
10. Denver Broncos: Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
11. Cincinnati Bengals: Devin White, LB, LSU
12. Green Bay Packers: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
13. Miami Dolphins: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
14. Atlanta Falcons: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
15. Washington Redskins: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
16. Carolina Panthers: Cody Ford, OG, Oklahoma
17. Cleveland Browns: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Mississippi
18. Minnesota Vikings: Brian Burns, DE, Florida State
19. Tennessee Titans: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush, LB, Michigan
21. Seattle Seahawks: Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida
22. Baltimore Ravens: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
23. Houston Texans: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
24. Oakland Raiders (via Chicago Bears): N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State
25. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
26. Indianapolis Colts: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
27. Oakland Raiders (via Dallas Cowboys): Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
28. Los Angeles Chargers: Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State
30. Green Bay Packers (via New Orleans Saints): T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
31. New England Patriots: Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State
32. Los Angeles Rams: Oshane Ximines, DE/OLB, Old Dominion
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Bosa remains the favorite to hear his name called first on April 25, even if rush end isn't atop the Cardinals' needs list. But unless a trade partner comes calling with a Godfather offer, Arizona's only option should be take the best player available.
And there's little reason to think Bosa, younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers standout Joey, isn't the biggest fish in this pool.
"Bosa is the most explosive edge-rusher coming out of the college ranks since Joey, who the Chargers took No. 3 overall in 2016," SI.com's Sam Brief wrote. "... He has no obvious shortcomings. If he's healthy, Bosa will be an instant stud in the league."
Bosa suited up 29 times at Ohio State, with a core muscle injury and subsequent surgery forcing him off the field after three appearances as a junior. In those contests, he piled up 77 tackles, 29.0 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Watching the way Aaron Donald consistently wrecks NFL offenses, it's hard not to wonder if Williams deserves more consideration for the No. 1 spot.
We're not saying Williams is the next Donald. We're also not not saying it, either.
In one year, Williams transformed from a rotational contributor into becoming Pro Football Focus' highest-rated college defender of 2018. The redshirt sophomore compiled 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks in 15 games. For context, Donald only had one season of college ball with more than 18.5 tackles for loss, and that was his senior campaign at Pitt.
"As a pass-rusher, [Williams] explodes off the ball, maintains leverage and pushes his opponent into the lap of the quarterback," NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah wrote. "... Against the run, he plays with a low pad level, locks his hands inside and violently sheds blocks to pursue the ball-carrier. Overall, this is a dominant player who's capable of emerging as a premier interior defensive lineman very early in his NFL career."
The Quarterbacks
Since 2000, quarterbacks have gone No. 1 in 13 of the 18 NFL drafts. That's why even though we don't see a top prospect at the position now, we can't rule out the possibility of one emerging during the workout process.
The likeliest candidate is Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins, the top passer in this mock and on the big board of Bleacher Report's Matt Miller. Haskins only started one season with the Buckeyes, but he basically checked every box he could in that amount of time. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting after passing for 4,831 yards and 50 touchdowns with only eight interceptions.
"I bet someone trades into the first four picks to get him," a scout told Miller. "He's NFL-ready."
Of course, the Heisman winner, Oklahoma's Kyler Murray, also declared for this draft. The two-sport star's lack of size could scare off certain clubs, but his creativity, athleticism and playmaking ability could potentially ignite an NFL offense quickly.
Lock and Jones both have the size and arm talent NFL teams typically covet, though neither had near the 2018 production of Haskins and Murray. Maybe a strong Senior Bowl, followed by an electric NFL Scouting Combine, could still prop either into the top spot, though.