2019 NFL Mock Draft: Post Week 9 Breakdown
The Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers squared off in the "Bosa Bowl" on Thursday night, a battle that will likely have significant implications on the 2019 NFL draft order and could determine who lands Ohio State pass-rusher Nick Bosa.
Led by backup quarterback Nick Mullens, the 49ers won the game but may have been the losers in the big picture as the Raiders are now better positioned to land an early pick.
As of now, the New York Giants still hold the No. 1 selection, according to the current draft order via Tankathon.com. However, since the Giants are likely to target a quarterback at No. 1, Bosa should fall to the Raiders at No. 2 where he would be a replacement for the recently-traded Khalil Mack.
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Here's a look at how the rest of the first round could play out, followed by a breakdown of a few key selections:
1. New York Giants: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
2. Oakland Raiders: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
3. San Francisco 49ers: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson
4. Buffalo Bills: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
5. Arizona Cardinals: Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
6. Cleveland Browns: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
7. New York Jets: Devin White, LB, LSU
8. Denver Broncos: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
9. Indianapolis Colts: Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
11. Detroit Lions: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky
13. Tennessee Titans: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State
14. Oakland Raiders (from DAL): N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State
15. Green Bay Packers: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
16. Baltimore Ravens: Zach Allen, DE, Boston College
17. Seattle Seahawks: Trey Adams, OT, Washington
18. Philadelphia Eagles: Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia
19. Atlanta Falcons: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
20. Miami Dolphins: Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan
21. Minnesota Vikings: Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
22. Washington Redskins: Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State
23. Cincinnati Bengals: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State
24. Houston Texans: Anfernee Jennings, LB, Alabama
25. Oakland Raiders (from CHI): Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
26. Pittsburgh Steelers: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
27. Los Angeles Chargers: Will Grier, QB, West Virginia
28. Carolina Panthers: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama
29. New England Patriots: Dre'Mont Jones, DL, Ohio State
30. Green Bay Packers (from NO): Kelvin Harmon, WR, N.C. State
31. Los Angeles Rams: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Derrick Baity, CB, Kentucky
14. Oakland Raiders: N'Keal Harry
After trading Amari Cooper, the Raiders are left with a severely depleted depth chart at wide receiver. Their only receivers currently under contract beyond the 2018 season are Jordy Nelson and Seth Roberts.
Addressing the wide receiver position should be a high priority for the Raiders this offseason, and they may use one of their three first-round picks to find Cooper's replacement.
At 6'4", Arizona State's N'Keal Harry should catch the eye of Raiders coach Jon Gruden, who has a tendency to become enamored with big receivers. During his previous stints in Tampa Bay and Oakland, Gruden's teams drafted two receivers within the top 50 picks—Michael Clayton (6'4", 197 pounds) and Jerry Porter (6'2", 220 pounds)—both of whom fall into that category.
Harry's size and reliable hands make him a weapon in the red zone—something the Raiders desperately need to add to their offense. Journeyman tight end Jared Cook leads the Raiders in red-zone targets this season, according to NFLSavant.com, and that's obviously not a recipe for long-term success.
22. Washington Redskins: Hakeem Butler
After drafting the talented Josh Doctson in the first round in 2016, the Redskins thought they finally had the big red-zone threat they needed at wide receiver. Unfortunately, injuries wiped out most of Doctson's rookie year and have slowed his development significantly.
Doctson caught his first touchdown of the season on Sunday, but the Redskins are still waiting on him to become the receiver he was at TCU.
Now in his third season, the Redskins will soon need to make a decision about Docton's fifth-year option. Given his injury history and lack of development, it seems likely that Washington will decline the option. If it is declined, Washington may turn to the draft again in search of a No. 1 receiver.
Iowa State's Hakeem Butler is listed at 6'6" and has the potential to be the red-zone weapon that Washington hoped to find in Doctson.
On Saturday, Butler turned in one of his most dominant performances of the season, hauling in five catches for 164 yards. It was his third consecutive 100-yard game.
For Butler to solidify his position as a first-round prospect he'll need to test well during offseason workouts and prove that he has the speed to go with his size. If he does, he should be an option for the Redskins and other teams in need of a big target.
27. Los Angeles Chargers: Will Grier
Philip Rivers has the Chargers on track for their first playoff berth since 2013, but it might be time for the team to start thinking about life without their all-time leading passer.
Prior to the season, Rivers told MMQB.com's Albert Breer that he would like to play a "handful more years."
Based on that projection from Rivers, the Chargers shouldn't be in a rush to find his replacement, but if the right guy comes along it might make sense to bring him aboard to learn behind Rivers.
Will Grier is coming off a thrilling last-gasp victory over Texas in which he threw for over 300 yards for the seventh time in eight games this year. His stock continues to rise and he will be among the quarterbacks who could compete to be the second man off the board behind Oregon's Justin Herbert.
Grier doesn't have the strongest arm and isn't the most athletic quarterback prospect in this class, which is why he may be available at the back end of the first round. However, his accuracy allows him to succeed at a high level and that's a trait that transitions easily to the next level.
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