2019 NFL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Top Prospects After Week 15
NFL Week 15 slammed the door on the playoff hopes for a number of teams around the league, forcing many front offices to begin turning their full attention to the offseason.
With bowl season also taking place during these final weeks of the NFL season, and underclassmen beginning to declare, the 2019 NFL draft picture is starting to come into focus.
Based on the draft order through Sunday's action, here's a look at how the upcoming draft could play out, followed by a closer look at some teams who were eliminated this weekend.
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1. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
2. Oakland Raiders: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
3. New York Jets: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
4. San Francisco 49ers: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
6. Atlanta Falcons: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
7. Detroit Lions: Ed Oliver, DL, Houston
8. New York Giants: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida
10. Buffalo Bills: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
11. Green Bay Packers: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama
12. Denver Broncos: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
13. Cincinnati Bengals: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
14. Carolina Panthers: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
15. Cleveland Browns: Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
16. Miami Dolphins: Devin White, LB, LSU
17. Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
18. Philadelphia Eagles: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
19. Indianapolis Colts: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State
20. Tennessee Titans: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
21. Minnesota Vikings: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
22. Oakland Raiders (from DAL): Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson
23. Baltimore Ravens: Jerry Tillery, DL, Notre Dame
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa
25. Seattle Seahawks: Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
26. New England Patriots: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
27. Oakland Raiders (from CHI): N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State
28. Kansas City Chiefs: Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
29. Houston Texans: Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson
30. Los Angeles Rams: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
31. Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
32. Green Bay Packers (from NO): Tyler Biadasz, OL, Wisconsin
8. New York Giants: Josh Allen
After flirting with earning the No. 1 overall pick for the much of the season, the Giants surprisingly climbed back into the playoff picture in recent weeks. Unfortunately for Saquon Barkley and company, those dreams were crushed on Sunday, as the Giants were eliminated from contention during their 17-0 loss at the hands of the Titans.
As the Giants turn their attention towards building for 2019 and beyond, the team needs to focus on the offensive and defensive lines.
Improving the protection around Eli Manning will be a top priority, but given the depth of defensive line talent in the 2019 class, the Giants are more likely to add to their own pass rush in the first round.
Entering Week 15, only the Dolphins and Colts had generated fewer sacks than the Giants' 24.
Kentucky's Josh Allen will be one of the premier edge-rushers available in this class and could be a target for New York.
Giants fans interested in checking out their potential first-round target can watch Allen against Penn State in the Citrus Bowl. The Nittany Lions' Trace McSorley is an elusive quarterback, which should give Allen a challenge and an opportunity to further prove his worth to NFL scouts.
11. Green Bay Packers: Mack Wilson
Thanks to a 24-17 loss in Chicago on Sunday, the Packers have been eliminated from playoff contention with a healthy Aaron Rodgers for the first time since Rodgers' first year as the starter in 2008.
Green Bay has numerous issues to fix on both sides of the ball, but the area the Packers are most likely to address early in the draft is the defensive front seven.
The Bears rushed for just 97 yards against the Packers on Sunday, but it was just the second time in Green Bay's last nine games it held an opponent under 100 rushing yards.
Adding a young linebacker such as Alabama's Mack Wilson could help fix Green Bay's struggles against the run.
What makes Wilson an appealing option is his athleticism, which gives him the range to defend the run but also makes him an asset dropping in coverage and occasionally blitzing. Wilson could potentially offer Green Bay a skill set similar to what Clay Matthews brought to the field early in his career.
15. Cleveland Browns: Dre'Mont Jones
The Browns kept their playoff hopes alive on Saturday night with a 17-16 victory over the Broncos, but their dreams were effectively crushed on Sunday by the Steelers.
Pittsburgh's win over New England eliminated the Browns from the AFC North race. And while they're technically still alive for a wild-card spot, it's only due to one nearly impossible scenario:
For the Browns to take the next step in 2019, they'll need to plug some holes on defense, especially in the front seven.
After trading defensive tackle Danny Shelton to the Patriots last offseason, it opened up a hole in the Browns interior defensive line that they never filled—and it's shown in their inconsistent run defense.
Ohio State's Dre'Mont Jones isn't a perfect Shelton replacement—he's more athletic but lacks Shelton's brute strength—but for those reasons, he's probably better suited to make an impact in today's NFL. Jones is a talented interior pass-rusher and could pair with Myles Garrett and Larry Ogunjobi to give the Browns one of the more dangerous defensive lines in the league.
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