NFL Mock Draft 2019: 1st-Round Projections for Prized Prospects

Remember all those NFL mock drafts before free agency? Erase them from your memory.

When the new league year started March 13, teams officially came to terms on deals with veteran free agents on the market. Front offices used available cap space to acquire talent in order to fill holes on the roster. In some cases, the transactions shifted the needs for clubs. Other general managers may want to double-dip at certain shallow spots.

As the 2019 draft approaches, we're going to hear rumors that connect prospects to certain teams. When following the breadcrumbs, you may find truths. Sometimes, it's a clever smokescreen to deter or influence moves elsewhere.

For the most part, the biggest names projected to come off the board in the top 10 remain constant. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Montez Sweat's tests were flagged because of a heart condition at the NFL Scouting Combine. Will this significantly affect his draft stock? If not, which team takes him in the first round?

The mock draft below includes trade scenarios. Along with the projections, we'll take a deeper dive into the top prospects.

1st-Round Mock Draft 

1. Washington Redskins: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma (trade with Arizona Cardinals)

2. San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State 

3. New York Jets: Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky

4. Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama 

5. Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri (trade with Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

6. New York Giants: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

8. Detroit Lions: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

9. Buffalo Bills: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU (trade with Denver Broncos)

11. Cincinnati Bengals: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

12. Green Bay Packers: Devin White, LB, LSU

13. Miami Dolphins: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State 

14. Atlanta Falcons: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

15. Arizona Cardinals: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Mississippi (trade with Washington Redskins)

16. Carolina Panthers: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson

17. New York Giants: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington 

18. Minnesota Vikings: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

19. Tennessee Titans: Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Devin Bush Jr., LB, Michigan

21. Seattle Seahawks: Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia

22. Baltimore Ravens: N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

23. Houston Texans: Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State

24. Oakland Raiders (from Dallas): Noah Fant, TE, Iowa

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Mack Wilson, LB, Alabama 

26. Indianapolis Colts: A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi

27. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago): Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida

28. Los Angeles Chargers: David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama

30. Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans): Taylor Rapp, S, Washington

31. Los Angeles Rams: Dexter Lawrence, DL, Clemson

32. New England Patriots: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

Washington Redskins Trade Up to No. 1, Take Kyler Murray

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Kyler Murray measured in at 5'10", 207 pounds at the combine, which boosted his draft stock. The 2018 Heisman Trophy winner can complete all the throws and use his legs to escape the pass rush.

The Oklahoma product could follow in the same footsteps as his former teammate Baker Mayfield, who won the 2017 Heisman Trophy and went No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Browns last year. While many think the Cardinals may take him because of his connection to head coach Kliff Kingsbury, another club will move up for their potential franchise signal-caller.

According to Rapoport, the Washington Redskins don't expect Alex Smith to play this season:

Washington traded a sixth-round pick to Denver for quarterback Case Keenum and a 2020 seventh-rounder, but he took a huge step back after his breakout 2017 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. At 31 years old, the journeyman signal-caller seems more like a placeholder than a long-term centerpiece of an offense.

The decision to select Murray gives this franchise a new outlook with a dynamic signal-caller under center. The former Sooner would have a physical two-man backfield featuring Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice, coming off an ACL tear. Josh Doctson, the No. 22 overall pick from the 2016 draft, Paul Richardson, a key free-agent signing in 2018, and tight end Jordan Reed would serve as the top pass-catching options in the aerial attack.

Washington pushed all its chips to the middle of the table for quarterback Robert Griffin III with a trade up to No. 2 overall in 2012. The front office will try again with Murray in April.

New York Giants Select Brian Burns at No. 6

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman possibly sent out the biggest smokescreen of the offseason, or we may have to take his word at face value. The front office executive addressed the trade involving wideout Odell Beckham Jr. and the quarterback position. He seemed adamant about his commitment to Eli Manning on the final year of his deal, per New York Post's Paul Schwartz.

"Again," Gettleman said Monday, "this narrative that Eli's overpaid and can't play is a crock. I'm telling you."

Now, combine Gettleman's words about Manning with what ESPN's Dianna Russini discovered about the Giants' interests following the combine (h/t Breaking Big Blue Podcast with Jordan Raanan).

"About a week after the combine, I circled back with some [Giants] people like, 'What are you thinking about Haskins? Do you guys like him? Do you think you are going for it with your No. 6 pick?'" Russini said. "It was, 'No, actually. We are not doing a lot of work on him.'"

Gettleman may indeed select a quarterback, but right now, it sounds like the Giants will ride with Manning for one more year. If so, Big Blue has multiple voids to fill on the roster. After trading edge-rusher Olivier Vernon to the Browns, the front office must bolster the pass rush following a season with just 30 sacks—tied for 30th in the league.

Brian Burns had a strong combine performance and likely boosted his stock. He dropped weight, ran a 4.53 40-yard dash time and looked flexible during the position drills. At Florida State, he recorded 38.5 tackles for a loss, 23 sacks and seven pass breakups in three terms.

Coming off the edge, Burns displayed an explosive burst toward the pocket, good bend around offensive linemen with the speed and solid tackling to take down running backs.

Skeptics may question whether the former Seminole could be effective at a lighter weight (249 pounds), but the Giants would have a top-notch edge talent if his collegiate production translates in the pros.

Buffalo Bills Take Montez Sweat at No. 9

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Despite Sweat's heart condition, clubs haven't wavered on him as a draft-worthy prospect, per The Athletic's Dane Brugler. "It is something to monitor, but it wouldn't stop us from drafting Sweat. [Maurice] Hurst was off our board. Sweat will probably need regular checkups," a league source said.

Brugler's source mentioned Hurst, who was sent home from the combine because of his heart condition last year. Initially, analysts projected the Michigan product as an early-round pick, but he fell to the Oakland Raiders in the fifth round. Sweat probably won't experience that type of fall.

Sweat fully participated in the combine workouts and logged the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.41 seconds) in the modern era for defensive linemen. He logged 30.5 tackles for a loss and 23.5 sacks over the last two years at Mississippi State. Teams will likely take a chance on his talent and overlook the "low-risk" condition.

As the No. 16 overall pick from the 2016 draft, Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson has underwhelmed in three seasons. He's recorded just 10 sacks in 35 games. Fellow edge-rusher Jerry Hughes will go into his age-31 campaign.

The Bills need a spark in the pass rush. Although Sweat doesn't have bend like Burns, he uses his length, power and quickness to beat pass-blockers. It's hard to ignore his productive resume and flashes on film.