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

Despite free agency still including Ndamukong Suh and Marshawn Lynch, not to mention an infusion of Alliance of American Football players, the attention now shifts to the NFL draft. 

The April 25-27 event should be dominated early by a defensive-minded class led by pass-rushers such as Nick Bosa and Josh Allen, though it hardly stops there. Drama at the top of the order still suggests the owners of the first pick might select a quarterback, though—despite that team using a first-round pick on the position just one year ago. 

If nothing else, the path to the draft is entertaining, even if it has hit a slow patch now. The only thing moving the needle is prospect visits with NFL teams, although those teams aren't doing much reshuffling of their boards. 

Below, let's look at a mock draft and dial in on some of the more bold outcomes it produces. 

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: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State

6. New York Giants: Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

8. Detroit Lions: Brian Burns, DE, Florida State

9. Buffalo Bills: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

10. Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

11. Cincinnati Bengals: Devin White, LB, LSU

12. Green Bay Packers: Noah Fant, TE, Iowa

13. Miami Dolphins: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

14. Atlanta Falcons: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan

15. Washington Redskins: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

16. Carolina Panthers: N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

17. New York Giants (via Cleveland Browns): Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State

18. Minnesota Vikings: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

19. Tennessee Titans: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

21. Seattle Seahawks: Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama

22. Baltimore Ravens: A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss

23. Houston Texans: Garrett Bradbury, OL, NC State

24. Oakland Raiders (via Chicago Bears): Greedy Williams, CB, LSU

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama

26. Indianapolis Colts: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma

27. Oakland Raiders (via Dallas Cowboys): Daniel Jones, QB, Duke

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Cody Ford, G, Oklahoma

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson

30. Green Bay Packers (via New Orleans Saints): Devin Bush, LB, Michigan

31. Los Angeles Rams: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware

32. New England Patriots: Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M

1. Arizona Cardinals: Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State

The idea that the Arizona Cardinals will take Kyler Murray despite already having Josh Rosen is a popular one—and it happens to be fun and keeps fans entertained. 

That may be part of the point. The other point might be to simply keep other teams guessing or encourage a trade up despite an overall weak-looking quarterback class. 

The Cardinals taking another quarterback doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Rosen was a first-round pick last year, and he showed plenty of flashes while he wasn't getting clobbered behind a poor offensive line on a bad roster, which was led by a coaching staff that ended up getting fired. New head coach Kliff Kingsbury might like the idea of Murray, but he's also tasked with turning around an entire roster. 

To that end, Ohio State's Nick Bosa makes more sense. And the Cardinals are at least working through the process: 

Bosa was considered a Heisman Trophy candidate before suffering a setback last season. He hasn't suffered a stock hit, though. The combination of sheer power and athleticism on the edge has him atop an impressive overall class for defenders. 

For a team like the Cardinals, refusing to draft the best player overall and taking a gamble under center with so much already invested in the position doesn't make a ton of sense. It makes for good headlines, but it doesn't equate to a high percentage of success rate in terms of rebuilding. 

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The Jacksonville Jaguars used free agency to unearth a Blake Bortles replacement. Nick Foles' arrival means the avoidance of another gamble early in the process at the position, a good idea given the quality of this year's class. 

But Foles has consistently been a middling starter until the postseason starts, so the Jaguars are banking on the idea the roster around him can squeak into the playoffs before he starts working his magic. 

That means the Jaguars will need to up the talent around him. D.K. Metcalf is a risky, but high-upside way to do so. 

Metcalf blew the doors off the combine with his workouts, yet he struggled in drills like the shuttle run. It reinforced the idea he's a big-play threat who won't create a ton of space on every down. He's done some damage control since: 

But a team like the Jaguars isn't drafting a player like Metcalf in the hopes of having him contribute on every single snap. 

Metcalf's ability will command respect and free up other weapons in the passing game. And on paper, the Jaguars should still figure to want a run-first attack based around Leonard Fournette. 

15. Washington Redskins: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

A Murray freefall sounds ridiculous at this point, but the draft process has a way of overhyping things in the media when the NFL thinks an entirely different way. 

Murray has huge upside but he's also a massive risk, and coaches old and new might not want to tie their fates to him.

Teams in the top 15 continue to tie themselves to capable veteran starters: Jameis Winston in Tampa Bay, Eli Manning in New York, Foles in Jacksonville, Joe Flacco in Denver and Ryan Fitzpatrick in Miami. 

Then there is Washington. 

The Redskins tied themselves to Case Keenum via a trade, but it doesn't guarantee much for a franchise known for outlandish splashes like a massive six-year contract for Landon Collins. And Murray landing in Washington isn't a new idea: 

The Redskins have one of those environments most palpable for a rookie passer who needs a specific scheme to succeed. 

Not only do the Redskins have a backfield with Adrian Peterson, Derrius Guice and Chris Thompson, but head coach Jay Gruden is both an offensive innovator and worked wonders grooming Andy Dalton as an immediate starter. 

In need of better fan engagement and high-upside play after flailing around for years under center, the Redskins wouldn't let Murray slip past them.