NFL Draft 2019: Latest Mock Draft, Projections for Difficult 1st-Round Decisions

In preparation for the 2019 NFL draft, each of the teams selecting in the first round will play out a few scenarios and come up with a shortlist of top targets.

For the teams further down the draft order, some of their decisions will be dependent on the picks made by franchises at the top of the first round.

Then there are the teams with multiple draft picks that have plenty of opportunities to improve their rosters.

But with a wealth of first-round picks comes more pressure to get their selections right, and for the Oakland Raiders and New York Giants, they can't afford to get their respective draft day decisions wrong.

2019 NFL 1st-Round Mock Draft

1. Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

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. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, LB, LSU 

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

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida

8. Detroit Lions: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State

9. Buffalo Bills: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama

10. Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

11. Cincinnati Bengals: Cody Ford, OG, Oklahoma

12. Green Bay Packers: Rashan Gary, EDGE, Michigan 

13. Miami Dolphins: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston

14. Atlanta Falcons: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State 

15. Washington Redskins: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss

16. Carolina Panthers: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU 

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

18. Minnesota Vikings: Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson 

19. Tennessee Titans: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Byron Murphy, CB, Washington

21. Seattle Seahawks: Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia

22. Baltimore Ravens: Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma

23. Houston Texans: Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss

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

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama

26. Indianapolis Colts: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

27. Oakland Raiders (from Dallas): Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State

28. Los Angeles Chargers: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State

30. Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans): Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple

31. Los Angeles Rams: Jaylon Ferguson, EDGE, Louisiana Tech

32. New England Patriots: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke

Difficult 1st-Round Decisions

New York Giants

The New York Giants have been under the microscope since the draft order was settled.

After adding Saquon Barkley in the 2018 NFL draft, one would assume the Giants will go after a young quarterback to partner the running back for years to come.

A rebuild around young stars makes even more sense after trading wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns in March.

However, the Giants don't seem set on taking a quarterback with the No. 6 pick or the No. 17 selection they received from the Browns in return for Beckham.

According to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants don't know whether they love Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins or any of the prospects at the position enough to take them in the first round. 

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

If that's the case, the Giants would either upgrade their offensive line or bolster their defense depending on which players are available.

Keeping trust in Eli Manning would also affect the rest of the first round, as teams hungry for quarterbacks would make efforts to trade up in order to snag Haskins, Drew Lock or Daniel Jones.

If the organization is behind the idea of starting Manning in 2019, Jawaan Taylor or Jonah Williams would be the best selection in an attempt to improve on the 47 sacks Manning suffered in 2018.

An offensive line upgrade would also help create more holes for Barkley, but an argument can be made that the Giants could still take an offensive lineman at No. 17 and go after Haskins at No. 6.

But selecting Haskins doesn't mean Manning would immediately drop down the depth chart, and until there's a commitment to move the veteran signal-caller out of a starting gig, the Giants will be subject to plenty criticism.

Projection: Giants take Haskins at No. 6, upgrade offensive line at No. 17.

Oakland Raiders

After trading away Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper for first-round picks in 2018, the Oakland Raiders have three opportunities to improve their roster on the first day of the NFL draft.

With former NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock now in charge as general manager, the pressure is on him and head coach Jon Gruden to make the right calls.

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Oakland's strategy with the No. 4 pick is a bit reliant on what the Arizona Cardinals choose to do with the No. 1 selection.

If the Cardinals decide to pass on Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, the Raiders could make a run at the quarterback, who recently worked out for the team.

Since Derek Carr is coming off a season in which he threw 19 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, the Raiders could be persuaded to take a younger, more dynamic quarterback.

Or Oakland could try to improve at the skill positions to add more talent around Carr in addition to Antonio Brown.

With two picks at the back end of the first round, the Raiders could add a pair of wide receivers or a tight end if T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant are available.

Bringing in a weapon to Carr's offensive arsenal with the No. 4 pick seems unlikely with the plethora of defensive talent available at the top end of the first round.

But if the Raiders come away from April 25 with a defensive difference-maker and two assets for Carr to work with, they could be seen as the biggest winner of the first round.

Projection: Raiders go defense at No. 4, bolster offense with two other first-round picks.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.