Mel Kiper Mock Draft 2019: Kyler Murray to Cardinals in Full 3-Round Picks

In his "Grade: A" three-round mock draft released Wednesday, ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. mocked Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray to the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 1 pick.

Unlike Kiper's normal drafts where he predicts what teams will do based on what he is hearing around the league, his "Grade: A" mock is his interpretation of what each team should do to receive an A grade.

Kiper also had Murray going to Arizona in his March 25 mock draft.

After Murray, Kiper had the San Francisco 49ers selecting Ohio State pass-rusher Nick Bosa and the New York Jets taking pass-rusher Josh Allen out of Kentucky.

Murray has been heavily linked to Arizona since the team hired former Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury to replace Steve Wilks. On Tuesday, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that Murray and his agent, who also represents Kingsbury, were set to meet with the Cards.

If the Cardinals do draft Murray, it may spell the end for 2018 No. 10 pick Josh Rosen, who started 13 games last season. Arizona would be hard-pressed to recoup a first-rounder for Rosen, but the club should still net a quality pick if he's dealt.

Kiper also mocked Oklahoma offensive tackle Cody Ford to Arizona with the 33rd pick and Georgia wide receiver Riley Ridley with the 65th pick. Ford, of course, blocked for Murray during his Heisman campaign last season. Ridley, meanwhile, could learn under future Hall of Fame wideout Larry Fitzgerald.

While Murray would be a good fit in Kingsbury's high-octane offense, Bosa is arguably the top player in the class. Kiper ranks him No. 1 and believes he would be a great addition to the Niners defense.

San Francisco already acquired Pro Bowl pass-rusher Dee Ford from the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason, and Bosa could help bring the 49ers back to the defensive glory days they experienced under Jim Harbaugh.

Offensively, the 49ers need a go-to option for Jimmy Garoppolo, and Kiper has them taking Stanford's JJ Arcega-Whiteside 36th overall.

He rounded out San Francisco's three-round mock with Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen at No. 67. Kiper noted that Mullen has "first-round talent," and that would make him a worthwhile investment for a team that had an NFL-low two interceptions last season and gave up the second-most passing touchdowns with 35.

After Anthony Barr spurned the Jets to re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings, Kiper has New York nabbing a player in Allen who could turn out to be a better version of Barr. Like Barr, Allen was a productive pass-rusher in college with 17 sacks last season.

The Jets don't have a second-round pick, but they have a pair of third-rounders at Nos. 68 and 93. With those picks, Kiper mocked Wisconsin center Michael Deiter and Penn State cornerback Amani Oruwariye to the Jets.

The Jets have a huge hole at center and have struggled to replace Nick Mangold over the past couple of seasons. New York also has a lack of quality options to start at corner across from Trumaine Johnson.

The Cardinals, 49ers and Jets will each have an opportunity to make big improvements when the 2019 NFL draft begins April 25 in Nashville, Tennessee.