The 2019 NFL Draft is less than a week away. The combines are done and so are the pro days. Now is the time to really start closing in on researching what your team will do. Every year there are players that have 1st round talent that drop to the 2nd round, and conversely, guys that shouldn’t go in the 1st round that teams reach to take.
In today’s article, I will be going over 21 round one talents on the offensive side of the football that could hear their name called on day one of the NFL Draft.
Quarterbacks:
Kyler Murray – Oklahoma
Dwayne Haskins – Ohio State
Drew Lock – Missouri
Daniel Jones – Duke
Everywhere is reporting that Murray is virtually a lock to go #1 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. So, with that out the way, the debate starts with Haskins.
Two of the three, other than Murray, will be taken in the 1st round, with Daniel Jones being the question mark. Will he go early to the Giants or back end of the 1st?
Lock has the most starting experience of everyone there, and the strongest arm, but he can have accuracy issues at times. Jones is compared to Eli Manning, which the Giants like. Haskins is probably the least athletic of the four, but put up a great year in a big-time conference in his only year as a starter.
Running Backs:
Josh Jacobs – Alabama
Jacobs is really the only back that is getting any buzz for the 1st round. He disappointed in his pro day and didn’t compete in any of the drills at the combine. People are not sure if he has enough of a burst to be a big-time back. He finishes plays well, but you need more than that in the NFL.
There is a legitimate chance that we may not see a RB taken in the 1st round.
Wide Receivers:
DK Metcalf – Ole Miss
Marquise Brown – Oklahoma
AJ Brown – Ole Miss
N’Keal Harry – Arizona State
In my opinion, this year doesn’t have that dominant, top tier #1 WR. However, there have a lot of good WRs that can be starters and impact players in the league for a long time.
I’m not a fan of Metcalf as he ran bad, and limited, routes and had too many focus drops.
Brown will try to be Tyreek Hill 2.0, but he is already hurt and at 170-175 pounds, he needs to get much stronger. AJ Brown reminds me a lot of Anquan Boldin. He becomes a RB after catching the ball. Harry may have the best profile to be a true #1 WR.
He has the athletic ability, the hands, production, and route running skills to be a very good WR.
Tight Ends:
TJ Hockenson – Iowa
Noah Fant – Iowa
Irv Smith Jr – Alabama
Hockenson is a complete TE. He runs good routes, has good hands and is a solid blocker. He should be off the board within the 1st 12-16 picks. Fant and Smith Jr will either go at the back end of the 1st or very early in the 2nd.
Fant is an athletic freak who was overshadowed by Hockenson at Iowa. Smith reminds people of former Alabama TE, OJ Howard. There are a lot of solid TEs in this draft, but these three stand out above the rest and they are the only ones with a chance to hear their name called in the 1st.
Offensive Tackles:
Jawaan Taylor – Florida
Andre Dillard – Washington State
Dalton Risner – Kansas State
Kaleb McGary – Washington
Taylor has been linked by a lot of teams with the Jacksonville Jaguars at the 7th pick overall. So, he shouldn’t last past the top 10. Dillard and Risner are expected to go somewhere in the teens. Giants may be looking to take one of them for their open RT spot. McGary has gotten some late buzz and could go late in the 1st as offensive tackle is always a position that people reach for because of the need. At worst, he should hear his name called pretty early in the 2nd.
Interior Offensive Linemen:
Jonah Williams – Alabama
Cody Ford – Oklahoma
Garrett Bradbury – NC State
Erik McCoy – Texas A&M
Chris Lindstrom – Boston College
Williams was originally looked at as an OT, but his measurements left him short of that, so he will likely be drafted as a G. Ford is a very big man that didn’t have a good combine, but has good film. He should go in the top 20.
Bradbury is the top Center in the draft and could go #18 to Minnesota, unless Ford is still there and they opt for him McCoy has some 1st round buzz as the #2 C, but I think he more than likely will go in the 2nd. Lindstrom buzz is growing from a late 2nd, to now a late 1st.
He has a wide range of where he could end up going. It’s a solid, but not spectacular group overall.
This draft is looked at as a defensive heavy draft. A lot of the 1st round will be from the front of the other side of the ball. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t some serious talent on the offensive side of the ball.
The draft will always be highlighted by the QB position and as I said earlier, OL will always be needed and reached for. Because of this, there will be some good 1st round talent, that falls to the start of the 2nd round, especially at WR and interior OL.
Enjoy the draft.