Let’s see how these picks hold up later this week.
1) Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: Josh Rosen’s career in Arizona ended before it ever even started. If Kliff Kingsbury can draft Murray and tailor a successful offense around him, he’ll be known as an offensive guru. But if Murray doesn’t work out after trading Rosen, Kingsbury’s career in Arizona may be over before it ever even started.
2) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State: After recently acquiring Dee Ford, the Niners could trade down from this spot. However, drafting Bosa and pairing him on the defensive front with Ford and Buckner may be too sweet to pass on.
3) New York Jets: Josh Allen, Edge Kentucky: The Jets have used this offseason to reshape the direction of the team. Throughout free agency, they’ve added offensive weapons. Now they’ll use the draft to bolster their defense. New York tried addressing linebacker issues by attempting to sign Anthony Barr. He decided to stay in Minnesota, so the Jets can now draft Allen to fill that gap.
4) Oakland Raiders: Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama: In all honesty, no one knows what Gruden will do with this pick. After trading Khalil Mack last season, the Raiders need someone who can tally-up sacks. Williams racked in eight sacks last year at Alabama, and some scouts say he could be the best player in the draft. If that’s the case, drafting Williams here could be the move.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Devin White, LB, LSU: The Buccaneers lost a lot of talent through free agency. Most notably, starting linebacker Kwon Alexander signed with the 49ers. Enter Devin White. White has surpassed 120 tackles each of his last two seasons at LSU. He can cover well for a linebacker, too. The Bucs had one of the worst defenses last year and will now look to improve by selecting this year’s best linebacker.
6) New York Giants: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: I mean, come on! This pick is pretty obvious. Or is it? The Giants seem to be passing on selecting a young signal caller, and Oliver’s draft stock is rising. I’ve read some reports saying that he could be a top-five pick. This team has a lot of rebuilding to do, and adding a strong tackle is a step in the right direction
7) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida: After a disastrous 2018, the Jags will look to bounce back in the AFC South. Getting rid of Bortles was a great move. Now the Jags will be looking to protect new QB Nick Foles. Taylor is the best offensive tackle in the draft, and adding protection on the line is the best move for this team.
8) Detroit Lions: Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan: The Lions’ defense needs a lot of help, and the best place to start is this year’s draft. Matt Patricia is a defensive-minded coach. He knows more pressure up front is always beneficial. Gary, one of the best defensive ends in the draft, has tremendous upsides. While he wasn’t extremely productive at Michigan, Patricia could mold him into something special.
9) Buffalo Bills: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama: Josh Allen surprised a lot of people last season. He looked better as a runner but was drafted for his big arm. Regardless of how he develops, Buffalo needs a better line to protect him. Williams is a true tackle and could instantly reduce the Bills sack total. He has great size and fits into the Bills priority of finding protection for Allen.
10) Denver Broncos: Drew Lock, QB, Missouri: Since the Combine, Drew Lock’s draft stock has been rising. Scouts are calling his arm talent ‘Off the Charts.’ Yes, the Broncos recently moved on from Keenum and acquired Joe Flacco, but know Flacco isn’t the long-term answer. Lock could be.
