The NFL Draft is really fun. It was incredible to see how many people were down on Broadway in Nashville in the pouring rain to watch this event. At home, the first 32 picks drags a bit, but there was still complete drama, like always.

No Shock with #1

Overall Recap

Here is the 1st Round by the Numbers:

  • 18 Defensive Players and 14 Offensive Players were drafted (yes, I lost that bet 17.5 Under Defensive players draft – DOH!!) – 7 of 10 in the Top 10
  • By Position: 7 Defensive Lineman, 6 EDGE guys (I had Collier as a DT), 3 Guard/Centers, 3 Offensive Tackles, 3 Quarterbacks, 2 Wide Receivers, 2 Inside Linebackers, 2 Tight Ends, 2 Safeties, 1 Running Back and 1 Corner Back
  • Conference Breakdown: 8 from the SEC, 7 from Big Ten, 7 ACC, 4 Big 12, 3 PAC 12, 1 American, 1 Independent (Notre Dame) and 1 SWAC
  • Schools: 3 Oklahoma, 3 Clemson, 3 Alabama, 3 Mississippi State, 2 Ohio State, 2 Iowa, 2 Michigan and 14 schools with 1 player
  • Draft Day Trades: 6

Pick by Pick Comments:

Jones to Giants at #6? What?
  1. AZ – Kyler Murray, QB, OU – No shock there. Good luck to him.
  2. SF – Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State – The Bosa legacy is cemented with 3 Bosas in the 1st round in history.
  3. NYJ – Quinnen Williams, DT, Bama – Solid pick by the Jets
  4. OAK – Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson – Our first reach of the Draft, the Raiders could have traded back for Ferrell. Still a solid player, but probably not the top EDGE player after Bosa.
  5. TB – Devin White, ILB, LSU – White is a culture guy who will command the defensive huddle. Great pick!
  6. NYG – Daniel Jones, QB, Duke – The Worst Pick in the 2019 Draft!! Jones is more like a 2nd/3rd Round QB, plus at #6 this is terrible. GM Dave Gettleman is killing the Giants. Jones won’t start for a while and may be no better than a game manager type. See Haskins.
  7. JAC – Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky – The 2nd best EDGE guy falls to an incredible defense. Jags will be even better than before on D.
  8. DET – TJ Hockenson, TE, Iowa – The best TE in the Draft, and the Lions need weapons. Solid selection.
  9. BUF – Ed Oliver, DT, Houston – Another great value here. Oliver could have gone as high as #3, so Buffalo’s defense gets even better.
  10. PIT – Devin Bush, ILB, Michigan – Steelers trade up to #10 with Denver. Steelers pick a guy who can replace Shazier and give needed leadership to the Defense. Bush is possibly the best player in this draft. Great pick!
  11. CIN – Jonah Williams, G/C, Bama – Williams played Tackle in college, but given his measurables, he is more like a guard with versatility.
  12. GB – Rashan Gary, EDGE, Michigan – Gary is a highly talented player that needs to match talent with effort. Could be a great player for Packers.
  13. MIA – Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson – Dolphins pass on QB, which was interesting, but Wilkins is a great player and leader from the Clemson Tigers. Can’t go wrong there.
  14. ATL – Chris Lindstrom, G/C, Boston College – Maybe a little early for Lindstrom and surprised Ford didn’t go here. Atlanta needed better protection for Matt Ryan.
  15. WAS – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State – He didn’t seem thrilled to be selected here, but more that Jones went ahead of him. Washington got a great pick without having to Trade Up. Let’s see if he can win the job.
  16. CAR – Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State – Burns is a pass rush specialist, and Carolina needed youth on D. He could lead this rookie class in sacks in Year 1.
  17. NYG – Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson – Gettleman goes with the large human theory here for the 3rd Clemson defensive lineman Drafted in Round 1.
  18. MIN – Garrett Bradbury, G/C, NC State – Vikings were linked to this guy for a while, and needed to invest in their line for run game.
  19. TEN – Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State – Simmons is really a Top 10 guy but tore his ACL in Draft prep. So, good value here, but he may miss Year 1.
  20. DEN – Noah Fant, TE, Iowa – Denver got a TE, and traded down to get a pure pass catcher. We know Flacco loves his TEs.
  21. GB – Darnell Savage, S, Maryland – Savage was a bit of surprise here in the 1st Round, but by all accounts he is a play maker. I heard he returned 6 INTs for TDs in 2018. Packers obviously loved him as they traded up with SEA to get him.
  22. PHI – Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State – Philly traded up with BAL to get this guy who is a skilled pass blocking Tackle. Jason Peters is aging, and Lane Johnson may be open to moving inside. A Solid pick here.
  23. HOU – Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State – Now, this was a shock. I wrote about Howard as a small school guy to watch in late 2nd or early 3rd, but #23? I think this was a reach, but at least HOU attempts to protect Watson who was pummeled in 2018.
  24. OAK – Josh Jacobs, RB, Bama – No shock here. Raiders and Chucky want to run the rock and Jacobs is top RB in the Draft.
  25. BAL – Marquise Brown, WR, OU – Hollywood Brown is a blur, so fast – think Tyreke Hill without the domestic abuse (too soon?). He is coming off of Lis Frac injury, but the question is can Jackson utilize Brown’s skills?
  26. WAS – Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State – WAS traded way up for IND slot. Sweat was a potential Top 10 guy, but the heart issue scared off a lot. He is an athletic freak, and WAS may actually be getting a lot better here.
  27. OAK – Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State – Bulldogs D well represented in 1st Round. Abram is a thumper, and clearly OAK has an identity they are trying to establish – Physicality.
  28. LAC – Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame – How much better can the Chargers D get? Tillery is really good, but I thought a QB or another WR would be wise. Still other guys on the Board for Round 2.
  29. SEA – LJ Collier, DT, TCU – A total reach here. I get that they needed to replace Frank Clark, but Collier is a DE/DT type that was a 3rd Round Grade. Bad pick!
  30. NYG – DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia – Giants traded up to get their CB. Not sure they really needed to do this, as there are other top CBs that will be available early in Round 2. I’d say another Gettleman mistake.
  31. ATL – Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington – Falcons traded up with Rams to get a guy who was a 2nd Round grade with Jawaan Taylor on the Board. Really weird. I’d say a wasted trade up here.
  32. NE – N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State – New England gets a playmaker. Harry was a fringe 1st Rounder, but the real surprise that Harry goes head of DK Metcalf.

Day 2 Guys to Watch

Round 2 Order: AZ, IND, OAK, SF, SEA, JAC, TB, BUF, DEN, CIN, DET, GB, LAR, IND, CAR, MIA, CLE, MIN, TEN, DEN, PHI, HOU, HOU, NE, PHI, DAL, IND, LAC, KC, NO, KC and NE

Round 3 Order: AZ, PIT, SF, NYJ, JAC, TB, DEN, CIN, NE, BUF, GB, WAS, CAR, MIA, LAR, CLE, MIN, TEN, PIT, KC, BAL, TEX, CHI, DET, IND, DAL, LAC, SEA, NYJ, NYG + Compensatory – WAS, NE, JAC, LAR, CAR, NE and BAL

Rounds 2 & 3 are going to be dominated by the WRs and CBs. I have 11 WRs and 10 CBs that could go in these rounds. The same with Safeties – 7. The other thing to watch is if QB Josh Rosen will get traded by AZ on Day 2.

Here are some Round 1 Grades to go early in Round 2:

DK will go in Round 2
  • Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida – not sure why he fell out. He was projected to JAC in Top 10 originally.
  • Cody Ford, G/C, OU – Ford was jumped by other G/Cs. He will be a top 10 of Round 2 guy.
  • DK Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss – The workout freak will get selected early.
  • Greedy Williams, CB, LSU – Greedy’s lack of size pushed him out of the 1st Round. He’s a top CB.
  • Byron Murphy, CB, Washington – Murphy is another CB to be at the top of the round.
  • Drew Lock, QB, Missouri – Lock is better than Jones!! So, let’s see who will take him in the 2nd.

Round 3 will likely be the Running Back round, a I have 5-6 guys who could go then.

Have fun tonight and on Saturday. I’ll check in on Monday.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.