2019 NFL Draft: Pick Grades: First Round

Here we are the usual first round grades, as always these will look comically wrong in three years if not less but they are fun to do.

1)      Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma – Grade: B-

Murray was the best QB in the draft but with the Rosen pick last year, who I believe was a better prospect, the team atmosphere will be interesting. Murray and Kingsbury is going to be insanely fun.

2)      San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State – Grade: A

So far so normal. Murray, Bosa was the way we saw and now it’s which interior lineman or Josh Allen will be taken. Bosa is a polished player with multiple rush moves who will provide the pass rush that San Fran has been looking for for three seasons. Bosa and Buckner should be a nice pair on the D-line for a long time.

3)      New York Jets – Quinnen Williams, INT, Alabama – Grade: A

Williams was my DT2 but he’s a great player and him and Leonard Williams will be a force.

4)      Oakland Raiders – Clelin Ferrell, Edge, Clemson – Grade: C+

Our first reach/surprise of the night and it’s not as bad as it could have been. Ferrell was my EDGE5 and was a very good player when I watched him. It’s a half round early for a player they obviously liked.

5)      Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White, OBLB, LSU – Grade: B+

Devin White gives Tampa Bay a sideline to sideline linebacker to pair with Levonte Daivd. He’ll be a team leader and provide a building block behind Gerald McCoy.

6)      New York Giants – Daniel Jones, QB, Duke – Grade: LOL (F)

I (laughs) Never (Laughs) thought (Wheezes) they’d (Dies) Do it. This is as bad as the Josh Allen pick last year but with the added downside of a less physically talented player.

7)      Jacksonville Jaguars – Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky – Grade: A-

Yeah that’ll do Jaguars. You’ll still be a mess, but this is a good pick, hopefully Allen can continue to improve and develop a counter to his speed rush.

8)      Detroit Lions – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa – Grade: B+

Hockenson is a complete tight end but not nearly the most needed position on the roster.

9)      Buffalo Bills – Ed Oliver, INT, Houston – Grade: A+

I didn’t want it to happen personally because I’m not a big fan of the plan in Buffalo, but Ed Oliver is the real deal, and this is the best pick in the first round.

Trade:

DEN gets 20, 52, ’20 3rd Grade: A

PIT gets 10 Grade: D

Pittsburgh gives up a lot here with a deficit in value on both the JJ chart and AV chart.

10)    Pittsburgh Steelers f/ DEN – Devin Bush, ILB, MIchigan – Grade: A

They gave up a lot, but they got one of the two sure fire OBLBs in the draft. Bush should help sure up a linebacking corps that has an athleticism problem.

11)    Cincinnati Bengals – Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama – Grade: C+

This is only a reach in my mind. He was my OT3 and should be an instant starter bookending the offensive line with Cordy Glenn. Although this is Cincinnati so they will instantly ruin any value here and move him inside to guard.

12)    Green Bay Packers – Rashan Gary, INT, Michigan – Grade: C+

I like this pick in theory but in reality, there were better players still on the board. The Packers got themselves someone who is incredibly talented but will need coaching to become more consistent in producing on a football field.

13)    Miami Dolphins – Chistian Wilkins, INT, Clemson – Grade: A-

Miami picks up Christian Wilkins who does nothing but disrupt the interior of the line. Not much more to say than good pick.

14)    Atlanta Falcons – Chris Lindstrom, G, Boston College – Grade: A

A similar story for the Falcons they need help up front protetcting Matt Ryan and opening holes for their RBs and Lindstrom is going to be able to do that. He’s got that “fuck you” inside him and held up well when tasked with the Clemson front.

15)    Washington Redskins – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State – Grade: B+

Washington stays pat at 15 and gets their QB. I don’t like when I agree with that front office, but this makes too much sense when you’re relying on Keenum and McCoy to carry your team and don’t know if/when Alex Smith will be able to return.

16)    Carolina Panthers – Brian Burns, Edge, Florida State – Grade: C

Burns is purely a pass rusher at this point and this pick is reminiscent of the Bruce Irvin pick for the Seahawks a few years back, which is perfect because the Panthers have Bruce Irvin. That run defense is going to be… “interesting”, to be polite.

17)    New York Giants f/CLE – Dexter Lawrence, INT, Clemson – Grade: C

Lawrence is a fine player and my INT10 but he’s a big body to help with run defense with occasional penetration. He’s solid but there were a couple better interior options on the board.

18)    Minnesota Vikings – Garrett Bradbury, C, NC State – Grade: A+

Love this pick and the anecdote from Zimmer was *chef’s kiss*.

19)    Tennessee Titans – Jeffery Simmons, INT, Mississippi State – Grade: A

Simmons blew out his knee during the process but provides a value here as he almost assuredly would have been a top 10 pick in this draft. This pick perplexed me a little bit as punting your first round pick in year five of a QB on a rookie deal, is certainly a strategy.

20)    Denver Broncos f/PIT – Noah Fant, TE, Iowa – Grade: A

Denver gets the second of the Iowa TEs and a great weapon for Flaccco or whomever ends up QBing for the Broncos this year and in the future. While I like the value and love the pick I wonder if TE really helps this team achieve their goals as there are many holes to be filled on the roster.

Trade:

GB gets 21 Grade: B-

SEA gets 30, 114, 118 Grade: A-

Seattle understands value in trading better than most and got it here, but the Packers gave up less than we’ve seen many relinquish for the right to move up around 1/3^rd of the round in the past. This trade works for both teams.

21)    Green Bay Packers f/SEA – Darnell Savage, S, Maryland – Grade: B+

I like this pick, maybe a smidge early but Savage is a good safety who can tackle (Packers fans will love this) and who understands how to play in space. He’ll have to tone down some of his more exuberant play while coming downhill but his skill set is certainly intriguing and makes the Packers defense better.

Trade:

PHI gets 22 Grade: C+

BAL gets 25, 125, 197 Grade: A

Philly has been one of the most aggressive teams in moving up in recent drafts and that continues and while Baltimore got the better of the value, I don’t think anyone should be too concerned that Howie Roseman has his head in the sands.

22)    Philadelphia Eagles f/BAL – Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State – Grade: A-

Philly gets the best, and most experienced, pass blocker in the draft and a replacement to be groomed behind Peters who turned 37 in January.

23)    Houston Texans – Tytus Howard, OT, Alabama State – Grade: D-

Philly clearly jumped Houston to get their tackle and Houston responded by reaching on a small school right tackle who was considerably lower rated than many still on the board at the position.

24)    Oakland Raiders f/CHI – Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama – Grade: C+

Jacobs was tied for RB1 for me which makes this fine value but nothing spectacular. I’m still not excited for Jacobs but if Marshawn is truly gone I think he’s better than any option they currently have on the roster. I get the pick even if I don’t love it.

25)    Baltimore Ravens f/PHI– Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma – Grade: B+

Baltimore gets the most explosive receiver in the draft and one of the few that consistently gets separation. The rash of injuries is a concern, his weight (166 lbs.) is a concern, but his ability to create space and big plays is unquestionable and give Baltimore something that it doesn’t have outside of Lamar in the current offense.

Trade:

WAS gets 26 Grade: D

IND gets 46, ’20 2^nd Grade: A+

Washington gave up quite a bit to get up to 26 but being aggressive isn’t necessarily bad it’s just not a great value play in the present.

26)    Washington Redskins f/IND– Montez Sweat, Edge, Mississippi State – Grade: A+

If my trade thoughts sounded conflicted it’s because I try not to factor the pick into the analysis of the trade. It was hard here because they got a Sweat, at least 10 picks after he should have gone. Sweat completes a defensive line rebuild that has left them with quite the collection of talented assets. Again, it feels weird to like a Dan Snyder, et. al. draft but here we are.

27)    Oakland Raiders f/DAL – Jonathan Abrams, S, Mississippi State – Grade: B+

Abrams is a solid safety prospect that is a aggressive going downhill and can play in space. Color me shocked that Oakland went defense on two out of their three picks.

28)    Los Angeles Chargers – Jeremy Tillery, INT, Notre Dame – Grade: B+

Tillery nailed his combine and pre-draft process but he disappeared to often at Notre Dame and needs to be more consistent at the next level, i.e. exactly the type of player you take a chance on late in the first round.

29)    Seattle Seahawks f/KC – L.J. Collier, Edge, TCU – Grade: F

Color me shocked on this one. Collier was Edge 40 on my list and didn’t stand out from a production or athleticism stand point. Seattle has made surprise defensive picks work in the past but this seems like a bridge too far.

Trade:

NYG gets 30 Grade: C-

SEA gets 37, 132, 142 Grade: A-

Seattle gains more mid-round lottery tickets and with the Wilson extension hitting on a few of those to help build depth will be useful. The Giants certainly had a plan in this draft, and they certainly executed it.

30)    New York Giants f/SEA f/GB f/NO – Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia – Grade: A-

All that said this was by far their best pick of the night. Baker is a good corner who should be able to contribute quickly once he gets acclimated.

Trade:

ATL gets 31 & 203 Grade: B-

LAR gets 45 & 79 Grade: B+

Atlanta moves up into the late first and doesn’t give up too much, I wonder if the Rams were looking to get a third pick out of this but picking up another third and upping their pick total to 8 is key for depth building. This also gets them back into a deep 2^nd round rand earlyish 3^rd.

31)    Atlanta Falcons f/LAR – Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington – Grade: D-

Atlanta didn’t give up much but also didn’t get great value on the pick. They clearly liked McGary more than any other tackle still on the board but for me get a good but not exceptional right tackle.

32)    New England Patriots – N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State – Grade: A

Lastly, the Pats get a WR that I had as tied for WR2. Harry gives them a bigger possession receiver who should be a bigger slot and fill in, at worst some of, the receiving portion of the Gronk role. Harry is just solid with strong hands and good fight for the ball.

The first round started out a bit dull and conventional, but the Giants gave it a swift kick in the ass at 6 (LOL) and Pittsburgh moving up to 10 was a surprise. The back end of the round saw the most trade movement again, and ultimately most of the picks were solid if a bit defense heavy.