Are you ready for the NFL Draft?
2019 NFL Draft: Second Round
Mock Draft and Analysis By: Gregg Schutze
as of April 24, 2019
33. Arizona Cardinals – Marquise Brown, 5’9”, 166lbs, WR, Oklahoma, Jr.
04/05/19 - Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
02/11/19 - Greg Little, OT, Mississippi
02/03/19 - Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia
If Kliff Kingsbury gets the QB he needs to run his offense, he also needs to add weapons. The ageless wonder Larry Fitzgerald is 35 years of age, so this year could be his last. Christian Kirk played in the spread offense at Texas A&M and Kevin White was signed in free agency to try to resurrect his career. However, the Cardinals lost their vertical threat John Brown in free agency, so adding the explosive Marquise Brown would be tremendous value at the top of Round 2 as Brown was seen as a top-20 talent prior to Lisfranc surgery on his foot. When Hollywood is on the field, he can be a gamebreaker with his vertical speed and elusiveness in the open field. I would have liked to have seen Brown run at the Combine to see just how close he could be to John Ross’ record 4.22 40. As a sophomore in 2017, Brown caught 57 passes from Baker Mayfield for 1,095 yards (19.2 avg) and 7 TD. This past season, he hauled in 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 TD while catching passes from Kyler Murray. Adding Brown would give Murray a level of familiarity and would be the second WR that Murray threw to in college; in 2015, one of Murray’s favorite targets with the Aggies was Kirk as the two played one year together in College Station as freshmen. Brown is very slight an can get pushed around, but he has the ability to get to full speed in a hurry and is a threat to go the distance on every play. Sooner fans got used to hearing Murray to Hollywood a lot, so it would only make sense to continue that connection in the NFL.
34. Indianapolis Colts (from New York Jets) – A.J. Brown, 6’0”, 226lbs, WR, Ole Miss, Jr.
04/05/19 - Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
02/11/19 - Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
02/03/19 - Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
The Colts added Devin Funchess to a receiving corps that already features T.Y. Hilton and TE Eric Ebron, but is still lacking a weapon in the slot. A.J. Brown is rising up draft boards because he’s proven to be a more polished WR than he was getting credit for early on and would give Indy a threat from the slot who can stretch defenses and could find his way into the starting lineup. Brown really made a name for himself as a reliable target who can stretch defenses vertically, has the body control along the sideline and the strength and toughness to be a weapon over the middle. He amassed 2,984 yards on 189 yards and 19 TD in three seasons with the Rebels. Speed was a concern for Brown heading into the Combine, but he proved doubters wrong by running a 4.49 40 and showed he’s much more explosive than people thought, adding in a 36.5-inch vertical leap. Andrew Luck can use more weapons and I think Brown will develop into one of his favorite targets, especially considering his physicality after the catch.
35. Oakland Raiders – Josh Jacobs, 5’10”, 220lbs, RB, Alabama, Jr.
04/05/19 - Will Grier, QB, West Virginia
02/11/19 - Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State
02/03/19 - Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State
The Raiders could very well land Jacobs with either the 24th or 27th pick overall but expect Mike Mayock and Co. to jump at the chance to take him if he falls to the 2nd day. The ground game was abysmal last year, finishing 28th in the league with just 101.8 yards per game. The team’s top two rushers, Doug Martin and Marshawn Lynch, are both free agents, and while Oakland did sign Isaiah Crowell to pair with Jalen Richard, drafting Jacobs, the most complete RB in this draft and the only one worthy of a 1st Round pick, would be a steal here. Jacobs proved to be an every-down back with the Crimson Tide, even though he didn’t get the chance to be a workhorse in Bama’s loaded backfield. Jacobs carried the ball just 250 times in three seasons and nearly half of those (120) were from this past season, meaning the Raiders would be getting a back with very little wear on his legs. Jacobs has the prototypical combination of size, vision and lateral quickness to be explosive between the tackles. Jacobs is a very patient runner to allow his blocks to set up as he presses the line of scrimmage. He trusts his eyes and quickly sees the cutback lane. Jacobs is able to put his foot in the ground and has the necessary ankle flexion to change directions at a 45-degree angle, which makes it difficult for defenders to square him up. He then shows a tremendous burst to the hole and runs with a low pad level to keep his balance when running through contact making him difficult to bring down. Jacobs has enough of another gear to get to the perimeter, but his 4.6 speed does not make him a homerun threat who will outrun defenses. Though Jacobs doesn’t look all that sudden, he can be elusive enough in the open field to make the first man miss in the open field. What takes Jacobs’ game to the next level is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He was productive in the passing game, having hauled in 48 passes in three seasons with the Tide, and showed he can run decent routes, tracks the ball well and has soft hands. Adding Jacobs would eliminate the feeling that the Raiders have to have Lynch, though adding Beast Mode to a backfield that already has Jacobs and Richard would give Oakland some options in the backfield.
36. San Francisco 49ers – Hakeem Butler, 6’5”, 227lbs, WR, Iowa State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware
02/11/19 - Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
02/03/19 - Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame
The 49ers need to add weapons to the passing attack. George Kittle had a breakout 2018 with 1,377 yards on 88 receptions, while rookie wideout Dante Pettis had a promising rookie campaign before injuries cut things short. Marquise Goodwin was re-signed through the 2021 season and Jordan Matthews was signed to a one-year deal, but I think the Niners need a big-bodied WR who can be a go-to target and security blanket for Jimmy Garoppolo and Butler definitely fits the bill. After playing in just 8 games and catching just 9 passes as a true freshman, Butler continued to develop and is now considered one of the top WR prospects in this year’s draft. As a sophomore, he played alongside Iowa State’s all-time leading receiver in Allen Lazard, but still managed to haul in 41 passes for 697 yards and 7 TD. In 2018, he took over the No. 1 WR role and dominated DB’s, hauling in 60 passes for 1,318 yards and 9 TD. His 22.0 yards-per-catch average, 3rd highest in the FBS, was a clear indicator of his big-play ability. Butler lost his mom to cancer at an early age and ultimately went to live with his cousins Aaron and Andrew Harrison, who were heralded Kentucky basketball recruits. Butler’s basketball background is showcased when he’s on the field. He does an excellent job using his body to shield the ball from defenders as if he’s boxing him out. He shows off an impressive leaping ability while extending his long 35 ¼” arms for the ball, attacking it in the air as if he were hauling in a rebound. Just as in basketball, you can’t wait for the ball to come to you or someone else will get the ball, you have to attack it and snatch it out of the air. Butler has enormous 10 ¾” hands (rumored to be able to palm a helmet) which allow him to easily pluck the ball out of the air while he’s at full extension. Just as in basketball, you must have body control, especially along the sideline. You’ll see Butler elevate and contort his body to not only make a play on the ball on a back-shoulder throw, then has the presence of mind to find the sideline and keep his feet inbounds after securing the catch. Butler is very quick getting off the line and is explosive down the field, eating up the coverage cushion, then running by safeties deep. He does need polish in his route running, especially getting his big body in and out of breaks so their smooth and not so clunky. Butler solidified his status as a 1st Round pick with his 4.49 40 time, which is quite impressive for a guy his size, but for all the vertical speed down the field, he does need polish in his route running. Specifically, he needs to sink his hips more to drive out of his breaks rather than either round off route or use so many choppy steps to break down. It’s what Butler does after the catch that has to have NFL front offices taking notice. You can put on virtually every game and find at least one play where Butler was a beast with the ball in his hands. Against Oklahoma, he had 2 TD receptions over 50 yards with 4 OU missed tackles. On a 51-yard TD, Butler made a catch up the seam on a skinny post for 20 yards, then shrugged off the safety Khalil Haughton before running through CB Tre Norwood’s tackle at the 10-yard line before spinning out of LB Curtis Bolton’s tackle to take it to the house. Later, he ran a vertical route on Parnell Motley and was able to adjust to a back-shoulder fade outside the numbers; he avoided Motley’s tackle, turned and accelerated away from another 35 yards for a 57-yard TD. Against Oklahoma State, Butler high-pointed a football and was able to drag the defender after the catch for a 21-yard TD. Then there was the Kansas game, where he abused Jayhawk DB’s on his 2 TD catches. His first was an 83-yard TD from the slot, beating his man inside on a post, then reaching to haul in the pass on his back hip and shrugged off the safety’s tackle before quickly accelerating away from multiple DB’s for the score. Later in the 1st Round, Butler again lined up in the slot and ran a seam route; the ball was underthrown and he was able to come back for it and elevated over safety Hasan Defense (his waist was at the DB’s helmet at the catch point). As he hauled the ball in with his left hand, he stiff armed Defense with his right and then threw Defense aside before running the final 16 yards of his 51-yard TD reception. That physicality also comes in handy as a blocker as he would manhandle DB’s to spring his teammates for big gains. He looks the part and has the mentality of a WR1 at the next level, but he has to improve his hands, which were consistent through out his career with the Cyclones. Butler has enormous hands, but it appears he has concentration lapses as he will let the ball get into his body too often and can’t hang onto routine throws. Then he’ll show off incredible hands on an acrobatic catch down the field. If Butler wants to be a WR1, he’ll have to prove he can be a reliable target. At the end of the day, Butler is a big-play WR with incredible length and physicality after the catch.
37. New York Giants – Greg Little, 6’5”, 310lbs, OT, Mississippi, Jr.
04/05/19 - N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State
02/11/19 - Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
02/03/19 - Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State
The Giants must get better up front, especially after giving up 47 sacks a season ago. The RG position received an upgrade with the trade for Kevin Zeitler and adding another OT to compete with incumbent Chad Wheeler is a must. Little was a highly-touted HS recruit coming to Ole Miss and started five games as a freshman before taking over the LT spot, starting the final 24 games of his career with the Rebels. He also has good hip flexibility and is a natural knee bender, which allows him to keep a low pad level. Little gets good depth in his kick slide and has the lateral quickens to easily cut the edge off for a DE while using good hand placement. He’s also very aware of the blitz, showing an ability to slide inside to pick up the LB trying to shoot the gap. Maybe his most impressive film was head-to-head against Bama DL Raekwon Davis. Little proved to be way too quick for Davis, showing the foot speed to beat him to the edge, then offered the physicality to drive him to the ground. Little needs a better anchor and will get driven back with a strong bull rush. He also will get overextended at times, so balance and body control can be an issue.
38. Jacksonville Jaguars – Tytus Howard, 6’5”, 322lbs, OT, Alabama State
04/05/19 - Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
02/11/19 - Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida State
02/03/19 - Brian Burns, DE/OLB, Florida State
If the Jags don’t take an OT in Round 1, they must land one on Day 2 and Howard is one of the more intriguing players rising up draft boards. Once thought of as a 3rd Round pick, I think Howard can come off the board a round sooner. Howard is an athletic tackle, having run a 5.05 40 at the Combine, and has experience playing on both the left and right sides at OT. Howard has good length and massive 10 5/8” hands that he uses to control his man once he locks on. Pro Football Focus noted he gave up just one sack in 2017, gave up 0 pressures on 38 pass snaps when facing SEC power Auburn and more than held his own in Senior Bowl 1-on-1’s. His footwork is sound and he offers good strength at the point of attack. I think the fact that Jas Wire reported Jacksonville sent a group to work him out speaks volumes about the level of interest and would pair nicely with Cam Robinson as bookend tackles.
39. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Nasir Adderley, 6’0”, 206lbs, S, Delaware
04/05/19 - Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
02/11/19 - Zach Allen, DE, Boston College
02/03/19 - Zach Allen, DE, Boston College
Tampa must address its secondary if they want to improve upon the 26thranked pass defense from a season ago. The Bucs managed just 9 Int., a stat that bested only five teams’ output a season ago, and 4 of those Int. were made by Andrew Adams, who is now in Detroit, and no other player picked off more than one pass. CB Brent Grimes is a free agent, leaving Vernon Hargreaves and Carlton Davis as starters, while Justin Evans is expected to start at FS. Adding another Safety is a must and Gardner-Johnson has the versatility to play all over the back end of the defense, giving DC Todd Bowles options in the secondary. Ballhawk is one word that comes to mind when you watch Adderley play. He racked up 11 Int. and 22 pass breakups in his four years with the Blue Hens, showing off an ability to attack the football while it’s in the air by timing his jump to highpoint the ball and make a play. Adderley has fluid hips and has tremendous range to play over the top and isn’t afraid to come downhill and deliver a big hit. He has experience at CB and his cover skills are impressive, looking very smooth through his transitions, making him an option at corner as well. I expect Adderley to start for the Niners right away. The question will be where he lines up on the field.
40. Buffalo Bills – Dre’Mont Jones, 6’3”, 281lbs, DT, Ohio State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Kelvin Harmon, WR, NC State
02/11/19 - Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia
02/03/19 - Hakeem Butler, WR, Iowa State
Buffalo has to find a replacement at DT for the retired Kyle Williams, who had been a fixture at DT during his 13-year career with the Bills. Jones arrived at Ohio State having played just two years of high school football but developed into a three-year starter who really put everything together his junior year, finishing with 43 tackles, 13 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 3 fumble recoveries and an Int. he returned 28 yards for a TD. What is apparent whenever you watch Dre’Mont Jones play is his quick get-off, which allows him to shoot gaps and get early penetration into the backfield. Jones also has quick hands to slap the OG’s hands away then rips through to quickly dispose of the block. His patented counter move is a tight spin to the outside to get by his man to pressure the QB. Jones also shows good hand placement under the OG’s pad level when he’s engaged at the point, allowing him to play with leverage and convert his speed to power to drive him back and collapse the pocket. Jones is also very active against the run, showing the lateral quickness to shuffle over two gaps to lock down the RB and can get to the boundary to chase down the back on runs to the perimeter. Jones has a nonstop motor and he’s always working to the QB; he once chased Michigan RB Karan Higdon 30 yards downfield. He does have to work on his high pad level, which can get him off balance and will get driven back and will get washed down the line because he struggles to get off down blocks. However, Jones can offer some athleticism up front that Buffalo desperately needs.
41. Denver Broncos – David Long, 5’11”, 196lbs, CB, Michigan, Jr.
04/05/19 - Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
02/11/19 - Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame
02/03/19 - Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
Chris Harris, Jr., who is in the final year of his deal, has come out and asked for a new contract or a trade. While his future is up in the air, the Broncos may want to invest in another corner to compete with the likes of Kareem Jackson, Isaac Yiadom and Bryce Callahan for playing time. Pro Football Focus indicated Long posted the lowest reception rate of all CB’s at 29% and gave up just 18 receptions on 595 pass snaps. He does tend to get a bit handsy when he doesn’t need to, meaning he just needs to trust his feet because he’s often in position to make a play. Long also had a stellar Combine, finishing with a 4.45 40, a 39.5-inch vertical leap and a blistering 6.42 three-cone drill, which was the fastest among all Combine participants.
42. Cincinnati Bengals – Will Grier, 6’2”, 217lbs, QB, West Virginia
04/05/19 - Mack Wilson, ILB, Alabama
02/11/19 - David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin
02/03/19 - Irv Smith, Jr., TE, Alabama
Zac Taylor is expected to look for a QB at some point in this draft to compete with Andy Dalton for the starting job. This pick could come down to Daniel Jones of Duke, Ryan Finley of NC State and Wil Grier of West Virginia. Jones is the athletic David Cutcliffe disciple, Finley is the polished pocket passer with limited arm strength and then there’s Grier, who is a bit of a gunslinger and while he struggled at times at the Senior Bowl and the Combine, he dazzled at his Pro Day, showing good arm strength and excellent ball placement while also showing smooth feet to manipulate the pocket, which puts himself back in the conversation among the top QB’s in the draft. Looking at the trio of QB’s, Grier is the most accurate under pressure, boasting a 76.2% adjusted completion percentage, according to Pro Football Focus. In two seasons with West Virginia, Grier threw for over 7,300 yards and 71 TD to just 20 Int. on 65.7% passing. PFF noted Grier was best against the blitz, throwing 22 TD to 0 Int. and finished with the 5th best deep passing grade. There’s no doubt he throws a pretty deep ball, placing it on the outside shoulder where only his man can get to it. If you saw the game against Texas, you saw one heck of a comeback. Down 41-34 with just over 2:30 to play, Grier led the Mountaineers on a 7-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in a 33-yard pass to Gary Jennings with just 16 seconds to play. Grier took the snap and rolled to his right, seeing Jennings get over the top of two Longhorn defenders up the seam, and cut loose with the ball on the move without setting his feet and dropped a dime in over Jennings’ shoulder just before he ran out of room in the back of the end zone. Grier would go on use his legs to score on the two-point conversion to stun Texas 42-41. Grier may not always be the most fundamentally sound and may not be the best athlete, but he’s a competitor who finished with 17 games with 300+ passing yards and just 5 games with under 60% completions at WVU. He also threw 19 Int. in his first 17 games at West Virginia, but he finished strong, throwing 15 TD and just 1 Int. in his final five games of the season. What’s also interesting is the NFL released ball speed numbers from the Combine and Grier’s score of 59 was the strongest, along with Boise State’s Brett Rypien, beating out the likes of Finley (57), Jones (54) and Drew Lock (57). Grier is the sleeper nobody is talking about so if Gruden and new GM Mike Mayock pass on a QB in Round One, expect Grier to be in play at No. 35.
43. Detroit Lions – Rock Ya-Sin, 6’0”, 192lbs, CB, Temple
04/05/19 - Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple
02/11/19 - Irv Smith, Jr., TE, Alabama
02/03/19 - Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
The Lions finished 2018 with a top-10 pass defense, but what was lacking was a playmaker at corner opposite Darius Slay as Detroit managed just 7 Int. with Slay and SS Quandre Diggs each coming away with 3 apiece. Nevin Lawson has moved on, leaving Teez Tabor as the likely replacement with Justin Coleman at the nickel. Tabor has yet to live up to expectations as he was taken 53rd overall in 2017. I expect the Lions to take a corner early and they would be ecstatic to have a chance to land Ya-Sin, who is considered a borderline 1st Round player. Rock Ya-Sin transferred to Temple from Presbyterian for his senior season and certainly did not disappoint, finishing with 47 tackles, 2 Int. and 12 pass breakups in his only season with the Owls. Ya-Sin is strong, physical and has good length, all good traits for a press corner on the outside. He likes to get his hands on the WR to knock them off the route and looks to crowd the WR to eliminate any separation. He has decent feet in his back pedal and fluid hips to turn and run with the WR. Maybe most impressive is his ability to drive on the football and make a play on the football. His ball skills are evident as he aggressively attacks the catch point to disrupt the WR’s concentration. Now, Ya-Sin does have only one year of FBS experience and he has some holes in his technique, which causes him to give up some throws in front of him, but he proved he can lock down WR’s on the outside and should continue to develop into a starter at the next level.
44. Green Bay Packers – N’Keal Harry, 6’2”, 228lbs, WR, Arizona State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
02/11/19 - Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware
02/03/19 - Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas
I think Matt LeFleur is going to want to continue to add weapons in the passing game for Aaron Rodgers, especially now that Randall Cobb is catching passes from Dak Prescott in Dallas. There’s no question Davante Adams has emerged as a Pro Bowl wideout, finishing with 111 catches for 1,386 yards and 13 TD, but the WR corps as a whole ranked 17th in the league a season ago. The Pack did draft three WR’s in the 5th Round a season ago, but only Marquez Valdez-Scantling made much of an impact. You would think the Packers would want to draft a smaller wideout to line up in the slot, especially given Valdez-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, J’Mon Moore and Geronimo Allison are all 6’3” or taller, but none are as explosive as N’Keal Harry, who proved to be a big-play threat down the field for the Sun Devils. Harry burst on the scene as a freshman, starting all 12 games and led all freshmen with 58 catches for 659 yards and 5 TD. Over the next two seasons, Harry was a two-time 1st Team All-Pac-12 selection with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 20 TD. Harry is known for his ability to use his size to his advantage down the field. Harry may not create much separation, but he does a great job shielding defenders from the football and can set late separation by extending his arms before going up for the football. He has excellent body control, especially on back shoulder throws, has a 38.5-inch vertical leap to high-point the football and has good awareness along the sideline to keep his feet inbounds. Harry struggles with sinking his hips in and out of his breaks, but does a good job using his hands at the top of the route to disengage. Harry’s large catch radius allows QB’s to put the ball somewhere in his vicinity and he’ll go up and make a play. Maybe most indicative of this was the acrobatic catch against USC. Harry got a clean release up the sideline and adjusted to the underthrown ball on a back-shoulder fade, extending behind his head laying out horizontally to extend behind him a la OBJ. Then, once Harry has the ball in his hands, he’s a load to bring down. He’s tremendously physical and is unphased by contact. Harry’s 4.53 40 at the Combine shows he has more of a burst than most were anticipating, but he still has to prove he can create separation consistently.
45. Atlanta Falcons – Jachai Polite, 6’3”, 258lbs, DE, Florida, Jr.
04/05/19 - Jachai Polite, DE, Florida
02/11/19 - Michael Deiter, OG, Wisconsin
02/03/19 - Michael Deiter, OG, Wisconsin
The Falcons need to address their pass rush after finishing the year tied for 22nd in the league with 37 sacks. Plus, Atlanta has little depth behind starters Vic Beasley and Takkarist McKinley. Jachai Polite’s draft stock has been plummeting following a poor showing at the Combine where he decided to sit out the remainder of the workout. There is no question Polite is one of the more explosive pass rushers in this year’s draft and had a breakout 2018 season with 11.0 sacks and 19.5 TFL. He’s explosive out of his stance and eats up a lot of ground on the OT after just a couple of steps. He has quick hands and uses a variety of pass rush moves to get the edge against the OT and has and has the flexibility to quickly bend the edge. Polite also has a variety of counter moves, including a tight spin move back inside that is virtually impossible to stop. He’s also has tremendous range against the run, showing good speed to the perimeter to chase RB’s down from behind. Teams will have to get to the bottom of why Polite was not a full-time starter for the Gators despite his ability to regularly make plays behind the line. That said, if Polite falls to Day 2 as many expect, he may be worth the gamble for the Falcons in the 2nd Round.
46. Washington Redskins – Chase Winovich, 6’3”, 256lbs, DE/OLB, Michigan
04/06/19 - Chase Winovich, DE/OLB, Michigan
02/11/19 - A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi
02/03/19 - Oshane Ximines, DE/OLB, Old Dominion
If the Redskins don’t use their 1st Round pick on an edge rusher, you can expect them to use this pick and this would be about the area we would expect Winovich to come off the board. Few players play with the type of effort and motor of Chase Winovich, who seems to be flying around like his hair is on fire on every play. Winovich came to Michigan as a TE, but made the move to the defensive side of the ball for his sophomore season in 2016, making a name for himself as an edge rusher with 5.0 sacks and 8.5 TFL on the year. As a full-time starter in 2017, Winovich proved to be a force both against the run and getting after the passer, racking up 73 tackles while also leading the Big 10 with 19.0 TFL and 8.5 sacks on the year. While his sack numbers dropped in his senior season, he was still effective making plays behind the line of scrimmage, tallying 59 tackles, 15.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks to close out his career. It didn’t matter if you were tuning in for Michigan games to watch Rashan Gary or Devin Bush, it was Winovich that seemed to flash play in and play out. Winovich explodes out of his stance and has the hip flexibility to dip under the OT pad level and then rip through to quickly get the edge before flattening out to the QB. Once he gets to the edge, he has the closing speed to chase down the QB in the pocket. Winovich also does a good job setting up the OT with a stutter off the snap before crossing the face of the blocker while slapping his hands aside to shoot inside. However, maybe his best move is a quick push-pull on the OT to quickly get the blocker off balance, which then allows him to wreak havoc in the backfield in a hurry. You better be prepared to play to the whistle on every play because Winovich is; he will keep working to the ball with counter moves, so if you have him blocked on the outside, don’t relax on the rep or he’ll beat you back inside. Winovich plays with the same sense of urgency against the run. He’s relentless in pursuit of the ball carrier and will chase the back all the way to the sideline, meaning teams would be better off running at him than away from him as he does struggle to get off blocks at the point of attack. Winovich is quick to diagnose run plays and takes off in a hurry to make a play on the ball. He does a good job keeping outside leverage against the zone read, then shoots up the field to attack the back and drop him in the backfield. Winovich’s play speed and flexibility were on display at the Combine, as his 4.59 40 time placed him 4th among edge rushers and he posted the second-best 20-yard shuttle at 6.91 seconds and the quickest at the position in the 20-yard shuttle at 4.11 seconds. Winovich would be a nice fit opposite Ryan Kerrigan off the edge.
47. Carolina Panthers – Michael Deiter, 6’4”, 309lbs, OG, Wisconsin
04/05/19 - Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia
02/11/19 - Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas
02/03/19 - Garrett Bradbury, OC, NC State
RT Daryl Williams was re-signed to a one-year deal to start opposite Taylor Moton, RG Trai Turner is signed through 2021 and Matt Paradis was signed to take over for Ryan Kalil at center. What is still needed is an upgrade at the LG position and Michael Deiter should not only start right away but also has the versatility to line up all along the line when needed. Deiter started a school-record 54 games for the Badgers all along the offensive line. He started his career at Wisconsin splitting time between center and LG for two seasons before starting his entire junior season at LT before moving back to LG for his senior season. In all, Deiter started 24 games at LG, 16 at center and 14 at LT, so the versatility is obviously a plus. Deiter is physical at the point of attack and is looking to overpower and finish his man in the running game. His down blocks create a lot of space with a powerful leg drive. Deiter struggled with speed rushers at LT and seemed more comfortable inside, where his lateral movement is more limited, allowing him to anchor and use his hands to control his man.
48. Miami Dolphins – Dexter Lawrence, 6’4”, 342lbs, DT, Clemson, Jr.
04/05/19 - Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
02/11/19 - Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic
02/03/19 - Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic
Miami is in need of a run stuffer who can take up space in the middle of the defense and Lawrence can do just that. Lawrence was a top-five recruit coming out of Wake Forest High School in North Carolina after posting a staggering 91 tackles, 21 TFL and 13 sacks as a HS senior. He was a prize recruit for Clemson and was dynamic as a freshman, earning Freshman All-America honors and ACC’s Defensive Freshman of the Year after registering 62 tackles, 8.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks and 2 blocked kicks. While Lawrence was a presence up front his final two seasons at Clemson, he could never reach the same level of production. He had just 33 tackles, 2.5 TFL and 2 sacks while playing in only 11 games as a sophomore in 2017 and this past season, he had 44 tackles, 7.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks in 11 games, but was still named 1st Team All-ACC in each of those seasons. Lawrence couldn’t quite match the hype and his production as a pass rusher diminished greatly after his phenomenal freshman season, meaning his status as a 1st Round pick is based more on potential than production. Simply put, there are very few players his size that possess the kind of agility he has. Lawrence is very quick off the ball, has the lateral agility to keep his balance against cut blocks and has the short area burst to run down ball carriers. He also has tremendous power at the point of attack. He can take on double teams and eat up space, allowing defenders behind him to make plays. Lawrence does a good job converting speed to power to drive his man back into the backfield and looks to bury the O-lineman. Not only can he plug holes, but he can also use his strength to work down the line to get to a ball carrier running away from him. Lawrence loses his effectiveness when he fires off the ball too high. When that happens, he often got driven back off the ball. He also lacks some fundamentals especially when trying to get off blocks because he relies too much on his massive frame to get by. Also, the Fins will have to do their homework on Lawrence, who was suspended for a banned substance that kept him out of the College Football Playoff. If the Dolphins can motivate Lawrence, clean up his technique and get him to play consistently, he could be a force up front and would be a steal in Round 2.
49. Cleveland Browns – Justin Layne, 6’2”, 192lbs, CB, Michigan State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Dre’Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
02/11/19 - Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia
02/03/19 - J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
The Browns landed a playmaker at CB in Denzel Ward a season ago with the No. 4 overall pick, but they’ll need to address the position early if they want to improve upon the 25th-raned pass defense. Layne is an ascending prospect who is still new to the defensive side of the ball but has proven he can make plays on the outside at corner. Layne came to Michigan State as a WR but was moved to CB during his freshman season. He had a breakout 2018 with 72 tackles, 15 pass breakups and an Int. Layne has excellent size and length for the position, has the type of route recognition to put himself in position to make a play and has the ball skills of a WR. I think we’ve yet to see the best from Layne, who could be a steal in this draft.
50. Minnesota Vikings – J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, 6’2”, 225lbs, WR, Stanford, Jr.
04/05/19 - Charles Omenihu, DE, Texas
02/11/19 - Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State
02/03/19 - Chris Lindstrom, OG, Boston College
The Vikings have a dynamic duo at the WR position in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, who combined to haul in 215 passes for 2,394 yards and 18 TD. Their work in the slot has been prolific, but the Vikes could use a big-bodied WR on the outside and Arcega-Whiteside definitely fits the bill. Few players made a name for themselves in the red zone like Arcega-Whiteside. Teams knew what was coming and they still couldn’t stop it. Arcega-Whiteside would post up the DB like a basketball player, keeping him on his hip before attacking the ball in the air like a rebounder with sudden, strong hands. However, he’s was far from a one-trick pony for the Cardinal as their leading receiver in 2018, hauling in 63 receptions for 1,059 yards and 14 TD. Arcega-Whiteside struggled to get a clean release off the line, but even when he couldn’t create separation early in the route, he was so good at tracking the ball in the air that he would create late separation by extending his arm to get clearance before elevating over his man to high-point the pass. What really has Arcega-Whiteside soaring up draft boards is his vertical speed, having posted a 4.49 40 time at Stanford’s pro day. His timed speed does translate to the field as he proved he could accelerate past defenders once he got off the line. Adding Arcega-Whiteside to a WR corps that already has Thielen and Diggs would be a scary proposition.
51. Tennessee Titans – Deebo Samuel, 5’11”, 214lbs, WR, South Carolina
04/05/19 - Chris Lindstrom, OG, Boston College
02/11/19 - Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
02/03/19 - A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi
Tennessee must add weapons for Marcus Mariota in the passing game. Corey Davis is emerging as a go-to target and while Tajae Sharpe and Taywan Taylor are solid role players, the Titans are lacking a true No. 2 wideout and adding a WR with the suddenness and playmaking ability of Samuel would add a different dimension to Tennessee’s passing attack. Samuel is a versatile weapon who is quicker than he is fast and can make plays lining up all over the field on offense. He’s a tremendous route runner with the ability to sink his hips to quickly drive in and out of his breaks to create separation. He’s also sudden and elusive to make defenders miss in the open field with the ball in his hands. The biggest concern with Samuel is his durability as he’s battled hamstring, ankle and foot injuries during his time at South Carolina. He also tore his knee in 2017 against Kentucky after scoring 6 TD in 11 quarters, including 2 kickoff returns. 2018 was his first healthy season. Samuel’s durability concerns will likely lower his draft stock, which means he could very well be on the board when the Titans select at No. 51.
52. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kelvin Harmon, 6’2”, 221lbs, WR, NC State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
02/11/19 - Mack Wilson, ILB, Alabama
02/03/19 - Mack Wilson, ILB, Alabama
The Antonio Brown era is officially over in Pittsburgh and losing his presence in the lineup will put extra pressure on JuJu Smith-Schuster to step up as the team’s No. 1 wideout. No doubt the WR corps will look a lot different in 2019. Second-year pro James Washington is expected to take a big step forward after catching just 16 passes a season ago. Donte Moncrief was signed to a two-year deal after he failed to make the impact the Jaguars were expecting a season ago. Then there’s Eli Rogers, who is coming off an ACL tear that caused him to miss all but three games last season. Rogers will be competing with Ryan Switzer for reps in the slot. It feels like the WR position is set with five veteran WR’s to carry the load, but there are questions beyond Smith-Schuster and adding another wideout on the outside makes sense. Harmon emerged as one of the nation’s top WR’s as a sophomore in 2017, hauling in 69 passes for 1,019 yards and 4 TD, becoming the first 1,000-yard Wolfpack receiver since 2003. He enjoyed an All-American season as a junior with 81 catches for 1,186 yards and 7 TD. Harmon is a big-bodied WR with excellent strength to fight through press coverage and get some separation at the top of his routes. While he’s not a burner, as evidenced by his 4.6 40 time, Harmon is a savvy receiver who does a great job with his hands to create late separation against the defender. He is tremendous tracking the football down the field and will attack the ball when it’s in the air, showing an ability to adjust and turn his body in the air to make a play. Harmon will come back to the ball and is a weapon underneath. He is very strong with the football after the catch, showing he can absorb contact and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder for extra yards. Harmon is more of a possession-type receiver due to his inability to separate and is not very elusive after the catch as he’s move of a straight-line runner. And while Harmon does extend for the ball, he does have some lapses where he lets the ball get into his body.
53. Philadelphia Eagles (from Baltimore) – Jeffery Simmons, 6’4”, 301lbs, DT, Mississippi State, Jr.
04/05/19 - Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
02/11/19 - Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
02/03/19 - Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson
Jeffery Simmons was expected to be a top-15 pick until he tore his ACL in a pre-Combine workout. Couple that with the fact that he pled no contest to simple assault after striking a woman multiple times as a Mississippi State recruit and you have several red flags that will send him down the draft board. Philly may be the best landing spot as Simmons recovers from his injury. Fletcher Cox is a Pro Bowl DT and Malik Jackson signed as a free agent to take over the starting spot. Timmy Jernigan is still on the roster following a non-football injury in March 2018 that caused a herniated disc in his back ,forcing him out of action until November. Jernigan’s contract was re-worked to have all three remaining years of his contract be option years with no guaranteed money. Depending on how his future plays out, Philly will need an insurance policy at DT, especially since Haloti Ngata recently retired atop Mt. Kilimanjaro. Simmons is a zero-technique who can affect both gaps and has a nice blend of size, power and speed. In his final two seasons with the Bulldogs, Simmons tallied 123 tackles, 30.0 TFL, 7 sacks, 5 pass breakups and 3 forced fumbles, wreaking havoc on the inside while Montez Sweat was bending around the outside edge. Despite having Sweat as his running mate, it was Simmons who consistently found his way into the backfield to disrupt run plays shortly after the mesh point and could collapse the pocket to force the QB to make a decision with the ball before he wanted. Simmons has kept himself out of trouble off the field, so if he can keep that up and can return to form following the injury, the Eagles would be getting a steal at this point in the draft.
54. Houston Texans (from Seattle) – David Montgomery, 5’10”, 222lbs, RB, Iowa State, Jr.
04/05/19 - David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
02/11/19 - David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
02/03/19 - Kaden Smith, TE, Stanford
Lamar Miller finished 2018 with 973 yards on the ground and would have eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the third time in his career had he not missed two games with an ankle injury. However, Alfred Blue is a free agent, meaning D’Onta Freeman, who managed just 7 carries a season ago, as the primary backup. Adding another RB to shoulder some of the load would make sense here. Montgomery was a reserve RB as a freshman before taking over starting duties as a Cyclone. He went on to post back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons with two straight seasons of double-digit TD’s on the ground. While Montgomery ran just a 4.63 40 at the Combine, it’s good to know that he’s not considered a burner and is known to be quicker than fast. His game translates to the next level because of his vision, lateral agility and contact balance. Montgomery has exceptional vision to see the cutback lane when he presses the line of scrimmage and just when the defense thinks he’s bottled up on one side of the field, he’ll find an opening and will put his foot in the ground and run to daylight. He also has very quick feet that allows him to shake defenders in the open field and make lateral cuts to avoid defenders. Montgomery’s lateral cuts are so sudden and take place in such a short area that he can avoid multiple defenders on one play. When it comes to breaking tackles, there’s nobody better in college football. According to Pro Football Focus, Montgomery finished the 2017 season with 104 broken tackles. To give an idea of what that means, the previous leaders of that stat were Dalvin Cook with 89 in 2016, Leonard Fournette with 84 in 2015 and Kareem Hunt with 84 in 2016. Montgomery has tremendous balance to absorb contact, keeps his legs churning after he’s hit and always seems to be falling forward. He just seems to get better as the game goes along, which takes its toll on the defense. He’s also a proven weapon in the passing game, having hauled in 71 passes in his three years at Iowa State. His good hands out of the backfield make him a viable three-down back at the next level, though he does have some work to do in pass protection. I think adding Montgomery to team with Miller is an upgrade over last year’s backfield for Houston.
55. Houston Texans - Terry McLaurin, 6’0”, 208lbs, WR, Ohio State
04/05/19 - Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
02/11/19 - Chris Lindstrom, OG, Boston College
02/03/19 - Connor McGovern, OG, Penn State
At first glance, the WR position does not appear to be an area of need. DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best WR’s in the game, Will Fuller is the team’s vertical threat and Keke Coutee enjoyed a solid rookie season as a weapon in the slot. However, Demaryius Thomas was released following his guilty plea to careless driving resulting injury after his SUV went off the road and flipped while traveling twice the posted speed limit, injuring one of his passengers in the process. His departure leaves DeAndre Carter an Vyncint Smith, who combined for just 25 catches last year, as the only other WR’s with receptions in 2018. Adding another WR would give Deshaun Watson a much-needed weapon in the passing game and one player whose stock continues to rise throughout the pre-draft process has been Terry McLaurin, who looked very polished at the Senior Bowl and was arguably the best WR there, then ran a 4.35 40 at the Combine and showed excellent route running skills. McLaurin reminds me of D.J. Moore a bit from last season, though his production didn’t match Moore’s due to the depth the Buckeyes had at the WR position. McLaurin wasn’t a factor at Ohio State until his sophomore season when he caught 11 passes for 114 yards and 2 TD. His role expanded in 2017 with 29 receptions for 436 yards and another 6 scores. Working with Dwayne Haskins helped with an uptick in production, hauling in 35 passes for 701 yards (that’s a 20.0 average folks) and 11 TD, and that’s with sharing the ball with the likes of Campbell, Johnnie Dixon, K.J. Hill, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor, all of whom hauled in at least 20 passes in 2018. McLaurin is able to create separation, not only with his burst, but also with his refined route running. His cuts are very crisp as he sinks his hips to get in and out of his breaks and has fluid hips to open up and accelerate away from the defender. McLaurin is also very physical at the top of his route to create further separation as he puts his foot in the ground. That physicality also allows him to win at the line of scrimmage, using a quick hand slap to beat press coverage. Sports Info Solutions reported McLaurin’s explosive catch rate, or the number of 20+ yard reception/targets, was 23.1%, which was good for 10th overall among wideouts and RotoWorld reported McLaurin’s 14.3 yards per target average is the highest among WR’s and his 22.4% TD-rate (11 TD on 49 targets) was 2nd in the country. McLaurin was virtually unblockable during one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl, having turned around corners on virtually every rep. His dominance was reminiscent of Cooper Kupp, who lacked top end speed, but knew how to get open with his routes. McLaurin doesn’t take full advantage of his catch radius as he lets too many passes get into his body. He also seemed to earn most of his yards after catch in stride rather than making any moves to beat defenders in the open field. That said, we’ve seen players excel at the Senior Bowl, which translates into a higher draft selection and that’s why I expect McLaurin to come off the board in Round 2.
56. New England Patriots (from Chicago) – Daniel Jones, 6’5”, 221lbs, QB, Duke, Jr.
04/05/19 - Dawson Knox, TE, Ole Miss
02/11/19 - Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M
02/03/19 - Riley Ridley, WR, Georgia
The Patriots need to find Tom Brady’s eventual successor, but it doesn’t have to come in Round One. I think they will be patient and use one of their 2nd Round picks on a QB to be groomed behind TB12 until he decides to call it a career. Jones is the latest David Cutcliffe disciple and while he lacks ideal arm strength and struggles with ball placement, he has a high football IQ, can make all the throws and displays exceptional pocket presence to avoid the rush and extend plays. Jones threw for 8,201 yards and 52 TD to 29 Int. in his three seasons with the Blue Devils, but what’s concerning is his 59.9% career completion percentage, some of which can be attributed to a high drop rate by Duke wideouts. His lack of arm strength was apparent at the Combine as he really had to put effort into pushing the football down the field. Jones also seems to hold onto the ball too long even patting the ball multiple times as he’s going through progressions, making throws late to miss the open man, and tries to fit the ball into too tight of a window too often. That said, he can be an accurate deep ball thrower, putting enough air under the ball to allow the WR to run under the ball without breaking stride. Jones can also extend plays with his legs, keeping his eyes down the field to find the open man, then squaring to his target and delivering a strike while on the move. Jones needs to address his consistency. Against Virginia and Miami, he completed just 52% of his passes for just 370 yards with just 1 TD to 3 Int. But, against North Carolina, he finished with 547 total yards (361 passing and 186 on the ground) with 4 total TD and he dominated Temple in the Independence Bowl, completing 73.2% of his passes for 423 yards with 5 TD and just 2 Int. Clearly, Jones needs a couple of years of development behind an established starter before he can step in, so this would be a perfect situation for him.
57. Philadelphia Eagles – Darnell Savage, Jr., 5’11”, 198lbs, S, Maryland
04/05/19 - Michael Deiter, OG, Wisconsin
02/11/19 - Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson
02/03/19 - David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
The Eagles will be looking to move on from Rodney McLeod, who is in the last year of his deal. Savage, a three-year starter, has been a playmaker for Maryland at the safety position. His ball skills were evident, having picked off 8 passes and broke up another 13 in his career with the Terps. He is an instinctive safety with good route recognition and his sub-4.4 speed allows him to drive quickly on the ball to make a play. Savage also has fluid hips to turn and run with the receiver and likes to play tight in coverage, which would allow him to line up in the slot at the next level. He also diagnoses run plays early, has the burst to knife through gaps and avoid blockers before arriving to wrap up in the open field. His play against the run will also allow him to play in the box as an additional LB. His versatility will get him on the field early and should take over for McLeod as Philly’s deep safety.
58. Dallas Cowboys – Johnathan Abram, 5’11”, 205lbs, S, Mississippi State
04/05/19 - Amani Hooker, S, Iowa
02/11/19 - Oshane Ximines, DE, Old Dominion
02/03/19 - Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M
The Cowboys are without a 1st Round pick after the Amari Cooper trade and after their haul this offseason through free agency and trades, Dallas can use this pick to find a running mate for Xavier Woods. George Iloka was brought in and while that’s a good start, I don’t think that’s a long-term option. Abram was the unquestioned leader of the Bulldog secondary since arriving on campus in Starkville as a JUCO transfer. Abram is best known as a ferocious hitter, looking like a heat-seeking missile flying downhill. His physical presence makes WR’s think twice when coming into his area. Abram played quite a bit in the box as an extra LB and showed he can offer some cover skills as a nickel. He is decisive against the run, plays sideline to sideline, showing off excellent pursuit speed and is a sure open-field tackler. Where Abram seems to struggle is with is range over the top, arriving a step slow due to a lack of anticipation and his ball skills need work. He also shows some stiffness in his hips if he’s asked to turn and run with WR’s. Abram has the ability to be selected in Round One, but Dallas wouldn’t mind taking him here on Day 2.
59. Indianapolis Colts – Taylor Rapp, 6’0”, 208lbs, S, Washington, Jr.
04/05/19 - Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State
02/11/19 - Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
02/03/19 - Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State
Safety Malik Hooker had a solid 2018 campaign and Clayton Geathers and Matthias Farley provide some depth at the position, but DC Matt Eberflus needs a versatile defender on the back end that he can use in a variety of ways to create mismatches. Rapp is known for his versatility, playing all over the field in the back end of the Washington defense the last three years. Rapp started 10 games as a true freshman, finishing with 53 tackles, 4 Int. and 2 pass breakups while also being named defensive player of the game for the Pac-12 Championship after picking off two passes and returning one of them for TD. Rapp was a 1st Team All-Pac 12 performer as a sophomore with 59 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks, and an Int. He turned things up a bit as a junior, making plays all over the field. He received All-America honors with 59 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 Int., 5 pass breakups and 3 fumble recoveries. Rapp excels around the line of scrimmage, showing an ability to play in the box as an extra LB and can also cover TE’s in coverage. He was also one of the better blitzers while at UW and is excellent against the run and in the open field. Rapp is an intelligent player who always puts himself in position to make a play on the football. He processes the play quickly and is quick to react. Once he arrives at the ball, he’s not only under control, but he also comes with bad intentions, looking to deliver a big hit. However, his body has held up well despite the physicality with which he plays. Rapp’s ability to play over the top against the pass is just okay, but he can absolutely line up in the slot and cover WR’s and TE’s. When the ball arrives, Rapp shows good ball skills with no hesitation to go after the ball and make a play. If you’re still not sold on Rapp’s athleticism, his 3.99-second 20-yard shuttle was the fastest among Safeties at the Combine since 2016. Now, Rapp does need to be strategic with his physicality as he does take quite a bit of punishment as well. He also shows average lateral agility to get to ball carriers on the sideline. However, Rapp is an intelligent player and I can see Indy utilizing his versatility to get creative with where they line him up, which I can imagine will be all over the field.
60. Los Angeles Chargers – Khalen Saunders, 6’0”, 324lbs, DT, Western Illinois
04/05/19 - Darnell Savage, Jr., S, Maryland
02/11/19 - Gerald Willis III, DT, Miami, Fla.
02/03/19 - David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin
Brandon Mebane is back, but after losing Corey Liuget and Damion Square, the Bolts are left with Justin Jones and Isaac Rochell up front. Adding another DT will be key. Saunders dominated the FCS level, living in opposing backfields and finishing his career with 34.5 TFL and 18.0 sacks, including 14.0 in the last two seasons. Saunders was tremendously active, finishing his career with 204 tackles, and had a knack for finding the football, having recorded 6 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries in his career with the Leathernecks. However, it was his play at the Senior Bowl that had everyone take notice. He has very active hands and his usage is advanced, showing an ability to quickly slap the O-lineman’s hands off him to disengage and will then use a swim move to shoot the gap to get penetration. His quickness off the ball allows him to split double teams and has good lateral quickness to elude blockers. His surprising athleticism will be a welcome addition to the interior of Indy’s defensive front.
61. Kansas City Chiefs – Elgton Jenkins, 6’4”, 310lbs, OC, Mississippi State
04/05/19 - Zach Allen, DE, Boston College
02/11/19 - Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan
02/03/19 - Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
The Chiefs lost Mitch Morse in free agency and need to address the center position on Day 2. Jenkins is one of the more versatile linemen in this year’s draft, having started 5 games at LT, 2 at LG and 1 at RT before finishing his career with the Bulldogs by starting 25 of his last 26 games at the center position. Jenkins also has the size, strength and length to be an early starter at the next level. He offers good quickness out of his stance, is a natural knee bender and plays with good leverage and hand placement. Jenkins can also anchor at the point of attack and is solid in close quarters. His struggles begin when he’s asked to play in space and is limited when climbing to the second level. I think Jenkins can compete with Austin Reiter at the pivot right away and can also offer depth all along the line.
62. New Orleans Saints – Parris Campbell, 6’0”, 205lbs, WR, Ohio State
04/05/19 - Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State
02/11/19 - Dawson Knox, TE, Mississippi
02/03/19 - Elgton Jenkins, OC, Mississippi State
Drew Brees is now 40 years of age, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. In fact, Pro Football Focus announced that Brees broke the PFF record for highest adjusted completion percentage, which stood since 2007, by posting an 82.2% this past season. Saints must continue to find him weapons to whom to get the ball to take pressure off Pro Bowl wideout Michael Thomas. The signing of TE Jared Cook, who enjoyed a career year a season ago with the Raiders, is a good start, addressing the WR position is a must. Cameron Meredith has battled injuries and has yet to develop into the WR New Orleans was expecting him to be, while Ted Ginn, Jr. is now 33 years of age. Then there’s Austin Carr and Keith Kirkwood, two possession WR’s the Saints like, but won’t be the type of player Brees needs opposite Thomas. To make matters worse, all of the WR’s I mentioned, including Thomas, will be free agents at season’s end. Sean Payton was so desperate to find WR help last season, he signed Dez Bryant, who tore his Achilles in his second practice with the team. Parris Campbell, like Ginn, Jr., is a speedster from the Ohio State University. However, unlike Ginn, Jr., it took him until his senior season to really have a breakout year. In 2018, Campbell hauled in 90 passes for 1,063 yards and scored 12 TD. He has always had game-breaking speed that allowed him to make plays as a RB and in the return game, but he finally showed improved hands. Campbell very sudden with the ball in his hands and can avoid defenders in space. He was also a threat to go the distance on every play. The Buckeyes kept his role limited, so he’ll need time to develop is route running ability. However, Campbell made everyone take notice with his 4.31 40 time, which helped him garner some 1st Round buzz. However, I see more of a Curtis Samuel clone and a 2nd round selection makes sense. Campbell’s speed would complement Thomas’ playmaking well.
63. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Julian Love, 5’11”, 195lbs, CB Notre Dame, Jr.
04/05/19 - Erik McCoy, 6’4”, 303lbs, OC, Texas A&M, Jr.
02/11/19 - Tre Lamar, ILB, Clemson
02/03/19 - Erik McCoy, OC, Texas A&M
Kansas City had a memorable 2018 season that saw the emergence of a superstar in league MVP Patrick Mahomes. However, while the offense fired on all cylinders all season long, the defense sputtered down the stretch. While the Chiefs were able to get to the QB 52 times, which tied them with the Steelers for 1st in sacks, their pass defense ranked 31st in the league. The secondary let KC down in the shootout against the Rams in November and against the Patriots in the AFC title game. Bob Sutton was replaced by Steve Spagnuolo at DC, but the changes won’t stop there. Kendall Fuller was the team’s top corner and he’ll be a free agent in 2020, while Steven Nelson, who had himself a strong season opposite Fuller, left for Pittsburgh. The rest of the group is in desperate need of an upgrade. While KC did bring in Bashaud Breeland in, who started 58 of his 60 games played while in Washington from 2014-2017, he’s coming off a 2018 season that saw him play in just 7 games for the Packers, so adding at least one additional corner is a must. Love is a ballhawk on the outside with a knack for making a play on the football. Love picked off 5 passes and racked up 39 pass breakups in his three years with the Irish. He does lack ideal size and ran just a 4.54 40, but he’s quicker than fast, as evidenced by his 6.72 time in the 3-cone drill, which was good for 3rd fastest among CB’s. He’s intelligent on the outside, reading the QB’s eyes and gets a quick jump to undercut routes. I think Love has a chance to compete with Breeland for playing time early.
64. New England Patriots – Zach Allen, 6’4”, 281lbs, DE, Boston College
04/05/19 - L.J. Collier, DE, TCU
02/11/19 - J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
02/03/19 - Dawson Knox, TE, Mississippi
The Pats end Round 2 by addressing its anemic pass rush that finished tied for 30th in the league with the Giants with just 30 sacks; only the Raiders and the staggeringly low total of 13 finished below them. Adding Michael Bennett is a start but adding another edge rusher is a must. Adding another DE is a must and Allen is one of the more productive D-linemen in this year’s draft. Allen posted three straight seasons with double digit TFL’s and at least 6.0 sacks. The BC team captain is disruptive off the edge with a quick get-off an advanced hand usage to win at the point of attack. He has violent hands and you’ll often see a chop and rip or a quick club to quickly get off the OT’s block, then has enough flexibility to bend a bit around the edge. Allen can also get to the QB with a strong bull rush by getting under the OT pad level and extending his arms to drive him into the QB. Allen will also work outside before using a quick spin move back inside to pressure the QB stepping up in the pocket. His nonstop effort doesn’t end if he can’t get to the QB as Allen has the timing to use his length to get his hand in the passing lane at the right time to knock the pass away; Allen had 14 pass breakups in his career, including 7 in 2018. Allen is not just a pass rusher as he diagnoses run plays quickly and keeps working to chase the RB down from behind. Not sold yet? Allen is tremendously active for a DE as he topped 100 tackles as a junior. Allen’s production screams 1st Round pick, but since he relies on his motor over superior athleticism, he’ll likely fall to Day 2. KC should quickly turn in the card if Allen is available here.