With the dust settling after a flurry of free-agent signings, here's my updated mock for Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft.
To see every pick each team holds in the 2019 NFL Draft, click here.
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior (RS)
I've been saying it since Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the head coach, and I'm not moving on it now: Kyler Murray will be the quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. He handled the criticism of his NFL Scouting Combine interviews with grace and wowed at his pro day, and his skill set has exactly what it takes to excel in a Kingsbury offense. What happens to incumbent QB (and 10th overall pick in 2018) Josh Rosen? That's on general manager Steve Keim, and a question that is way above my pay grade.
School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
Bosa's the most polished pass rusher in this draft, and he is widely viewed as the top prospect in this class. San Francisco would be thrilled to see him slip out of the top spot, which is what I think will happen.
School: Kentucky | Year: Senior
Though this pick could be traded with the intention of adding more selections in the top 100, the Jets' roster is still missing a dangerous edge rusher. Allen had seven sacks during his junior season, decided to forego the allure of the NFL draft in '18, and responded with a 17-sack season in which he was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Based on the scouts I've spoken with, he's an amazing kid with great leadership qualities, too.
School: Houston | Year: Junior
Leave it to the Raiders to make a bit of a splash -- like this one. While everyone's talking up Quinnen Williams as the top defensive tackle in this draft class, I know of more than one team that points to Oliver as the guy atop the board at the position. With the success of Aaron Donald at his size (6-foot-1, 280 pounds, 31.5 sacks in 2017-18), don't be shocked if Oliver (6-2, 287) -- who I expect will run a 4.7-second 40-yard dash at Houston's pro day on Thursday -- goes before the more buzzed-about Williams.
School: LSU | Year: Junior
The Buccaneers hoped to bring back veteran inside linebacker Kwon Alexander, but the stud LB signed with San Francisco instead. So, they grab the next LSU inside linebacker coming down the pipeline. White blew scouts away at the combine with his speed, and I've had a general manager compare him to Patrick Willis. Not bad. The Bucs need some of that, and a whole lot more.
School: Missouri | Year: Senior
There will be WFAN hysteria and message-board debates about this pick leading right up until the card is turned in. I do think the Giants will go quarterback, but not the guy everyone has pegged to them. Lock wowed folks at the Senior Bowl, has a ton of moxie and can rip it. Make no mistake: The fans may not agree with the choice. But I see Lock as a Giants quarterback before Dwayne Haskins. The "Kansas City model" plays out, and it's Eli passing the torch to the former Missouri Tiger, not the Ohio State Buckeye.
School: Michigan | Year: Junior
Though he isn't generating the same kind of pre-draft buzz as Bosa or Allen, Gary is viewed by a lot of folks as the edge rusher with the greatest upside. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman had him
listed at No. 1 in his annual "Freaks" column last July. A two-time All-Big Ten Academic honoree, Gary has unlimited potential. The knock is production -- with just 3.5 sacks last season, there are doubters.
School: Alabama | Year: Sophomore (RS)
The Lions are thrilled with the free-agent addition of Trey Flowers, but they're not done. Look for them to add a few more defensive cornerstones in the draft. Head coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn are building a team from the inside out, and if Williams falls all the way to 8, they'll scoop him up. Viewed as one of the surest things in this draft, Williams has the Nick Saban pedigree and the versatility along the defensive line that Patricia will covet.
School: Florida | Year: Junior
Buffalo would love one of the elite front-seven defensive studs, but if the draft falls this way, I think offensive tackle will be the move. Taylor played right tackle at Florida, but he can play either left or right in the NFL. Still far from a finished product, he has monster paws and can protect Josh Allen for years to come.
School: Ohio State | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Joe Flacco will be the Broncos quarterback for 2019, but don't sleep on the team snagging Haskins or Drew Lock if one of those two falls to 10. Haskins ripped it at his pro day and, from what I'm told, was a "pied piper" leader on an offense littered with future professional players. John Elway swings for a quarterback again.
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior (RS)
The Bengals have a new coach (Zac Taylor), a new offensive coordinator (Brian Callahan) and a new defensive coordinator (Lou Anarumo). There are lots of spots to fill on the roster, but I can see Taylor pushing for more protection up front. Though Ford is still viewed as raw, the sky is the limit for this OU product, who excelled blocking for both Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield.
School: Iowa | Year: Sophomore (RS)
You'd be hard-pressed to find a scout who doesn't love Hockenson's game. A ferocious blocker with good hands and superb route-running skills, he's viewed as a complete tight end. Reliable, sturdy, proven -- he'd make new Packers coach Matt LaFleur (and, more importantly, Aaron Rodgers) very happy.
School: Clemson | Year: Senior
The Dolphins are clearly in rebuilding mode, seeking leaders and champions. They got one in defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick (drafted 11th overall out of Alabama) a year ago; Wilkins is that guy for them this year. His college numbers are absurd from the DT spot: 208 total tackles, 45 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and 56 quarterback pressures across four seasons, with two national championships as cherries on top.
School: Alabama | Year: Junior
The Falcons' roster was ravaged by injuries a season ago, and they still put up big offensive numbers. GM Thomas Dimitroff has gone to the Alabama well before and struck gold with receivers
Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. In Williams, the Falcons are getting a gamer who can play tackle (though he does not have the ideal build for it) or guard.
School: Mississippi | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Metcalf is more than just a combine workout warrior. When healthy at Ole Miss, he was often the best player on the field. The first snap from scrimmage against Alabama -- a one-handed snag and run that ended in the end zone -- showed just that. The Redskins are waiting on former first-rounder Josh Doctson to be what they hoped at receiver (the 2016 22nd overall pick has 81 career catches, 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns). Grabbing Metcalf gives them an immediate contributor with obvious elite athletic skills to use in Jay Gruden's offense.
School: Washington State | Year: Senior (RS)
The Panthers signed a talented center in Matt Paradis, but I doubt they're done adding to the offensive line. Dillard is considered a rock-solid prospect who stood out in the Pac-12 and excelled in drill work at the combine.
School: Clemson | Year: Junior (RS)
The leader of that loaded Clemson defensive line, Ferrell is one of the more decorated players in the entire draft, winning two national titles, notching a first-team All-ACC selection and the Ted Hendricks Award (college football's top defensive end). In 2018, he had 19.5 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, four pass breakups and three forced fumbles. New York gets the edge rusher the Giants' unit so desperately needs.
School: Washington | Year: Senior (RS)
The Vikings started to address the offensive line in free agency, adding Josh Kline, but they're not done. Look for this pick to be a center, guard or tackle. In McGary, they get a big, hulking body who'll be able to contribute right away. Viewed as a better run blocker than pass protector, he still has great room to improve.
School: Iowa | Year: Junior
I've polled several teams' coaches and general managers, and it seems as though there's far from a consensus as to which Iowa tight end is viewed as the better NFL prospect. The truth is, Hockenson and Fant are two completely different players. Fant is the athletic, pass-catching, game-changing tight end Tennessee's offense could so desperately use.
School: Washington | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Though he hasn't been accompanied by the same viral buzz or volume of YouTube clips as Montez Sweat or D.K. Metcalf, Murphy's stock may have jumped even more after the combine. His drill work was superb, and his size and build came in where scouts hoped it would be. Murphy's the top cornerback on my board, and I'll be surprised if he doesn't go in the top 20.
School: Mississippi State | Year: Senior
Sweat was the star of the combine, rocking a record-breaking 40-yard dash and looking like the next Julius Peppers. Though others have had him catapulting into the top five, I'm not sure he's viewed that way around the league. Seattle would be an awesome fit.
School: N.C. State | Year: Senior (RS)
If the Lamar Jackson era is going to work, the Ravens need playmakers who fit his style and as much O-line stability as possible. Bradbury had a great week in Indianapolis at the combine and is projected to be a Day 1 starter in the NFL at one of the three interior offensive line positions. Solid pass blocker, great run blocker. Perfect Raven. And Baltimore is all in on the ground attack, as evidenced by the Mark Ingram pickup.
School: Georgia | Year: Senior
Houston's defensive backfield underwent an extreme makeover in the past month. In Baker, the Texas get a confident young man with good size (5-11, 185 pounds), good speed and great ball skills. Baker went up against some of the top receivers in the SEC over the past few seasons and held his own. He'd slide right into one of the cornerback spots in Houston.
School: Michigan | Year: Junior
I could see the Raiders choosing to beef up their defense with at least two of their three first-round picks. Bush is only 235 pounds, but he can run sideline to sideline and showed as much with his 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the combine. A competitor who patrolled the field for Jim Harbaugh's Wolverines, he'd be an immediate upgrade to Oakland's current LB situation.
School: Alabama | Year: Junior
Jacobs is viewed by most teams I have spoken with as the top running back in this year's draft. He only ranked 144th in the nation in 2018 with 640 rushing yards. On the flip side, a limited college workload means he still has plenty of tread on his tires. The Eagles hit home runs across the board in free agency; they could nail this one if Jacobs slips all the way to 25.
School: Clemson | Year: Junior
GM Chris Ballard has had the golden touch over the past 12 months, nailing last year's draft perhaps like no other GM in the league. Lawrence was one of the highest-ranked high school prospects in recent memory out of North Carolina, and he delivered at Clemson. He's massive (350 pounds), talented and well-liked. Lawrence missed the team's two postseason games this year because of a failed test for a performance-enhancing substance, but his coaches vouch for him and scream it from the mountaintops.
School: Oklahoma | Year: Junior
This is the pick the Raiders got in exchange for Amari Cooper. Brown missed the combine and Oklahoma's pro day with a foot injury, but he's viewed as a Tyreek Hill type of game-breaker. Possessing electric speed, great ball awareness and above-average hands, Brown -- alongside his cousin, Antonio Brown, and new addition Tyrell Williams -- would immediately make Oakland's wide receiver room one of the more interesting in the league. I loved watching Brown in college. Kyler Murray swears by him. Jon Gruden scoops him up late in the first round.
School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior
Tillery could go as high as the top 15 or slip to the end of the second round. Eye of the beholder on this one. A 6-7 force who ran a 4.9 40-yard dash and was ultra-productive in his final season in South Bend, Tillery had eight sacks and also blocked two kicks last season. He's shown big flashes and would be a great addition up front for Gus Bradley's D.
School: Louisiana Tech | Year: Senior (RS)
The Chiefs' defense should look significantly different with a new coordinator (Steve Spagnuolo) and no Eric Berry, Justin Houston or Dee Ford. Safety Tyrann Mathieu will be a sound addition, but I see the Chiefs being players in acquiring a few pass rushers (either via trade or the draft). Ferguson had 45 sacks at Louisiana Tech, including 17.5 last season.
School: Georgia | Year: Junior
The Packers have added a lot on defense in free agency, but again, I look at the head-coaching hire and the desire to put as much around Aaron Rodgers as they possibly can. Ridley is a reliable receiver who, despite not putting up huge numbers at Georgia, runs precise routes and has fantastic hands. The younger brother of the Falcons' Calvin Ridley, Riley could very well be a first-round pick, too.
School: Penn State | Year: Junior
Sanders isn't getting the same pre-draft buzz as other running backs in this class, but his combine performance turned heads around the league. His pass-catching ability -- SEE: the Indiana game, when he hauled in six catches for 54 yards -- helps him. Los Angeles will look to add a complement (with the ability to catch passes out of the backfield) for Todd Gurley at some point in this draft.
School: Georgia | Year: Senior
The Patriots' defense put on a show in Super Bowl LIII, but New England will always keep adding to the depth chart. Walker burst onto the scene during his senior year in Athens, recording 7.5 sacks and flying all over the field in big games. Never underestimate Bill Belichick's love of players who were coached by guys he respects. Kirby Smart is one of them. The Pats took a pair of first-rounders out of Georgia a year ago, and they'll grab another in 2019.
Follow Peter Schrager on Twitter @Pschrags
