Oakland Raiders: Full first-round 2019 NFL mock draft 2.0
By Sanjit T.
The Oakland Raiders currently hold three first round picks as of March 13, and here is our second full first-round 2019 NFL mock draft.
The 2019 NFL Draft will kick off in a month, and the Oakland Raiders hold the most draft capital. With three first round picks, the Raiders can do some serious damage, as they try to rebuild this roster for 2019 and beyond.
The Raiders have already been very active in free agency, picking up Trent Brown to be their new left tackle, and Lamarcus Joyner to play one of the safety spots. When you couple that with the trade for Antonio Brown, the Raiders suddenly have an already improved roster.
With that said, here is our second full first round 2019 NFL mock draft.
Note: This mock was written prior to Tuesday night.
1. Arizona Cardinals Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
Most current mocks have Kyler Murray going #1 overall. However, last time I checked, Steve Keim is still the GM of this team. There is no way a GM will draft a QB in the top-10 one year, and admit to making a mistake one year later, and draft a brand new QB. Although the Cardinals new coach Kill Kingsbury has some experience working with Kyler Murray, he has also coached Case Keenum, Johnny Manziel, Baker Mayfield, and Patrick Mahomes. I believe Kingsbury turned those QBs into college stars, not the other way around.
Steve Keim understands this, and with some coaching by Kingsbury, Josh Rosen can get his career turned around. Also, with the recent signings of Jordan Hicks & Terrell Suggs, all signs point to the Cardinals drafting Nick Bosa. Coach Vance Joseph switched to a 3-4 defensive front. So Suggs with play outside linebacker opposite of Chandler Jones, and Hicks will play inside linebacker. With Bosa weighing 266 pounds, he will fit perfectly as a 5 technique DE.
2. San Francisco 49ers Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
Most mocks have changed because teams now have Murray going No. 1 overall. However, ours hasn’t. The San Francisco 49ers will still select the best pass rusher available. Two of the three defensive linemen selected by the 49ers over the past few years, haven’t panned out. The one who has, DeForrest Buckner, needs help. Fill in Josh Allen, 17 sacks and five forced fumbles last season; he will be an excellent fit for this team.
3. New York Jets: Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama
In our last mock draft, I had the Jets selecting Quinnen Williams from Alabama. This time around, I think they take the other Williams from Alabama, Jonah. The Jets are interested in bringing back pending free agent Henry Anderson. They’ve also signed the biggest free agent name out there, C.J. Mosley. Between Anderson, Jordan Jenkins, Brandon Copeland, C.J. Mosley, & Leonard Williams, the base 3-4 front is mainly filled. The only spot available is Nose tackle, and Quinnen Williams is not an NT.
The most significant advantage of drafting Jonah Williams is he has all-pro potential. Some mocks say he is an offensive guard, but he hasn’t played any snaps at guard, ever. His pass protection is superb, and protecting Sam Darnold is a must for this Jets team, as that offensive line unit was pretty bad last season. Plug in Jonah, who has given up only five sacks over the course of his four years at Alabama, and he should be able to anchor that offensive line for a very long time.
4. Oakland Raiders Devin White, ILB, LSU
This year’s edge defender class is full of excellent prospects. However, the off-ball LB class is not filled with great prospects. With the Raiders needing a lot of help on defense, Devin White is the pick for the Raiders at No. 4. After the scouting combine, a few general managers made the comparison of White to Patrick Willis, and for a good reason. White had 123 total tackles in 2018, including 56 stops, which refers to positive impact plays against the run.
A lot of people will say if Quinnen is available, draft him. However, the Raiders recently re-signed Johnathan Hankins, which means they have 5 defensive tackles under contract. There’s no need at defensive tackle, but a ton of need at linebacker. Raiders have also signed Lamarcus Joyner, a solid safety from the Rams, but they haven’t yet signed any linebackers, all signs point to White.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
Sweat ran a 4.41 40-yard dash, setting a new record for a defensive lineman. Although many don’t believe in combine raising a players value, this is different. Not only did he produce on tape, but he also dominated the combine. His shuttle speed, bench press, 40-time were all suburb. The Buccaneers need help on the offensive line. However, they’ve resigned Donovan Smith on March 5th, which means they can focus on their defense.