1. Cardinals – Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma: I don’t like Kyler Murray. I’m being forced to do this for the clicks. At this point in draft season, it’s more about what’s likely to happen than what we think should happen. And the buzz around the league says Murray will be the Cardinals’ pick.
2. 49ers – Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State: Many draft gurus have Nick Bosa as their top player in the draft, and rightfully so. Although he missed much of his last season at Ohio State with a core muscle injury, Bosa checks every box as a prospect and is said to be even better than his older brother Joey of the Los Angeles Chargers.
3. Jets – Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky: Allen’s production against some of the best offensive lines in college football is paramount here, and his talents in a blitzing scheme, both off the edge and as an left outside linebacker, will create a hostile environment for quarterbacks facing the Jets’ new 3-4 defense.
4. Giants (via OAK) – Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: I have the Giants jumping ahead of the Buccaneers here because there’s no wild card in the NFL quite like Bruce Arians, who could decide to pull the plug on Jameis Winston and jump at a pure pocket passer like Haskins. There has been buzz that the Giants are not interested in Haskins, but ultimately, he’s their best bet to replace Eli Manning.
5. Buccaneers – Devin White, LB, LSU: Kwon Alexander’s departure from the Bucs this offseason will leave a gaping hole in their defense, and while I still see the offense being the major issue for the Bucs, the talent in this class doesn’t lend itself to the Bucs’ offensive needs. Tampa Bay will hope that White can fill the Kwon-sized hole, and that the defense can right a sinking ship.
6. Raiders (via NYG) – Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama: I think the Raiders will be okay trading back two spots to acquire some draft capital in the third and fourth rounds, and they still end up getting a top-two player in the draft from my perspective. While the likes of Bosa and Murray and “home run” type picks that have a high ceiling, Williams’ ceiling is just as high, but so is his floor.
7. Bengals (via JAX) – Drew Lock, QB, Missouri: Drew Lock is the safest of the risky picks. He runs the offense given to him well, and can improvise when needed. His rushing stats have risen since the start of his career, showing improvement on being able to get out of the pocket. My question lies in his accuracy downfield, something not on display much at Mizzou. But the Bengals are desperate to rid themselves of walking mediocrity that is Andy Dalton, so they’ll take the risk.
8. Lions – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa: The Lions come back with another top-ten tight end to follow up Eric Ebron from 2014. But this time, they get a surefire star in T.J. Hockenson. Dominant at Iowa as a pass-catcher and a blocker, Hockenson is essentially the ultimate offensive weapon, and will plug in nicely to an offense that desperately needs a spark.
9. Bills – Ed Oliver, DT, Houston: The Bills get a solid interior lineman to help out a front line devoid of star power that has really struggled over the past few years. While some concerns about his character arose late into his career at Houston, the Bills cannot afford to pass on a player with such a high ceiling.
10. Panthers (via DEN) – Brian Burns, Edge, Florida State: I’m taking executive action as a Panthers fan and trading up with the Broncos to get my draft crush this year, Brian Burns. He’s an incredible athlete with insane quickness for his weight, and his use of hands to shed blocks is truly impressive. With Julius Peppers retiring, the Panthers add one of this year’s premiere pass-rushers who can contend for double-digit sacks very early.
11. Jaguars (via CIN) – Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama: Jonah Williams was the rock of one of the nation’s best offensive lines in the 2018 college football season, and his power blocking in the run game is really the highlight. Pass protect is also solid, and he’s the type of player that could show up on an all-pro list next year, much like his conference colleagues Quenton Nelson and Jack Conklin.
12. Packers – Devin Bush, LB, Michigan: Bush has been shooting up draft boards, and at this point, the Packers are lucky to have him available at the 12th pick. Bush may be undersized for the modern prototypical linebacker, but he is incredibly productive and possesses the intangible traits teams want in a leader.
13. Dolphins – Rashan Gary, Edge, Michigan: The Dolphins pick up a solid player for their defensive front that should help in their struggle to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Gary has incredible potential, as his speed and strength make it very hard for offensive tackles to deal with him on a bull-rush. If Gary can work on developing his swim and rip moves further to get outside and around the tackle, he could be giving offensive tackles around the NFL nightmares for years to come.
14. Falcons – Greedy Williams, CB, LSU: Williams may not be the interior defensive lineman pick that many expect for the Falcons, but the Falcons lost important members of the secondary in free agency, and need to get better all around on defense. Williams is getting closer and closer to being the consensus top cornerback in the class, and the Falcons would be getting a steal by selecting him 14th.
15. Redskins – D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss: Metcalf’s main selling point is his size at the wideout position, as he could develop into a deep route runner. Keyword being develop. Metcalf has a long way to go in terms of explosiveness in his release, as well as his agility in route running. His three-cone drill time at the combine is difficult to ignore, and there are still concerns lingering around his neck injury. But the high ceiling is hard to ignore at the 15th pick.
16. Broncos (via CAR) – Cody Ford, OG, Oklahoma: A good argument could be made that the Broncos won this mock trade with the Panthers. They give up their 2019 2nd round pick, but add great draft capital with 2020 1st and 3rd round picks. The Broncos then secure Oklahoma product Cody Ford, who played tackle in college but projects as a guard as a pro. He can bring the offensive line to the next level to protect new quarterback Joe Flacco.
17. Giants (via CLE) – Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State: Sweat has coveted size on the edge of the defensive front, something the Giants need to work to improve. And while Sweat may be a project as his pass rushing skills are not quite all there yet, the Giants, who are clearly spiraling into a rebuild, have plenty of time to work with Sweat on expanding his skill set.
18. Vikings – Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida: The Vikings would be incredibly lucky to acquire Jawaan Taylor, one of the consensus top tackles, with the 18th pick. Taylor spent late winter rising up draft boards, and would mesh well with an offensive line in Minnesota that needs help. Taylor can help protect Kirk Cousins and open up running lanes for Dalvin Cook.
19. Titans – Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson: Christian Wilkins is an incredible presence on the interior defensive line, as his agility at his size makes life difficult for opposing guards. As a Titans fan, pairing Wilkins with Jurrell Casey at the waning end of his career is a dream. Wilkins’ personality and character mesh perfectly not only with Casey’s, but also the entirety of the locker room.
20. Steelers – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington: With Greedy Williams off the board, the Steelers must look west to find their first-round cornerback. Byron Murphy is a physical, tough player who can cover the best of college receivers, and he’d fill a gaping need for Pittsburgh. For a team that is rebuilding on the fly, Murphy could come in as a rookie and contribute immediately.
21. Seahawks – Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia: Full disclosure: I am a Georgia fan. That said, I felt justified in this pick. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Baker as the first cornerback off the board at 20 in his latest mock draft. Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has him going 30th. Evan only reads Matt Miller on Bleacher Report, who has him going 39th. That aside, Baker is perfect for a Seahawks team that has lost its defensive identity. He was incredibly productive against some of college football’s best receivers, and a leader throughout his years at Georgia. Go Dawgs. (Evan’s note: Baker bombed his interviews and probably won’t go in the first round but Owen is a Dawg through and through.)
22. Ravens – A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss: The Ravens have been solid on defense for all of recent memory, and although free agency saw them lose some players, they also gained a future Hall-of-Fame safety in Earl Thomas. That leaves them to address the offense in the draft – with top running back Josh Jacobs falling down draft boards because of speed and injury concerns, the Ravens can turn to the player who is, in my opinion, the best receiver in the draft.
23. Texans – Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State: A four-year starter at Washington St., Dillard will be an instant relief to a Texans offensive line that gave up a whopping 62 sacks in 2018, the most in the league. Dillard should be able to come in and start improving that number with his exceptional footwork and pass protection. Run blocking remains the major area of growth for Dillard.
24. Raiders (via CHI) – Noah Fant, TE, Iowa: In a dream scenario that included Quinnen Williams falling to the Raiders at the 6th pick, they follow up with another strong pick, selecting Iowa’s other standout tight end, Noah Fant, with the 24th pick. Fant’s strength is in his flexibility and athleticism, and he’d immediately put the Raiders into contention for the best receiving corps in the league once paired with Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams.
25. Eagles – N’Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State: Harry is another big target man for downfield throws. He has an aptitude for dragging down balls in traffic, but has some room to grow in terms of his explosiveness and agility. His relentless drive to compete and unwavering confidence will be major assets in the league.
26. Colts – Clelin Ferrell, Edge, Clemson: Ferrell was discussed as a potential top-ten pick earlier in the draft season, but has been falling recently for the simple reason that he’s slightly less athletic than other edge rushers, and so many other good players are setting themselves apart. Ferrell is still a very strong prospect, and for a team like the Colts that needs pass rush help, Ferrell is the ideal pick.
27. Raiders (via DAL) – Garrett Bradbury, C, North Carolina State: Bradbury, an athletic offensive line talent with solid strength and good footwork, should be able to immediately bolster the Raiders’ somewhat average offensive line. His run blocking remains his real selling point, while his pass protection is satisfactory, but has room for improvement. The major concern with Bradbury is his size, coming in at 6’3” and 306 pounds with relatively small measurements.
28. Chargers – Taylor Rapp, S, Washington: Whether Taylor Rapp can be considered a sleeper anymore is up for debate, but NFL fans should keep an eye on the possibility that he is selected much higher than 28th. That being said, he’s a very solid fit with the Chargers, who, by pairing Rapp with last year’s defensive rookie of the year candidate Derwin James, would immediately have a top secondary in the NFL.
29. Chiefs – Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame: Tillery has exceptional power given his relatively smaller size at his position, and has well-developed moves to shake blockers. The main critique with Tillery is his consistency from snap to snap, something that Kansas City could work to fix. Pairing Tillery with Chris Jones on the edge creates a dangerous scenario for opposing quarterbacks.
30. Packers (via NO) – Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State: The Packers can afford to spend a late first-round pick on Jeffery Simmons, who is likely to miss his rookie season after tearing his ACL this winter, because their championship window with Aaron Rodgers is not closed and it won’t close for another few years. They can afford to make a run at the playoffs with just one first round pick in 2019, and when Simmons returns for the next season, he’ll be in a position to contribute on a team that could have completed a full rebound.
31. Rams – Dalton Risner, OL, Kansas State: The Rams had arguably the best line in football last year, but a lot of the talent on that line has been or will be lost. Guard Rodger Saffold walked in free agency. Tackle Andrew Whitworth is 37 years old. Risner is a good pick for the Rams as an attempt to help build the line back up before it starts to decline. While nothing stands out about Risner from an athletic standpoint, his incredible consistency from down to down and his positional flexibility should make him a mainstay on an NFL offensive line for years to come.
32. Patriots – Johnathan Abram, S, Mississippi State: The Patriots need to get younger and more athletic on defense. For a team coming off a Super Bowl win, they are far from perfect on the depth chart. Patrick Chung was injured in the Super Bowl and will turn 32 at the beginning of the season. Adding Abram here would give the Patriots good value for the pick and would set them up nicely with a rookie who can start immediately.

Mock trades:

• Giants receive: 2019 1st (4)
• Raiders receive: 2019 1st (6), 2019 3rd (96), 2019 4th (109)

• Bengals receive: 2019 1st (7)
• Jaguars receive: 2019 1st (11), 2019 3rd (73), 2019 6th (184), Giovani Bernard

• Panthers receive: 2019 1st (10), 2019 2nd (41)
• Broncos receive: 2019 1st (16), 2020 1st, 2020 3rd