2019 NFL Mock Draft Round 2
Selections 33-64

With Kliff Kingsbury affirming that Josh Rosen is the Cardinals' QB, GM Steve Keim needs to turn his attention to giving Rosen a clean pocket and time to make plays. Arizona ranked last in the league with a Pass Block Win Rate of 38% last season. If Rosen is going to continue his development next season, improvement along the offensive line is going to be imperative. Wisconsin's David Edwards could be an excellent addition in the trenches. Edwards will need some work on his pass-blocking footwork, but he has the athleticism and anchor to profile as an above-average starter at RT. An addition along the O-Line like Edwards could be a great step in maximizing Rosen's potential as a franchise QB.

Once the Colts get their top two TE's back for 2019 (Jack Doyle recovering from surgery after his injury a year ago, and Eric Ebron) , they'll be in a position to slide in a new threat at WR, which will help alleviate all the attention T.Y. Hilton receives. N'Keal Harry spent the past 3 season at Arizona State catching passes (213), creating highlights, racking up yards after catch ( nearly 3,000 of 'em), and scoring 22 TD's.

As I've stated with past CMD selections for WRFs in my Colts' selections, this player is not required to become the OROY (Offensive Rookie of the Year) or Pro Bowler. Would it be great if that happened? Oh, hell, yes. But it doesn't "need" to happen for Indy to be a better team offensively. Learning from T.Y., improving an already-solid base level of talent, and then slowly building skills and emerging into a force to be reckoned with at all times would be a solid first-year goal. Just taking away the propensity that defenses have of doubling-up T.Y. the entire game would be an immediate help. That's obviously not enough for a long-term talent.

The Colts finished 6th in the NFL last season in passing, and that was without a Pro Bowl TE (Doyle) and a trio of wideouts (Chester Rogers, Dontrelle Inman, and Zach Pascal) that had not been counted upon for more than depth. Only Pascal is a definite returner, along with the injured rookie last season, 2018 RD6 selection Deon Cain. Keep him in mind as a guy who could help create an extremely robust trio of wideouts (along with N'Keal Harry) for QB Andrew Luck.

I love Beast Mode, but, even if he were to remain with the franchise in 2019, his best days are in the rear view. Moreover, I remain uninspired by a Doug Martin-Jalen Richard combo leading the way. As with the #27 selection, this pick would take a tremendous amount of pressure off of Derek Carr, and it also could be the momentum booster the franchise needs heading into Vegas.

Consider that the last 3 years, the first running back taken in the draft has helped his team improve the next season by an average of 6 wins, and that doesn't even include Todd Gurley, who helped the Rams in their Super Bowl quest. Is Josh Jacobs on par with Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, and Ezekiel Elliott? That remains to be seen, but the bruising Tide product is one of the fastest rising prospects for a reason. With little wear, above-average speed, great balance, acceleration, and vision, and plenty of toughness, Jacobs could round out a group of 4 picks in the top 35 that would have the Raiders looking entirely different heading into 2019.

Checking in at 6'4, 314 lbs, Mississippi State'sElgton Jenkins has ideal size for an interior offensive lineman. While Jenkins spent most of his college career at Center, he recorded starts at nearly every position along the offensive line. Ironically, the one place he didn't start may be where he's needed most in San Francisco: Right Guard.

Praised for his heady play and ability to get to the second level, one of the biggest knocks against Jenkins has been a percieved lack of aggression in his game. But the former Bulldog seemed to find some extra pop in his pads at the Senior Bowl while working with the Niners' coaching staff. Between his size and intelligence, we'll overlook the position he hasn't played...for now.

- Brett Clancy, 49ers Analyst

Most of the headlines pertaining to the Giants will revolve around their QB situation or Odell Beckham Jr., partially because there's nothing exciting about the defense to write about. The Giants finished 24th in Total Defense, were next-to-last with a paltry 30 sacks, and only had TWO guys on the roster finish the season with more than 4 sacks. YAWN!

The Giants transitioned to a 3-4 Defense a year ago, and need more playmakers to make this unit respectable again. Boston College's DE Zach Allen is your typical high-effort/high-motor guy with average athleticism. He averaged roughly 6 sacks a season, and got most of them through tenacity. Tenacity is commendable, but isn't going to work as well against NFL O-Tackles.

Although Zach Allen won't be mistaken for Josh Allen any time soon, he may actually find success as a 3-4 DE where gap-control and playing the run tough take precedent over flying to the QB. Check him lumbering around here...Allen never gives up!

Among all of the things the Patriots have showed us, one thing that is sometimes overlooked is attacking the middle of the field. They have had a ton of effective slot receivers, culminating with Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman. Tight End has also been a position they have focused on in lieu of outside threats. They got production in the red zone in the early years, and then of course they had Gronk, one of the best ever. The Jaguars just declined the option on Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

This was an understandable move, but they need an explosive, one-on-one mismatch in the middle of the field. Noah Fant is not super-polished, or a useful blocker, but he is a size-speed nightmare that is going to require special attention. There may be 1 or 2, if any, Linebackers and Safeties that could stay with him for 4 quarters. Whoever the new QB is, they will be excited to have a weapon that changes the defense.

What does the arrival of new HC Bruce Arians mean for Ronald Jones? Who? Funny thing about memory. Many of us have mentally moved on from the Trojan Horse debacle that was 2018's RD2 pick. I've been surveying the media on Google keywords "Bruce Arians Ronald Jones". The Pewter Plank lists Jones as the top Buccaneer that will improve under Arians, but the writer doesn't really explain why. Arians values pass-catching RBs, but points out that the onus is on Jones to improve in this area.

Fortunately, Damien Harris excels in pass-catching. Although many mocks are now moving his teammate Josh Jacobs ahead of Harris on their draft boards (including us), Chris Hummer of 247Sports shows that when the chips are down and the game is close, it's Harris (Damien not Najee) who gets the ball when the game is undecided. Back to pass-catching, Damien Harris caught 22 balls in 2018. Okay, you are thinking, "Whoop-de-do, 22 catches", but keep in mind that Harris split carries three ways and rarely played in the 2nd half. So yeah, he's a great fit for an Arians-led team.

I'm convinced the Bills will take a TE in both Free Agency and the draft. They've been to games of ten of our top 12 TEs, and just let Charles Clay go, so it'd be a young room without a Maxx Williams or Jesse James added to the stable.

Irv Smith, Jr. will likely have the Combine's fastest forty, knows Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll from his time at Alabama, and has the draft's second-highest yards per catch vs AP-ranked teams, a chain-moving 18.5 ypc. Eleven of Smith's 44 catches this year went for 20+ yards. Smith possesses the character and football smarts that McBeane looks for, and blocked well in the Tide's run-first offense.

- Dean Kindig, Bills Analyst

With the Broncos' bringing in Joe Flacco, John Elway gives himself some flexibility with the early picks. Denver doesn't have to force a selection on a signal-caller any more, and if the player they covet needs patience, Flacco offers them that luxury. I found it interesting that it was reported that Denver targeted Flacco because of his experience playing under center.

That was part of the reason I passed on Kyler Murray at #10. Murray's height and build are not going to play well in a system that asks him to start under center, and while Lock doesn't have much experience in that area either, Lock has the size to survive in the pocket. Now, with the trade of Flacco, Lock won't be rushed to learn to play from under center. I still doubt he drops this far, or even to the second half of the first round. If not, I'll be keeping an eye on Ryan Finley with their third-round selection.

~ Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

Comment forthcoming . . .

In 2018 the Lions averaged 6.2 yards per passing attempt. That was good for 26th in the NFL. In 2017, the Lions' passing game averaged 7.3 yards per attempt, which was good for 7th in the NFL. What's to blame? A major injury to Marvin Jones which knocked the veteran receiver out for 7 games, nagging injuries to Kenny Golladay, and, of course, Tate being traded to the Eagles.

All were contributing factors in the offensive regression. In fact, the Lions' passing yards per game fell from 261 in 2017 (6th) to a measly 223 in 2018 (21st). This is just further proof that the decimated receiving corps was a major reason for Stafford's and the offense's regression. The statistics and the good ole eye-test would tell you that the 2018 Lions had no true deep threat and no explosivity (good word). Despite popular opinion here in Detroit, the offensive line wasn't primarily the problem. They were actually better in 2018 compared to 2017, having allowed 40 sacks this past season and 47 in 2017.

Simply put, the Lions need playmakers to make plays downfield. Which is exactly why the Lions are addressing their #3 slot receiver void with Oklahoma WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. If you haven't watched his highlight reel, please do so. You'll be wowed. Critics of Brown will cite his size, but speed kills. It's funny how no one mentions Tyreek Hill's or Brandin Cook's size when they're beating corners consistenly downfield and celebrating in the endzone.

With this selection, the Lions can address their depth at WR. Coupled with a run game they didn't have in 2017, the Lions could give themselves a better shot at returning to a Top-10 offensive unit in just one offseason. News has broken out that Brown will be missing the Combine with a foot injury and is likely moving to RD2 after many mocks had him projected as a late 1st-ounder. This would be a steal for Detroit here.

- Doug Hyde, Lions Analyst

Last offseason, the Packers shelled out a three-year, $30 million contract to Jimmy Graham, hoping that a dynamic TE would be able to spark a stagnant offense. Graham largely disappointed, posting a catch rate of 61.8% while gaining just 636 yards and 2 TDs. While current reports indicate that the Packers intend to bring Graham back for 2019, Green Bay needs to add current depth and future upside to the position. Some experts believe that Iowa's T.J. Hockenson could develop into a transcendental talent at the TE position. After accumulating 760 yards, 15.5 ypc, and 6 TDs in a timeshare with Noah Fant, Hockenson could do wonders for a Green Bay offense that's looking for more production out of their TEs.

The Falcons have already cut Robert Alford, Brooks Reed, and Matt "Money" Bryant to free up money and get younger. RT Ryan Schraeder looks like another cap casualty, but he makes more sense as a post-June designation. That means replacing him, and there currently isn't a good option on the roster. Dillard has NFL LT athleticism and college freshman power. However, in the Falcons' zone blocking system, he could be an excellent fit at RT. The question is whether he would be physically ready by Week One. Dillard's play strength is his only "red flag". With Quinn's job on the line in 2019, that's an important question for the Falcons to answer.

Comment forthcoming . . .

Kaleb McGary is a player who saw his draft stock significantly improve over the course of the Senior Bowl and its practices. It didn't matter if it was the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Charles Omenihu, or the promising but lesser-known edge-rusher John Cominsky out of Charleston, McGary looked impressive at just about every turn.

It's hard to teach 6'8 325 pounds, and yet even harder to find someone who uses that size to dominate defenders on a consistent basis. He is very agile for a guy his size and is a constant threat to pull and block downfield for his running back.

McGary has a very fleet-footed kick-set that allows him to effortlessly lead the defender around the quarterback. Some teams might view Kaleb as a RD1 prospect depending on his performance at the Combine. However, if he falls to the 47th pick the Panthers would be absolutely foolish not to jump on him to bolster an already-porous offensive line.

- Cody Lachney, Panthers Analyst

Last season, only two defensive linemen for the Miami Dolphins had more than five sacks. One of them is 37 years old. As good as Cameron Wake has been throughout his career, I do not think that anyone can truly convince themselves that they envision him being on the Dolphins' roster for more than 2-3 more years.

He is not Tom Brady, people! With little-to-no pass rush help available on the team, the Dolphins will look to the draft for help, and more than likely utilize over half of their picks to shore up both sides of the line. Oshane Ximines, out of Old Dominion, will instantly get playing time, as he accumulated 11.5 out of the Monarchs' 21.5 total sacks this past season (talk about a stand-out). The transition to the NFL will most definitely cause a drop in production, but he will only get better with time.

There were a lot of names I considered with this pick. If Jeffery Simmons falls this far after the knee injury he suffered training, they have to consider him. He is a Top-10 talent in this draft, and the defensive line needs help inside. On the other hand, I expecting a number of talented corners to hear their names called in the second round. I am particularly looking for someone with size, considering Denzel Ward isn't the biggest guy. Oruwariye is one of a few I have my eye on.

Also keep an eye on Vanderbilt's Joejuan Williams with this pick. He is expected to measure well over six feet, with athleticism that is expected to shine in Indianapolis at the end of the month. It will be interesting to see who Cleveland interviews at the event. Offensive Tackle, Defensive Linemen, and Cornerback are expected to be three of the deeper positions in the top 100, meaning Cleveland could come out of the first two days with multiple upgrades at positions of need.

~ Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

Comment forthcoming . . .

After addressing Edge, arguably their biggest need, in the First Round, the Titans can go so many directions. One serious option could be Receiver, especially with a talent like Hakeem Butler still on the board. If they're still not convinced that Derrick Henry is the go-to RB, they could go that route.

However, in this modern NFL, you need as many players who can do everything, from create pressure, to cover receivers. Coney can do a little bit of everything. He's not elite in either category, but he can do both well enough that he'd fill in well in Wesley Woodyard's role, who could be a cap casualty; he's in last year of his contract, and leaves no dead money behind. He's also 32, so they could draft Coney in a reserve role, with the intention of him taking over after Woodyard's contract ends.

Joseph fits this team as the "Mack" inside linebacker. He has exceptional fluidity of motion and the range to drop into coverage. His ability to read keys and diagnose plays is critical to him being a 3-down backer at the next level. Joseph's a reach at this point, but a reach based on the Steelers' tendencies to take chances on elite athletes.

Other options in play for ILB are Devin Bush from Michigan or even Germaine Pratt from N.C. State. Said Harbaugh about Bush: ""one of the fastest linebackers I've ever been around or seen." He has closing speed despite bulking up this year. Pratt, who may be more of an OLB, faced an early learning curve having converted from FS, but has length, strength, and athleticism to cover.

Defensive Line is arguably the biggest IMMEDIATE need for the Eagles (although RB Coach Duce Staley may strongly disagree). Despite a respectable 44 sacks in 2018, the D-Line wasn't the force it was in 2017 during their Super Bowl run. Also, anyone who saw how the defense shriveled in the Eagles-Saints playoff game after Fletcher Cox went down knows how Cox-dependent (Grow up!) this defense has become. Being so reliant on one guy is not ideal.

Enter DT Jeffery Simmons, a week removed from his tumble from the Top 15 due to a torn ACL, and probably just now coming to terms with the millions of dollars he's lost. As the great Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius said, "Misfortune nobly born, is good fortune"...which, loosely translated means "Sucks to be you!" Nevertheless, with two RD2 picks, I'd have no problem with the Eagles rolling the dice for a blue-chip player like Simmons at a bargain price. They'd have to redshirt his rookie year, but as Jaylon Smith, Myles Jack, and even Sidney Jones have shown...patience can pay off.

- Broz, Eagles Analyst

Comment forthcoming . . .

Comment forthcoming . . .

The Patriots' linebacker corps is arguably the biggest area of need on the team. While Don't'a Hightower and Kyle Van Noy had excellent performances in Super Bowl LIII, this was the higher end of their performances, and there is a good amount of volatility to what you get on a week-to-week basis. Furthermore, New England really deploys both as edge rushers and have replaced the inside linebacker position with another defensive back.

New England could look to bolster this position if Hodge is deemed the best player on the board. For years, the Patriots have struggled to cover running backs in the passing game, and it is conceivable Hodge can be groomed as Hightower's eventual replacement in a few years.

- Jonathan Rosenberg, Patriots Analyst

For the past couple of decades, the Eagles have filled their LB corps with bargain free agents and third-day draft picks. On the rare times they've used higher picks on LBers, guys like Matt McCoy, Quinton Caver, and Chris Gocong have been the result. With the oft-injured Jordan Hicks possibly moving on, Nigel Bradham is really the only guy the Eagles can count on right now.

After grabbing a potential franchise Left Tackle in RD1, and a redshirt stud D-Tackle in RD2a, I fully expected to select a RB or speedy WR with this pick. However, when a guy as highly-rated as Devin Bush falls to you this late, you simply can't ignore the value. Bush (10 career Sacks, 172 Tackles, 18.5 TFL) is a true 3-down backer. While he might be a smidge short, there are plenty of highly-successful LBers in the league of similar stature. Bush is a tone-setter in the run game: he's quick to diagnose and hit gaps, and arrives at the ball carrier rapidly and with bad intentions. His pass coverage skills are emerging, and he has the speed to cover sideline-to-sideline.

What do baseball and football have in common? Answer: the defense should be strong up the middle! If we were drafting for the Texas Rangers, we would review the roster for C, 2B, SS, and CF. However, for the Cowboys, we should look at DT, ILB, and S; thus, the reason this pick has fluctuated between DT and S, as ILB appears to be well-stocked. Six players on the current roster can play interior DL: David Irving, Tyrone Crawford, Caraun Reid, Antwaun Woods, Daniel Ross, and Maliek Collins. Irving and Reid are UFA, and Ross is ERFA . . . and Collins will be UFA in 2020. Irving's off-the-field issues, Reid's lack of talent, and Collins' injury issues seriously reduce depth at DT.

Isaiah Buggs played outside and inside on Alabama's 3-man DL; however, his physical attributes will limit him to the interior in the NFL. He fires off the ball low to overpower blockers, controls his gap, and does not give ground at the line of scrimmage. Buggs creates knock-back with strong hands inside the frame of his opponent, and snatches, rips, and push-pulls to disarm blockers and get in on the quarterback. In 2018, Isaiah recorded 52 tackles (23 solo), 13.5 for loss, 9.5 sacks, knocked down 3 passes, and recovered a fumble. DC Rod Marinelli will set this kid's hair on fire!

- Long Ball, Cowboys Analyst

The Colts address the defensive front in RD1 with the selection of a pass rusher, added their skill player at WRF, and now focus on a hole in the back half of an improving secondary which is ably filled by Florida's Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. The Secondary recovered 5 fumbles a year ago and 10 INT's, were registered by members of that unit, including 3 by CB Kenny Moore.

Other than Malik Hooker, the Colts' Safety position needs more "starter-level" talent and depth. With Hooker fighting of injury, both areas are vitally important. Gardner-Johnson would give Indy a defensive back that could be moved all around the secondary based on scheme, tendencies, and match-ups. Extremely speedy, Gardner-Johnson can get back to a deep spot in a jiffy without giving up an ability to adequately defend.

As a 3-year standout, Gardner-Johnson amassed 161 total career tackles (92 solo) with 9 picks (3 returned for a TD). CG-J would likely immediately overtake George Odom and other current Safeties on the Colts' roster. If Indy decides to re-sign either Clayton Geathers or Matthias Farley, the unit would be positioned in an even-more-favorable manner while adding a prospect like Gardner-Johnson.

Tre Lamar, who was a force in Clemson's magical run to the national title, is a hard-hitting 250-pound linebacker in every sense of the word. He will mind the interior gaps and blow up unsuspecting --and even suspicious-- ball carriers on a regular basis. PFF graded him at 91.6 against the run and his run stops-to-snaps percentage was in the top 5% nationwide. Like Denzel Perryman, who is expected to move on as a free agent after a serious knee injury last year, Lamar is a gap-conscious run-stuffer, not a down-the-field, pass coverage specialist. After getting exposed against the run in their playoff loss to New England, it makes sense for the Chargers to focus on exactly that.

Charles Omenihu is a name on the rise in this year's NFL Draft. A big defender with a massive wingspan, Omenihu has equal eye-popping burst out of a 3-point or a 4-point stance. He will fit nicely into the pass rushing-friendly system of new Chiefs' Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo. The Longhorn D-lineman attacks violently with his hands to win battles of leverage at the line of scrimmage. Omenihu hustles all over the field and his motor never stops running. Expect Omenihu's stock to receive further inflation once he flashes his speed at the NFL Combine, slated for the week of Feb 26- March 4. He should have one of the best forty times for his position group.

Makes you just shake your head and laugh heartily, doesn't it, Who Dat Nation? Deebo Samuel flying all over the field catching dimes from Drew Brees. To paraphrase the line from Ghostbusters, "Who ya gonna cover?" Michael Thomas? You must, no doubt. Alvin Kamara? Yep, him too. Ted Ginn, Jr.? If you don't, you know his capability. Tre'Quan Smith? Targeted 44 times by Brees, good for 457 yards and 5 TD's.

Yeah...let's not worry about the rookie and focus on these other guys. Oops...Touchdown, Saints.

Okay, okay...it's true, opposition Defensive Coordinators won't let him roam the field alone, but will they have someone that can stay on his hip? Some, but not many. Coach Sean Payton employed a lot more running in his offensive package last season and it went pretty well, but the Saints seemed to be missing that "earth-shattering" play --or moment-- at key times. The kind that has so often lifted the team up and out of an offensive funk, or ride momentum to drop a "50-burger" on the other team in a heartbeat.

Will the Saints fight temptation and go with Offensive Line help or a Defensive Back? Or does a Tight End become the first selection in the abbreviated 2019 satchel of selections? One thing in the past you could almost always count on was the Saints' ability to keep the score going up, no matter the opponent. That was not the case in 2018.

David Montgomery delivered an average of 4.7 yards per carry and 26 total rushing TDs during his three-year career for the Iowa State Cyclones. He also landed 71 receptions for 582 yards. If not for a poor offensive line, his stats would have been even better.

Splitting carries with Damien Williams, now nicknamed "Big Game Dame," would make the Chiefs' offense even so much more dangerous to opponents in 2019. The Chiefs could well be short-handed at this position if Spencer Ware finds suiters in Free Agency, which is very likely. And yes, I do recall what happened to that other starting RB. Let's cross that hurdle and move on.

The Patriots have lacked an interior pass rush for years. Despite his injury issues following him to the professional ranks, Dominique Easley did provide quality interior pressure when he was on the field. Since his release from the team, the Patriots have never properly replaced his production. Gerald Willis led the ACC this season with 18 tackles for loss, which is the most by a Hurricanes defender since Calais Campbell. Willis added 4 sacks to go along with 59 total tackles, a high mark for a defensive tackle.