Full 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Raiders and 49ers land defensive studs
By Justin Fried
31. . Quarterback. New York Giants. Daniel Jones. 17. player
With the Giants passing on a quarterback at No. 6 overall, there was no way they could do it again here at No. 17. In this case, they take the player they’ve reportedly been very high on in Duke’s Daniel Jones.
Jones’ biggest claim to fame is that he’s considered to be a pro-ready quarterback who could step in and hold his own out of the gate, but he just doesn’t have the arm talent you typically look for in a first-round quarterback. His deep ball needs a ton of work and he lacks the developmental traits to take the next step in the NFL. He could be an improvement over Eli Manning, but Giants fans shouldn’t be expecting a transcendent talent with Jones.
Offensive Tackle/Guard. Minnesota Vikings. Jonah Williams. 18. player. 60.
It’s amazing to think that Jonah Williams‘ stock has fallen so much that he could very well be selected in the late teens, but that’s just where we stand at this point. The Vikings had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last season and they get lucky enough to see Williams fall all the way to pick No. 18.
Whether he’s playing tackle, guard, or even center, Williams will likely excel at the next level given his powerful core strength and picture-perfect footwork and mobility. Concerns about his length are likely overblown and the Vikings could land a major steal here if he were to fall this far in the draft.
35. . Defensive Lineman. Tennessee Titans. Christian Wilkins. 19. player
There may be greater needs here for the Titans to address, but head coach Mike Vrabel could find it hard to pass up selecting a high-character interior defensive monster like Christian Wilkins. Wilkins was one of the faces of a Clemson team that won two national championships during his time there and that was due to his engaging personality on top of his on-field success.
Oakland Raiders: One EDGE target in every round of the 2019 NFL Draft. light. Related Story
In December of 2017, Wilkins became the first scholarship player in Clemson football history to graduate in two-and-a-half years showing his intelligence off the field. Pairing him up with perennial Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey in the interior could give the Titans a true strength in the middle of the defense.
Cornerback. Pittsburgh Steelers. Byron Murphy. 20. player. 55.
The Steelers defense took a step back in 2018 and much of that was due to the lackluster play of the team’s secondary. Pittsburgh has been struggling to find a viable No. 2 cornerback opposite Joe Haden for quite some time now and Washington’s Byron Murphy could be the answer to all of their problems.
Murphy is a standout zone coverage corner with excellent ball skills who could step in and start Week 1 over the likes of Steven Nelson, Artie Burns, and Mike Hilton. While the Steelers have struggled with drafting secondary players over the years, the selection of Murphy would hopefully make up for their prior draft mishaps.