The Brave News

by Lucas Garrison

With the 2019 NFL Draft just hours away, here are my picks and thoughts for the ever-important first round tonight.

(Arizona Cardinals trade with Raiders. The Cardinals will receive the 4th overall pick, the 27th pick, the 140th pick, and a 2020 fourth round pick.)

1. Oakland Raiders: (needs) DE, RB, LB, DB

Selection: QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

• The Raiders select Kyler Murray. Jon Gruden seems to grow fonder and fonder of Kyler, and lacks trust in Derek Carr. Expect Carr to be traded.

2. San Francisco 49ers: LB, DB, EDGE

Selection: DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State.

• Bosa maybe the most complete player in the draft and could complement this Defense that will now feature Dee Ford Kwon Alexander, and now Nick Bosa.

3. New York Jets: EDGE, WR, LB

Selection: EDGE Josh Allen, Kentucky

• The Jets need to boost their pass rush abilities. Along with Leonard Williams expect teams to struggle to stop both of these elusive pass rushers

4. Arizona Cardinals: OL, WR, DE

Selection: MLB Devin White, LSU

• The Cardinals after trading down from number one still had a surplus of players Choose from they take Devin White who will look to make an immediate impact on the teams pass rush

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OL, RB, DB, DL

Selection: DT Quinnon Williams, Alabama

• The Bucs get arguably a once in a generation talent Williams will more than likely replace Gerald McCoy who has had trade talks surrounding him for sometime now. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a move either later in the draft or during preseason surrounding McCoy.

(Giants trade down to ten with the Broncos. In return, the Giants receive the 10th pick in this years draft, the 71st pick and a fifth rounder next year)

6. Denver Broncos: QB, CB, ILB, DB

Selection: QB Drew Lock, Missouri

• Lock will more than likely sit a year behind newly acquired QB Joe Flacco. Hopefully he will develop into the talent the Broncos need. However, I think that Lock at best is a mid second round talent going to a team desperate to find the future of their franchise. In 3 years we could be looking at a huge draft flop.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: OL, WR, DB, TE

Selection: TE TJ Hockenson, Iowa

• The Jaguars offense will continue to struggle without weapons. Hockenson will be a reliable target for Foles as the team will more than likely rely heavily on the running game. Hockenson can bolster this team.

8. Detroit Lions: OL, WR, DB, LB

Selection: DT Ed Oliver, Houston

• The Lions add DT Ed Oliver here, and in doing so they form one of the most dominant defensive lines in football with Ezekiel Ansah, Trey Flowers, and now Ed Oliver.

9. Buffalo Bills: OL, TE, WR, RB

Selection: OG Cody Ford, Oklahoma

• The Bills are in need of making a large offensive splash in the draft. An OL doesn’t scream splash, but Cody Ford will provide solid protection to Josh Allen and the RB core. Solid Pick.

10. New York Giants: QB, WR, DB

Selection: QB Daniel Jones, Duke

• The Giants need a QB simple fact. They passed on Sam Darnold last year for Saquon Barkley which wasn’t a terrible pick. However, Eli has maybe 2 years left in him giving plenty of time for Jones to develop into a solid talent.

11. Cincinnati Bengals: QB, WR, DB, DL

Selection: DE Rashan Gary, Michigan

• Gary should prove to be a solid add to a team that needs as much help as possible. However, there are a lot of questions surrounding Gary for the simple fact of that he didn’t cause enough interruption at Michigan. Gary is a player with a lot of upside, but could also flop very hard.

12. Green Bay Packers: ILB/OLB, EDGE, DB

Selection: TE Noah Fant, Iowa

• A very straightforward pick for the Packers. After last seasons disappointing performance by Jimmy Graham, Rodgers is going to need a reliable secondary target. Fant should prove to be solid in the NFL, giving Rodgers another weapon, that could lead this team deep in the playoffs.

13. Miami Dolphins: ILB/OLB, QB, WR, OL

Selection: OL Jonah Williams, Alabama

• There is a lot of speculation across the Dolphins this upcoming season. A lot of experts think they will “tank” to get either Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert early in next year’s draft. With that being said that QB will need some protection why not take arguably the most put together OL in the draft.

14. Atlanta Falcons: DL, TE, OL, DB

Selection: DB Byron Murphy, Washington

• The Falcons secondary is old. They need help at CB, and Byron Murphy should work very well in Dan Quinn’s system. He should also boost the teams secondary.

15. Washington Redskins: QB, OL, DB

Selection: QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

• Once again the Redskins have put themselves in a situation in which they shouldn’t need to worry about a QB, but with the injury to Alex Smith the Skins made a trade for Case Keenum. Plus, the team will take Haskins at 15 hoping he can develop into a solid NFL talent.

16. Carolina Panthers: OL, DB, WR

Selection: WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma

• The Panthers need to give Cam Newton some dangerous targets. With the add of Brown he will know be able to rely on Greg Olson, Christian McCaffrey, and Brown. Along with the add of Chris Hogan Brown should be a solid add.

17. New York Giants: WR, DB, OL

Selection: EDGE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State

• Sweat will add to a team desperate for a pass rush. After trading away J.P.P. the Giants have lacked a pass rush. Sweat will be a solid add and a steal at 17.

18. Minnesota Vikings: OL, LB, TE

Selection: C Garrett Bradbury, NC State

• The add of a solid offensive line talent will lead the team to stronger pass protection for their well over paid QB. Bradbury also has the potential to move around on the OL.

19. Tennessee Titans: OL, DB, WR

Selection: OL Andre Dillard, Washington State

• The Titans have a problem with an injury prone QB. To start to hopefully change this they need to add some solid protection for him. Dillard is a very interesting pick for the fact that he is a very mobile OL. He can move back and forth across the OL.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers: DB, EDGE, WR, TE

Selection: DB Greedy Williams, LSU

• Terrible. The only way to describe the Steelers secondary. Greedy Williams in my opinion is the best DB in the draft. He’s fast and has amazing hands. Expect to see Williams boost this defense.

21. Seattle Seahawks: EDGE, OL, TE, LB

Selection: EDGE Brian Burns, Florida State

• With the trade away of Frank Clark the Seahawks need to add some solid young talent to the edge rush. Burns is a solid late first round pick. However, it may take 2-3 seasons until we truly see him bloom into his true potential.

22. Baltimore Ravens: WR, LB, RB, DB

Selection: WR D.K. Metcalf, Ole Miss

• The Ravens are coming off of a very impressive season. However, they lost a lot of their WR’s. D.K. Metcalf has impressed a lot of scouts. With this I expect the Ravens to jump all over him if he is still available here.

23. Houston Texans: OL, ILB, DB

Selection: DB Rock Ya-Sin, Temple

• The Texans have lacked in CB help over the past two seasons. Not only that, but they also lost star safety Tyrann Mathieu in free agency. Thus, the Texans need some much needed help in their pass coverage. Rock Ya-Sin may take time to develop but should be a very solid add to this defense.

24. Oakland Raiders: OL,ILB,RB,TE

Selection: DB Deandre Baker, Georgia

• The Raiders have lacked good pass coverage for years now. Baker should be a solid add to the defense. He can make an immediate impact. Plus, with Gareon Conley on the other side of him these two should make a solid one two punch in the defense.

25. Philadelphia Eagles: OLB, DB, RB

Selection: DB Nasir Adderley, Delaware

• Adderley will be a very solid add to the Eagles secondary. He is a CB playing at SS. This means you can float him around on the defense especially since he will more than likely backup Malcolm Jenkins. This is a very solid add.

26. Indianapolis Colts: DB, OL, WR

Selection: DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson

• Lawrence does have a lot of questions surrounding him. Especially after the steroid scandal in the CFP. However, Lawrence will be a great add to a defensive front that needs it.

27. Arizona Cardinals: OL, DB, WR, TE

Selection: EDGE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson

• Ferrell Is a very solid add to this defense. If all pans out as i’ve predicted they have now added two excellent defensive prospects that will bolster their defense to another level.

28. Los Angeles Chargers: OL, DB, DT

Selection: DB Johnathan Abram, Mississippi State

• Chargers last season drafted the best player in my opinion in the draft with Derwin James. If they are able to score Abram they now could have a lethal one two punch at the safety position.

29. Seattle Seahawks: OL, DB, WR, TE

Selection: OL Eric McCoy, Texas A&M

• The Seahawks just invested a lot of money in Russell Wilson. Thus, they need to start protecting him. The Seahawks OL has been terrible for years. Eric McCoy has a very good chance at being a solidadd to a bad offensive line.

30. Green Bay Packers: OL, WR, DB

Selection: OL Dalton Risner, Kansas St.

• The Packers in the draft have already added Noah Fant to give huge support to Aaron Rodgers. Now let’s get Rodgers some protection. The add of Risner would work very well hear.

31. Los Angeles Rams: OL, DT, ILB

Selection: DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State

• The Rams have not resigned Ndamukong Suh thus the need a DT. The add of Jeffery Simmons would more than likely work very well as he should be able to get very strong penetration up the middle.

32. New England Patriots: TE, OL, Edge

Selection: TE Irv Smith Jr., Alabama

• Gronk retired. Brady needs a new TE. Belichick more than likely will be able to turn Smith into a star.