Now that we’re in a bit of quiet time in terms of news, I thought it would be interesting to evaluate how each team did in the draft against the rest of the league by doing a 2019 NFL Draft Rankings series. Of course, this is an early assessment—we won’t know the true impact of each class until after the season begins.
The rankings are based on value for the pick number, team need, and also volume, because we know that the draft is often hit or miss. Therefore, the more picks a team makes, the more likely a team is to get good value out of their class. I have not accounted for players who were already in the league being acquired by use of this year’s draft picks (e.g. Josh Rosen to the Miami Dolphins for their second-round pick, Amari Cooper to the Cowboys for their first round pick, etc). These rankings are based solely on rookie selections made during the 2019 draft.
Part Two – Part Three – Part Four
2019 NFL Draft Rankings: Outstanding Draft Classes
This first set of classes includes teams who drafted at least four immediate impact players and/or got exceptional value out of their picks while still retaining draft capital for the future.
1) Arizona Cardinals – QB Kyler Murray, CB Byron Murphy, WR Andy Isabella, DE Zach Allen, WR Hakeem Butler, S Deionte Thompson, WR Keesean Johnson, C Lamont Gaillard, OT Joshua Miles, DE Michael Dogbe, TE Caleb Wilson
The Cardinals are in total rebuild mode coming off of a 3-13 season. Their offensive line, which was the worst in the league last year, is still mediocre at best. But they had needs at almost every position and made strides in multiple areas.
Kyler Murray is Kingsbury’s ideal quarterback. One could argue that they didn’t need a new quarterback. Murray will have to be the next Russell Wilson for this pick to be worth it since Josh Rosen was a top 10 pick just last year. Time will tell if he’s up to the task. Byron Murphy in a zone scheme across from Patrick Peterson has the potential to be one of the NFL’s best cornerback duos (after Peterson serves his suspension).
Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler paired with Christian Kirk and Larry Fitzgerald makes for a terrifying wide receiver core, especially if this news is true. They should take a lot of pressure off of David Johnson. Zach Allen should be a solid edge defender, similar perhaps to Trey Flowers. I’m surprised he lasted to the third round. While Deionte Thompson struggled in the FBS playoffs, he is still an instinctual free safety and absolutely a steal in the fifth round. They added some much-needed depth to their offensive line in the late rounds. And lastly, Caleb Wilson is a good pick to develop into a blocking tight end and perhaps to use on special teams.
Last word on the Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals had needs at almost every position and filled many of their needs with great prospects. Time will tell if moving on from Josh Rosen and drafting Kyler Murray was the right move, but on value alone, this was the draft’s best class.
2) New England Patriots – WR N’Keal Harry, CB JoeJuan Williams, DE Chase Winovich, RB Damien Harris, OT Yodny Cajuste, G Hjalte Froholdt, QB Jarrett Stidham, DL Byron Cowart, P Jake Bailey, CB Ken Webster
Maybe I’m biased as a Patriots fan (although I certainly wouldn’t have ranked them this high after last year’s draft). But the Patriots selected 10 players, many at positions of need, and got a couple of steals for good measure. The Patriots came into the draft in need of defensive end help, especially on the weak side, a completely depleted wide receiver room, no true number one tight end, and lacking at the swing tackle position.
I had the Patriots taking N’Keal Harry at 32 in my personal mock, and from the looks of it Harry was likely the number one wide receiver on their board. Harry has great size, spatial awareness, body control, and yards-after-the-catch ability. I believe he has the potential to emerge as a Michael Thomas-type threat. JoeJuan Williams is a pick that I could knock the Patriots for as, even without him, the Patriots probably have the deepest and most talented group of corners in the league. (Stephon Gilmore was ranked the best corner by PFF last season, Jason McCourty ranked sixth, and J.C. Jackson had the lowest passer rating allowed in the league when he was on the field.) I understand why they made the pick though—they struggle to defend running backs and tight ends underneath. I expected them to take a coverage linebacker, but as evidenced by this pick and the signing of Obi Melifonwu last season, Belichick seems to prefer DBs for this role.
Chase Winovich was my top plausible defensive end option for the Patriots, but I did not expect him to fall to the third round. He should be an immediate impact starter on the weak side. Yodny Cajuste and Hjalte Froholdt were fantastic value additions who, under the tutelage of Dante Scarnecchia, have the potential to provide depth for and eventually succeed Marcus Cannon and Joe Thuney, respectively. Jarrett Stidham reminds me of Jimmy Garoppolo but with more juice to his throws. He needs to work on his throwing motion, but I think he has a legitimate chance to succeed Tom Brady. The Patriots are still lacking a long term solution at tight end, but they’ve brought in some serviceable options for the upcoming season and are projected to have 13 picks in the 2020 draft.
Last word on the New England Patriots: New England looks to be better than they were last year, and they have a lot of draft ammunition left for next year as well.
3) Buffalo Bills – DT Ed Oliver, OT Cody Ford, RB Devin Singletary, TE Dawson Knox, LB Vosean Joseph, S Jaquan Johnson, LB Darryl Johnson, TE Tommy Sweeney
After last season, the Bills proved to have a great defense while sporting an offense that was mediocre at best. They needed to add a true number one wide receiver, some help on the offensive line, a tight end, and running back to eventually replace the production of LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore.
The value in each of their first five picks is truly amazing. Oliver, Ford, Singletary, and Knox can all be instant starters, and even Joseph could start day one given the right coaching. Ed Oliver is a menace as an interior lineman. For someone his size, he is unrealistically quick and explosive. Coupled with his fluidity, balance, and technique Oliver has all the makings of a premier tackle at the next level.
The Bills had been trying to shore up their offensive line for Josh Allen all offseason and continued to provide him protection by picking Cody Ford and Dawson Knox. Excellent in both pass protection and run blocking, Ford is easily a first-round value in a weak offensive line class. Singletary adds youth to the running back room behind the aging LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore. Vosean Joseph is an energetic linebacker who fires at the ball like a missile. If he can be coached to have more discipline, he can develop into a feared starter.
Last Word on the Buffalo Bills: Despite not acquiring a true number one target for Josh Allen, the Bills likely drafted five starting caliber players, which is outstanding for any draft class.
4) Seattle Seahawks – DE LJ Collier, S Marquise Blair, WR DK Metcalf, LB Cody Barton, WR Gary Jennings, G Phil Haynes, S Ugochukwu Amadi, LB Ben Burr-Kirven, RB Travis Homer, DT Demarcus Christmas, WR John Ursua
The Seahawks turned 4 picks into 11 and are expected to have 12 selections next season. That is spectacular dealing almost regardless of the picks made. The Seahawks biggest losses this offseason were safetyEarl Thomas, defensive end Frank Clark, and wide receiver Doug Baldwin. They needed replacements for these key players.
I have to question the value of LJ Collier and Marquise Blair as potential replacements for Clark and Thomas, but the Seahawks seem to have an eye for defensive talent. In any case, they made up for it by getting DK Metcalf at the end of the second and Ben Burr-Kirven all the way in the fifth. DK Metcalf is a stacked 6’3” 228 lb receiver who ran a 4.33 40-yard dash. Despite having a limited route tree, he has the size to win in contested catch situations and the speed to take the top off of a defense.
He may prove nearly impossible to defend one-on-one. At 6’1” 214 lbs and posting a 4.42 s 40-yard time, Gary Jennings is no slouch either. He was the number one receiver at West Virginia and should be a solid contributor for the Seahawks. Lastly, Ben Burr-Kirven provides depth behind Bobby Wagner. Burr-Kirven has upside to develop into a starter. Even though he’s undersized for the linebacker position, he was Pro Football Focus’s fourth highest rated off-ball linebacker in 2019 and may prove to be a sleeper addition.
Last Word on the Seattle Seahawks: John Schneider had 4 draft picks at the beginning of the offseason and walked away with 11 for the price of Frank Clark. Russel Wilson now has a restocked armory, and the front office had the freedom to take risks with defensive additions.
5) Denver Broncos – TE Noah Fant, OT Dalton Risner, QB Drew Lock, DT Dre’mont Jones, LB Justin Hollins, WR Juwann Winfree
The Broncos lost C Matt Paradis in free agency, were essentially missing a starting tight end, and needed to find a long term solution at quarterback. Linebackers Bradley Chubb and Von Miller are stellar on the outside, but the Broncos could have looked to complement them with some help on the inside.
It was rumored that the Broncos were targeting Noah Fant. Not only did they get their guy, they were also able to acquire draft capital in the process by trading down. Fant ran a 4.50 40-yard dash at the combine and racked up 519 yards and 7 TDs last season while playing opposite TJ Hockenson at Iowa. He had 11 TDs in 2017. Dalton Risner is another offensive lineman I was surprised to see fall to the second round. Risner’s ability to maintain his anchor and leverage make him excellent in pass protection. This pick gives them the flexibility to arrange their line in whichever way they find optimal after losing Matt Paradis.
Considering that Daniel Jones went 6th overall, getting Drew Lock in the 2nd was a steal. He should fit nicely into the Broncos scheme and have time to learn under Joe Flacco before having to start himself. Dre’mont Jones was another value pick and should factor into their defensive line rotation immediately. For someone who hasn’t played football professionally for very long, he’s had fantastic production. In 2018, he had 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries, and an interception. Labeled a “tweener” by many, he might be perfect for a 3-4 defensive end role.
Last Word on the Denver Broncos: The Broncos defense was already solid. Their offense should be significantly better heading into the 2019 season.
6) Tennessee Titans – DT Jeffery Simmons, WR AJ Brown, G Nate Davis, S Amani Hooker, EDGE D’Andre Walker, LB David Long
The Titans were looking to add a wide receiver, a nose tackle, and an edge rusher. They also needed to improve their interior offensive line, although the addition of guard Roger Saffold certainly helped.
The Titans bet on themselves a little by picking Simmons at 19. Simmons might be on par with Ed Oliver in terms of talent, but he likely won’t be able to play until December. Many analysts mocked AJ Brown to the Titans in the first. For them to get him in the second is likely a dream situation for them. The move helps establish a solid receiver core of Brown, Adam Humphries, and Corey Davis. Brown is a polished route runner and has great YAC ability. He was the number one receiver at Ole Miss, ahead of DK Metcalf.
I expected both Amani Hooker and D’Andre Walker to go in the late second to early third round. Walker will be excellent as 3-4 OLB. He plays quick, hits hard, and was the sack leader at Georgia this past season. Hooker looks to play a role in the slot or as a box safety and should further improve the Titans’ defense.
Last Word on the Tennessee Titans: All aboard the Vrabel train. The Titans filled all their needs with proven talent and are looking to contend in a competitive division.
7) Washington Redskins – QB Dwayne Haskins, DE Montez Sweat, WR Terry McLaurin, RB Bryce Love, G Wes Martin, G Ross Pierschbacher, LB Cole Holcomb, WR Kelvin Harmon, CB Jimmy Moreland, DE Jordan Brailford
Dwayne Haskins at 15. Montez Sweat at 26. Kelvin Harmon in the sixth. The Redskins have quietly built a solid roster. Whether they make the playoffs or not this year is up in the air. I would wait a year, let Haskins learn to read NFL defenses behind Case Keenum, and continue building next year. Nevertheless, this draft has laid a foundation for the Redskins to compete in years to come.
The Redskins needed to draft a franchise quarterback after the horrific injury to Alex Smith. They also needed to add pass rushers and wide receivers. The Redskins delivered.
Haskins has the potential to be a great pocket passer. The Redskins front office did him a favor by drafting one of his favorite targets from Ohio State, Terry McLaurin. McLaurin can be a threat in the slot and on deep routes from the outside. His 4.35 40 speed lets him fly past most defensive backs. He might have been taken a bit early, but his chemistry with Haskins more than makes up for it.
Montez Sweat is 6’6” and showed himself to be the fastest edge rusher in this draft class. He had people turning heads at the combine. Sweat has outstanding length and straight-line speed but needs to work on his bend getting around the corner. He’s another pass rusher that may be best suited for a 3-4 OLB role as opposed to the traditional 4-3 DE role. Finally, skipping a few spots, it was anticipated that Kelvin Harmon’s stock would fall after a relatively weak combine, but I think most fans are shocked he fell to the 6th round. Harmon had two 1000-yard seasons at NC State.
Last Word on the Washington Redskins: They’ll be contending sooner than expected.
8) Jacksonville Jaguars – EDGE Josh Allen, OT Jawaan Taylor, TE Josh Oliver, S Quincy Williams, RB Ryquell Armstead, QB Gardner Minshew, DT Dontavius Russell
The Jaguars continue to have among the league’s best defenses. Now that they have Nick Foles as their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, they needed to give him receivers and protection.
The Jaguars could not pass on picking up Josh Allen at seventh overall. He had 17 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss in 2018. The scary part is, he is still considered by some to be a raw prospect. Somehow the Jaguars defense managed to get significantly better, featuring probably the best group of linebackers in the league with Telvin Smith, Myles Jack, and now Josh Allen.
I and many others had mocked the Jaguars to take Jawaan Taylor with their first-round selection. He managed to slide to them all the way at 38. On top of protecting Foles’ blind side, Taylor’s effectiveness as a run blocker might help give Leonard Fournette a chance at a bounce-back season. Josh Oliver rounds out the projected starters from this group. He might not have been my choice at this position, but a tight end like Oliver gives Foles someone to act as a receiver or extra lineman.
Last Word on the Jacksonville Jaguars: Their first two picks are what puts them in this slot. Getting both Josh Allen and Jawaan Taylor would have been considered completely unrealistic by most pre-draft. And yet here we are. If Foles delivers, the Jaguars are a lock for the playoffs.
9) Los Angeles Chargers – DT Jerry Tillery, S Nasir Adderley, OT Trey Pipkins, LB Drue Tranquill, QB Easton Stick, LB Emeke Egbule, DT Cortez Broughton
The Chargers had the 30th ranked offensive line in the league per Pro Football Focus. The interior of the offensive line was porous and needs to be improved. They also needed to add a defensive tackle to make up for the losses of Corey Liuget and Darius Philon, a wide receiver to fill in for Tyrell Williams, and a developmental quarterback to succeed Philip Rivers.
The Chargers created a monstrous defense with this draft by pairing Derwin James with Nasir Adderly in the backfield and adding Jerry Tillery to their defensive line. Nasir Adderly was my highest ranked safety in this draft and has tremendous range, instinct, and athleticism.
Jerry Tillery completes a defensive line of Joey Bosa, Brandon Mebane, and Melvin Ingram to create one of the most potent pass-rushing defensive lines in the league. Trey Pipkins might help the offensive line, but it’s unlikely he’ll be an immediate starter. Drue Tranquill was a solid addition to the linebacker rotation. He was two-time captain on a great Notre Dame defense. Easton Stick was an interesting choice for a developmental quarterback. Stick has shown the ability to be a leader and a winner in the FCS, but I wonder how that will translate into the NFL.
The Chargers neglected to improve their interior offensive line this offseason. Rivers is an aging quarterback. If he isn’t kept healthy, this team isn’t going anywhere. This is the only reason I don’t have them ranked higher. Maybe they expect Forrest Lamp and Dan Feeney to develop into better players this coming season. Their performance so far does not leave me optimistic.
Last Word on the Los Angeles Chargers: The Chargers’ defense looks to be fantastic for 2019, but the interior offensive line struggles were not addressed in the draft.
Last Word on Outstanding Draft Classes:
The Cardinals, Patriots, Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Titans, Redskins, Jaguars, and Chargers all had outstanding draft classes. Every team except the Broncos, Jaguars, and Chargers added at least 4 players who should start in 2019. The former chose to add a franchise quarterback of the future, and the latter two each got two first-round caliber players.
Next we’ll look at the good draft classes, those classes who added at least three immediate impact players and/or got great value out of their picks. Many of these teams made unorthodox selections when it’s possible that better options were available.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
