This is the second article in a four-part 2019 NFL Draft Rankings series.
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. These rankings are based solely on rookie selections made during the 2019 draft.
Part One – Part Three – Part Four
2019 NFL Draft Rankings Part Two
This second set of classes includes teams 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.
10) Baltimore Ravens – WR Marquise Brown, DE Jaylon Ferguson, WR Miles Boykin, RB Justice Hill, G Ben Powers, CB Iman Marshall, DT Daylon Mack, QB Trace McSorley
The Ravens needed to find Lamar Jackson either a speedy receiver who can take advantage of the attention Jackson draws rolling out of the pocket or a big receiver whose size can make up for Jackson’s limited accuracy down the field. They also needed to add linebacker help to offset the key losses of Terrell Suggs and C.J. Mosley.
The Ravens certainly delivered on giving Jackson the right types of receivers. Brown has drawn comparisons to DeSean Jackson for his ability to stretch the field and separate. It will be interesting to see if the Ravens opt to also use him on screens. Boykin is a 6’4” receiver who needs to become more consistent but should also help Jackson down the field.
Suggs’ slot on the team may be filled by the guy who broke his FBS record for most career sacks in Ferguson. Mack was a good acquisition late and should prove to be a decent nose tackle to have in the tackle rotation for early downs. The addition of McSorley could allow the offense to experiment with even more gimmick plays than it did last season. If successful, that would be a late-round pick well-spent.
Last Word on the Baltimore Ravens: Overall, a pretty solid class. A pair of new receivers should give more dimension to the Ravens’ offense.
11) Green Bay Packers – DE Rashan Gary, S Darnell Savage, C Elgton Jenkins, TE Jace Sternberger, DT Kingsley Keke, CB Ka’dar Hollman, RB Dexter Williams, LB Ty Summers
The Packers added Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith to help their pass rush but still needed one more piece to really complete their rotation. They also needed a free safety to complement Adrian Amos, preferably one with the speed and instincts required to emulate Chicago’s Eddie Jackson. They were also lacking in terms of receiving options.
Gary is a great addition to this team and good value outside of the top 10. He has high athletic upside but needs to be part of a rotation for at least his first year to give the coaches a chance to flesh out the potential that should go along with his athleticism. With 4.36-second 40-yard speed and outstanding vision and instincts from the single high position, Savage was the perfect addition to the Packers to complement Amos. The Packers now have a talented young secondary that can grow into one of the best in the league.
Jenkins has a good anchor and great pass rush counter that allow him to excel in pass protection. Sternberger is among the best receiving tight ends in this class, having compiled 832 yards and 10 touchdowns for Texas A&M in 2018. He should become a favorite of Rodgers. The rest of the Packers’ picks act as good depth pieces.
Last Word on the Green Bay Packers: Their defense should be locked and loaded. The offense made some key additions, but could still use a wide receiver outside of Davante Adams, like Geronimo Allison or Equanimeous St. Brown, to step up. This team has otherwise become one of the most complete in the league, and Aaron Rodgers is more than capable of carrying the offense even with limited receiving options.
12) Carolina Panthers – EDGE Brian Burns, OT Greg Little, QB Will Grier, EDGE Christian Miller, RB Jordan Scarlett, OT Dennis Daley, WR Terry Godwin
The Panthers’ first priority had to be giving Cam Newton more protection. Their second most pressing need was at edge rusher. They could have also used another safety to pair with Eric Reid.
Burns was one of the best edge rushers in a seemingly loaded class for the position. He is a speedy, fluid, and flexible pass rusher who should be able to get around the edge to consistently bring pressure. Little is known as an underachiever but has the potential to be the best tackle in this class. Late in the second round is a good spot to take him in hopes that he can be coached up. Grier was one of the most accurate pocket passers in the FBS last season and will make for a reliable backup behind Newton. Miller hasn’t gotten a lot of playing time due to competition and injury, but he’s proven himself impactful whenever he’s been on the field. This draft was full of many good running backs but no clear hierarchy after Josh Jacobs. Scarlett is a strong, powerful back who shows great vision in the open field. He should compete to be part of Carolina’s running back rotation and is comparable to many backs in this class who went well before him.
Last Word on the Carolina Panthers: They filled their needs well but probably need a little more time to get back to playoff form. It is an odd year though, so maybe this class will be enough to propel them.
13) New Orleans Saints – C Erik McCoy, S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S Saquan Hampton, TE Alize Mack, LB Kaden Elliss
The Saints were a fairly complete team in 2019. Their starting center Max Unger retired during the off-season. Also, a cornerback to give competition to Eli Apple and a true deep threat receiver to complement Michael Thomas might have been good additions. But with a limited number of picks, the Saints did as much as they could.
McCoy should win the starting center job in camp. Having signed Latavius Murray during the off-season, it seems that the Saints may be trying to move towards an even greater number of zone running concepts. McCoy is a great run blocker for these types of schemes in addition to being excellent in pass protection. Gardner-Johnson is a hybrid safety/cornerback who should see a lot of time in the slot on nickel packages. A lot of analysts saw him as a top three strong safety prospect in this draft, so getting him in the fourth was great value for the Saints. Hampton was captain and team MVP at Rutgers. Rutgers has produced some talented defensive backs. If Hampton can stay healthy, he might be able to develop into a starter in the NFL.
Last Word on the New Orleans Saints: The Saints had few needs but also very few picks to try to fill them with. They picked up a starting caliber center and made value picks to bolster their secondary.
14) New York Giants – QB Daniel Jones, DT Dexter Lawrence, CB Deandre Baker, DE Oshane Ximines, CB Julian Love, LB Ryan Connelly, WR Darius Slayton, CB Corey Ballentine, G George Asafo-Adjei, DT Chris Slayton
Yes, despite using their two first-round picks on Jones and Lawrence, the Giants’ draft was still above average. Why? Because they managed to acquire five to six starting caliber players even if the value in their first two picks (and the rest of Gettleman’s off-season moves) is questionable at best.
The Giants had needs all over the roster and created even more after trading away Odell Beckham Jr and Olivier Vernon. Their most pressing needs were likely at defensive and offensive line and in the secondary. More important than those, however, was finding a franchise quarterback with the ability to take the reins from Eli Manning for hopefully the 2020 season.
Jones was selected too high. He would probably have been available at 17, and the Giants could have picked up Ed Oliver with this pick if they wanted tackle help instead of Lawrence. This is not a knock on Lawrence. He is extremely athletic for the size he offers and is both a skilled run stuffer and proficient pass rusher. He is certainly a first-round caliber player, but at 17, there were probably better options for the Giants’ needs.
In spite of all of that, they were able to draft Baker and Love, both of whom can be starting caliber corners. Baker is perhaps the most versatile corner from this class, able to play both man and zone coverages at a high level. And while Love is probably better suited for zone, he is also good in man coverage and is absolutely a steal in the fourth round. These additions give Pat Shurmur a lot of flexibility in creating coverage concepts for the defense.
Ximines is a coachable prospect on the edge to prospectively replace Vernon after trading him for guard Kevin Zeitler. The Giants did need to bolster their offensive line, and this class was certainly much better at the edge position than at guard. We’ll see how that gamble pays off.
On the draft picks alone, this is a good haul in which the Love pick in the fourth, for me, makes up for taking Lawrence a little early. (Nothing makes up for the Jones pick, and that’s why this isn’t an outstanding class.)
Last Word on the New York Giants: What a controversial off-season. The selection of Jones might leave everyone looking down on this class, but the Giants actually made pretty good selections outside of that one.
15) New York Jets – DT Quinnen Williams, DE Jachai Polite, OT Chuma Edoga, TE Trevon Wesco, LB Blake Cashman, CB Blessuan Austin
The Jets are another team who had a good defense and should have been looking to help their new franchise quarterback. The Jets could have looked to add anywhere on the offense. But to some extent, they were a team that could afford to take the best player available approach.
Williams is a monster. His technique, instinct, and quickness are unbelievable. He has the potential to be a future Pro Bowler and the ceiling to reach Aaron Donald-type production. Polite had poor interviews and did not test well at the Combine after putting on some unhealthy weight, but he played well at Florida and should be a factor as at least a pass rusher if he corrects his weight issues. I really liked the Cashman pick. As a linebacker who posted a 4.50 40-yard time, on par with Noah Fant and many running backs, Cashman has the ability to cover and span the field in an increasingly pass-happy league. With these three additions, the Jets’ front seven looks fantastic. Edoga is a good developmental prospect with starting potential at tackle. At worst, he should be a good depth piece.
Last Word on the New York Jets: There will be a lot of sacks.
16) San Francisco 49ers – DE Nick Bosa, WR Deebo Samuel, WR Jalen Hurd, P Mitch Wishnowsky, LB Dre Greenlaw, TE Kaden Smith, OT Justin Skrule, CB Tim Harris
The 49ers were tied for the second worst red zone efficiency in the league last season while also allowing the second most passing touchdowns. Even with Jimmy Garoppolo injured, it was evident that this team needed to add receiving talent. Some help in the secondary would have been welcome as well.
Bosa was obviously a great addition on the edge. His athletic profile looks better than even his brother’s. The 49ers look to have an impressive pass rush after adding Bosa and Dee Ford. Samuel is probably the best route runner in the class. He has the ability to line up both in the slot and outside. Jalen Hurd is a massive target who can also be lined up anywhere. Defending him and George Kittle together in the red zone will be a difficult task for most teams. Smith is an above average receiving tight end with the ability to block in the run game as well. He accumulated 635 receiving yards his junior season. He has terrific value as a sixth-round pick as he will likely rise to the status of a reliable TE2 with the 49ers. Altogether this class should improve the offense considerably and lead to heightened red zone efficiency, especially with Garoppolo coming back. That said, the secondary will really have to step up this season.
Last Word on the San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers should be a better team in 2019. Their pass rush and receiving corps improved, although their secondary remains a bit lacking. They made decent use of each of the picks they had and tried to address what they perceived as their greatest needs.
17) Philadelphia Eagles – OT Andre Dillard, RB Miles Sanders, WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, DE Shareef Miller, QB Clayton Thorson
The Eagles didn’t make many picks, but they made good use of every pick they made. They came into the draft with needs on the offensive line. The left guard position was probably the weakest, but they need someone to replace Jason Peters after this year as well as he’s close to retirement. The Eagles were also shy a long-term running back, bringing in Jordan Howard for only a year. The secondary was easily their weakest position group for 2018; the Eagles were ranked 30th for passing yards allowed in 2018.
Snagging Dillard away from the Texans was a great move on the Eagles’ part and one of the best trades up in this draft. Dillard should compete for starting left guard right away and should be an apt replacement for Peters down the line. Sanders played in the shadow of Saquon Barkley at Penn State until taking over the number one running back spot this past season and accruing 1,413 yards from scrimmage, averaging almost six yards per carry. The Eagles offense will be fearsome this season if Carson Wentz can be kept healthy, another reason why it was paramount for the Eagles to reinforce their offensive line.
One would have thought adding Desean Jackson to a wide receiver group of Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor would be enough, but adding Arcega-Whiteside makes this one of the best and deepest groups of wideouts in the league. Arcega-Whiteside’s signature is boxing out defenders to make scoring plays in the red zone. He should have a fair number of one-on-one opportunities this season. It’ll be interesting to see if he can bully NFL defenders the same as he did in college. Miller looks to develop into a rotational piece to make up for the losses of Michael Bennett and Chris Long. The Eagles are always stocking up on quarterbacks to develop. Clayton Thorson should be their next project.
Last Word on the Philadelphia Eagles: While it would have been nice to see them add a corner, the Eagles filled needs and got good value with each of their picks. I appreciate their team building strategy, but low volume of picks and lack of help in the secondary drops them down to this spot.
18) Detroit Lions – TE T.J. Hockenson, LB Jahlani Tavai, S Will Harris, DE Austin Bryant, CB Amani Oruwariye, WR Travis Fulgham, RB Ty Johnson, TE Isaac Nauta, DT P.J. Johnson
The Lions came into the draft with needs at every position group. Most notably, after the loss of Golden Tate, the Lions needed to find another receiver. They could also have used some help in the secondary, especially at the corner spot opposite Darius Slay. But none of their needs were particularly pressing, giving them leeway to pick whomever they believed the best player available.
Hockenson was the most touted tight end prospect in years. Even still, I think eighth was really high to draft a tight end. With the addition of Nauta towards the end of the draft and Jesse James in free agency, it seems Patricia wants to run a lot of two tight end sets like the Eagles and Patriots. Hockenson is a talented tight end who is definitely a threat as a receiver and run blocker, while Nauta is a high upside player.
To be honest, I had never heard the name Jahlani Tavai before the draft. From watching film, he seems like a mixed bag. On one hand, he seems like a leader and a tackling machine. But on the other, he plays a little slow and can lose track of where the ball is at times. It’ll be interesting to see how this pick pans out. Bryant and Harris are good developmental additions and should provide depth. Bryant was productive but had a lot of help playing on a dominant Clemson defensive line.
Possibly the biggest steal of this draft was grabbing Oruwariye in the sixth round. Either the entire draft community missed something or the rest of the NFL missed out on a high-grade talent. I had expected Oruwariye to be targeted by the Lions in the second round, and I think most Lions fans would have been happy to have taken him there. Oruwariye is outstanding in press man coverage and should compete for the starting job opposite Slay right away.
Last Word on the Detroit Lions: Their draft class seems to some extent unspectacular, but it might be enough to help the Lions bounce back this coming season.
Last Word on Good Draft Classes:
The Ravens, Packers, Panthers, Saints, Giants, Jets, 49ers, Eagles, and Lions all had good draft classes. Every team except the Saints selected at least three players who should start in 2019. The Saints didn’t get to pick until late in the second round and had very few picks altogether. They drafted well for the picks they had.
Next we’ll look at passable draft classes, classes in which every team added at least two immediate impact players. Many of these teams made risky selections, opting to choose players with high ceilings but limited on-field production.
