Tony Mario's 2019 NFL Mock Draft: Debut

Round 1 Picks 1-16

The 2019 NFL Draft may be one of the deepest defensive line drafts in years.

Tony Mario Last Updated: June 8, 2018.

1. Cleveland Browns: Nick Bosa, LE, Ohio State
   
   
   The Browns have the top pick for the third year in a row in this mock draft. Cleveland passed on my top 3 quarterbacks for Baker Mayfield and to make matters worse they passed on Bradley Chubb for Denzel Ward. I've lost all faith in the Browns organization after watching Dorsey crap the bed with two top 5 selections and now I'm punishing Cleveland's laughing stock of a football team by giving the Cleveland Clowns the top draft choice for a third year in a row.
   
   
   
   They have Myles Garrett, but if the Browns somehow end up getting the top pick again, then they would draft Ohio State pass rusher Nick Bosa at 1 to replace the ineffective Emmanuel Ogbah who just hasn't lived up to the billing despite showing immense promise coming out of Oklahoma State.
   
   
   
   Nick Bosa tweeted that the Black Panther movie sucked so people are giving him crap for that. The thing is Myles Garrett would use that as fuel and then tell Nick Bosa that Joey Bosa, not nick is the War Machine in the Bosa family. He'd tell Nick Bosa that he is to the NFL what Tony Stark is to Marvel by calling Nick a disgrace, challenging him. Nick Bosa would absolutely feed off that mentorship and then retort by coming up with some witty comebacks of his own to make sure Garrett is always fueled to mess up any quarterback in the NFL.
   
   
   
   The Myles Garrett and Nick Bosa pass rushing tandem would be absolutely lethal. I'm not even sure that the Black Panther could protect the citizens of Wakanda from this deadly tandem of quarterback assassins off the edge.
   
   
   
2. Miami Dolphins: Shea Patterson, QB, Michigan
   
   
   Miami may be able to surprise some people if Ryan Tannehill stays healthy in 2018. He's been on injured reserve the last two seasons and is about as brittle as the Gingerbread Man in Shrek. Miami will have a top 5 pick if Tannehill goes down because their backup plans involve Brock Osweiler and Bryce Petty which is about as bad as Denver's trio of Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, and Brock Osweiler last season.
   
   
   
   Miami has already sent some of their regional scouts to IMG Academy to get more information about Michigan's brand new transfer from Ole Miss Shea Patterson.
   
   
   
   The five star recruit was the number two quarterback coming out of High School just like Jacob Eason. Patterson played football, basketball, and baseball in High School. Coaches at IMG Academy told us that Patterson's got the best work ethic and decision making of any quarterback in this draft class. We'll see if that holds up under Jim Harbaugh and Pep Hamilton at Michigan, but things look extremely promising for Patterson.
   
   
   
   Michigan has the talent and the schedule to go 12-0 this year and have a perfect season. In fact, I have another Wolverine in my top 4 as well and if the Wolverines live up to the hype this season, it will be hard to argue against Shea Patterson being the top quarterback being drafted come next April.
   
   
   
   Patterson got placed on season ending injury reserve at Ole Miss in his first two seasons. These durability concerns will become an afterthought if Patterson puts the Michigan Wolverines on the map by balling out in 2018.
   
   
   
   Patterson is someone that I can see winning the Heisman Trophy and surging up boards. The NCAA ruled him eligible to play in 2018 despite transferring from Ole Miss to Michigan.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Indianapolis Colts: Trey Adams, LT, Washington
   
   
   Andrew Luck is in the same boat as Ryan Tannehill as far as durability is concerned. In fact when I did my 2018 NFL Mock and mocked Nelson to the Colts, I said Andrew Luck's offensive line was about as effective as the Secret Service under John F. Kennedy. I still feel like the Colts could have done more this offseason to maximize how effective Luck's offensive line is despite adding the top left guard and top right guard in the 2018 NFL Draft.
   
   
   
   Andrew Luck has an starting offensive line that features Anthony Costanzo at left tackle, Quenton Nelson at left guard, Ryan Kelly at center, Braden Smith at right guard, and Austin Howard at right tackle. The Colts added a bunch of guards in Free Agency to one-year prove it deals like Jack Mewhort, Matt Slauson, and Mark Glowinski. Not only does this team have a solid core of starters they got quite a bit of depth on the interior offensive line so the Colts could be picking much higher than this.
   
   
   
   Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I just feel like the Colts negleted the offensive tackle position this offseason. Keeping Costanzo around after giving up more sacks then any starting left tackle last season and bringing in Austin Howard in as a stop gap after ignoring offensive tackle in the 2018 NFL Draft is something I'm holding Chris Ballard accountable for. Especially if Luck goes down again in 2018.
   
   
   
   If the Colts are picking a three again for the second year in a row, they won't trade out of three this time. They will continue to make upgrades to the offensive line. Costanzo turns 30-years-old in August and Austin Howard's best years as an effective long-term right tackle are behind him. Indianapolis can save $8.25-million if they cut Costanzo in 2019, but I feel like they are gonna move him to right tackle in his contract year rather then release him if they choose to draft a left tackle in 2019.
   
   
   
   Trey Adams is a pure left tackle who can provide a meanstreak at left tackle that I feel like Costanzo lacks at times. The 6-7 323 lb left tackle out of Washington becomes Luck's new blindside and allows Costanzo to move back to right tackle for the first time since his freshman year at Boston College where he was a bookend to former Colt Gosder Cherilus when Matt Ryan was in his final season at Boston College.
   
   
   
   Getting Adams and moving Costanzo to right tackle kills two birds with one stone if Luck goes down again in 2018. There isn't a quarterback in the next two drafts that can do what Andrew Luck does so even if he gets injured again, he won't get replaced in the draft because the Colts also have a viable backup in Jacoby Brissett.
   
   
   
4. New York Jets: Rashan Gary, 3-4 RE, Michigan
   
   
   New York will take the best available player rather than draft for need. I'd give the Jets an offensive tackle to maximize Darnold's protection, but expect the Jets to take the best player on the board. Rashan Gary and Ed Oliver both are capable of going here, but Gary is a better fit for the 3-4. After losing Wilkerson and Richardson you can argue that taking Rashan Gary to pair with Leonard Williams makes a lot fo sense.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Cincinnati Bengals: Greg Little, RT, Ole Miss
   
   
   Allen High School never lost a Regular Season game in the four seasons when Greg Little played right tackle there in Allen, TX. In fact, Little did so well at right tackle that he earned the right to be the top offensive lineman in his graduation class. By the middle of his freshman season, Hugh Freeze moved him to left tackle, a position he did not play in High School and he did well replacing Laremy Tunsil in his first season.
   
   
   
   The son of Tampa Bay Buccaneers draft pick Derrick Little, a 1989 sixth round draft pick is projected to be drafted much higher then his father, despite a down season in 2017. He didn't do as well last season.
   
   
   
   Part of that down year was due to a coaching change with offensive coordinator Matt Luke taking over for Hugh Freeze as an interim head coach. Luke is challenging Little to be a leader by encouraging him to improve and to also tell teammates how they can improve as leaders. That's why Little could end up turning the corner with a big junior season.
   
   
   
   I won't lie, there are issues with the 6-6 320 lb Greg Little on tape. Alabama's front 7 literally whipped him to a pulp last year in their 66-3 thrashing in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide humiliated him on both offense and special teams plays which is alarming to a degree.
   
   
   
   I don't think Little will succeed as a left tackle in the NFL. At the same time he will generate plenty of hype and surge up boards with a big season at Ole Miss in 2018 kind of like how Greg Robinson surged up boards coming out of Auburn.
   
   
   
   Cincinnati has a left tackle in Cordy Glenn. They need a right tackle next to Glenn. Greg Little probably projects better as a right tackle in the NFL and is someone who could be the pick here if Cedric Ogbuhei struggles as a right tackle next to Cordy Glenn in 2018.
   
   
   
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
   
   
   Jameis Winston is better then any quarterback prospect in the 2019 NFL Draft or the 2020 NFL Draft. The coaching staff and the lack of assistance he's getting on the offensive line are the two issues.
   
   
   
   With Derrick Little's son going to Cincinnati, Greg Little won't get to play for his dads team like Ray Jennings Jr. in Draft Day.
   
   
   
   Jameis Winston will get extended this offseason. Even with his down year in 2017, he still threw for over 3,500 passing yards and still had more touchdowns then interceptions for the third year in a row which is actually sort of amazing when you consider how anemic his offensive line has been.
   
   
   
   In fact, one player Tampa Bay can cut in order to get more money to extend Jameis Winston is defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. McCoy, Tampa Bay's defensive leader and top 5 pick in the 2010 NFL Draft turns 31-years-old before the start of the 2019 NFL Offseason. He's also going to have no dead cap penalty in 2019 and Tampa Bay saves $13-million if they cut McCoy in 2019. They won't save that much money if they McCoy in 2020 or 2021 even though his contract runs through 2022.
   
   
   
   I'm not in favor of cutting McCoy, but if they do decide to make an eye-for- an-eye deal, 2019 is probably the best year to do it. Save $13-million in cap space. Use that to extend Winston and only lose $7-million of the current $40-million you're projected for 2019. Get the best defensive tackle in the draft at 6 with Ed Oliver to pair with Vita Vea for the next 15-years.
   
   
   
   I love what McCoy has done for the Buccaneers and will continue to root for him if he remains with the team, but I'm also not going to ignore a golden opportunity to add more youth up front and potentially reload with a younger version of McCoy by taking the best player on the board in Ed Oliver who could be better then McCoy. Moving on from McCoy in 2019 just seems like its inevitable especially if McCoy misses games with in 2018 since Gerald McCoy hasn't played a full 16 game season since 2013.
   
   
   
   
   
7. Denver Broncos: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
   
   
   Case Keenum needs a good offensive coordinator to thrive. He didn't thrive with Jeff Fisher or Bill O'Brien as his head coach. Bill Musgrave is okay, but he's not going to get more out of Case Keenum then someone like Pat Shurmur. Musgrave didn't have the kind of impact with Christian Ponder that Shurmur had with Keenum as both Musgrave and Shurmur were offensive coordinators with the Vikings. There's a reason Shurmur is entering his second head coaching gig while Musgrave has yet to be named a head coach despite showing the ability to be an effective offensive coordinator.
   
   
   
   I feel like Case Keenum peaked with the Vikings last year. He's already 30-years-old and even if he gets Denver off to a 4-1 start in the first five weeks, Denver's schedule after that is absolute hell after week 5 with a home contest against the Rams, road games against a Cardinals team that may have Josh Rosen starting by week 7, a road game against the Bengals who beat the Broncos in Denver, and the 49ers with Garoppolo. You also got road games against the AFC West which will be tough as well as a home contest versus Pittsburgh.
   
   
   
   Denver is certainly capable of improving on their 5-11 record last season. If you believe Denver can overcome that strength of schedule and win the AFC West just like that then you're obviously a Broncos fanboy rather then a realist. Denver can win 7-9 games, but will it be enough to capture the West, the answer is probably not.
   
   
   
   Denver didn't draft a quarterback because they want to get back to the playoffs. If Keenum doesn't go the distance, a new quarterback will be added to the roster because Paxton Lynch is not the guy. Justin Herbert is probably the best quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft on tape at this point, even though you can argue Herbert's deep ball accuracy issues make Justin Herbert an awful scheme fit for the Denver Broncos at 7, plus Herbert has durability concerns just like Shea Patterson.
   
   
   
8. Baltimore Ravens: Clelin Ferrell, 3-4 ROLB, Clemson
   
   
   Terrell Suggs isn't playing forever as Mark Sciubba stated in his 2019 NFL Mock Draft. The Broncos took a 4-3 pass rusher in Bradley Chubb for their 3-4 defense. Baltimore does the same by taking Clelin Ferrell at 8.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Arizona Cardinals: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
   
   
   Arizona did a fantastic job getting long-term offensive pieces like Josh Rosen and Christian Kirk. This team has a stable offensive line featuring left tackle D.J. Humphries, left guard Mike Iupati, center A.Q. Shipley, right guard Andre Smith, and right tackle Justin Pugh. You also have a healthy David Johnson back at running back along with Larry Fitzgerald, Chad Williams, and Christian Kirk for Rosen.
   
   
   
   I have Arizona picking in the top ten for two reasons. First Rosen, isn't guaranteed anything despite being my second best quarterback behind Sam Darnold. Second, Arizona is transitioning from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense that Steve Wilks ran in Carolina when he was the Panthers defensive coordinator.
   
   
   
   Chandler Jones and Markus Golden are going to play 4-3 defensive end roles after playing 3-4 outside linebacker roles. You also got Deone Buchannon moving to a 4-3 right outside linebacker role on the weak side as well as Hasaan Reddick playing a 4-3 middle linebacker role. You also need multiple 4-3 defensive tackles and this is the perfect year to double up at defensive tackle like when Tampa Bay doubled up with Gerald McCoy and Brian Price back in 2010. Do not be surprised if Arizona does that.
   
   
   
   Christian Wilkins is the best defensive tackle on the board. He makes total sense for the Arizona Cardinals at 9 considering he would have been a first rounder had he declared last year.
   
   
   
10. Buffalo Bills: Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama
    
    
    
    Buffalo gets a 4-3 defensive tackle to replace Kyle Williams. For some reason, I feel like Harrison Phillips will be a backup in Buffalo. I think he would have done better on a 3-4 team. Raekwon Davis is the next three down defensive tackle out of Alabama. He's also the fourth different interior defensive lineman I've mocked in the top 10 so far.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Chicago Bears: DeAndre Baker, CB, Georgia
    
    
    I'm going to make a bold prediction and say the Chicago Bears actually improve and play well enough to avoid a top 10 pick. Prince Amukamara cannot stay healthy for all 16 games though. DeAndre Baker is the top ranked cornerback in the draft at the moment in my opinion with him getting a landslide edge over Greedy Williams out of LSU. There are other corners who could rise up the boards, but at this point those two SEC corners headline this class.
    
    
    
12. Washington Redskins: A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
    
    
    Washington will get a number one target for Alex Smith if they pick this high. A.J. Brown out of Ole Miss is the top receiver in this class and it isn't even close.
    
    
    
    Overall, 2019 looks like a much better receiver class then 2018. You got a ton of big targets with remarkable athleticism, A.J. Brown and Anthony Johnson are probably the two best route runners from what I've seen on tape. Brown is an underclassmen though and while he ran a 4.52 40-time in the Spring, I believe he will improve on that.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Los Angeles Chargers: David Edwards, RT, Wisconsin
    
    
    The Chargers need a right tackle upgrade next to Russell Okung who did well despite being 30-years-old with the Chargers. David Edwards has 19-consecutive starts as a right tackle at Wisconsin. He'd be a good bookend to Okung. The bottom line is right tackle is a dire area this team needs to improve in and Joe Barksdale the current right tackle will be 30-years-old in 2019 with Okung being 31 next season so getting a swing tackle who can become a long-term starter at right tackle will become a need if the Chargers end up picking this early in the draft.
    
    
    
14. Detroit Lions: Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
    
    
    Greedy Williams is a top 15 player. Since Detroit is picking at 14 they go ahead and snag the best player on the board here.
    
    
    
    
    
15. Oakland Raiders: Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma
    
    
    The Raiders get a three down home run threat for Derek Carr. Doug Martin and Marshawn Lynch are stop gap running backs and both are about to be past their prime.
    
    
    
16. New York Giants: Joe Jackson, LE, Miami FL
    
    
    
    Lorenzo Carter could be great, but he's a pure outside linebacker. A defensive end to replace the guy who blew up fireworks with his own hand that got traded to Tampa Bay that shall remain nameless is needed.