Tabeek's NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Falcons strengthen pass rush

Feb 28, 2019 at 06:56 AM

Matthew Tabeek

With free agency set to kick off on March 13 and the NFL Draft exactly eight weeks away, a lot can (and will) happen between now April 25th. And that's just fine with me, as I unveil my first mock draft of the 2019 draft season.

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The toughest mock draft is always the first one because there is so much research involved – trying to pinpoint each team's needs while, at the same time, trying to guess which veterans might hit free agency. It's no secret that the Falcons' biggest needs heading into the offseason remain along the offensive and defensive lines, and they need to land a difference-maker with the 14th overall pick.

So, without further ado, here is my mock draft 1.0. Let me know how you feel about the pick here. The next one – mock 2.0 – will drop on March 7th.

1. Arizona Cardinals

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State	The Cardinals could address a multitude of needs here but go with Bosa, considered by many scouts and draft analysts to be the best pass rusher in this class.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama	The Niners desperately need a stronger pass rush, but they won’t pass up on a legit game-changer along the interior – and Williams is exactly that.

3. New York Jets

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Josh Allen, Kentucky	Some believe the long-and-athletic Allen is the total package – he can rush, cover and also run. The Jets bolster their defense in a big way here.

4. Oakland Raiders

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson	Ferrell has posted double-digits sacks over the last three seasons and that extended productivity resonates with new GM Mike Mayock.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
CB Greedy Williams, LSU	The Bucs defense allowed a league-worst 110.9 passer rating in 2018. As tempting as Ed Oliver might be here, they take Williams – the best corner in this class.

6. New York Giants

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State	The Giants eventually have to turn the page on Eli Manning and take Haskins, a pocket passer who completed 70 percent of his passes and tossed 50 TDs in 2018.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
G/T Jonah Williams, Alabama	This is a perfect landing spot for free agent QB Nick Foles, which makes taking Williams a must right here. He played tackle at Alabama but could end up playing guard in the NFL.

8. Detroit Lions

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DT Ed Oliver, Houston	The Lions need to address their pass rush and are more than thrilled to see Oliver still on the board. The former Houston star is extremely fast for an interior lineman.

9. Buffalo Bills

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
OT Cody Ford, Oklahoma	Yes, the Bills need some weapons for QB Josh Allen, but they also need to bolster their offensive line. Ford has outstanding balance and agility for his 6-foot-4, 330-pound frame.

10. Denver Broncos

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida	Some consider Taylor to be the second-best offensive tackle in this class and the Broncos snatch him up to help protect recently acquired QB Joe Flacco.

11. Cincinnati Bengals

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
LB Devin White, LSU	Following the mini run on offensive linemen, the Bengals pounce on White. The former LSU linebacker is an explosive hitter and shows great anticipation.

12. Green Bay Packers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Jachai Polite, Florida	Although he’s somewhat undersized at 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, Polite more than makes up for it with his speed and explosiveness off the edge – something the Packers sorely need.

13. Miami Dolphins

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma	The Ryan Tannehill era has run its course in South Florida and taking Murray should jumpstart the Dolphins offense. Size is a concern, but his playmaking ability and arm strength will help.

14. Atlanta Falcons

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State	After transferring to Mississippi State, Sweat posted double-digit sack totals the last two years (10.5 and 12). He’s tall (6-foot-5), long, athletic, has a great get-off (explosive) and gets to the QB – all qualities Dan Quinn covets. Sweat is also from Georgia and attended the same high school as Bruce Irvin (Stephenson).

15. Washington Redskins

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
QB Daniel Jones, Duke	With question marks surrounding Alex Smith’s future, the Redskins take the 6-foot-5 Jones, who’s more accurate than the stats suggest; Duke receivers dropped a lot of passes.

16. Carolina Panthers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson	The Panthers also need an edge rusher but won’t pass on Wilkins, a two-time All-ACC and All-American. Wilkins is known for his penetrating ability, quickness and change of direction.

17. Cleveland Browns

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
WR D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi	Baker Mayfield needs some more weapons around him, especially in the passing game. Enter Metcalf, who has a rare combination of size, speed, physicality, and explosiveness.

18. Minnesota Vikings

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
G Chris Lindstrom, Boston College	The Vikings know they must address the offensive line and take the quick-footed Lindstrom, a player many scouts believe can step right in and start because of his experience.

19. Tennessee Titans

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DL Rashan Gary, Michigan	The Titans need some help along the defensive line and more than happy to see Gary fall to them. The ex-Wolverine has the versatility to play both inside and set the edge vs. the run.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma	It appears Antonio Brown is on his way out so taking Brown – who some draft experts and scouts refer to as a DeSean Jackson clone – is an easy decision here.

21. Seattle Seahawks

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
S Nasir Adderley, Delaware	The Seahawks need to replace Earl Thomas on the back end. They opt for Adderley here, a former cornerback with fantastic instincts, range and ball skills.

22. Baltimore Ravens

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
WR Kelvin Harmon, NC State	Now that Michael Crabtree has been cut loose after one season, the Ravens are in the market for playmaker at wideout. Harmon is a big (6-foot-3, 213 pounds), physical receiver who can handle press coverage.

23. Houston Texans

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
T Dalton Risner, Kansas State	The Texans struggled at times to protect Deshaun Watson and hope that Risner, who is extremely physical and aggressive, will help solve that issue.

24. Oakland Raiders (via Chicago)

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
CB Byron Murphy, Washington	The Raiders are thrilled to see Murphy still on the board here. The former Washington star can play both man-to-man and zone, and has terrific route recognition skills.

25. Philadelphia Eagles

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DE Brian Burns, Florida State	The Eagles will be tempted to take a running back here (see Joshua Jacobs), but won’t pass on Burns, an explosive pass rusher with strong hands – a potential game-changer.

26. Indianapolis Colts

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
CB DeAndre Baker, Georgia	While the Colts defense improved in 2018, it still needs some pieces. Enter Baker, a physical corner with solid man-to-man skills who is adept at rerouting receivers.

27. Oakland Raiders (via Dallas)

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
WR N'Keal Harry, Arizona State	The Raiders, who traded away Amari Cooper to Dallas, take Harry here (with the Cowboys’ pick) – a big target (6-foot-3, 216 pounds), with exceptional hands and change-of-direction skills.

28. Los Angeles Chargers

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
LB Devin Bush, Michigan	Three Chargers linebackers ended up on injured reserve in 2018 – and the group struggled vs. the Patriots in the playoffs. Bush is strong against the run and can also play on third down.

29. Kansas City Chiefs

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
S Deionte Thompson, Alabama	The Chiefs need to find Eric Berry’s successor on the back end and take Thompson, a physical, athletic and aggressive safety who can lower the boom.

30. Green Bay Packers (via New Orleans)

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
T David Edwards, Wisconsin	With David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga both headed into the final year of their contracts, the Packers stay in state and pick the 6-foot-7, 319-pound Edwards, an excellent run blocker.

31. Los Angeles Rams

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State	Simmons, who is surprisingly still on the board, was considered a top-10 talent before tearing his ACL after the season. With Ndamukong Suh’s future in doubt, this pick makes even more sense.

32. New England Patriots

Table inside Article
SELECTION	TABEEK'S TAKE
TE Noah Fant, Iowa	Will Rob Gronkowski be back in 2019? There’s a good chance he won’t be, and the Patriots take Fant, the best tight end in this class. Fant is a physical tight end who can catch and run.