The Serby Mock Draft 1.0 features giants general manager Dave Gettleman surprisingly trading up to get Pat Shurmur the best quarterback prospect in this draft and Jets GM Mike Maccagnan landing an intimidating interior beast.
“This could be an historic draft on the defensive line,” Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com says. “The excitement that surrounded last year’s draft around the quarterbacks? Multiply that by 10, and that’s what it’s gonna be for the defensive linemen this year, both interior and the defensive ends.”
Here are the first 10 picks of the 2019 NFL draft:
1. Cardinals
Nick Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
GM Steve Keim and his next head coach will need better protection for franchise quarterback Josh Rosen, but the best player in the draft is the ideal bookend for Chandler Jones, with Markus Golden a free agent. Remember, Russell Wilson, Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo inhabit the NFC West. Nick is slightly more athletic than big brother Joey of the Chargers.
2. Giants (from 49ers)
Dwayne Haskins (QB, Ohio State)
The phone rings in John Lynch’s war room: “John, Dave Gettleman.”
Lynch: “Dave, so happy to hear that you’re feeling better. The word out here is you’re in quarterback hell.”
Gettleman (bluffing): “Me? Us? Eli’s got years left. You must be thinking of Tahm Coughlin. Now that’s what I call quarterback hell,” with a laugh.
Lynch: “Well, funny you should mention him. He’s on the other line now.”
Gettleman: “Cheese and crackers!”
Lynch: “Huh?”
Gettleman: “The guy screwed me out of [guard Andrew] Norwell last year, now he’s trying to screw me out of Haskins? Whatever happened to ‘Once a Giant, always a Giant’? Any idea how [Mike] Mayock ranks Haskins?”
Lynch: “You can reach him at the Raiders now.”
Gettleman: “I was kidding, bubelah, I was kidding.”
Lynch: “Jimmy G needs a go-to guy. … Is Beckham available?
Gettleman: “We didn’t sign Beckham to trade him. Keep Tahm on hold.”
Lynch: “Why the interest in Haskins? I thought Eli has years left.”
Gettleman (chuckling nervously): “Just in case he doesn’t. Eli can be his Alex Smith. Or Kurt Wahner. Look, I will fix this thing, but unfortunately we’re probably gonna have a fairly high pick in 2020 the way things look now. Swap picks with me, kid. I’ll also give you this year’s second-round and throw in next year’s second-rounder.”
Haskins has a “great arm, athletic, improved weekly and continually came up in the big spot,” Pauline says. “If he played like this last year, he would have competed to be the fourth quarterback off the board, and he would have been a top-12, top-13 selection.”
3. Jets
Quinnen Williams (DL, Alabama)
A powerful 6-foot-2, 285-pound brute who might remind you of Gerald McCoy. Williams will be an impact player in whichever defense the next Jets head coach decides to play.
4. Raiders
Clelin Ferrell (DE, Clemson)
Coach Jon Gruden and GM Mayock high-five in the war room when they land this 6-foot-4, 255-pound pass rusher to help fill the void left by the trade of Khalil Mack to the Bears.
5. Buccaneers
Ed Oliver (DT, Houston)
Gerald McCoy’s $13 million contract is not guaranteed, and he’ll be 31 next month. Oliver is “ a quick, explosive one-gap penetrator that’s also incredibly athletic,” Pauline says. “But he’s not a big, strong, dominant guy. He’s gotta beat the opponent with the first step.”
6. 49ers (from Giants)
Greedy Williams (CB, LSU)
Richard Sherman will be 31 in March and is musing about a future move to safety. Williams is a 6-foot-1 corner with upside to deal with Sean McVay’s passing game.
7. Jaguars
Josh Allen (LB, Kentucky)
Tom Coughlin, still stewing about Haskins, cracks a smile when he lands a 6-foot-4, 265-pounder to replace Dante Fowler now and Calais Campbell later. “Prototypical 3-4 outside linebacker, a complete three-down player who can rush the passer or play in space. He’s got a little bit of John Abraham in his game,” Pauline says.
8. Lions
Rashan Gary (DE, Michigan)
Coach Matt Patricia better stop worrying about reporter posture and get a replacement for Ziggy Ansah. Gary “plays like a 240-pound pass rusher in a 275-pound body,” Pauline says.
9. Bills
Greg Little (OT, Mississippi)
The quarterback named Josh Allen needs better bodyguards, so here’s a bookend for left tackle Dion Dawkins. Little had an off year, and some will prefer Alabama tackle Jonah Williams, but at least Little is 6-foot-6, 325 pounds.
10. Broncos
Daniel Jones (QB, Duke)
John Elway recognizes Case Keenum is not the long-term answer, and he won’t stop taking swings for a franchise quarterback. Jones is “more of a thinking man’s quarterback compared to Haskins,” Pauline says. “Doesn’t have Haskins’ arm. Doesn’t have Haskins’ athleticism.”