Looking at the draft before the 2019 NFL Combine.
Here’s a pre-combine 2019 NFL Mock Draft. It was greatly affected by the Bowl Games this year. One trade, maybe you won’t like it, but remember Cardinals fans, it’s just a mock.
1st Round (1st Overall Selection)
Nick Bosa - Defensive End
Ohio State - Junior
6’4’’, 263 Pounds
At the beginning of the season, I had an unbelievably high ranking for Nick Bosa, and it has stayed consistent since. When watching Bosa on tape, you see a technically sound kid with unbelievable burst off the line.
Bosa uses his hands very effectively (may be the best in this class) and plays the run very patiently. He sometimes gets too patient and can let the game fly by him. Needs to combat double teams better, but as the Cardinals have a few defensive weapons, this might not even be an issue. He seems like someone who if he wasn’t thinking so much with his swims and stunts, Bosa could be a double-digit sack artist his rookie season. Just me being biased. He’s just too good to not have that type of impact.
2nd Round (33rd Overall Selection)
Chris Lindstrom - Offensive Guard
Boston College - Senior
6’4’’, 310 Pounds
If Lindstrom is available here, take him. Forget all the picks I’ve made in the past, Lindstrom is a dominant and consistent interior blocker, and showed dominance against top defensive line talent at the Senior Bowl. It’s hard to find weaknesses in an interior lineman like Chris Lindstrom, but if I have to knit pick, he has some issues with control (it usually stays in front of him, just in rare cases), and not being use his hands better against hand fighters like Aaron Donald in the NFL.
Probably one of the few guys that recovers better than rest when dealing with power or finesse moves and doesn’t tip his cards very often. Swallows up defensive lineman if your too slow and seems to be smart enough on switches and stunts. I have no earthly idea if Justin Pugh can be anything other than a typically injured or unlucky guard, but with Lindstrom, upside looms. You don’t have to wait for Lindstrom to develop, I think he’s already a quality guard.
2nd Round (59th Overall Selection from Indianapolis Colts)
Kelvin Harmon - Wide Receiver
North Carolina State - Junior
6’3’’, 214 Pounds
How far was I going to let Kelvin Harmon, and I feel like I made the most out of my mock draft opportunities. Same could be said about Kelvin and his opportunities to be a true number one receiving option. He’s a very hard cover as he is not just fast, but has a size advantage in almost every matchup.
Most corners at the college level had a tough time keeping him in front of him or playing to his level of physicality. If you’re looking to go vertical, Kelvin can go vertical.
If you need someone with pretty solid technique, Harmon has solid technique. Giving Kliff a playmaker who could eventually become the heir apparent for Larry Goat.
4th Round (100th Overall Selection)
Dillon Mitchell - Wide Receiver
Oregon - Junior
6’2’’, 189 Pounds
I really have no idea how the receiver room will look next year excluding Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk (maybe Trent Sherfield), but a major facelift is needed. You’ll see above that Dillon Mitchell isn’t the only receiver I’m drafting, but he’s a faster, more versatile weapon. You could start him day one, based on his speed, but needs to develop route concepts. Depending on who you ask, Mitchell could be the starting kick returner/punt returner day one. His hands seem solid, and with a defined role, Mitchell could be an outside guy, and could essentially be a mismatch in the open field.
5th Round (138th Overall Selection)
Tytus Howard - Offensive Tackle
Alabama State - Redshirt Senior
6’6’’, 311 Pounds
If you are taking a project right tackle like Tytus Howard in round five, it could be an early season start for either Howard, or depending on the development of Korey Cunningham, we could finally have a front built-up. What I loved from Tytus Howard during bowl season was his competitive nature didn’t make him an easy target for big program players.
Instead, Howard seemed to have great feet, and adequate power to withstand bull rush. If he can adapt to a pro system (less shotgun), he could be just as talented as the other tackles. He’s been a consistent tackle and seems to have the tools to be a starter. Maybe better weight distribution on some speed rushes, but I think he’s going to develop fast.
6th Round (178th Overall Selection)
Albert Huggins - Defensive Tackle
Clemson - Senior
6’3’’, 315 Pounds
New scheme means you need to add beef to the defensive line. Switching from 4-3 to 3-4 is something that I think will actually help Cardinals based on the proper personnel we currently have, and with some added draft/FA pieces, it could return to its former glory. Can’t fix everything though.
A forgotten man at Clemson, rotational defensive tackle Albert Huggins (Huggy) plays like a space eater, someone not afraid to engage and plug a hole. He uses his weight very well. Huggy can bend and engages violently.
He just needs added reps. I think with an enhanced opportunity, we could see a different player (maybe someone who can play with great leverage, plays with his hands more effectively).
6th Round (183rd Overall Selection from Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Charles Jones II - Tight End
Tulane - Redshirt Senior
6’4’’, 255 Pounds
This is more of a surprise as any. With such a terrible tight end group, it’s imperative to fix it through the draft in the later rounds. I saw this nifty tight end from Tulane, someone with good hands, but an even better ability to seal an edge. Charles Jones is someone who could surprise with his speed and good eye discipline in blocking technique. I think he needs to box out a lot better, maybe better route running, but when you’re trying to improve the run game, I like Jones in the sixth. Swing for the fences.
6th Round (214th Overall Selection via Compensatory)
Maurice Bibaku Simba - Offensive Tackle
Concordia - Senior
6’8’’, 320 Pound
I really want to rewatch the NFLPA bowl game again for reference, but I really think Maurice Bibaku Simba has some pro traits that translate well. He’s sliding his feet very well, seems fast enough to combat speed with speed, and doesn’t seem to be a weak player when engaging power or bull rushers at this level. If you’re looking for a heartwarming story, Simba was raised in the Congo up until 4 years ago (when he enrolled at Concordia).
The guy didn’t know English (or French like most Canadians), but because of his perseverance and natural athleticism, Maurice Bibaku Simba has a firm footing in becoming a pro. He’s played both left and right tackle also.
7th Round (250th Overall Selection via Compensatory)
Jordan Scarlett - Running Back
Florida - Redshirt Junior
5’11’’, 210 Pounds
Build your running back room Cardinals, it’s not enough to be satisfied, and this late in the draft, it’s worth a look. We took Chase Edmonds last year, took TJ Logan a couple years back, and David Johnson remains the bell cow for the foreseeable future. In the 7th, Jordan Scarlett is a physical runner who reads the zone very well. Great speed through the gap and seems to be a downhill runner. I’m thinking he’s a third down back option to give Johnson a breather, and if he shows natural hands catching the value at the position would only increase. Imagine playing Scarlett in the same backfield as Johnson, splitting DJ in the slot (natural position), and running a zone RPO with Scarlett.
7th Round (252nd Overall Selection via Compensatory)
Mar’Sean Diggs - Strong Safety
Alabama Birmingham - Redshirt Senior
6’3’’, 210 Pounds
If you want a sibling rivalry, look no further than the Diggs’ family. Mar’Sean Diggs is a talented safety with great length and seems like a natural big hitter in the box. He probably competes with his brothers Stefon and Trevon constantly, as Stefon Diggs is a pro bowl receiver with Minnesota, and Trevon Diggs was a starting corner for the Alabama Tide before suffering an injury. I digress. Mar’Sean played at UAB when they were bringing the program back. I think he has positional value at safety, and with his decent coverage ability, he could a box safety on most third down scenarios. I could even envision Diggs being a solid special teams’ player when his career starts. Pretty good value at the end of the seventh, just my opinion.
Trades:
- Arizona Cardinals receives: 59th Overall Selection
Indianapolis Colts receives: 65th Overall Selection (Ben Banogu - Texas Christian)
Robert Nkemdiche - Defensive Tackle
A little bit of me would be okay with parting ways with Robert Nkemdiche, but the value has to be there for the Cardinals. It’s a fair trade to move up back into the second round.
from Revenge of the Birds - All Posts http://bit.ly/2BEqpNE
No comments:
Post a Comment