LA Times annual live beat writer mock draft number one overall pick sends shock waves through first round

It’s draft week. And as is the tradition, that means the LA Times holds their beat writers mock draft in which writers for various publications across the country make the pick for the team they cover. And right away, there was a shocker at number one overall. It got kinda cray cray from there too.

No. 1 Arizona Cardinals | DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama

The Cardinals like Josh Rosen, and I don’t see them taking a quarterback in the first round two years in a row. They need help on the defensive line and Williams would immediately provide that. General manager Steve Keim has made some mistakes in the first round by taking guys who weren’t that passionate about football (Jonathan Cooper, Robert Nkemdiche). So I can see them taking Williams. — Kent Somers, The Arizona Republic

Notes: Befitting on a day Tyler Green puts out his Quinnen Williams scouting report saying he is the best player in this draft — not a stretch, really — the Cardinals make him their pick with the first overall pick, going against the widely speculated selection of Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray.

No. 2 San Francisco 49ers | DE Nick Bosa, Ohio State

Matt Barrows, The Athletic

3. New York Jets | OLB Josh Allen, Kentucky

Brian Costello, New York Post

No. 4 Oakland Raiders | OLB Devin White, LSU

No quarterback for the Raiders. They likely look to trade back, where White becomes a better value than at No. 4 and another Day 2 pick can be acquired. I probably should have gone with an every-down rusher like Ed Oliver in this no-trade exercise, but White can rush, cover and lead this defense for a decade. — Michael Gehlken, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Notes: With the shakeup at the top of this mock causing the top three defensive players to ALL be gone, and no trades in this mock, Gehlken was in a tough spot. White makes some sense in this scenario.

No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DT Ed Oliver, Houston

Rick Stroud, Tampa Bay Times

No. 6 New York Giants | DE Montez Sweat, Mississippi State

Tom Rock, Newsday

7. Jacksonville Jaguars | OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida

John Reid, The Florida Times-Union

8. Detroit Lions | TE T.J. Hockenson, Iowa

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press

9. Buffalo Bills | OT Andre Dillard, Washington State

Jay Skurski, Buffalo News

10. Denver Broncos | QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

Nicki Jhabvala, The Athletic

11. Cincinnati Bengals | LB Devin Bush, Michigan

Paul Dehner, Cincinnati Enquirer

12. Green Bay Packers | OT Jonah Williams, Alabama

Pete Dougherty, Green Bay Press-Gazette

13. Miami Dolphins | QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

Omar Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

14. Atlanta Falcons | CB Greedy Williams, LSU

D. Orlando Ledbetter, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

15. Washington Redskins | DT Rashan Gary, Michigan

Kareem Copeland, Washington Post

16. Carolina Panthers | DE Brian Burns, Florida State

Joe Person, The Athletic

17. New York Giants | DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson

Pat Leonard, New York Daily News

18. Minnesota Vikings | C Garrett Bradbury, North Carolina State

Ben Goessling, Minneapolis Star Tribune

19. Tennessee Titans | DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame

Joe Rexrode, The Tennessean

20. Pittsburgh Steelers | CB Byron Murphy, Washington

Ed Bouchette, The Athletic

21. Seattle Seahawks | WR N’Keal Harry, Arizona State

Bob Condotta, Seattle Times

22. Baltimore Ravens | DE Clelin Ferrell, Clemson

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic

23. Houston Texans | OL Cody Ford, Oklahoma

John McClain, Houston Chronicle

24. Oakland Raiders | RB Josh Jacobs, Alabama

With so many top edge rushers off the board, the Raiders look away from their most glaring need and select a do-everything back seemingly tailor-made for Jon Gruden’s scheme. Jacobs joins Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams on a new-look Raiders offense that should be explosive in 2019 behind quarterback Derek Carr. — Scott Bair, NBC Sports Bay Area

Notes: Yeah, no, not feeling this one, Scott. I just don’t see the distance between Jacobs and some other backs in the draft making him a must at pick 24. But, you do you.

25. Philadelphia Eagles | DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson

Les Bowen, Philadelphia Daily News

26. Indianapolis Colts | CB Deandre Baker, Georgia

Stephen Holder, The Athletic

27. Oakland Raiders | TE Noah Fant, Iowa

With tight end Jared Cook, their leading receiver last season, gone in free agency, the Raiders draft a potential replacement in Fant, who offers size (6-4) and speed (4.50 seconds in 40-yard dash) and caught 18 touchdowns over his final two college seasons. And defensive coordinator Paul Guenther is left waiting until Day 2 for a pass rusher. — Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle

Notes: Great pick here. I had the Raiders taking Fant at 24 in my 2-round mock draft, so to get him at 27 makes a lot of sense. He is the ideal replacement for Jared Cook.

28. Los Angeles Chargers | S Nasir Adderley, Delaware

Jeff Miller

29. Kansas City Chiefs | WR Marquise Brown, Oklahoma

Terez Paylor, Yahoo Sports

30. Green Bay Packers | WR D.K. Metcalf, Mississippi

Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

31. Los Angeles Rams | DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State

Gary Klein

32. New England Patriots | TE Irv Smith, Alabama

Ben Volin, The Boston Globe