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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
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