BY: Andrew Edwards
The 2019 NFL draft has really garnered attention of late as it is leaked that the Arizona Cardinals may pick Quarterback Kyler Murray as the first pick.
The question, “Is Kyler Murray talented?” is null and void. Anyone with a basic knowledge of football can tell that he is extremely talented on the field. The question, rather, is “Does he have the intangibles to be successful in the NFL?” The answer is much more difficult than anything he saw on a college football field.
Ultimately, it seems as if the Cardinals will choose Murray as number one overall. This is mostly due to new Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury, who has a Big 12 background just like Murray. Even if you don’t think Murray has the size or strength, I think his skill set fits perfectly into Kingsbury’s offense, which will allow him to succeed no matter what.
The 49ers are up next, and this is more cut and dry. They are going to draft Nick Bosa. Bosa was the presumptuous number one pick for most of the year until Kyler made a late push after the combine. San Fran needs more edge rushers, and Bosa will provide exactly that.
Perhaps the most talented player in the draft, Josh Allen, might be picked by the Jets. This would be a major pick up for a team that placed in the bottom five of QB pressures this past season. Allen is the quickest player in this draft, and his 17 sacks for Kentucky last season proved just that.
The Raiders would then be wise to select Quinnen Williams from Alabama. Willams had an absolutely incredible year for the Tide, single-handedly breaking through double teams on a play-by-play basis. The Raiders, like the Jets, struggled to get QB pressures this past season, so either Allen or Williams would be a major boost for both.
This leaves Tampa Bay, who it seems would have to pick ILB Devin White from LSU. This one seems too obvious, as Kwon Alexander is no longer with the Buccaneers. They need an inside presence badly, and White could easily provide this. He had 123 tackles this past season at LSU, far more than any of his other counterparts.
Ultimately, a draft that was predicted to be boring before the start of the combine is really starting to shape up to be an interesting affair.
