2019 NFL Draft: Top 150 draft prospects big board, surprise in top three
By Ian Cummings
No. 16-20
20. Kentucky EDGE Josh Allen (EDGE5)
Josh Allen has frequented in the top five of many mock drafts this offseason, but consider me a bit more tepid toward his oft-referenced upside. Allen has definite developmental potential; he’s flashed good burst and arc speed on tape, and he has the sheer motor to produce when called upon. That said, Allen’s athletic traits didn’t flash as often as one would have liked, and he’s not developed enough with his floor to suggest that he might have the desired immediate impact of a top five pick. Allen improved drastically in 2018, but he’s still a projection at this point. The tools, such as burst and length, are there. If he can further hone them, he can exceed his billing here.
19. Mississippi State IDL Jeffery Simmons (IDL3)
Mississippi State’s Jeffery Simmons could have challenged for a top ten spot on this big board if it wasn’t for his unfortunate ACL tear earlier this offseason. The ACL tear will undoubtedly keep Simmons from hitting the field in year one, and time will tell if it saps away his outstanding burst. If he even retains 80 percent of his explosion, however, he can compliment it with his stellar length, torso mobility, counter dictionary, and relentless motor to become a solid starter in year two.
18. Florida S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (S1)
Versatility is the name of the game in today’s NFL, and while Chauncey Gardner-Johnson isn’t quite the transcendent defensive back prospect that Derwin James was in 2018, Gardner-Johnson offers a similar kind of versatility in the secondary. A compact, but stellar athlete, Gardner-Johnson can line up anywhere from slot cornerback to single high, and as a smart defensive leader and a stout tackler, Gardner-Johnson is the safe, high-upside pick that defenses should covet, in the midst of an offensive renaissance.
17. Mississippi State EDGE Montez Sweat (EDGE4)
The amount of sheer edge talent at the top of this NFL Draft class is almost hard to believe. Nick Bosa and Brian Burns are comfortably separated at the top, but behind them, the next tier is very enticing in its own right. Much of that has to do with Montez Sweat, an edge prospect from Mississippi State who has the best chance of joining Bosa and Burns later in his career. Sweat is lacking somewhat in terms of flexibility and bend, but he offers great burst for his 6-foot-6 frame, and he brings whopping 36-inch arms to dominate the leverage game. Sweat’s upside is somewhat limited, but still very great, and as long as his heart issue checks out, he can be an impact starter.
16. Clemson EDGE Clelin Ferrell (EDGE3)
Some edge rushers don’t need all the tools to succeed, if they’re proficient enough with the tools that they have. It seems as if Clelin Ferrell should be lower, on my board that more heavily weighs athletic talent, potential, and upside, as Ferrell is an average athlete at best with only minimal bend and adequate burst. But Ferrell makes up for, and exceeds, his athletic limitations, with his looming length, fast hands, high rushing I.Q., and impressive attention to detail. Ferrell is a well-rounded edge defender who, while he might never set the league on fire, will give a team reliable starting play for a long spell.