2019 NFL Draft: Top 150 draft prospects big board, surprise in top three
By Ian Cummings
No. 1-5
5. Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson (TE1)
Tight ends get no love, and in this NFL Draft class, with what appears to be a deep tight end crop, we could see several top-tier tight ends slip, even if they shouldn’t. T.J. Hockenson is the highest-ranked of those tight ends, offering enticing athleticism and strength to go with his route running savvy and tremendous catch point ability. He’s not quite the fluid athlete that his counterpart Noah Fant is, but he’s explosive in his own right. For teams looking for an all-around offensive weapon, Hockenson has the receiving ability and the ruthlessness as a blocker to end the search.
4. Houston IDL Ed Oliver (IDL2)
People will overthink Ed Oliver because of his size. They shouldn’t. Ed Oliver is a near transcendent athlete as an NFL Draft interior defensive lineman, and for all of his movement prowess, he still possesses the strength to be a force on the inside of the line, and he has the athletic flexibility to move around on the defensive front as well. Oliver enters the NFL trending up, and defensive-oriented teams will be clamoring to add a chess piece of his caliber to their front seven.
3. Florida State EDGE Brian Burns (EDGE2)
Every draft season, there are players who prove to be polarizing across the draft community. Few in the 2019 NFL Draft are more polarizing than Brian Burns. Burns detractors will point to his occasional lack of power and strength in contested situations, while supporters will point to his overwhelming combination of explosive burst, arc speed, bend, length, and hand technique; an amalgamation of traits that gives him unparalleled upside at the next level. You can probably guess that I’m a supporter.
2. Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa (EDGE1)
There’s a certain intrinsic value that reliability provides in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. Teams often flock for athletic projects, but if there’s a player that’s strong enough, polished enough, and dominant enough, without the dominant physical traits, they get noticed. Nick Bosa is one of those players. An average to above-average athlete, Bosa wins with a culmination of traits, from his bend to his burl, to his quick, ruthless hand strikes and counters. Bosa should be a high-level starter for a long time, and that kind of reliability earns him a top-three NFL Draft pick.
1. Alabama IDL Quinnen Williams (IDL1)
Quinnen Williams is the best player in the 2019 NFL Draft. He emerged with an abruptness, but now that he’s been situated at the top for some time, many are beginning to appreciate what he brings to the table. Williams is a stellar athlete with looming size, and a ferocious hunger for contact inside the trenches. Mentally, he’s well-developed, possessing an understanding of leverage and points of penetration on the line, and he’ll be an immediate game-wrecker on defense for whoever selects him.