Picks #31 and #32 in the NFL 2019 Draft still remain to be determined, but that didn’t stop Mel Kiper from giving us his projected picks. Oh, and it is absolutely loaded with SEC players. Kiper has twice as many players projected to come from the SEC than the second most conference, the B1G, as well as seven different SEC schools represented. Alabama (4) is all alone at the top, with LSU, Florida, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State (all 2) following and Georgia and Kentucky (1) rounding it out. No school in the country has more players projected than Alabama, but Ohio State does have the same number, with Clemson and Oklahoma (3) just behind them.
After a season of offensive explosion across the NFL, it seems perfect that this draft class is loaded with stars on the defensive side of the ball. Stars like Quinnen Williams, Devin White, Deandre Baker, and many others highlight the class. Will these players come into the league and balance things out? Or will these young rookies be overwhelmed by the ever-evolving offenses?
Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky
Pick 2) San Francisco 49ers
Josh Allen will likely be the first SEC player taken in the first round, but is a surefire first round pick, which would make him the 17th first round pick out of the University of Kentucky. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Josh Allen terrorized offensive backfields for Kentucky, and Kiper lists him as on level with Bosa when it comes to pass rushing. The 49ers, despite taking defensive linemen in each of the first rounds over the past few years, need a real edge rusher, and Allen is at the top of this class. Allen recorded 17 sacks and 21.5 TFLs this past year, and even had an interception and 5 forced fumbles.
Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Pick 3) New York Jets
Quinnen Williams is just a Redshirt Sophomore, but has been arguably the most dominant player in an Alabama draft class that has players at every position level. Williams ended up 8th in the Heisman voting as a defensive tackle, a position you don’t see quite a lot of high up in the voting. The Jets do have the most cap space of any NFL team, so we could even see them fill this need in free agency and go with someone else at this spot.
Greedy Williams, CB, LSU
Pick 4) Oakland Raiders
If you’ve paid any attention to the SEC this year, there’s no doubt you’ve heard the name Greedy Williams. He’s the best defensive back in the draft, and was considered by most to be the most talented in the SEC this past season. He has good field awareness, and he has the frame to become a lockdown corner in the NFL. Kiper compares his ceiling to that of Aqib Talib. When it comes to the Raiders…well, they do have lots of holes to address. And this draft will be interesting as it is the first draft of Jon Gruden’s return to Oakland and Mike Mayock’s first as a GM. A pass rusher is badly needed for this defense, but if they don’t trade up for Quinnen Williams or Josh Allen, we can likely land the first pick out of LSU.
Jonah Williams, OT/G, Alabama
Pick 5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This may be the third straight “Williams” to go in the draft. For Tampa Bay, about a dozen players’ contracts will be up this year, and many may be candidates to be released under new head coach Bruce Arians. Kiper points to the offensive line as a must-start place for the veteran coach to begin his draft, and that leads us to the creme of the crop in the SEC; Alabama offensive lineman Jonah Williams. He went toe-to-toe with another potential first-rounder in Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell, and while many will only remember the plays that Ferrell dominated Williams, it wasn’t for most of the game. For the most part, it was a tight battle between the two, with both future first-rounders having their moments. Williams is a seasoned veteran, and he will be ready to take snaps from day one in the NFL.
Devin White, LB, LSU
Pick 8) Detroit Lions
The Lions will get the 8th pick in the NFL Draft, and barring any trades, it could be the 5th straight player taken out of the SEC. Mel Kiper believes that will be Devin White out of LSU. “White is a fly-to-the-football linebacker with similar athletic traits as Detroit middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, who was taken in the first round in 2017. The two could form a stellar tandem, as both are three-down linebackers. White isn’t a true pass-rusher, but he makes plays in the backfield”. While Greedy Williams took a lot of the talk about the LSU defense, Devin White racked up 123 tackles over the 2018 season. For head coach Mat Patricia, this could be a critical pick in turning around this Detroit defense.
Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
Pick 10) Denver Broncos
Former first-round pick Bradley Roby is a free agent, and Chris Harris Jr., who broke his leg in December, turns 30 over the summer. Cornerback is the No. 1 need for the Broncos. Baker isn’t far behind Greedy Williams as the top corner in this class. General manager John Elway hit on his 2018 draft class, and he needs another good one to get the team back on track under new coach Vic Fangio.
Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
Pick 11) Cincinnati Bengals
There are many mixed opinions from scouts regarding Florida tackle Jawaan Taylor. Many agree that he does have the raw talent and a high ceiling, but the floor could be equally low. He isn’t as well-rounded as Jonah Williams, and some scouts think he may be better suited for an interior lineman position, as he struggles against speed rushers and is better equipped to handle power rushers. All-in-all though, Taylor is an experienced lineman, one that the Bengals could desperately use, and there aren’t many other highly regarded prospects as Taylor that can fit any other needs.
Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida
Pick 15) Washington Redskins
Kiper skips over a few teams and has the next SEC player going at 15 to the Washigton Redskins. According to Kiper, “This is another potential landing spot for Kyler Murray. Alex Smith’s scary injury put his future in jeopardy, and it wouldn’t shock me if the Redskins added a young quarterback this offseason. Ultimately, I’m going with Polite, a perfect pass-rusher for a 3-4 defense who came on strong with 11 sacks this season. Former second-round pick Preston Smith has been inconsistent, and he’s a free agent, so Polite makes sense as a replacement opposite Ryan Kerrigan”. I’m not one to disagree with the draft guru, and Murray does have many question marks around him, no matter how badly the Redskins may need a quarterback.
Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
Pick 17) Cleveland Browns
Many weren’t giving the Browns much hope for the 2018 season after going 0-16, even with what seemed to be a loaded draft class. Luckily for them and GM John Dorsey, they were lead by rookies such as Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, and Nick Chubb to a 7-8-1 season. That’s a massive turnaround from 0-16, no matter who you are talking about. For the Browns first pick of the 2019 Draft, Mel Kiper has them selecting Miss St DT Jeffery Simmons. While Simmons has proven he was one of the better pass rushers on one of the premier defensive lines in the SEC, his 2016 arrest will have many teams being a little hesitant on the Starkville star.
Greg Little, OT, Ole Miss
Pick 18) Minnesota Vikings
With as much as Kiper brags on Greg Little’s raw talent, I am a little surprised he has him going this late. “He’s certainly the most talented. The former five-star high school prospect was inconsistent at times in college, but he should take off in an NFL strength and conditioning program”. High praise from Mel, and he is correct that Little has been inconsistent, but many earlier teams might be willing to gamble more on him rather than Taylor out of Florida, though he will for sure be gone in the First Round.
A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
Pick 22) Baltimore Ravens
Regardless if Lamar Jackson is the starter or not in 2019, the Ravens despereately need some playmakers at receiver. They may not have the best track record when it comes to that position, but that shouldn’t dissuade them from looking to stock the pantry. Especially when as of now they do not have a second round pick, so they need to make this one count. Kiper has A.J. Brown from Ole Miss being one of the most athletic and explosive receivers in the draft. If the Ravens take him, and the picks before him turn out something like Kiper has it laid out, it could make him the 11th player from the SEC taken.
Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
Pick 25) Philadelphia Eagles
Sweat might have been one of the lesser known names of the SEC this season, but he has racked up 22 sacks over the past two seasons. With free agents Brandon Graham and Chris Long potentially moving on, Philadelphia could add some pass-rush help here. At 6-foot-6, 241 pounds, Sweat is a rangy prospect who is athletically gifted. Kiper also lists receiver as a position to watch, as Golden Tate and Mike Wallace are both on the free-agent market, so if either A.J. Brown or Marquise Brown are available, we could also see a receiver landing here.
Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama
27) Oakland Raiders (from Dallas)
Mel has the Alabama tight end going to Oakland’s third First Round Pick, this one being the one they got from Dallas. Their glaring need at a pass rusher will have more than likely been addressed at this point, so I can easily seeing them fill a need at tight end with Irv Smith. While Smith can be a reliable passing threat, he has shown some struggles as a blocking tight end, but as said before it’s up in the air what Gruden and Mayock will go with.
Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
Pick 31) Kansas City Chiefs
If all plays out something like Mel Kiper is predicting so far, this could be the 14th player taken from the SEC in the First Round. As far as I can tell, the record for a conference is at 12. For the 31st pick, Kiper has Kansas City going with Alabama Safety Deionte Thompson. The Chiefs defense needs plenty of work, especially in the secondary, and while Eric Berry has been putting together what can turn into a HoF résumé, there isn’t a guarantee he can return to a consistent Pro-Bowl level. They need all the help they can get, and the athletic playmaking ability of Thompson could be a strong addition to this weak secondary.