2019 NFL Draft Goals

Posted April 20, 2019.
Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

What does every team need to accomplish in the 2019 NFL Draft? We’ll look at each team’s goals on this page, as well as possible selections for each squad. See how the goals are being addressed in the 2019 NFL Mock Draft (will be updated tomorrow).



  1. Arizona Cardinals:
    The Cardinals have to either trade the first-overall pick or select Kyler Murray. The latter isn’t an option just because Josh Rosen doesn’t care about football. It’s because the Cardinals would be losing out on a valuable asset by selecting Nick Bosa. If they choose Murray, they can turn Rosen into a second-round pick. They won’t acquire that extra selection by going with Bosa. Once Arizona drafts Murray, it’ll have to protect him and give him some weapons, as last year’s supporting cast was lackluster.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    1. Kyler Murray, QB
    33. Erik McCoy, C/G
    65. Hakeem Butler, WR
    103. Dru Samia, G

  2. San Francisco 49ers:
    The 49ers are close to becoming a playoff team once more. First, they must improve their defense, particularly their pass rush (via Nick Bosa) and secondary. They’ll also have to give Jimmy Garoppolo another talented receiver to throw to.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    2. Nick Bosa, DE
    36. Rock Ya-Sin, CB
    67. N’Keal Harry, WR
    104. Amani Hooker, S

  3. New York Jets:
    The Jets signed Le’Veon Bell this offseason, but that doesn’t mean that they’re done building around Sam Darnold. They must give Darnold some upgrades at receiver and the offensive line. Meanwhile, the defense is solid, but needs help at edge rusher and cornerback.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    3. Josh Allen, DE/OLB
    68. Riley Ridley, WR
    93. Yodny Cajuste, OT
    105. Jamel Dean, CB



  4. Oakland Raiders:
    The Raiders obviously have to upgrade their defense, which still has huge holes all over the place. They’ll also be on the lookout for a new running back, some interior offensive line help and a quarterback to groom behind Derek Carr, but this draft must focus on improving one of the worst stop units in the NFL.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    4. Quinnen Williams, DT
    24. Clelin Ferrell, DE
    27. Josh Jacobs, RB
    35. Greedy Williams, CB
    106. Maxx Crosby, DE

  5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
    The Buccaneers need help on every level of their defense, so they must use most of their draft choices on fixing their woeful stop unit. The offense could use a new running back and some offensive line help, but this must be a defensive-centric draft for Tampa Bay.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    5. Josh Allen, DE/OLB
    39. Jeffery Simmons, DT
    70. Nasir Adderly, S
    107. Benny Snell Jr., RB



  6. New York Giants:
    Everyone says the Giants need a new quarterback, and they do, but they should wait until the 2020 NFL Draft to obtain a franchise signal-caller. We know that general manager Dave Gettleman loves Justin Herbert, so why would he take a far-lesser prospect at the position when he can load up on defensive front-seven talent from this class? I suspect the Giants will add two front-seven players in the early stages. After that, they’ll need to rebuild their secondary and receiving corps.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    6. Ed Oliver, DT
    17. Clelin Ferrell, DE/OLB
    37. Rock Ya-Sin, CB
    95. Riley Ridley, WR
    108. Tytus Howard, OT
    132. Clayton Thorson, QB

  7. Jacksonville Jaguars:
    The Jaguars paid a ton of money to Nick Foles, so they better make sure they protect him. The Vikings made the mistake of not shielding Kirk Cousins well enough, so the Jaguars would be foolish to make the same blunder with Foles. In addition to upgrading the offensive line, Jacksonville must also give Foles some weapons to work with; the receiving corps is lackluster, while the running game is a question mark, given Leonard Fournette’s injuries and off-the-field problems.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    7. Jawaan Taylor, OT
    38. A.J. Brown, WR
    69. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S
    98. Jace Sternberger, TE
    109. Phil Haynes, G



  8. Detroit Lions:
    The Lions are never going to have great success the way they are currently built, so they need to trade Matthew Stafford and begin from scratch. They won’t do that, however, so the very best they can hope for next year is an 8-8 result. They’ll continue to spin their tires and attempt to upgrade the many holes on their roster. There are very few areas that don’t need to be upgraded, so “best player available” at every spot makes sense.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    8. Devin White, LB
    43. Parris Campbell, WR
    88. Christian Miller, DE/OLB
    111. Michael Deiter, G/C

  9. Buffalo Bills:
    Josh Allen doesn’t have nearly enough talent around him. The Bills signed a couple of receivers in free agency, but that’s not enough. They need help at receiver, tight end, running back and the offensive line. The defense is almost an afterthought at this rate, though Buffalo must find a replacement for the newly retired Kyle Williams.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    9. Ed Oliver, DT
    40. Noah Fant, TE
    74. Miles Sanders, RB
    112. Miles Boykin, WR
    131. Michael Deiter, C/G



  10. Denver Broncos:
    The Broncos could choose a quarterback early, but they’re better off waiting for the superior 2020 NFL Draft class to address the position. Instead, Denver should focus on addressing the many pressing needs on its roster, particularly linebacker, the secondary, the offensive line and the receiving corps.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    10. Devin White, LB
    41. Parris Campbell, WR
    71. Darnell Savage, S
    125. Hjalte Froholdt, G

  11. Cincinnati Bengals:
    The Bengals have one of the worst rosters in the NFL. They have needs at almost every position, so it makes sense for them to trade down on multiple occasions in the 2019 NFL Draft.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    11. Devin White, LB
    42. Jachai Polite, DE/OLB
    72. Khalen Saunders, DT
    110. Clayton Thorson, QB

  12. Green Bay Packers:
    The Packers will be a playoff team if Aaron Rodgers is healthy next year. They need to make sure that happens by improving his pass protection. Otherwise, Green Bay should just select the best player available to give itself a chance to make a run at the Super Bowl this season.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    12. Montez Sweat, DE/OLB
    30. Garrett Bradbury, C/G
    44. Noah Fant, TE
    75. Zach Allen, DE/DT
    114. Connor McGovern, G
    118. Kendall Sheffield, CB

  13. Miami Dolphins:
    The Dolphins have the worst roster in the NFL. Remarkably, they have a need at every single area of their depth chart. Yet, they have just five draft choices in the first six rounds. Miami absolutely must trade down on multiple occasions to acquire as much talent as possible.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    13. Montez Sweat, DE
    48. Damien Harris, RB
    78. Kaleb McGary, OT
    116. Connor McGovern, G/C

  14. Atlanta Falcons:
    Atlanta’s defense was decimated by injuries last year, but that doesn’t mean the team doesn’t need upgrades on its stop unit. The defensive line in particular is very soft, so multiple draft choices must be used to strengthen that area. Meanwhile, the offensive line needs help as well for the offense to return to its 2016 glory days.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    14. Rashan Gary, DE
    45. Jeffery Simmons, DT
    79. Chase Winovich, DE/OLB
    117. Nate Davis, OT/G
    137. Mecole Hardman, WR

  15. Washington Redskins:
    The Redskins are in a very difficult position because they have such a big need for a quarterback, yet this is the wrong time to have a huge void at the position, given how bad those prospects are in the 2019 NFL Draft class. They would be better off tanking for Tua Tagovailoa, Jake Fromm or Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft. As for this draft, they need to find some new receivers, interior offensive linemen and cornerbacks.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    15. Montez Sweat, DE/OLB
    46. Deebo Samuel, WR
    76. Amani Oruwariye, CB
    96. Michael Jordan, G



  16. Carolina Panthers:
    The Panthers absolutely must protect Cam Newton, given his shoulder issues. Failing to do so could cut his career short, which would be extremely unfortunate. Meanwhile, the defense needs personnel for its new 3-4 scheme. Carolina’s pass rush was lackluster this past season, so that must change. The secondary is also in need of help.

    Ideal 2019 NFL Draft (First Four Rounds):
    16. Rashan Gary, DE
    47. Elgton Jenkins, G/C
    77. Maxx Crosby, DE/OLB
    100. Amani Hooker, S
    115. Lonnie Johnson, CB


  17. Go to 2019 NFL Draft Goals: Picks 17-32

    Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwidth.

2019 NFL Mock Draft | 2020 NFL Mock Draft






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Other 2012 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Pick History (4/23) /Emmitt Mock (4/19) /Not Mock (4/19) /Backward Mock (4/17) /Celebrity (4/15) /Goals (4/10) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Greg Cox (9/9)
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Other 2013 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /GM Mock (4/21) /Charlie's Trade Mock (4/20) /Goals (4/19) /Rapid Reader Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/14) /Not Mock (4/13) /Pick History (4/5) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Archived 2013 NFL Mock Drafts
2014 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATE 5/8): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2014 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/10): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2014 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/8) /Goals (5/3) /Not Mock (4/27) /Emmitt Mock (4/20) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Celebrity Mock (4/11) /Backward Mock (4/4) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2015 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2015 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/2): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2015 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/30) /Goals (4/25) /Not Mock (4/19) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/3) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/5) /Overreaction Mock (12/29)
2016 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2016 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2016 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Combo (5/8) /Goals (4/23) /Not Mock (4/22) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Trades Mock (4/16) /Celebrity Mock (4/10) /Backward Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/6) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2017 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2017 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2017 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Combo (5/7) /Goals (4/22) /Not Mock (4/21) /Emmitt Mock (4/16) /Backward Mock (4/9) /Celebrity Mock (4/7) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/7) /Overreaction Mock (1/2)
2018 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/26): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2018 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2018 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/26) /Combo (5/6) /Goals (4/21) /Not Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /Trades Mock (4/13) /Backward Mock (4/8) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Reader Mock /Free Agent Mock (3/11) /Senior Bowl (1/27)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2019 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /Combo (5/5) /Goals (4/20) /Not Mock (4/18) /Witten Mock (4/14) /Trades Mock (4/12) /Emmitt Mock (4/7) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/26) /Video Mock (1/8) /Overreaction Mock (12/31)
2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/23): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2020 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/23) /Combo (5/3) /Goals (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/12) /Trades Mock (4/8) /Backward Mock (4/5) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Free Agent Mock (3/16) /Corey Long (3/13) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2021 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2021 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 5/1): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2021 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (5/17) /Goals (4/23) /Backward Mock (4/18) /Emmitt Mock (4/11) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/30) /Overreaction Mock (1/4)
2022 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/28): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2022 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/30): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2022 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/28) /Goals (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/15) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/5) /Overreaction Mock (1/10)
2023 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/27): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
2023 NFL Mock Re-Draft (UPDATED 4/29): Walt Round 4 /Walt Round 5 /Charlie Round 4 /Charlie Round 5 /Walt Round 2 /Walt Round 3 /Charlie Round 2 /Charlie Round 3
Other 2023 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/27) /Backward Mock (4/19) /April Fools Mock (4/1) /Senior Bowl Mock (2/4) /Overreaction Mock (1/9)
2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6
Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 12/11): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (12/13)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/29): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
2018 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2017 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2016 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2015 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2014 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2013 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2012 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2011 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2010 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2009 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2008 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2007 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2006 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock