The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft was bookended by two very intriguing selections.
The Arizona Cardinals chose Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick Thursday night in Nashville, ending a wild offseason ride that began with the reigning Heisman Trophy winner deciding between a football career and making good on his commitment to Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics.
Then, roughly four hours later, the New England Patriots made Arizona State wide receiver N’Keal Harry the 32nd name called in the opening round, giving Tom Brady a big, strong target to work with as the defending Super Bowl champions look to reel in another Lombardi Trophy (without a dent?).
There was no shortage of drama in between, either, so let’s break down the biggest winners and losers from Round 1.
WINNERS
Washington Redskins
The ‘Skins resisted the urge to trade up, and a potential franchise quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, fell right into their laps at No. 15 overall, thanks in large to the ineptitude of New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman (more on that later).
Washington then traded back into the first round at a reasonable cost (No. 46 pick and a 2020 second-round pick) to select defensive end Montez Sweat at No. 26. Sweat comes with health concerns related to a heart condition, but he’s one of the most talented pass rushers in this year’s draft. The Mississippi State product ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest time by a defensive lineman since at least 2003.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers traded up to No. 10 overall — swapping their own first-round pick (No. 20), a second-rounder (No. 52) and a 2020 third-rounder — to nab Michigan linebacker Devin Bush, who changes the game from sideline to sideline and could become the face of Pittsburgh’s defense in short order. This pick addresses the team’s biggest need and should help the Steelers finally recover from losing linebacker Ryan Shazier.
Oh, by the way, the Steelers chose Bush one pick ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals, who opted for offensive tackle Jonah Williams at No. 11. Williams isn’t necessarily a bad pick by the Bengals, but Cincinnati’s defense needs all the help it can get. Bush certainly would’ve been an option, and thus the Steelers helped themselves while also potentially hurting an AFC North rival.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tom Coughlin didn’t get cute with the No. 7 pick. He selected the best player available in linebacker Josh Allen, who should’ve gone several picks earlier, even if it meant overlooking other areas of need, and the Jaguars consequently landed a game-changer who will help revitalize Jacksonville’s once-ferocious defense.
AFC East teams
Brady might’ve received a new toy in K’Neal Harry — a large receiver with good ball skills — but life also became more difficult for the Patriots quarterback, as the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins all bolstered their defensive lines with excellent selections that warrant “winner” status.
The Jets picked Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (No. 3), the Bills picked Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver (No. 9) and the Dolphins picked Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (No. 13), all of whom will be a handful for New England’s offensive line, which just lost starting left tackle Trent Brown to free agency.
LOSERS
New York Giants
We don’t really want to pile on the Giants, who have been heavily scrutinized in the wake of making three first-round picks, including the highly controversial selection of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6 overall. But c’mon, man! Jones is a huge reach — especially with Haskins still on the board — and it’s fair to wonder whether he still would have been available at No. 17, in which case the Giants swung and missed on an opportunity to draft the guy they identified as Eli Manning’s successor and an impact defender like Josh Allen, Ed Oliver or Christian Wilkins.
Oakland Raiders
Josh Allen, an extremely talented linebacker capable of causing serious problems for opposing quarterbacks, made all the sense in the world for the Raiders at No. 4 overall. So what did they do? They picked someone else, opting instead for Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell.
Jon Gruden’s second stint with Oakland has been all over the place, and Thursday night was no different. Ferrell will help the Raiders’ pass rush — one of the team’s most glaring needs — but he seems like a major reach, especially given the alternatives available. Then, the Raiders drafted Alabama running back Josh Jacobs at No. 24 and Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram at No. 27. Both were decent enough selections — picking a running back in Round 1 always is dicey — but not enough to offset the major egg Oakland laid with its first pick.
Houston Texans
It’s no secret the Texans need better offensive line play after surrendering an NFL-worst 62 sacks in 2018. DeShaun Watson is a star quarterback who’s already torn his ACL twice, and Houston is playing with fire by forcing him to operate under duress so frequently. So, all in all, the Texans did the right thing in selecting an offensive lineman at No. 23 overall.
The problem is Houston reached for Tytus Howard, a former high school quarterback who grew two inches and packed on 87 pounds upon reaching the college ranks and becoming a tackle. And they might have been forced into that decision by the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded up to No. 22 to select Washington State tackle Andre Dillard — a far better prospect — despite having a less pressing need at the position.
