This week, 254 names will be called at the NFL Draft in Nashville, Tennessee, announcing not only their invitation to the National Football League but also their destination. Some of the players have been stars destined for a first-round selection since they stepped on their college campuses, others shot their way up to the top of draft boards with a stellar final season or a strong performance at the combine or their pro day. Regardless of where they’re selected in the draft, this week symbolizes an opportunity for these young men to achieve their dreams of playing professional football finally.
One of the biggest questions in this draft is about Kyler Murray. The Heisman winner from Oklahoma is slated to be selected with the first overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals, and he certainly put together an active campaign last season to back up that slot. But there are concerns about his size, which is smaller than the prototypical quarterback, though the success of “smaller” quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson, and more recently, Baker Mayfield, may make NFL scouts and general managers look over Murray’s height. The other question is whether Arizona will be the team taking Murray, given that they already drafted a quarterback in the first round last year in Josh Rosen, or whether the Cardinals will trade down with another quarterback-needy team.Get ready to bet on the 2019 NFL Football season right here at Skybook and enjoy the best football betting odds. Register now and enjoy the best football futures and prop bets, win big.
This year’s draft is a potential gold mine for teams who are looking to beef up their defensive line, with three defensive linemen predicted to go in the first five picks. Nick Bosa comes from a family with a football pedigree with his father having played in the NFL and his brother, Joey Bosa, a defensive stud with the Los Angeles Chargers. But the younger Bosa has made a name for himself beyond his last name, stepping up to high expectations ever since he stepped onto the Ohio State campus and has developed into one of the top edge rushers in the country.
Josh Allen may not have had the same name recognition at the beginning of his collegiate career as Bosa, but the edge rusher from Kentucky has worked his way to becoming one of the best defensive linemen in the country. Allen also brings versatility and while he can certainly get after the quarterback in the pass rush, he has also shown during his time at the University of Kentucky that he can also drop back in coverage like a linebacker when needed.
Playing at Alabama, one can get stuck in the depth chart behind what seems like an NFL draft class of defensive studs every year. But with Da’Ron Payne leaving last offseason, Quinnen Williams stepped up as a starter on the defensive line and led the Crimson Tide to another National Championship Game appearance. Williams not only brings size to the interior of a defensive line but has also shown that he can disrupt both the passing game and the running game.
Defense seems to be the name of the game early in the draft, with LSU cornerback Greedy Williams expected to come off the boards soon, possibly in the top five. One of the best, if not the best, man coverage cornerback in the draft pool, Williams has shown he can make plays in the secondary, frequently causing trouble for opposing quarterbacks during his college career.