As tired as we all are of mock drafts, with the real 2019 NFL Draft just days away now is the time to really pay attention to them. At least to the mock drafts done by those who are among the most well-connected NFL insiders.
That’s why I found it significant that in their Monday morning mock drafts both Peter King [Football Morning in America] and Albert Breer [Monday Morning Quarterback] came up with the identical first round choices for the New York Giants.
Both King and Breer have the Giants selecting Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen No. 6 overall, then dipping into the quarterback pool to get Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with their second pick. King has the Giants actually trading down from 17 to 23 [with the Houston Texans] to make the move, while Breer has the pick coming at 17.
If you don’t want the Giants to select Jones — or any quarterback — at No. 6, the scenarios in the mocks by King and Breer are ones you should be rooting for.
There are no trades in Breer’s mock, but he has the New York Jets selecting Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver at No. 3. That leaves one of the three premier defenders who could convince Giants GM Dave Gettleman to wait at least one pick on a quarterback — Quinnen Williams of Alabama, Devin White of LSU and Allen, on the board with three picks to go. Allen is the one who remains, the Giants snap him up, and figure out a way to get their quarterback with the second pick.
Breer writes:
What I know: Logically, you’d say that if you like a quarterback enough to take him in the first round — essentially tying your job security to that player — then you shouldn’t get cute and wait until the second of your picks to take him. Enter the Giants, who own picks No. 6 and 17. But enough of those in the scouting community have reminded me how old-school Dave Gettleman is (best player available!) over the last week for the plunge to be taken (or not taken?) on this one. The best player, at this point, is clearly …
With the 6th pick: Josh Allen, DE/OLB, Kentucky
Breer picks Jones at 17 and offers a cautionary note that agrees with something I have been hearing as well:
If they address quarterback at No. 6, keep an eye on Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence here.
King’s scenario unfolds exactly the same way at No. 6. The Jets select Oliver and Allen slides to the Giants, giving them the edge pass rusher they seek. King writes:
A veteran personnel man who knows Dave Gettleman said the other day, “Dave wants a pass-rusher in the worst way. He won’t reach for one, but he’ll get one with one his first three picks.” Giants pick 6-17-37, and if they have their heart set on one of the young quarterbacks — Gettleman, as usual, has been a good poker-player here, because even those who know him do not know which quarterback he likes — they should be able to get him at 17. Or, perhaps, if they play their cards right, to trade back up into the low first round with that fifth pick in the second round as bait. (The Rams would love to dump out of the 31st pick.) One other thing Gettleman would figure to love in Allen: No top-prospect rusher is more experienced: He played in 51 college games.
King gets Jones with the 23rd pick, having moved 17 to the Texans and getting a second-round pick (55th overall) to boot.
If Jones is the apple of Gettleman’s eye here moving down and banking on him being available is risky business. Still, if he can get Jones and add a second-round pick in what he considers a draft “thick” in talent through the first four rounds you know he would love to do that.