Not quite what I was expecting.
The 2018 NFL regular season has three weeks to go, and the college football bowl season gets underway this weekend. Apparently that is the time for Todd McShay’s first mock draft of the 2019 NFL Draft.
McShay dropped the mock this morning, and used ESPN’s Football Power Index to determine draft order. That means he did not go by current record and tiebreaker status, and in turn that means he has the Arizona Cardinals picking first and the San Francisco 49ers picking second. ESPN’s FPI and Football Outsiders’ draft order projections give the Cardinals the best odds to claim the No. 1 pick.
McShay has the Cardinals grabbing Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa with the No. 1 overall pick. He can line up opposite Chandler Jones and offer an immediate upgrade to their pass rush.
At No. 2, McShay has the 49ers picking Michigan defensive lineman Rashan Gary. McShay lists him as a defensive end, but he’s a guy who can likely play both outside and inside. He’s listed at 6’5, 287 pounds, and has 38 tackles, 6.5 for a loss, and 3.5 sacks. He had 5.5 sacks as a sophomore.
Here’s what McShay had to say about the pick.
The Niners are seeking an edge rusher — among other things — and Gary provides explosive closing burst and elite athleticism. He’s a nightmare to block and would provide a jolt to San Francisco’s defensive line.
McShay has the New York Jets selecting Clemson defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the fourth pick, and the Detroit Lions selecting Kentucky defensive end Josh Allen with the ninth pick.
In doing some digging on Gary, he doesn’t seem like quite the pure edge rusher the 49ers need. I’d love to hear more from the college followers out there, but even in basic position rankings, he does not get the traditional “edge” moniker that Bosa, Ferrell, and Allen all get. That’s not to say he would not fit in, but I’m not sure if he’s necessarily the guy they’d go after. But feel free to offer up your thoughts on a pick like Gary.
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