Detroit Lions 2019 NFL Draft: First Round mock, Picks 1-13
The Detroit Lions are almost to the draft but how will quarterback-needy teams affect their choices? We’ll mock the first thirteen picks and discuss it.
It’s the mock draft season … everywhere. However, this isn’t a seven round mock with analytics and copious explanations. The Detroit Lions currently own the eighth pick overall for the April 25th first-round of the NFL’s Annual Selection Meeting, aka the draft. What we are going to look at is strictly the picks which involve quarterback-needy teams, in this case lasting through pick thirteen, …which sounds lucky to me.
The Arizona Cardinals, the New York Giants, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Denver Broncos, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Miami Dolphins all appear to be in the market for a quarterback.
Other teams would think about one because they have an older starter with no apparent successor like the Los Angeles Chargers, the New England Patriots, or possibly the Washington Redskins. So, the question is what are the chances that someone is willing to pay to trade up to get “their guy?”
Right now there are no less than four quarterback prospects with grades that could land them in the first round later this month. Dwayne Haskins, Kyler Murray, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones have all proven that they are the top players in a not great class for quarterbacks. With only four better prospects available and a couple of more options that are capable of starting it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Another wrinkle is the availability of Josh Rosen, currently an Arizona Cardinals quarterback. If the Card’s move him, that takes a team out of the bidding war for a young player since he is only going into his second year in the NFL. Rumor has it that he can be had for any first-round pick but that teams may be unwilling to part with one right now.
Bleacher Report writer, Matt Miller, wrote that he spoke to an unnamed NFL executive about the Cardinals intentions with Rosen:
"“The Cardinals have received at least two offers for Rosen but want to “save face” and get as close to a first-round pick as possible. Said the exec: “They’re hoping the closer to the draft we get, some team is going to realize they will miss out on [Dwayne] Haskins or [Drew] Lock … or just remember that Rosen is better than either of them … and pony up a late first-rounder.”"
The Detroit Lions have also been rumored to be looking to trade down, most likely with a team at the back of the quarterback pick-up line. Lions general manager Bob Quinn declared the Lions open for business to trade down last week and on its face, this could net the Lions an extra pick or two if someone makes a deal to move up.