2019 NFL Mock Draft: Nick Bosa falls to No. 2, Kyler Murray in top 10
By Randy Gurzi
1. Arizona Cardinals: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Originally it seemed like Nock Bosa would be the pick here, but as time goes on — and more games are re-watched — it’s becoming apparent that Quinnen Williams has the skillset to be the first player taken in the 2019 NFL Draft. And, he actually fits better for the Arizona Cardinals, who already had a dominant edge rusher in Chandler Jones.
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Adding Williams alongside Jones gives them two players who can devastate an offensive line. While Jones excels at bringing pressure around the edge, Williams can collapse a pocket up the middle — which is an incredibly frustrating thing for a quarterback to have to deal with.
Looking in their division, this could be an important factor for them. Jared Goff, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Russel Wilson are all talented passers who know how to avoid pressure from the sides. However, should the Cardinals have Williams in the middle, there’s less chance for these signal-callers to have a clean pocket to step into.
A redshirt sophomore, Williams had a breakout season for the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2018. He registered 71 tackles, with 19.5 going for a loss. As impressive as that was, he also put up eight sacks in 15 games.
New head coach Kliff Kingsbury may be an offensive-minded coach, but he would do well to make a defensive stud like this his first No. 1 overall pick to work with.