2019 NFL Draft: 10 Players who will get drafted too high
2. T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
If teams want a complete and safe pick at tight end, T.J. Hockenson is the guy. There’s nothing he can’t do from the position. He’s a terror in the run game as a blocker and, when he’s asked to pass block, he looks like a tackle. Hockenson is technically sound in his route running as well. He’s a seam threat and works across the middle of the field. But a tight end going in the top 10 is hard to move the needle.
Even the league’s best tight ends weren’t drafted in the top 10. In fact, there aren’t selected in the first round at all. Let’s run down the names: Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Kyle Rudolph and Zach Ertz were day two picks. Meanwhile, the NFL’s third-leading tight end in yards, George Kittle, was picked in the fifth round.
Some may point to Eric Ebron, who led all tight ends in 2018 with 13 touchdowns, but it took a change of scenery for him to have that type of impact. No matter how great Hockenson is, taking him inside the top 15 isn’t wise.
1. Daniel Jones, QB, Duke
Daniel Jones has traits to like. He plays from the pocket with great timing anticipation and accuracy. Moreover, Jones is athletic and proved he’s capable of extended plays. Jones is a good quarterback who has front offices buzzing. A number of mocks have him slotted to the Giants at No. 17 or the Dolphins at No. 13, while others have him going before Dwayne Haskins.
There are too many questions about Jones to warrant that kind of praise. For starters, his arm strength is average. Normally it wouldn’t be a major issue, but oo often his passes lack the necessary velocity. At the Senior Bowl, he had a few lame ducks. He doesn’t have a quick release and suffered from batted passes.
NFL Mock Draft: Redskins, Patriots trade up in draft day projection. dark. Next
All in all, he’s a solid quarterback, but that’s it. Analysts have thrown out Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles and Josh McCown comparisons for Jones. While Foles did win a championship, he was a backup. Just like Tannehill is for Titans and Josh McCown was throughout his career. And that’s how Jones should be valued.