2019 NFL Draft: Grades, analysis for every Day 2 pick

With the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft completed, we move on to the second and third rounds on Friday. Instant grades for every pick on Day 2.

We should have known it was going to happen, but the 2019 NFL Draft knocked us all flat on our backs at times throughout the first round on Friday night. Whether it was Kyler Murray actually going No. 1 to the Cardinals, the Oakland Raiders taking Clelin Ferrell, the already infamous Daniel Jones pick or even the Seattle Seahawks trading down and reaching for L.J. Collier, shock and chaos were in the air. And now it’s on to Day 2.

As a result of those picks we didn’t see coming in Round 1, there are a lot of highly talented players still available in the 2019 NFL Draft as we get ready for the second and third rounds. LSU cornerback Greedy Williams, Ole Miss wide receiver D.K. Metcalf, Oklahoma offensive tackle Cody Ford and even a guy like Delaware safety Nasir Adderley are all still up for the taking and have star potential.

If the first day of the 2019 NFL Draft was any indication, we’re about to see plenty of craziness on Friday night for the Day 2 action. That’s great entertainment, but it also means teams are going to get big-time players when they may not have expected to.

With that in mind, we’ll be going pick-by-pick throughout Day 2 of the 2019 NFL Draft and handing out instant grades and quick-hitting analysis for every selection in Rounds 2 and 3.

Round 2 Grades, Analysis

As long as they didn’t reach and as long as they didn’t take another quarterback, the Arizona Cardinals were going to get a good grade for the 33rd pick. Though Byron Murphy isn’t a freakish athlete, he’s a tremendous coverage player that should give them a great player in the secondary — especially if they are going to trade Patrick Peterson.

Grade: A-

The Indianapolis Colts, in need of some help in the secondary, had to feel like they were in a great position to grab a player they liked if they didn’t trade out. Rock Ya-Sin is a fine player that has high upside, but he has some limited valuer right out of the gate as he needs technical refinement. With Greedy Williams on the board and the potential to trade back, this pick left a little to be desired.

Grade: B-

TRADE: Jaguars trade up to No. 35 with Raiders

Many (myself included) had Jawaan Taylor as one of the top two offensive tackles in this class. However, an issue with his knee that came up caused him to slip. Yet, the Jacksonville Jaguars made their move with great value at No. 35 to grab him. After investing in Nick Foles, they must protect him and Taylor is a fantastic addition to help them do that, a Day 1 starter.

Grade: A+

The San Francisco 49ers clearly needed to bolster their wide receiver corps in this draft after remaining quiet there in free agency and Deebo Samuel does that for them. While he’s not a prototype No. 1 in terms of height and length, he’s an athletic player with tremendous technical refinement that should be great for a returning Jimmy Garoppolo.

Grade: A

TRADE: Panthers trade up to No. 37 with Seahawks

In terms of need, the Carolina Panthers made a great move to trade up and get an offensive tackle. Here’s the thing, though — they took the wrong one. With Cody Ford still on the board and being a superior prospect, they took Greg Little. Little has natural talent and size, but he has little development in terms of technique and footwork, which really sours this trade up and pick.

Grade: C+

TRADE: Buffalo Bills trade up to No. 38 with Raiders

The fact that Cody Ford went behind some of the players that he did in this class is criminal, but the Buffalo Bills took advantage and traded up to No. 38 to nab him. The Oklahoma product should be a Day 1 starter that can maul and be a physical force in a physical offense in front of Josh Allen. With that, this pick is a great move for Buffalo.

Grade: A+

Sean Bunting is a player that I really like in the 2019 NFL Draft class — just not with the 39th overall pick. That’s incredibly rich for this player when, again, Greedy Williams (and Amani Oruwariye, etc.) is still on the board. This is just questionable at best right now and it’s hard to get behind this.

Grade: C+

As much of a reach as the Bunting picks was for the Bucs, this is even more of a reach for the Oakland Raiders. The hope was that Mike Mayock would make them less of a laughingstock, but here we are, laughing. Mullen is fine, I guess, but not anything special about him when you watch the film.

Grade: C-

Great pick for the Denver Broncos here. They absolutely needed to get some help up front on the offensive line and they were able to get a first-round caliber player in Risner, a guy from Kansas State that has a bunch of versatility and can play all across the front. Great pick that really helps this team.

Grade: A

TRADE: Broncos move up to No. 42 with Bengals

Your move, Joe Flacco. There were early rumblings in the draft process that John Elway loved Drew Lock enough to take him at No. 10. After trading down and passing on Lock twice in the first, the value was too much to pass up and they traded up for another try at landing a franchise quarterback. Lock has his flaws, but the tools are there for him to succeed, and he’s great second-round value for Denver.

Grade: A

There have been some bad picks in the 2019 NFL Draft thus far, but they pale in comparison to this. Jahlani Tavai was a late-Day 3 pick flier in my book and the Lions just took him in a spot where you want a potential starter. My word, this is just awful.

Grade: F

Elgton Jenkins is an experience, technically sound interior offensive lineman and the Packers needed to add that. In that regard, you have to like this pick to some degree for Green Bay. Having said that, Erik McCoy is still on the board and is the better player with the same type of interior line versatility, so they get knocked a little bit.

Grade: B-

TRADE: Patriots trade up to No. 45 with Rams

While I’m often inclined to trust Bill Belichick (for good reason at this point), Joejuan Williams is a player I’m not huge on by any means. He’s a fine player that can do some solid things and is an impressively built corner, but I’m just not sure that there’s value in trading up to the 45th pick to get him. Maybe Belichick proves me wrong, but we’ll see.

Grade: C

TRADE: Browns trade up to No. 46 with Colts

Look, I get it. Greedy Williams is aloof on the field at times and doesn’t play physically. Having said that, they are getting a player that very clearly has first round potential in terms of his physical tools and coverage ability. If he can buy into the culture that’s being built in Cleveland, that is a massively important and fantastic pick for Cleveland.

Grade: A+

When you look at Marquis Blair, he plays like a Seahawks defensive back with his speed, size and physicality. The issue, however, is that he’s not very good, especially with literally every other safety in this class still on the board. Someone help the Seahawks draft.

Grade: D

TRADE: Saints move up to No. 48 with Dolphins

Wonderful pick by the New Orleans Saints here. With Max Unger gone, the Saints needed a replacement to step up on Day 1 at center, but didn’t have a first-round pick. With McCoy, a Day 1 talent, slipping, they made their move up to nab him and they’re going to be very happy with the instant-impact player they’re getting.

Grade: A

This is an all-upside pick for the Indianapolis Colts. Ben Banogu’s tape isn’t that great, even with production. However, he’s a freak athlete that is just a little undersized. With Chris Ballard’s evaluation skills, though, you have to think that this might be a hidden gem that he’s uncovering here.

Grade: B-

Kyle Rudolph has been a staple for the Minnesota Vikings for some time, but he’s getting up there and they were thought to be in line for a replacement. Now, they get a potential first-rounder dropping to them at No. 50 and don’t hesitate to nab him. While not a freak athlete or great blocker for now, Smith is a great receiving option that can be an immediate weapon.

Grade: A-

A.J. Brown isn’t the physical phenom that his teammate, D.K. Metcalf, is. However, he was the more productive player in college and is a good athlete in his own right. He gives Marcus Mariota another weapon that he needs, a polished player that can move all over and pair well with Corey Davis and Adam Humphries with the Titans offense.

Grade: A

Drew Sample is a talented and athletic prospect that, with the Bengals trouble keeping Tyler Eifert healthy, Cincinnati can use. This might be a slight reach, but not an egregious one. The knock for the grade, though, is that there were much bigger, more pressing needs for the Bengals with the 52nd pick.

Grade: B-

Miles Sanders is clearly the second-best running back in the class and the Eagles answer a need by taking him. After trading for Jordan Howard, this is a weird pick on the surface. However, Philadelphia loves a running back committee and Sanders adds another dimension with his pass-catching ability. Not a world-beating pick, but a solid one.

Grade: B

This isn’t a pick that makes you jump out of your seat, but it’s a nice move for the Houston Texans to add an athletic cornerback that has a lot of upside. They needed a win after taking a baffling choice in Tytus Howard in the first, and Johnson is certainly a favorable addition.

Grade: B

So, elephant in the room — the Texans took a better offensive lineman in Round 2 than they did in the first round. Max Scharping isn’t a perfect player, but he’s athletic and has versatility both in terms of position and scheme. He’s a really good player that can develop quickly and improve a lacking group up front in Houston.

Grade: B

TRADE: Chiefs move up to No. 56 with Rams

Well, this is pretty transparent. With the Tyreek Hill situation possibly taking him off the Chiefs and perhaps out of the NFL, Kansas City clearly wanted to take a replacement and Mecole Hardman is that. He’s a burner with speed and a freak athlete, despite diminutive size. This is early for Hardman, but it’s not hard to see what they’re doing here.

Grade: B-

Stanford product J.J. Arcega-Whiteside can play incredibly well, one of the best red zone threats with size and box-out ability to win 50-50 balls. Moreover, he tested as a better athlete than some expected. He’s a great addition to the receiving corps that could be much better for them than Golden Tate was in the middle of last season.

Grade: B

Trysten Hill is a high-upside player tht can also play immediately for the Cowboys defensive line. Get him in the Dallas Cowboys system, and he’s going to contribute in a big way for them and this is solid value. This pick gets knocked a little because of the value still on the board at safety, but Hill is a force that can be special for Rod Marinelli.

Grade: B

The Indianapolis Colts needed a big-bodied receiver to pair opposite of T.Y. Hilton to help Andrew Luck and the offense. Instead, they got a player that is awfully redundant of what Hilton does. It could work, so it’s not a failure, but this is an odd fit for Indianapolis with this pick.

Grade: C+

The Chargers needed to make their defense better. They added Jerry Tillery with a great first-round pick. Now they pair Nasir Adderley with Derwin James at safety in the secondary. The Chargers are quietly killing the 2019 NFL Draft.

Grade: A+

Full disclosure, Taylor Rapp’s general lack of speed and athletic testing concern me a bit. Having said that, he has some good tape and fills a need on the back end of the defense for the Rams. This is a fine pick for them (after trading down a million times) at the end of the second round.

Grade: B-

TRADE: Dolphins acquire Josh Rosen for No. 62 pick, sent to Cardinals

Imagine trading up into the top 10 for a quarterback. Then, in the next draft, using the first overall pick to take another quarterback, but not before killing the trade value of the first quarterback. Then you get just the 62nd overall pick and then take a gadget wide receiver that should’ve been a Day 3 pick with that selection. That’s what the Cardinals just did. Good job, Steve Keim.

Grade: F

Great pick by the Chiefs at the end of the second round. After cutting Eric Berry, the Chiefs needed someone on the back end that they can pair with Tyrann Mathieu. Juan Thornhill is an ultra-versatile player that fits perfectly back there and allows the Kansas City secondary to be incredibly dynamic and able to make plays.

Grade: A

TRADE: Seahawks move up to No. 64 with Patriots

Even if you’re not someone in love with D.K. Metcalf, you have to love the value of getting him with the 64th overall pick. He’s a massive wide receiver with great speed and vertical playmaking. He’s not agile, but doesn’t need to be to win. For the Seattle Seahawks, he’s a huge weapon for Russell Wilson and will help the offense immediately.

Grade: A

Round 3

To open up the third round, the Arizona Cardinals make a great selection here. While Zach Allen isn’t a great athlete, he’s a versatile and movable piece up front on the defensive line and can be a smart, powerful player that can rush a little bit, but always contribute and compete against the run.

Grade: B+

Diontae Johnson is a fine mid-round player and the Pittsburgh Steelers no doubt need some depth with that receiving corps. However, with Hakeem Butler, who would be a beautiful fit with Pittsburgh, still there, this pick falls a bit short by my estimation.

Grade: C-

Is the value there for Jalen Hurd early in the third round? Maybe not. This is way earlier than he projected to go. But is this an offense with the 49ers where he could thrive and where he could reach his insanely high potential? Absolutely.

Grade: B-

Jachai Polite had the worst pre-draft run in recent memory, but he’s great value based off his tape at the beginning of the third round. If he can be coached into maturing and being more dedicated to his craft, he can be an impact player off the edge for a team that needs it.

Grade: A

The Jacksonville Jaguars needed badly to upgrade their tight end group and Josh Oliver has the potential to do that. While he may not be a Day 1 star, he’s a high-upside player with great athletic testing that has the potential to be a real weapon for Nick Foles, who loves him some athletic tight ends.

Grade: B

With the knee ailment putting Todd Gurley’s value in question, a running back pick was likely and they got an explosive playmaker with this pick. Darrell Henderson was electric and versatile in Memphis and should be a breakout star under Sean McVay.

Grade: B-

This isn’t a pick that’s going to get fans overly excited, but it’s a good one. Dre’Mont Jones is not a world-beater, but he has great size and good tape that make you think he can come into a lacking Denver Broncos defensive front rotation and contribute immediately.

Grade: B

The Cincinnati Bengals very much needed to add to their linebacker corps in this draft class, so it’s good that they address that need here. However, Germaine Pratt is a bit of a reach with the 72nd pick, which knocks the selection down a peg for me.

Grade: B-

TRADE: Bears move up to No. 73 with Patriots

After trading Jordan Howard, the Chicago Bears needed a bell-cow back that better fit what Matt Nagy likes to do and David Montgomery is that. He’s a great runner, but can also catch passes well out of the backfield.

Grade: B+

I like Devin Singletary as a sleeper running back prospect, but this is early to take him and the Bills running back room is already extensively crowded with LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore and T.J. Yeldon. Interesting choice with other needs still present.

Grade: C

Jace Sternberger figured to be a second-round prospect, so for the Packers, who needed another talented body at tight end, to get him with the 75th pick is great value for Green Bay.

Grade: B+

Great value pick for the Washington Redskins, pairing Dwayne Haskins with his college teammate. Terry McLaurin isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime athlete or anything, but he’s a great player that can come in and be a reliable pass-catcher with big-play ability.

Grade: A

Chase Winovich is criminally undervalued in this draft class and the Patriots take advantage. New England needed to add to their edge rush and they get a player ready to give them something from Day 1 at the defensive end spot.

Grade: A-

As the Miami Dolphins now look to build around Josh Rosen, they get a great value pick on the interior of the offensive line with Michael Dieter. He can step in right away and start for the Dolphins and be a plus asset for them up front.

Grade: A

David Long is a great instinctual cornerback that can fit really well in the slot for the Los Angeles Rams. He doesn’t have size for the outside, or at least ideally so, but he can come in and play right away and possibly develop into a bigger role.

Grade: B

There’s no question that the Cleveland Browns need help at linebacker to solidify the position moving forward. Sione Takitaki is a pick that can really help that as he can fly around the field and make plays. He needs to enhance his tackling form and consistency, but he’s a high-upside player that fits well.

Grade: B

TRADE: Lions trade up to No. 81 with Vikings

This is a solid pickup for the Lions as they trade up to get Will Harris. He’s a versatile player that is a great athlete and can make plays at strong safety with some refinement. Day 1, though, he’ll make Belichick-disciple Matt Patricia happy with special teams play.

Grade: B+

The Tennessee Titans needed to get another body for the interior of their offensive line and they took a great upside pick with Nate Davis. While he needs coaching up at the NFL level, he has the tools and baseline talent to be a great pickup for the Titans line.

Grade: A-

Some people believe that Justin Layne is the best cornerback in the 2019 NFL Draft, so you have to love the value the Pittsburgh Steelers. While I’m not in that contingent, he’s a good player that is an upgrade for a lacking secondary in the Steel City.

Grade: A

Khalen Saunders is an absolute beast of a man that can fill up space, but also provide a pass rush on the defensive front. He’s a monster with untapped potential that provides great value for the Cheifs defense.

Grade: A

Jaylon Ferguson set the FBS record for career sacks while at Louisiana Tech, but man, his athletic testing was downright abysmal. Maybe you can bank on size and production, so this won’t be a failing grade, but I’m not a fan of this pick.

Grade: B-

Kahale Warring is a ball of untapped potential at tight end that could develop into a great player. The Texans need that on offense to pair with Deshaun Watson, so this pick is a good get for them at this spot.

Grade: B+

I mean, sure? The Patriots love their running backs, so they get a productive and talented college player in Damien Harris. Just not sure that this moves the needle much.

Grade: C

TRADE: Seahawks move up to No. 88 with Lions

I’m not entirely sure as to why the Seahawks had to trade up to make this pick, but here we are. Cody Barton can contribute for them some, but he doesn’t feel an immediate need. and is quite a reach at this point of the draft.

Grade: D

After taking Darius Leonard in the second last year, the Colts take Bobby Okereke here. He’s a talented linebacker, though he’s not as explosive of an athlete as you’d like. Having said that, he can be dangerous in coverage and has good instincts in the middles of the field.

Grade: B+

This is a pick that isn’t going to be a fan-favorite, but Connor McGovern can help this team up front. Whether as a backup or a replacement for Travis Frederick if his recovery isn’t 100 percent, the Penn State product is solid and can fit in well.

Grade: B

Trey Pipkins has athletic traits to develop into a tackle down the line, but with guys like Yodny Cajuste or even Bobby Evans on the board, the Sioux Falls product is a reach for the Chargers.

Grade: C

This is a nice pick for value for the Jets. They needed to invest some in the offensive line and Chuma Edoga is a great pick to do that with. He’s not a finished product, but he has the ability to play right away and the tools to be a stalwart up front.

Grade: A

Miles Boykin is a great athlete that never put it all together on the field at Notre Dame. For a severely lacking receiving corps in Baltimore, though, pairing the upside of the big-bodied Boykin with Hollywood Brown is enticing.

Grade: A

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers take a flier on Jamel Dean here, who has elite traits, but not elite film. His inconsistency shows he needs coaching, but perhaps Bruce Arians and Todd Bowles can give him that.

Grade: B-

The Giants finally got a draft pick right, taking Oshane Ximines here. He’s not a finished product, but he does have great potential to be a pass-rusher that the New York defense sorely needs right now.

Grade: A

You have to love this high-upside pick for the Buffalo Bills. While Dawson Knox is still raw as a tight end, his physical tools scream that he can be a massive weapon in the NFL, which Josh Allen needs in the passing game.

Grade: A

This is a nice marriage between value, talent and need. The Rams need to address the future of their offensive line and Bobby Evans can bring that while being allowed to polish up his footwork and technique, which he needs to do.

Grade: B+

Yes, he might be Quinnen Williams’ brothe and he might be athletic, but this is a monstrous reach that didn’t need to be made for a Jaguars team that still has needs to address and immediate contributors available.

Grade: D

This is a bit rich for Mike Edwards for me, but I get the pick. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to revamp their secondary in a big way and Edwards, a gamer with high motor and solid athleticism, can help to do that.

Grade: B

I like the value of Will Grier at the end of the third round. Moreover, if there is some unreported concern about Cam Newton’s health, this is a safety pick. And on top of that, they need a backup option. This isn’t as bad of a pick as it might seem to some.

Grade: B

Yodny Cajuste finally comes off of the board finally and the New England Patriots get a steal. I had a second-round grade on the West Virginia tackle and believe he can contribute on the Pats’ line from Day 1.

Grade: A

Yes, the Vikings have Dalvin Cook, but with his durability in question, they need a little bit of insurance and Alexander Mattison is a player that can most definitely help them in that regard.

Grade: B-

There were plenty of surprises on Thursday night with the first 32 selections of the 2019 NFL Draft, but surprise is not limited to the first round. Certainly, fans will see plenty more of that on Day 2 of the draft when picks No. 33-102 will be made. Stay buckled in, folks — the ride is just getting started.