The 2019 NFL Draft got underway with the first 32 selections on Thursday night, but how did each team fare with their first-round picks?
The first round of the 2019 NFL Draft is in the books. There was a lot more intrigue in this draft than most years, as it was far from obvious what teams would do on the first night. We saw shocking reaches, prospects who were mocked in the top 10 fall out of the first round and everything in between.
Some teams greatly improved their stock going forward while others made baffling moves that could hold their franchise back for many years. How did your favorite team do?
Find out as we grade each and every first-round selection of the 2019 NFL Draft.
1. Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Grade: A
The Arizona Cardinals made Kyler Murray their franchise quarterback, taking him with the first overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. This pick has been expected for a long time, but it still extremely interesting due to the fact that Arizona traded up in last year’s draft to take quarterback Josh Rosen. After a rough rookie season, the Cardinals will cut bait with Rosen and build their team around the reigning Heisman Trophy winner.
This selection really comes down to Murray being a fit for new head coach Kliff Kingsbury‘s offensive system. Kingsbury was a controversial hire by Arizona after being fired by Texas Tech last season. Arizona brought him in to be their head coach simply for his offensive knowledge. The NFL is a scoring league and Kingsbury is an extremely forward-thinking offensive coach whose spread offense could be lethal.
The Cardinals are completely committed to Kingsbury and that is why Murray was the pick. His speed, quickness and overall mobility are elite at the quarterback position, showing ridiculous natural playmaking skills with the ball in his hands.
His rushing upside is impressive and exciting, but do not discount Murray’s ability in the pocket. He is a smart quarterback who reads the field well and makes correct decisions a majority of the time. Murray also possesses a big arm, shows impressive accuracy to all fields and consistently puts proper touch on his passes.
Make no mistake about it, Kyler Murray is a fantastic quarterback prospect who has massive upside at the next level. His lack of size is concerning and there is certainly plenty of risk with this pick, but I like the Cardinals putting their chips in and backing their new head coach.
The selection of Murray is ideal for a Kingsbury-led team. Can his body hold up at the next level? Only time will tell. If it does, this is going to be a franchise-altering selection.