Five years have passed since the 2019 NFL Draft, giving us time to reassess how teams deployed their draft choices that year.
Six players from the 2019 crop have earned first-team All-Pro nods, while 29 have made at least one Pro Bowl. Plenty of talent exists, beginning with elite producers near the top of the draft and continuing with depth throughout the first round.
Let’s dive into our 2019 NFL redraft and see which players rose, which fell, and how the first round would be altered with the benefit of hindsight.
Redrafting the 2019 NFL Draft
As we redraft 2019, trades that were agreed to before the start of the draft will stay in place. However, deals that took place during the draft itself will not be included.
1) Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Original selection: QB Kyler Murray
While Kyler Murray hasn’t developed into an All-Pro quarterback over five NFL seasons, he won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019, went to the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021, and looked comfortable in Cardinals OC Drew Petzing’s offense after returning from a torn ACL in Week 10 of last season.
Quarterbacks mean so much — and Murray has enough upside remaining — that Arizona can justify taking him No. 1 again instead of choosing from the deep pool of players selected after the ex-Oklahoma signal-caller.
2) San Francisco 49ers: Maxx Crosby, EDGE, Eastern Michigan
Original selection: EDGE Nick Bosa
Choosing between Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa represents the ultimate dilemma for the 49ers. While both pass rushers have been impactful contributors, we’re giving the narrow edge to Crosby, who’s been more available and slightly more productive, depending on which metrics you look at.
According to TruMedia, Crosby has 457 combined pressures and tackles for loss since 2019, second most in the NFL behind only future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald. Crosby has led all defensive linemen in snaps in each of the past two seasons and has been on the field for 900+ plays in four consecutive years.
3) New York Jets: Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State
Original selection: DT Quinnen Williams
Bosa only falls one spot, joining the Jets’ 3-4 front as a stand-up pass rusher. He lost the 2020 season to a torn ACL, but Bosa has been otherwise dominant, winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 and a Defensive Player of the Year nod in 2022, when he led the NFL with 18.5 sacks.
Bosa’s 17.2% pressure rate ranks second among edge defenders with 1,000 defensive snaps since 2019, trailing only Micah Parsons, per TruMedia.
4) Oakland Raiders: A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi
Original selection: EDGE Clelin Ferrell
The Raiders bombed the 2019 NFL Draft despite boasting three first-round picks. While running back Josh Jacobs has produced at times, pass rusher Clelin Ferrell and safety Johnathan Abram didn’t live up to expectations.
Oakland can rectify things in our redraft by selecting A.J. Brown, the most imposing offensive player to come off the board in 2019. Brown was a physical marvel for the Titans but exploded upon joining the Eagles in 2022. He’s posted back-to-back 1,400+ yard seasons while earning consecutive second-team All-Pro berths.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josh Hines-Allen, EDGE, Kentucky
Original selection: LB Devin White
The Buccaneers had just selected DT Vita Vea in Round 1 of the 2018 draft, so Tampa will pass on another mammoth interior defender who might come off the board with our next pick.
Instead, the Bucs land Josh Hines-Allen, who still seems underrated despite being the NFL’s second-highest-paid defensive end. While Allen’s underlying pass-rushing metrics always suggested a star, he earned more attention with his 17.5-sack 2023 campaign.
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6) New York Giants: Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
Original selection: QB Daniel Jones
The Giants won’t go down the Daniel Jones path again in our 2019 NFL redraft. Instead, Big Blue will use the sixth overall pick on the prospect it initially took at No. 17.
There’s no other NFL player quite like Dexter Lawrence, who’s one of the league’s best pass rushers despite standing 6’4” and 340 pounds. While most defensive tackles his size merely take up space, Lawrence finished seventh among interior defenders with 65 pressures in 2023 despite being double-teamed at a 71% clip.
According to TruMedia, Lawrence already owns three of the top four QB pressure seasons among players weighing at least 340 pounds (65 in 2023, 63 in 2022, 43 in 2021).
7) Jacksonville Jaguars: Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
Original selection: EDGE Josh Hines-Allen
Jacksonville misses out on Hines-Allen, who came off the board even earlier in our redraft than he did in real life. Instead, the Jaguars bolster the interior of their defensive line by nabbing Quinnen Williams, who’s developed into one of the NFL’s most feared DTs over the last few seasons.
Williams managed just 5.5 sacks in 2023 after putting up 12 in 2022, but those numbers don’t tell the entire story. He finished third among DTs in interior pressures behind only Donald and Chris Jones and ranked eighth in pass-rush win rate.
8) Detroit Lions: Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State
Original selection: TE T.J. Hockenson
The run on defensive tackles continues. Detroit’s defense needed help at just about every position, so it’s hard to go wrong here. We’ll stick with a best-player-available approach, which leads us to Jeffery Simmons.
Although he missed the final five games of the 2023 season with a knee injury and ended the year with just 5.5 sacks, Simmons remains one of the NFL’s most productive interior defenders. A bully on the inside, Simmons earned back-to-back second-team All-Pro nods for the Titans in 2021 and 2022.
9) Buffalo Bills: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
Original selection: DT Ed Oliver
In our fictional redraft world, the Bills are still an offseason away from trading for Stefon Diggs. Buffalo needed a lot of roster help in 2019, but Josh Allen’s top three wideouts were John Brown, Zay Jones, and Cole Beasley — we almost have to give him the best available pass catcher here.
Since entering the NFL, Terry McLaurin’s quarterbacks have included Case Keenum, the late Dwayne Haskins, a recovering Alex Smith, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke, Carson Wentz, and Sam Howell. And yet, he’s still managed at least 900 yards in every season of his career and has topped 1,000 yards in each of the last four years. McLaurin’s 4.35 speed plus Allen’s Howitzer arm should result in fireworks.
10) Denver Broncos: Montez Sweat, EDGE, Mississippi State
Original selection: LB Devin Bush (by Steelers)
Montez Sweat was dominant after being traded to the Bears last October, posting six sacks and 14 QB hits in nine games. While he wasn’t the only reason for Chicago’s late-season defensive improvement, Sweat certainly didn’t hurt. The Bears ranked 30th in defensive EPA per play before he came aboard; they were fifth after Sweat joined the roster.
The Broncos already had Von Miller and Bradley Chubb on their roster, but then-Denver head coach Vic Fangio won’t be complaining about adding Sweat. NFL teams can never have enough pass rushers.
11) Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Lindstrom, G, Boston College
Original selection: OT Jonah Williams
The Bengals had the right idea by selecting an offensive line prospect in 2019. Jonah Williams became a serviceable option at left and right tackle, but Chris Lindstrom would have been the better choice for Cincinnati.
Lindstrom had always been a powerful run blocker, but his work in the passing game showed clear improvement in 2023. He allowed just 15 pressures and three sacks on more than 500 pass-blocking snaps. Lindstrom was a second-team All-Pro in 2022 and 2023.
12) Green Bay Packers: Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
Original selection: EDGE Rashan Gary
Aaron Rodgers and Packers fans were consistently disappointed when Green Bay repeatedly passed on first-round wide receivers. We’ll placate Rodgers and the Cheesehead faithful with our 2019 redraft selection.
Few receivers are as dynamic in the open field as Deebo Samuel, who’s ranked No. 1 in yards after the catch above expectation per reception in three of the last four seasons.
According to TruMedia, only seven players generated more than 50% of their receiving yards via YAC in 2023. Unsurprisingly, Samuel was among them, ranking fourth with 59.1% of his yardage accrued after the catch.
13) Miami Dolphins: Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Original selection: DT Christian Wilkins
The Dolphins join the No. 1-picking Cardinals as the only team to land their original 2019 draft choice in the same slot.
Christian Wilkins had always been a productive player heading into 2023, but he stepped up his game during his fifth NFL season. After posting 11.5 sacks and 27 QB hits from 2019 to 2022, Wilkins put up nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits in 2023 alone. Miami didn’t re-sign him this offseason, but Wilkins was effective enough to justify the pick at No. 13.
14) Atlanta Falcons: Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State
Original selection: G Chris Lindstrom
Atlanta has been searching for a high-end edge rusher since John Abraham left in 2012. Aside from one outlier Vic Beasley campaign, the Falcons haven’t generated regular edge pressure for over a decade. They ranked dead last in pass-rush win rate last season.
Let’s give Atlanta a prospect who landed with an NFC South rival in the real-life draft. An athletic marvel, Brian Burns was incredibly consistent for the Panthers. He posted at least eight sacks and 18 QB hits in four straight years before being traded to the Giants this offseason.
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15) Washington Commanders: Rashan Gary, EDGE, Michigan
Original selection: QB Dwayne Haskins
Rashan Gary may admittedly be a better pure pass rusher than Sweat or Burns. Since 2019, Nick Bosa has been the only edge defender with a higher pressure rate than Gary (min. 1000 pass-rushing snaps, per TruMedia).
Injury questions push Gary a little further down our board, but Washington is glad to have him. Gary takes over for Ryan Kerrigan in the long run and forms a terrifying Commanders front alongside DTs Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.
16) Carolina Panthers: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
Original selection: EDGE Brian Burns
T.J. Hockenson made one Pro Bowl with the Lions but became a genuine weapon after being traded to the division-rival Vikings midway through the 2022 campaign. Over the past two years, he ranks second among tight ends in yards (1,874) and first downs (92), trailing only Travis Kelce.
Hockenson is currently recovering from ACL and MCL injuries, but the Panthers will select him even knowing those issues are on the horizon. While Carolina had drafted WR DJ Moore in 2018, TE Greg Olsen was on his last legs, and Cam Newton needed another weapon.
17) New York Giants: DK Metcalf, WR, Mississippi
Original selection: DT Dexter Lawrence
The Giants will have to figure out their post-Eli Manning plan at a later date. Daniel Jones isn’t worth the 17th selection; the next-best 2019 quarterbacks were Gardner Minshew and Drew Lock.
Instead, let’s give New York another pass-catching option. DK Metcalf’s measurables — including a 4.33 40-yard dash and a 1.45 10-yard split at 230 pounds — are comprehensive. Last year, he hit 22.23 mph on a 73-yard touchdown catch, the fastest speed in the league in 2023.
Metcalf has produced, too, posting 900 yards in every season of his career and going over 1,000 yards three times. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2021 after putting up an 83-1,303-10 line for the Seahawks.
18) Minnesota Vikings: Elgton Jenkins, G, Mississippi State
Original selection: C Garrett Bradbury
The Vikings definitely need interior OL help in 2019, when Aviante Collins, Pat Elflein, and Josh Kline looked like the club’s LG-C-RG starters heading into the draft. Garrett Bradbury hasn’t lived up to his draft billing, but hitting the interior was the right move for Minnesota.
Injuries have cost Elgton Jenkins time, but his skill set is especially valuable. Since joining the Packers, he’s played at least one snap at every OL position. Green Bay has finally settled on Jenkins as a left guard, which is the same position he’ll play for the Vikings in our redraft.
19) Tennessee Titans: Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
Original selection: DT Jeffery Simmons
The Titans miss out on our redraft’s top-10 run of defensive tackles and don’t have Simmons on the board at No. 19.
However, Ed Oliver makes for a workable consolidation prize. The Bills pass rusher rounded into form in 2023; his 9.5 sacks equaled his total from 2020 through 2022.
Oliver was a terror, even when opposing offensive lines knew what was coming. Last season, he registered pressure on 19.9% of his third-down pass rushes, tied for fifth best among DTs with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, per TruMedia.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers: Quincy Williams, LB, Murray State
Original selection: TE Noah Fant (by Broncos)
Quincy Williams has a better story than any player in our 2019 redraft, and it’s not particularly close. Williams played at FCS Murray State, was selected by the Jaguars in Round 3, and was cut before the start of his third NFL season.
However, he’s more than rebounded after joining the Jets as a waiver claim. In 2023, Williams led the NFL with 80 defensive stops (plays that resulted in negative EPA for the offense), but he wasn’t a pure run-stopping linebacker. He also finished second among linebackers in pass breakups (10) and played the third-most LB snaps from the slot.
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21) Seattle Seahawks: Diontae Johnson, WR, Toledo
Original selection: DB Darnell Savage (by Packers)
While Diontae Johnson’s 51-717-5 line last season marked his worst production since his rookie year, he dealt with poor Steelers QB play and was still effective on a per-snap basis. He ranked seventh in ESPN’s player-tracking WR metrics, primarily due to his ability to create consistent separation.
The Seahawks needed a wideout in 2019 and eventually selected Metcalf in Round 2. Johnson might not boast Metcalf’s explosive traits but is arguably the more well-rounded receiver.
22) Baltimore Ravens: Erik McCoy, C, Texas A&M
Original selection: OT Andre Dillard (by Eagles)
The Ravens needed a third receiving option behind Hollywood Brown and Mark Andrews in 2019 and would have drafted Johnson had he not come off the board one pick earlier.
Instead, Baltimore will buoy its offensive with center Erik McCoy, a 74-game starter for the Saints who made his first Pro Bowl in 2023. McCoy immediately starts over incumbent Matt Skura with the Ravens.
23) Houston Texans: Jamel Dean, CB, Auburn
Original selection: OL Tytus Howard
Johnathan Joseph was on his last legs with the Texans in 2019, while Houston’s CB2 spot was a disaster. The Texans needed cornerback help so badly that they eventually traded a third-round pick to the Raiders for first-round bust Gareon Conley in Oct. 2019.
Drafting Jamel Dean in April will help Houston avoid that mistake. While he’s been hampered by nagging injuries, Dean has allowed a sub-90 passer rating in four of five NFL seasons.
24) Oakland Raiders: Dre Greenlaw, LB, Arkansas
Original selection: RB Josh Jacobs
Although fellow 49ers linebacker Fred Warner might overshadow Dre Greenlaw, he’s an outstanding second-level player in his own right. A converted college safety, Greenlaw has remarkable range in coverage against RBs and TEs.
Greenlaw’s only concern is injuries. He missed all but three games in 2021 after suffering a groin injury. Greenlaw tore his Achilles in February’s Super Bowl, putting his status for Week 1 of the 2024 season in doubt.
25) Philadelphia Eagles: Carl Granderson, EDGE, Wyoming
Original selection: WR Hollywood Brown (by Ravens)
Offensive tackle Andre Dillard turned into one of Howie Roseman’s worst draft picks after the Eagles GM traded up to grab him in 2019. Without a viable left tackle option on the board, Roseman instead targets the defensive trenches with defensive end Carl Granderson, who went undrafted before signing with the Saints.
Granderson, a full-time player for the first time in 2023, more than lived up to the promotion with 8.5 sacks and 20 QB hits. He proved he could handle a starter’s workload, nearly doubling his snap count while finishing fourth among edge defenders in run-stop win rate.
26) Indianapolis Colts: Zach Allen, DT, Boston College
Original selection: EDGE Montez Sweat (by Commanders)
The Colts didn’t make a first-round selection in the 2019 draft. Indy general manager Chris Ballard moved back 20 spots in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick, allowing Washington to move up for Sweat.
With no draft-day trades in our redraft, the Colts will stick and choose Zach Allen to fortify their defensive line. Indianapolis needed a big body in the middle of its front, and Allen can do more than clog the run. He played the third-most snaps (913) among DTs in 2023, managing 60 pressures in the process.
27) Oakland Raiders: Juan Thornhill, S, Virginia
Original selection: S Johnathan Abram
Instead of emerging from the 2019 NFL Draft with Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram, the Raiders will walk away with A.J. Brown, Dre Greenlaw, and Juan Thornhill.
While Thornhill has never made a Pro Bowl, he’s precisely the sort of consistent presence Oakland’s secondary needed in 2019. He won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs, then guarded the back end for last season’s historic Browns defensive performance.
28) Los Angeles Chargers: Kaleb McGary, OT, Washington
Original selection: DT Jerry Tillery
While position value typically pushes offensive tackles to the top of the board, the 2019 OT class didn’t produce any future All-Pros. Still, hindsight allows the Chargers to find an above-league-average tackle at the end of Round 1.
Atlanta declined Kaleb McGary’s fifth-year option, but he responded by posting the best season of his career in 2022. Like all Falcons offensive linemen, he’s been protected by a scheme that relentlessly deployed play action. Still, McGary ranked 14th in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency on true pass sets, which exclude play-fakes, screens, and quick throws.
29) Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Thompson, S, Washington State
Original selection: EDGE L.J. Collier
Jalen Thompson might be the most anonymous NFL player who ranks among the top 10 highest-paid players at his position. A fifth-round pick in the 2019 Supplemental Draft, Thompson became a full-time starter for the Cardinals in 2021 and landed an extension in 2022.
Seattle already took WR Diontae Johnson earlier in our redraft, so Pete Carroll grabs a defensive back with the club’s second Round 1 choice. Thompson could prevent the Seahawks from making their eventual Jamal Adams trade mistake.
30) Green Bay Packers: Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida
Original selection: CB Deandre Baker (by Giants)
Recency bias nearly forced us to exclude Jawaan Taylor from Round 1 after he committed an NFL-high 20 penalties in 2023. However, Taylor was still largely the same effective pass-blocker with the Chiefs last season that he was with the Jaguars from 2019 to 2022.
Green Bay had David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga at tackle in 2019. Bulaga signed with the Chargers the following offseason, which would’ve opened a starting role for Taylor.
31) Los Angeles Rams: T.J. Edwards, LB, Wisconsin
Original selection: OT Kaleb McGary (by Falcons)
Following the Rams’ Super Bowl LIII loss to the Patriots, their roster didn’t have many obvious holes. Let’s give Los Angeles a second-level defender who can play behind Donald.
T.J. Edwards wasn’t drafted in 2019. He’s certainly not an elite athlete, yet he’s become a highly productive linebacker for the Eagles and the Bears. Coming out of college, Edwards was pigeonholed as a classic Wisconsin two-down thumper. However, he’s clearly worked to improve his range and instincts against opposing passing attacks.
32) New England Patriots: Jakobi Meyers, WR, North Carolina State
Original selection: WR N’Keal Harry
Bill Belichick was on the right positional track in 2019 — he just picked the wrong receiver.
Of course, New England eventually landed Jakobi Meyers, signing him as an undrafted free agent after using their first-round selection on eventual bust N’Keal Harry. Meyers put up at least 700 yards for the Pats each season from 2020 to 2022, then hauled in a career-high eight touchdowns for the Raiders in 2023.