The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off tomorrow night at 8 pm as the first round takes place in Nashville. And it could have a little Michigan flavor as both Devin Bush and Rashan Gary are projected to go on Thursday night. But which will go first?
Check out my projections for where Michigan’s top prospects will go in the 2019 NFL Draft:
1st Round, 8th Overall – Detroit Lions: Devin Bush, MLB
I actually don’t believe the Lions will pick at #8 as I see a team looking for a top flight defensive lineman or one of the quarterbacks moving up to that spot. And one of the main guys I think they’ll target in the early-to-mid teens is the All-American in-state linebacker. He may not be the biggest guy but I think he’s one of the best “football players” in this entire draft. His attitude, speed, and swag would be a welcomed addition to the Lions defense and alongside former first-round pick LB Jarrad Davis, who could move perfectly into more of a pure pass rushing linebacker role.
1st Round, 18th Overall – Minnesota Vikings: Rashan Gary, DE
While I think Gary is going to have a long, productive NFL career, I see him slipping down the board on Thursday night. Not because of his lack of big time college numbers or that ridiculous Wonderlic test, but because of the reported shoulder issue. But it won’t be too big of a fall as I see a team in the late teens-to-early twenties not being able to miss out on the most physically impressive player on the board. Minnesota would be a really nice landing spot as the Vikings, like most teams, are in need of pass rushers and Gary could be a great fit in Mike Zimmer’s defense.
2nd Round, 40th Overall – Buffalo Bills: Chase Winovich, DE
There may not be a better fit in this draft than Winovich heading to Buffalo. His hard work and intensity, matched with his productive, high energy play will have the Bills Mafia going wild. This may be a little higher than a lot of mocks have him going but I feel like there are plenty of teams at the top half of the second round that would love to add Winovich’s mindset and effort to the roster.
2nd Round, 64th Overall – New England Patriots: David Long, CB
Long has rocketed up draft boards since his combine performance where he put the world on notice of his skills. His 3-cone drill in particular, along with his career tape and numbers looks to have firmly pushed him into Day 2 and possibly into the second round. New England hanging at the end of the second round could be a great fit for both sides.
6th Round, 175th Overall – Pittsburgh Steelers: Zach Gentry, TE
Probably not where Gentry was hoping he’d go when he declared for the draft but a rough 40 at the Combine (4.9) can do that. He improved that time at his Pro Day but still being a bit raw at the position and a pure pass catching option, he’ll likely be waiting until Day 3 to hear his name called. And Pittsburgh would be a nice fit. After losing Jesse James in free agency and Antonio Brown in a trade, Big Ben could use more pass catching threats.
6th Round, 182nd Overall – Denver Broncos: Karan Higdon, RB
I could easily see Higdon going higher than this as the hard working, between the tackles tailback is a guy that will fly under the radar as a draft pick for whichever team he lands on but will make an impact from day one of camp. Denver has had a long history of producing underrated running backs and Higdon could be the next on that list.
Where do you think Michigan’s top prospects will go in the 2019 NFL Draft? Let us know in the comment section below!
Photo Credit: Eric Upchurch/MGoBlog
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