2019 NFL mock draft: Full 7-round version
By Joe Romano
1. Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
“Where there is smoke there is fire”. That is the sentiment that keeps being repeated surrounding the Arizona Cardinals love for Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray. It all started when Kliff Kingsbury, the team’s new coach, expressed his love for Murray while Kingsbury was still in the college ranks.
Now running a pro team, Kingsbury has the chance to back up his claim. Unfortunately for him, the team he is coaching just spent capital to move up and grab a quarterback only a year ago in Josh Rosen. Personally I’m leaning that this Murray to the Cardinals talk is to drive up interest in the first pick. Regardless, there is enough out there to make this pick kick off this mock draft.
Enough about what the Cardinals should do and instead let us focus on what Murray brings to the table. His play seems lost among all the analysts discussing whether he should be the Cardinals choice. It is easy to forget just how special Murray is playing quarterback.
In his lone season at Oklahoma Murray proved that he could win with his arm just as much as his legs. Those who say he’s the next Johnny Manziel or a number of other running quarterbacks clearly did not watch him play. Murray attempted over 90% of his passes from inside the pocket in the Sooners’ system. He’s got all the arm strength and accuracy needed to make every throw. On top of that he has legitimate 4.4 speed and can run away from anyone.
His biggest hurdles in the NFL are going to come from the weapons around him. Rosen struggled last year in part because of how bad that offensive line and weapons around him are. At Oklahoma Murray played behind five NFL caliber offensive lineman, with a pair of NFL wide receivers and a running back that is going to get drafted. He worked with all of them in the softest defensive college football conference in the country.
The marriage of Murray and Kingsbury seems perfect. Kingsbury’s air raid system, that we presume he’s bringing with him, is predicated on making quick reads and stretching the defense vertically and laterally. Murray would also bring the element of Kingsbury’s most successful offense, quarterback runs. He and David Johnson would be a fearsome duo in the backfield and open up the dynamic passing attack Kingsbury is known for.