NFL Power Rankings: New Orleans Saints on top after 2019 draft Published: Apr 29, 2019 at 01:51 AM Elliot Harrison That makes 53. No, I'm not talking about roster size here -- we're months away from franchises having to whittle active participants down to that number. This past weekend marked the 53rd annual college marketplace since the AFL and NFL combined the proce s. Prior to 1967, profe sional football's prospect gold rush was the Wild West, with two leagues separately vying for players' services outside of the public eye. Now it's , with wall-to-wall media coverage acro s America. With this fresh influx of talent into each organization, figuring out the league hierarchy gets tricky. Yet, I've endeavored to do just that below. Try to remember that, despite the sea of draft grades and Lonzo Ball Jersey hype, most of these players won't contribute much this year. None of that is meant to disparage what was an intriguing three-day watch. The 2019 provided plenty of intrigue, with a bevy of first-round surprises and an unprecedented trading frenzy, as the weekend included an NFL-record 40 draft-day deals. One of those transactions, of course, saw a top-10 pick from just last year already . Cla sy move on , Josh. Speaking of video ... Heres the thing about Clelin Ferrell to the . If Mayock had been in his old job, telling us how much he liked Ferrell for the last couple months, everyone would think the team that took him at 4 was brilliant. Lindsay Rhodes (@lindsay_rhodes) Yep. Mayock says it on TV, everyone's on board. Mayock actually executes it in the draft, everyone's on the warpath. UPDATE: The Giants traded Damon Harrison and Eli Apple and let Landon Collins leave and then traded Odell Beckham to get replacements for Damon Harrison, Landon Collins, and Eli Apple. Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) I don't think anyone realizes the madne s of the salary cap era. On-point tweetage. Enjoy Bill's work, btw. Despite the buzz created when they took at No. 6, the didn't move much in this pecking-order update. Should they have? How about your team? Send your thoughts along: is the place. Let the di sension commence! Team movement below reflects changes from . Rank 1 1 Previous rank: * The... are ... the ... top ... team ... in ... the ... league. Let that sink in, because it ain't changin'. Well, for now. I'm aware that New Orleans didn't own a first-round pick, but that didn't matter.for these Power Rankings, New Orleans added tight end,to "replace" Gronk. All of the newly minted rookies in the NFL represent a collective unknown; meanwhile, this New Orleans roster is top-shelf. By the way,despite the lack of picks, starting withat center. Rank 2 1 Previous rank: Thesurprised more than a few folks by tabbingto be their big wideout outside with the No. 32 overall pick. Call him theplaceholder for now. The need was real, as is the Arizona State star's talent. No matter how well this 2019 cla s turns out, New England was bound for a downswing with the exit of Rob Gronkowski. Speculating about draft picks is super fun, but expecting any of these kids at this point to find their way into Gronk's area code as a player will put you in the funny farm. Championship pick:(No. 45 overall), a player cut from the Otis Smith mold -- he of the 2001 Pats team. Lots of big receivers in this draft. Huge corner here. Rank 3 Previous rank: * Like the, thewere devoid of a first-round pick. This group is ready to return to the, with a little luck. All eyes will be on running backand his workload come August. Methinks's torn ACL last November was downplayed -- or flat overlooked -- in terms of the effect it had on Los Angeles's season and the 2019 ceiling. Facing the likes of Kupp,andin practice will only help the game of the' first pick, safetyRapp = a steal late in the second round. Rank 4 Previous rank: * All that talk about theusing a high pick to find' replacement at quarterback ended up getting stuck out in the rain with all those fans in Nashville on Thursday night. What LAC do was bolster the middle of the defense by draftingfrom Notre Dame (No. 28 overall), though the Bolts had to overlookhe underwent prior to the draft. He just has to be ready for camp -- actually, he just has to make more plays than the' DTs did in theirin Foxborough.whilst in middle school, so perhaps he can convince everyone his new squad blew out thein the postseason as an alternative fact. Rank 5 Previous rank: * Theare pulling the slow-play routine, with Chris Ballard evolving into the Keith Sweat of GMs.reflected the patient approach of this franchise, while acquiring additional picks in the proce s represented yet more of the kind of pragmatism that pushed Indy -- unexpectedly, mind you -- to the playoffs last season. Then theadded a dash of 90-to-nothing speed, drafting wideoutlate in the second round (No. 59 overall). You couldn't catch that dude with a '95 Supra. Heard plenty of sports radio talk extolling the virtues of the' newest wide receiver. Rank 6 1 Previous rank: * "All the Right Moves" is both the name of a middling Tom Cruise football movie from 1983 the correct label for what the 2017 NFL champs are doing. Philadelphia hit the ground running in the first round by leapfrogging the(picking at No. 23) into the 22nd overall spot to ensure they'd land' eventual replacement,who will eventually look out for's blind side. Other draft banter: Still appreciate the trade for running back, even with Doug Pederson's squad adding a quality Penn State back () in the second round (No. 53 overall). Anyone else feel like theare winning at life? Rank 7 1 Previous rank: * After some wheelin' and dealin' with the, thetabbed(No. 73 overall) to join the mix after's exit.saw Montgomery as the second-best running back in the draft. Ultimately, Montgomery should be a more appropriate fit for Matt Nagy's offensive style than Howard was. The moment was so special that former Chicago center Olin Kreutz donned a Hawaiian shirt to mark the occasion. You'll find plenty of critics who've downgraded the running back position so much that they would automatically pan the Montgomery pick. Your friendly writer is not one of them. Rank 8 2 Previous rank: * The story of the draft in Chiefsville unfortunately has little to do with the team's actual draft. With a prosecutorinto child abuse involving receiver, Kansas City acquired an absolute speedster in Georgia receiver(No. 56 overall), who doubles up as instant offense in the return game. This guy is a sterling example of the notion of "football speed" -- he ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL, but in game action, it looks more like he's got 4.03 speed. One question a lot of people have been asking: Why tradeaway and acquire? I will say that the latter player is more consistent. Still, odd times in K.C., all the way around. Hope CB/S(No. 63 overall) pans out, because the secondary has only been panned the last two years. Versatile player. Rank 9 2 Previous rank: * Therequired just one piece to put together the premier defense in the league: a big, talented defensive tackle. They found that guy, with a dash of quickne s, in(No. 58 overall) out of Central Florida. If he develops, it will only serve to maximize the abilities ofandon the edges, while minimizing the bustine s of 2017 first-rounder(4.0 career sacks). The last Dallas defensive tackle to impact the game from a four-man front was La'Roi Glover, dating back to the Bill Parcells days. If the kids in the Dallas secondary take the next step this year, look out.and the offense might only have to put 16 points on the board to win. OK, you're right, I'm being too friendly to the... Make it 17. Rank 10 1 Previous rank: * Quiet draft for an organization that made the most noise, by far, during free agency. Cleveland's first selection (CB) didn't come until the draft was 45 picks deep. The difference between the' draft haul this year and those of the last 20 years is that these rookies won't have to step in and play right away. This is not a talent-empty group hoping to find light at the end of a 6-10 tunnel. Theare strong enough to reach six wins by midseason. Don't freak out about the slight drop Elgin Baylor Jersey , as this year in Cleveland is not about the draft. Rank 11 1 Previous rank: * Since the last time the Power Rankings hit the interwebs, *Call it a wonderful move for the future of the franchise and a terrifying move for the remainder of that sterling2013-14 nucleus. Enter the trade of, a 25-year-old defensive end they were going to have to otherwise pay to keep around long term. (Please find a way to getcompensated.) As for the financial constraints, thems the breaks when you pay one quarterback such a big piece of your salary-cap pizza. The extra toppings might start with first-round pa s rusher(No. 29 overall). Holy crap, was his tape good. He was blowing past dudes in the-- other future high draft picks, mind you -- like he was Grant Wistrom ... uh ... like he was, and the offensive linemen were any of the tackles thisteam has employed over the years. Loved the pick. Love TCU players. More love: Wilson moon balls to. Look out. And WR(Round 4, No. 120)before every game because of a bird incident two years ago (although it has nothing to do with parking under a tree). Rank 12 1 Previous rank: * Thebulked up their offensive front with(No. 18 overall) in the first round, then swung around in the second to take tight end(No. 50 overall). Ask any fan in Minnesota what they want this summer around training camp time, and they'll tell you: "An ice-cold beer." Then they might mention blocking help. Bradbury comes highly recommended for the middle of that line, while Smith's handiwork up front should a sist what has been an on-again, off-again, off-again running game. Still think Minnesota can be a playoff team, but Bradbury must step in and play like a vet opening week. Rank 13 2 Previous rank: * Those boys in Baltimore knocked the draft out of the park. The first few picks in the GM's first swing at this deal should make waves immediately in the AFC North. First-round receiver's speed will be untenable for defenses who must hesitate against the league's heaviest RPO offense.out of Notre Dame (the 93rd overall pick) injects even more speed into an offense that now has it in spades -- and at 6-foot-4, he couldn't be any more opposite than the 5-9 Brown in terms of catch radius. OK, let's go to the' earlier third-round pick,. Baltimore simply had to secure pa s-rushing help in this draft with the departures ofandin free agency. Ferguson could have gone in the first round. More on Brown: I think he buckled me intoa few years ago when he spent a season at College of the Canyons, where he first made a name for himself. And while we're on the name front, "Hollywood" is not this speedster's original nickname. It was "Jet Fuel." Second opinion: That latter nickname is way better. Rank 14 Previous rank: * Thehold their ranking from. Call it a balance struck between the team'sand a first-round pick who is not yet ready to be a star on the field. If DTeventually pans out, then Tenne see plucking him at 19th overall was a stealthy bargain. The' offense will fully welcome No. 51 overall picktalents -- last season, James Worthy Jersey the Air Raid in Nashville amounted to a few hang gliders floating around in concentric circles. Third-rounder(No. 82 overall) could start early on the offensive line for Mike Vrabel. Rank 15 3 Previous rank: * So themi sed out onand selected(No. 23 overall) one pick later. Tytus sounds more like a centurion from Roman times than the guy who could prevent Houston from having toto Jacksonville for football again, but hopefully the move works out for Bill O'Brien and Co. This *doesn't sound like the optimal company move, but whatever. Drafting(No. 54 overall) should keepat bay, though. The plus-sized CB should contribute immediately. Rank 16 1 Previous rank: * How good will be thebe in 2019? Much depends on whether or not the young receivers they drafted last year turn out, because, in a surprising development, they turned their nose up on the legion of mock drafters who thought they were in play for a wideout. Potential Game 1 starters from this year's crop of rookies: OG(No. 44 overall), S(No. 21). Not cheesy pick: TEout of Texas AM, a third-rounder (No. 75) who was the team's fourth pick. NFL.com draft expert Bucky Brooks placed Sternberger inby the end of the pre-draft proce s (batting cleanup behind,andJr.). Rank 17 1 Previous rank: * Mixed reviews on the' draft decisions, as not everyone was with the selection ofat 14th overall. My colleague -- and the ultimate draftnik -- Lance Zierlein felt the former Boston College guard was a second-rounder. Thethen selected offensive tackle31st overall, which should provide some oomph in the ground game. Atlanta has now retooled the O-line so completely that every projected starter up front is a former first-round pick. Wow. That's never happened before in the common-draft era, in case you were wonderingYou weren't? Cool. Rank 18 Previous rank: * (No. 10 overall) was a phenomenal pick -- or at least he has the potential to be. Third-rounder(No. 66) startled the senior producer to NFL Network's "Path to the Draft," who said the show rarely delved into Johnson's tape -- and yet, the Toledo product turned into the second selection of the third round. There were several receivers our Network guys had ranked higher, frankly. Then again, Pittsburgh has, ahem, enjoyed a little succe s beyond the first round at wide receiver. (Don't bring up Limas Sweed.) Back to Bush: My producer friend loved the maneuver to get a leader for the' defense. "Some people might think 10th was too high to take him. But when you know a guy you want to be a leader, you gotta go up and get that guy." Agreed. If you haven't seen, it was awesome. Rank 19 2 Previous rank: * Sneaky draft for the Jags, who are set to wage war on the rest of the AFC South after a one-year hiatus from competitivene s (at least, we it was merely a hiatus). Pulling off the double-dip of landing two players carrying first-round grades -- DE(No. 7 overall) and OT(No. 35 overall) -- without having to actually use two first-round picks was, if not sneaky, definitely slick. Boy, if(No. 69 overall) provides some pop in the air game from the tight end position, then the Jags not only fixed weakne ses, but did it without betraying a cla sic approach. Rank 20 2 Previous rank: * Thetook hold of the free agency period, giving their roster a pretty stiff jolt to contend in what has become a tight and stout NFC North. Tightening gaps in March means drafting to prevent for future gaps in April. Detroit did gain an instant starter in the proce s, making the call to the premier tight end in the great college football marketplace,(No. 8 overall). The rest of the calls? Eh, meh, uh ... LB(No. 43) might have been a reach, but Sshould serve to fix up Matt Patricia's secondary. Anyone else notice Patricia's new 'do in the' war room? I think he was wearing one of those UNTUCKit shirts, designed for men who have an untucked lifestyle. It's a new season in Motown. Rank 21 1 Previous rank: * Debated long and hard about the' spot in these rankings, originally placing them above both the Jags andin an early version. The i sue in the revision remains the unknowns surrounding, who flashed in 2017 but still must prove his status as a franchise quarterback. Making Garoppolo's job easier is the acquisition of two prime prospects outside: second-round pickout of South Carolina and third-round pickfrom Baylor. The latter limited's touches while at Tenne see before transferring to Waco. Think about that statement -- take your time.was the headliner of GM John Lynch's draft booty, but all three of these prospects could be contributing factors to San Francisco wins early next season. The Niners are almost certain to climb this league hierarchy. Rank 22 Previous rank: * Everyfan in the nation, from Las Vegas to Las Colinas and even the outer edges of Nova Scotia, couldn't stop talking about fourth-round tight end. Sorry, just kidding.was aall weekend. Apparently, because Oakland didn't take Kentucky's, Ferrell was a "reach" or a "risk" JaVale McGee Jersey or flat-out just the wrong player at fourth overall. GM Mike Mayock could give two squirrels' farts about what you think. Football isn't won on the gridiron of graphic mock drafts. You know what win games? Running the damn football. That's whymarked the second first-round pick of the Jon Gruden/Mayock marriage. Here's the remarkable aspect of the Jacobs selection: How many times in NFL history has a running back, who started just games in college, been drafted in the first round? Unreal. No tread wear, man. None. Rank 23 Previous rank: So much banter about how theshould've traded down from the third overall pick. But with theon the clock first -- le s than four months after they hired Kliff Kingsbury --was bound to be the first overall pick ... even though he wasn't the top overall prospect in the draft. He was the best choice because the Cards, desirous of a QB1 who fit Kingsbury's system, had the pick. And you can make the case that the' selection ofwas fueled by an open slot on the edge opposite-- and a glut of recent premium picks already manning the interior of the D-line. This kinda madetheir no-brainer choice. (Although San Francisco's brain trust did dine withduring the pre-draft proce s. Williams chose IHOP.Perhaps John Lynch is more of a Waffle House guy.) All of which is to say themight have gotten themselves the P1 of the 2019 draft -- as in, THE top player -- at No. 3. Intriguing pick:(No. 121 overall) out of West Virginia. He was one of just six tight ends at the, and has that TE/FB versatility. Wesco was also effective as a pa s catcher in WVU's Air Raid offense. Rank 24 1 Previous rank: * Ifturns out to be half the player Kyle Williams was, thewill be in fine shape come August. Oliver was one of those names you heard over and over again prior to the draft, emanating from that scary "can't-mi s" section of draft prognostication, which comes with its own submerged warnings. Whether Oliver can mi s or not is le s of a question at No. 9 overall; the proper query to pose there is, did Buffalo acquire great value? Oliver could have gone earlier. Now, about those toys for... surprised Buffalo didn't takeoror. Perhaps Acquiringandthis offseason was enough? Worth watching:(No. 96 overall). According to Lance Zierlein, Knox can be dangerous when able to roam the middle of the field. Considering Allen's strength is going vertical, and Buffalo will be going play-action often, this qualifies as a nice fit. Rank 25 1 Previous rank: * Theseriously improved their football team early Friday evening. No longer will offensive line be a sore spot for John Elway, as the team added a physical player who can play multiple spots up front in(No. 41 overall), then swung around to get quarterback help -- otherwise known as -- inwith the very next pick in the draft. There were analysts, including scouting emperor Gil Brandt, who felt he was one of the top QBs in the draft.Flacco would be irritated if Denver took a quarterback in the draft. Nobody cares if you're mad, bro. Rank 26 2 Previous rank: * Did anyone else notice that Carolina avoided taking even one wide receiver in the first two days of the draft? A bit surprising, especially when you ponder the names that were in the 2019 cla s. Then again, thedid what most of the draft predictors said they would do: With their first two picks, they swiped an edge rusher (at No. 16 overall) and an offensive tackle (at No. 37) to plug holes. After tabbingin Round 3 (No. 100) to be's caddy, thedecided on(No. 115), a linebacker who only started a handful of games at Alabama -- but that isn't exactly a knock when you consider Miller's injury history and the fact that the Crimson Tide are more like a cover band for an NFL playoff team. Miller, the son of formerlinebacker Corey Miller, put on 44 pounds at Alabama byevery morning. Uh-oh. Rank 27 Previous rank: * It's one thing to inject premier talent into a roster; it's entirely different to drop three first-round picks on your roster in a single night. Let's put the/quarterback docudrama to the side for a moment, as I don't think the selection of Jones at No. 6 overall will actually impact this season all that much right now. New York's defense allowed a river of points to flow to the other teams on the schedule last year. Well, it looks like they dammed it up this year. Doubtful thegive up 412 again with the additions of DT(No. 17 overall) and CB(No. 30 overall). Some in the Twitter gallery might not have liked GM Dave Gettleman moving up to get Baker. OK, but what good is owning draft capital if you aren't gonna use it? Still better than the, for now. Rank 28 2 Previous rank: * Anytime a franchise can squeeze two or three first-round picks into its draft haul, it can mark a turning of the page -- especially if one of those players is a quarterback, or, uh,There are plenty of draft critics who are high on(No. 15 overall), the Ohio State product who immediately provides hope on the quarterback front.can be the perfect bridge for the organization -- and the rookie's evolution -- by simply treating every game like it's part of. Mentoring and handing over the reins is not nece sary; playing to win, and forcing the coaching staff Wilt Chamberlain Jersey to make Haskins compete, is the ticket. Rank 29 1 Previous rank: * Tampa's supposed wants before the draft: CB, D-line, LB and RB. So what did the Bucs do? Acquire the best linebacker in the 2019 draft inwith the fifth overall pick. The corner hole got filled in Round 2 by, who was. Bunting's size (6-foot, 195 pounds) could be pivotal when he is on the point against large, accomplished receivers likeandin the NFC South. Bruce Arians and the brain trust went corner again in the third round (), when there were still a gaggle of running backs with upside on the board. While it would have been nice to see Tampa Bay source some ground-game help at some point in the draft, here's (really) hoping that fifth-round kickerworks out. That would make Bucs fans quite happy. Please. Rank 30 1 Previous rank: * Quiet draft for the, who acquired the appropriate talent in the first round to bulk up their prospects in the erstwhile AFC North. You see, no division has morphed more than this one over the last two years. Thus, while pundits mill about with their Cincy projections, they aren't considering that theare weaker, thetook a huge risk in going withfull time (what if the rest of the league catches up?) and theare promising, not proven. First-round grab(No. 11 overall) was one of those rare need/probable-BPA picks. He's not only an upgrade, but upgrades's upside. Uh, something like that, anyway. Rank 31 1 Previous rank: * Say whatever you want about the' handling of the/situation, which landed somewhere on the spectrum between and . Arizona was under much scrutiny for bailing on the 10th overall pick of the 2018after one year, but there can be no denying the talent GM Steve Keim and his personnel room acquired in the 2019 draft.(No. 33 overall) could finally balance the field playing opposite all-everything corner. Wideout(No. 62 overall) can fly and, oh, by the way, managed to lead the nation in receiving yards, while6-foot-5 size and length pitted against smurf corners could be a real boon for Murray ... who will be looking up at him in the huddle. Hey, the Cards are moving up. Rank 32 1 Previous rank: * Thearen't playing around, huh?(No. 13 overall) should step in and start from Day 1. On a team undergoing much roster turnover, including the installation of a younger nucleus, Wilkins' character, as much as his talent, will play a role in that locker room. Part of the youth movement was the acquisition offrom thein exchange for the 62nd pick. Think about that: This guy went 10th overall . Come on. Third-round pick(No. 78 overall) can do everything, which is why he started double-digit games at left tackle, left guard and center -- he can also show up to fix your cable in the first 20 minutes of that four-hour appointment window. Did you know he and his fellow offensive linemen met at Red Robin every week to discu s i sues and take down 19,000 calories? They called it the... not to be confused with the Fellowship of the Ring. You're welcome. Miami might not be down here for long. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
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