Three full weeks of the NFL preseason schedule have been completed, giving us a larger sample size to delve into just how each of the 2019 NFL Draft first-round picks has fared in their respective action so far.
Through three weeks, here are how each of the 32 first-round rookies from the 2019 NFL Draft has graded this preseason.
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Pick No. 1: QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
2019 preseason grade: 72.1
The first overall pick's preseason will likely end with just one bad performance sandwiched between two good ones. The good was as we expected way back in March when we called him the top prospect in this draft: He earned single-game grades of 82.9 and 77.3 in Week 1 and Week 3, respectively, completing 20 of his 28 passing attempts for 181 yards, three big-time throws and an 87.1 passing grade over those two games. And while we didn't get to see him used extensively as a runner (it's only preseason, after all), he still managed to chalk up 18 yards after contact of five attempts, good for 3.60 yards a pop. Copy and paste what we said about Baker Mayfield at this point last year — the future looks bright at the team's quarterback position.
Pick No. 2: EDGE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
2019 preseason grade: N/A
Nick Bosa has been sidelined with an ankle injury this August, forcing him to miss all three of his team's preseason games. Don't worry though, ‘Niners faithful, the chances are he'll be just fine.
Pick No. 3: DI Quinnen Williams, New York Jets
2019 preseason grade: 79.7
The big man from ‘Bama entered the 2019 NFL Draft as the highest-graded interior defensive linemen that PFF College had ever seen, fresh off a season that saw him rack up 10 sacks, 16 hits and 29 hurries in his 15 games for the Crimson Tide. Now through three preseason games, it looks like it's so far, so good for the Jets and Williams, who has now produced one hit and two hurries from his 42 pass-rushing snaps, winning five additional pass-rushing matchups in the process. Williams has now won 19.1% of his pass-rushing matchups, a mark that's currently tied for fourth among 196 qualifying first-year players.
Pick No. 4: EDGE Clelin Ferrell, Oakland Raiders
2019 preseason grade: 52.8
The Oakland Raiders are coming off a historically bad year in terms of pass-rush, so it's almost imperative that they get some form of early return from their No. 4 overall selection. So far, that's not the case. In two games for the Raiders — he missed Week 3 — Ferrell managed single-game grades of 68.9 and 34.9, recording just two hurries from his 32 snaps as a pass-rusher.
Pick No. 5: LB Devin White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2019 preseason grade: 55.2
White has been on the field for 59 snaps so this preseason, with his biggest workload of the campaign coming in his 35-snap Week 3 bout. He's been good against the run so far, earning a 71.3 run-defense grade off the back of a defensive stop an assisted tackle, but he'll need to adjust to life in coverage. So far, he's allowed a 100% catch rate and a 108.3 passer rating on his three targets as the primary coverage defender.
Pick No. 6: QB Daniel Jones, New York Giants
2019 preseason grade: 70.7
Has anyone made a bigger splash this preseason than first-round quarterback Daniel Jones? Three games in, the former Duke passer has completed 25-of-30 attempts for 369 yards, two scores, three big-time throws and not a single-turnover-worthy play, and he leads all qualifying quarterbacks in yards per attempt (12.3), passer rating on deep throws (158.3) and passer rating from a clean pocket (145.4). He's not graded quite as well as the box score stats would suggest due in large part to his relatively poor Week 2 game when he recorded more negatively graded throws (4) than positive ones (3). He also earned negative grades for his two fumbles in the same game. Regardless, it still looks like his play has shortened Eli Manning's already short leash.
Pick No. 7: EDGE Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars
2019 preseason grade: 81.0
The former Kentucky standout got off to a quiet start to his NFL career, earning a 53.4 overall grade from his 20 snaps in Week 1, but in the two games since, Allen has looked every bit as good as we expected. Recording overall game grades of 87.3 and 83.2 in Week 2 and Week 3, respectively, Allen has notched six total pressures from 23 pass-rush snaps over the last two weeks, with five of those pressures coming in his Week 3 game against the Dolphins. Allen has now won 20.7% of his total pass-rushing snaps this preseason, the sixth-highest rate among rookie edge defenders.
Pick No. 8: TE T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
2019 preseason grade: 67.1
The Lions' new tight end has had an up-and-down preseason so far, earning overall grades 64.3, 76.7 and 59.4 in his first three games as a pro. And while he was held targetless in his NFL debut in Week 1, Hockenson has hauled in 4-of-5 targets for 52 yards and two first downs over his last two weeks, though he did drop a pass against the Bills in Week 3. With the countdown to the regular season winding down, the Lions' faithful have to be happy with what they've seen from Hockenson after the catch — he currently leads all tight ends in receiving yards after the catch (39) and yards after the catch per reception (9.8).
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