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[Skooby]

@Skooby
McShay's 2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Dwayne Haskins goes to ...

if you please

1. Arizona Cardinals
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State*

With Kliff Kingsbury and Vance Joseph looking to bring back the 3-4 defensive scheme to the desert, look no further than the Chargers' use of Joey Bosa for a glance at how his younger brother would fit with the Cardinals. Expect Nick to play defensive end but also get some snaps standing up on the edge. Either way, Bosa will collect offensive tackles using his length, speed and power. He could get double-digit sacks as a rookie.

2. San Francisco 49ers
Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky

The Niners really want an edge rusher after only DeForest Buckner cracked six sacks for them in 2018 (Buckner had 12). Allen blew up offensive linemen all season en route to 17 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss for the Wildcats. With his big 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame, Allen could line up as a defensive end in the 49ers' 4-3 scheme if he tacks on some more weight.

3. New York Jets

Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan*

Henry Anderson is a free agent, and Leonard Williams has one year left on his contract, so defensive end is a need for Gang Green. Gary has good size (6-foot-5, 283 pounds) and athleticism with an explosive closing burst.

4. Oakland Raiders

Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama*

Williams just makes sense for the Raiders. Oakland hobbled to just 13 total sacks in 2018 after trading away Khalil Mack. As one of the two most talented prospects in this class, Williams would make an immediate impact with his quick first step and penchant for dropping guys in the backfield. Let's start the rebuild with an elite prospect.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama*
Williams is a plug-and-play prospect who would fill the void left by free agent Donovan Smith. He can handle speed rushes off the edge with quick feet and would help buy some time for Jameis Winston. However, I'd look for Tampa Bay to trade back and simply take the best offensive lineman available, with the likes of Jacksonville and Miami looking to move up to grab a QB.

6. New York Giants
Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State*

Imagine this big-armed signal-caller uncorking shots to Odell Beckham Jr. or finding Saquon Barkley in the flat. Sound fun? The one-year Buckeyes starter shows good touch and anticipation, and could be Big Blue's quarterback of the future. It makes perfect sense here, as long as another quarterback-hungry team doesn't hop the Giants via a trade.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State*
This is a tough call if the Jags don't trade up for Haskins, and it would be their second straight year of using a first-round pick on a defensive tackle (Taven Bryan). Simmons would be a good addition if Malik Jackson and Marcell Dareus are cut. There's no denying Simmons' leverage at the line and his range, and he'd fit nicely in Jacksonville's one-gap-heavy scheme. Tom Coughlin and Doug Marrone would have to be OK with his character history.

8. Detroit Lions
Greedy Williams, CB, LSU*
Detroit needs an edge rusher with Ezekiel Ansah likely headed out of town, and the Lions would love to add a solid tight end, but Williams is the best need-value match at No. 8. The Lions tied for second-fewest interceptions in the league with seven, and the tall LSU corner has the closing speed to bait quarterbacks and then pounce on their mistakes. Motor City hasn't gone cornerback in the first round since Terry Fair in 1998.

9. Buffalo Bills
Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida*
The Bills need to protect Josh Allen, and Taylor is mobile and powerful with good size. He can ride faster rushers past the QB with his quickness, allowing Allen time to find a receiver deep (yeah, Buffalo needs one of those too) or take off. With Dion Dawkins at left tackle and the majority of Taylor's experience coming on the right side, the Florida alum would replace Jordan Mills at right tackle.

10. Denver Broncos
Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia

Denver could trade up for a quarterback or take the dive here for Kyler Murray or Drew Lock, but this secondary is hurting as well. Aqib Talib is long gone, and Chris Harris Jr. fractured his fibula in December. What's more, Bradley Roby is a free agent. Baker is the most instinctive corner in the class.

11. Cincinnati Bengals
Cody Ford, OT, Oklahoma*
Devin White is a potential selection here, too. But right tackle is a glaring hole, and Ford is a big, nasty finisher. He's overpowering at the point of attack and can control defenders in setting up the Joe Mixon run game. Plus, he comes with the versatility to play either right tackle or right guard at the next level.

12. Green Bay Packers
Devin White, ILB, LSU*
Green Bay would probably want an edge rusher here, but the value is just off the charts for White. I envision him becoming the future leader of the defense as a three-down rangy backer who moves with explosiveness. And with the Saints' pick on the back end of the round, the Packers can still get their pass-rusher.

13. Miami Dolphins
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma*

Yes, the risk is apparent -- Murray is undersized at 5-foot-10 and still hasn't decided on his baseball career. But he has an electric arm and some of the best athleticism I've seen at the position in years. New offensive coordinator Chad O'Shea would have a real talent to develop at quarterback if Miami moves on from the Ryan Tannehill era.

14. Atlanta Falcons
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston*
If Atlanta is able to lock up free agent Grady Jarrett, Dexter Lawrence could also be an option. But even as Oliver slides down draft boards, his ability to be disruptive and burst out of his stance is fun to watch. The Falcons were in the bottom five in run defense last season.

 

[Skooby]

15. Washington Redskins
Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma*
Washington really wants a receiver, and Brown is an absolute burner. Despite being 5-foot-9, he can win vertically and has shown the ability to pluck the ball away from his body even as he rips along in fifth gear. The Redskins will keep an eye on quarterback Alex Smith's recovery, but Brown makes sense here for a team that needs a spark on offense.

16. Carolina Panthers
Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson*
The Panthers didn't get to quarterbacks in 2018, and although they could address it in free agency, there is a hole at defensive end. Ferrell shows high-end physical tools and quick hands, which helped put him in the top 10 in the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss in 2018.

17. Cleveland Browns
Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
Sure, the Browns have some other areas of need, but this value is too good to pass up, especially with Trevon Coley and Carl Davis headed toward free agency. Wilkins is one of the top 10-12 players in the draft class. He is scheme-versatile, and Cleveland would love his high awareness and motor in the middle of that defensive line.

18. Minnesota Vikings

Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State

With the top three offensive linemen off the board -- reaching for Ole Miss' Greg Little is a possibility but doubtful -- Minnesota turns to defensive end here and grabs Sweat. Even though the Vikings have Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen (who is 31) off the edge, you can never have enough pass-rushers. Sweat impressed at the Senior Bowl and has some great takeoff quickness.

19. Tennessee Titans
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa*
Delanie Walker is 34 and was injured last season, so the addition of Hockenson would bring stability to the position. He can block and is a real pass-catching weapon. I think he's the best tight end in the class, and Marcus Mariota loves to target his tight ends.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Devin Bush, LB, Michigan*

There's a void in the Steelers' linebacker corps without Ryan Shazier. Bush, an athletic every-down backer, has the instincts to play Shazier's middle linebacker spot. With Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt also in the mix, this unit could be pretty dominant.

21. Seattle Seahawks
Jachai Polite, DE/OLB, Florida*

The Seahawks have a decent linebacker stable, but they could use an edge rusher. Polite recorded 11 sacks for the Gators last season, showing speed and slipperiness coming around the corner.

22. Baltimore Ravens
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss*

The Ravens definitely upgraded their receiving a bit this season, but they still lack a real game-changer. Metcalf missed a chunk of time this season with a neck injury, but he's a big, vertical threat. He'd give Lamar Jackson a reliable option, especially in the red zone.

23. Houston Texans
Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt*
Man, the more tape I watch, the more I like Williams. He's a long press corner with some strong ball skills. After Houston allowed an eye-popping 62 sacks of their franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2018, offensive tackle might be a heavier lean here, but with the top three already gone, the Texans opt to replace Kareem Jackson instead.

24. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago Bears)
A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss*
Metcalf's teammate would fit nicely with Jon Gruden's West Coast offense. Brown is a big slot receiver who can create mismatches. He has a wide catch radius and can produce yards after the catch. With Amari Cooper out of town, this team is looking for someone, anyone, for Derek Carr (or whoever is under center) to target.

25. Philadelphia Eagles
Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson*
It's no secret that the Eagles want a cornerback, but this is some really, really good value. Put Lawrence next to Fletcher Cox and let those two plug the middle of a line that was in the bottom third in rush defense this season.

26. Indianapolis Colts
Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson*
Indy could use a receiver, but the secondary is a bigger need. Mullen, a long and lean corner, had four interceptions over the past two seasons with the Tigers and would help shore up the Colts' middle-of-the-road pass defense.

 

[Skooby]

27. Oakland Raiders (from Dallas Cowboys)
Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama*
The final first-round pick for Gruden's draft goes to a running back. An explosive back who runs angry through the hole, Jacobs would give Oakland a revamped run game with Marshawn Lynch coming up on age 33 and hitting free agency. With well south of 300 career touches for the Crimson Tide, Jacobs is light on the wear-and-tear.

28. Los Angeles Chargers
Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame

No change from Mock 1.0 here. After being pushed around by the Patriots in the playoffs, the Chargers will look to address defensive tackle, as they have some linemen entering free agency. Tillery can press against the run and occasionally flash as a pass-rusher. A combination of Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram and Tillery would be daunting to opposing offenses. Also, don't be shocked to see the Bolts think quarterback with another one of their early picks as they look to the future.

29. Kansas City Chiefs
Byron Murphy, CB, Washington*
The Chiefs were ever so close to going to the Super Bowl in Year 1 of Patrick Mahomes driving the offense. But if they want to make that jump in the 2019 season, they desperately need to fix the secondary. Murphy hauled in seven picks in two seasons with the Huskies and would be an instant upgrade for Kansas City. And looking ahead to Day 2, I think K.C. could go running back if the opportunity to get Bryce Love or Damien Harris presents itself.

30. Green Bay Packers (from New Orleans Saints)
Oshane Ximines, DE, Old Dominion
Clay Matthews and Muhammad Wilkerson are both free agents, and Ximines would give the Pack a rusher off the edge. He stood out at the Senior Bowl and plays with power. He piled on 12 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss at ODU this season. Ximines would be the first Old Dominion draft pick ever.

31. Los Angeles Rams
Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama*

Super Bowl stinker aside, this offense is outstanding, and the addition of a matchup piece like Smith would just give Jared Goff and Sean McVay one more weapon. He has speed and athleticism. But there are also a lot of holes on defense, so the Rams might look to add to the secondary.

32. New England Patriots
Gerald Willis III, DT, Miami (FL)

Trey Flowers, Malcom Brown and Danny Shelton will go to free agency, so the champs will likely address defensive line this offseason. Willis has quick hands and lots of power at the point of contact. If the Patriots opt to go another way, they could look for an heir to Tom Brady or another tight end (Noah Fant?).

 

[Frump]

NBA mock draft: Top five picks for Knicks, Bulls, Hawks

 

[Skooby]

NBA mock draft: Top five picks for Knicks, Bulls, Hawks

I figure the link might work better because of the format they have with this one:

https://docupub.com/docs/5244a3b2-e..._ Top five picks for Knicks, Bulls, Hawks.pdf

 

[Da_Eggman]

Sleeper prospects who could impact each MLB team

Keith Law's 2019 ranking of all 30 MLB farm systems

 

[Skooby]

Sleeper prospects who could impact each MLB team

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Baltimore Orioles
Branden Kline, RHP

The series of events that unfolded after Kline felt elbow discomfort in May 2015 reads like an episode of "The Twilight Zone." He had a PRP injection that didn't work, which delayed his Tommy John surgery until later in the year, the timing of which immediately cost him 2016. When he tried to come back, he needed several more surgeries to clean up scar tissue in his elbow, and he also missed 2017. Kline finally returned in 2018, and so did his fastball, which resides in the upper 90s. It's possible he was brought back in relief last year to manage his workload and that he'll return to starting in 2019, but his fastball/slider combo would be fine in a bullpen right now.

Boston Red Sox
Travis Lakins, RHP

After suffering season-shortening elbow fractures in each of the previous two seasons, Lakins was moved to the bullpen in 2018, and it seemed to suit him. Suddenly a prospect who was once a command-deficient starter is now a reliever with four good pitches, the best of which are a cutter and curveball. He could play an integral bullpen role for the Red Sox, especially since they haven't added much from outside the organization this winter.

Chicago White Sox
Seby Zavala, C

Zavala has flown under the radar in part because he has been in a catching timeshare with first-round pick Zack Collins for most of his pro career, though Zavala is the better defender of the two. While he scuffled at Triple-A last year, Zavala has hit for power at every level and he's a fine defensive catcher with all the desired intangibles. He's likely a long-term backup, but he'll probably see his first big league action this year.

Cleveland Indians
Jean Carlos Mejia, RHP

Mejia is 22 and has made only one start above low-A, but he has very advanced command of three seemingly average pitches that play up because of deception and extension. With the frame of an NBA shooting guard, Mejia has a fringy fastball that gets on hitters quicker than they expect, and he dots his breaking ball wherever he wants. Several Cleveland pitchers have exceeded expectations because they have elite breaking ball command, and Mejia could be next.

Detroit Tigers
Matt Hall, LHP

In the era of high-end velocity, Hall's upper-80s fastball might cause one to dismiss his chances of having any kind of big league impact. But spin rates have become a more integral part of player evaluation, and in this regard Hall's curveball is almost peerless. His curve arcs in at more than 2,800 rpm on average, and you can count on two hands the number of big league lefties with that kind of curveball spin.

Houston Astros
Bryan Abreu, RHP

After languishing in rookie ball for four years, Abreu had a breakout 2018 during which he reached full-season ball for the first time. The early-career, low-level lingering forced Houston to add Abreu to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft because his mid-90s fastball and plus-plus breaking ball likely would have been targeted by someone. In the long term, he's a relief risk due to command and changeup issues, but he might make an impact in the bullpen this year.

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Kansas City Royals
Kyle Zimmer, RHP

It's odd to think of Zimmer as any kind of sleeper. He's a former No. 4 overall pick and top-100 prospect, and his brother is a big leaguer. But years of injury ate away at Zimmer's stuff, and a player with a once-promising career was left with almost nothing; he was released by Kansas City in April and spent all of 2018 rehabbing. It appears to have worked, and he was sitting 94-97 in workouts before the Royals offered him a new deal and a spot on the 40-man. He's 27 now and might finally debut in 2019.

Los Angeles Angels
Luis Rengifo, UTIL

He might not have Chone Figgins' tools, but Rengifo could end up in a role similar to the former utility player, as he is a max-effort, multipositional athlete who grew into offensive production in 2018. Although he has always running deep counts, through trades from Seattle to Tampa Bay to L.A., a new leg kick in 2018 unlocked previously dormant power, and Rengifo raced three levels up to Triple-A. He's more talented than some of the bench players the Angels used last year.

Minnesota Twins
Michael Reed, OF

Byron Buxton is the only right-handed-hitting outfielder on the Twins' 40-man roster aside from the ultrapatient Reed, who was claimed off waivers from Atlanta last Halloween. Though he has set foot on a major league field in three separate years, Reed has played so little that he remains rookie-eligible at age 26. He has always put up high on-base percentages but has been unable to lift the ball and hit for much power. He might be a swing tweak away from something more, which a recent back injury might have prevented to this point.

 

[Skooby]

New York Yankees
Joe Harvey, RHP

Harvey was a 19th-round pick in 2014, so his head shot on the Yankees' website is an appropriately anonymous silhouette among a litany of grinning superstars. It's not common for 27-year-old relievers who have yet to debut to have any kind of career, but Harvey's skill set is en vogue. He has a flat-planed mid-90s fastball that lives up in the zone, at the letters, and he has command of an above-average slider, which he spots where it's enticing but not hittable. It's solid middle-relief stuff that might help keep the bullpen afloat if injuries occur.

Oakland Athletics
Luis Barrera, OF

Barrera finished his 2018 season with a piping-hot cup of coffee at Double-A, where he hit .328/.378/.450 and stole 13 bags in just 36 games. He's a no-doubt plus-plus runner with a plus-plus arm and should turn into at least a good fourth outfielder or platoon candidate at maturity, perhaps a bit more if the length in his swing gets ironed out.

Seattle Mariners
Joey Curletta, 1B

Curletta was becoming mayor of the Cal League, having mashed there for parts of three seasons before the Mariners (who acquired him from Philly, who had acquired him from the Dodgers) finally gave him a full-season look at Double-A. He performed well there, slashing .282/.383/.482 with 23 home runs. The right/right first base profile is tough, and there's reason to be skeptical of Curletta's performance because he was 24 in Double-A, but there are several examples of big-bodied power hitters (Curletta is 6-foot-5, 245 pounds) who blossom late, including Nelson Cruz. It probably takes a Ryon Healy and/or Edwin Encarnacion deal to get Curletta to the majors, but that seems possible.

Tampa Bay Rays
Andrew Velazquez, UTIL

If the Rays continue to bend and stretch baseball's norms with position players in the same way they have with pitching, it will likely involve the team mixing in favorable platoon matchups throughout the game. In order to do this, they'll need players with an unusual amount of defensive flexibility, such as Velazquez, who plays center field, shortstop and second base. He's not especially toolsy, just a versatile linchpin, but perhaps that alone is valuable if it enables others on the roster to do more damage. If nothing else, Velazquez could be at the center of an interesting new experiment.

ESPN+: Doolittle's positional tiers


How do the best at each position rank and what tier of production do they fit in?

Positions: C | 1B | 2B | SS (Feb. 15) | 3B (Feb. 18) | OF (Feb. 19) | SP (Feb. 20) | RP (Feb. 21)

Texas Rangers
Wei-Chieh Huang, RHP

Huang was acquired from Arizona for Jake Diekman. His development has been barbecued low and slow despite his relatively advanced three-pitch mix, and he just reached Double-A last year at age 24. The Taiwanese righty is a wispy 6-foot-1 and doesn't throw all that hard, but his plus curveball and changeup should be sufficient to make him an atypical but effective reliever.

Toronto Blue Jays
Patrick Murphy, RHP

Finally, we saw a healthy season for Murphy after he had missed so much time due to multiple severe injuries that included a ruptured UCL and thoracic outlet syndrome. Not only was Murphy finally healthy, but he was throwing really hard, up to 100 mph, and filling the strike zone. His changeup took a step forward and matches his curveball as an average big league pitch. Between Murphy, Julian Merryweather, Trent Thornton and Elvis Luciano, the Jays suddenly have several interesting new faces in the bullpen.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Arizona Diamondbacks
Merrill Kelly, RHP

Kelly is the oldest player covered here -- the former Phoenix-area high schooler and Arizona State Sun Devil is now 30. Kelly spent the last three years pitching in Korea for SK Wyverns. On the surface, his performance there seems mediocre, but a 3.80 ERA in an extreme offensive environment like Korea's is quite impressive. He has a five-pitch mix led by a fastball that sits 91-95 and a curveball and changeup that each flash above average. He might end up in Arizona's rotation at some point this year.

Atlanta Braves
Patrick Weigel, RHP

Weigel was supposed to be the first of all the exciting, young Braves pitching prospects to debut, but instead his elbow blew out midway through 2017. He missed the second half of that season and spent almost all of 2018 rehabbing, but he was back during fall instructional league, and so was his mid-90s fastball. The depth of Atlanta's pitching might push Weigel to the bullpen, where he and his four-pitch mix could dominate.

Chicago Cubs
Justin Steele, LHP

Over the past several years, the Cubs have made a concerted effort to acquire as much generic upper-level pitching as they possibly can in order to protect themselves from a rash of injuries affecting a thin, aging staff. During that time, they've also drafted and groomed (mostly college) pitchers to backfill the big league staff from within, and that wave of talent is now approaching the majors. Steele, who was an over-slot high school draftee in 2014, came back from 2017 Tommy John late last year and appears nearly ready. He bumps 95 and has a plus curveball.

 

[Skooby]

Cincinnati Reds
Connor Joe, 3B/1B

Joe has had some injury issues and also has struggled to play good defense and hit for in-game power despite his considerable raw pop. Once a first-round pick, Joe bounced around to a few teams in minor trades before landing with the Reds as a Rule 5 selection this winter. One of his former teams, the Dodgers, has been particularly adept at enacting swing changes, and it appears they might have made a significant adjustment to Joe's swing before they lost him in the Rule 5. His ground ball rate is way down, and there might be game power here now.

Colorado Rockies
Justin Lawrence, RHP

There aren't many (any?) sidearmers in the big leagues who throw as hard as Lawrence, who was sitting 97-99 and touching 101 in the Arizona Fall League. Though he had some rough outings in the desert, the arm slot and velocity alone should be sufficient to thwart right-handed hitters, to say nothing of Lawrence's plus-flashing slider.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Josh Sborz, RHP

Sborz's K/9 rate doubled when the Dodgers moved him to the bullpen full time in 2018. His trebuchet overhand delivery makes for a very uncomfortable at-bat, far too awkward for hitters to make peace with if they only see Sborz once. Though he mostly attacks the top of the strike zone, his arm angle lets him change a hitter's eye level with his fastball alone. Hitters are often caught looking at Sborz's fastball at the knees after a previous one slipped past them at the letters.

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Miami Marlins
Jordan Holloway, RHP

Yet another Tommy John rehabber who didn't pitch until very late in the season, Holloway was so electric during the fall that the Marlins felt compelled to add him to their 40-man roster. He was 94-97 with a plus breaking ball and could contribute to a rebuilding big league club at some point in 2019.

Milwaukee Brewers
Tyrone Taylor, OF

It's easy and totally reasonable to write off Taylor's 2018 power output as a product of the altitude at Triple-A Colorado Springs. A former second-round pick and heralded prospect, Taylor had never hit for much power, and injuries sapped his speed and slowed his development. But Taylor is another who could be seeing the benefits of a swing change, as his ground ball rate dropped significantly in 2018 and is now well below the big league average, resting at 35 percent. It's possible some of the 2018 power uptick is for real.

New York Mets
Daniel Zamora, LHP

Zamora's fastball rarely crests the 90 mph mark, so he barely throws it, instead relying on his slider almost 80 percent of the time. Sidearmers with sliders like this are typically just lefty specialists unless they have elite command, and Zamora's ability to move his slider all the way across the plate to his glove side with machine-like consistency indicates he might be more than just a one-out guy.

Philadelphia Phillies
Spencer Howard, RHP

Not all teams were properly on Howard before the 2017 draft, as he had barely pitched as an underclassman at Cal Poly and began his draft year in the bullpen. The Phillies saw him late, thought his stuff fit in a rotation and that maybe Howard was just starting to scratch the surface. They were right. His stuff continued to improve throughout 2018, his first full year as a starter, and by the end of the summer, he was sitting 94-97 with three plus secondary pitches. He's not currently on the 40-man roster, but if his command improves a bit in 2019, he might be one of the five best arms a Phillies club that should contend can deploy late in the summer.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Pablo Reyes, UTIL

Up until late in 2018, Reyes had been a contact-oriented utilityman, a scrappy, high-effort player who might be one of the last bench pieces on a big league club one day. Late last year, though, he just started to swing harder. His cut became more violent, but Reyes' contact rates didn't move much. He crushed big league pitching in September, and while roster expansion dilutes talent and those numbers should be viewed through a skeptical lens, metrics that predict statistical output based on exit velocity and launch angle indicate much of it was legitimate. Reyes now projects as a premium utilityman who might provide something close to everyday value.

San Diego Padres
Ty France, 3B

Christian Villanueva's excommunication to Japan opens up at-bats at third base, and France, a 34th-round pick in 2015, has performed well all the way up through Triple-A. He's not an exceptional defender, but France has above-average power and a very compact swing that makes him tough to beat with velocity. He projects as a corner bench bat long-term but might have an opportunity to play more than that this year.

San Francisco Giants
Melvin Adon, RHP

Just a year and a half ago, Adon was still more thrower than pitcher, his fastball humming in at 97-plus but rarely going where he wanted it to. Last season, Adon's ability to locate his fastball improved, as did his feel for a slider that was unhittable at times in the fall. He was a 24-year-old A-ball reliever last year but might end 2019 working high-leverage innings in the majors.

St. Louis Cardinals
Tommy Edman, 2B/SS

The quintessential overachieving Cardinals prospect, Edman was a light-hitting midround selection out of Stanford in 2016. Like many Cardinals prospects, he has quickly climbed the minor league ladder and reached Triple-A in just his second full season. The switch-hitting Edman has only doubles power, but his feel for contact and discerning eye for the strike zone have held water at the upper levels despite his lack of thump. As a middle infielder, that's enough not only to make a roster but potentially to play every day.

Washington Nationals
James Bourque, RHP

In 2018, Bourque ditched his changeup, moved to the bullpen and carved up high-A and Double-A hitters. The oft-injured nature of some of Washington's more prominent hard-throwing relievers could mean Bourque, who has better stuff than most of the Nats' milquetoast strike-throwing alternatives, gets an opportunity.

 

[Skooby]

Keith Law's 2019 ranking of all 30 MLB farm systems

1. San Diego Padres
2018 rank: 3

The Padres are poised to sit at or near the top of these rankings for quite some time, even though they'll likely lose at least three top-100 prospects to graduations this year (Fernando Tatis Jr., Chris Paddack, Luis Urias and maybe Logan Allen), with the 2016 international class still just barely getting to full-season ball, another solid draft class last year and the sixth overall pick this year. The system remains deep in shortstops and power arms, with guys like Luis Patiño emerging from nowhere -- he's gained about 12 mph in two years -- while many of those 2016 signees haven't even begun to fill out physically. The Padres are going to start winning more games in 2019 and especially 2020, so there will soon come a point where all this prospect depth could fuel major league trades rather than boosting their farm system rankings.

2. Tampa Bay Rays
2018 rank: 7

This happened rather quickly, so much so that the Rays were even able to trade away some prospect depth (including Brock Burke) this offseason and could continue to do so as they try to compete in the AL East this year. Wander Franco went from interesting July 2 signee to No. 3 overall prospect in the game; they took the third-best player on my board (Matthew Liberatore) with the 16th overall pick last June; they traded Chris Archer and picked up a top-100 prospect in Shane Baz; and they've continued to add under-the-radar talent in smaller deals. This ranking even comes in spite of a terrible year for the Rays on the player health front, with Brent Honeywell, Jose De Leon, Anthony Banda, Drew Strotman and Austin Franklin all undergoing Tommy John surgery while former first-rounder Garrett Whitley dislocated his shoulder and missed the entire season.

3. Atlanta Braves
2018 rank: 1

The pitching depth acquired under former GM John Coppolella reached the majors last year, and there's still another tier to come with the return of Patrick Weigel and slower but steady progress from their first three picks in the 2016 draft class. The system's overall depth has started to thin out with minor trades and promotions, but it should be productive for several more years, boosted this year by the compensation pick (ninth overall) the team received for failing to come to terms with its 2018 first-rounder, Carter Stewart.

4. Minnesota Twins
2018 rank: 10

A sneaky-good system, one that I think is underrated within the industry. The Twins have two elite prospects at the top (Royce Lewis and Alex Kirilloff) whom everybody knows, then two arms below that, one of whom (Brusdar Graterol) is well-known and one of whom (Jordan Balazovic) isn't, and beyond that they have a parade of unfamous names who project to at least some tangible big league value. Their greatest depth is in power arms -- yes, the Twins now have guys who throw hard -- and outfielders, while they're weaker on the infield and have very little catching.

5. Los Angeles Dodgers
2018 rank: 9

The Dodgers just boosted their system in the trade that sent Alex Wood, Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp's contract to the Reds, bringing back two prospects who were high draft picks in the past two years and have performed well since signing, adding to a system that saw upticks from several prospects already in-house, including Will Smith and Tony Gonsolin. They didn't sign first-rounder J.T. Ginn, but may have unearthed gems in a couple of later rounds who will make up for what they lost.

6. Cincinnati Reds
2018 rank: 6

This could change, as the Reds already have dealt two prospects from their top 10 in the big Dodgers deal and a prospect from their top 20-25 in the Sonny Gray deal, and I've heard they've made other prospects beyond their top three available, including 2018 first-rounder Jonathan India. But for now, the Reds are in good shape, thanks to years of productive drafts that have given them a strong cluster of prospects who look like they'll hit the majors in the next two years, along with long-term high-upside play Hunter Greene.

7. Los Angeles Angels
2018 rank: 19

Remember when the Angels had the worst farm system? They've come a long way in a fairly short period of time under GM Billy Eppler, and have been more productive in the draft, on the international front and in trades, landing one of their top 10 prospects in a minor deal for CJ Cron. There's depth in lesser-known names here, especially international signings from Latin America and the Bahamas, where they've been much more aggressive in the past three years.

8. Arizona Diamondbacks
2018 rank: 26

Another system that has bounced back quickly after bottoming out a few years ago, the Diamondbacks have rebuilt with two very strong drafts (despite whiffing twice on first-rounders), a couple of productive trades and the signings of the two best Bahamian prospects in baseball. The news gets even better: In this June's draft, Arizona will pick 16th, 26th, twice in the comp A round, once in the second round and twice more in the competitive balance B round, giving it seven picks in the top 80.

 

[Skooby]

9. Toronto Blue Jays
2018 rank: 17

The Jays' system is topped with two elite prospects and might have a third depending on how 2019 plays out for Nate Pearson, whose 2018 was ruined by freak injuries. But after about a half-dozen names, it drops off very quickly, boosted by some college draftees who have been old for their levels. The Jays also have an intriguing group of teenage prospects who spent last year in short-season leagues, along with their 2018 first-rounder Jordan Groshans, who could help the team stay in this range on the rankings even after it loses Vlad Guerrero Jr. and possibly Bo Bichette to the majors.

10. Philadelphia Phillies
2018 rank: 5

The Phillies' system had a down year by all accounts, with many of their most vaunted players coming into 2018 struggling with performance and/or injuries, and both scouts and execs reporting back that the Phillies' biggest names had lost value in their eyes. They had two big breakouts from Spencer Howard and Luis Garcia (the shortstop), but their track record of poor results on high first-round selections -- they've hit on just one first-round pick, Aaron Nola, since taking Cole Hamels in 2002 -- has absolutely hurt their system's value as a whole.

11. Cleveland Indians
2018 rank: 16

The most underrated system in baseball? Cleveland's Arizona League team had an embarrassment of prospect riches, even after the Indians traded Jhon Torres to St. Louis in the deal for Oscar Mercado (also a solid prospect). They had five of the 20 names on my friend Bill Mitchell's list for Baseball America of the top prospects in the AZL, and a sixth, right-hander Lenny Torres, didn't play enough to qualify. And that's before I mention the two elite prospects atop the system and the couple of mid-tier position players who established greater value for themselves last year. If Cleveland does trade Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer for a huge haul, it could end up with a top-tier system, but the Indians also have the prospect capital to use to trade and get another player (an outfielder?) to help them contend again in 2019.

12. Houston Astros
2018 rank: 13

It feels like this system should be worse, given all the trades the Astros have made and their drop to drafting at the end of each round rather than the top, yet they're still here, and they even added a few prospects to their top 20 in a recent trade with the Mets for players they didn't need. The system has thinned out beyond the top 10-12 prospects compared with where it was three years ago, but the major league core is still young and the gap before the next wave of prospects arrives after Forrest Whitley and Kyle Tucker shouldn't affect the big league club too much.

13. Chicago White Sox
2018 rank: 4

Still the most top-heavy system among the top half of organizations, although a couple of years of college-oriented drafts have provided depth in players who should at least be big leaguers, albeit with limited ceilings. The emergence this year of Micker Adolfo, who had the best year of his career before the White Sox shut him down to get his elbow fixed, was the nicest surprise, but the system could still use more starters who project as more than No. 5s. I found it harder to get to 20 names I felt strongly about than I do for most systems above the median.

14. New York Mets
2018 rank: 21

The Mets would easily have had a top-10 system had they not traded away their top two prospects, Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, as well as other valuable prospects such as Luis Santana, in a bid to make the 2019 team a contender -- a bid that might very well work if their starters are healthy enough, but that could just as easily lead to a fourth-place finish. Despite the trades, it's still no worse than an average system thanks to a lot of hits on draft picks beyond the first round and some successes in the international market over the past two years.

15. Pittsburgh Pirates
2018 rank: 15



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The Pirates seem to have a lot of underperformers in their system, players who would grade out well on tools but haven't converted them into production, especially when it comes to position players who show power but don't hit for power in games. That also means there's a lot of untapped potential here that could emerge in the future, or perhaps after a trade. Or maybe I'm just being obstinate about players I like.

16. Colorado Rockies
2018 rank: 11

The Rockies surprised me as I started to compare their system to others in this range to try to slot them, as I would have guessed they'd be in or closer to the top 10, but they've received virtually nothing out of Latin America in the past five years, so even some strong draft classes (notably 2018, which looks very promising right now) couldn't keep them above the median.

17. St. Louis Cardinals
2018 rank: 12

The Cardinals' system took a hit with the trade for Paul Goldschmidt and some brutal years for top prospects -- Alex Reyes got hurt yet again, first-rounder Delvin Perez looks like a nonprospect -- as well as a few graduations. But they also restocked a little with the trades of Tommy Pham and Oscar Mercado, so there's still some depth here in outfielders and back-end pitching.

 

[Skooby]

18. Detroit Tigers
2018 rank: 20

Getting better but not there yet, the Tigers have been hurt a bit more than most rebuilding teams by the lack of tradable assets (speaking of contracts rather than just players) on the major league club, although Nick Castellanos and a healthy Michael Fulmer could help them make another leap. They picked first last year and landed the best player in the draft class, Casey Mize, but then chose to put most of their remaining bonus pool in two high-risk prep hitters with question marks, which could work out spectacularly but carries a high probability of zero return.

19. New York Yankees
2018 rank: 2

The Yankees' top end has thinned out significantly, but from low-A down they at least have a strong collection of guys who show enough to grab your attention -- elite speed or power, big velocity, huge spin rates -- and create some potential trade value. Other than their top prospect, Deivi Garcia, however, just about all of their starter prospects were either hurt last year or struggled to throw strikes, and three of their best position player prospects had injury troubles too.

20. Texas Rangers
2018 rank: 22

The Rangers lack much in the way of near-term help in the system, but from high-A down they had a lot of high-upside prospects who haven't quite clicked yet or who still have some remaining questions around their ultimate ceilings. They're still one of the most high school-focused teams in the draft, although their recent drafts have shifted toward picks with more polish rather than just grabbing the best athletes and hoping for the best, with Cole Ragans and Cole Winn two great, recent examples of their new philosophy.

21. Kansas City Royals
2018 rank: 27

The Royals' farm system is last year's low-A Lexington lineup plus their 2018 draft class and Khalil Lee. They won't have as many picks this June, since they had extra selections for losing free agents last year, but their draft strategy seemed like a change in direction and the early results have been very promising, including lefty Daniel Lynch, taken 34th overall but probably a top-10 pick if we redid the draft today. The flaw here is how little there is from their draft classes prior to 2017, when they bet big on some high school arms who haven't panned out at all.

22. Seattle Mariners
2018 rank: 30

They're not the worst! They're not even second-worst! The Mariners kept trading prospect after prospect until this winter's 180-degree turn that saw them ship out James Paxton, Edwin Diaz and the bad half of Robinson Cano's contract for prospects, giving them more top-100 prospects this winter than they have had in the past three winters combined.

23. Washington Nationals
2018 rank: 18

Team president/GM Mike Rizzo usually identifies two or three prospects at the top of the system he won't trade and then makes everyone else available, so their system is, once again, strong at the top and lacks much depth anywhere on the field. They have some promising Latin American prospects who've just started to see full-season ball and took a few gambles in last year's draft that don't have much value right now but will have huge payoffs if they hit, especially pitchers Reid Schaller and Chandler Day.

24. Boston Red Sox
2018 rank: 24

The Red Sox's system had a brutal 2018, with Jay Groome going down with Tommy John surgery, Michael Chavis suspended 80 games for a positive drug test, Alex Scherff missing time with an oblique strain, and more injuries to top guys, while several years of drafting near the end of the first round also caught up to them. Their 2017-18 draft and international classes look strong, however, giving the system more breakout candidates than most orgs down here in the 20s have.

25. Milwaukee Brewers
2018 rank: 8

The Brewers traded away several prospects to boost the major league roster in the past 13 months and promoted several more, which got them within a game of the World Series. As much as some fans like to dismiss prospects as "just prospects" or some sort of unknown quantity, a strong farm system has real value, and the Brewers used their farm system last year in the two best ways you can. The result, of course, is a system that's as thin as it's been in several years, with a few former top prospects still here but losing value quickly due to nonperformance.

26. San Francisco Giants
2018 rank: 29

The Giants' system had been trending down for years and finally bottomed out last season, with almost every significant prospect already in the system taking a step back. There is some hope here that their big international class from 2018 can boost the system over the next few summers, and the Giants had the second overall pick last year, Joey Bart, whom they appear to have valued more highly than I did.

 

[Skooby]

27. Oakland Athletics
2018 rank: 14

They might be a spot higher if I were confident Kyler Murray planned to play baseball, but he's not their No. 1 prospect anyway and for all the talk about his decision, he is a long way from the majors. Their bigger concern has to be the nonperformance of so many important position-player prospects last year -- their top two picks from 2017, the two main hitting prospects they acquired in trades that same summer -- and the injuries to nearly all of their top pitching prospects, with two of them, Daulton Jefferies and James Kaprielian, struggling to get back to full strength after Tommy John surgeries.

28. Miami Marlins
2018 rank: 28

The Marlins traded away several high-value major leaguers and got relatively little to show for it on the prospect side, so their system remains thin, exacerbated by a rash of injuries to first-round picks. They did splurge on Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa, whose ceiling is very much up for debate if you ask scouts, and their new player development and scouting staffs are going to focus more on the kinds of players and development techniques that helped the Yankees build a strong farm system over the past five years.

29. Chicago Cubs
2018 rank: 25

The Cubs' fall from farm system grace has been abrupt, sped by graduations and the trades of two elite prospects (Gleyber Torres and Eloy Jimenez) for pitching help, as well as worse results in the drafts since they began picking toward the end of the first round. There may not be a starting pitching prospect in the system who projects as more than a No. 5 starter, and without last year's draft class there's only one position player prospect who projects as a regular.



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30. Baltimore Orioles
2018 rank: 23

The O's pick first in this year's draft and they need it, as the system has fallen apart, which is how they ended up with the worst record in baseball and in need of a change to their entire baseball ops department. The failure to sign international free agents before this year was a huge part of it, dictated by ownership, but the Orioles also have been unable to develop talented players brought into the system from the draft or trades. Their pitchers have gotten hurt or failed to develop with alarming frequency, and even performing players such as Austin Hays and Ryan McKenna were rewarded with unwarranted swing changes. The system is a mess, and it will take years to overhaul it. Fortunately the Orioles hired the right people for the job.

 

[Da_Eggman]

2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Kiper goes 1-32 on the first-round picks

 

[Skooby]

2019 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Kiper goes 1-32 on the first-round picks

1. Arizona Cardinals
Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
No change at the top here -- Bosa is the top prospect in this class. He can be an elite pass-rusher at the next level, just like his brother Joey. His workouts at the combine will be closely watched to see if he's back at full strength after his core muscle injury. As far as the fit in a 3-4 defense in Arizona, this quote last week from new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph stood out: "4-3 college ends, they grow to be outside 'backers. It's a learned ability." Joseph's former team in Denver used a top-five pick on Bradley Chubb last year, and Joseph converted him to outside linebacker -- opposite Von Miller -- and he had 12 sacks as a rookie. The 6-foot-4, 263-pound Bosa would have a good edge-rushing partner in Chandler Jones.

2. San Francisco 49ers

Josh Allen, OLB, Kentucky

If the Niners don't trade down to add more picks, I expect them to take an edge rusher here. And Allen (6-5, 250) is just a step behind Bosa on my board. Two former first-round picks along the defensive line (Arik Armstead and Solomon Thomas) have struggled in San Francisco, but neither has the pure pass-rushing ability of Allen, who had 17 sacks and five forced fumbles last season. Allen would fill a glaring need.

3. New York Jets

Quinnen Williams, DT, Alabama
The Jets have several needs on both sides of the ball, and they don't have their extremely valuable second-round pick (No. 34) in this draft as a result of the Sam Darnold trade up last year. I wouldn't be surprised to see quarterback-needy teams try to trade up to this spot, which would help GM Mike Maccagnan get back some of the capital he lost in 2018. If the Jets stay at No. 3, Williams, a 3-technique penetrator with a high motor and advanced pass-rushing skills, would be a tremendous pick.

4. Oakland Raiders
Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan
After trading away Khalil Mack before the season, the Raiders' pass rush was abysmal in 2018, putting up a league-low 13 sacks. Expect coach Jon Gruden and new GM Mike Mayock to target a pass-rusher with one of their three first-round picks. Gary (6-6, 283) has some versatility to kick inside and play tackle, but he has a high ceiling as an end. When he's locked in, he can dominate a game.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Sweat, who had 22 sacks over the past two seasons, was the best prospect at the Senior Bowl in January. He keeps rising on my board, and he should have a great combine workout. Tampa Bay's defense is likely to undergo an overhaul under new coach Bruce Arians and coordinator Todd Bowles, and the Bucs have to add edge rushers. Jason Pierre-Paul had a nice first season in Tampa (12.5 sacks), but he's 30. Former second-round pick Noah Spence, meanwhile, has just one sack over the past two seasons. This is another spot that could be for sale in a trade as teams try to get ahead of the Giants to grab a quarterback.

6. New York Giants
Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State
With no trades in my mock drafts, this is the first logical spot for a quarterback. And Haskins (6-3, 220) is the best quarterback on my board. Easy choice. Yes, he started only 14 games at Ohio State, but he's a smooth thrower with an extremely high ceiling. Something to note if the Giants trade up to make sure they get their guy: They don't have a third-round pick after using it on cornerback Sam Beal in last year's supplemental draft. That means if they give up their second-rounder and future choices to jump a few spots, they won't be on the clock again until Day 3. This is a huge pick for GM Dave Gettleman.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jawaan Taylor, OT, Florida


I'm sticking with an offensive lineman for Jacksonville here, as I believe the organization is more likely to go after a veteran quarterback like Nick Foles or Teddy Bridgewater over a rookie. This is a talented team that has to have more consistent QB play to get back to the playoffs in 2019. Could Tom Coughlin trust a rookie starter? Taylor will likely play right tackle at the next level -- he made 33 starts there in college -- and he could step in and start on Day 1 for the Jags.

8. Detroit Lions
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa
Hockenson (6-5, 250) is a complete player who can run routes out of the slot on one play, then line up next to a tackle and blow up an edge defender in the running game on the next. I'm not going to call him a Rob Gronkowski clone, but there are similarities, particularly when you see each as blockers. And remember that Lions coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn saw firsthand what Gronk did for the Patriots during their time in the organization.

9. Buffalo Bills
D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss


Quarterback Josh Allen had an up-and-down rookie season in Buffalo, but he needs better pass-catching options in Year 2. That's how we can fully evaluate his development. You might remember Metcalf from this viral photo from last week -- he's a 6-foot-4, 230-pound physical specimen who is going to test well at the combine. There is some projection here, as Metcalf missed most of the 2018 season with a scary neck injury and caught only 67 passes in his college career. But he is a big-play threat -- check out this catch -- who is the best "big" receiver in this class.

10. Denver Broncos
Greedy Williams, CB, LSU


Yes, the Broncos traded for Joe Flacco, but they could still draft a quarterback high, even if it's not in Round 1. Flacco has a team-friendly contract, and GM John Elway & Co. could still try to get their QB of the future. For now I'll go with cornerback here, as the position is the team's top need, especially with Bradley Roby likely to leave in free agency. There has been a lot of talk about Williams' apparent allergy to tackling, but he can improve there in the NFL. And you don't see pro-ready corners with his size (6-2, 180) and skill set often; he is a rare talent.

11. Cincinnati Bengals
Devin White, ILB, LSU


New coach Zac Taylor still doesn't have a defensive coordinator, so this is a tough pick to project. I'm sticking to my best-player-available philosophy here, as White is the No. 4 prospect on my board. He is the best inside linebacker in this class, a three-down player with excellent speed and athleticism and the ability to diagnose plays and get to the ball carrier. Middle linebacker Preston Brown, who signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati last offseason, is a free agent, and he's coming off a major knee injury. White is a plug-and-play replacement.

12. Green Bay Packers
Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma


I mentioned D.K. Metcalf as the best "big" receiver in this draft, and the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Brown is the class' best "small" wideout. He can fly, but he is also a good route-runner. The Packers were playing various late-round picks at receiver last season, so adding pass-catching options is a no-brainer. And Brown, who won't be working out at the combine, would be a stellar deep threat for Aaron Rodgers. Edge rusher is also a position to watch here, and Green Bay also has the No. 30 pick from New Orleans.