The Arizona Cardinals have the first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft after a tumultuous 3-13 season. Arizona fired head coach Steve Wilks after only one season and hired former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their new head coach. The Cardinals have not announced who they will be taking with the first pick, but one name is starting to rise above the rest.
According to NFL.com, Kyler Murray is considered to be the odds on favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2019 Draft. He is seen as the new favorite after the former Oklahoma quarterback measured in at a little over 5-foot-10 and 206 pounds.
Before the NFL Combine, Ohio State’s Nick Bosa was considered to be the likely number one pick with his combination of size and pass rushing ability.
Bosa only played in three games in 2018, but had a solid performance at Indianapolis to back up the hype. The Cardinals drafted a quarterback in the first round last season when they traded up to get UCLA’s Josh Rosen. Rosen threw for 2,278 yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season, but he also threw 14 interceptions. His inconsistent play was not all his fault as his entire starting offensive line ended up on injured reserve. Now, he is expected to be traded.
The Cardinals met with Murray at the Combine, a notable fact since teams are only allowed to meet with 30 prospects there. Their interest in them is so high that teams in the top 10 do not believe they have a chance at drafting him.
“In terms of Murray, people are beginning to believe almost universally he will indeed be the No. 1 pick in this draft by the Arizona Cardinals,” NFL reporter Kimberly Jones said about Murray’s future NFL draft selection. “In fact, teams picking in the top 10 believe they’ll have no chance of drafting Murray.”
Many teams in the top 10 are in desperate need of quarterbacks, so Murray’s selection at number one would greatly affect their plans. The Cardinals do not need a quarterback, but Kingsbury might want a quarterback that is a better fit for the system, which Murray would provide over Rosen.
NFL Draft Rumors: Kyler Murray Emerging As Favorite For No. 1 Pick
