2019 NFL Draft: First-round re-draft where Patriots and Steelers grab QBs
Quarterback. Kyler Murray . Scouting Report. Oklahoma. 1. player. 32. Pick Analysis
Original pick: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Boy is it hard to pass up on a guy like Nick Bosa here. The likely Defensive Rookie of the Year totaled nine sacks, 32 solo tackles and helped lead a defensive unit that carried his squad to a Super Bowl appearance in his first NFL season. But the Arizona Cardinals clearly had a plan heading into the 2019 offseason and Kyler Murray’s play would not throw them off of that course.
After trading up for a quarterback in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Cardinals quickly changed their tune, trading Josh Rosen away and selecting a top 10 quarterback for the second year in a row, this time first overall. But with new head coach Kliff Kingsbury, Arizona had a plan for their offense and you could see it starting to develop in 2019.
While Kyler Murray may not have completely lit the world on fire like he did to win the Heisman Trophy at Oklahoma, the two-sport athlete committed to football and had a solid rookie season on a still improving team. Murray threw for over 3,700 yards and 20 touchdowns. He posted a respectable 64% completion percentage and added over 500 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Murray showed some clear signs that he was still learning and developing as a rookie, but that is to be expected from a first-year player thrust into a starting role right away. He displayed some shaky decision-making early in the season but seemed to get more and more comfortable as the year went on.
Giving Murray some more protection up front and more offensive weapons to work with should be a priority for the Cardinals going forward. Murray wasn’t perfect in 2019, but he was definitely good enough for the organization to not abandon their plan.