Round 1, pick 19: Montez Sweat EDGE, Mississippi State
In my “best option” list, I have Sweat as the 3rd best option for the Tennessee Titans in the 2019 NFL Draft class. While I really like Brian Burns, Sweat is probably the safer of the two picks despite my grade on Burns being a little higher.
Sweat has elite arm length, size and athleticism. Speaking of that athleticism, his 40-yard dash time was in the 99th percentile, running 4.41 at 260 lb.
Forgetting to adjust for weight, that 40-yard dash would have been outstanding among receivers being good for 9th best out of 49 contenders. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, it is just crazy to think that he was that fast at 260 lb. and at nearly 6’6.
His combination of athleticism and production make him similar to Marcus Davenport from the 2018 NFL Draft class but with a higher floor and a higher upside.
Sweat would fit exactly what Robinson wants in a pass rusher and he has the size and strength to play well vs the run to stay on the field for 80%+ of the game.
When you watch him, what stands out is how much ground he eats up with his first few steps. His sheer explosion and length make it impossible for offensive linemen to stop his momentum because they have to back pedal so quickly that they can’t play sound enough to stop his long arm.
He has some really nice counters and with good coaching at the next level he could be a Pro Bowler very quickly. Though no one will say it, I am willing to be that if both he and Jeffery Simmons were both 100% healthy, it would be Sweat drafted higher.