NASHVILLE Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — We learned during the 2018 season that offense is beloved by NFL teams (and fans). We also learned that defense, as performed by the Patriots in the Super Bowl, carries away the Lombardi Trophy.This year’s draft, which begins Thursday night, is stocked with defenders who can be difference-makers. Many of them play up front and will go very high in the proceedings.Here’s one view of the first round, presuming no trades — something extremely unlikely.1. Arizona — You don’t hire a new coach out of college who plays a specific system and then not give him what he considers the perfect player to run that scheme. So Kliff Kingsbury gets …KYLER MURRAY, QB, OKLAHOMA2. San Francisco — Pedigree means plenty with this pick, even if the Niners‘ choice missed much of 2018 while injured. Yet another D-line early pick for San Francisco.NICK BOSA, DE, OHIO STATE3.New York Jets — The Jets easily could trade out of this spot. Staying put, they’ll put into their new uniforms a dynamic guy for the trenches.QUINNEN WILLIAMS, DL, ALABAMA4.Oakland — With the first of three picks in the opening round as the rebuild begins in earnest, the Raiders fill the chasm created by their trading of Khalil Mack last summer.JOSH ALLEN, LB, KENTUCKY5.Tampa Bay — Lots of holes here for Bruce Arians to get filled, and he’s an offensive-first guy. Still, there are too many studs on the other side of the ball to pass on one of them.DEVIN WHITE, LB, LSU6.New York Giants — Around the Big Apple, fans are salivating about the Giants taking Eli Manning’s successor at quarterback in this spot. Sorry, New Yorkers, you’ll have to wait. Defense first, if that sounds familiar in this draft.MONTEZ SWEAT, LB-DE Austin Seibert Jersey , MISSISSIPPI STATE7.Jacksonville — Tom Coughlin stays in-state for a protector for his new QB, Nick Foles.JAWAAN TAYLOR, OT, FLORIDA8. Detroit — Another team staying within state boundaries for its choice. Matt Patricia’s strength is defense and he adds to the building process with …RASHAN GARY, DL, MICHIGAN9.Buffalo — Did we mention this is a defense-first draft?ED OLIVER, DL, HOUSTON10. Denver — Big decision time for John Elway, who loves drafting quarterbacks and is staring at one who threw for 50 TDs last year. But Elway also traded for Joe Flacco, who isn’t on his last legs. So …BRIAN BURNS, LB-DE, FLORIDA STATE11. Cincinnati — Now the decision on that QB belongs to Cincinnati, which has seen attendance drop as the team flounders. Another in-state pick, this one a gamble and not for an immediate need.DWAYNE HASKINS, QB, OHIO STATE12. Green Bay — Replace (sort of) LB Clay Matthews or replace (sort of) WR Randall Cobb or help (sort of) TE Jimmy Graham?This is high for a tight end, but there are two worthy of first-round status.T.J. HOCKENSON, TE, IOWA13. Miami — Las Vegas odds-makers see the Dolphins as the worst team in 2019. If they are right, how much does it matter which player they choose here?CLELIN FERRELL, DE, CLEMSON14. Atlanta — Although help up front is a most crunching need, the Falcons see the top cornerback in this crop on the board and grab him.GREEDY WILLIAMS, CB, LSU15. Washington — If he wasn’t a quarterback, he wouldn’t have cracked the top half of the first round — or maybe gone in the entire opening round. But he is a QB Trysten Hill Jersey , so …DANIEL JONES, QB, DUKE16. Carolina — Another team that is looking for a developmental passer. With several likely available later on, the Panthers grab something more pressing.JONAH WILLIAMS, OT, ALABAMA17. New York Giants (from Cleveland) — CRUSHED! New York figured it could get Jones here, and considering he’s been coached by the same guy who handled Eli and Peyton Manning in college, he was a perfect fit. Sorry, Big Blue.DEVIN BUSH, LB, MICHIGAN18. Minnesota — If they go by need, the Vikings have their choice of blockers to fill a major void.CODY FORD, OL, OKLAHOMA19. Tennessee — The Titans’ temptation could be taking a tight end or wideout. They also could use help on both lines. Time to boost the excitement quotient.D.K. METCALF, WR, MISSISSIPPI20. Pittsburgh — An offseason of turmoil and sea change has placed added emphasis and attention on this pick. Strange to see Pittsburgh with so many holes.BYRON MURPHY, CB, WASHINGTON21. Seattle — Few teams have the wise front offices and coaching staff that can retool and still be successful. That success continues with …DEXTER LAWRENCE, DT, CLEMSON22. Baltimore — Metcalf would have been a nice fit here, but he’s in Music City. The Ravens could go defense, but the offensive line needs bolstering.ANDRE DILLARD, OL, WASHINGTON STATE23. Houston — Dillard was in their sights, and the Texans‘ blocking needs fortifying. Sticking with that approach, they get …DALTON RISNER Connor McGovern Jersey , OT, KANSAS STATE24. Oakland (from Chicago)— Jon Gruden has made it clear how much he adores tight ends who can block and catch the ball. He’ll get one.NOAH FANT, TE, IOWA25. Philadelphia — Eagles boss Howie Roseman rubs his eyes in disbelief and takes little time to select a college champion he couldn’t imagine would fall to Philly.CHRISTIAN WILKINS, DL, CLEMSON26. Indianapolis — Never doubt GM Chris Ballard’s selections after pulling off one of the great drafts of recent years in 2018. He begins this one with …DEANDRE BAKER, CB, GEORGIA27. Oakland (from Dallas) — Gruden would have loved Baker in his secondary. He is tempted to stick with that position, then goes for the other backfield and a do-everything RB.JOSH JACOBS, RB, ALABAMA28. Los Angeles Chargers — This comes down to if the Chargers want to wait for DT Jeffery Simmons to recover from a major knee injury, or play it safer.JEFFERY SIMMONS, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE29. Seattle — Defense is a must, as we saw in the AFC championship game. The Seahawks dealt front-line stud Frank Clark to KC for this spot.NASIR ADDERLEY, CB, DELAWARE30. Green Bay (from New Orleans) — After getting help for Aaron Rodgers earlier, the Packers try to fill a hole in their secondary yet again.JUSTIN LAYNE, CB, MICHIGAN STATE31. Los Angeles Rams — The most talented roster in the league adds to it up front.GARRETT BRADBURY, OL North Carolina State.32. New England — Predicting anything about the Patriots on draft day is like trying to figure out when (if?) Tom Brady will retire.A.J. BROWN, WR, MISSISSIPPI RICHMOND, Texas (AP) — A Texas sheriff said Friday he has apologized to New England Patriots player Elandon Roberts for the actions of a deputy who referred to the linebacker’s race and size during a March traffic stop but also defended the deputy’s comment and the stop.Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls said during a news conference that he spoke with Roberts and his attorney and said the deputy should not have taken so long with the March 10 traffic stop.Roberts was stopped as he pulled into the driveway of his Houston-area home and Nehls also said Deputy Adam Watkins was wrong to order Roberts’ wife back inside the home when she saw flashing lights and stepped outside.“The way he interacted with his wife, I didn’t appreciate the tone,” Nehls said of his deputy.Watkins Foster Moreau Jersey , who is white, ultimately was issued a verbal reprimand for how he conducted the stop, according to sheriff’s Capt. Steve Holtz.But the stop, which was captured on dash-cam video , was warranted because Roberts was traveling 59 mph in a 35 mph zone as he traveled home, Nehls said. Holtz explained the ticket later was changed to a warning at the deputy’s request.Watkins, in speaking to a colleague, referred to Roberts as a “big, black male” but Nehls defended the reference to race, saying the deputy was simply offering a description of the driver. The sheriff didn’t comment on why it was necessary for the deputy to invoke Roberts’ race.Roberts, 25, in a statement to USA Today was critical of his treatment, saying, “Unfortunately, these types of things are happening all too often to African Americans.”Watkins also told a colleague that Roberts “wouldn’t comply” when told to get back into his car after getting out once he pulled into his driveway. “I had to yell at him pretty hard,” Watkins is heard saying on the video.Holtz said Watkins, a rookie only on the job a few months when the stop occurred, became nervous when he saw Roberts initially get out of his car. He said the mistakes Watkins committed were understandable in light of his inexperience.Nehls criticized USA Today for publishing an edited version of the stop that he believes was misleading. The sheriff also criticized those who turn the encounter “into a racial issue.”“I think there have been traffic stops and interactions between white and black that have caused some of the most horrible, civil unrest in this country,” Nehls said, adding that, “We haven’t experienced that in Fort Bend County.”The fast-growing county is just southwest of Houston. Roberts, who lives in Richmond, starred at the University of Houston before being drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft.