TGA's 2020 NFL Mock Draft
By Peyton Schultze
Justin Herbert’s stock appears to be on the rise as the 2020 NFL Draft nears even closer (via Orange County Register).
With just a few days left until the Bengals are officially on the clock for the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the hype and anticipation is beginning to heighten. This year’s draft will take on some unique circumstances, including being one of the only notable sporting events in months due to the coronavirus pandemic around the world, but that doesn’t mean there is not a ton on the line for all 32 teams in the league. With that being said, and with plenty of names and potential trades being floated around that could determine who will be taken in the opening rounds this year, here’s our first-round mock draft for the virtual 2020 NFL Draft.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow seems like the clear favorite to be selected first overall by the Cincinnati Bengals (via Fox 8).
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Quarterback Joe Burrow (LSU)
Simple and sweet, the Bengals do the right thing and select last year’s Heisman winner and the presumed first pick in the draft. Burrow’s excellent poise, underrated athleticism, and ability to escape the pocket makes him an ideal choice to become the next face of the franchise in Cincinnati.
2. Washington Redskins: Edge Rusher Chase Young (Ohio State)
Perhaps the best overall player in the draft, Young figures to add some of the most unique pass rushing skills in recent memory to a Washington defensive front that could wreck havoc for years to come. Young is uber talented on the defensive end, and could easily replicate Nick Bosa’s success from last year.
3. Detroit Lions: Cornerback Jeff Okudah (Ohio State)
Few would question that Okudah is the best defensive back in this draft, and Detroit has been linked to his potential for months. By adding a potential lock down corner to reshape their pass defense and replace Darius Slay, the Lions now find themselves in a nice position to put together a solid defense in 2020.
4. New York Giants: Linebacker Isaiah Simmons (Clemson)
A player that has shot himself into the top five overall over the past few months, Simmons has potential to turn this Giants’ defense upside down as a backbone in the middle of the field. The linebacker’s sheer speed and athleticism at the position should be a swaggering factor in this choice, as Simmons has a real chance to become one of the league’s next great centerpieces on the defensive end.
5. Miami Dolphins: Quarterback Justin Herbert (Oregon)
Maybe it’s a smokescreen to the rest of the league, but Miami seems a little too worried to take Tagovailoa and likes Hebert’s potential at the position. With outstanding size, great arm strength, and several big game performances in college, Herbert will be expected to develop nicely with the Dolphins before becoming their next starting quarterback of the future.
Jerry Jeudy may be this pool’s best receiver prospect on the outside with elite route running skills and solid size (via CBS Sports).
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama)
There’s plenty of risk on the line here, but the Chargers need an organizational spark that could vault them into playoff contention for years to come. Tagovailoa is their guy, and his superb accuracy and leadership at the position should make the choice even easier for Los Angeles despite his troubling injury history.
7. Carolina Panthers: Defensive Lineman Derrick Brown (Auburn)
The Panthers take whoever falls to them here, and Brown is just about the best-case scenario with three quarterbacks taken in the top six picks. Carolina finds a massive defensive block that has played in the tough trenches of the SEC, which should help the Panthers’ defense find their footing among a loaded NFC South.
8. Arizona Cardinals: Offensive Lineman Tristan Wirfs (Iowa)
Arizona gets a steal and maybe the best offensive lineman in the draft at the eight overall spot, which should help to protect quarterback Kyler Murray for the future. It’s a tough call between Wirfs and several other lineman prospects, but the Iowa product seems like a surefire bet that should be a nice addition.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cornerback CJ Henderson (Florida)
The Jaguars are a mess at nearly every position, so it’s a mystery of which direction they’ll head with this pick. They could easily be tempted to go with a top receiver or a solid offensive line prospect, but Henderson’s recent rise on the big board should tempt the Jaguars to fill in the holes left by the departures of AJ Bouye and Jalen Ramsey.
10. Philadelphia Eagles, Trade with Cleveland: Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy (Alabama)
There has to be at least one borderline contender willing to move up in the draft for an elite offensive talent, and the Eagles and Browns end up striking a deal for the tenth overall pick. The Eagles take a potential superstar wideout in Jeudy, maybe the best overall receiver on the board, and are able to jump several receiver hungry teams in the next few picks.
Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is one of several intriguing offensive line prospects to watch in the first-round this year (via Cleveland.com).
11. New York Jets: Offensive Lineman Jedrick Wills, Jr. (Alabama)
New York ends up having a ton of options at the eleventh pick, but they avoid any temptations and take another Alabama prospect off the board. Wills’ exceptional production in college on the big stage of SEC football is an exciting option for the Jets, who are looking to finally stabilize an offensive line in order to protect the potential of quarterback Sam Darnold.
12. Las Vegas Raiders: Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma)
The Raiders seem like a clear cut option that should take a receiver here, and they’ll get on in the form of the productive Lamb. The Oklahoma superstar’s mix of nice route running and ability to get over the top despite a lack of blazing speed should excite Jon Gruden, who is looking to add to Derek Carr’s outside repertoire on offense.
13. San Francisco 49ers: Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III (Alabama)
Ruggs is the fastest player in the draft, and his pure speed has many teams drooling over his potential to become a Tyreek Hill-type weapon. The 49ers traded up to get this spot and must add some pieces on the offensive side, so it seems clear that they would be in a position to take the speedy ‘Bama wideout.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Offensive Lineman Mekhi Becton (Louisville)
Becton was one of the pure stars of the combine, and Tampa Bay should get exactly what they want when they are on the clock. The lineman should immediately add versatility and athleticism to the Bucs’ offensive line, which is a major point of emphasis with an aging Tom Brady now under center.
15. Denver Broncos: Offensive Lineman Andrew Thomas (Georgia)
The massive Georgia lineman is a steal at the fifteenth slot for Denver, even though they could look to select a receiver or trade down in the draft at this point. Nevertheless, they’ll hold off on a wideout until the second round to help Cortland Sutton on the edge and will take Thomas to make sure that Drew Lock stays healthy in his first full season as the starter in the Mile High City.
Jordan Love’s interesting college career makes his draft status an interesting storyline to watch this week (via CBS Sports).
16. Atlanta Falcons: Edge Rusher K’Lavon Chaisson (LSU)
Atlanta has plenty of options they could head in, but adding a previously empty defense seems like the right move if they want to get back inside the playoff picture. Adding a defensive weapon like Chaisson, who flashed great skills during his time with the Tigers, should help the Falcons get back on track and set their sights on a return to relevancy on defense.
17. Dallas Cowboys: Safety Xavier McKinney (Alabama)
The Cowboys could make a big move here and draft a receiver or move the pick, but all signs say that they should take the elite defensive back in McKinney. By adding a potentially elite safety to their defensive backfield, the Cowboys could start to rebuild their secondary that has suffered some key losses in the offseason.
18. Miami Dolphins: Defensive Lineman Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina)
There’s plenty of options on the board here with so many slots on their roster to fill, but Miami will decide to bolster their defense with the selection of Kinlaw. An elite defensive line prospect, Kinlaw will be a key force on Brian Flores’ defense after plenty of success during his time in the SEC with the Gamecocks.
19. New Orleans Saints, Trade with Las Vegas: Quarterback Jordan Love (Utah State)
New Orleans is in a position to win right now, but they make a low-risk/high-reward decision at the nineteenth pick in a trade with the Raiders. Love is not the perfect quarterback prospect by any means, but with Drew Brees on his way toward retirement very soon, the Utah State quarterback could develop nicely into a future starter in the French Quarter.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars: Offensive Lineman Josh Jones (Houston)
With two picks in the first round, Jacksonville needs to make their selections count if they want to have any success in 2020. With the selection of the talented Jones, a nice offensive line prospect with plenty of experience under his belt in college, the Jaguars get a nice building block who could help up front for the near future.
Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray seems to be a prospect that could contribute right away to a team on the verge of Super Bowl contention (via Giants Wire).
21. Cleveland Browns, Trade with Philadelphia: Cesar Ruiz (Michigan)
The Browns made a tough choice of trading back earlier in the draft, so don’t be shocked if there’s a little bit of a reach this late in the draft. With the need to protect Baker Mayfield in the pocket, the Browns go all-out for Ruiz, a solid performer at Michigan who should contribute right away with versatility in several different spots on the line.
22. Minnesota Vikings: Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson (LSU)
Jefferson turned into a bona fide superstar at LSU last season, and his entry into the NFL has many teams interested in his services. However, Minnesota seems like a perfect fit for the standout receiver, especially considering their hole on the outside with the trade of Stefon Diggs to Buffalo.
23. New England Patriots: Linebacker Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma)
The Patriots suddenly have a ton of holes on their roster after an abysmal free agency period, which makes the need for a nice pick here even more urgent. As possibly the best player left on the board at this point, Murray’s experience at the position in college and ability to make an instant impact on defense should have New England on the edge of their seat.
24. Las Vegas Raiders, Trade with New Orleans: Cornerback A.J. Terrell (Clemson)
The Raiders nail the draft again by filling two major holes, this time selecting a potentially elite corner on the outside. By reaching back into the surplus of Clemson players already on the Las Vegas roster, the Raiders step up and take Terrell, a physical and imposing corner who produced at the highest stage of college football.
25. Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback Kristian Fulton (LSU)
Just like the Raiders, the Vikings nail their second pick of the draft and take a cornerback to bolster their struggling secondary. By taking whoever Las Vegas didn’t, the Vikings get somewhat of a steal in a defensive back who shined on the field in 2019 with his very physical style of play.
Linebacker Patrick Queen could be a late pick in the first round with some immense upside (via Baltimore Ravens).
26. Miami Dolphins: Offensive Tackle Austin Jackson (USC)
Jackson has a bit of bust potential on his name after the pre-draft rumblings, but he appears to be Miami’s best option of adding to their offensive line after taking a quarterback earlier. With Jackson, a raw prospect, potentially adding to the Dolphins’ line, Miami puts themselves in position to build a young and emerging offense for years to come in the AFC East.
27. Seattle Seahawks: Edge Rusher A.J. Epenesa (Iowa)
With a need at pass rusher with Jadeveon Clowney still on the market, the Seahawks’ patience in the draft pays off with the selection of Epenesa. With potential to contribute right away after piling 26.5 sacks during his time in college, the Iowa pass rusher should be an impact player once inserted into the lineup in Seattle.
28. Baltimore Ravens: Linebacker Patrick Queen (LSU)
Queen is the dream pick for Ravens fans, and it’s a true stunner that he’ll be available due to the action happening in front of them. Coming off a highlight-worthy showcase in 2019 with the Tigers, Queen should be a welcome addition to the Ravens’ defense and immediately contribute to a team ready to hoist another Lombardi Trophy.
29. New York Jets, Trade with Tennessee: Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk (Arizona State)
The Jets sat back and took an offensive lineman earlier in the draft, so it makes sense that they would look to jump back into the first round near the bottom of the day. By taking a talented prospect like Aiyuk, one of the most explosive weapons in this class, the Jets put together a solid first-round with some potential building blocks for the future on offense.
30. Green Bay Packers: Wide Receiver Tee Higgins (Clemson)
New York’s aggressive bid to jump the Packers sets back their plans a little, but they still get a target in Higgins that should really help out Rodgers and Green Bay’s passing attack. Higgins put together a solid career during his time in college with the Tigers, and his production could easily flow into the NFL with a legend still under center for the Packers.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Cornerback Trevon Diggs (Alabama)
Don’t be stunned if San Francisco tries to move off this pick, but if they hold on, Diggs should be the clear selection. As a standout starter with huge length and playmaking ability at the position, Diggs has potential to bring another element to an already-elite defense in the Bay Area.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Cornerback Jeff Gladney (TCU)
The Chiefs really don’t have a major need on their roster, but their secondary could use some work in order to avoid some major shootouts in 2020. Gladney falls a bit in this draft due to plenty of action in front of the thirty-second pick, but Kansas City gets a nice prospect with plenty of speed and athleticism to develop into a nice starter.