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What’s scarier than the month of October? Not knowing who your team might be looking at come the 2020 NFL Draft.
This order is set as if the season were to end today so I have zero say in who picks where, but please do give me your take on why I’m wrong on where your team picked.
1.1 Cincinnati Bengals
The pick: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
The Andy Dalton experience looks like it’s coming to an end. If the Bengals do end up with the #1 overall pick, it gives them the perfect opportunity to draft his replacement in Tua Tagovailoa.
1.2 Washington Redskins
The pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Terry McLaurin has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL at this point in the season and Dwayne Haskins is going to need more weapons to succeed. Whoever the new head coach is in Washington should have no objections to drafting one of the most complete wide receivers we’ve seen in the draft in quite some time.
1.3 Miami Dolphins
The pick: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
Miami doesn’t take a QB here but in a mock with no trades, the Jets are no risk to take a QB so the Dolphins go BPA and take a QB a little later on.
1.4 New York Jets
The pick: Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Back-to-back Crimson Tide followed by back-to-back Buckeyes. Jeff Okudah has emerged as the top corner in the nation and CB is, in my opinion, need #1 for the Jets.
1.5 Miami Dolphins (PIT)
The pick: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Now Miami takes their hopeful QB of the future in Joe Burrow. Burrow has had an astronomical climb after a terrific start to the season in a new offense and with the help of other QBs struggling, Burrow is now looking like QB2.
1.6 Atlanta Falcons
The pick: AJ Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
Atlanta’s defense has been absolutely atrocious this season and adding a difference maker up-front should help out on all levels, including giving the secondary less time to cover receivers.
1.7 Denver Broncos
The pick: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
The Denver Broncos have looked pedestrian at-best for most of the first quarter of the season and adding in a talented, young corner to fill in the CB2 spot until CHJ leaves will improve this defense as a whole.
1.8 Arizona Cardinals
The pick: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Kyler Murray is hoping to have a long career in the NFL. Kyler Murray has also been sacked 21 times in 5 games and that’s not with 2 games against the 49ers, Rams, and 1 against the Seahawks still remaining. If the Cardinals want Kyler to live to see out the rest of his rookie contract, they need to get him some protection.
1.9 Jacksonville Jaguars
The pick: Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
Gardner Minshew and DJ Chark are off to a great start as teammates so far. Adding in Laviska Shenault to the mix gives the Jaguars another receiving option and helps keep defenses backed out of the box to give Leonard Fournette more running room.
1.10 New York Giants
The pick: Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Jabrill Peppers has flashed hints of being a superstar for the Giants so far but the secondary still needs help. Pairing Grant Delpit with Peppers gives the Giants one of the most talented young safety duos in the NFL.
1.11 Los Angeles Chargers
The pick: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Whether or not Papa Rivers is willing to mentor a young QB is besides the point, the Chargers are going to have to replace him eventually and bringing in the big arm QB from Oregon could pay dividends in the future.
1.12 Tennessee Titans
The pick: Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
Jake Fromm doesn’t have the highest upside in the draft but he’s ready to step in and contribute right away. I also think he’s capable of more than what we’ve seen from him to this point but the Georgia offense doesn’t require him to do more so he hasn’t.
1.13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The pick: Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
Eason has a big arm and I’d expect Bruce Arians to be able to protect him while developing him and hoping to make a playoff push in his rookie year. The Bucs are closer to being successful than they appear so far.
1.14 Cleveland Browns
The pick: Walker Little, OT, Stanford
Baker Mayfield has been running for his life this season and has so little confidence in his offensive line that he’s been feeling a pass-rush even when one doesn’t exist. Walker Little should give Mayfield a little more confidence, comfort, and would help open up running lanes for Chubb/Hunt to open up the offense even more.
1.15 Indianapolis Colts
The pick: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S, Clemson
The defense that just played a fantastic game against the Chiefs gets better? Isaiah Simmons brings a versatility that no other defensive prospect brings in the 2020 NFL Draft and he’d make this very talented Colts defense even better.
1.16 Dallas Cowboys
The pick: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
Dallas is likely going to lose Byron Jones to free agency due to the massive contract he’ll deservedly want. Paulson Adebo won’t immediately bring the level of talent that Jones has but he’s got the potential to develop into a star.
1.17 Carolina Panthers
The pick: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Jaylon Johnson has been one of the top cornerbacks in the nation so far this season and adding him to an already talented Panthers defense should be able to send Carolina’s defense into the next level.
1.18 Los Angeles Rams
The pick: Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
The Rams defense is driven by their front four and that front four could potentially lose Dante Fowler Jr after this season. Gross-Matos would be a solid replacement to try and fill the DFJ role.
1.19 Minnesota Vikings
The pick: Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
Derrick Brown helped himself tremendously this past week with a monster game against Florida. The Vikings don’t have a big need on the defensive line right now but Linval Joseph carries a high cap number with a small penalty if cut after this season. For a team that’s likely going to be looking for cap relief with the Kirk Cousins contract on the books still, Brown could ease a transition.
1.20 Oakland Raiders (CHI)
The pick: Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama
Vontaze Burfict has been suspended for the remainder of the 2019 season and he has no right to ever put on an NFL uniform again. Dylan Moses brings a talent to the Raiders linebacking core that would already be higher-impact than Burfict and fills the biggest need for Oakland/Las Vegas.
1.21 Baltimore Ravens
The pick: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Lamar Jackson, Hollywood Brown, Henry Ruggs III. Name a faster trio. The Ravens love to run the ball and try to beat defenses with speed AKA the Raiders approach in the late 2000s/early 2010s but if the franchise didn’t suck.
1.22 Oakland Raiders
The pick: Cam Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State
Oakland finds a corner to complement Gareon Conley and Trayvon Mullen in a versatile piece from Mississippi State with almost immediate starter ability and high upside.
1.23 Philadelphia Eagles
The pick: Kenny Willekes, EDGE, Michigan State
Kenny Willekes isn’t a player that strikes me as having very high upside but he’s got a high floor and the ability to contirbute immediately to a championship contender that’s always looking to bolster the front four.
1.24 Detroit Lions
The pick: Tyan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
Wide receiver doesn’t look like a huge need right away for the Lions but Tylan Wallace is the kind of receiver that could step in and contribute 60+ catches, 800+ yards and 6 touchdowns in his rookie year. Wallace is built for today’s NFL and his stock is climbing.
1.25 Miami Dolphins (HOU)
The pick: D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
Miami found themselves a QB and EDGE early on. Two of the most important positions in football. Now they take the position that everyone claims doesn’t matter but Swift is a special talent and immediate contributor in the backfield.
1.26 Buffalo Bills
The pick: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
Buffalo has one of the top defenses in the NFL but could use some youth on the edge, Chaisson is a raw talent with athletic ability and a very high ceiling but with a very low floor. I think Sean McDermott is very capable of maximizing Chaisson’s potential though.
1.27 Seattle Seahawks
The pick: Shane Lemieux, IOL, Oregon
Russell Wilson is now making an absurd amount of money (deservedly so) and he needs to be protected. Shane Lemieux brings the rare combination of youth and experience on the offensive line that not everyone can bring.
1.28 New Orleans Saints
The pick: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Jalen Reagor has been criminally underutilized at TCU and I won’t stand for it any longer. If there’s any coach in the NFL that will maximize Reagor’s potential, I think it’s Sean Payton.
1.29 Kansas City Chiefs
The pick: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
The Chiefs desperately need some help at linebacker and Kenneth Murray would step in as the immediate best linebacker on the roster.
1.30 Green Bay Packers
The pick: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Imagine pairing CeeDee Lamb with Davante Adams as the top receiving targets for Aaron Rodgers? Good luck trying to stop the passing attack in Green Bay then.
1.31 San Francisco 49ers
The pick: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Jeff Gladney is one of the best defenders in the Big XII and he’s an underrated cornerback prospect. San Francisco gets an immediate contributor to an already talented defense.
1.32 New England Patriots
The pick: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
The Patriots pass-catchers have left a bit to be desired so far this season, specifically at wide receiver. Tee Higgins at 32 overall is a steal and should be a reliable target beyond the Tom Brady era.
