2020 Mock Draft

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls we are in the home stretch of the draft week with the first round set to kick off Thursday night around 7 pm eastern time. The rumors and smokescreens are in full force right now, so doing a mock draft was a little tough, but these are for fun anyway. In order to keep my mock feeling fresh, I only did one draft with a mixture of what I feel is the best fit for a team at their pick and rumors that I felt made the most sense. I didn’t include any trades because those are next to impossible to predict. Without further ado let’s begin:

1. Cincinnati Bengals – QB Joe Burrow 

This pick seems to have been set in stone for some time now. Joe Burrow checks off pretty much all the boxes and is the safest QB prospect in this draft class.

2. Washington Redskins – DE Chase Young 

Chase Young is the best overall prospect in this draft class. If quarterback wasn’t such a highly valued position, Young would be the first player taken. Ron Rivera will build his defense with Young as he built his defense in Carolina with Julius Peppers.

3. Detroit Lions – DT Derrick Brown 

Boom. The first surprise of the draft. Although I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise as most experts peg Brown as a top 5 player in this draft. I know Jeff Okudah is the popular pick here but defensive backs don’t really tend to go this high.

4. New York Giants – OT Jedrick Wills Jr.

Joe Judge talks Dave Gettleman into protecting their previous two 1st round investments: Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Judge knows Nate Solder from his New England days and that will probably earn Solder one more season to prove he’s still got it. With Wills on the other side, the Gmen’s O-line is finally starting to look like a solid unit.

5. Miami Dolphins – QB Tua Tagovailoa

I switched back and forth between Tua and Justin Herbert with this pick, but at the end of the day, I just can’t see the Dolphins passing on a talented passer like Tua despite his injury history.

6. Los Angeles Chargers – OT Mekhi Becton

Now, this would be the first surprise of the draft. Hear me out before you come after me with pitchforks and torches. The Chargers traded Russell Okung for Trai Turner earlier this offseason. Adding a beast-like Becton would solidify the left side of the offensive line, something that hasn’t been said about the Chargers offensive line in a long time. I think the Chargers add a quarterback later.

7. Carolina Panthers – DT Javon Kinlaw

The Carolina Panthers were horrible against the run last season, and while this isn’t the sexy pick fans like to see, any football person knows you win in the trenches. Adding Kinlaw would improve the Panthers run defense from day 1.

8. Arizona Cardinals – OT Tristan Wirfs

I think the Cardinals would have loved to add one of Kinlaw or Brown but both are off the board in this scenario. Adding Wirfs is nothing to frown about, he will help protect Kyler Murray who’s looking to improve on his impressive rookie season.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars – CB Jeff Okudah

The Jaguars are cleaning house and have a perfect Jalen Ramsey replacement slide to them. I consider JAX to have the worst roster in football, so any pick they make is basically a good one. The “Tank for Trevor” is on in Jacksonville.

10. Cleveland Browns – OT Andrew Thomas

This pick will obviously change if the Browns go out and trade for Trent Williams, but as of this moment he isn’t, so the Browns use their pick on arguably the best left tackle in this draft class to come in and protect Baker Mayfield’s blindside.

11. New York Jets – LB Isiah Simmons

Jets general manager Joe Douglas was on record this week saying “they will take the best player available”. In this mock Simmons takes a little bit of a slide but the Jets are happy to scoop the ultra-versatile player. He can rush the passer, play linebacker, and if the Jets move on from Jamal Adams he can line up at safety as well.

12. Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jerry Jeudy

While Jerry Jeudy isn’t generating a lot of buzz, he is by far the best route runner in this draft class. Jon Gruden loves to use complex offensive schemes and having a wideout like Jeudy who can run the whole route tree will help acclimate him into Gruden’s offense even quicker.

13. San Francisco 49ers – WR Ceedee Lamb

This is an absolute luxury pick for the 49ers. From playing for the SuperBowl and now being able to add a top-10 talent in this draft is almost unfair. With that being said I fully expect San Fran to trade this pick but no trades, adding Lamb is the play.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – OT Austin Jackson

This would be the first reach of the draft. The Bucs have to do everything they can to protect Tom Brady. Austin Jackson isn’t that bad of a pick though as he is very athletic and has all the measurables. I have full confidence Bruce Arians will develop this young man into a fine pro.

15. Denver Broncos – WR Henry Ruggs III

I’m not as high on Ruggs as others but this is a copycat league and Ruggs is being compared to Tyreek Hill. Giving Drew Lock another toy for this offense to take the top off defenses could be a scary thing in 2020.

16. Atlanta Falcons – DB CJ Henderson

I’ve seen the rumors the Falcons are enamored with one of the top two defensive tackles and are trying to trade up. With no trades in this mock, I have the Falcons taking CJ Henderson. This pick is guaranteed to be a defensive player and I have Henderson a smidgeon higher than EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson.

17. Dallas Cowboys – DB Trevon Diggs

Losing Byron Jones in free agency leaves a massive hole in the secondary for the Cowboys. Diggs is a big rangy corner who can also play safety, kind of like Jones was coming out his draft year. This just seems like a match made in heaven.

18. Miami Dolphins – OT Josh Jones

After grabbing Tua with their first 1st round pick the Dolphins to grab a tackle to protect their investment. It sounds like there will be at least 6 or 7 tackles going in the first round so seeing six of them gone by this point isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

19. Las Vegas Raiders – LB Patrick Queen

Mike Mayock talks about bringing in guys who will be good culture fits. Patrick Queen couldn’t be a better example of that type of player. He brings leadership on and off the field and gives the Raiders a blue-chip prospect at the linebacker position.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars – EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson

Having Okudah falling into their laps earlier was a massive surprise now the Jags can take the best player available. At pick 20 getting Chaisson would be a steal as he will be one of the best rush linebackers in the mold of Von Miller or Clay Mattews.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – WR Justin Jefferson

The Eagles always seem to get lucky and have tremendous prospects fall into their laps. (See Barnett, Derek or Cox, Fletcher) Now they get to add a playmaker for Carson Wentz who will help elevate the Eagles offense in 2020.

22. Minnesota Vikings – DT Ross Blacklock

Blacklock seems to have fallen off the map a little bit since the draft process started. Mainly because people fall in love with combine times. Minnesota couldn’t be happier to have a beast like Ross Blacklock fall into their laps and add youth to a defense that desperately needs it.

23. New England Patriots – DE AJ Epenesa

The Patriots could go in a number of different directions with this pick. Since their quarterback play won’t be on the same level it has been for the past 20 years, I have a gut feeling the Pats will try to have a defense that carries them this season. Adding Epenesa is a Patriot type player and Belichek loves to rotate his pass rushers.

24. New Orleans Saints – LB Kenneth Murray

For Drew Brees’ swan-song the Saints are going to have to go all out to fill any and all holes on the roster to give them a chance to go to the Superbowl. Murray is the best player available and fills a need at linebacker for the Saints.

25. Minnesota Vikings – CB Jaylon Johnson

This pick seems like a match made in heaven. The Vikes have done their homework on Johnson and they have an huge need at the position after losing their top 3 defensive backs from last season. Johnson is a big shutdown corner, exactly what Mike Zimmer covets in his DBs.

26. Miami Dolphins – S Xavier McKinney

Despite winning five games last year the Dolphins still have a ton of holes on their roster. Brian Flores could use a player like McKinney to be the Patrick Chung on his defense.

McKinney played in a high-end program at Alabama and is the top safety in this class.

27. Seattle Seahawks – OT Isaiah Wilson

Predicting what the Seahawks will do should be a contest alone. I fully expect this to be a spot someone trades up for Jordan Love or Jalen Hurts. Here I have the Seahawks adding a big powerful tackle that fits their run-first style offense.

28. Baltimore Ravens – IOL Cesar Ruiz

Losing Marshal Yanda to retirement this offseason is a huge loss for the Ravens. Bringing in Ruiz would help soften that blow as he can play center or guard. The Ravens need to have a powerful offensive line for their heavy run style offense as well.

29. Tennessee Titans – OT Ezra Cleveland

The Titans lost Jack Conklin in free agency this offseason and their offense relies on Derrick Henry and the run game. Cleveland isn’t a first-round prospect to me but teams often draft for need rather than the best player available. Cleveland will have an easier time sliding in at right tackle to develop.

30. Green Bay Packers – WR Jalen Reagor

The only thing this Packers offense is missing is speed. Davante Adams, Allan Lazard, and Devin Funchess all check-in over six feet. Adding a player like Reagor who can bring that speedy slot element to the team would give the Packers one of the best offenses in the league.

31. San Francisco 49ers – DB AJ Terrell

It could be argued one of the only weak points on the San Francisco team last year was the secondary. AJ Terrell can spend a year as the 2nd DB before the team inevitably moves on from Richard Sherman and allows Terrell to take over.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – CB Kristian Fulton

When you win the Superbowl you don’t have a ton of things to fix on your roster. The Chiefs didn’t really lose any key players this offseason either. This could be another trade spot for a team wanting one of the QBs left. I have the Chiefs taking Fulton because you can never have enough corner depth in the NFL.

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