Sports
NFL Draft 2020: Latest Order, Mock Draft Predictions Entering Wild Card Weekend
Rick Scuteri/Associated PressThe non-playoff portion of the NFL draft board has already been set.Upon the completion of Wild Card Weekend, four more selection spots will be set in stone.So, while certain football fanbases have their eyes on Super Bowl LIV, many have shifted their attention to the next installment of the annual talent grab.Given the…
Rick Scuteri/Associated Press
The non-playoff portion of the NFL draft board has already been set.
Upon the completion of Wild Card Weekend, four more selection spots will be set in stone.
So, while certain football fanbases have their eyes on Super Bowl LIV, many have shifted their attention to the next installment of the annual talent grab.
Given the quantity and quality of this prospect class, it isn't hard to see why. After running through our latest mock first round, we'll spotlight the fits of our top three picks.
2020 NFL Mock Draft
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
3. Detroit Lions: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
4. New York Giants: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
7. Carolina Panthers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
8. Arizona Cardinals: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
10. Cleveland Browns: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
11. New York Jets: Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson
12. Oakland Raiders: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
13. Indianapolis Colts: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
15. Denver Broncos: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
16. Atlanta Falcons: A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
17. Dallas Cowboys: Grant Delpit, S, LSU
18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh Steelers): Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
19. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago Bears): Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Los Angeles Rams): Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
22. Tennessee Titans: Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame
23. Buffalo Bills: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
24. Minnesota Vikings: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
25. Miami Dolphins (from Houston Texans): Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
26. Seattle Seahawks: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
27. New England Patriots: Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama
28. Green Bay Packers: Dylan Moses, ILB, Alabama
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
30. New Orleans Saints: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
31. San Francisco 49ers: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
32. Baltimore Ravens: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Bengals Add Joe Burrow
This is the easiest selection to predict and possibly the one that will make the most impact.
Cincinnati has been desperate to find its next franchise face, and Burrow, a native of nearby Athens, Ohio, looks perfect for the position. The Bengals need someone capable of changing their culture and with the playmaking ability to perk up head coach Zac Taylor's offense.
Burrow should be the guy. He electrified the LSU Tigers all season, torching SEC defenses week after week. Then, he upped the ante at the Peach Bowl, where the threw for seven first-half touchdowns and ran for a second-half score in the team's 63-28 drubbing of the fourth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.
Teams tank in hopes of landing a talent like Burrow. Whether the Bengals' tumble down the standings was intentional or not, they're still set to claim the draft's biggest prize.
Redskins Pounce on Chase Young
By virtue of position, Burrow edges Chase Young in prospect appeal. But in terms of overall talent, Young might be as good as it gets in this class.
“Young is the best edge-rushing prospect I've seen since Von Miller entered the draft,” ESPN's Todd McShay wrote.
Young lives in the opponent's backfield. He broke out as a Buckeyes sophomore with 10.5 sacks. He was even better as a junior, tallying a program-record 16.5 sacks. He forced seven fumbles this season alone, which further speaks to his ability to cause chaos.
Plant him in the District, and the Redskins might have the foundation of the NFL's next dominant defense. He'd join first-round picks Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Montez Sweat on the defensive line, which sounds like the same formula that just helped catapult the 49ers up the league standings.
Detroit Thinks Defense with Derrick Brown
If the Lions take the best-player-available route, it's possible they use the No. 3 pick on another weapon for the aerial attack. It's not like Matthew Stafford is hurting for pass-catchers, but can you imagine slotting Jerry Jeudy into a group already featuring Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and T.J. Hockenson? It's a scary thought.
But Detroit might question the value of that approach. This team finished 10th in passing yards per game and still went a dismal 3-12-1. It really needs help on the defensive side of the ball, where the Lions allowed the seventh-most points per game.
There are different ways for Detroit to address this need—Jeff Okudah will be awfully intriguing after a last-place finish in passing yards allowed—but why not attack it front and center with defensive tackle Derrick Brown? The 6'5″, 318-pounder checks all the physical boxes with length and quickness, and his natural talent is tremendous.
He still lacks some polish in terms of getting off blocks and finishing his penetrations with sacks, but the building blocks of a perennial All-Pro are in place. That won't be easy for the Lions to pass up, particularly given the free-agent status of A'Shawn Robinson and Mike Daniels.
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