Sports
NFL Draft 2020: Round 1 Mock Draft Projections Before Super Bowl Sunday
Gerald Herbert/Associated PressSuper Bowl Weekend has arrived, football fans! On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will compete in Super Bowl LIV. After that, the NFL will slumber until August and the start of the 2020 preseason.OK, so this isn’t exactly true. While there won’t be any games until next preseason, the…
Gerald Herbert/Associated Press
Super Bowl Weekend has arrived, football fans! On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers will compete in Super Bowl LIV. After that, the NFL will slumber until August and the start of the 2020 preseason.
OK, so this isn't exactly true. While there won't be any games until next preseason, the next few months will be filled with NFL activity of a different sort. At the end of February, we'll have the scouting combine. Free agency kicks off on March 18, and April will bring the NFL draft.
While free agency and the pre-draft process bring their own unique brands of excitement to fans, the draft itself is arguably the highlight of the offseason. Over draft weekend, 256 prospects will see their NFL dreams come true, while NFL franchises will try to add the pieces needed to get to where the Chiefs and 49ers are this weekend.
2020 NFL Mock Draft
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
4. New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson
5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
7. Carolina Panthers: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
8. Arizona Cardinals: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
10. Cleveland Browns: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
11. New York Jets: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
12. Las Vegas Raiders: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
13. Indianapolis Colts: Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
15. Denver Broncos: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
16. Atlanta Falcons: K'Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
17. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams): Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame
21. Philadelphia Eagles: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
22. Buffalo Bills: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
23. New England Patriots: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
24. New Orleans Saints: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
25. Minnesota Vikings: Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
27. Seattle Seahawks: Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State
28. Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama
29. Tennessee Titans: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
30. Green Bay Packers: Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
31. Kansas City Chiefs: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
32. San Francisco 49ers: Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Teams Not Confident in the Quarterback Depth
There are two types of teams in the NFL—those that have a franchise quarterback and those that do not. For teams with a franchise quarterback, the prospect of playing in the Super Bowl is far more realistic.
This is why the 49ers traded to acquire Jimmy Garoppolo and why the Chiefs traded up to land Patrick Mahomes. It's also why we're likely to see several quarterbacks drafted on the first day of the draft. However, there's no guarantee that each of them will develop into a legitimate franchise signal-caller.
“There are a couple guys that are definitely going high … a couple that will go higher than they should because that always happens because it's such a needy position,” one scout told ESPN. “But there's not a lot of [depth].”
Coming off a Heisman win and a national championship, LSU's Joe Burrow seems to be the top quarterback prospect in this class. After Burrow, however, it's anyone's guess to how the quarterback dominoes might actually fall.
Tagovailoa Will Be at the Combine
Vasha Hunt/Associated Press
One prospect who will likely come off the board early is Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. If healthy, he would likely compete with Burrow to be the first player taken. He's played in two national title games, went 22-2 as a starter and flashed the sort of accuracy and athleticism that makes NFL coaches drool.
The problem is that Tagovailoa isn't healthy. He suffered a dislocated hip this past season, underwent surgery and remains in the recovery process. The good news is that he is expected to give NFL teams an up-close look at his recovery at the combine.
“I'll be participating in the combine, but my main goal is not to win the 40, not to win the bench press, but to win my medical,” he told NFL Network. “I'm going to go over there looking to win my medical and then go in and interview with the teams.”
If Tagovailoa appears on pace to return to pre-injury form, he could cement his status as the No. 2 quarterback in the class—and he might even re-enter the conversation about who is No. 1.
Is Tagovailoa Destined for Miami?
If Tagovailoa doesn't go No. 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Miami Dolphins could be a prime destination. They own the No. 5 pick and have the ammunition to move up if necessary—including two other first-round selections.
Miami hasn't been shy about its desire to add a new signal-caller.
“All of us would like to find the right guy to be the quarterback,” general manager Chris Grier said, per ESPN's Cameron Wolfe. “You see how important it is around the league. We think it's important to find the right guy to be a leader and the quarterback here for a long time.”
If the Dolphins want Tagovailoa, the interest might just be mutual.
Expect the link between Miami and Tagovailoa to grow stronger during the pre-draft process.
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