NFL Mock Draft 2020: 1st-Round Projections and Receiving Prospects on the Rise

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

We made it.

It’s NFL draft week. Starting Thursday night, there will be official partnerships between prospects and teams. Football’s next chapters will actually have some introductory text.

But we’re not quite there yet, and we’re also not patient enough to wait around and see what happens. So, we figured we’d roll out our latest mock first round, then highlight the rising receiving prospects in this draft.

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, LB, Clemson

5. Miami Dolphins: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

7. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

8. Arizona Cardinals: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

10. Cleveland Browns: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

11. New York Jets: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

13. San Francisco 49ers (via Indianapolis Colts): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

15. Denver Broncos: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

16. Atlanta Falcons: K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU

17. Dallas Cowboys: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

18. Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh Steelers): Austin Jackson, OT, USC

19. Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams): Josh Jones, OT, Houston

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

22. Minnesota Vikings (via Buffalo Bills): Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU

23. New England Patriots: A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa

24. New Orleans Saints: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

25. Minnesota Vikings: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

26. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans): D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

27. Seattle Seahawks: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

28. Baltimore Ravens: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

29. Tennessee Titans: Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State

30. Green Bay Packers: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

31. San Francisco 49ers: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State

32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Oklahoma

Receiving Prospects on the Rise

Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

The combine was built for Henry Ruggs III, and he didn’t disappoint. While he didn’t zip through a record time in the 40-yard dash, he still wowed with a 4.27-second time.

He’s an elite athlete—he also recorded a 42″ vertical jump—but he’s more than a physical specimen. He has some real route-running ability, and once the speed gets added to the mix, he’s a walking home run threat.

The closer this draft gets, the easier it becomes to see some decision-makers fall head over heels for the 21-year-old.

“I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Henry Ruggs ends up being the first WR drafted,” NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah tweeted.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU

Joe Burrow wasn’t the only major breakout performer for the national champs. His favorite target, Justin Jefferson, spent the campaign turning heads with his 111 receptions for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Since most of that damage came from the slot, scouts wondered if he had breakaway burst. He not only answered that question at the combine, but he also solidified his place as a first-round prospect and arguably the No. 4 receiver in this class.

“Jefferson is one of the hottest names in the draft,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. wrote. “… He surprised scouts with a 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine, and I called him a riser. Well, he’s still rising.”

The 21-year-old probably isn’t cracking the top tier with Ruggs, Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, but once those three are off the board, he could be the next pass-catcher to hear his name called.

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Denzel Mims caught a career-high 66 passes during his senior season with the Bears. He also collected a personal-best 12 touchdown catches and cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the second time.

Who knew that was merely the appetizer.

His solid in-season work has been followed with a spectacular performance in the pre-draft process. He arguably helped his stock more than anyone who took part in the Senior Bowl.

“No player moved up the PFF draft board more at the Senior Bowl than Mims,” Michael Renner wrote for Pro Football Focus. “In a loaded receiver group, Mims was quite clearly the most explosive. Showing he could maintain that explosiveness and separation on the full route tree was massive for him.”

The 22-year-old kept the momentum going at the combine, where he zipped through a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, tallied a 38.5″ vertical and broad-jumped 10’11”. He wasn’t included among Kiper’s top 10 receiver prospects in December; but when the list was updated in March, Mims was sitting sixth.