I’m going to pick every first round pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. I also think it’s worth noting Rob Gronkowski is back in the NFL with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hope y’all enjoy. Check out my mock draft on YouTube (with the first ten picks) here:
1.Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow,QB,LSU
Burrow tore apart college football in 2019. But it’s the it factor that makes Burrow the easy top pick.
2.Washington Redskins
Chase Young,DE,Ohio State
Despite the Redskins talent on the front seven, making the pick for Young, easily the best player in the draft overall, could make the Redskins a contender in a who knows NFC East.
3.Detroit Lions
Jeffrey Okudah,CB,Ohio State
Trading All-Pro Corner Darius Slay magnifies a big weakness now on Matt Patricia’s team. Okudah is an athletic corner that rose to the top defensive back list in the draft with excellent play on OSU’s defense.
4.New York Giants
Jedrick Wills,OT,Alabama
While the Giants could trade down, getting a Nick Saban coached offensive lineman would be great to protect young QB Daniel Jones.
5.Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa,QB,Alabama
Back to back members of the Crimson Tide are picked. Yes there are… MAJOR injury concerns for Tua and they could take Oregon’s Justin Herbert or trade down and tank for Clemson phenom Trevor Lawrence (or Ohio State’s Justin Fields) next April but if they’re taking anybody I think they take it slow and easy with the talented Tagovailoa.
6.Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert,QB,Oregon
Despite not having many concerns coming out, similar to Tua, I think the Chargers take it slow with Herbert as they do have a solid starter already in Tyrod Taylor. But if Tagovailoa is picked at fifth, Herbert goes to LA here.
7.Carolina Panthers
Isaiah Simmons,LB/S,Clemson
Simmons fits the bill for new head coach Matt Rhule (former Baylor head coach). A position-less freak of an athlete. Simmons will step in and likely start his rookie season.
8.Arizona Cardinals
Derrick Brown,DT,Auburn
Brown is the best player on the board here. And if the Cardinals aren’t careful, playoff contenders San Francisco and Seattle will run it down their throat.
9.Atlanta Falcons
CJ Henderson,CB,Florida
With Desmond Trufant in Detroit now (oh and Drew Brees hasn’t gone to the booth at NBC yet), Henderson makes the most sense with this pick.
10.Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tristan Wirfs,OT,Iowa
If you’re going to win games with Tom Brady, they’re going to need to make picks like this.
11.New York Jets
Mekhi Benton,OT,Louisville
If the Jets pick this athletic offensive lineman, theJets QB Sam Darnold and RB Le’Veon Bell may smile on draft night.
12.Las Vegas Raiders
CeeDee Lamb,WR,Oklahoma
Lamb leads a loaded wide receiver group at Oklahoma. And Jon Gruden needs a receiver for whichever QB he’s catching from (whether that be Mariota or Carr or someone else).
13.San Francisco 49ers
Jerry Jeudy,WR,Alabama
Coming into the season, I had Jeudy as a top three pick. While his stock might have dropped, the 49ers will have their choosing of Alabama wide receivers (Jeudy or Henry Ruggs). But my pick for the 49ers gives them another long, tall receiver for Jimmy Garappolo to throw to.
14.Cleveland Browns
Andrew Thomas,OT,Georgia
QB Baker Mayfield needs a rebound season. What better than to get an offensive linemen to help him.
15.Denver Broncos
Henry Ruggs,WR,Alabama
Ruggs is a speedy wide receiver. New QB Drew Lock needs some guys to throw to. Ruggs is the perfect pick here.
16.Jacksonville Jaguars
Javon Kinlaw,DT,South Carolina
The Jags pick Kinlaw to replace the production of All-Pro defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Marcell Darius.
17.Dallas Cowboys
K’Lavon Chaisson,LB/DE,LSU
I considered Chaisson’s teammate WR Justin Jefferson but replacing Robert Quinn’s 11.5 sacks is going to be harder than the Cowboys might think. Cowboys take Chaisson with this pick.
18.Miami Dolphins
Austin Jackson,OT,USC
Not too early to get the injury prone Tua Tagovailoa some protection.
19.Las Vegas Raiders
Jordan Love,QB,Utah State
Jon Gruden might have two decent starting quarterbacks in Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota but why not draft young-in who can compete?
20.Jacksonville Jaguars
Justin Jefferson,WR,LSU
While I would love to slot Jefferson with my Cowboys, to be second year QB Gardner Minshew needs more than just speedster DJ Chark to throw to. If not, the Jags will likely be in the Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields sweepstakes next April.
21.Philadelphia Eagles
Tee Higgins,WR,Clemson
This past season it became very apparent that with experienced wide receiver Nelson Agholor on the move and Alshon Jefferey pretty much gone, Philadelphia needs and gets a long tall receiving option with this pick.
22.Minnesota Vikings
Jaylon Johnson,CB,Utah
With Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander all gone, Mike Zimmer needs to find some kind of replacement.
23.New England Patriots
Kenneth Murray,LB,Oklahoma
If the Pats don’t trade up for a QB, then why not go with a leader that will (try) to replace the leadership and game management of Tom Brady.
24.New Orleans Saints
Patrick Queen,LB,LSU
The Saints need some help when defending the top offenses in the NFC (49ers, now the Bucs with Brady, etc.), so they go with a guy in Queen that is less than an hour down the road at LSU.
25.Minnesota Vikings
AJ Epenesa,DE,Iowa
Needing to replace veteran Everson Griffen, the Vikings take a guy that can get around blockers easily in Epenesa.
26.Miami Dolphins
Xavier McKinney,S,Alabama
Why not bring in McKinney, one of Tagovailoa’s teammates at Alabama, to help out their defense?
27.Seattle Seahawks
Yetur Gross-Matos,DE,Penn State
With the questionable return of Jadeveon Clowney, Gross-Matos makes for a perfect pick for Pete Caroll.
28.Baltimore Ravens
Cesar Ruiz,C,Michigan
With Lamar Jackson’s offensive line losing some to retirement and getting up there in age, Ruiz makes the most sense for this pick.
29.Tennessee Titans
AJ Terrell,CB,Clemson
Terrell gets picked up here to help a star-studded Titan secondary.
30.Green Bay Packers
Josh Jones,OT,Houston
Jones is picked for obvious reasons. He’s another guy that can come in and help protect veteran QB Aaron Rodgers. I considered a wide receiver here but that can wait until the second round for the Pack.
31.San Francisco 49ers
Trevon Diggs,CB,Alabama
With Richard Sherman getting up there in age, the athletic Alabama corner can come in and make his name known in a decent 49ers secondary while getting mentored by Sherman.
32.Kansas City Chiefs
Jeff Gladney,CB,TCU
My friend Ted is a diehard Chiefs fan. And he said they need some defensive help. So, I go with the best corner on the board to finish the mock draft.
