It’s impossible to know what’s going on inside the head of an NFL GM — let alone know what outside pressures might put weight on his decisions. Owners tend to have opinions, as do head coaches. So trying to predict what a team sees as its biggest needs heading into the draft can be difficult. And even so, what a team thinks it “needs” might be influenced by who’s still available — at least in the first and second round.
Still, we thought it would be valuable to look, from an outsider’s perspective, at the places where teams are weak and attempt to envision a reasonable selection who might fix the problem.
We’ve listed every team, in the order they’ll make their first selections (several teams have multiple first-round picks; the final six on this list aren’t scheduled to pick until Round 2.)
1. Cincinnati Bengals
Biggest needs: Everything, including QB, LB, OL
Pick based on need: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
With Andy Dalton on the roster, the Bengals probably have bigger needs than quarterback. But even when there’s a minor need at quarterback, it can feel like a gaping hole. Cincy needs help all over the offensive line. They need help all over the defensive line, too. The quickest path to winning more games, however, is to upgrade at quarterback. And Joe Burrow helps them do just that. They’ll begin to fill around him once they get him in the building.
Interestingly, the arrival of Burrow may not exactly settle them at the quarterback position. The team will likely release or trade Dalton, which means they’ll be in the market for a good backup. Will they look to someone like Josh McCown? Or perhaps, the Bengals will be happy with Ryan Finley, their 2019 fourth-rounder.
2. Washington Redskins
Biggest needs: OL, WR, CB
Pick based on need: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Washington has all sorts of problems, perhaps even including Dwayne Haskins, who didn’t look like much of a starting quarterback in 2019. But let’s give him some time and a decent offensive line (and a decent tight end and maybe even another decent receiver). Sort of like the Bengals, the biggest need doesn’t exactly match the best player on the board. Washington is probably going to pick Young, but he brings talent to a position which is actually doing OK. With Montez Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan, the Redskins are fine at the position. But they can address their other (more glaring needs) in the rounds to come. If they really wanted to appease their biggest need, they take Okudah.
3. Detroit Lions
Biggest needs: CB, DE, OL
Pick based on need: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
After trading Darrius Slay, the Lions’ secondary looks awfully depleted. Detroit has a solid slot cornerback, Justin Coleman, and a cornerback capable of taking on No. 2 receivers, Desmond Trufant. But they need a No. 1 cornerback — right now. So they could go with Florida’s C.J. Henderson.
But I’d say they’re in just a big of need of a defensive end as they are at cornerback. The Lions had the second fewest sacks (28) in the NFL in 2019. Edge Romeo Okwara is better served in a rotational role, and Young would slot into the defense to help Matt Patricia in a big way with quarterback pressure.
4. New York Giants
Biggest needs: T, Edge, CB
Pick based on need: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
There’s no reason why Saquon Barkley should be averaging 4.6 yards per carry. For most running backs, that’s fine. Maybe even exceptional. But we’re talking about Saquads. He deserves better. What’s more, New York finished tied for 13th with 43 sacks. Quarterback Daniel Jones deserves better (even if he’s to blame for a large number of them).
The Giants could use a linebacker — badly. Really, their whole defense is in need of an overhaul. But because they have invested in Jones and Barkley in the top 10 over the last two seasons, it’s only fitting to support them properly with an impressive offensive line. Wirfs, a mauler and an impressive athlete, is the perfect man for the job.
5. Miami Dolphins
Biggest needs: QB, OL, WR
Pick based on need: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Most think the Dolphins are going to select a quarterback in this spot, but I contend that signal-callers are far from their biggest need. Ryan Fitzpatrick is nothing special, but he’s a serviceable starter. And Josh Rosen is a former 10th overall pick, who hasn’t gotten a fair shot in this league. They have a bridge quarterback (Fitzmagic) and a developmental youngster. What’s not to like? The truth is that Miami needs help on the offensive line, at safety and at defensive tackle. So let’s ignore quarterback.
Let’s get the Dolphins a tackle, who should be able to start on either side of the line. Wills can help Miami with their sacks problem. (They were tied for worst in the NFL with 58 sacks.) And Wills can help the Dolphins with their rushing woes after putting up an unimpressive 3.3 yards per carry.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
Biggest needs: QB, OL, LB
Pick based on need: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Philip Rivers took his weird herky-jerk throwing motion to Indy. That left the Chargers with Tyrod Taylor and the man with the best quarterback name in the NFL, Easton Stick. No, that’s not a promo for a brand. That’s his actual name. While that seems like an unsatisfactory depth chart, coach Anthony Lynn is bullish on Taylor, according to reports. But GM Tom Telesco might just see what I see in Taylor: a bridge quarterback, at best.
Tylor can manage a game just fine. Since taking over as a starter, his interception rate has never eclipsed 2.5%. Rivers’ interception rate, meanwhile, was 3.4% in 2019. But in what was probably his best season in 2015, Taylor was completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 3023 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. That’s … fine. The Chargers will eventually want to upgrade. Tagovailoa, Jordan Love and Justin Herbert will all be in consideration at No. 6 (if they’re available).
7. Carolina Panthers
Biggest needs: QB, OL, DT
Pick based on need: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
The Panthers are an interestingly constructed team. Where they have a need, the hole is tremendously large. Their guard, defensive tackle and cornerback positions are alarmingly thin. They simply should not start the season with the players they have at those positions. So let’s start with defensive tackle, where they currently have Woodrow Hamilton, slated to play. He has 3 tackles in his four-year career. They’ll have to hope they can find quality cornerback play later in the draft, which is, frankly, unlikely. And then they might be wise to double up on the guard position in later rounds in hopes of landing a starter or two.
8. Arizona Cardinals
Biggest needs: T, WR, S
Pick based on need: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
The Cardinals offense looks like a really nice fantasy football lineup. Only problem is that in real football, you need an offensive line. The Cardinals allowed 50 sacks last season, which was fifth-worst in the NFL. It didn’t help that Murray was a rookie and a quarterback who likes to make things happen with his legs. For the time being, that kind of play should bake in a few sacks. But there was clearly a problem on offense in terms of pass protection. (They did just fine running the ball, with 5.0 yards per carry, 10th-best in the NFL.) Jones is an expert pass-protector after coming from an air-raid offensive in Houston.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Biggest needs: CB, LB, Edge
Pick based on need: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
Let’s call this the Jalen Ramsey hole — and the A.J. Bouye hole. They both left a significant vacancy at the cornerback positions, and the Jaguars have been unable to fill them. Jacksonville signed Rashaan Melvin, but it will need more talent than him. Henderson is an outstanding coverage cornerback, who will help the team lock down one half of the field. If only the Jaguars could find a way to draft two cornerbacks as talented as Henderson.
10. Cleveland Browns
Biggest needs: T, LB, DT
Pick based on need: Mekhi Becton, OT Louisville
This has been a longstanding need in Cleveland. They can’t seem to get the protection for their quarterback. This season, Baker Mayfield felt the consequences. He regressed in a big way, and it was, in a part, due to rushed decision-making. They were at 16th in the NFL in sacks (41), which doesn’t seem so bad. They haven’t taken a tackle in the first two rounds since 2012. They’ve been devoid of young talent at the position for far too long. Becton changes that — hopefully. And perhaps he also helps change the trajectory of Mayfield’s career.
11. New York Jets
Biggest needs: WR, CB, Edge
Pick based on need: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
The Jets lost Robby Anderson in free agency and need to find a replacement — or, in this case, an upgrade. Sam Darnold has shown flashes of being an above league-average starter at QB but he needs a consistent No. 1 receiver. Lamb has all the makings of that guy: He’s big-bodied and athletic and can make contested catches.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
Biggest needs: CB, WR, QB
Pick based on need: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
The Raiders focused on defense in free agency and should look to bolster the offense in the draft. While the Raiders are almost certainly going to re-start their search for a true franchise QB at some point, this year they should grab a talented receiver. Jerry Jeudy would be a good fit with deep threat Tyrell Williams and slot receiver Hunter Renfrow. He’s dangerous all over the field and after the catch and will bring a much-needed dimension to Gruden’s attack.
13. San Francisco 49ers
Biggest needs: WR, DT, OL
Pick based on need: Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
The 49ers got this pick by trading DeForest Buckner to the Colts and could try to replace the dynamic defensive tackle. But what fun is that when you could instead give Kyle Shanahan another offensive weapon? Especially one that ran a 4.2 40-yard dash. Rugg is a playmaker who should thrive with the space Shanahan creates for him.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Biggest needs: OL, Edge, S
Pick based on need: Andrew Thomas, T, Georgia
Tampa Bay has plenty of weapons for new quarterback Tom Brady, but the Buccaneers need to improve pass protection. We know Brady is still a capable player — unless he’s under constant pressure. Thomas, who plays on the right side of the line, should help with that. Though he’s not a superb run blocker, he should be adequate in that area for a team that desperately needs to improve on the ground.
15. Denver Broncos
Biggest needs: CB, LB, WR
Pick based on need: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Drew Lock had a decent rookie year and has strong receiving options in Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant, a first-round pick last year. But he’d certainly benefit from a player like Jefferson, a well-rounded player who runs precise routes and has good hands. Vic Fangio is a wonderful defensive coach who will figure out how to get Broncos’ opponents off the fields; that means the focus in the first round should be on adding skill on offense.
16. Atlanta Falcons
Biggest needs: DT, Edge, CB
Pick based on need: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Falcons need help on defense. Specifically Atlanta needs pass rush, even if that comes from the inside. And Kinlaw offers that. He’s a dominant athlete who will cave pockets and get to QBs. The Falcons can score, but they need a defense that can get off the field more often.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Biggest needs: CB, S, OL
Pick based on need: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
McKinney hasn’t gotten the hype that Isaiah Simmons is getting but he’s from a somewhat similar mold in that he roved around the secondary and played some linebacker from the Crimson Tide. But his work in the secondary showed far more majority; he’s at home there, whereas Simmons is still wandering a bit. McKinney is a play maker. He breaks up passes and delivers big hits. He should be a starter from Day 1.
18. Philadelphia Eagles
Biggest needs: DB, WR, S
Pick based on need: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
The Eagles secondary was a mess last year, and then lost its heart — Malcolm Jenkins — over the offseason. Fulton won’t fix all that but he played plenty of man coverage in a sophisticated defense at LSU and should hold his own at the next level.
19. Minnesota Vikings
Biggest needs: WR, OL, CB
Pick based on need: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
The Vikings will pick at No. 22 because they traded No. 1 receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for this pick. So it’s only natural that they attempt to replace him here (or with their own pick at 25.) Higgins has a little bit of A.J. Green in him. His talent level might not be as high, but he’s similar in that he can win all over the field.
20. New England Patriots
Biggest needs: QB, TE, S
Picked based on need: Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Hmm, did anyone meaningful depart from this roster during the offseason? And has he, as of yet, only been replaced with replacement-level players? Nevertheless, it feels doubtful that Bill Belichick will try to replace Tom Brady with the 23rd pick. But it’s very much a Belichick move to draft a player whose stock has cratered. That’s Delpit, thanks to some tackling issues last season. He remains a smart player with good instincts — and that’s precisely what Belichick demands out of his DBs. They’ve got to run an ever-changing system, and do it flawlessly.
21. New Orleans Saints
Biggest needs: LB, WR, QB
Pick based on need: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
The Saints have an aging linebacking corps, including three players whose contracts are up after next season. Plus, they aren’t all that good. Enter Queen, a lightning quick middle linebacker who is extremely fluid in coverage — perfect for today’s NFL. He’s not going to be a monster at the line of scrimmage but he’ll more than make up for that patrolling the middle of the field.
22. Seattle Seahawks
Biggest needs: Edge, OL, TE
Pick based on need: A.J. Epenesa, Edge, Iowa
With Jadaveon Clowney still unsigned, the Seahawks need to address the defensive line. Epenesa is a good fit, even though he’s nowhere near the athletic freak that Clowney is. But Epenesa has an advanced understanding of the game and has strong technique. It’s a weak class for pass-rushers in general but Epenesa has a high floor and should be a productive, if not explosive, player.
23. Baltimore Ravens
Biggest needs: WR, OL, LB
Pick based on need: Michael Pittman Jr.
The Ravens need to replace the irreplaceable Marshal Yanda, and have had a hole at linebacker for years. But the guards in this class are just OK, and after Patrick Queen the linebackers are, too. And who wouldn’t want to see MVP Lamar Jackson get another target to throw to? Pittman, at 6-4, would be the perfect complement for speedy Hollywood Brown.
24. Tennessee Titans
Biggest needs: OL, CB, Edge
Pick based on need: K’Lavon Chaisson
The Titans could be tempted by a tackle or a corner if one they like falls, but Chaisson is one of the more interesting prospects in the draft. He won’t turn 21 until later this summer, meaning the power he sometimes lacked at LSU will likely come as he grows stronger. He missed his sophomore season due to an ACL injury but came back to wear the coveted No. 18 — given to a Tigers player judged by the coaches to be of high character — for the national championship season.
25. Green Bay Packers
Biggest needs: WR, LB, CB
Pick based on need: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Aaron Rodgers is still a great quarterback. He’s just not maybe quite as great as he was five or even three years ago. A big target like Mims should help. His route tree at Baylor was limited — a lot of verticals and fades — but he seemed to flash potential as an all-around receiver at the Senior Bowl. Will need some coaching to better deceive NFL defensive backs but he brings size and athleticism that can’t, as they say, be taught.
26. Kansas City Chiefs
Biggest needs: OL, LB, DT
Pick based on need: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
There’s absolutely no reason to believe Simmons will fall this far. He’s an elite athlete, even by NFL standards, who managed to capably play five different spots on defense for Clemson. Most people see him going in the Top 10, but if his lack of mastery of any one position causes a slide, a lot of teams — including the Chiefs — will have to quickly make a call on where he might fit for them. It looks like he’ll be most effective as a traditional outside linebacker in a 3-4 — not that many teams still run that — but versatility is always going to be part of his appeal.
27. Indianapolis Colts
Biggest needs: WR, QB, Edge
Pick based on needs: Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington
It feels unlikely that the Colts will find their QB of the future at this spot, so why not give the current guy — Philip Rivers, signed in the offseason — a player he might love to throw to? Rivers and Antonio Gates formed one of the top QB-TE duos in NFL history, connecting for 89 TDs. And Colts coach Frank Reich loves to utilize athletic tight ends. None of this is to say Bryant might match Gates — he’s two inches shorter and not nearly as physical. But he will create mismatches in the right system, and that’s enough.
28. Houston Texans
Biggest needs: OL, CB, TE
Pick based on need: Jeff Gladney. CB, TCU
Does anyone really want to try to predict what the Texans are going to do here? At least we know they probably got that running back spot figured out. And it’s possibly a receiver or tight end entices Houston when it finally picks at No. 40, but there’s a need at corner too and the feisty Gladney could be a good fit. He’s too light and can have trouble with taller receivers but he plays hard every play.
29. Chicago Bears
Biggest needs: QB, CB, OL
Pick based on need: Jonah Jackson, G, Ohio State
The Bears are apparently sent to roll with Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles behind center this year and, well, it’s probably a good idea to draft somebody to block for those guys. They’re not about to make plays under pressure. Jackson, who played his final season at Ohio State after three years at Rutgers, is very polished and can handle any interior spot on the line.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest needs: DT, OL, QB
Pick based on need: Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
Maybe the Steelers find a QB-in-waiting if Jordan Love drops into the middle of the second round, but it feels more likely that Pittsburgh will wait another year to deal with that problem. Gallimore is an interesting prospect — and not just because his name is very fun to say. The native of Canada dropped 30 pounds prior to last season and became a more explosive pass-rusher from the inside. NFL teams covet that.
31. Los Angeles Rams
Biggest needs: OL, Edge, LB
Pick based on need: Zack Baun, Edge, Wisconsin
Baun isn’t your prototypical defensive end by any stretch. He’s not going to line up and find multiple ways to beat an NFL left tackle. But he’s quick enough to execute blitzes and move around a team’s front-7. He’s good dropping into coverage, too, and will give the Rams flexibility.
32. Buffalo Bills
Biggest needs: OL, CB, Edge
Pick based on need: Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State
Barring a trade the Bills will wait until the 54th pick before making a selection. Will Gross-Matos last that long? He stands out athletically in this class of edge rushers and many of his deficiencies look like they can be coached away. Buffalo needs to better protect Josh Allen and find a running back, too, and there should be decent value at both of those positions at this point in the draft.
