Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft is now complete, and there are three rounds of picks that will draw both praise or ire from fans and analysts alike.
Here are our picks for the biggest winners and losers from Friday night’s action:
Winner | Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings struck gold with wide receiver Justin Jefferson and cornerback Jeff Gladney with their first-round selections. Minnesota carried that momentum into Day 2 with some solid picks.
Ranked as one of the top offensive tackles, Ezra Cleveland slipped to No. 58 where general manager Rick Spielman didn’t hesitate on taking the heir apparent to Riley Reiff. Cleveland is the perfect addition for the Vikings’ zone scheme.
Minnesota wasn’t done adding to the cornerback room, drafting Cameron Dantzler with the No. 89 selection. Dantzler’s testing might’ve been questionable, but his tape wasn’t, as he shut down some of the top SEC wideouts.
Loser | Green Bay Packers
After surprising fans and Aaron Rodgers himself with the selection of quarterback Jordan Love in Round 1, many thought the goal was to get Rodgers more weapons on Day 2.
General manager Brian Gutekunst didn’t do so with either one of their selections. The first, which was running back AJ Dillon (No. 62), is a big-sized back who brings an explosive element, but the Packers already have a dynamic backfield with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.
Maybe their next selection would have been a wide receiver? Nope. Green Bay selected tight end Josiah Deguara (No. 94). Deguara possesses pass-catching abilities, but he projects as an H-back at the next level.
Overall, the selections that the Packers made were very puzzling.
Winner | Baltimore Ravens
As if the Ravens’ offense couldn’t get more dynamic after finishing second in the league last season. Baltimore added more pieces to that lethal unit with running back J.K. Dobbins in the second-round and wide receiver Devin Duvernay in the third-round.
To compliment their first-round pick linebacker Patrick Queen, Baltimore drafted defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and linebacker Malik Harrison in the third-round, both of whom should have a contribution in their rookie season.
Loser | Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ selection of quarterback Jalen Hurts was arguably the biggest head-scratcher of the night. Even if Hurts provided value as a developmental signal-caller, Philadelphia still had needs at the cornerback, safety and linebacker.
The linebacker position was addressed in the third-round with Davion Taylor, but players like linebacker Logan Wilson, cornerback Kristian Fulton and safety Jeremy Chinn were still on the board when Philadelphia made the selection of Hurts official.
Winner | New York Jets
The Jets were able to get quarterback Sam Darnold some premiere protection in Round 1 with Mekhi Becton. But they had to make sure he had another weapon and also replacement for Robby Anderson, which is why wide receiver Denzel Mims was a home run selection as he brings a great vertical threat.
The defensive side of the ball for New York got a lot faster and better with the selections of safety Ashtyn Davis and defensive end Jabari Zuniga. Davis is a high-upside free safety or nickel defender who possesses track-like speed and a physical demeanor. Zuniga is an explosive player who adds more depth for defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
Winner | Carolina Panthers
With the Panthers addressing the quarterback position in free agency, it left more flexibility to prioritize a defense that ranked near the bottom in the 2019.
The selection of defensive tackle Derrick Brown was a huge boost to the trenches in Round 1, but defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos adds a promising presence to a defensive front that’ll feature Brown and Brian Burns.
Carolina wasn’t done there, as they got a steal in Jeremy Chinn at the end of Round 2, who some projected to go in the first-round. It’s clear that they were interested in Isaiah Simmons with the No. 8 overall selection, but Chinn possesses a similar skill set.
