We’re one month into the 2019 NFL regular season, and we already have an epic battle at the bottom of the standings, as a handful of teams are already jockeying for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
While the bottom of the draft order is already starting to take shape, draft stock changes are also taking place across the college football landscape, as newcomers emerge and preseason favorites attempt to live up to their hype and potential.
As we turn the calendar to October, here’s an updated look at how the first round of next year’s draft could shake out.
*draft order based on latest Super Bowl odds
1. Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama
The “Tank for Tua” hype is real, both in terms of NFL teams and Tagovailoa’s performance through the early weeks of the season. The Dolphins are still the early favorites to land this year’s top pick, and Tagovailoa is still the no-brainer pick at this point.
2. Washington Redskins | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State
Another franchise in disarray, Washington needs to add as much talent as possible, regardless of position. They already have their quarterback of the future in Dwayne Haskins, so they need impact players elsewhere on both sides of the ball. Young is a monster of a pass rusher with all size, athleticism and technique to be a dominant player at the next level.
3. Arizona Cardinals | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia
Kyler Murray has some talented playmakers who can make big things happen with the ball, but his protection needs improvement. This offense needs a franchise left tackle, and this draft should give them a fantastic opportunity to land one. Thomas has all the tools to be the first tackle off the board come next April.
4. Cincinnati Bengals | Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon
The Andy Dalton era is coming to an end, so the Bengals need to find his replacement in this draft. Good news for them? It’s a great year to need a quarterback. Herbert is still smoothing out some of the rough edges in his game, but he could easily end up being worthy of a top-five selection after a strong 2019 campaign.
5. New York Jets | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama
There are bigger needs for the Jets on both sides of the ball, but the value is too much to pass up here. Jeudy is an explosive pass-catcher who can turn every reception in to a touchdown. Giving Sam Darnold that kind of playmaker can only help move his development forward even faster.
6. Denver Broncos | Grant Delpit | S | LSU
Another pick where value trumps team need. Denver has holes on both sides of the ball, but Delpit is the kind of three-down playmaker who can line up anywhere on the field and create problems for opposing offenses. He’s the rare safety prospect worthy of a top-10 pick.
7. Oakland Raiders | A.J. Epenesa | EDGE | Iowa
The Raiders grabbed a well-rounded edge defender with their top pick in the 2019 draft (Clelin Ferrell), but they could still use an upgrade across from him. Epenesa is a complete player with a nasty mean streak who can shut down the run and collapse the pocket.
8. Atlanta Falcons | Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State
In today’s NFL, you can never have too many quality corners. The Falcons may have more pressing needs elsewhere, but with this pick, they land one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country. Okudah is keeping up the trend of sending blue-chip defensive backs from Columbus to the pros.
9. Tennessee Titans | Jalen Hurts | QB | Oklahoma
If this is the final chapter of the Marcus Mariota era in Nashville, the Titans will be looking for his replacement in the draft. There are plenty of names vying for the next-man-up spot behind Tagovailoa, and his former teammate is one of the more pleasantly surprising ones.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa
This offense is loaded with pass-catching playmakers, but the offensive line still has at least one weak link when it comes to the near future. Demar Dotson isn’t getting any younger, and he’s dealt with multiple injuries in recent years. Wirfs is a complete prospect who could be an immediate starter at either tackle spot.
11. New York Giants | Laviska Shenault | WR | Colorado
Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram are doing a fantastic job of mitigating the loss of Odell Beckham, Jr., but Daniel Jones could still use another top-shelf pass-catcher. Shenault has the size, athleticism and after-the-catch ability to be the team’s No. 1 target sooner than later.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars | Isaiah Simmons | LB | Clemson
The absence of Telvin Smith has left a void in the Jags’ defense, and there’s no telling when or if he’ll return to football. That being the case, the Jags could end up targeting a similar player with this pick, and they find it with the explosive, athletic and versatile Simmons.
13. Indianapolis Colts | Javon Kinlaw | DL | South Carolina
Colts GM Chris Ballard loves athleticism, versatility and potential, and Kinlaw checks all of those boxes. A disruptive force who can impact the game in any scheme and from any alignment, he could easily end up breaking into the top 15 of this class.
14. Buffalo Bills | CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma
This offense added some pass-catchers in the offseason, but there’s still a need for a true No. 1 target who can grow with Josh Allen. Lamb’s combination of size, athleticism and body control should make him that kind of player from Day 1 at the next level.
15. Detroit Lions | Kristian Fulton | CB | LSU
Darius Slay is one of the best shutdown corners in the entire NFL, but the No. 2 corner spot needs an upgrade in Detroit. Fulton is a big, physical cover man who could be a No. 1 corner for many teams, but would benefit even more from playing across from a talented teammate.
16. Miami Dolphins (from PIT) | Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama
If you’ve watched any Alabama football over the last two years, you’ve seen the Tagovailoa/Ruggs combo do some serious damage. Adding a pass-catcher with Ruggs’ rare speed and impressive chemistry with your quarterback would be huge for this rebuild.
17. Carolina Panthers | Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn
It’s hard to point out too many glaring flaws on this roster. The Panthers have been at their best when loading up on defensive talent in the trenches, and that’s what they do here with one of the nation’s most disruptive interior defenders.
18. Miami Dolphins (from HOU) | Tyler Biadasz | OL | Wisconsin
The early focus for the Dolphins has to be surrounding their new quarterback with as much help as possible. That starts up front, and adding one of the most polished prospects in the entire draft would be a no-brainer. Biadasz is a Day 1 starter who could anchor that unit for the next decade.
19. Cleveland Browns | Trey Adams | OT | Washington
The Browns need an upgraded long-term solution at left tackle, and this scenario could play in their favor. Adams has dealt with injuries throughout his career with the Huskies, but when healthy, he’s absolutely a first-round prospect.
20. Baltimore Ravens | D’Andre Swift | RB | Georgia
The league’s most dynamic rushing attack has a veteran in Mark Ingram and a promising rookie in Justice Hill to go with Lamar Jackson, but that shouldn’t keep them from taking next year’s best back. It’s hard to find a flaw in Swift’s game at this point, and while many teams would shy away from spending an early pick on a running back, this offense would make it worth the investment.
21. Los Angeles Chargers | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU
Philip Rivers has to stop playing at some point, right? He’s still going strong for the moment, but the Bolts have to start thinking about his succession plan. One of the fastest-rising quarterback prospects in all of college football, Burrow could end up being a steal this late if he keeps up his current level of play.
22. San Francisco 49ers | CJ Henderson | CB | Florida
The 49ers have one of the league’s best veteran corners in Richard Sherman, but they need someone to groom behind him. Henderson still has plenty of room to improve as a tackler, but his size, athleticism and ball skills are worthy of first-round consideration on their own.
23. Minnesota Vikings | Alex Leatherwood | OT | Alabama
Don’t sleep on a quarterback here, but if the Vikings want to stick it out for the final year of Kirk Cousins’ guaranteed contract, he’ll need as much help as he can get up front. Leatherwood has the versatility and experience to play either guard or tackle.
24. Seattle Seahawks | Bryce Hall | CB | Virginia
The Seahawks have a type when it comes to corners, and Hall is the perfect fit with his combination of size and physicality. He could have been a high pick in last year’s draft, but the Seahawks steal him outside the top 20 here.
25. Philadelphia Eagles | Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford
Injuries continue to limit a secondary with tons of youth and potential, and the Eagles should continue to stock their cupboard with talented corners. Adebo is a plug-and-play starter who would give the team an upgrade at a key position in today’s pass-happy league.
26. Green Bay Packers | Jonathan Taylor | RB | Wisconsin
Sure, the Packers have bigger needs elsewhere, and running backs in the first round aren’t the popular picks they once were. But Taylor is the real deal, and worth consideration for a contender on the back end of the first round. His three-down skill set would be a huge help for Aaron Rodgers.
27. Los Angeles Rams | Marvin Wilson | DL | Florida State
This roster is built to make another run at the Super Bowl, but if there’s a missing link, it’s the hole left behind by Ndamukong Suh at the heart of the defensive line. Wilson is a massive force who would be a perfect fit next to Aaron Donald.
28. Oakland Raiders (from CHI) | Tee Higgins | WR | Clemson
The Antonio Brown debacle has left the Raiders once again in need of a true No. 1 receiver. Thankfully, next year’s class should be loaded with promising prospects, giving them a chance to land one this late in the first round. Higgins has a fantastic combination of size and athleticism.
29. New Orleans Saints | Trevon Diggs | CB | Alabama
The Saints already have one of the league’s best corners in Marshon Lattimore, but they could use an upgrade on the other side of the field. Diggs is taking full advantage of his chance to shine as an experienced leader in the Crimson Tide secondary this season.
30. Dallas Cowboys | Yetur Gross-Matos | EDGE | Penn State
Taco Charlton was a bust, as the Cowboys recently released the former first-round pick. That means they could be looking to swing away on another young edge rusher in next year’s draft, and Gross-Matos has the skill set to step in and make an immediate impact opposite DeMarcus Lawrence.
31. Kansas City Chiefs | Travis Etienne | RB | Clemson
The NFL’s best teams get (and stay) on top by prioritizing talent and value over pure need. The Chiefs get both here in Etienne, who is a mismatch machine on every snap, and a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Adding him to this offense would be just unfair.
32. New England Patriots | Dylan Moses | LB | Alabama
If not for a knee injury that ended his season before it even began, Moses was a top-10 prospect in this class. If he chooses to enter the draft instead of returning to school in 2020, Moses is still talented enough to warrant a first-round pick, especially for a team like the Pats, who can be patient with his recovery.
