NFL training camps are finally kicking off across the league, but since it’s always draft season around here, we’re already focused on early projections for next year’s draft.
The latest 2020 NFL mock draft comes from Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, who has two quarterbacks landing among his top five picks, though neither of them take the No. 1 overall slot.
That nod goes to Ohio State edge defender Chase Young, who heads to the Arizona Cardinals with top selection.
The latest in a long line of elite defensive lineman to come out of Columbus, Young has all the traits to be a dominant defender in 2019, Miller says:
With 9.5 sacks coming off the edge, Young showed he can produce against talented Big Ten offensive tackles even when he’s the focus of the offensive line’s game plan. His athleticism and first-step quickness might be better than the guy he replaced; as Young’s 6’5″, 265-pound frame shows bend and both upper- and lower-body strength needed to stack up against blockers in the run game.
The first quarterback in Miller’s mock comes off the board at the very next pick, as the Cincinnati Bengals opt for Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa over Oregon’s Justin Herbert. Herbert doesn’t have to wait long to hear his name called in this projection, though, as he lands with the Miami Dolphins at No. 3 overall.
With Andy Dalton’s contract expiring soon, the underachieving Bengals make perfect sense as a potential landing spot for next year’s top quarterback prospect. The Dolphins might seem a curious destination for a quarterback after trading a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft for 2018 top-10 pick Josh Rosen, but the team doesn’t have much else invested in Rosen at the moment. If he struggles in 2019, the team could opt to cut their losses and try again.
Miller’s top-five mock is rounded out by Iowa defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (Washington Redskins).
To check out Miller’s full analysis of next year’s top picks, click here.
