For the first time, the NFL held the first round of its annual draft virtually as teams made their picks from locations across the country because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thirty-two players found which NFL teams they'll be playing for this season. After months of anticipation and countless mock drafts, Thursday's NFL draft ushered in a new class of players poised to be game-changers for their respective teams for years to come.
The second and third rounds will take place Friday, with rounds four through seven set for Saturday.
_Kansas City Chiefs draft LSU running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire at No. 32
By Mike DiGiovanna
Clyde Edwards-Helaire runs low to the ground with the power and balance to break tackles, the agility to juke away from them in tight quarters and the breakaway speed to rip off long gains. He rushed 215 times for 1,415 yards and 16 touchdowns, caught 55 passes for 453 yards and one score and returned 10 kickoffs for 214 yards for the national-champion Tigers in 2019, prompting Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow to call Edwards-Helaire the team's best athlete.
Sam Farmer's take: The Chiefs somehow won the Super Bowl having to fake it at running back for much of the season. Edwards-Helaire is short, swift and shifty.
_Minnesota Vikings draft TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney at No. 31
By Mike DiGiovanna
Jeff Gladney has the quick-twitch athleticism and route anticipation to stick with receivers in press coverage and the ball skills to contest a high percentage of throws. His size and slender build, his 6-foot-3 wingspan and 37{-inch vertical leap may cause matchup problems against some of the NFL's bigger receivers, but coaches and scouts love his tenacity _ Gladney, who led the Big 12 with 14 pass-breakups and had one interception in 2019, backs down from no one.
Farmer's take: Mike Zimmer has always had good corners, but last year was a bad season in that regard. Gladney isn't big, but he's got great feet and is really technically sound.
_Miami Dolphins select Auburn cornerback Noah Igbinoghene at No. 30
By Times staff
The son of two Olympic-caliber track athletes from Nigeria, Noah Igbinoghene began his college career as a receiver while serving as the team's primary kick returner (25 for 571 yards, a 23.8 average) in 2017. The stocky but explosive Igbinoghene moved to cornerback in 2018, posting 92 tackles and 18 pass-breakups and returning 20 kickoffs for 628 yards (31.4 average) in 2018 and 2019. He is expected to improve with experience but should offer early special-teams help.
Farmer's take: Both of his parents were Olympians, track stars for Nigeria. Teams can never have too many good cornerbacks, but the Dolphins are loaded with Byron Jones and Xavien Howard.
_Tennessee Titans select Georgia offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson at No. 29
By Times staff
Another big-name tackle is off the board. Isaiah Wilson established himself as one of the top tackles in the nation at Georgia despite being limited last year with an ankle injury. He still did enough to be named a second-team All-American.
Farmer's take: The second Bulldogs offensive lineman comes off the board. The Titans were groping for a capable right guard last season, as neither Jamil Douglas nor Nate Davis cut it.
_Baltimore Ravens select LSU linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 28
By Mike DiGiovanna
Patrick Queen is small for a linebacker and didn't earn a starting role for the Tigers until the fourth game of his junior season. But he became a vital part of an LSU team that went 15-0 and won the national title, posting 85 tackles, 12 for loss, three sacks, an interception and two pass-breakups. His speed and quick recognition were on display in LSU's last three games, when he had 21 tackles, five for loss, against powerhouses Georgia, Oklahoma and Clemson.
Farmer's take: Middle linebacker is a glamour position in Baltimore, and Queen is up to that challenge. It marks the first time the Ravens have drafted an LSU player.
_Seattle Seahawks select Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks at No. 27
By Times staff
The Seahawks bolstered their defense with first-team All-Big 12 selection Jordyn Brooks in a somewhat surprising first-round selection. Brooks led the Red Raiders with 108 tackles, including 20 for loss, en route to capturing second-team Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big 12 honors last year.
Farmer's take: Brooks, built like Bobby Wagner, led Texas Tech in tackles in three of his four seasons. The Seahawks stayed put in the first round for the first time since 2011.
_Green Bay Packers select Utah State quarterback Jordan Love at No. 26
By Mike DiGiovanna
Scouts love the size, mobility and arm strength, the ability to deliver tight spirals from a variety of arm slots on the run, and believe Jordan Love can make dazzling off-schedule plays in the NFL. But they wonder if a regression from his sophomore season (3,567 yards, 32 touchdowns, six interceptions) to his junior year (3,402 yards, 20 touchdowns, FBS-high 17 interceptions) revealed weaknesses in decision-making and accuracy that will be further exposed at the next level.
The Packers traded with the Miami Dolphins to move up to No. 26. Green Bay traded its No. 30 (first round) and No. 136 picks (fourth round) to Miami, according to multiple reports.
Farmer's take: The Packers trade up to grab a sliding quarterback. Fifteen years ago, they famously took a tumbling Aaron Rodgers with the 24th pick.
_San Francisco 49ers draft Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk at No. 25
By Mike DiGiovanna
A junior college transfer and part-time starter in 2018, Brandon Aiyuk emerged as a legitimate NFL prospect in 2019, earning third-team All-American honors after catching 65 passes for 1,192 yards (18.3 average) and eight touchdowns. He also averaged 31.9 yards on kickoff returns and 16.1 yards on punt returns. A natural pass-catcher with long arms and soft hands, Aiyuk has the size, speed and elusiveness to turn short passes into chunk plays.
The 49ers pulled off a trade with the Minnesota Vikings to obtain the No. 25 pick. They gave the Vikings their Nos. 31, 117 and 176 picks for No. 25, according to multiple reports.
Farmer's take: The 49ers traded up to address their need at the position. The NFC champs have only two healthy wideouts on their roster.
_New Orleans Saints select Michigan center Cesar Ruiz at No. 24
By Mike DiGiovanna
Cesar Ruiz is athletic and tenacious, with a combination of skills, technique and snap-to-step quickness that helped him become a force in the middle of the Wolverines' offensive line for the past two seasons. Ruiz is motivated by the memory of his father, Cesar, who was hit by a car and killed on the side of a South New Jersey highway when the younger Ruiz was 8 years old. "I'm still playing for my dad," Ruiz said. "My dad still lives through me. And that's how it's always going to be."
Farmer's take: With a 6-foot quarterback in Drew Brees, it's essential that the Saints are solid in the interior of their offensive line. Ruiz can play center or guard.
_Los Angeles Chargers draft Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. at No. 23
The tackling machine used his size, speed, athleticism, instincts, and tenacity to rack up 155 tackles, including a school-record 28 in an overtime win over triple-option-running Army, in 2018, and 102 tackles, 17 for loss, four sacks and four pass-breakups in 2019 for the Sooners, who went 12-2 and lost to LSU in the national semifinals. Kenneth Murray Jr. was also one of Oklahoma's most diligent and hardest-working players, watching five or six hours of film a day.
The Chargers acquired the pick in a trade with the New England Patriots. The Chargers sent a second- and third-round pick to the Patriots for No. 23.
Farmer's take: Murray is a tackling machine who can shore up the middle of the Chargers' defense. He should be a great fit for Gus Bradley's scheme.
_Minnesota Vikings draft LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson at No. 22
By Mike DiGiovanna
Once a skinny, lightly recruited high school player who ran with an awkward gait, the speedy Jefferson blossomed into a college star, catching 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns to help LSU win the national title last fall. A slot receiver with super contested-catch skills and who is slippery in space, Jefferson caught 14 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns in a semifinal win over Oklahoma and nine passes for 106 yards in a championship-game win over Clemson.
Farmer's take: Jefferson was a slot receiver at LSU, and the Vikings already have Adam Thielen there. But with Stefon Diggs in Buffalo, this team needed to restock.
_Philadelphia Eagles select TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor at No. 21
By Mike DiGiovanna
Jalen Reagor describes himself as "a big play waiting to happen," a testament to his blazing speed, a 42-inch vertical leap to help catch high-point passes and his versatility as a jet-sweep specialist and a return man. A three-year starter at TCU, Reagor caught 148 passes for 2,248 yards and 22 touchdowns, rushed 35 times for 324 yards and two scores, returned 23 punts for 409 yards (17.8 average) and two touchdowns and 13 kickoffs for 315 yards (24.2 average).
Farmer's take: Philadelphia limped through with a hodgepodge of ho-hum receivers last season. Reagor isn't big, but he's an explosive playmaker.
_Jacksonville Jaguars select LSU defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson at No. 20
By Mike DiGiovanna
After suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 2018 opener, Chaisson posted 60 tackles, 13{ for loss, and 6{ sacks for the national-champion Tigers in 2019. The speed rusher has plenty of power for his size and an ability to disrupt offenses with his lateral quickness, variety of moves and knack for finding the quarterback. One knock on Chaisson is that he is not the most physical run defender.
Farmer's take: Chaisson had five sacks in the last four games of his college career. The Jaguars have dropped off sharply at linebacker in the past two years.
_Las Vegas Raiders select Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette at No. 19
By Times staff
The Raiders go with a surprise pick, selecting the Ohio State cornerback to help bolster their secondary. Arnette nearly made the jump to the NFL last year after his junior season, but his decision to stay another year paid off with a strong season that raised his draft stock. The second-team All-Big Ten selection finished with 35 tackles, an interception and eight pass breakups.
Farmer's take: Son of Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter, Arnette was a surprise here. The Raiders led the league last season with 15 defensive pass-interference flags.
_Miami Dolphins select USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson at No. 18
By Mike DiGiovanna
A two-year starter for the Trojans, Austin Jackson is a raw but athletic and gifted tackle with high-end NFL potential who could provide immediate help at right tackle and could also move to guard if he gains more strength. Some have questioned whether Jackson is as strong as he once was after donating bone marrow last summer to save the life of his sister, Autumn, but he recently said that he is "stronger than I've ever been, and I'm ready" for the NFL.
Farmer's take: The Dolphins traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil to Houston last season, and they're replacing him with a high-character player who's young with big promise.
_Dallas Cowboys draft Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb at No. 17
By Mike DiGiovanna
CeeDee Lamb, a yards-after-catch machine who has been compared to NFL stars DeAndre Hopkins and Davante Adams, is the most complete receiver in a draft filled with high-end pass-catchers, with the speed and strength to overwhelm defenders and the poise and instincts to outwit them. In three college seasons _ two in which he teamed with eventual No. 1 picks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray _ Lamb caught 173 passes for 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Farmer's take: Receiver wasn't a top need for the Cowboys, but a mini-slide by Lamb made him too tempting. He can be a slot receiver to replace Randall Cobb.
_Atlanta Falcons select Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell at No. 16
By Mike DiGiovanna
The Atlanta native played a key role on Clemson's 2018 national championship team, posting 54 tackles and seven pass-breakups and returning an interception 44 yards for a touchdown in the title game against Alabama. He was first-team All-ACC in 2018, when he had 37 tackles, six pass-breakups and two interceptions. Terrell has the foot agility, back-pedaling skills and patience to grind on receivers in press coverage but may lack the ball-hawking traits to be a star.
Farmer's take: The Falcons allowed an average of 31.3 points in the first half of last season. They just couldn't stop the pass. Team passed on an edge rusher to address the secondary.
_Denver Broncos select Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy at No. 15
By Mike DiGiovanna
His pristine route-running and ability to separate from defenders for yards to get open and create yards after catch are among the reasons Jerry Jeudy won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football after catching 68 passes for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2018. He followed that up with a strong junior season in 2019, when the Deerfield Beach, Fla., native caught 77 passes for 1,163 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Farmer's take: The Broncos have their bookend to the outstanding Courtland Sutton. Denver needed someone to step into the cleats of Emmanuel Sanders.
_San Francisco 49ers draft South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw at No. 14
By Mike DiGiovanna
Javon Kinlaw, who was homeless for most of his childhood in Washington, D.C., didn't start playing football until he was 15, so he was still a bit raw and inconsistent until finally reaching his potential as college senior, earning first-team All-American and All-SEC honors after posting 35 tackles and six sacks for the Gamecocks. Kinlaw has the size, length, explosive first step and power to overwhelm opponents and should improve with better moves and body control.
Farmer's take: It all starts with the defensive line for the 49ers, and they needed to fill the vacancy left by DeForest Buckner. Wide receiver can wait.
_Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs at No. 13
By Mike DiGiovanna
Tristan Wirfs is an explosive drive blocker who has the pulling speed to lead outside running plays and the quick feet, agility and hand strength to protect the quarterback. He improved his NFL stock at the combine, where his 10-foot-1 broad jump tied the all-time combine record for his position and his 36.5-inch vertical leap and 4.85-second 40-yard dash were the best at his spot. He also set an Iowa school record in the hang-clean lift, completing four reps at 450 pounds.
Tampa Bay made the pick after trading up from No. 14 with the San Francisco 49ers. According to multiple reports, the 49ers received the Bucs' 14th and 117th picks. The Buccaneers also got the 49ers' final seventh-round pick.
Farmer's take: The Buccaneers trade up one spot to address their need at right tackle. Things are falling into place for Tom Brady.
_Las Vegas Raiders select Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III at No. 12
By Mike DiGiovanna
The speedy Henry Ruggs III, the son of former track star Nataki Ruggs, was part of a stellar Crimson Tide receiving corps that included Jerry Jeudy and DeVonta Smith. He averaged a team-high 18.7 yards per catch, with 40 receptions for 746 yards and seven touchdowns, while returning 12 kickoffs for 286 yards, a 23.8-yard average. Ruggs has quick, sure hands to handle off-target throws and an ability to turn quick slants and crossing routes into big gainers with his speed.
Farmer's take: Al Davis valued speed over everything, and Ruggs checks that box. He covers 40 yards in 4.27 seconds. The Raiders' answer to Kansas City's Tyreek Hill.
_New York Jets draft Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton at No. 11
By Mike DiGiovanna
Becton clearly has the size, power and even speed _ he ran a 5.1-second 40-yard dash at the combine in February _ to be an impact lineman in the NFL, but his weight, quickness and stamina could be concerns. Becton, who has a 7-foot- wingspan, also had a drug test flagged at the combine, according to NFL Network, and will begin his NFL career with a 60-day probationary period in which he must pass every test for illegal substances.
Farmer's take: The Jets didn't do a good job of protecting Sam Darnold last season, surrendering 52 sacks. Becton is a mountain who can really move.
_Cleveland Browns draft Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. at No. 10
By Mike DiGiovanna
No draft analyst better captured Jedrick Wills Jr., who has a knack for blocking overmatched linemen all the way out of bounds, than NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, who summed up the massive man-mover by saying: "He has basketball-caliber foot quickness and the quick hands of a boxer, and all of it is wrapped in a stout, powerful package of bad intentions. His game is tailor-made for the NFL, and his range of success is good starter to All-Pro."
Farmer's take: Wills, a true right tackle, will have to move over to the left side now that the Browns have Jack Conklin. An unquestionable upgrade from Greg Robinson.
_Jacksonville Jaguars select Florida cornerback CJ Henderson at No. 9
By Mike DiGiovanna
A three-year starter in college, Henderson had a team-leading 11 pass-breakups to go with 33 tackles, three for loss, despite playing in just nine regular-season games because of an ankle injury. The Miami native has the speed _ he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine _ footwork, agility and athleticism to stick with receivers and the twitchy acceleration to jump a route and pick off a pass if the opportunity arises. He should improve as an open-field tackler.
Farmer's take: With Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye gone, the Jaguars needed to restock the shelves at cornerback. Henderson is smothering in man coverage.
_Arizona Cardinals select Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons at No. 8
By Mike DiGiovanna
Isaiah Simmons is the consensus top linebacker in the draft, but his impressive blend of size, strength, speed and agility allowed him to play edge rusher, cornerback and safety in college. Labeled the most ready NFL prospect to contribute to his new team, Simmons led the Tigers with 107 tackles, 16 for loss, and eight sacks in 2019. He also made a pivotal interception in a College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Ohio State.
Farmer's take: Cardinals needed a right tackle, but adjust when Simmons tumbles out of top five. With Simmons and Chandler Jones, Cardinals have a pass rush.
_Carolina Panthers select Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown at No. 7
By Mike DiGiovanna
The Sugar Hill, Ga., native could have entered the draft as a junior after showing flashes of his NFL potential, but when he heard questions about his consistency, Brown returned for his senior season to improve his draft stock. With the size, strength and athleticism to be a disruptive force on the line, Brown posted 55 tackles, 12{ for loss, four sacks, four pass breakups and two force fumbles to earn first-team All-American honors in 2019.
Farmer's take: The NFL's worst run defense gets a wrecking ball in the middle. The Panthers needed someone to get after Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.
_Los Angeles Chargers select Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert at No. 6
By Mike DiGiovanna
One of few seniors at the top of the draft, Herbert has the physical tools to be an impact player in the NFL_superior size and field vision, a cannon for an arm, the intelligence and experience to go through his progressions without panicking and the mobility to extend plays with his legs. He completed 286 of 428 passes for 3,471 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions to lead the Ducks to a 12-2 record and a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin.
Farmer's take: The eventual Philip Rivers replacement has been compared to Buffalo's Josh Allen. Strong arm and a fearless runner. Is he a quick decision-maker?
_Miami Dolphins select Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5
By Mike DiGiovanna
The dual-threat left-hander, who led the Crimson Tide to the 2017 national title and the 2019 national championship game, has the speed, agility, arm talent, accuracy and touch to create chunk plays through the air and on the ground, but a season-ending surgery to repair a hip dislocation last November has clouded his future as a pro. In three college seasons, Tagovailoa completed 474 of 684 passes (69.3%) for 7,442 yards, 87 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Farmer's take: The Dolphins have had 21 starting quarterbacks since Dan Marino, and Tagovailoa is the second they've taken in the first round since (Ryan Tannehill).
_New York Giants select Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas at No. 4
By Mike DiGiovanna
Thomas went from his high school team at Atlanta's Pace Academy in 2016 into Georgia's starting lineup the following year, and after earning freshman All-American honors as a right tackle in 2017 he earned first-team All-American honors as a left tackle in 2019. Thomas is fiercely competitive and has huge, powerful hands but scouts believe he needs to clean up a few technical issues in his pass-protecting sets.
Farmer's take: Thomas can play left or right tackle, is strong in pass protection, and the Giants need someone to push open holes for Saquon Barkley.
_Detroit Lions pick Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah at No. 3
By Mike DiGiovanna
The 11th Buckeyes cornerback to be picked in the first round, Okudah has the size, length, foot quickness and technique to stick with NFL wideouts in press coverage and the elite burst and speed to close them down in space. Scouts believe he has the mental makeup and character to match his physical traits. Okudah led Ohio State with three interceptions and nine pass breakups and had 35 tackles and two forced fumbles while earning first-team All-American honors in 2019.
Farmer's take: With Darius Slay now in Philadelphia, the Lions grabbed a physical, press corner _ and, considering Burrow started at OSU, the third straight Buckeye.
_Washington Redskins pick Ohio State defensive end Chase Young at No. 2
By Mike DiGiovanna
With his elite size, strength, athleticism and strength, Young led the nation with 16{ sacks in 12 games in 2019, four coming in a win over Wisconsin after which Buckeyes coach Ryan Day called Young "the most dominant player in all of college football." Young, who also tied for fourth in the nation with 21 tackles for loss, won the Chuck Bednarik, Ted Hendricks and Bronko Nagurski awards as the top defender or lineman in the country.
Farmer's take: Between them, Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio coached Von Miller, Julius Peppers and Khalil Mack. That's a high bar for Young.
_Cincinnati Bengals select LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with first pick of 2020 NFL draft
By Mike DiGiovanna
Although he lost the competition for the starting job at Ohio State, Joe Burrow transferred to LSU and wound up winning the Heisman Trophy in 2019. He completed 402 of 527 passes (76.3%) for 5,671 yards and threw 10 times as many touchdown passes (60) as interceptions (six) to lead the Tigers to a 15-0 record and the national championship. He's widely regarded as the best quarterback prospect in this class.
Farmer's take: For third straight year, the Heisman winner goes No. 1. Burrow is headed to a franchise without a playoff victory since the 1990 season.
