NFL Mock Draft from the college football perspective, along with the main needs for every team. Which pick makes the most sense?
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The NFL combine is over, the teams in need of quarterback help are trying to figure out the free agency market, and the pro days are still to come. However, the workout in Indianapolis solidified several preconceived notions and changed the stock of a few prospects.
From the college perspective – several weeks before the 2020 NFL Draft – here’s the best-looking fit for each team, along with the CFN likely best player who’ll be on the board, regardless of team need.
NFL Mock Draft, Team Needs: Post-NFL Combine
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1. Cincinnati Bengals
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Joe Burrow, QB LSU
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: DE Chase Young, Ohio State
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
Really? He’d be considered a better quarterback if his hands were a half an inch bigger? Watch out for Miami to try making a move for the No. 1 spot – it has three first round picks to play with.
2. Washington Redskins
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Chase Young, DE Ohio State
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: DE Chase Young, Ohio State
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
Watch out for the Redskins to potentially move down if they’re offered the world for the No. 2 – someone might want to dive in and grab a franchise-caliber quarterback.
3. Detroit Lions
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Jeff Okudah, CB Ohio State
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
There’s going to be talk of a quarterback going here, but if it’s possible for a corner to be a franchise-maker, that might be Okudah. The 4.48, phenomenal explosion in the drills, and overall demeanor make him a must-have for a team that needs defensive back help.
4. New York Giants
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Isaiah Simmons, LB/S Clemson
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
4.39 … what are we doing here? They guy might be the best football player in this Draft no matter where you’re putting him on a defense, and then he rips off that? Finding stars for the O line is a must, but Simmons is special.
5. Miami Dolphins
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Justin Herbert, QB Oregon
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
Tagovailoa is the better prospect with the bigger upside … if you can promise he’ll stay healthy. Herbert has all the tools, the size, and all without the injury history. It’s not fair to call him the safer pick, but if it’s a 50/50 call, go with the guy who isn’t always hurt.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Tua Tagovailoa, QB Alabama
Other Realistic Options: OT Jedrick Wills, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Tackle
Of course the Chargers need help on the offensive line. They also desperately need a splash pick here to get the franchise up and rolling in the new digs. It’ll either be Herbert or Tagovailoa, but both might be gone here.
7. Carolina Panthers
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Derrick Brown, DT Auburn
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Lineman
Carolina needs an anchor to work the new era around, and if you need defensive linemen, he’s the exact type of player you want to build with.
8. Arizona Cardinals
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: CeeDee Lamb, WR Oklahoma
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
Match up the Oklahoma guys with Lamb becoming Kyler Murray’s new favorite target. Yeah, Lamb’s combine was a tad underwhelming, but he’s a true NFL No. 1 target.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: CJ Henderson, CB Florida
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line
This will be the Don’t Mess Around pick. It’s a few slots too early for Henderson, but for a team that needs defensive back help, the 6-1 coverman who tore off a 4.39 and came up with 20 reps on the bench is just fine here. Jacksonville can deal with the D line with the 20th overall.
10. Cleveland Browns
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Tristan Wirfs, OT Iowa
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
Infrastructure can be sexy when the 6-5, 320-pound offensive tackle you so desperately need can run a 4.85 40 and move like a linebacker in the other drills.
NEXT: NFL Mock Draft 2020: 11-20
11. New York Jets
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Jedrick WIlls, OT Alabama
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
The Browns will take one of the star offensive tackles up top, and the Jets will grab the other. Wills isn’t nearly the athlete that Tristan Wirfs is, but he’s hardly a consolation prize.
12. Oakland Raiders
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Jerry Jeudy, WR Alabama
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
The Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders go for speed, speed, speed in Henry Ruggs. The Las Vegas Raiders take the devastating all-around target who might be one of the five best players in this Draft.
13. Indianapolis Colts
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Jordan Love, QB Utah State
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia or DE/OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Quarterback
Taking Love here allows the Colts to sign a free agent – like a Phil Rivers – as a stopgap while the franchise young guy gets a year to develop. Love can certainly be thrown to the wolves right away, but give him time and look out.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Javon Kinlaw, DT South Carolina
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia or DE/OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line
Flip a coin here between OT Andrew Thomas and a bedrock of an interior defender. The Bucs have to upgrade the lines, and the 6-5, 324-pound Kinlaw certainly helps to do that.
15. Denver Broncos
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Mekhi Becton, OT Louisville
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia or DE/OLB K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
It’ll be either Becton or Andrew Thomas here. The Broncos are in a nice position to sit back and wait for a good offensive tackle to help fill a need.
16. Atlanta Falcons
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: K’Lavon Chaisson, DE/LB LSU
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
The Falcons will be crossing their fingers hoping their need guy drops to this spot, and Chaisson should slide just far enough for this to be the stop.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Henry Ruggs, WR Alabama
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Back
This might be the most interesting pick in the first round. The Draft will turn on whichever way the Cowboys go – someone else will want to grab Ruggs as soon as possible if he falls past this. A top defensive back is a must, but at the 4.29 guy to this receiving corps and Dak has all the weapons he needs to blow up.
18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh)
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Andrew Thomas, OT Georgia
CFN Best Player Likely Available For This Spot: OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
FINALLY … Thomas deserves to go a whole lot earlier than this. He’s not the best athlete at offensive tackle, and he’s not quite as massive as some of the other prospects, but for a franchise that’s going to build around a new quarterback, this is a must get.
19. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago)
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Trevon Diggs, CB Alabama
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama; S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Cornerback
Let’s assume the Raiders get one of the receivers they want and need at the 12. Now they’ll have their pick at corner, picking the big, talented Diggs over LSU’s Xavier Fulton.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LA Rams)
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: A.J. Epensesa, DE Iowa
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; Alabama; S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
Grabbing CB C.J. Henderson early at the 9 pays off – the Jaguars will have a few nice defensive end options sliding down here. Epenesa is a top ten overall talent, but his lack of raw athleticism will drop him a bit.
NEXT: NFL Mock Draft 2020: 21-32
21. Philadelphia Eagles
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Justin Jefferson, WR LSU
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; Alabama; S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
Safety Xavier McKinney will be SO tempting here, but Jefferson turned himself into one of the stars of the combine. Few players helped themselves more – everyone, including Joe Burrow, can’t stop raving about him, and that 4.43 didn’t hurt.
22. Buffalo Bills
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Kenneth Murray, LB Oklahoma
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; Alabama; S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
Josh Allen needs more weapons to work with, and there might be a thought about grabbing one of the top running backs here, but this is the right spot for a Murray or LSU’s Patrick Queen to go. An already great D would get an instant superstar.
23. New England Patriots
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Xavier McKinney, S Alabama
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; Alabama; S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Line
This is New England’s right player dropping at the right time. Grabbing Notre Dame TE Cole Kmet would make sense, but the O will get fixed later in the Draft and the offseason.
24. New Orleans Saints
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Brandon Aiyuk, WR Arizona State
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
If Drew Brees is coming back for one more ride, he’s going to need another weapon to work with. Michael Thomas can’t do everything, but there’s a chance the Saints will try to find more speed for the spot. Aiyuk is a good all-around No. 2 option for the offense, but he’s not a blazer.
25. Minnesota Vikings
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Kristian Fulton, CB LSU
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Back
The 4.46 was more than good enough for a corner of his skill. The Vikings desperately need help in a secondary that needs a few options. Fulton is a No. 1 corner to build around.
26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston)
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Jonathan Taylor, RB Wisconsin
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Defensive End
Assume the Dolphins will help out the their offensive line earlier, and expect them to grab their franchise quarterback to build around. Taylor’s talent, production and character are off the charts, and then he came to Indy and ripped off a 4.39.
27. Seattle Seahawks
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Patrick QUeen, LB LSU
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; S Grant Delpit, LSU; LB Patrick Queen, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line
Finding a versatile guided missile like Queen here would be perfect for the Seahawks. There’s a shot he goes at least five spots earlier, and there’s a chance for Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray to drop here. No matter what, a top defensive prospect – Gross-Matos would also be an ideal fit – is going off the board.
28. Baltimore Ravens
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Zach Baun, DE Wisconsin
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Linebacker
The Steelers got themselves a devastating pass rusher from Wisconsin last year in TJ Watt. Baltimore could use one of those, too. He was already a fringe first rounder, and the 4.65 helped cement it.
29. Tennessee Titans
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: D’ANdre Swift, RB Georgia
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Offensive Tackle
The Titans have their offensive style, and they’re going to keep hammering away with it. Derrick Henry is fantastic, but throw in Jonathan Taylor or Swift, and the offense will run, run, and keep on running.
30. Green Bay Packers
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Tee Higgins, WR Clemson
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Wide Receiver
Colorado’s Laviska Shenault would fit in just fine, and Arizona State’s Brandon Aiyuk wouldn’t be a bad option if he can stay on the board. No matter what, Aaron Rodgers needs more playmakers for his final few years.
31. San Francisco 49ers
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Grant Delpit, S LSU
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State; S Grant Delpit, LSU
Biggest Team Need: Secondary
A dream of a leader and all-around talent at this spot, Delpit would be an instant fit to add just a bit more to an already amazing defense. The size, experience, and Day One starting ability are all there.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
Mock Draft Pick Will Be: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE Penn State
CFN Best Players Likely Available For This Spot: DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
Biggest Team Need: Defensive Line
Oh great … the Chiefs get a top pass rusher to throw into the overall equation? The running backs will be there later – this is where the defending Super Bowl champs crank up the talent on the defensive front.
