Ah, mock draft season. With Indianapolis behind us, we can now start to imagine how the draft could play out given what we saw from the prospects at the 2020 Scouting Combine. Whose stock is rising, whose is falling, and how could — I repeat, how could — that impact the draft?
Here’s just one man’s shot at putting it together.
Picks 1-8 | 9-16 | 17-24 | 25-32
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
We can work our way into this mock with a selection that makes the most sense. The Bengals are moving on from Andy Dalton, and Joe Burrow’s magical season has rocketed him to the top of many draft boards. His decision-making, pocket presence and leadership abilities are perfect for what Cincinnati needs right now. Plus, the storyline of “local boy comes home” is sure to get fans excited.
Schematically, Burrow is a fit for what Bengals head coach Zac Taylor is looking to do offensively. With some weapons around him and some additions to the offensive line, Burrow could be in position to contribute early in his career.
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
There does seem to be some smoke building around the idea of Washington doing this year what the Arizona Cardinals did a season ago: Let a new regime pick their quarterback. Last year the Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury and let him pick the quarterback he wanted to build around. The result? Arizona moved on from Josh Rosen after a single season and drafted Kyler Murray.
Could the same thing happen to Dwayne Haskins? Rumors around Indianapolis last week seemed to indicate that it was at least a possibility. Washington reportedly met with Tua Tagovailoa and the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that new head coach Ron Rivera told the Alabama passer that, according to a source, “[t]hey want to bring in Tua, just get it going and compete.”
My thinking here is this: This is lying season. Most people believe the draft begins at the second pick, and Washington holds a lot of cards. They could stay pat and select the best overall player in the draft, the Ohio State edge rusher. But if a team is dying to move up to draft a quarterback, they’ll entertain offers. One way to drive up the price? Float the idea that you are in the quarterback market as well.
For now, I think these are all smoke screens. Washington stays pat and takes the pass rusher.
3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Here is where things could really get sporty.
There are concerns in Detroit regarding the status of quarterback Matthew Stafford. Back injuries the past few seasons have some wondering if it is time to prepare for a world without Stafford in Detroit. The issue is, Stafford’s contract is such that it makes much more sense from a salary cap perspective to move on from Stafford in 2021, rather than 2020.
Under Stafford’s contract, if he were to be traded or cut before June 1st, the Lions would be hit with $32 million in dead cap space for 2020, and would have a cap “savings” of minus $10.7 million for the 2020 league year.
However, if they decide to move on from Stafford prior to 2021, they would actually free up around $14M of cap space.
So the thinking here could be: Draft Tagovailoa, redshirt him for a season while Stafford plays through 2020, and then move on when Tagovailoa is fully healthy and it makes more sense from a cap perspective.
So it is a possibility that the Lions could go with a quarterback here.
At the same time, Matt Patricia must be feeling the urge to win now, and the idea of drafting a quarterback to simply redshirt him while the flames are fanned under your seat cannot feel too pleasant. In the end Detroit entertains the idea of Tagovailoa, but goes with the potential shutdown corner in Okudah.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (via trade with New York Giants): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Now we have our first trade.
A running theme of this mock draft so far has been the Alabama quarterback. In the mix to Washington with the second pick. A potential option for Detroit with the third pick. Now this draft enters a stretch where quarterback is a possibility for a number of teams, including the Chargers at six and the Carolina Panthers at seven.
Tagovailoa has been linked to the Dolphins for a long time now, and the Chargers can read the tea leaves as well as anyone else. If they decide that Tagovailoa is their quarterback of the future, they’ll need to get in front of Miami to ensure that he is wearing the powder blues next season.
Conceptually, while there might be better fits for Tagovailoa’s skill-set, such as the Panthers as we argued yesterday, the Chargers will have the time to build around Tagovailoa and construct an offense around his strengths: His accuracy in the short area, his processing speed, and his familiarity with run/pass option designs.
5. Miami Dolphins: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
Interestingly enough, Miami might be just fine with the Chargers leap-frogging them, as they end up with the passer that some in the building have been targeting for over a year. It was just a year ago when reports out of Miami were that Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross was interested in two quarterbacks: Tagovailoa and Herbert.
Now, with both an option for the Dolphins in this year’s draft, many have linked Miami to Tagovailoa. But the decision to hire Chan Gailey as their offensive coordinator does give them a potential schematic fit with both quarterbacks. As we argued yesterday, the Dolphins are a great fit for Herbert’s skill-set, given his background in Oregon’s spread system. That would ease his transition to the pro game, and with both Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick in place, they could potentially move one of those players late in training camp, depending on Herbert’s progress as a rookie this summer.
6. New York Giants (via trade with Los Angeles Chargers): Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said a number of things during his media session in Indianapolis that stuck with me. Two in particular. One I will take to heart, and the other I will ignore with this move to trade down and select the Georgia offensive tackle.
When addressing the media, Gettleman indicated that trading down does carry a bit of risk. What if you trade down, he theorized, from four to eight with four players that you like on your board? You might miss out on all of them is the fear he expressed.
But given how Gettleman could play the board, and still select one of the four impressive offensive tackles in this draft, gives him an option to pick up some additional selections in this draft and continue to build around Daniel Jones.
So while I dismissed the idea of Gettleman’s trade down fear, I will take to heart something else he said. He was asked about the most important position to help a young quarterback and he instantly delivered an incredible response: “Offensive line. I’ve found that it is hard to complete a pass when lying on your back.” And in, perhaps, a shot at all the discussion over Gettleman’s thoughts on analytics he added: “I’ve done that study.”
Here, the Giants trade back and get an NFL ready offensive tackle with experience on both the right and the left sides of the line. Given his SEC pedigree, Thomas has faced some imposing pass rushers during his time in Athens, and he’ll be ready to go up against some of what the NFL has to offer. The combine might have vaulted Tristan Wirfs and Mekhi Becton up many boards, but something tells me that Gettleman will value what Thomas put on tape.
7. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Simmons, Defense, Clemson
The Panthers could go in a number of directions with this pick. Quarterback is in play, depending on what new head coach Matt Rhule decides to do with Cam Newton and how he handles Kyle Allen and last year’s draft pick Will Grier. Rhule has said all the right things about Newton, he likes Grier dating back to their games against each other in the Big 12, and Allen showed promise at times last year. So it is likely that Rhule keeps all three in Carolina and looks to address other needs.
Offensive line is also an area they could address, and given what we saw from Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton at the combine as well as what we saw on film all season from Jedrick Wills Jr., any one of those players could be in play if the board falls this way.
They also have needs on the defensive side of the football. They could use help up front, they could use some help at linebacker in the wake of Luke Kuechly’s retirement, and they could also use some help in the secondary.
In Simmons, they could get help at all three levels of their defense. They would get a player who has lined up on the defensive line, in the slot, as a box safety and even as a boundary cornerback. They would also get an explosive athlete who posted a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine, to go with a vertical leap of 39” and a broad jump of 11’. All while measuring in at 6’3 and ½” and weighing 238 pounds. He is an absolute freak of nature, and would revamp their defense in an instant.
8. Arizona Cardinals: Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville
In a draft that is talent-laden at the wide receiver position, we have yet to hear one WR called. That streak continues, as the Cardinals pass on every wide receiver on the board to address another glaring need: Offensive line. The Cardinals desperately need to protect Murray next season, and Becton can help in that effort.
Murray was sacked 48 times last season, tied with Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan for the most times sacked in the league. Now yes, sacks are not an offensive line statistic and the quarterback contributes to those sack totals, but the Cardinals do need to give him more time in the pocket. Murray was hurried 63 times last season, fifth-most in the league. With D.J. Humphries and Justin Murray as their starting tackles last season, this position could use a boost.
They get that in Becton. The massive left tackle showed some power and explosiveness both on film and during his combine workout. He has very fluid footwork for a man of his size, and his length will be an asset in Kingsbury’s offense. He could be the guy to protect Murray’s blindside for the next decade.
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9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina
Imagine for a moment that you were writing up a mock draft, and were nearing the end, when suddenly word came down that the Jacksonville Jaguars were trading cornerback A.J. Bouye, and that you’d need to rework a few things… but enough about my Tuesday.
Times are tough down in Jacksonville. Last year it was Jalen Ramsey leaving town, and in recent days it has become apparent that the Yannick Ngakoue situation is reaching a boiling point. The defensive end indicated that he does not want to re-sign with the Jaguars, and while the team might use the franchise tag on him, likely as the first step of reaching a trade deal with another organization. Now with the Bouye trade to Denver, there is a hole in the secondary as well.
Jacksonville could respond by going cornerback here, but two great interior linemen are on the board as well, with Auburn’s Derrick Brown and Kinlaw from South Carolina. Both players are enticing options, but Kinlaw has such an explosive and powerful first step that he will be a problem for NFL offensive lines immediately upon entering the league.
Honestly, just put on his film against Alabama and watch the first defensive snap. Kinlaw fires out of his stance like a rocket, and his explosiveness commands double-teams. But he also has the upper-body strength to serve as a two-gap defender if tasked with such an assignment, and has the length to play at a variety of spots along the defensive front.
10. Cleveland Browns: Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa
Similar to the Giants and the Cardinals before them, the Cleveland Browns also need to address the offensive line. Last year was a step back for the Browns and quarterback Baker Mayfield, and they need to come out of this draft with a potential anchor at offensive tackle.
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, the Browns have been in love with Wirfs throughout the process, but now fear that his elite workout in Indianapolis might put him out of reach for the Browns at ten. But in this scenario, the board falls favorably for them and they are able to draft the Iowa tackle.
What will they be getting in Wirfs? A tackle who can be a big factor in their offense. Iowa runs a mixture of gap/power and zone designs, but his footwork and explosiveness makes him a very good fit for the wide zone scheme we can expect new head coach Kevin Stefanski to implement in Cleveland.
11. New York Jets: Jedrick Wills Jr, OT, Alabama
And with that, we see four offensive tackles off the board in the top eleven picks.
I wrote back on Sunday that one of the winners of the 2020 Scouting Combine was “teams that need something besides an OT/QB.” Why? Because of this exact scenario. Here, three quarterbacks and four tackles come off the board in the first 11 selections, pushing some great talent (including every single wide receiver) down the board. If the draft falls this way in a few months, some teams picking in the teens are going to be very pleased.
In Wills the Jets get an offensive tackle with elite footwork. Kyle Crabbs, the knowledge senior analyst from The Draft Network, described his feet like this: “Haven’t seen him get crossed up with his feet once. He’s got top shelf feet all around and shows a terrific understanding of how to maintain his platform as a blocker.” If Wills has a weakness, it does not show up consistently on film. Perhaps he gets a bit too chippy after the whistle? But teams need an identity up front, and Wills brings that to the Jets on Day One.
12. Las Vegas Raiders: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
We finally have our first wide receiver off the board.
Last week in Indianapolis, Raiders’ general manager Mike Mayock stressed the need weapons, specifically a wide receiver, for the offense. Now they have addressed that necessity.
I strongly believe that CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs and Jeudy are all incredible talents at the wide receiver position, and it becomes a matter of picking what works best for your offensive system and pairing those needs with the skill-sets that each of these talents brings to the table. In Jon Gruden’s offense, route-running is an emphasis, and Jeudy is a very good route runner. He is good at getting into and out of his cuts, and sets up his breaks beautifully while not losing speed.
That set of traits is a perfect fit in a West Coast system.
In addition, a huge part of such an offense is ability after the catch. Jeudy brings the potential for big-time YAC to the Raiders’ offense.
13. Indianapolis Colts: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Receiver run!
Many have the belief that the Colts draft a quarterback at this spot, whether Jordan Love from Utah State or Jacob Eason from Washington. But they also need help on the outside. T.Y. Hilton is still a great receiver but he had to deal with some injuries last season, and beyond Hilton there are some question marks. Zach Pascal showed some promise in an increased role with Hilton’s injury, and would be a nice third option in an offense with a healthy Hilton and a talented rookie to run with.
In Lamb, the Colts get that talented rookie. Again, Lamb, Ruggs and Jeudy are all great talents at the position, and in Lamb the Colts have a receiver who can take the top off the defense, win at the catch point and create after the catch.
Now they just need to figure out who is throwing them the football next season…
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
There is certainly the possibility that Tampa Bay decides to roll with Jameis Winston for another season, giving him a sort of “prove it” contract while he learns life in Bruce Arians’ offense.
There is also the possibility that Arians has seen enough and decides to move in another direction at quarterback. His comments about Winston this off-season have been lukewarm at best. Arians began the off-season highlighting how the team could win without Winston, and last week in Indianapolis Arians told the media that while the team has decided on a quarterback plan for 2020, they have not told Winston yet.
That does not exactly give one the “warm and fuzzies.”
If they pull the trigger on a QB in the first round, Eason seems to fit what Arians is looking for in a quarterback. A big arm, some athleticism, willingness to attack the middle of the field and some experience working under center and in running play-action off of a deep drop and turning his back to the defense. Perhaps Arians pairs Eason with a veteran quarterback in free agency, such as a Philip Rivers, to ease the transition. But Eason in this offense would be a good fit, as we argued yesterday.
I also pointed out yesterday that I have yet to get an Arians/QB pairing right, so maybe take this selection – as with all of them – with a grain of salt.
15. Denver Broncos: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
The recipe the past few years for developing a young quarterback is to get him on the field as a rookie, and then use the “rookie quarterback contract window” to get help around him. That has led to some year two bumps for players like Jared Goff and Carson Wentz.
Denver is in a nice position given how they handled their draft board a year ago. They moved around and selected three players (Noah Fant, Dalton Risner and Drew Lock) that many had as potential first round players, but they got Risner and Lock with successive picks in the second round. With Courtland Sutton in place, Fant emerging as a weapon at tight end, Risner settled in on the offensive line and Lock showing promise, adding another offensive weapon would give that side of the ball a boost.
They get rocket boosters with Ruggs, the Alabama wideout. As expected he flashed impressive speed at the combine, posting a 4.27 40-yard dash. Putting him on the outside opposite Sutton, with Fant working the middle of the field, certainly stresses a defense from sideline-to-sideline and deep down the field.
16. Atlanta Falcons: Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn
Brown was impressive on film, which led many to consider him a first round lock heading into the combine. But out in Indianapolis he tested worse than expected, and that has seen his value take a bit of a dip. Teams should not overthink him, and trust in their film evaluation of the Auburn defensive tackle. But he slides down the boards to Atlanta, who is more than happy to grab him outside the top 15.
Why? They can pair him on the interior with Grady Jarrett and let those two just wreck havoc on the interior of offensive lines. Atlanta needs help in the secondary and at edge, but the selection of Brown here helps both those spots and the value is too great to pass up. How does a defensive tackle help the secondary? Jarrett and Brown working in tandem are going to eat up a lot of attention and resources on the interior, freeing up their edge players for some one-on-ones. That is going to lead to pressure on the opposing passer, and as Bill Belichick has told us, pass rush and coverage need to work together:
Picks 1-8 | 9-16 | 17-24 | 25-32
17. Dallas Cowboys: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
The Dallas Cowboys have a ton of decisions to make this off-season. How do they handle Dak Prescott? How do they handle Amari Cooper? How do they handle Byron Jones? With it seeming likely that Jones tests the free agency market (and the Philadelphia Eagles seem all too willing to swoop ini with an offer) it is likely the Cowboys need to find a cornerback early in this draft.
They find that in Henderson, the Florida CB. He faced questions this past season about his willingness to stick his nose in against the run, and people have wondered if he made a few “business decisions” last year. But you draft corners to shut down receivers first, and help against the run second.
Henderson can do the first part of the job description, and do it very well. That, plus the 40-time he posted of 4.39, is going to help his draft position. If Dallas has to go corner here — and signs seem to indicate they will need to — Henderson makes a ton of sense.
18. Miami Dolphins: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
Miami has needs at a variety of positions, and having addressed the quarterback spot with their first of three potential picks in the first round, they turn to defense here and draft Chaisson, the LSU EDGE defender.
This is an interesting EDGE class, but something Chaisson said last week in Indianapolis has me thinking that he will be on the radar of Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. When addressing the media Chaisson said, “I’m the most valuable player in this draft. When you hire someone, do you want someone that speaks one language or three languages? I can speak three…rush the passer, drop in coverage, and I can play the run.”
Bill Belichick, who stresses versatility all over the football field, instilled that in Flores when the two were together in New England. Flores will love how he can use Chaisson in a variety of roles, and he is a good fit for how Miami wants to mold their defense. Think of him as potentially in a Kyle Van Noy mold, who spends most of his time on the edge but can be used in coverage as well.
19. Las Vegas Raiders: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
Having addressed one of their big needs with their earlier first round pick, the WR position, Las Vegas can turn to the defensive side of the football. Cornerback is certainly an option here, with players like Kristian Fulton, Jeff Gladney and Noah Igbinoghene on the board, But last week in Indianapolis Raiders general manager Mike Mayock stressed the need for dynamic playmakers on the defensive side of the ball.
Then you start looking about trying to matchup with those guys on defense and when you start looking in any division, particularly ours and the tight ends for instance that we have to play in our division, and you kind of go, ‘who matches up?’ You want to play man coverage, who can matchup with those type of guys? They’re big guys that run fast, who do we have? So, I think more and more defenses around the league are saying who are the guys that you don’t necessarily have to put a label on that are dynamic football players.
The Raiders get that in Murray, an athletic linebacker from Oklahoma with sideline-to-slideline ability and the athleticism to handle increased man coverage responsibilities in the NFL. Murray showed that athleticism at the combine, when he posted a 4.52 40-yard dash, a vertical of 38” and a broad jump of 10’9”. A good fit for the modern NFL defense.
20. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Jacksonville enters the draft with needs on defense, both up front and at the second level. Having addressed the defensive front earlier by selecting Kinlaw, they address the third level of their defense now with Fulton, the LSU cornerback.
In Fulton, the Jaguars get a press-man ready corner, who is sticky in man coverage situations and does a very good job playing through the catch point. He is also able to play in a variety of roles, including in off-man coverage as well in a variety of zone schemes.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
As someone who co-hosts an Eagles’ podcast (titled The QB Scho Show with Michael Kist on Bleeding Green Radio – check it out) I can tell you that Eagles fans are looking for the team to address two needs this off-season: secondary help and wide receiver.
The thinking of Jefferson here is two-fold. First, it does seem like Byron Jones might make a move to Philadelphia, which would give the Eagles a top-flight cornerback to address a big hole they have on the defensive side of the football. Second, when both Howie Roseman and Doug Pederson addressed the media last Tuesday, one thing was clear: They need to help Carson Wentz and get him weapons. Pederson also said that all teams were looking for “speed” in the upcoming draft.
They get that from Jefferson. The LSU receiver was dominant out of the slot last year for the Tigers, but with his impressive 40-yard dash time and his size, he could be used in a variety of roles in the NFL. With questions swirling about the status of Alshon Jeffrey, the health of DeSean Jackson, the development of J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and the rest of the WR room, the Eagles give Wentz a guy who can step in and contribute on day one in a variety of roles.
In addition, Jefferson’s experience last year in Joe Brady’s offense will give him a boost coming in and learning Pederson’s system.
22. Buffalo Bills: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
One of the more fascinating aspects of the 2019 NFL season was the transition we saw from Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. Imagine if, prior to his draft, someone told you that during his second season in the NFL Allen would be more of a timing and rhythm passer, and would struggle with the deep ball?
You would have thought that person was insane.
But that is what happened last year. Under Brian Daboll’s tutelage Allen improved working underneath (the acquisition of Cole Beasley helped in that area) but truly struggled down the field. If the Bills – and Allen – are going to take the leap forward everyone in Buffalo hopes they do, the vertical passing game needs to click.
Mims, the Baylor product, can help in that effort. He was one of the winners of the combine, but when you watch him on film you can see how he can be an impact player early in the vertical passing game. He was at his best working on the vertical stem, whether in the back-shoulder game or on pure vertical routes. His ability to stress the defense down the field would open up room for Beasley, John Brown and Dawson Knox to work underneath, and tax defenses as multiple levels of the field.
23. New England Patriots: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
BradyWatch 2020 might be generating the most attention, but the New England Patriots have other questions they need to answer in the weeks ahead.
Many expect the Patriots to go in one of three directions with this selection: Address quarterback in this spot (if Brady leaves), give Brady a weapon (if he stays) or trade down to accumulate value (the standard Belichick move).
But there is another option…
On the defensive side of the football the Patriots might be down two linebackers by the time free agency is over. Both Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins are going to test free agency, and given how both players performed last season (and for Van Noy the past few seasons) they likely command big contracts on the open market. Couple that with the wear on Dont’a Hightower and his injury history, and the Patriots have a need at the linebacker spot.
Queen seems built to be a Belichick linebacker. He is athletic enough to be a three-down linebacker in the NFL, can play as WILL in their base looks next to Hightower and give them some flexibility on passing situations.
24. New Orleans Saints: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Imagine pairing Michael Thomas, one of the elite wide receivers in the game, with a running mate who can operate out of the Z receiver spot, can stress the defense downfield and is a dynamic play-maker in his own right?
That is what the Saints would do if they grab Reagor here.
Consider how Kyle Crabbs from The Draft Network described the TCU wideout:
Jalen Reagor is one of the most dynamic receiving prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft. Reagor’s skill set fits best when projecting forward into a vertical passing offense as a Z-receiver, where he can defeat press coverage, attack down the field and force defenses to respect his speed or pay the consequences. Reagor brings explosive burst and simultaneous control on his stems to carry himself for separation — he’s got upside to work inside as a slot receiver as well.
Imagine, if you will, the Saints running one of these two concepts (taken from Payton’s 2000 New York Giants playbook):
On the first you can see Reagor in the X role, taking the top off the defense while Thomas works underneath. On the second, you have both of them working over the middle with one underneath and the other on the deeper dig. Good luck covering that.
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25. Minnesota Vikings: Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
Death, taxes and the Vikings needing a cornerback.
I mean, consider how Pro Football Focus described their cornerback situation at the start of the off-season: “The Vikings’ cornerback position was porous throughout the season. Xavier Rhodes is a prime candidate to be released after allowing 84% of the passes into his coverage to be completed. Trae Waynes is a free agent, and no cornerback on the team finished with a coverage grade above 65.0. Fixing that will be the top priority.”
Noah Igbinoghene is a very intriguing prospect at the cornerback spot. I found him to be a technically sound man coverage cornerback. He is also a sure tackler in open field situations. He also does a good job recovering when beaten on vertical routes, raking up through the catch point to disrupt the receiver on the catch attempt. A prime example is from early in the Alabama game when he was beaten on a route by DeVonta Smith but did not quit on the play, and recovered to break up what would have been a TD. He’ll also see time as a free safety depending on offensive alignment. That would give the Vikings a ton of options on the defensive side of the football.
He had a good combine, and his stock gets boosted into the back of the first round as a result.
26. Miami Dolphins: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
After trading Laremy Tunsil to the Texans a year ago, the Dolphins acquired Houston’s first round selection, which is the 26th overall selection. They could use that pick here and address offensive line, with both Ezra Cleveland and Josh Jones on the board. But with a pick coming up early in the second round they can still address offensive line, while addressing another need created via a trade last season.
A year ago the Dolphins traded away versatile defender Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now they replace him with another versatile Alabama defender in McKinney. He can align down in the box as a linebacker in sub packages, he can play corner at times, and also has the ability to play both safety spots. He is probably best as a deep safety in a two-deep look, as he might not have true sideline-to-sideline speed to handle the free safety role, but he provides a ton of defensive flexibility. Brian Flores has experience with a multi-faceted defender back in New England in Devin McCourty, who the Patriots would use in a variety of roles. You could see McCourty covering a tight end on first down, flexed out to cover a wide receiver on second down, and playing a deep middle on third down. McKinney can do similar things for the Dolphins.
27. Seattle Seahawks: Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama
The Seahawks have a few different positions that they could address with this selection, including getting help for Russell Wilson in the form of an offensive lineman or two. But with the potential that Jadeveon Clowney will be leaving town, they might need to address the defensive line. That potential seems to be increasing by the day, with reports that the Seahawks “don’t want to break the bank” for Clowney, according to Bob Condotta from the Seattle Times.
In Lewis the Seahawks get a player who has a great toolkit to work with, with good size, length, explosiveness off the snap and a good array of moves as a pass rusher. He has also shown the positional flexibility to drop into coverage and handle responsibilities other that pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. He does have an injury history and did not work out at the combine, but would be a good fit to step into the Seattle defense if and when Clowney leaves town.
28. Baltimore Ravens: Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
The Ravens are obviously very close, given the great regular season they had a year ago. If you look up and down their roster there are not a lot of immediate holes, but they could use help on the offensive line, or another talent at wide receiver. But they also need help getting after the quarterback, and their best pass rusher, Matt Judon, is coming to the end of his contract. Baltimore is expected to use the franchise tag on Judon if a long-term deal is not worked out, but adding another EDGE makes sense.
For the season ahead they can give Judon a running mate, while preparing for at least the potential that Judon finds a huge deal on the open market if a long-term deal cannot be reached. Gross-Matos brings to Baltimore a good blend of size, speed, power and movement skills, and can function both with his hand in the dirt as part of a four-man front, or even in a two-point stance given the movement ability he has shown on tape. Baltimore could use him in a number of ways and he could provide an immediate impact for a team without many huge needs.
29. Tennessee Titans: Zach Baun, OLB, Wisconsin
Another team that does not have a ton of holes is Tennessee. They do have some decisions to make, and recent reports are that they will use the franchise tag on running back Derrick Henry and let Ryan Tannehill test free agency, according to reporting from Matthew Berry of ESPN, citing a Titans’ insider.
If they do not use the tag on Henry, then running back would be a need, and Jonathan Taylor from Wisconsin would be a smart pick at this spot in the draft. Assuming that both Henry and Tannehill are back, they could go elsewhere with this pick.
Zach Baun, the Wisconsin outside linebacker, makes a good bit of sense for the Titans. He is a very versatile player that the Badgers left on the field for all three downs, and used as a pass rusher off the edge in a three-point stance as well as more of an overhang defender in space. He has the athleticism to run with tight ends, but the motor to get after the passer. He could really help this defense up front.
30. Green Bay Packers: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
One of the biggest needs for the Packers this draft is to bolster their wide receiver room. Specifically, they need someone opposite Davante Adams, who is one of the game’s premier wide receivers. Geronimo Allison and Marquesz Valdes-Scantling are solid pieces and Allen Lazard has shown promise, but they need a true #2 guy to improve the entire group.
They can get that in Higgins.
The Clemson wideout did not test at the combine, which sees his stock fall a bit. He has been commonly linked to the Buffalo Bills with their selection at 22. Assuming he falls to the Packers, he would be an ideal fit in their offense. He can slide into an X receiver role and allow Matt LaFleur to use Adams as more of a slot receiver, which is something the Packers did as the 2019 season wore on. Higgins has good vertical skills, some explosiveness as a route runner and a solid catch radius, all solid traits to implement as an X in the NFL.
31. Indianapolis Colts (via trade with San Francisco 49ers): Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
The 49ers could sit here and make a pick, but they also need additional draft picks. They would not pick again until the fifth round if they stayed pat here and made a selection. With a need to find additional draft capital they find a willing partner with the Indianapolis Colts, who have two picks at the top of the second round (at 34 and 44). Having addressed WR earlier – and with Love sliding down the board – they can come back into the first and draft the Utah State passer.
In my mind, the best situation for Love is to be drafted later in the first round when the expectations will not be so high, so he can be given some time to develop a bit. Ideally he follows the Drew Lock path from a year ago, sliding into the early part of the second round so the fanbase and ownership are not clamoring for him to see the field immediately. By sliding here, those in and around Indianapolis can practice a bit of patience.
In addition, he’ll find a willing mentor in Frank Reich, and while the West Coast offense is not the perfect schematic fit, he can be given time to learn and grow as a passer.
Now would Love slide this far? It is unlikely, as the buzz around him seems to be trending in the other direction. But given the hesitation some – myself included – have around him, this would be an ideal situation for both player and team.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
The Chiefs could go a variety of different ways with this selection. Some have theorized that they could address running back at this spot, with perhaps D’Andre Swift from Georgia. Swift is a well-rounded back who was often used aligned outside, and while that might be enticing to Andy Reid, they also need depth in the secondary. With running backs all still on the board, they can wait a bit.
That leads them to Gladney, the TCU cornerback. Gladney was a darling of the #DraftTwitter world in the weeks leading up to the Senior Bowl, but an injury prevented him from participating down in Mobile. Specifically, Gladney played his entire season – and worked out at the combine – with a torn meniscus. He is to undergo surgery and is expected to be ready for minicamp.
He is another sticky, press corner with the ball skills to frustrate wide receivers in the NFL and create turnovers at the catch point. Gladney also shows great “click and close” ability when playing off-man coverage or using zone technique. The Super Bowl Champions do not have a ton of needs, but depth at corner is one, and Gladney could play a big role for them as a rookie.
Picks 1-8 | 9-16 | 17-24 | 25-32
After ten years of practicing law in the Washington, DC area, Mark Schofield now dedicates his time to his first love: The game of football. The former college quarterback’s work has been featured a number of places, including The Washington Post, Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Pro Football Weekly and the Matt Waldman Rookie Scouting Portfolio.
