The Ultimate 2020 NFL Draft

Look everyone wants to have the perfect NFL Draft, but it never works out that way. There are busts, late round steals, and a variety of unpredictable circumstances that ruin everyone’s draft plans. That being said, this article will try to create the ultimate 7-round draft, identifying the best value pick in each round. We will also include a For the purpose of this draft, let’s just assume the team making this draft has dire needs at every position, and that they can pick anywhere in the round. Because why not, it’s fun.

Round 1 – Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
For my first pick, I’m going with the most dominant player in the draft. Tough call between him and the versatile Isaiah Simmons, but Young just disrupts the game in a way I’ve never seen. I’ve seen top ranked edge rushers like the Bosa brothers and Josh Allen tear up the NFL early in their careers, and that’s why I’m picking Young.

Round 2 – D’Andre Swift, Running Back, Georgia
I need the best back in the draft, and Swift somehow is still available hear in the second round, so Swift becomes the first piece of my offense. Easy pick.

Round 3 – Josh Jones, Offensive Tackle, Houston
I would normally prioritize the O-line earlier, but with Jones slipping into the third round, I felt I could wait a little bit. With Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr., and Mekhi Becton gone early in the first round, I’m grabbing Jones hear for good value.

Round 4 – Jacob Eason, Quarterback, Washington
If I’m rebuilding my franchise, I need a quarterback, a fickle position at best. That’s why I didn’t go for Burrow, Tua, or Herbert in the first round, and so I’m going with a physical specimen in Eason. In the fourth round, to get a guy with a lot of untapped potential seems like a solid pick.

Round 5 – Bryce Hall, Cornerback, Virginia
Back to the defense, and I’m headed for the secondary. Bryce Hall was a potential day 2 pick, so I’m excited with this fifth-round pick-up. Hall was part of a stingy Virginia defense, and he’s most definitely the best cornerback available.

Round 6 – Alohi Giman, Safety, Notre Dame
This was the toughest round for me, as I wanted to find a linebacker, but I just struggled to find elite value at the position, and I think the ball-hawking Gilman provides me with some interesting talent in the secondary, and he’s been a leader for a tough Notre Dame defense, so he will be a good late-round addition.

Round 7 – KJ Hill, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Absolute steal here. My team needs a big time receiver to help us, but with such a deep receiver class, I waited until the 7th round and found a gem in Hill, a playmaker out of Ohio State.

Undrafted Free Agent – Hunter Bryant, Tight End, Washington

I had bigger priorites in the second and third round, when Cole Kmet and Adam Trautman, the top two tight ends on my board, were picked, and I just did not feel like I was getting a ton of value, until I found Bryant still hanging around after the conclusion of my seven round draft. Easy pickup for me here, as the Washington tight end played with Eason, and their connection could be interesting for my rebuilding team.

How would your draft have gone? Email us at collegetalking@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter @college_talking to let us know!

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Andrew Degeorge Mock Draft #1

In our first released mock draft, we are publishing Andrew Degeorge’s mock draft. He’s got one stunner left out of the first round and some interesting picks for certain teams. Check out his full mock first round here.

1: Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, Quarterback, LSU 

• The general consensus first overall pick, the Bengals hope they nab their franchise quarterback here at #1.

2: Washington Redskins: Chase Young, Defensive End, Ohio State

• The Redskins need a lot of help, so they get possibly the most dynamic player in the draft in the dominant edge rusher out of Ohio State. 

3: Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, Cornerback, Ohio State

• In our latest podcast, Degeorge declared his belief that Okudah will be a top-5 cornerback in the NFL by the end of his rookie season. If that’s the case, the Lions have a defensive cornerstone for their franchise rebuild. 

4: New York Giants: Jedrick Willis Jr, Offensive Lineman, Alabama

• The Giants have their quarterback (Daniel Jones) and running back (Saquon Barkley) in place for the future, so now they take a step towards protecting their skill position players by snagging the best tackle in the draft. 

5: Miami Dolphins: Justin Herbert, Quarterback, Oregon

• Although the Dolphins are widely thought to be pursuing Tua, in this mock, Miami takes Herbert, who is regarded to possibly be the most pro-ready quarterback after starting four seasons at Oregon. 

6: Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Thomas, Offensive Tackle, Georgia

• The quarterback situation in Los Angeles is uncertain, but the thought process is here is that before going after their signal-caller, the Chargers ensure they have decent protection in place for their guy. It also makes a lot of sense if Herbert is off the board, who the Chargers might nab if he’s available here. 

7: Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown, Defensive Tackle, Auburn

• The Panthers’ hope for a quick rebuild took a step back with Luke Keuchly’s retirement. While they can’t replace such a generational talent, they’ll take Brown, regarded by most as the best defensive tackle in the draft.

8: Arizona Cardinals: Tristan Wirfs, Offensive Tackle, Iowa

• An intriguing pick. A year ago, many might have said this would be a place for the Cardinals to grab more weapons for Kyler Murray, but the emergence of Lamar Jackson has showed that dual threat quarterbacks can thrive without truly elite weapons. Rather, the Cardinals prioritize protection for Murray, grabbing a highly regarded tackle in Wirfs. 

9: Jacksonville Jaguars: Isaiah Simmons, Linebacker, Clemson

• Minus Jacksonville’s strange one-year resurgence, they’ve been stuck in a rut for a while, and it is unclear as to what they need to fix. They’ll start by working to fix an uninspired defense by drafting Clemson’s jack-of-all trades. Simmons lined up at a variety of positions and has been compared to Taysom Hill except for a defense.

10: Cleveland Browns: Mekhi Becton, Offensive Tackle, Louisville Cardinals

• Becton has been projected to go as high as fourth, but this draft is murky when it comes to offensive tackles, as it is unclear which teams value which players the most. Becton is most certainly a top-10 talent, and the Browns hope he can protect Baker Mayfield’s blind side and help allow their offense to fulfill their potential.

11: New York Jets: Ceedee Lamb, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma

• The Jets are widely assumed to be looking to secure a top talent at wide receiver to complement Robby Anderson. Their defense is improving and Sam Darnold appeared to be coming into his own late, so this pick may come down to choosing between Lamb and ‘Bama receiver Jerry Jeudy. Jets go with Lamb, largely due to his experience both in the slot and out wide. 

12: Las Vegas Raiders: Grant Delpit, Safety, LSU

• Delpit is almost undoubtedly the best safety in the draft, but it is unclear which team has a pressing need for such a talent. The Raiders may not necessarily need a safety, but they could use a playmaker on defense, so they may simply go with the best available pick here. 

13: Indianapolis Colts: Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver, Alabama

• Is Jacoby Brissett the Colts’ quarterback of the future? That is unclear, and the Colts may not be convinced they’ll find an heir at #13, so instead, they snag an elite offensive talent in Jeudy, who can line up across from T.Y. Hilton and wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier McKinney, Safety, Alabama

• This may be one of the most surprising picks in this mock, as Tampa Bay doesn’t have a clear need for a safety, and McKinney hasn’t projected as a first rounder in many drafts. Yet, in this draft, it is Tampa Bay going back to their defense – a statement in Jameis Winston’s job security? – and take probably the second-best safety available to improve their pass defense, as their run defense is already among the best in the league.

15: Denver Broncos: Kristian Fulton, Cornerback, LSU

• The LSU championship defense boasted some elite talent in their secondary, and the Broncos grab a key piece from the Tigers’ defense here. The Broncos seem convinced that Drew Lock is their quarterback, so they’ll look at the other side of the ball. While Denver’s ferocious defenses of the past have been centered on an elite pass rush, they may try to lock down the secondary first this time around. 

16: Atlanta Falcons: Yetur Gross Matos, Defensive End, Penn State

• The likelihood that Matos goes this high may be unlikely, but the Nittany Lions’ defensive end may be the most underrated defensive end in the draft, as most draft profiles say Matos could be a prolific defender once he fills out his frame and gains some more experience. The Falcons are looking to contend in 2020, and this pick suggests they hope Matos’ upside plays out and turns him into a productive starter. 

17: Dallas Cowboys: CJ Henderson, Defensive Back, Florida

• Henderson has been graded as a high second round pick by multiple evaluations. But the Cowboys are desperately seeking answers after a disappointing 8-8 season, and they may look to resign some offensive stars and fix their defense through the draft. With a high number of defensive players headed for free agency, the Cowboys may jump to grab a starter out of the self-proclaimed “DBU” in Gainesville. 

18: Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh): Klavon Chaisson, Linebacker, LSU

• Miami has already grabbed Justin Herbert as their franchise quarterback of the future, and here with their second of three first-round picks, the Dolphins attack another major need by grabbing an edge-rusher from LSU’s championship defense. Chaisson is an explosive and versatile defender who could be a fine return for Minka Fitzpatrick, the Pro-Bowler that Miami traded for this pick.

19: Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago): Kenneth Murray, Linebacker, Oklahoma

• The Raiders dipped into LSU’s elite secondary with their first pick of the first round, and they head for Oklahoma’s defensive unit to snag Kenneth Murray, a very curious prospect. The Raiders will want a new wide receiver, but they figure with a deep draft of pass-catchers, they’ll have a chance to do that in later rounds. They snag Murray who some scouts are high on his natural talent, but some question his decision making and discipline.

20: Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Jefferson, Wide Receiver, LSU

• The Jaguars feel confident their first pick in Simmons is a swiss-army-knife who can plug many of their defensive holes, so they go back to the offensive side of the ball. Is Justin Jefferson an elite wide receiver, or did he benefit from Joe Burrow’s historic senior season? The Jaguars are betting on the former, allowing Jefferson to line up across from D.J. Chark and offer quarterback Gardner Minshew another dangerous option going down the field. 

21: Philadelphia Eagles: Tee Higgins, Wide Receiver, Clemson

• The Eagles are an extremely talented team in many areas, and they remain committed to Carson Wentz who put up really good numbers with a cast of wide receivers that no average NFL fan could name. Philadelphia goes to the draft to pick up an elite receiver as they hope to become the standard in the NFC East, and maybe the NFC as a whole. 

22: Buffalo Bills: Laviska Shenault Jr, Wide Receiver, Colorado

• The Bills really want a receiver to give their young quarterback Josh Allen a weapon, and Shenault is an intriguing option at #22. Projected as a late first round pick, Shenault offers explosiveness and versatility, but he needs to sharpen up on specific skill sets. Many evaluators criticize his route-running, as Shenault has too much experience as a do-it-all guy for the Buffaloes. The Bills have the defense, they have their quarterback, and now they give him a weapon as they seek a very elusive playoff win next season. 

23: New England Patriots: Henry Ruggs III, Wide Receiver, Alabama

• With the status of Tom Brady in complete limbo, this pick is highly interesting for the Patriots. They could draft a quarterback, but they either assume Brady is coming back, or trust Jarrett Stidham to lead the charge for a year. So instead of going after a signal-caller, they’ll try to give whoever is under center some more weapons. Complementing Mohamed Sanu, Julian Edelman, and last year’s first-round N’Keal Harry, Ruggs brings elite athleticism to the table for the Patriots. 

24: New Orleans Saints: Jacob Eason, Quarterback, Washington

• What New Orleans really wants is a wide receiver to complement their stud in Michael Thomas, but they may feel that anyone worth a first-round pick if off the table already, so they’ll further muddle up their quarterback situation by taking Eason, the former Georgia quarterback who has tantalizingly great arm talent. The Saints have some options between Brees, ‘quarterback’ Taysom Hill, and backup Teddy Bridgewater. But depending on who they bring back in free agency, they could start grooming Eason to take over in a few years. 

25: Minnesota Vikings: Jordan Love, Quarterback, Utah State

• This would be a surprise pick, as the Vikings aren’t known to be in the market for a quarterback, but this could be an interesting pick with an eye to the future. The Vikings have a window to win and they picked Kirk Cousins as their signal-caller to bring them to the promised land. After going 18-13-1 the past two seasons, the Vikings may be wondering if they have maxed out their potential with him and want to take Love, the most promising quarterback by arm strength and physical talent, but a work-in-progress based on his feel for the position and immature decision-making. 

26: Miami Dolphins (via Houston): Javon Kinlaw, Defensive Tackle, South Carolina

• The Dolphins have three first round picks and they’ve used the first two on a quarterback and linebacker. Regarded as a strong day-1 target, Kinlaw has absurd physical traits that allow him to make some incredible plays. With Justin Herbert or maybe veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick tossing the ball to young star Devante Parker, the Dolphins are excited to address some defensive needs and get a high-ceiling prospect in Kinlaw. 

27: Seattle Seahawks: Patrick Queen, Linebacker, LSU

• Queen balled out for the Tigers in the National Championship game, a great stage to boost your draft stock on. With plenty of defensive needs, the Seahawks would do well to get Queen, a stud linebacker that many view as a Day 1 starter next season.

28: Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Lewis, Outside Linebacker, Alabama

• Baltimore’s most glaring need is an edge rusher, which makes Lewis a natural fit. After being torn apart by Derrick Henry in the playoffs, the Ravens snag the Crimson Tide star, who excels in setting the edge against the run, with an excellent ability to disengage blockers and pursue the ball. Some injury history certainly raises questions, but Lewis has first-round abilities. 

29: Tennessee Titans: Trevon Diggs, Cornerback, Alabama

• The Titans made their magical run with a dominant run game and elite defense. While working to resign Derrick Henry, they’ll turn to the draft to maintain their strong defense and take Diggs, who has only played defense exclusively for three years after coming to Alabama as a receiver recruit. Diggs has excellent athleticism and excelled in zone coverages. His man-to-man efforts are mediocre, but there’s hope for improvement. Diggs could certainly be a starting corner within a year or two. 

30: Green Bay Packers: Marlon Davidson, Defensive End, Alabama

• This is a wildcard of a first pick as Davidson has gotten mixed reviews as a rusher at Alabama. While the physical gifts are there, Davidson’s technique has been criticized as incomplete and not maximizing his tools correctly. However, the Packers probably feel that an elite defense is the best way to compete with their semi-stagnant offense, so they snag a potentially dynamic player in Davidson. 

31: San Francisco 49ers: Jeff Gladney, Cornerback, TCU

• The secondary is the most glaring need for the 49ers who have done well through the draft and free agency to build an offense around Jimmy Garoppolo and an elite defense led by Nick Bosa. The secondary lacks major playmakers, and Gladney brings explosive footwork and thrilling potential to the field. The taste of Patrick Mahomes’ 21-point fourth quarter is still sour in San Francisco, and they’ll look to bring some young talent to the weakest part of their roster. 

32: Kansas City Chiefs: AJ Espenza, Outside Linebacker, Iowa

• This might be a match made in heaven for the Chiefs, who would very much like to grab a playmaker on the front seven. Epenesa is most certainly a playmaker having recorded 22 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss to go with eight forced fumbles and seven pass deflections. There’s some concerns about lateral quickness from the 6’6 Hawkeyes star, but he aboslutely has the talent the Chiefs may be searching for on draft day.