by: Sean McGovern & Kyle Delahanty
With the NFL Draft Combine officially about to be underway this Saturday, February 23rd, I figured what better time to take a stab at a full 1st-round mock draft? Here is my first official NFL Mock Draft, as I am sure many more will be posted after the Combine concludes and Free Agency begins. Let Draft Szn commence!
**PSA: Even picks: Sean/Odd picks: Kyle**
Round 1- Pick 1:
Projected Team: Cincinnati Bengals
Selection: QB, LSU-RS SR-Joe Burrow 6’4” 216 lbs
As the Andy Dalton era ends in Cincinnati, the Joe Burrow era begins. When you have arguably the greatest college football season a quarterback can have, culminating in a National Championship victory and Heisman trophy, you’re going to catch the attention of NFL scouts. I don’t believe he’s the top quarterback in the draft, nor do I think he’ll have a very good NFL career, but I do believe the Bengals will draft him at #1.
Round 1- Pick 2:
Projected Team: Washington Redskins
Selection: EDGE, Ohio State- JR- Chase Young 6’5” 265 lbs
The Redskins luck out and get the best player in the draft here at #2 overall. We could see a QB-needy team like the Dolphins, Chargers, or Colts try to move up to this slot to land a quarterback they fall in love with throughout the pre-draft process. However, in this scenario, the Redskins play it smart and select an absolute freak of nature, who is going to put up all-time combine numbers this upcoming weekend. Ron Rivera gets his new version of Julius Peppers.
Round 1- Pick 3:
Projected Team: Detroit Lions
Selection: CB, Ohio St.- JR- Jeffrey Okudah 6’1” 200 lbs
With consecutive draft picks, an Ohio St. standout has his dream come true. With the Detroit Lions shopping veteran cornerback Darius Slay, it would only make sense for them to take Okudah here, barring any big cornerback acquisitions during free agency. According to scouts around the league, Okudah showcases the ball skills and physical ability to strive in the NFL, making him a complete package.
Round 1- Pick 4:
Projected Team: New York Giants
Selection: OT, Alabama- JR- Jedrick Wills 6’5” 320 lbs
Oh, how I would love for my beloved Giants to finally get a star on the defensive side of the ball, I truly believe they will go with a “Hog-mollie” with this selection, if they do not opt to trade back come April. Wills might not have the upside of a Mekhi Becton, but he locked down the right side of Alabama’s dominant offensive line for the past 28 consecutive contests. He is a mauler in the run game and that type of nastiness is what the Giants need to resurrect their porous offensive line play. I envision Wills shifting over to the blind side, seamlessly, with free agent bust, Nate Solder, moving to the right side to play out the final year of his hefty contract. Now, with Wills, Zeitler, and Hernandez, the G-men have something cooking. Wills WILL protect Daniel Jones’ blind side for the next decade, while opening up running lanes for generational talent, Saquon Barkely.
Round 1- Pick 5:
Projected Team: Miami Dolphins
Selection: QB, Alabama- JR- Tua Tagovailoa 6’1” 219 lbs
With the first of three 2020 NFL Draft selections, the Miami Dolphins decide to fill the most important position on the field with Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tua features a brilliant football IQ, an accurate passing skill set and composure that may be unmatched. Yes, there are doubts in how he’ll be able to adjust to a bad Miami team coming from a Crimson Tide roster filled with All-Americans and top recruits, but barring any hip issues, I think Tua’s humble and focused mentality will suit well for any franchise that hands in a card with his name on it.
Round 1- Pick 6:
Projected Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Selection: QB, Oregon- SR- Justin Herbert 6’6” 227 lbs
Let the QB run commence. With LAC confirmed to be moving on from long time franchise signal caller, Philip Rivers, the Chargers are heavily in the market for a new QB. While, they may look to dish out a costly free agent contract to the likes of Tom Brady or Teddy Bridgewater, I do anticipate that the Chargers will look to take a young quarterback here to either, start right away, or sit behind a bridge QB for a year. The trend has been, that if you’re selected in the first round, or even second, and you play QB you are most likely going to be thrown into the fire at some point in your rookie campaign. The Chargers get a really talented thrower of the football here with sneaky athleticism, coming from a basketball background. Herbert’s decision to return to play for the Ducks in his senior year pays off, as he finds himself on, arguably, the most talented roster in the NFL.
Round 1- Pick 7:
Projected Team: Carolina Panthers
Selection: IDL, Auburn- SR- Derrick Brown 6’5” 318 lbs
The Panthers have made quite a few changes to their organization, roster and coaching staff within the past few months, and now the NFL world waits to see what the team decides to do with the quarterback situation. Assuming they decide to give a healthy Cam Newton the keys to the city for possibly one more run, they’ll look to address a hole on the interior defensive line by filling it with Auburn’s Derrick Brown. Based on the opinions of scouts, he’s considered to be one of the best interior defensive linemen to come out of school in recent memory.
Round 1- Pick 8:
Projected Team: Arizona Cardinals
Selection: OT, Lousiville- JR- Mekhi Becton 6’7” 369 lbs
I bounced back and forth on this pick here, between getting OROY Kyler Murray a true #1 WR, or getting him more protection on the offensive line. One could argue that as a mobile QB, you don’t necessarily need that great of an O-line (see Russel Wilson). But, if Kyler Murray wants to last in this league at 5’10”, he will need to stand in the pocket and let it rip. Rising OT prospect, and mammoth of a man, Mekhi Becton, will do that for him and then some. Becton reminds some scouts of a young, Tyron Smith, in terms of their similar length and power. The Cardinals locked up their LT DJ Humphries today on a three-year contract extension, so why not secure the other side of the line for the foreseeable future? After this week’s combine, I could see Becton’s stock rising even further, so he might not even be available at #8 come draft time.
Round 1- Pick 9:
Projected Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Selection: LB, Clemson- RS JR- Isaiah Simmons 6’4” 230 lbs
It feels as though the Jacksonville Jaguars are always getting the next big thing on defense, and that tradition continues for at least one more year as they select Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons. It’s safe to say, this guy is a freak. There’s major upside for Simmons with his length and versatility, I could honestly see him going earlier than the 9th pick, but in this case this is where he lands. If Jacksonville can figure things out on offense, they could have a bright future with young defensive talent like Myles Jack, Josh Allen and the newly acquired Simmons.
Round 1- Pick 10:
Projected Team: Cleveland Browns
Selection: OT Iowa- JR- Tristan Wirfs 6’5” 322 lbs
It would’ve been nice to add an exceptional talent like Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb to the Browns already stacked wide receiver group. On the contrary, I decided to play it smart here and address the Browns number one need and a weak point on this stacked roster. Iowa has a proven track record of producing reliable, tough nosed, and most importantly good offensive linemen in recent years. Wirfs, is the latest of the bunch to enter the pros. While some scouts project him to be a guard in the NFL, it doesn’t matter in this instance. The Browns just need warm bodies on the O-line at this point, as Baker Mayfield regressed last year due to significantly worse offensive line play compared to his rookie season. Browns land a plug and play starter here.
Round 1- Pick 11:
Projected Team: New York Jets
Selection: OT, Georgia- JR- Andrew Thomas 6’5” 320 lbs
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Jets #1 priority needs to be protecting franchise QB Sam Darnold. Whether the Jets decide to address the need in free agency, the draft, or both, it’d be beneficial in selecting three-year starter for the Georgia Bulldogs in Andrew Thomas. The Jets will hand in the card with Thomas’ name on it, in hopes that he has a similar positive impact on the organization like D’Brickashaw Ferguson did with the Jets first round selection of him in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Round 1- Pick 12:
Projected Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Selection: WR, Alabama -JR- Jerry Jeudy 6’1” 192 lbs
Jon Gruden gets in Jeudy what he hoped to get in Antonio Brown: a flashy weapon on the outside to help Derek Carr along and put asses in the seats in Sin City. There’s been a debate among analysts as to who the best receiver in this class is: Jeudy or Lamb. I don’t think GM, Mike Mayock, overthinks it here. He lands one of the most polished WR prospects we’ve seen in some recent time. Jeudy’s tape speaks for itself, and he is a true all-around WR prospect. Mayock and Gruden hit another home run with this pick to add to their already impressive draft resume. Jeudy could very well be the next Julio Jones.
Round 1- Pick 13:
Projected Team: Indianapolis Colts
Selection: WR, Oklahoma- SR- CeeDee Lamb 6’2” 189 lbs
There’s rumors of the Colts acquiring veteran, and former Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, as well as drafting quarterback Jordan Love, but regardless of what they decide to do with the field general, I have them selecting Oklahoma speedster CeeDee Lamb. Lamb is an extremely talented wideout known for his ball skills and ability to track the football. This wideout addition will give whoever’s throwing the ball for Indy two exceptional receivers to add to an already very talented overall roster.
Round 1- Pick 14:
Projected Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Selection: IDL, South Carolina- SR- Javon Kinlaw 6’5” 315 lbs
This just felt like a match made in heaven. Ever since releasing Gerald McCoy, the Bucs have been missing a true star on the interior of the defensive line. Kinlaw is another rising prospect whose stock will surely rise after the combine. Kinlaw possesses a super quick first step and has all the potential in the world to be a highly-effective pass rusher. With every GM looking to find the next Aaron Donald these days, this player is not too far from the type of prospect Donald was coming out of college. Kinlaw’s pro-comp is a player like Leonard Williams.
Round 1- Pick 15:
Projected Team: Denver Broncos
Selection: WR, Alabama- JR- Henry Ruggs III 6’0” 190 lbs
The Denver Broncos can go in many directions with this pick, but noticing that they may have finally found their field general in 2019 second round draft selection Drew Lock, they may want to add to the offense and give him some weapons to work with in the future. With the addition of a speedy Ruggs III and his pro comparison of DeSean Jackson, it gives the Broncos a nice 1-2 punch with a deep threat in Ruggs and big target in Courtland Sutton.
Round 1- Pick 16:
Projected Team: Atlanta Falcons
Selection: EDGE, LSU- JR- K’Lavon Chaisson 6’4” 250 lbs
After letting pass rusher Vic Beasley walk this year in free agency, the Atlanta defensive unit lacks a true disruptive edge rusher. Insert Chaisson to fill that void. Coming off an undefeated season and National Championship, Chaisson is on top of the world. He was an anchor of the LSU defense, and a true presence in the locker room. Every time LSU needed to rally the troops, you could look to the sideline to see Chaisson getting his team back on track. He was awarded the honor of wearing #18 for the Tigers which is meant to signify a player who exemplifies success on and off the field. Falcons get a good one here to help revitalize their defensive front, and try to get back to the Super Bowl.
Round 1- Pick 17:
Projected Team: Dallas Cowboys
Selection: CB, LSU- SR- Kristian Fulton 6’0” 200 lbs
Another team that made some big changes this offseason, and I’m not quite sure they’re finished just yet, but during the draft they’ll look to address the cornerback position with the addition of National Champion corner Kristian Fulton from LSU. He was a highly touted high school recruit, but after a suspension for tampering with an NCAA drug test back in 2017, scouts began to doubt. Fulton turned his once-believers turned doubters into believers again after an impressive 2018 and 2019 season. He’s praised for his composure in big moments playing a big position like cornerback, which makes him a nice addition for “America’s Team”, the Dallas Cowboys.
Round 1- Pick 18:
Projected Team: Miami Dolphins
Selection: EDGE, Iowa- JR- A.J. Epenesa 6’6” 280 lbs
The Dolphins circle back around after landing their franchise QB and get a top pass rusher in the class. After nearly trading or cutting every single good defensive player on their team last season, MIA needs help everywhere on the defensive side of the ball. Getting Epenesa this late in the first round is a steal. He is a relentless pass rusher who racked up a total of 30.5 sacks over his previous two seasons. Epenesa and last year’s first round pick, Christian Wilkins, have a chance to get the Dolphins front 7 back to a level of respectability next season.
Round 1- Pick 19:
Projected Team: Las Vegas Raiders
Selection: CB, Florida Gators- JR- C.J. Henderson 6’1” 202 lbs
With their third and final selection of the first round, the Raiders look to add to their secondary with Florida’s C.J. Henderson. Head coach Jon Gruden, and scout-turned General Manager, Mike Mayock will love the addition of a cornerback with the wingspan that Henderson provides. A cornerback with arms similar to tree branches can make all the difference when covering some of the top wideouts around the league.
Round 1- Pick 20:
Projected team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Selection: CB, TCU- RS SR- Jeff Gladney 6’0” 183 lbs
After trading disgruntled corner, Jalen Ramsey, to the Rams this past off-season and after rumors are heating up that CB A.J. Bouye could be out the door next, the Jags are very much in the market for secondary help. While, they probably should look sign a prized free agent cornerback to get a proven commodity…with -3.4 mil in cap space it is going to nearly impossible to accomplish that feat. For this franchise in salary cap hell, look no further than red-shirt Senior corner Jeff Gladney to help put a bandaid on your secondary woes. Gladney, is being slept on in this class. Believe it or not, his frame and play style emulates that of none other than Jalen Ramsey. Gladney is going to make an NFL team very happy that chooses to take a chance on him. He has exciting traits as a man corner but possesses the versatility to play inside as well. Gladney is disruptive around the ball and has solid ball skills.
Round 1- Pick 21:
Projected Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Selection: S, Alabama- JR- Xavier McKinney 6’1” 200 lbs
After a rollercoaster type of season in 2019, the Eagles hope to have a healthy roster heading into the 2020 season. Known for their smart organizational decisions, you could expect them to make changes to their roster, and when it comes to the draft, they should be looking to add Alabama defensive standout Xavier McKinney. There’s a mixture of youth’s and vet’s in the Eagles secondary, but with the addition of McKinney and his high football IQ, it’s like having a veteran inside a young body.
Round 1- Pick 22:
Projected Team: Buffalo Bills
Selection: WR, Colorado- JR- Lavishka Shenault Jr. 6’2” 220 lbs
Shenault is one of those swiss army knife type of wide receivers that any NFL team would love to add to their squad in 2020. We saw what a player like Deebo Samuel did in this year’s playoffs: lining up at running back, catching screens, and breaking big play after big play. The Bill’s and QB Josh Allen would love to add a player of Shenault’s talent to an already productive offense. Any offensive coordinator would be watering at the mouth to get a weapon like this. Shenault is a bigger, stronger Deebo Samuel; scary thought.
Round 1- Pick 23:
Projected Team: New England Patriots
Selection: S, LSU- JR- Grant Delpit 6’3” 201 lbs
With the possibility of Devin McCourty playing elsewhere next season, the Patriots may decide to fill that void right away with the 2019 Jim Thorpe award winner for best defensive back in the country, Grant Delpit. A mix of versatility, physicality and smarts, along with the fact that he can come in and play right away, this pick is a no brainer for the G.O.A.T. Bill Belichick. Or…you know, they’ll just take another guy you’ve never heard of and turn him into a pro bowler for years to come.
Round 1- Pick 24:
Projected team: New Orleans Saints
Selection: QB, Utah State- RS JR- Jordan Love 6’4” 223 lbs
I never thought I’d utter the phrase I am about to say, but here goes nothing. Drew Brees might retire to be replaced by franchise QB Taysom Hill. Yes, this is the world we live in. Whether Sean Payton proclaiming special teams/ WR/TE/ wildcat QB Taysom Hill as the next Steve Young and potential face of his franchise is a smokescreen or the truth, we need to peg QB, as a serious need for the Saints this off-season. Drawing comparisons to 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, Love, is the the new sheriff in town and Sean Payton’s new right hand man. No one can really predict who will be playing the quarterback position for the Saints next year, but Love’s arm talent, and Payton’s offensive genius is an enticing pairing.
Round 1- Pick 25:
Projected Team: Minnesota Vikings
Selection: LB, LSU- JR- Patrick Queen 6’1” 227 lbs
Although cornerback might be more of an issue for the Vikings prior to free agency, grabbing one during this mock draft at #25 might be a bit of a reach, therefore they’ll go with LSU’s Patrick Queen at the linebacker position. With good instincts and a strong football IQ, he’ll be a nice addition to a veteran defense and an already pretty strong linebacker core featuring Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks.
Round 1- Pick 26:
Projected Team: Miami Dolphins
Selection: RB, Georgia- JR- D’ Andre Swift 5’9” 215 lbs
With their third and final first round pick of the 2020 Draft the, Dolphins, grab another offensive piece to go alongside franchise QB Tua Tagovailoa: forming a pretty solid QB-RB tandem. Dolphins fans have to feel pretty good going from an offense led by journeyman Ryan FitzMagic and unproven RBs Kallen Ballage & Patrick Laird, to now arguably the top 2 collegiate players at their respective positions. Swift is next in line in the Georgia pipeline of tailbacks to come out and make an impact in the NFL. Names like Gurley, Chubb, and Michel come to mind as former Bulldog backs to have success in the league. Swift, at only 5’9”, packs a punch at 215 pounds. While many scouts and analysts feel as if he’s better suited as a Day-2 prospect, Miami has the luxury here to grab the shifty, three- down back, at the top of the 1st round.
Round 1- Pick 27:
Projected Team: Seattle Seahawks
Selection: EDGE, Penn St.- JR- Yetur Gross-Matos 6’5” 264 lbs
After confirming that the Seattle Seahawks will not be resigning Jadeveon Clowney, it’s time to fill the edge hole with Penn St.’s Gross-Matos. After an impressive past two years, Gross-Matos is a long and tall defender who’s effective off first contact. Like the Patriots, the Seahawks typically do a nice job of bringing in draft picks and making the most of them, so that’s what we should expect if this selection just so ends up happening.
Round 1- Pick 28:
Projected Team: Baltimore Ravens
Selection: LB, Oklahoma- JR- Kenneth Murray 6’2” 234 lbs
This pick just has the feel of another Baltimore Ravens late round steal. The Ravens linebacking corps needs help, after letting Za’Darius Smith and CJ Mosely walk last offseason. When people think of Big-12 and Oklahoma football, defense is usually not the first thing that comes to mind. But, believe it or not Oklahoma actually had a stud of a football player on the defensive side of the ball this past year. Murray is a high effort player who exhibits toughness and a high motor with a knack for making big plays. He may not be ready to start year 1, but he surely will make his presence felt on special teams or as a rotational player. You can teach technique and fundamentals but you can’t teach toughness and second effort. Defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale will be delighted with this selection.
Round 1- Pick 29:
Projected Team: Tennessee Titans
Selection: EDGE, Alabama- RS JR- Terrell Lewis 6’5” 258 lbs
A few months ago, I don’t think anyone expected the Titans to be picking this late in the first round, but after a memorable cinderella run through the AFC playoffs, they find themselves here. Head Coach Mike Vrabel has taken an Alabama defensive player in the first round before, and he’ll be doing the same this year with Terrell Lewis. Once again, an edge rusher best known for his length, but also known for being injury prone. With a list of past injuries, that’d be the only red flag coming along the selection of Lewis.
Round 1- Pick 30:
Projected Team: Green Bay Packers
Selection: WR, LSU- JR- Justin Jefferson 6’3” 192 lbs
One of several LSU Tigers selected in this version of this pre-combine version of my mock draft. Jefferson was a breakout star this year, and #1 pick Joe Burrow’s go-to-target. Every time I watched LSU play this year, I found myself asking who is that guy…after seeing #2 catch everything in sight and find the end zone, time and time again. Jefferson entered his freshman year as a skinny, lanky, and raw wide-receiver, who was buried at the bottom of the depth chart. Now, as a Junior, after bulking up, and refining his skills, he is a legitimate 1st round talent. Jefferson gives Mr. Discount Double-Check, Aaron Rodgers, another outside weapon to pair with All- Pro wideout, Davante Adams. If A-aron wants to know what type of player he can expect in getting Jefferson, he should just shoot Joe Burrow a text to hear how much he raves about his former teammate.
Round 1- Pick 31:
Projected Team: San Francisco 49ers
Selection: OT, Houston- RS SR- Josh Jones 6’5” 311 lbs
After one of the greatest turnaround seasons in NFL history, the 49ers will have some decisions to make to keep the NFC champions atop the NFC, and eventually atop the NFL. In this edition, they’ll focus their attention on keepin Jimmy GQ’s uniform clean by adding a young offensive lineman with Houston’s Josh Jones. Rumor has it that he’s a high ceiling, low floor offensive lineman, which is a coach’s dream. The protection of Garoppolo may be the key to the 49ers’ future success.
Round 1, Pick 32:
Projected Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Selection: EDGE, Wisconsin- RS SR- Zack Baun 6’3” 240 lbs
What needs does a team coming off of a pretty convincing Super Bowl victory have? Well, for starters, you could make the argument that the Chiefs were actually outplayed for most of Super Bowl LIV. With Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill on offense with, Andy Reid, calling plays for the next several years it’s safe to say you do not need much help, if any, on offense. So, with Patty Mahomeboy about to become the highest paid player in NFL history by a longshot, it is most prevalent NOW, more than ever, that the Chiefs add cheap, productive defensive players to their roster in order to maximize and lengthen their championship window. In Baun, KC will be getting a late bloomer who showed some serious pass rushing ability at this month’s Senior Bowl. Some scouts projected him as more of a stand up line-backer, due to his slight 240 pound frame. But, after producing 11.5 sacks and 55 QB pressures in the 2019 season, it is safe to say, Baun, is an asset to any defensive unit on the next level. If the Chiefs can continue to stockpile and hit on picks like this one, I foresee several Super Bowl parades in Kansas City through the lens of my crystal ball.
This concludes the mock draft. The website used to conduct this simulated version of April 23rd’s, NFL Draft, can be found at the following link: https://thedraftnetwork.com/mock-draft-machine
Delusional Giants Fan 