We have 2020 vision, NFL Draft style, right here, right now. It’s our fourth 2020 NFL mock draft update, and the order was based on a combination of NFL.com’s power rankings plus how we see the teams finishing the season out. Team needs were sometimes, but not often taken into account, as it’s just way too early to factor in. Obviously this will be modified many times between now and 2020 NFL Draft day.
So I implore you to really not take this very seriously, and just have fun with it. Please refrain from pointless hostility and needless acrimony in the comments section. Don’t be that guy. You have too much to do in your life than to waste it on trivial online conflict like that. Enjoy!
Betting on football is just as hard as drafting a starter so check out BetQL to find updated college football lines, betting line movement, and expert NFL picks.
1. Miami, Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Seems to be #1 overall on many a draft board and in many a 2020 NFL mock draft. We don’t see any reason right now not to conform on this one.
2. Cincinnati, Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
It was initially thought that he made a monumental mistake by staying in school. Conventional wisdom held that he would perhaps fall down the boards this year, per what often happens when a signal caller stays one year too long. Maybe Herbert is the exception?
It seems like the Andy Dalton era is in its 14th minute in Cincy.
3. NY Jets, Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
The OSU NFL DL factory keeps churning. He’ll be the league’s best pass rusher this autumn, and he’s bigger and more athletic than both Bosa brothers. He was the best player on the field in the Rose Bowl this past New Year’s and he looks almost certain to keep an interesting OSU draft streak alive.
The Buckeyes have produced the first defender drafted out of the Big Ten four straight years; make it five.
“He can be extremely dominant- he’s a great player,” said the other projected DE starter on Ohio State, Jonathan Cooper, of Young at Big Ten Media Day.
“Works extremely hard to improve himself every single day, and I think he’s going to be one of the best I’ve ever seen.”
4. Las Vegas, Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
The Raiders team needs are….well, everything. Jeudy is the whole package, as good a prospect we’ve seen at the position in a very long time. It seems like JAX is always in need of offensive playmakers.
5. NY Giants, Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama
Probably could have come out and been a late first round or early second round pick this year.
6. Arizona, Andrew Thomas, OL, Georgia
Blue chip o-line prospect than looks set to be a top five overall pick. Cards have drafted some QBs lately; now they need to invest in some really good protection for them.
7. Washington, CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
Has a combination of size, athleticism, explosiveness and body control that makes him a legit potential NFL WR1. AWESOME name too.
8. Denver, Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia
A prospect who has been ready for awhile, but there is that goofy rule stipulating that you need to be out of high school three years. Flacco is not going to last forever.
9. Tampa Bay, Javon Kinlaw, DE, South Carolina
One of the fastest rising prospects in the draft.
10. Tennessee, Collin Johnson, WR, Texas
Big tall wideout set to put up huge numbers in 2019.
11. Detroit, A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
Don’t sleep on the Iowa Hawkeyes when it comes to producing top NFL talent on the edge of the line; both sides. The Hawkeyes had not one, but two tight ends go in the top 20 last April, and Epenesa is likely next. He’s a tough, physical edge rusher who’s attracting all kinds of positive attention from scouts.
He has the talent, size (6’6″, 280) and the measurables to have an All-American season this autumn. Epenesa led the Big Ten and ranked 12th nationally in sacks, ranked second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally in forced fumbles and ranked fourth in the conference in tackles for loss.
The Illinois, native also recorded 37 tackles, four pass break-ups, eight pressures, and a blocked punt.
12. Jacksonville, Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Has all the tools to develop into a disruptive force
13. San Francisco, Grant Delpit, DB, LSU
LSU continues to be DBU; rinse and repeat. May not even last this long.
14. Buffalo, Walker Little, OL, Stanford
Blue-chip big boy to protect ; if he’s still there by this point.
15. Cleveland, Kenny Willekes, DL, Michigan State
Willekes led the Big Ten in TFLs last year with 20.5 and was a big reason the Spartans had the nation’s number one run defense. “Probably every pass rusher in the NFL, I’ve watched tape on them at some point,” Willekes said at Big Ten Media Day.
“And try to pick up things I can add to my game, but I feel like I’m a little different than any of ’em. I try to have my own style, do things my own way a little bit.”
So Willekes is both the proverbial student of the game, and he’s original.
16. Carolina, Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
So much talent at this position at Clemson right now- will be interesting to see how Trevor Lawrence distributes the ball to everybody and keeps everyone happy.
17. Pittsburgh,Tyler Biadasz, OL, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin NFL OL factory keeps churning. He’s up next, and there will be many more to come.
18. New Orleans, Isaiah Simmons, DB, Clemson
Has a great D Coordinator to work under in Brent Venables, and his stock should only rise. Move over Bama, it’s Clemson’s time now to be the number one NFL Draft factory.
19. Atlanta, Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Tigers will be more pass happy this year, but that won’t hurt Etienne’s draft stock. He could be the first or second back off the boards.
20. Indianapolis, J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State
Expect him to really shine this year in the change and adaptation to the Ryan Day regime.
21. Houston, Rashard Lawrence, DL, LSU
An expert at getting into opposing back fields, Lawrence could be an every down player.
22. Green Bay, Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville
Lots of big road graders, space eaters will go very high in this draft.
23. Seattle, Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin NFL RB factory keeps churning as the nation’s leading rusher and Doak Walker Award winner is back for another go around. Big, fast, strong and tough- he’ll be really fun to watch this fall.
He’s coming off two top ten finishes in Heisman voting, perhaps he’ll join Montee Ball in becoming a UW Heisman finalist this December?
24. Las Vegas via Chicago, Tommy Kraemer, OL, Notre Dame
He’s been overshadowed by all the talented OL in South Bend the past few years, some of which were drafted pretty high. Now is the time for him to rise up the depth charts and seize his chance.
Opportunity arises…
25. Philadelphia, A.J. Terrell, DB, Clemson
Has shown his chops against some of the best WRs in college football, many of which are strong pro prospects. Expect those skills to translate to the next level.
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26. Baltimore, Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
Under the radar name to watch this fall, it feels like Baltimore always need wide outs.
27. Minnesota, Kristian Fulton, DB, LSU
Tigers secondary will be locked and loaded this autumn.
28. L.A. Chargers, Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
As Michael Stipe famously sang, “everybody hurrrrrrrrrrts, sometimes.”
And this is the time for the Chargers to take Phillip Rivers’ successor.
29. Dallas, Jordan Fuller, S, Ohio State
A big hitter who is effective against both the run and the pass. Fuller will change positions for the Buckeyes this year, and playing in a new role will no doubt give him a chance to beef up his NFL Draft resume tape, by showing off all that he can do.
“Last year I was playing a bunch of man (coverage) at times, from 10 yards off, I won’t be doing this year, I know that,” Fuller said at Big Ten Media Day.
Usually, I’ll just be playing in the middle of the field or playing man on somebody, or playing in the zone, it really jsu depends. I’m a pretty versatile player, so doing a bunch of different things is really fun.”
30. Kansas City, Raequan Williams, DL, Michigan State
A big physical DT who can push the pocket. His size and speed combination make him an elite level prospect and he’s a huge reason State led the Big Ten in scoring defense.
Beyond all that, and much more importantly, Williams is a hero among his Spartans teammates. MSU players love to talk about Williams because he possesses tremendous leadership skills, and he stands out as an example of someone who has truly overcome obstacles.
Adversity is a word that gets thrown around way too much in sports, and 99% of the time it’s egregiously misused. Williams has overcome real, true adversity, and because of that the sky is truly the limit to what he can achieve in life.
The Founding Director of Williams’ youth football team, the Garfield Park Gators, says eight of his former players have killed from gun violence during his 15 years in charge. It hits even closer to home for Williams, as he’s lost two family members to the gun violence epidemic.
His younger brother, Corey Hill, was shot and killed in June 2017 in the Garfield Park neighborhood on Chicago’s west side. A little more than a year earlier. Antonio Pollards, a cousin that Williams considered to be like a brother, was also gunned down, at a spot in close proximity to where Hill died.
31. L.A. Rams, Brycen Hopkins, TE, Purdue
Father, Brad Hopkins was a long time NFL OT who was selected out of Illinois. Hopkins the younger is a special athlete whose best football is still yet to come.
32. New England, Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame
“Julian Okwara, everyone talks about his pass-rush ability,” Kelly said at Media Day.
“Really doesn’t matter much if you can’t stop the run because you’re going to be on the wrong side of it. We’re going to put our guys in a position where we’re going to stop the run first.
“Julian is going to be part of that. He’s a really good football player. But he’s not one-dimensional. Here is a guy that has a chance to be one of the top players in the NFL Draft. He’s going to be part of that.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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