It has come to no surprise that sports has been turned upside down amid the COVID-19 outbreak. With all professional sports leagues currently at a stand still with no near return in sight for now, it is appropriate to look into the future at the new big stars to grace the professional stage. The 2019 College Football season was a memorable one, where records were broken and where once ordinary players became breakout prospects, climbing various Mock Draft ladders. By the end of the College Football Playoffs, we saw the LSU Tigers led by Heisman-winning QB Joe Burrow defeat the Clemson Tigers led by their superstar QB Trevor Lawrence 42-25. With the 2020 NFL Draft now just hours away, we’ve decided to create a final mock draft of our own, as to who will be drafted in the first round tomorrow (the first ten picks).
Note: The foundation of our mock draft will be essentially based on necessity, looking at what each team needs in order to be competitive/successful in this upcoming NFL season.
Pick No. 1 – Cincinnati Bengals
QB Joe Burrow, LSU
In my opinion, this seems like a no-brainer to me. Joe Burrow grew up in Ohio, and for him to go back home after winning the National Championship game to be the savior of a struggling Bengals franchise seems like it was meant to be. The organization franchise-tagging WR AJ Green was necessary in order to satisfy Burrow as he needs targets. However, it’s yet to be determined if his game can translate on a professional level. We’ll just have to wait and see to find out.
Pick No. 2 – Washington Redskins
DE Chase Young, Ohio State
As the premier defensive player in this draft, he’s on a level above everyone else. As an predominantly-positioned edge rusher, Young has the acceleration, strength and agility to evade blockers and get to the opposing QB with ease. Also, I’m sure Ron Rivera knows that he cannot fumble this pick as he did at times during his stint with the Carolina Panthers.
Pick No. 3 – Detroit Lions
CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
If you thought the Giants were atrocious on defense, wait until you see the numbers by Matt Patricia and the Lions. You would expect being a disciple of Bill Belichick, he would be keen on the winning mentality and defense. The Lions ranked second last in defense, allowing 400.4 yards/game on average. They don’t have a single defensive player ranked in the top 40 last season on defense. Jeff Okudah is polished and agile, and Matt Stafford could use all the help he could get on the other side of the football.
Pick No. 4 – New York Giants
OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
Dave Gettleman went under fire quickly in last year’s draft by selecting QB Daniel Jones to replace the retiring Eli Manning. I believe this time around, he’s going to play it safe, but knowing Gettlemen, who knows? Based on necessity, it would be defense, as the Giants were ranked 25th in the league last year, allowing the opposition to score an average of 377.3 yards/game. But what’s more important is protecting Daniel Jones. He fumbled the ball 18 times during the season, and lost possession 11/18 times. That’s where Tristan Wirfs comes in. You can make the case for Mekhi Becton based on his surreal combine performance, but overall, Wirfs was the best lineman at the combine.
Pick No. 5 – Miami Dolphins
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
This seems pretty obvious to me as well. Based on necessity, the one thing the Dolphins need right now (besides wins) is a reliable quarterback. Other than Joe Burrow, the only other prominent quarterbacks in this draft are Tua and Oregon’s Justin Herbert. In this case, I think the Dolphins will roll the dice on Tua’s injury and believe he’ll be fine based on his off-season rehab along with his 2019 season pre-injury.
Pick No. 6 – Los Angeles Chargers
QB Justin Herbert, Oregon
The third and fifth overall picks could be switched, depending on their fit within the organization. Both quarterbacks are polished and have put up great numbers in their college careers. With Phillip Rivers off to the Colts, I don’t believe Tyrod Taylor is ready to step into that starting quarterback role just yet. They are most likely going to select a reliable play-caller with this pick, but it remains to be seen if it will be Tua or Justin.
Pick No. 7 – Carolina Panthers
DE/DT Derrick Brown, Auburn
The Panthers as a whole, but more particularly, their defensive line needs to be solidified. That’s where Derrick Brown fits in. Carolina ranked 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game, averaging 146.2. You can make the argument with the Panthers drafting Jeff Okudah if he’s still available, but it’s doubtful at this point. It’s still unclear whether Teddy Bridgewater can produce as well as Cam Newton had, before he was cut last month, but that’s something else we’ll have to wait and see for ourselves.
Pick No. 8 – Arizona Cardinals
LB/S Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
QB Kyler Murray came into the NFL and had himself a great season, taking home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. On the defensive end, however, it was a different story. The Cardinals ranked second last in opposition passing yards at 284.4/game. They need someone that will be able to rush opposing QBs and Simmons seems to be the reasonable fit here. He was a standout start in Clemson during the 2019 College Football season, and his defensive tendencies seemed to be polished enough to translate to the professional level.
Pick No. 9 – Jacksonville Jaguars
LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
Jacksonville struggled on defense and they need someone to blitz opposing QBs. Murray played a crucial role in Oklahoma’s run in the 2019 College Football season. Look for him to make an immediate impact on the defensive end.
Pick No. 10 – Cleveland Browns
WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Let’s be honest. They don’t “need” a WR, especially this early in the draft. But drafting a WR with this potential is rare, and it’s hard for the Browns not to pounce on the opportunity, given their disappointing season last year. They were projected to be a playoff team, but fell short of expectations. Giving Baker Mayfield an Oklahoma-bred WR might be just what he needs as a target, in combination with Odell Beckham Jr, Nick Chubb, and Jarvis Landry. If they can prevent the seduction of other teams with the offers of future first round picks or fillers, they should be able to be successful next season.
Four Notable Picks I believe will be taken in Round 1:
Pick No. 12: Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
Pick No. 13: San Fransisco 49ers – WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
Pick No. 17: Dallas Cowboys – S Xavier McKinney, Alabama
Pick No. 20: Jacksonville Jaguars – RB J.K, Dobbins, Ohio State
Also don’t be surprised if the New England Patriots trade up in the draft to get either Jordon Love or Jalen Hurts.
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