Givanni Damico | April 19th, 2020
Ladies and gentlemen welcome to the article that will get every fanbase grabbing their pitchforks and torches and chasing me out of the country. It’s time for my final mock draft of the year. This will be a seven-round mock draft with some trades. Just to clarify, I did not make moves in rounds three and on because on day two and three of the draft, so many teams make minor moves that I did not include. I will also be releasing this in three parts over the next three days. Alright, let’s get into it.
1) Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
There aren’t any smokescreens surrounding this pick. The Bengals have made it very clear that Burrow is their pick. Write it in sharpie.
2) Washington Redskins – Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
This is honestly the only other “lock” of this draft. I’ll be doing a separate article on my “locks”, although I’m sure some will be wrong because the draft is so hard to predict. The Redskins are all in on Young.
** Detroit trades pick 3 to Los Angeles in exchange for picks 6, 37, 112, 186, 2021 3rd **
3) Los Angeles Chargers (via DET) – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
The Chargers give up most of their 2020 draft to get their quarterback of the future. I’m aware that Anthony Lynn “trusts” Tyrod Taylor as their starter, but he’s not a long-term answer. In my mind, Herbert should start right away, but worst case scenario is that he sits a year behind Taylor (or less than a year when Taylor starts playing poorly). Herbert has a rocket for an arm as well as great athletic ability. He’s more dynamic than Taylor and brings a lot more to the table.
4) New York Giants – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
As much as I’d love to give the Giants a tackle here, there’s much less depth at the linebacker position than there is at tackle. The Giants can afford to pass on tackle here and take one in round two. Simmons is the most athletic player in the draft and he brings extreme versatility to the Meadowlands, being able to line up at linebacker, safety, or cornerback. He’s a once-in-a-decade kind of player that the Giants can’t miss.
5) Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
There are a lot of question marks with Tua’s injury history, but all things considered, the Dolphins can’t miss on him here. It’s a bit of a risky pick, but it can pay off big time. One Dolphins fan told me that they absolutely want Tua to be the pick here, but they’re just opposed to trading up for him.
6) Detroit Lions (via LAC) – Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
Okudah is the most technically sound and draft-ready cornerback in this class. Detroit gets the same guy that they would have taken at pick three while also gaining extra draft capital.
7) Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Carolina lost Gerald McCoy and Vernon Butler, leaving a wide-open hole at defensive tackle. Don’t listen to the people who say that Derrick Brown is not a top-10 player just because of his 3-cone time or because defensive tackles aren’t worth a top-10 pick. Brown is special and would immediately make a huge impact on the Carolina defensive front.
8) Arizona Cardinals – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Wirfs is not OT1 according to my rankings, but this isn’t a “What Would I Do” draft. While he seems to be the consensus OT1, and the Cardinals have a pretty big need at tackle. He has the athletic ability to move inside to guard too if need be, giving the Cardinals a lot of versatility to work with.
9) Jacksonville Jaguars – C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
Tre Herndon was very good last year, but he’s the only cornerback on the Jacksonville depth chart with any redeemable qualities. The loss of Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye in the last year has really depleted the Jacksonville secondary. Henderson is a fantastic man-coverage corner who’s only real weakness is tackling ability. He’s easily CB2 in a very murky cornerback class.
10) Cleveland Browns – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Thomas is my favorite tackle in the draft. He’s a great run-blocker with a lot of potential as a pass-blocker as well. He’s the most prepared to be a day-one starter out of the tackles in this class. Some argue that his ceiling is low, but I have no reason to believe that. He’s a high-floor, high-ceiling guy that isn’t a huge risk. He’d be an immediate upgrade over Chris Hubbard.
11) New York Jets – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
I think that Joe Douglas believes that he did a sufficient job addressing the offensive line in free agency. He did not. But because he thinks he did, Lamb should probably be the pick here. The Jets have awful depth at receiver after losing Robby Anderson, and the addition of Lamb would give Sam Darnold an explosive asset.
12) Las Vegas Raiders – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Jeudy is being called overrated so much that he is officially underrated. I mean, this guy was most people’s consensus WR1 or at worst, WR2 a month or two ago. What happened? Don’t believe in the group think: Jeudy is a fantastic receiver with great tools. The Raiders have a couple decent receivers in Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow, but Jeudy would be the WR1 in that group easily.
** San Francisco trades pick 13 to Dallas in exchange for picks 17, 82, 179, 2021 5th **
13) Dallas Cowboys (via SF) – K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
I have to believe that Chaisson is Dallas’ guy. They can’t risk the Falcons taking him at 16, so they make the move up to get their guy. San Francisco makes a necessary move-down in order to get some more mid-round draft capital. Chaisson is a very bendy athlete with extremely high potential. A great pick for Dallas with Henderson off the board and no safety worth a pick this high.
14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Jedrick Wills Jr., RT, Alabama
Wills is a right tackle. He would need time to develop at left tackle because he never played there at Alabama. Either way, Wills is a great pass-blocker who can give Tom Brady his much-needed time in the pocket.
15) Denver Broncos – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Now I may be falling for the pre-draft smoke here, but it appears that the Broncos have a strong interest in Jefferson. I also prefer Jefferson over Henry Ruggs III here. The Broncos get a guy who can play across from Courtland Sutton and give Drew Lock another weapon.
16) Atlanta Falcons – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Fulton is a high-floor player who the Falcons desperately need. They only really have Isaiah Oliver as a valuable cornerback right now, so the addition of Fulton is already an immediate upgrade. I question Fulton’s potential to develop into a dominant CB1 at the next level, but this is a “need” pick for Atlanta.
17) San Francisco 49ers (via DAL) – Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
This might seem like a reach to some, but Gladney has shot up draft boards in the last few months. The 49ers need cornerback help more than they need receiver help in my opinion. The receiver class is also deeper than the cornerback class, so the 49ers can address that need later on. Gladney has fantastic potential, but he isn’t quite as pro-ready as guys like Henderson. Luckily, he’ll be able to learn under one of the best to ever do it in Richard Sherman.
18) Miami Dolphins (via PIT) – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Becton had a diluted sample at the Combine, but that’s not the only reason he fell for me. The board just didn’t fall favorably for Becton. If the Giants had taken Wirfs at four overall, then Becton may have ended up going four picks sooner to the Buccaneers, or even earlier if the Jets decided to address the offensive line. The Dolphins get really lucky to have an incredibly high-potential tackle fall into their laps. I’m not a huge fan of Becton’s ability to start right away, but he would in Miami and I’m sure that he will develop into a good cornerstone at tackle. Unfortunately, he’s no Laremy Tunsil, at least in my mind.
19) Las Vegas Raiders – Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
Kinlaw is a great athlete with a high motor. He ends up in Vegas where he can immediately be the best defensive tackle on the depth chart. He and Maxx Crosby are an interesting duo, but they can’t do it all themselves. This team still desperately needs defensive line help. Clelin Ferrell and Maurice Hurst Jr. are solid players, but they didn’t do enough last year to make me think that their starting spots are one hundred percent secured.
** Jacksonville trades pick 20 to New Orleans for picks 24, 169, and a 2021 2nd **
20) New Orleans Saints – Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Love is a quarterback whom I am very high on, but I’d love to see him sit a year behind Drew Brees and develop. I think if you throw him in the fire during his first year, that could really hurt his development. New Orleans makes the jump up ahead of New England just to be safe.
21) Philadelphia Eagles – Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
Maybe the Eagles fans will like me for once? Ruggs is definitely the fastest receiver in the class with a lot of upside. I worry about his potential to be a bust as well as his lack of production at Alabama, but I think he’ll turn out to be a good prospect and a good fit in Philly.
22) Minnesota Vikings – Josh Jones, OT, Houston
It’s a little bit early for Jones to go, but the Vikings really need a tackle. Jones has the ability to move inside to guard as well, which may be a better plan for Minnesota. Dru Samia is the starting left guard for the Vikings right now; that’s no bueno. Jones could start immediately, or you could let him develop for a year and see how he turns out in 2021. This is a high-risk, high-reward pick.
23) New England Patriots – Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
The loss of Kyle Van Noy hurt New England’s linebacker depth. Queen is a great athlete who profiles well at outside linebacker as well as middle linebacker. Not a ton of huge holes on this New England team, so they take a high-upside guy who can work his way into the rotation immediately.
24) Jacksonville Jaguars – Xavier McKinney, SAF, Alabama
McKinney is a good-value pick and will further improve Jacksonville’s secondary. He could honestly play in the slot, as well as free safety. Jarrod Wilson won’t get the job done for Jacksonville, but McKinney is a guy that they hope can develop into a future All-Pro.
25) Minnesota Vikings – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
This is not a pairing that I have seen before, but I really like it. Mims is a physical, yet swift receiver. He also brings good blocking ability to the table. Is he Stefon Diggs? Not even close, but he can definitely fill that void created by Diggs’ departure.
26) Miami Dolphins – Cesar Ruiz, IOL, Michigan
Miami needs to keep building the offensive line. Ruiz is the only interior offensive line who should come close to sniffing the first-round. He’s somebody that I would want starting immediately and protecting Tua in the pocket.
27) Seattle Seahawks – Zack Baun, LB, Wisconsin
Baun is a pass-rushing linebacker who could be groomed to replace the aging K.J. Wright. I’m not worried about Baun’s diluted sample, because it sounds like he just drank too much water. Maybe Seattle can actually make a good value pick in the first round, or maybe I should’ve mocked them somebody who is supposed to go in the fourth round.
28) Baltimore Ravens – Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
This team is primed to win now, and the addition of Murray into the defensive rotation only amplifies their chances of being a dominant team. Murray is a fantastic athlete who is well worth a first-round pick. Linebacker is the only position on the Ravens’ roster where they lack depth outside of wide receiver.
29) Tennessee Titans – A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
Epenesa didn’t get a first-round grade for me, but the Titans desperately need edge help. They need to pressure the quarterback more than they did last year, and Epenesa is a guy who will start right away and hopefully apply that much-needed pressure.
30) Green Bay Packers – Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
I see no true weakness in Aiyuk’s game. He can catch, he’s explosive with the ball in his hands, and he’s pretty big. The Packers lack weapons for Aaron Rodgers right now. I like Allen Lazard, but I do not like Marquez Valdes-Scantling in that offense. Aiyuk could be a starter right away, making this Packers’ offense more threatening.
** San Francisco trades pick 31 to the New York Giants for picks 36, 110 **
31) New York Giants (via SF) – Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia
The Giants trade up for arguably the next-best tackle on the board who has recently received first-round hype. Wilson isn’t the best athlete in this class, but he’s certainly better than what the Giants have to offer at tackle. New York doesn’t give up too much either, so it’s a fair trade all the way around.
32) Kansas City Chiefs – A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
The loss of Kendall Fuller really hurts the Chiefs’ secondary, so they have a hole to fill. Outside of his awful game against LSU, Terrell was great in man coverage for Clemson. He’s a high-floor player who can make an immediate impact for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
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