With the NFL Combine coming up, it is time to put on the GM cap and twirl a magic wand to see the first 32 picks in the upcoming draft.
Pick 1: Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Nothing new here. Bengals fans can grab duct tape and change “Palmer” to “Burrow” on their jerseys.
Pick 2: Washington Redskins – Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
Similar to the Bengals and Burrow, there is no reason for Washington to not select Young.
Pick 3: Detroit Lions – Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
The Lions could trade down from the third pick, but they will likely leave the draft with Okudah in tow. The Dolphins or Chargers could trade up to select Tua Tagovailoa, but the Lions would still be in a position to grab the former Buckeye in Okudah at the fifth or sixth pick.
Pick 4: New York Giants – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
The Giants could also trade down to quarterback-needy franchises, but general manager Dave Gettleman has a history of not trading down. The Giants will likely take their favorite tackle prospect and begin building a wall around Daniel Jones.
Pick 5: Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
The “Tank for Tua” campaign worked as Tagovailoa was passed by the heroics of Joe Burrow. Tagovailoa makes too much sense in a Miami uniform. The first of three first-round picks, the Dolphins should grab the Alabama product.
Pick 6: Los Angeles Chargers – Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
The Chargers have moved on from Philip Rivers, so the heir apparent to the 14-year starter should be selected here. The Chargers could be involved in free agency with Tom Brady, but they should draft a quarterback and capitalize on their talented roster.
Pick 7: Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown, IDL, Auburn
Brown is the best player available, and the Panthers have a gaping hole in the defensive line. Interior defensive linemen are one of the most boring picks a team can make, but Brown should make an immediate impact for Carolina both as a run-stuffer and pass-rusher.
Pick 8: Arizona Cardinals – Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
A physical specimen, Wirfs would begin to solve the offensive line woes of the Cardinals. With rookie sensation Kyler Murray and a resurgent Kenyan Drake, the Cardinals need to start fine-tuning the trenches. Wirfs should be a cornerstone tackle for a decade.
Pick 9: Jacksonville Jaguars – Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
For the second draft in a row, the Jaguars are the beneficiary of early quarterback picks as the Jags luck into a game-changer in Simmons just like 2019’s Josh Allen. Simmons is the definition of versatile, and he can perform any task set in front of him.
Pick 10: Cleveland Browns – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
Becton has flown up the draft board in recent weeks, and he could be the first tackle chosen if he performs well at the NFL Combine. Becton is not a sexy pick, but he would go a long way to being Cleveland’s first genuine tackle since Joe Thomas.
Pick 11: New York Jets – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
The Jets should have the pick of the litter for wide receivers. With Robby Anderson on his way out, the 11th pick will immediately become Sam Darnold’s go-to target. The Jets can not go wrong with either Lamb or…
Pick 12: Las Vegas Raiders – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Jeudy and Lamb have been tied at the hip in terms of being the best receiver in the class. Both should be superstars in the NFL, and they will likely go within a few picks of each other. Jeudy would be a splash move for the Raiders as they move to Las Vegas.
Pick 13: Indianapolis Colts – Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Similar to the Chargers, the Colts will be in play for the top quarterback free agents, but they should take a long look at quarterback in the draft. With the top three quarterbacks gone, Love would be an excellent option for the Colts.
Pick 14: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina
Kinlaw is one of the most talented players in the draft, but his position designation likely drops him out of the top 10 picks. Kinlaw’s dropping is similar to the fall of 2019’s Jeffery Simmons, but Kinlaw does not have the injury concerns. The Buccaneers do have Vita Vea on the interior of the defensive line, but Kinlaw projects as a pass rusher to Vea’s run stuffing.
Pick 15: Denver Broncos – Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
Ruggs has an outside shot of being the first receiver drafted if he posts a 40-yard dash time around 4.24 seconds, but Ruggs would be a perfect fit in Denver. As the second option to Courtland Sutton, Ruggs has the burners to make Drew Lock’s eyes light up several times per game.
Pick 16: Atlanta Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
With Vic Beasley on his way out, the Falcons likely will take another stab at acquiring a star pass rusher. Chaisson’s athleticism is off the charts, and he should be a difference-maker from his first NFL snaps.
Pick 17: Dallas Cowboys – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Byron Jones will likely be the odd man out in Dallas, so Fulton should step in as Dallas’s answer to a hole at the cornerback position. Fulton can play any coverage asked of him, and he should be a shutdown-type by 2022.
Pick 18: Miami Dolphins – Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Thomas will have his ebbs and flows at tackle, but he has the raw strength to pave lanes in the run game and the work ethic to improve as a pass protector. If the Dolphins draft a quarterback early, the logical next selection is a franchise-level left tackle.
Pick 19: Las Vegas Raiders – Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Diggs is great in zone, and the Raiders run a lot of Cover 1 and Cover 3. While a net-negative against the run, Diggs would fit right into Oakland’s scheme as a cover corner.
Pick 20: Jacksonville Jaguars – Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
If asked “what position do you play,” Shenault would likely answer “yes.” Shenault took snaps at every offensive position (besides the line), and he is a generational playmaker when the ball is in his hands. When the ball is not in his hands, Shenault is not the smoothest route runner or blocker, but he can make any wow play.
Pick 21: Philadelphia Eagles – CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
Henderson has the length to be an elite corner in the modern NFL, but he has flaws as a tackler. The Eagles have been marred with injuries at corner in recent years, and Henderson should shore up the weak spot.
Pick 22: Buffalo Bills – Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
With all due respect to John Brown and Cole Beasley, Higgins should become Josh Allen’s top target at some point in 2020. Higgins is a vacuum with extended range and is the perfect fit in Buffalo’s passing attack.
Pick 23: New England Patriots – Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
Gross-Matos has the traits to be electric as a pass rusher and effective in run defense. The Patriots could look to trade up for a quarterback if Tom Brady does not return, but they should look for a high-potential defensive workhorse.
Pick 24: New Orleans Saints – Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Queen stays in Louisiana as he joins an underrated linebacking corps in New Orleans. He is unlikely to be a Day 1 starter for the Saints, but he should be deployed in spurts and could be the center of the New Orleans defense for a decade.
Pick 25: Minnesota Vikings – Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Head coach Mike Zimmer will love McKinney’s energy and ferocity at the safety position. Within a few seasons, he should garner a nickname similar to Harrison Smith “Harry the Hitman” with his propensity to attack players and the ball.
Pick 26: Miami Dolphins – AJ Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa
The third first-rounder for Miami, the Dolphins will likely look to draft a difference-maker on the defensive side of the ball. Epenesa has phenomenal length and power, so he could bulldoze his way to the quarterback a couple of times a game.
Pick 27: Seattle Seahawks – Julian Okwara, EDGE, Notre Dame
Assuming Jadeveon Clowney is no longer a Seahawk, the Seahawks could pull the trigger on Okwara. While he was sidelined with a broken fibula in 2019, Okwara projects as a high-energy pass rusher who should make plays for whatever team drafts him.
Pick 28: Baltimore Ravens – Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
Murray would join a strong cohort of former Sooners in Baltimore as Marquise Brown, Orlando Brown, and Mark Andrews have been picked up in recent drafts. Murray has an incredibly high ceiling with his length and athleticism, and he should make the highlight play into a normal play.
Pick 29: Tennessee Titans – Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama
There is significant injury risk in Lewis, but Mike Vrabel would get an excellent athlete in Lewis. Lewis can make any tackle, and his stride length can cause problems for offensive tackles.
Pick 30: Green Bay Packers – Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
The Packers could address wide receiver in free agency, but Reagor sits as an enticing option to serve as a second fiddle to Davante Adams. Reagor is a good route runner and can punish defenders for missed tackles. He will love deep balls from Aaron Rodgers.
Pick 31: San Francisco 49ers – Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
A better tackler than the earlier corners, Gladney is a hard worker. While he is not as athletically talented as other corners, Gladney is aggressive in disrupting routes and making plays on the ball.
Pick 32: Kansas City Chiefs – Grant Delpit, S, LSU
Delpit brings unmatched athleticism and playmaking with tackling woes. He is the classic case of high-risk and high-reward at the safety position. For every interception or forced fumble, there will be a handful of missed tackles in his wake.
