2020 NFL Draft Round 1 Mock

With round one of the NFL Draft quickly approaching next Thursday night, mock drafts are all the craze in the sports world. Considering the current state of sports due to the coronavirus there isn’t much else to discuss. All that just to say I jumped on the trend a threw together some projections for the first 32 picks.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow QB LSU

As draft night approaches Burrow going off the board first becomes more and more of a lock. The Bengals hope to find the face of their franchise for years to come in the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback.

2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young DE Ohio State

Who many would consider the best overall player in this year’s class, Young slides into the number 2 slot and Washington. A freak athlete off the edge, Young is destined for many years of success in the pros.

3. Detroit Lions: Jeffrey Okudah CB Ohio State

The second of back to back Buckeyes off the board. Okudah is a lockdown corner with great size and ball skills. He easily fits into the Detroit secondary filling the position of Darius Slay, now in Philadelphia.

4. New York Giants: Tristan Wirfs OT Iowa

The Giants have many directions they could go with this selection. Here they bolster their offensive line, lending supports to young star running back Saquon Barkley.

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama

The tank for Tua finally comes to fruition in Miami. The talent of Tua makes him worth the risks of his injury history and has him slightly edge out Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert QB Oregon

Phillip Rivers is gone for the Chargers and they will be looking for an answer at quarterback in this draft. They don’t have to look long as Justin Herbert falls into their lap in the top 10. His size and football IQ make him “pro ready” and an exciting new addition in LA.

7. Carolina Panthers: Isaiah Simmons LB Clemson

The Panthers have a defensive stud fall out of the top 5 thanks to the quarterback needy teams. Simmons is another freak athlete that dominates from sideline to sideline. This is a major playmaker for a defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league in 2019.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Brown DT Auburn

Another defensive powerhouse is off the board and going to Arizona. The Cardinals made some great offseason moves to help out Kyler Murray’s offense entering his second year. Here they switch focus to the other side of the ball.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: CJ Henderson CB Florida

Henderson has been sliding up draft boards ever since his stellar performance at the NFL Combine. He now enters the top 10 landing in Jacksonville, helping fill the voids left by Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye.

10. Cleveland Browns: Mekhi Becton OT Louisville

The Browns offense is bursting with talent and potential. Becton provides strength in the trenches. This will hopefully help right the ship for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who took a step back in his sophomore season.

11. New York Jets: Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama

Yet another young quarterback that greatly needs some help. The dynamic route runner will instantly become the number one option for Sam Darnold, a definite upgrade over former Jet Robby Anderson.

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Henry Ruggs III WR Alabama

Another Alabama wide receiver goes here at 12 because just like the Jets, the Raiders are lacking in the offensive weapons department. Their running back Josh Jacobs had a fantastic rookie season and now they are betting on his former Alabama teammate to come light it up alongside him in Vegas.

13. San Francisco 49ers: CeeDee Lamb WR Oklahoma

The third straight wide receiver is going to the bay area. The 49ers proved last season that they were just a couple pieces short from lifting up the Lombardi. Inserting Lamb into an offense with George Kittle and Deebo Samuel will be filthy.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Andrew Thomas OT Georgia

Tom Brady heading to Tampa Bay was the biggest story of the NFL free agency period. Now the Buccaneers use this pick on the big man from the SEC east. Thomas is a great addition to keep their new signal caller upright.

15. Denver Broncos: Javon Kinlaw DT South Carolina

The Broncos look to the defensive side of the ball here after the top 3 receivers have all been selected. The size and quickness combo of Kinlaw makes him an elite pass rush prospect and a great value pick for Denver.

16. Atlanta Falcons: K’Lavon Chaisson DE LSU

The addition of Dante Fowler Jr. won’t be enough for Atlanta. Their pass rush was severely lacking in 2019 and Chaisson will be an instant help. He led LSU in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hurries during their national championship winning season.

17. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier McKinney S Alabama

The fourth Alabama player in the first round, McKinney is the top safety in this year’s class. His quick instincts and solid tackling ability will make him a staple in the Dallas secondary for many seasons.

18. Miami Dolphins: Jedrick Wills Jr. OT Alabama

Tua will find a familiar face in the huddle in Miami. Wills is a massive 312 pounds and can slide directly into the starting right tackle position, becoming a building block for the future of the Dolphins offense.

19. Las Vegas raiders: AJ Terrell CB Clemson

Las Vegas finds much needed secondary help with yet another Clemson Tiger. 2019 second round pick Trayvon Mullen will now line up opposite his former teammate.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars: Justin Jefferson WR LSU

The Jags have gone all in on sixth round sensation Gardner Minshew. They give him an immediate impact player here in Jefferson who joins his former LSU teammate and breakout Pro Bowler DJ Chark.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Denzel Mims WR Baylor

Philly is yet another team with a desperate need at wide receiver. Mims brings an outstanding combo of size and speed to the table. His route running is questionable at times, but he has proven to be highly effective when going up for 50/50 catches.

22. Minnesota Vikings: Jeff Gladney CB TCU

With 5 wide receivers off the board in the first 20 picks the Vikings defer to look elsewhere at pick 22. Gladney has plenty of starts under his belt at TCU and earned himself first-team all-conference honors in his senior season. His coverage instincts and quick eyes make him highly effective in man coverage.

23. New England Patriots: Jordan Love QB Utah State

Bill Belichick waste no time in finding the heir to Tom Brady. Love is a promising prospect and there is no better situation for the young gunslinger to find himself in than to learn under the best head coach of all time.

24. New Orleans Saints: Kenneth Murray LB Oklahoma

The second Sooner to go in the first round Murray is the definition of a sideline to sideline player. He is a stout tackler and will become a force to be reckoned with down in the superdome.

25. Minnesota Vikings: Yetur Gross-Matos DE Penn State

The Vikings find themselves with a quick turn around here towards the back end of the first round. Gross-Matos joins premier pass rusher Danielle Hunter on the edge and fills another one of the big needs for the Vikings defense.

26. Miami Dolphins: JK Dobbins RB Ohio State

Look who’s back! The Dolphins use their third pick of the first round to get a dynamic new weapon for their offense. Dobbins becomes the first running back off the board and for good reason. He racked up 23 total touchdowns during his 2019 junior season in Columbus.

27. Seattle Seahawks: Josh Jones OT Houston

Russell Wilson is still the face of the franchise for the Seahawks. The team also still seems to have faith in running back Chris Carson, who has now put together back to back 1,000-yard seasons. 319-pound Jones is exactly what Seattle is looking for to keep their high-octane offense churning.

28. Baltimore Ravens: Patrick Queen LB LSU

Value meets team need here at 28. Baltimore never found there CJ Mosley replacement in 2019 and now they have. Queen’s speed and physicality sets him up perfectly to follow in the footsteps of other great LSU linebackers such as Deion Jones, Kwon Alexander, and Devin White.

29. Tennessee Titans: Kristian Fulton CB LSU

Back to back boys from Baton Rouge. Fulton was a lockdown corner for LSU during their national championship season, leading the team in pass breakups with 14. He slides to the end of the first round and the Titans scoop him up to fill the spot of free agent Logan Ryan.

30. Green Bay Packers: Jaylon Johnson CB Utah

The Packers find a playmaker in the late first round. Johnson possesses all the athletic traits you would want out of a corner. His speed and reaction time are his best traits and combine well with his above average ball skills. Green Bay was once again so close to a Super Bowl berth and needs to go all in on a deep postseason run because Rodgers’ production will begin to fall off sooner or later.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Noah Igbinoghene CB Auburn

Addressing one of their major needs at pick 13 the 49ers are back at the end of the first to address yet another need. Igbinoghene has been flirting with late first round or early second round status for the last couple weeks. He sneaks into round one as a raw prospect with a promising set of skills, especially in zone coverage.

32. Kansas City Chiefs: D’Andre Swift RB Georgia

The Super Bowl champs close out round one giving Patrick Mahomes a dynamic weapon in both the running and passing game. While Damien Williams was serviceable last season, Swift will add another layer to the already immensely talented chiefs’ offense.