2020 NFL mock draft: Post-combine projections with trades

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling updates his first-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft, with a handful of big trades

21. Philadelphia Eagles

Kristian Fulton | CB | LSU

Count the Eagles among the teams that would likely be calling about a move up the board for Ruggs, but if that can’t happen, don’t be surprised if they prefer the value at corner here, hoping the depth of the receiver class rewards their patience on Day 2. Similar to Henderson, Fulton is a big, athletic corner who shut down tons of NFL talent in the SEC on a weekly basis, and has all the traits pro teams are looking for in a No. 1 cover man.

22. Buffalo Bills

Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor

Josh Allen has a handful of solid role players in his receiving corps, but nobody with the complete skill set to be relied on as a true No. 1 target. Enter Mims, one of the hottest names in this year’s class, especially after his fantastic showing at the NFL Combine. He checks every box in terms of size, speed, athleticism and ball skills, all of which would allow him to make an immediate impact and fill Buffalo’s biggest offensive need.

23. New England Patriots

Xavier McKinney | S | Alabama

Quarterback is obviously the big question mark for New England, but I doubt they’d spend this pick on a rookie passer they’d expect to be a Week 1 starter, no matter what happens in free agency. Instead, look for them to address their need for a youth movement in the secondary, particularly on the back end. McKinney is a smart, instinctive defender who loves to lay the hammer down on any ball-carrier, and has the range and athleticism to make plays all over the field.

24. New Orleans Saints

Patrick Queen | LB | LSU

Drew Brees is coming back for at least one more season, which means the Saints can wait until the later rounds (or next offseason) to find his eventual successor. That frees them up to find an impact player for the defense, and in this scenario, they don’t have to look far. Queen was a late-riser who made the most of his opportunities late in the 2019 season, and looks like a first-round lock.

25. Minnesota Vikings

Trevon Diggs | CB | Alabama

A family reunion in the Twin Cities? Stefon’s little brother is exactly the kind of big, athletic corner the Vikings need to help a secondary that was surprisingly bad in 2019. Injuries haven’t helped this unit, but adding another blue-chip cover man definitely wouldn’t hurt. Diggs has all the tools to challenge for a starting spot from Day 1, and could quickly develop into one of the league’s better young corners.