Category: 2020 NFL draft

Ravens bolster their offensive depth in Draft Wire’s latest 4-round mock

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire put together a four-round mock draft after Week 12 that has the Baltimore Ravens adding valuable depth

The Baltimore Ravens are on a roll right now. Having won seven-straight games and looking like the best team in the NFL, all eyes are on Baltimore. But part of what makes the Ravens such a consistently great franchise is that they continuously look forward. So while they sit at 9-2 and are fighting for the top seed in the AFC playoff picture, expect scouts and general manager Eric DeCosta to already be paying some attention to the 2020 NFL draft.

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire is also starting to look at how the 2020 NFL draft could play out. In a four-round mock draft, Easterling has Baltimore grabbing Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor with the 30th pick in the first round.

“This rushing attack is already dangerous, but Mark Ingram won’t be around forever, so the Ravens should be targeting a potential replacement sooner than later. Justice Hill is a promising change-of-pace back, but Taylor’s complete skill set and physical running style would be too perfect to pass up here.”

Easterling has three running backs coming off the board in the first round, which seems unlikely. Though Baltimore is certainly proving a potent rushing attack can still be deadly in the NFL, pretty much the entire league has focused on high-flying aerial attacks instead. But if the board does play out this way, Baltimore would be getting Easterling’s second running back of the night and a good fit for their scheme.

As noted, Ingram is towards the tail end of his career. Though he’s having a career season with the Ravens, Ingram will turn 30 later this season. If Baltimore is smart, they’ll be looking for his eventual replacement as the power back between the tackles. And that’s where Taylor excels.

Still, with Ingram and Hill still under contract and Gus Edwards set to be an exclusive-rights free agent (effectively keeping him on the roster if the Ravens want him next year), I’m not sure if Baltimore has to spend their first-round pick on a running back with the future in mind. If Taylor is a guy they absolutely love, the Ravens have shown they’ll use a first-round pick and bring him into the fold slowly but really good running backs can often be found in the middle rounds where they’re a better value.

Click on the next page to see who Baltimore grabs with their other selections.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Updated 4-round projections

Luke Easterling updates his early projections for the 2020 NFL draft, expanding his forecast to cover the first four rounds

November is winding down, which means both the college football and NFL seasons are ramping up.

Few games remain for top college prospects to show pro decision-makers what they can do on the field, while the homestretch of the NFL season will set the top of the draft order for April’s big weekend.

As many prep for holiday celebrations this week, let’s take another stab at projecting the early going of the 2020 draft, expanding to cover the first four rounds using the latest updated order:

1. Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

For the longest time now, it’s seemed Tua Tagovailoa was written into this spot with permanent marker. But Burrow’s performance so far this season has launched him into the No. 1 overall conversation, while a hip injury has ended Tagovailoa’s season. Burrow looks like the real deal in every way.

2. New York Giants | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

This team has needs on offense if they want Daniel Jones to develop quickly, but there’s no way the Giants should pass on the best overall prospect in this class. Landing a rare talent like Young would be a huge steal, even at No. 2 overall.

3. Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

After his season-ending hip injury, Tagovailoa is obviously the biggest wild-card in this year’s class. He’s since had successful surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery. That being the case, I’m leaving him in this spot for now. If his recovery has any setbacks that cause him to miss key workouts leading up to the draft, his stock could still take a hit.

4. Washington Redskins | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

This is a tough call between giving Dwayne Haskins a replacement for Trent Williams at left tackle, or this year’s most polished and electrifying pass-catcher. Jeudy is one of the most pro-ready prospects in this draft, giving him the slight edge here.

5. Denver Broncos | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

This scenario is a huge win for the Broncos, who desperately need an upgrade at left tackle, regardless of who ends up throwing passes for them in 2020 and beyond. Thomas is the best prospect in a deep offensive tackle class.

6. Atlanta Falcons | Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

In today’s NFL, you can never have too many quality corners. The Falcons may have more pressing needs elsewhere, but with this pick, they land one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country. Okudah is keeping up the trend of sending blue-chip defensive backs from Columbus to the pros.

7. Detroit Lions | Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

Matt Patricia’s defense needs more help across the board in the trenches, making this pick a choice between the best value at defensive tackle or on the edge. In this scenario, Brown’s incredible athleticism and limitless upside give him the nod.

8. Arizona Cardinals | Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa

The Cards need to protect their investment in 2019 No. 1 pick Kyler Murray, and that means getting him a franchise left tackle. Wirfs is a polished, powerful blocker who could be a plug-and-play starter in one of the NFL’s most vastly improved offenses.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars | CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma

No matter who is playing quarterback for the Jags next year, that passer will need a blue-chip No. 1 receiver to make this offense reach its potential. Lamb has been a one-man highlight reel all season long, and has all the tools to be that player from Day 1.

10. New York Jets | A.J. Epenesa | EDGE | Iowa

With the top offensive tackles off the board, the Jets should turn their attention to the defense in this scenario, looking for the best value at either the corner spot or on the edge. Epenesa gets the call here, giving New York a versatile, dominant presence to pair with Quinnen Williams.

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Cardinals move up in 2020 NFL draft order even without losing

Despite not playing and not losing, the Cardinals move up a spot in the 2020 draft, based on records after Week 12.

The Arizona Cardinals did not play on Sunday and therefore did not lose. However, they still managed to move up in the 2020 NFL draft. After 12 weeks of the season, based on the updated draft order, the Cardinals would have the eighth overall pick.

Last week, they would have had the ninth overall pick.

What sort of player could the Cardinals land with the No. 8 pick in the draft?

Here are the selections at No. 8 from the last several drafts. They have been pretty good.

  • In this year’s draft, the Detroit Lions selected tight end T.J. Hockenson.
  • In 2018, the Chicago Bears selected linebacker Roquan Smith.
  • Running back Christian McCaffrey was the No. 8 pick in 2017, going to the Carolina Panthers.
  • The Tennessee Titans selected tackle Jack Conklin eighth overall in 2016.
  • Defensive end Vic Beasley was the eighth pick in 2015, going to the Atlanta Falcons.
  • The Cleveland Browns selected cornerback Justin Gilbert eighth overall in 2014.
  • Receiver Tavon Austin was the eighth overall pick in 2013, going to the St. Louis Rams.

Some picks have been great. Some have been underwhelming.

With a top-10 pick, the Cardinals could land a top receiver, offensive lineman or even a pass rusher. With the promise of improvement and a top pick, the Cardinals could be in position to add an impact player in 2020.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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Steelers 2020 NFL mock draft including 3rd round comp pick

Here’s a look at how the Steelers mock draft could go.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

For the first time in more than 50 years, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be absent a first-round pick in an NFL draft. But the Steelers could be in a position to still get a couple of good players with their existing second-round choice as well as a third-round compensatory pick.

So for this exercise let’s look at the top three options for the Steelers in the second and third rounds in 2020.

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Jaguars find themselves back in top-10 of draft order after Week 12’s loss

The Jags’ three consecutive losses have landed them back in the top-10 of the draft order.

After their third consecutive loss within the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars have found themselves in familiar territory — and by that I mean picking near the top of the draft order. With a 4-7 record currently, the Jags now have the No. 9 overall pick while their selection from the Los Angeles Rams is now the No. 20 overall selection.

Per Tankathon, the rest of the Jags’ selections for 2020 are as follows:

  • Second-round (selection No. 44)
  • Third-round (selection No. 75)
  • Fourth-round  (selection No. 106)
  • Fifth-round (section No. 137 or No. 148 depending on which pick the Steelers take for Josh Dobbs)
  • Sixth-round (selections No. 172, No. 188)
  • Seventh-round (selection No. 203)

The Jags have a pretty easy schedule from this point on as their opponents have a combined record of 23-32. The only teams they play who are above .500 are the Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders. Still, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Jags continue to add more losses than wins in December based off how they’ve played the last three weeks.

The Jags could currently use help at offensive guard, tight end, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback. Many of those needs were addressed in Draft Wire’s latest mock where the Jags selected cornerback CJ Henderson, offensive lineman Shane Lemieux and defensive lineman Nick Coe amongst notables.

2020 NFL Draft: Giants now hold second overall pick

If the regular season were to end today, the New York Giants would select second overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The New York Giants were statistically destined to select No. 3 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, but two weeks removed from their loss to the New York Jets, things have largely gone in their favor.

Not only did the Giants keep their humiliating streak of futility going with a 19-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, the Washington Redskins were able to upend the Detroit Lions — something Big Blue could not previously do — shaking up the top of the draft board.

If the regular season were to end today, the Giants would now select No. 2 overall behind only the winless Cincinnati Bengals, who seemed determined to hold onto that No. 1 spot.

Although the Giants did defeat the Redskins earlier in the season, they hold the strength of schedule tiebreaker. In fact, the Giants would hold the SOS tiebreaker against anyone currently slated to pick in the top 10 — and that just goes to show how sad this organization currently is.

Here’s a quick glance at the current projected top 10:

  1. Cincinnati Bengals (0-11, .581 sos)
  2. New York Giants (2-9, .466 sos)
  3. Miami Dolphins (2-9, .503 sos)
  4. Washington Redskins (2-9, .509 sos)
  5. Denver Broncos (3-8, .537 sos)
  6. Atlanta Falcons (3-8, .574 sos)
  7. Detroit Lions (3-7-1, .480 sos)
  8. Arizona Cardinals (3-7-1, .552 sos)
  9. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7, .472 sos)
  10. New York Jets (4-7, .480 sos)

The chase for Chase Young is on and the Giants seem to be winning with five weeks to go. And how can you not be excited about the prospect of a dominating defender being added to this team, potentially giving them a shot at five wins per season instead of 2-3?

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2020 NFL Draft: Lions now hold the No. 7 pick

Detroit’s poor strength of schedule wins the tiebreaker with Arizona

A tumultuous Sunday in Week 12 shifted around some of the top 10 in the current 2020 NFL Draft order. The Detroit Lions thrust themselves upward with an ugly, unpleasant 19-16 loss to the Washington Redskins.

The loss moved the Lions into the No. 7 overall spot. They are tied with the team they tied, Arizona, with matching 3-7-1 records, but the Lions have lost to a lesser strength of schedule.

Washington’s unexpected win moved them down from No. 2 to No. 4 and might have cost them a chance at Ohio State EDGE Chase Young. The winless Cincinnati Bengals now hold a 2-game lead for the No. 1 overall pick, presumptively LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.

The Lions sit in the middle of a tight pack of eight teams with seven and eight losses. They play the 8-loss Broncos, current holders of the No. 5 pick, in Week 16.

The full list of teams up to No. 14, courtesy of Tankathon:

Prospects for Jags fans to watch: Oregon QB Justin Herbert

If a new front office comes to Jacksonville, look for the team to keep their eyes on top QB prospect Justin Herbert out of Oregon.

Just three weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars were entering a division rivalry at 4-4 before heading into the bye week. Since, they’ve been blown out two consecutive weeks by their AFC South foes, leading to a lot of frustration among fans — and rightfully so.

Many of those fans are calling for the firing of the front office and coaching staff. While that discussion is for another article, I am here to discuss what could happen if that were to transpire.

If the Jaguars were to let go of their front office and coaching staff, the Jags would have to be looking at a new quarterback in the draft. Usually, when a team hires a new general manager and head coach, a new quarterback soon follows. It would be naive to think any differently for Jacksonville. While the team may be out of range for Louisiana State gunslinger Joe Burrow, they certainly may end up in the range for Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert is a lot of fan’s dream quarterback, checking off just about every box one could have. Herbert brings A+ arm strength and athleticism to the table to go along with his 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame. In many ways, Herbert is comparable to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. That type of size, arm talent, and athleticism is a rare combination and is why many have drooled over this particular Oregon Duck.

In a crucial final year for the senior quarterback, Herbert has only further solidified himself as an elite prospect. The PAC 12 passer has gone on an absolute tear, leading the Ducks to a 9-1 record and a possible playoff bid. Herbert has completed 70% of his passes on the year, throwing for 2,662 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. With numbers like that, it will be interesting to see if Herbert can lead the Ducks to the playoffs.

Academically, Herbert also checks several boxes and currently has a 4.0 GPA, majoring in biology at Oregon. He has been brilliant on and off the field and also has proven to be a terrific teammate. Simply put, fans wouldn’t have to worry about him off the field.

What does the 6-foot-6 Duck bring to the table as a prospect, though, you ask?

Herbert possesses a lot of desirable traits from an NFL standpoint. As previously mentioned, his arm talent is atop the list. With the Jags having vertical threats like DJ Chark Jr., Herbert would fit right in and could give the Jags’ offense more explosion.

In my opinion, Herbert has the strongest arm in his class and it is easy to notice watching the young signal-caller.

WHEW! That’s a throw some quarterbacks in the league can’t make. Meanwhile, Herbert makes it look easy, not only displaying his arm strength but his accuracy, too. This is the throw that teams will ask prospects to make during workouts and senior days. It appears Herbert will have no trouble making these high difficulty NFL throws and making them look effortless.

At 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Herbert brings toughness to his game as well. He’s shown the ability to stand in the pocket despite taking some shots in the process.

Herbert is big and strong and shows off his grit on this play above, taking a nice lick before delivering an absolutely beautiful pass to move the chains. One of my favorite characteristics of Blake Bortles was his toughness and Herbert will bring a similar level of selfishness and toughness that many covet and respect. Whether playing through injuries or giving up your body for a play, Herbert will go above and beyond to help his team win.

Lastly, Herbert shows the ability to improvise and make plays when things break down. While he is massive, Herbert is a threat outside of the pocket. He can take off running or extend a play as seen below.

If I had to pick one play to display Herbert as a prospect, it would be this play. The combination of his improvisational skills, arm talent, and ball placement are all on display, showing why he has been such a big name in the scouting world for so long. He may be hindered by his surrounding talent at Oregon, but if a team supports Herbert, he no doubt can become a franchise quarterback. In most classes, Herbert would be the top quarterback.

If he is on the board when Jacksonville is on the clock, I would expect the new front office to take a good, long, hard look at this Duck. At the end of the day, his talent may just be too good to pass up.

5 NFL Draft prospects to watch for Lions fans in CFB Week 13

Five players Lions fans should watch in college week 13, including Zack Moss and Antonio Gandy-Golden

The college football season is wrapping up quickly. Just a couple of weeks are left on the Saturday slate, just a few more chances to get a leg up on the scouting for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Here are five players on display in Saturday’s games that should interest the Detroit Lions when draft season rolls around. Not every one of these is a top-shelf prospect. Remember, there are seven rounds and the Lions are in need of a lot of help…

Shaun Wade, CB, Ohio State

He’s only a redshirt sophomore but there are whispers Wade will declare early. And the twitchy 6-1 corner would look very good in Honolulu Blue.

Wade plays almost exclusively in the slot, which is unusual for a longer CB with his athleticism and speed. But it makes him a great fit for Detroit, which can use help inside given the recent play from Justin Coleman and the complete lack of depth behind him.

Two big feathers in Wade’s cap that you can check out when his Buckeyes face off against Penn State in the de facto Big Ten East title game (12 p.m. ET, FOX): he tackles like a strong safety and he communicates very well with his fellow DBs in transitions.

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5 potential Chargers prospects to watch in Week 13

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out the college prospects you should be watching on Saturday.

It’s Saturday, which means it’s time for another edition of The Scouting Notebook.

The Scouting Notebook features prospects to keep an eye on when the majority of the college games take place. While some think it’s too early to talk about the 2020 NFL draft, there’s never a bad time to talk about the future of the Chargers.

With that being said, here are five prospects to watch for in Week 13.

CB Shaun Wade, Ohio State, #24, 9:00 a.m. PT, FOX

The Chargers haven’t added a true playmaker at the cornerback position since signing Casey Hayward back in 2017. While Michael Davis has been decent this season, the team could look to replace him with a long-term solution, who has plenty of talent.

Wade, the 6-foot-1 and 190 pounder, primarily plays in the slot for the Buckeyes. For someone of his size, it’s a little unusual but he has the speed and athleticism to thrive on the outside in the NFL. The redshirt sophomore has the read and react skills from zone coverage that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley would covet.

Today, Wade will be under the microscope of many NFL evaluators as he and Ohio State battle it out with the Penn State Nittany Lions in a top-10 matchup on Saturday morning.

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