Category: 2020 NFL draft

Tua Tagovailoa’s odds to go No. 1 plummet after hip injury

After suffering a season-ending hip injury, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is no longer the favorite for next year’s top pick

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft ever since the 2019 draft concluded.

He appeared to be on the right track to maintaining that status atop the class, but a dislocated hip suffered against Mississippi State last weekend put an end to his impressive 2019 campaign.

Now, questions surround Tagovailoa regarding his durability and recovery from the serious injury. Formerly the front-runner to go No. 1, his draft stock has taken a major hit after getting hurt.

The question is, when will he get drafted now?

Given the rise of LSU quarterback Joe Burrow this year, Tagovailoa has been unseated as the class’ top signal-caller, so being the first pick is essentially out of the question. He will likely have to fight with Oregon’s Justin Herbert to be the second quarterback selected, but Tagovailoa’s tape places him firmly over the likes of Georgia’s Jake Fromm and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, among others.

Sascha Paruk from Sports Betting Dime had this to say on how Tagovailoa’s injury impacts the betting market:

Prior to losing to LSU and then dislocating his hip against Mississippi State, Tua Tagovailoa was the -150 favorite to go first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. After the injury, he’s not even on the board. LSU’s Joe Burrow is now the odds-on favorite at -200, followed by Ohio State DE Chase Young at +150. Young’s odds to go first-overall are shorter than Tua’s new odds to even go in the top ten (+200). That’s despite trends strongly favoring QBs. A quarterback has gone #1 in eight of the last 11 drafts and four of the last five. Only two defensive players have gone #1 in the last 13 years.

Sports Betting Dime currently gives Tagovailoa 2/1 odds to be a first-round pick, with his favored range being within picks 11-20 at +150. He has +200 odds to still be a top 10 pick, as well as +300 odds to fall to the 21-32 range and the same odds to be selected in Rounds 2-7.

Previously their favorite to be the top pick, as well as carrying 13/1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy, Tagovailoa still has favorable odds to end up going in the top half of the first round.

With two first-round picks after their own selection, the Miami Dolphins could still be a realistic landing spot for Tagovailoa. Other teams outside of the top 10 that could be potential suitors include the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.

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2020 NFL draft: Chase Young scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Ohio State edge defender Chase Young

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Height | 6-5

Weight | 265

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Would it be cheating to just say “everything”?

Truth be told, there are very few things that Young doesn’t do well. He accelerates very well off the snap and possesses great short-area quickness, and his hip and ankle flexibility allows him to consistently rip and dip underneath offensive tackles at a high level. He has great range as a tackler and change direction fluidly in space. Young’s pad level as a pass-rusher is reliable, and he has shown that he can get inside hand placement on a pretty regular basis. His understanding of leverage helps him out tremendously.

Young rushes with heavy hands that pack a powerful punch upon contact but also move actively and quickly. He excels at exposing the set points of offensive linemen to find the best path to the quarterback and has the agility to bounce inside on outside rushes when a hole presents itself. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound rusher also has a lengthy and muscular frame that is well built for the physicality the NFL presents.

If you’re looking for production, then Young has that, too. He stepped in as a true sophomore and tallied 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss in place of Nick Bosa in 2018. Young put together an even better performance in 2019, as he has 13.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss through just 8 games this year. His ability to produce and dominate in a powerful conference like the Big Ten is encouraging for his prospects in the pros.

Weaknesses

Young doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have room to improve. He could stand to build some lower-body strength and get better at rushing with his weight underneath him, as doing so would benefit his power game. He can get better at avoiding being sealed off in run support and eating gaps in run support. His counter game could also be improved, as he finds himself stuck at times if he doesn’t win the initial battle at the point of contact.

Young was also suspended for two games in 2019 for accepted an unauthorized loan from a family friend. While the situation isn’t severe and shouldn’t affect his draft stock, teams will likely ask him about the suspension leading up to the draft.

Bottom Line

An athletic, ferocious, polished and productive pass-rusher, Young is a well-rounded prospect with a very high ceiling at the next level. Even with his suspension, he should be selected very early in April.

Projection: Top 3

Saints get a new franchise quarterback in four-round 2020 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints improved by picking QB Jalen Hurts, WR Brandon Aiyuk, and LB Chazz Surratt in the latest 2020 NFL mock draft.

The 2020 NFL Draft is months away, but it’s never too soon to speculate about who the New Orleans Saints could end up picking. Especially with the college football season hurtling towards bowl game season. We aren’t going for accuracy here; think of this exercise as a preview for this weekend’s games

We used The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Machine to accurately simulate a selections before and after each of the Saints’ picks.

Round 1, Pick 30: QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

Watch him next vs. TCU Saturday, Nov. 23 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Right now, Hurts is seen as a fringe first-round quarterback prospect, but his stock should rise once the pre-draft process kicks off in the spring just like it has for other quarterbacks. And expect Saints coach Sean Payton to be intrigued by Hurts’ abilities. Payton has been a fan of similar prospects like Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Carson Wentz and Andrew Luck, all of whom featured rare arm strength along with the ability to make plays with their legs.

Hurts has made huge strides under Sooners coach Lincoln Riley after transferring from Alabama, leading Oklahoma in both passing yards (3,039) and rushing yards (983) while scoring a combined 43 touchdowns in 10 games (28 as a passer, 15 as a runner). He’s protected the ball well by throwing just five interceptions and fumbling six times.

With Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, and Taysom Hill each due to receive new contracts after this season, the Saints are probably going to need a new face at quarterback. It’s tough to see Bridgewater remaining in New Orleans after going undefeated in his five-game stint as the starter and with so many quarterback-needy teams around the league. Whether Hurts, who will be a 21-year-old rookie, sits behind Brees for a year or competes with Hill to start, he’s the ideal prospect to bring under Payton’s tutelage.

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Draft Wire pairs Lions and DT Javon Kinlaw in consecutive Mock Drafts

In Draft Wire’s latest 2020 mock draft, they have the Detroit Lions targeting three potential defenders, all at serious positions of need.

With every loss, the Detroit Lions (3-6-1) fan base interest in the 2020 NFL Draft grows. The latest updated draft order has the Lions picking 10th overall putting them in an excellent position to land another quality player and to the surprise of no one, that person plays on defense.

Our brother site Draft Wire has been knocking out draft content year-round and in their latest 3-round mock draft, not only do they have the Lions drafting defense in all three rounds, but they have paired the team with the same first-rounder in consecutive weeks.

With the 10th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select:

Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina, 6-5, 308

Here is Luke Easterling’s explanation for pairing Kinlaw with the Lions:

“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, Kinlaw’s incredible athleticism and limitless upside give him the nod.”

A 2-gapper who will primarily line up at the 3-technique, but can spend time at the 1, 4i, and 5-techniques. Kinlaw’s game is drenched in length and power which makes him an elite run defender, but he also possesses more pass-rushing skills than he is given credit for.

Lions Wire’s own Jeff Risdon has compared Kinlaw to the Pro Bowl version of Shaun Rogers because “they play with a similar style and destructive athletic dominance on the interior”.

With pick 42 in the second round, Easterling has the Lions selecting:

Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State, 6-5, 265

So you want a pass rusher, right? Well, Gross-Matos is a supreme athlete who has the size/length of Romeo Okwara combined with the positional versatility of Trey Flowers — both can also line up on the edge and at the 3-technique.

Gross-Matos is still raw in a lot of areas but he has a loaded toolbox and the potential to develop into an impact player.

With enough length and power to set the edge, Gross-Matos would fit like a glove in the coach Matt Patricia’s defensive scheme, while his pass-rushing ceiling would potentially fill a major hole in the Lions defensive front.

With pick 74 in the third round, Easterling has the Lions selecting:

Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan, 5-11, 181

The Lions stay local here, grabbing the Detroit Martin Luther King high school product. The Lions need help at corner and Hill fits the scheme profile as a multi-year starter in Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown’s aggressive man coverage defense.

Hill is very aggressive and attacks the ball with ferocity, which often leads to pass breakups and interceptions in coverage. In the video clip below, Hill shows his natural instincts to locate the ball at the same time as the receiver, then stacking the route to give him an angle on the ball. Just textbook stuff from Hill here:

That’s as good as you can do it.

Hill’s size does leave something to be desired in this scheme, but he has the identical measurements as Justin Coleman and offers the same ability to play in the slot and on the outside.

2020 NFL draft: Top prospects for the Steelers in the 2nd round

Here are five guys for the Steelers to consider in the second round.

As of now, the 2020 NFL draft will be a unique one for the Pittsburgh Steelers. If nothing changes it will be the first time since 1967 the Steelers will be without a first-round pick. As aggressive as the Steelers have been this season, I wouldn’t put anything past them.

But if we assume the Steelers top pick falls somewhere in the middle of the second round we decided to break down our five favorite prospects that could be on the board. We picked our five based on the lastest three-round mock draft by our friends over at Draft Wire.

Check out our gallery of five of the best prospects for the Steelers to consider in the second round based on their top five draft needs.

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2020 NFL Draft order: Giants still holding steady at No. 3

The New York Giants would select No. 3 in the 2020 NFL Draft if the regular season were to end today.

The New York Giants did not play in Week 11, meaning they could not lose. But they did not gain, either. They came into the their bye week ranked No. 30 of 32 teams and exited in the same place.

If the 2020 NFL Draft were held today, the Giants would select third overall.

That’s three spots worse where they selected last in last year’s draft when they chose Duke quarterback Daniel Jones sixth overall.

This coming draft will have quite a number of quarterbacks in the draft, most notably LSU’s Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert of Oregon, Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts, Georgia’s Jake Fromm and, yes, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, who recently underwent surgery to repair a dislocated hip.

The Giants will not be looking for a quarterback, but other teams will be. That will do two things for them…

First, the value of their pick may become so valuable that general manager Dave Gettleman may get bowled over by a trade offer, which would likely equate to multiple high draft picks.

Second, they could be in the driver’s seat for a player such as Ohio State pass rusher Chase Young, Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown or Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Updated 3-round projections after Week 11

See how Tua Tagovailoa’s season-ending injury impacts Luke Easterling’s latest three-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft

We’re halfway through November, which means while the NFL playoff picture is starting to come into clearer focus, so is the top of the board for next year’s NFL draft.

While the league’s worst teams are jockeying for position at the top of the first round, the nation’s top college prospects are trying to take advantage of key opportunities in big games down the stretch.

Here’s an updated look at how the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL draft could shake out, using the latest updated order after Week 11 games:

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. Washington Redskins | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Another franchise in disarray, Washington needs to add as much talent as possible, regardless of position. They already have their quarterback of the future in Dwayne Haskins, so they need impact players elsewhere on both sides of the ball. Young is a monster of a pass rusher with all size, athleticism and technique to be a dominant player at the next level.

3. New York Giants | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

Offensive tackle is a bigger need and a more premium position, but GM Dave Gettleman has proven he’s willing to go for the dynamic playmaker over the pick that seems to make more sense. Jeudy is an explosive pass-catcher and the most polished route-runner in college football.

4. 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.

5. New York Jets | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

If Sam Darnold is ever going to develop into the franchise quarterback the Jets drafted him to be, he’ll need a franchise left tackle to keep him upright. Thomas is the best of a deep class, and would be an immediate upgrade for New York.

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Tua Tagovailoa has successful hip surgery, prognosis ‘excellent’

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had successful surgery to repair a scary hip injury that will end his 2019 season

A terrible situation for one of the nation’s top prospects continues to bring positive developments.

After suffering a scary, season-ending hip injury in Saturday’s loss to Mississippi State, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appears to be in a best-case scenario.

The Crimson Tide’s star player underwent successful hip surgery in Houston on Monday morning, and an official statement from the school says that Tagovailoa’s prognosis is “excellent,” and that a full recovery is expected (via Fox 6’s Kelvin Reynolds):

Widely regarded as a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Tagovailoa will miss the rest of the 2019 season. Though he still has eligibility remaining and could return to Alabama for the 2020 season, most expect him to declare for the 2020 draft.

Tagovailoa was tackled awkwardly by multiple MSU defenders in the second quarter Saturday, with many questioning why Tagovailoa was still in the game, considering the Tide were up 35-7 at the time. He was just weeks removed from surgery to repair an ankle injury.

Tagovailoa’s draft stock and long-term prognosis appear to be in good shape following this news, and here’s hoping he indeed makes a complete recovery and can return to full strength both on and off the field.

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Browns move down to No. 13 in the 2020 NFL Draft with 2nd straight win

The Browns moved way out of the Top 10 with the win

With all the negativity surrounding the negativity surrounding the end of the Week 11 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is important to remember the Cleveland Browns won their second straight game. The win improves Cleveland’s record to 4-6 and moves them down in the 2020 NFL Draft order.

This loss moved the Browns into the No. 13 overall spot. The Browns currently hold four picks within the top 100 in the 2020 NFL Draft.

This week’s Browns opponent, the Miami Dolphins, currently sit at No. 4 overall with their 2-8 record.

The order entering Monday night Football in Week 11 for all teams, courtesy of Tankathon:

You can find me and links to all my work on Twitter at the handle @TimNFL.

Lions move up to No. 10 in the 2020 NFL Draft order with 3rd straight loss

The Detroit Lions moved into the top 10 in the 2020 NFL Draft order with their sixth loss in seven games

Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Cowboys was the third in a row for the Detroit Lions. The defeat dropped Detroit to 3-6-1, but it did move the team up in the 2020 NFL Draft order.

The loss moved the Lions into the No. 10 overall spot. Cleveland’s win on Thursday night pushed the Browns to 4-6 and a better record than the Lions, who sat at No. 11 entering Week 11.

This week’s Lions opponent, the Washington Redskins, currently sits at No. 2 overall with their 1-9 record. There are five other teams with three wins, including the 3-7-1 Arizona Cardinals. Based on strength of schedule, the Lions would win the tiebreaker with the Cardinals (whom they tied) and get the higher draft pick if they both wind up with the same record.

The order entering Monday Night Football in Week 11 for all teams with four or fewer wins, courtesy of Tankathon: