25. Minnesota Vikings: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
One Diggs out, one Diggs in. In this case, having traded Stefon Diggs to the Bills, the Vikings avail themselves of the Alabama cornerback, who’s Diggs’ younger brother, and has leaned on his family connections for advice on how to handle the NFL’s best receivers. This Diggs projects very well as a press cornerback with the ability to lock down opposing receivers, especially up the seam and to the boundary. Think Richard Sherman by way of Jalen Ramsey, and that’s a window into his NFL potential. Last season, Diggs allowed just four catches on 18 targets of 20 or more air yards.
26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston Texans): Josh Jones, OT, Houston
Right now, Julie’n Davenport is projected at the Dolphins’ starting right tackle, and let’s just say that’s not going to work for whoever is the Dolphins’ quarterback du jour in 2020 and beyond. It’s time for Miami to replace one of the league’s most porous pass-blockers, and there are few better in that role in this class than Jones. Last season, he allowed just one sack and three quarterback hurries in 325 pass-blocking snaps, and his run-blocking is on the rise.
27. Seattle Seahawks: Antoine Winfield, S, Minnesota
In 2019, the Seahawks tried to replace Earl Thomas with an aggregate of decent safeties, and it didn’t pan out. Then, they fleeced the Lions, acquiring Quandre Diggs for a fifth-round pick in October. That probably saved Seattle’s defense and its season, and now would be a good time for Pete Carroll and John Schneider to double up. Of all the safeties in this class, Winfield, the son of the former Bills and Vikings Pro Bowl cornerback, reminds me the most of Thomas with his intelligence, range, ball skills, and ferocious playing demeanor. Limited to just eight total games in the 2017 and 2018 seasons due to injury, Winfield came back with a vengeance (and seven interceptions) in 2019.
28. Baltimore Ravens: Zack Baun, LB/EDGE, Wisconsin
In 2018, the Ravens led the NFL in blitz rate at 39.6%. In 2019, the Ravens led the NFL in blitz rate at 54.9%. So, this is a schematic feature and not a fluke. When you being more than the usual number of defenders to the quarterback, you need a great secondary (which the Ravens have), and a versatile linebacker group (which is where this defense needs some work). Baun certainly brings pass rush — he had 53 total pressures for the Badgers last season — but he also has the athletic potential to play off-ball linebacker more than he has. He’d be a perfect piece for Don Martindale’s defense.
29. Tennessee Titans: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
The Titans have a rising pass-rushing star in Harold Landry, and they signed Vic Beasley on a one-year deal in the hope that they can help him resuscitate the best of his days with the Falcons. But that’s far from a sure thing, and as they say, you can never have too many pass-rushers. Chaisson isn’t the most refined edge guy, and power tackles can eat him for lunch, but he brings scary speed and a surprising bull rush if he’s deployed outside in multiple fronts.
30. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Aaron Rodgers started to thrive in Matt LaFleur’s system last season after years tied to Mike McCarthy’s Football for Dummies route concepts. Now, it’s time to reward Rodgers with a receiver who can act as a complementary force to the great Davante Adams. Aiyuk brings peak Emmanuel Sanders to mind with his sneaky downfield speed and surprising route awareness. He’d be a great addition to a passing game in which discipline and explosiveness are ideally equally weighted ideas.
31. San Francisco 49ers: Ashtyn Davis, S, Cal
The 49ers are pretty set at cornerback with Richard Sherman and Emmanuel Moseley outside and K’Waun Williams in the slot, but the safety group is less defined. Ideally, in Robert Saleh’s defense, there’s a prototypical deep third safety who can run with the quickest receivers all over the field. Davis, who walked on at Cal to run track and then started pestering the football coaches for a spot, has become that sort of player. Davis is tough enough to play in the box as well, but in Saleh’s schemes, he’d be an ideal range defender.
32. Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
The defending Super Bowl champs will need to upgrade their linebacker corps to a more athletic group if they are to defend their title, especially against the pass. Right now, there’s nobody on that roster who fits the modern prototype of the true half-field linebacker, which limits defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s options. Queen would solve that immediately — built like a big safety at 6-foot-0 and 229 pounds, he can run with tight ends and running backs up the seam, seamlessly flips his hips in coverage, and has more pop against the run than you might think.