Tag: 2020 mock draft

Mock draft roundup for the Lions makes Jeff Okudah the overwhelming favorite

A final mock draft roundup for the Lions makes Jeff Okudah the overwhelming favorite to be the pick at No. 3 or in a trade back

Most years, there is a wide variety of potential choices and projections for the Detroit Lions’ first pick of the draft. That is not the case in 2020. We have a clear favorite to be the Lions’ selection at No. 3 overall:

Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah.

In the end, I tracked over 60 final-edition mock drafts. Some were from Lions reporters like Justin Rogers of the Detroit News and Dave Birkett of the Free Press. Some were national draft analysts, including Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Mel Kiper of ESPN and all the good folks over at The Draft Network.

It was Okudah and it wasn’t close.

Okudah – 54, including 7 that featured the Lions trading back and still selecting him

Auburn DT Derrick Brown – 8

Ohio State EDGE Chase Young – 3, all involving a trade by WAS at No. 2

Clemson LB Isaiah Simmons – 2, one involving a trade back to No. 9

There was not a single final mock I looked at that projected a quarterback or an offensive tackle to Detroit, not even in trade-back situations.

 

 

Mock draft roundup: Browns 1st-round selections all over the map

Mock draft roundup: Browns 1st-round selections all over the map

The onslaught of final mock drafts are here. We have our own, of course, but there are more projections out there than ever before this draft season.

In sorting through some of the more prominent mock drafts, there is a definite theme for the Cleveland Browns and the No. 10 pick: diversity. In tracking 40 (and counting) projections, there is very little consistency in knowing what the Browns will do in GM Andrew Berry’s first draft.

A great example of the diversity is from Yahoo Sports. They have six analysts providing final mock drafts. The sextet of prognosticators produced four different players, including three trades. Georgia OT Andrew Thomas was the only player named more than once for the Browns.

Dane Brugler from The Athletic projects a trade back from No. 10 to 16 in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta moved up to draft Florida CB C.J. Henderson, while the Browns slid to 16 and selected Boise State OT Ezra Cleveland.

[lawrence-related id=44300]

The Sporting News projects Iowa OT Tristan Wirfs, which was a popular projection over the last month.

NFL.com analyst and former NFL GM Charley Casserly forecasts a huge trade down with the Philadelphia Eagles. At No. 21 in Casserly’s projection the Browns land USC OT Austin Jackson. His NFL.com colleague Peter Schrager predicts Andrew Thomas at No. 10.

Thomas was also the pick from ESPN analyst Mel Kiper. Of note: Kiper has not successfully predicted the Browns’ first-round pick outside of the No. 1 overall selections since 2002.

A quick tally from the mocks I’ve sorted through on Thursday morning:

  1. Andrew Thomas – 17
  2. Trade – 13
  3. Tristan Wirfs – 6
  4. Mekhi Becton – 3
  5. Jedrick Wills – 3
  6. Ezra Cleveland – 3
  7. Austin Jackson – 1
  8. Isaiah Simmons – 1
  9. Xavier McKinney – 1
  10. Josh Jones – 1

Lions Wire’s final Lions 7-round mock draft

Editor Erik Schlitt’s is taking the helm for Lions Wire’s final Detroit Lions 7-round mock draft of the offseason.

Editor Erik Schlitt’s is taking the helm for Lions Wire’s final Detroit Lions 7-round mock draft of the offseason.

Draft day trades are common but wildly unpredictable, therefore, this exercise focuses only on picking prospects in the draft slots the Lions currently hold.

Round 1, pick 3, Jeff Okudah, CB, OSU

6-1, 205, 32.63″ arm length, burst rate: 137.2 (#1 for CB in class) 

It’s been my opinion all offseason that the Lions want to walk out of Day 1 with either Chase Young or Okudah. With Young likely being selected at pick No. 2 overall, the Lions will surely listen to trade offers for the No. 3 pick, but at the end of the day, they’ll be happy to land their guy.

2.35, A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

6-5, 275, 34.5″ arm length, can play DDE and 3T

Epenesa’s stock has been falling since the Combine, but as far as the Lions are concerned, he’s still likely a Top-10 player on their draft board. Epenesa is a perfect scheme fit, can rotate with Trey Flowers and Romeo Okwara at down defensive end, as well as inside at the 3-technique with Da’Shawn Hand and Nick Williams — giving the entire defensive line an immediate boost.

3.67, Robert Hunt, RT/G, Louisiana

6-5, 323, 33.5″ arm length, 28 starts at RT, 22 at LG, 2 at LT

A true road grader who was a featured blocker in the Cajuns run-heavy scheme, Hunt has the ability to step in at either tackle of guard — though he is projected to have more success inside. Putting him next to Hal Vaitai would give the Lions a pair of 6-5, 320+ pound position flexible offensive lineman who excel at run blocking, regardless of who plays where on the right side.

3.85, McTelvin Agim, IDL, Arkansas

6-3, 309, 33.5″ arm length, 1-year starter at 3T, 3-year starter at DE

Agim has been my sleeper for a while now and nothing has changed my mind to move him off this spot. An experienced 2-gapper who excels against the run, possesses several pass-rushing moves, is aggressive with his hands, understands how to create leverage with his length, was a team captain, and comes from the Arkansas’ defensive line pipeline.

4.109, Van Jefferson, WR, Florida

6-1.5, 200, 32.75″ arm length, elite route technician 

The son of former Lions’ wide receiver and wide receiver’s coach Shawn Jefferson, Van Jefferson learned the nuances of running routes at a young age. Capable of lining up as a WR-X (Marvin Jones Jr.’s spot) and inside as a Big Slot receiver, Jefferson could be the Lions WR4 in year one and take over a starting role in 2021.

5.149, Braden Mann, P, TAMU

6-0, 198, 48.9 yards per punt average, Ray Guy award winner 

As I mentioned in my 10 things Lions fans need to brace for in the 2020 NFL Draft, this is the sweet spot to grab the best specialist on the board. Mann has a powerful leg, can handle punts and kickoffs, understands how to control his power by alternating between kicking for distance, angling directions, and putting air under the ball so he doesn’t outkick his coverage. His ability to drop punts inside the 20 is a thing of beauty.

5.166, Anfernee Jennings, JACK, Alabama

6-2, 256, 32.88″ arm length, double-digit TFL each of last 2 seasons

Jennings has a quality first step, but his pass rush will struggle if he doesn’t win early. He understands how to properly use his hands, routinely locates/attacks the ball, is an elite run defender, and sets the edge with consistency/power. His 26.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over the last two seasons speaks to his ability to get into the backfield and make plays.

6.182, Geno Stone, S, Iowa

5-10.5, 203, 29.25″ arm length, can play single-high and in the slot

Stone is s a bit undersized and falls short of the Lions’ preferred level of athleticism, but he is intelligent, highly instinctive, positionally versatile, and rarely makes mistakes. Stone has the potential to be a regular contributor on special teams and a top-end reserve at safety, likely earning a role as a fourth or fifth safety as a rookie.

7.235, Michael Warren, RB, Cincinnati

5-9, 226, physical runner who will thrive in an inside-zone scheme

Warren hasn’t got a lot of attention in the Lions draft community but he is a terrific fit for the Lions scheme as he is a physical runner who can also contribute in the passing game. On film, Warren lacks the explosive traits of the Lions other backs — and he didn’t test at the Combine — but he has terrific contact balance, is decisive in the hole, wins in short-yardage situations, and churns out yards with toughness. His success in the NFL will likely come as part of a running back by committee approach and would fit in as a fourth running back on the Lions roster.

Final 2020 mock draft: Bengals make the right pick No. 1 overall

One more look at a Cincinnati Bengals 7-round mock draft.

The wait is finally over. We’ll soon have an actual draft pick to talk about — as if we don’t already know who the first one will be.

To start the final buildup, here’s one last mock draft for the Cincinnati Bengals, with these picks coming from my personal final seven-round mock draft where I went through all 255 picks.

 

No. 1 – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (9) puts on his helmet during warm ups at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019.

Jc Bamalsu 22

Is there really any more explanation needed? This has seemingly been locked in since January. Thursday it finally becomes a formality.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7

Mock draft 7.0: The day before the NFL goes both old-school and new-wave

As we stand on the day before the most unique draft in NFL history, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrat illustrates how he thinks the first round will go.

We are approaching the most unique draft in NFL history. With the coronavirus pandemic altering life in just about every way for just about everyone, NFL coaches and executives are certainly not outside that reality. Zoom meetings have replaced confabs with area scouts and draft prospects. Coaches and general managers are preparing their own personal war rooms with televisions everywhere in their homes when they’d usually be kitted out in team facilities. Even the draft prospects invited to the virtual version of the draft will be remote participants, encouraged like the rest of us to practice social distancing.

How will it be different? The people in charge of the exercise have said that there’s more of a reliance on game tape, and with those prospects who have had injury issues, you have to go on faith to a point. Modern technology can only go so far in the face of something like this.

Still, here comes the draft, and here’s one person’t opinion of how the first round might go.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

As has been said all along, let’s not overthink this. Burrow is the best quarterback in this draft class, and as such, he’s the most valuable prospect. Any concerns about his “one-year wonder” status should be allayed by his 60 touchdown passes, and ferocious games against some of the NCAA’s best defenses.

2. Washington Redskins: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

(Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports)

The Redskins had one good cornerback last season — Quinton Dunbar — and they offloaded him to the Seahawks for a fifth-round pick. Why is a mystery, but Ron Rivera will not be able to counter modern offenses with a cornerback battery of Kendall Fuller, Fabian Moreau, Ronald Darby, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Yes, Chase Young is the much-ballyhooed pick here, but coverage is more important than pass rush when you have very little in the way of coverage. Okudah is an immediate asset as an aggressive, press-and-match defender.

3. Detroit Lions: Isaiah Simmons, Defense, Clemson

(Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

If Okudah goes with the second pick, Matt Patricia and his front office have decisions to make. They could trade down, or they could note that last season, Detroit’s defense played base on just 19% of all snaps, and had six or more defensive backs on the field 34% of the time. Adding Jamie Collins is a bit of a help, but he’s not a singular talent in the same way Simmons is. The Clemson alum would be the ideal run-and-chase linebacker for the Lions’ iterations of pass coverage.

4. New York Giants: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

(Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)

Young falling to the fourth pick should make things obvious for Giants general manager Dave Gettleman, who likes to do things in an unconventional fashion. But best player available and need align here — the Giants have precious little in the way of pass rush, and Young has every attribute required to change that in a hurry.

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

(John Glaser-USA TODAY Sports)

Recntly, Nick Saban sent a warning to those NFL teams balking on Tagovailoa’s medical concerns. Saban was the Dolphins’ head coach in 2006, and he let a future Hall of Fame quarterback leave for New Orleans around similar issues.

“We failed Drew Brees on the physical. That’s why he’s not Miami’s quarterback,” Saban told the Wall Street Journal. “The sky’s the limit [with Tagovailoa]. I don’t think any of the questions with Tua have to do with his ability to throw the ball and be effective.”

There shouldn’t be any questions there, and Miami shouldn’t overthink this. When healthy, Tagovailoa is closer to Joe Burrow in talent and potential than any other quarterback in this draft class.

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

(AP Photo/Brett Carlsen)

After trading Russell Okung to the Panthers for guard Trai Turner, the Chargers have a very obvious need at left tackle. And head coach Anthony Lynn, who worked with Tyrod Taylor in Buffalo, seems to believe that Taylor is a more than adequate bridge quarterback. With that, let’s have the Chargers take Thomas, the most pro-ready pass-protector in this class.

7. Carolina Panthers: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

(AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

Carolina’s run defense was abysmal last season, and there’s not much on the depth chart acquired through free agency to change that. Kinlaw projects to me as the best interior lineman in this class in terms of potential. He needs work with technique and hand skills, but once that’s taken care of, he could be the best overall defensive weapon selected in 2020.

8. Arizona Cardinals: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

(John Reed-USA TODAY Sports)

Most project a tackle to the Cardinals as the finishing piece to an offense that was very good in 2019 and looks to be even better with Kyler Murray’s development and the trade for DeAndre Hopkins. But if the Cards are looking to take the NFC West in 2020, they’ll have to make a few tweaks on defense. Signing former Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips to a three-year, $30 million contract this offseason is step one, and adding Brown as a premium run-stopper and pass-rusher with great potential would make opposing ballcarriers very unhappy.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

2020 NFL mock draft: Latest 4-round projections

Luke Easterling updates his four-round projections for the 2020 NFL Draft

The 2020 NFL Draft is just days away, but there’s still time to fire off a few more mock drafts before the real thing kicks off Thursday night.

Rumors are flying in every direction already, with teams looking to move up or down all across the first round. Many expecting this to be the most surprise-filled draft in recent memory due in part to this year’s strange and difficult predraft process.

As we head into the homestretch, here’s an updated look at how the first four rounds of this year’s draft could shake out:

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

Barring a last-minute trade offer that rivals the likes of Herschel Walker and Ricky Williams, this is going to be the pick. All the talk about Burrow not wanting to play in Cincinnati was just smoke, and the reigning Heisman Trophy winner has made it clear he’s got no problem being a Bengal.

2. Washington Redskins

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Much like the Bengals, Washington is likely to listen to any potential offers for this pick, but it’ll have to be a sweet deal to get them to give up the best player in the entire draft. Young is a dominant edge rusher with Hall of Fame potential, and while the Redskins have bigger needs elsewhere, Young’s talent and upside trumps all.

3. Detroit Lions

Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

Now, this is where the action should really start. The Lions would love to move back a few spots here, and they’ll be trying to entice any team in need of a top quarterback prospect to swap with them. If they can’t, though, they have a glaring hole where Darius Slay used to be, and filling it with this year’s top cover man in Okudah makes the most sense.

4. New York Giants

Jedrick Wills, Jr. | OT | Alabama

It’s a great year to need an offensive tackle at the top of the draft, but that won’t stop the Giants from listening to offers for this pick. If they remain at No. 4, don’t be surprised if they make the fast-rising Wills the first tackle off the board. He’s been tested against some of college football’s best edge rushers in the SEC, and he’s ready to do the same against pro talent.

5. Miami Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

Yes, there are rumors the Dolphins prefer Justin Herbert, but I’m not buying. It’s been “Tank for Tua” for over a year, and if the Dolphins still get the chance to land him at No. 5 without trading up, it’s a no-brainer. Tagovailoa’s recovery from a nasty hip injury seems to be going extremely well, and if he’s healthy, he’s easily the better prospect with the higher ceiling.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9

NFL’s practice draft ‘brutal’ as league does test run before Thursday

Monday’s test run for the 2020 virtual draft got off to a rocky start, but at least a time-honored tradition is coming for Thursday night.

The National Football League will hold the 2020 Draft completely online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In preparation for the unprecedented event, which will see decision-makers from all 32 teams making picks while quarantined in their respective homes, the league on Monday held a trial run to make sure the required technology was in place before the real thing Thursday night.

Early reports are that it did not get off to a good start.

Identifying and ironing out technical issues is, of course, the whole reason for a practice draft. The league has never tried anything quite like this before; it’s a whole new ballgame for the general managers making the picks from their respective homes, too. A first-of-its-kind conference call with 32 participants was bound to experience exactly the kinds of issues one would expect.

There’s always the one person who forgets to mute their microphone.

It’s easy to make fun of the whole thing, but in truth, the endeavor is exponentially more complicated than the average fan’s fantasy football draft or even a sizable work-from-home conference call.

Eventually, after the initial glitches, everyone reportedly found a groove and settled in.

The league will no doubt have some kinks to work out before Thursday’s opening round of picks. And while this year’s draft will look very different for fans tuning in to the festivities, there’s now a key part of it that should sound familiar.

The draft-day boobirds are back and will be heard loud and clear in 2020, even in Commissioner Goodell’s basement.

Bud Light, one of the league’s biggest sponsors, and always quick with a tongue-in-cheek take on pretty much everything, is coming through with a virtual workaround to a time-honored draft day tradition… and managing to help out with the league’s charity efforts to boot.

[vertical-gallery id=643251][vertical-gallery id=643386][lawrence-newsletter]

Peter King’s final mock has Lions trading with Dolphins, still landing Okudah

Peter King’s final mock has Lions trading back with the Miami Dolphins but still landing Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah

NBC’s Peter King is one of the first major national analysts to come out with his final mock draft. King’s edition on Monday morning features the Lions making a trade from No. 3 to No. 5 with the Miami Dolphins.

With the fifth pick, the Lions still land presumptive favorite, Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah. The Dolphins traded up to land Oregon QB Justin Herbert, giving up the No. 39 overall pick to slide up two spots.

King leads off his thoughts on the Dolphins and Lions swap with a very telling comment,

“It’s funny. Whether Miami makes the trade or not, I think Miami and Detroit will make the same picks.”

King means the Dolphins would take Herbert at No. 5 and the Lions would take Okudah at No. 3. Based on all the recent info presented both locally and nationally, it’s a pretty safe assessment. It’s why the Lions will probably have more trouble dealing the No. 3 pick than fans would like.

While he doesn’t go to the second round, King does project the names Jonathan Taylor and Robert Hunt as Day 2 picks. Taylor is a RB from Wisconsin, Hunt a right guard from Louisiana.

[lawrence-related id=41570]

NFL Draft 2020: How Many SEC Players Will Be Drafted In The First Round? Could It Really Be Half Of The Top 32?

NFL Draft 2020: How many SEC players will end up being drafted in the first round? What are the over/under odds?

NFL Draft 2020: How many SEC players will end up being drafted in the first round? What are the over/under odds?

CFN Podcast: How Many QBs Will Go In 1st Round? 
Pete Fiutak and Nick Shepkowski dive deep on whether or not five might be picked on Day One.

[protected-iframe id=”7f186d86774f1704dd253bff2db68e6e-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://omny.fm/shows/college-football-news/cfn-podcast-2020-nfl-draft-how-many-qbs-will-go-in/embed?style=artwork” width=”100%” height=”180″ frameborder=”0″]

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews | @PeteFiutak
– Bet on this and the rest of the draft at BetMGM

NFL Draft 2020: SEC

It’s borderline obnoxious, but hardly unexpected.

As much as fans of other college football conferences might want to argue and complain, yeah, the SEC is usually just better.

And why? This isn’t hard. The league has better players than everyone else.

The SEC has owned the recruiting rankings by 85 miles ever since the beginning of the internet, and it comes across year after year in the NFL Draft.

CFN in 60: 2020 Top Five Overall Prospects
[jwplayer 4pb0NsqJ-boEY74VG]

Last year, nine SEC players were selected in the first round. Granted it was still 28% of the first 32 picks, but it was still a tad light for the league that handed over ten of its finest players in the 2018 first round, and 12 in 2017.

But is it even possible to for a conference to own half of a first round by accounting for 16 picks?

11 SEC players were selected in 2014 first round, 12 got the call in 2013, and let’s just cheat a little bit and give a little boost to the league in 2011, considering Missouri and Texas A&M were making the move from the Big 12 to the SEC. With the newcomers added, the current SEC programs accounted for the first seven picks of the 2011 NFL Draft and 13 of the first 32.

It took a big bend of the criteria and the SEC still wasn’t even close to getting up to 16 first round picks.

By the way, the BetMGM line for total SEC players drafted in the first round is set at a ridiculous 15.5.

Is it even possible? Helped by Alabama and LSU, yeah.

LSU QB Joe Burrow, Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, Bama receivers Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs, fellow Tide star OT Jedrick Wills, Auburn DT Derrick Brown, Florida CB CJ Henderson, Georgia OT Andrew Thomas, LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. That gets you to nine.

South Carolina DT Javon Kinlaw will go in the first round, as will LSU LB Patrick Queen. That’s 11, and a long, long, long way to go to get to 16 and the over.

There are others like LSU WR Justin Jefferson and Alabama S Xavier McKinney, who both have a shot of going in the top 32. There’s a chance RB D’Andre Swift and OT Isaiah Wilson from Georgia are both going early, and DE Terrell Lewis and CB Trevon Diggs from Alabama also could get the Day One call.

It’s not entirely insane to make a call that more than half of your 2020 NFL Draft first round will be made up of SEC players.

Let’s try this a different way.

[lawrence-related id=434326]

How Many SEC Players Will Be Drafted In the First Round?

How many players outside of the SEC are guaranteed to go in the first round?

Rapid-fire – Chase Young, Jeff Okudah, Isaiah Simmons, Justin Herbert, Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton, CeeDee Lamb, Kenneth Murray, Jordan Love, AJ Terrell. That’s ten, and then it’s all hit-or-miss from a pool of around 15 players who could slide into the top 32.

But SEC players are in that same bucket of first round tweeners.

How crazy do you want to get? Is this really going to be one of the most historic drafts ever in a chest-puffing moment for the It Just Means More league?

Yeah. There are more than enough SEC players to get to 16, and that’s where the value is – minimal as it is.

Prediction: Over
BetMGM line: 15.5, Over +115, Under -141
Bet on this and the rest of the draft at BetMGM

CFN 2020 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings
from the college perspective …
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG & C
DE | DT | LB | CB | Safeties
Greatest NFL Draft Picks From Each School
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
32 Greatest Draft Picks of All-Time
Full 2020 NFL Draft Order
CFN Top 106 Player Rankings (1st 3 rounds)

[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]