Tag: 2020 NFL Draft grades

It was believed that the necessary isolationism brought about by the coronavirus pandemic might eliminate the groupthink NFL teams often engage in as the draft drew near. People in the league will tell you that the more scouts, coaches, and executives come together in various social occasions, the more potential there is for every singular opinion to get rounded off by the force of the collective.

Here’s what we know about how things got weird in some instances: The Panthers didn’t select a single offensive player on the offensive side of the ball with their seven picks, becoming the first team to do so in the era of the common draft, which began in 1967. The Packers and Patriots, two teams in desperate need of receiver help, didn’t avail themselves of the deepest group at that position, perhaps, in NFL history. And two teams — the Packers and Eagles — selected flawed quarterbacks high in their picks for various and odd reasons.

Did it get weirder? Perhaps. But no matter the circumstances, teams have to get their drafts right. There are no excuses, not even this one. With the eternal proviso that we won’t really know how these picks will work out for at least the next two seasons, here’s how I evaluate every NFL team’s evaluations in the 2020 draft class.

Arizona Cardinals: A+

Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has had his share of detractors through the years, but it’s hard to see the Cardinals’ 2020 draft as anything but one great move after another. With the eighth overall pick, they got Clemson defender Isaiah Simmons, the perfect distillation of the modern “linebacker” who can do all kinds of things.

“The only guy I could think of, with similarities, was Brian Urlacher when he came out,” Keim said of Simmons. “He was a safety at New Mexico, for the most part … not quite as fast, but a guy who became a great player and who made that ascension to playing more in the box. He was the one guy who I’d say, if there was any kind of comp and you could make a projection, it’d be Brian Urlacher.”

I made exactly the same comparison, and Keim has always been on point when it comes to multi-position defensive players. It’s a perfect fit for Simmons, who might have been lost with the wrong coaching staff that may have miscast him as a traditional linebacker. Urlacher was one of the pre-eminent Tampa-2 linebacker in his era, and Simmons projects just as well in an NFL where the ideal linebacker can work everywhere from the box to the defensive line to the slot.

Arizona wasn’t done, though. They sent their second-round pick and running back David Johnson packing to Houston for receiver DeAndre Hopkins in Crazy Bill O’Brien’s Fire Sale (“I will trade any good player for ninety-nine dollars!”), which is kind of a good deal. Then, in the third round, they absolutely stole Houston’s Josh Jones, perhaps the best pass-protecting offensive tackle in this draft class.

And then, with their two fourth-round picks, they nabbed Utah’s Leki Fotu and LSU’s Rashard Lawrence, two of the sleeper defensive tackles in this group. This team is getting better in all the right ways, and if you believe as I do that 2020 will be the Year of Kyler Murray… well, watch out for these guys.

Atlanta Falcons: B

There were better cornerbacks on the board when the Falcons took Clemson’s A.J. Terrell with the 16th pick, but Terrell is a tough, rangy defender who had a great 2019 season if you remove what LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase did to him in the College Football Championship. In the second round, Atlanta took Auburn star defensive lineman and quote machine Marlon Davidson, who does not lack for confidence and aggression on the field.

“I instill confidence. I instill passion. I instill heart,” Davidson said after he was picked. “I instill everything you want in a football player as a man and everything. That’s me. I mean, I wake up every day thinking about being the best. I woke up at four o’clock this morning and couldn’t go to sleep because I was mad because I didn’t go first round. I’m waking up at four o’clock. I ain’t been asleep all day, man. I’ve been waiting on this call and I got it and now I’m going to give everything I can to the organization. I’m going to give everything I possibly can and leave everything on the field, every game, and show that they did not mess up by picking Marlon Davidson at all; they didn’t.”

No, they didn’t. You put Davidson next to Grady Jarrett in the middle of Atlanta’s defensive line, and it’s going to be a problem for opposing guards and centers. Speaking of, the third round brought Temple’s Matt Hennessy, who’s not the most athletic center in the draft, but is tough and reliable and should be a plug-and-play starter. If you’re looking for a sleeper here, remember Fresno State linebacker Mykal Walker, taken in the fourth round, who could surprise as an edge defender and off-the-ball linebacker in Dan Quinn’s defense.

Baltimore Ravens: A

No team blitzed more than the Ravens did last season, and if there was one issue with their defense throughout the year, it was the lack of a full-field linebacker — that really went out the window after the 2018 season when C.J Mosley became a Jet. Eric DeCosta and his front office staff fixed that issue with an absolute vengeance with the 28th pick, when LSU ‘backer Patrick Queen fell into Baltimore’s collective lap. Queen isn’t a huge run-stopper, but he does everything else you want a modern linebacker to do, and Baltimore has enough beef on the defensive line to allow Queen to run and chase and cover as he does so well. Add Ohio State’s Malik Harrison, who the Ravens did in the third round as more of a run-plugger with movement skills, and it’s clear where this team wanted to improve in the draft.

Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins, taken in the second round, adds even more to the NFL’s best running game with his ability to run like a small tank and add dimension to the passing game.

But here’s the name you’ll want to remember: Third-round pick Justin Madubuike out of Texas A&M. The defensive tackle put up tape in some games that rivaled that of Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw; it’s just that he didn’t do it all the time. But he’s in the perfect spot to work on his technique and consistency. The Ravens had another great draft. Is anybody surprised?

Buffalo Bills: A

The Bills gave up their 2020 first-round pick to the Vikings for receiver Stefon Diggs, which may have made their receiver group the NFL’s best. And in the fourth round, they took UCF wideout Gabe Davis, who projects well as a DK Metcalf/end-of-career Anquan Boldin type as a physical deep target. It’s certainly time for quarterback Josh Allen to take the proverbial next step. In case Allen can’t, the Bills also took Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm in the fifth round. Fromm’s physical limitations are well-known, but he has upside as a Kellen Moore-style backup with a big football brain.

But the two big names in Buffalo’s draft are unquestionably second-round pass-rusher A.J. Epenesa from Iowa, and third-round running back Zack Moss from Utah. Epenesa isn’t a speed rusher, but he has power, great technique, and the ability to move inside in certain packages. And Moss brings another Bills draft pick to mind — Marshawn Lynch — with his frenzied, tackle-breaking running style and surprising agility.

This is a loaded receiver class, but nobody who’s done what Diggs has already done in the NFL, so it’s a pretty good haul when you factor that in.

Carolina Panthers: B

Carolina had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL last season, which is why most people were mocking either Auburn’s Derrick Brown or South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw to the Panthers. In the end, Carolina took Brown, who’s the more developed player and better run-stopper at this point, though Kinlaw could be the better pass-rusher over time. Regardless, it’s a great player at a desperate need with the seventh overall pick.

The Panthers went heavy on defense throughout the draft, picking up Penn State pass-rusher Yetur Gross-Matos and Southern Illinois saafety Jeremy Chinn in the second round. Gross-Matos is a smooth quarterback disruptor off the edge, and Chinn is a Patrick Chung-style player who plays at a breakneck pace.

But the guy to watch here could be Notre Dame cornerback Troy Pride Jr., taken in the fourth round. Pride is a pure press man cornerback who can run with receivers all day, and if he gets his technique together at the catch point, could be a plus-level starter in time.

Chicago Bears: B

The Bears didn’t have a first-round pick in 2020 as a result of the Khalil Mack trade, but they were able to get an absolute first-round defender in this draft. Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson had minor injury concerns, but he’s one of the smartest, most-targeted, and mistake-proof players at his position in this class, and he should be able to take the field and start right away. Johnson slipped enough from his first-round talent that Chicago were able to take Notre Dame tight end Cole Kmet, also in the second round. Kmet isn’t the most dynamic tight end in this draft class, especially on intermediate and deep throws, but he’s a good all-round player.

The guy Bears fans might want to get excited about in this class is fifth-round pass-rusher Trevis Gipson out of Tulsa. At 6-foot-3 and 261 pounds, Gipson isn’t developed in his technique, but his raw physical tools explode off the tape.

Cincinnati Bengals: B

The Bengals taking Joe Burrow with the first pick in the 2020 draft was the worst-kept secret in this draft, and we can’t really give Cincinnati’s staff any extra credit for having the best player in this class fall into their laps with the first overall pick. But we will give the Bengals props for stealing Clemson receiver Tee Higgins with the first pick in the second round. Higgins was the best contested-catch receiver in this class, and he’s an absolute weapon downfield. Comparisons to A.J. Green make sense, so Burrow will have A.J. Green and A.J. Green Jr. in his receiver group. Not bad.

Then, Cincinnati went for need at the linebacker position with two excellent players — Wyoming’s Logan Wilson in the third round, and Appalachian State’s Akeem Davis-Gaither in the fourth. Seventh-round ‘backer Markus Bailry from Purdue projects well as a high-quality backup. And watch out for fifth-round Notre Dame edge-rusher Khalid Kareem. Kareem isn’t a flashy guy, but he has the technique and leverage to be a problem for opposing offensive linemen at the NFL level.

Cleveland Browns: B

It’s easy to like the selection of Alabama offensive tackle Jedrick Wills with the 10th overall pick — Wills is a demolition machine in the run game and has a ton of upside as a pass-protector. He’ll need a second to adjust to a left tackle future, but he has all the attributes to do so. Second-round safety Grant Delpit out of LSU is one of the best coverage defenders in this class, but his tackling is abysmal, and that’s kind of a problem in the NFL. Cleveland’s coaching staff will have to clear that up before Delpit is able to make the post of his potential as a deep-third eraser.

I love the selection of Missouri defensive tackle Jordan Elliott — he’s an underrated pass-rusher and run-stopper who doesn’t excite on tape down-to-down, but he’s a remarkably consistent player. And with new head coach and offensive shot-caller Kevin Stefanski’s love for multiple tight end sets, it’s no surprise the Browns reached out to FAU’s Harrison Bryant in the fourth round. Michigan receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones, a developmental downfield receiver with power at the catch point, could be a starter when he figures out the nuances at his position. He’s a steal in the sixth round.