Tag: 2020 nfl mock draft

Bucky Brooks’ new mock draft is predictable for the Bucs, but a shocker for Tua

Bucky Brooks’ new mock draft over at NFL.com is no shocker when it comes to who the Bucs pick, but it is when it comes to where Tua goes.

With the NFL draft just a little over a week away, final mock drafts are coming in and beginning to provide some clarity before the big day. As usual, almost every single mock draft since day one has had LSU quarterback Joe Burrow pegged as the top pick by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Burrow is just one of several high-profile college quarterbacks expected to go early in round one, along with Justin Herbert of Oregon and Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama. (Even Jordan Love of Utah State could find himself going high in round one.)

Tagovailoa is one of the more interesting cases. Despite having a decorated career at Alabama, a hip injury last November has left some NFL teams questioning his long-term durability. While many mocks still have Tua going in the top five to the Miami Dolphins, Bucky Brooks over at NFL.com made a bold prediction today in his latest mock draft.

Brooks has Tagovailoa falling all the way to No. 9 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, after the Dolphins go with Herbert at the five spot and the QB-needy Los Angeles Chargers opt for Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

Per Brooks:

“This should be a no-brainer for the Jaguars if Tagovailoa slides to this point. The Alabama standout is a significant upgrade over Gardner Minshew and gives the team a long-term option at QB1.”

It’s hard to imagine Tua falling that far, but stranger things have happened.

As for who Brooks thinks the Bucs will select at the 14th spot, well, there’s no surprise there (thankfully). He, like many draft experts, like Georgia OT Andrew Thomas. “Adding protection around Tom Brady is priority No.1 for the Buccaneers,” Brooks said.

Thomas would be a great selection by the Bucs. SI even said in their recent mock draft that Thomas may very well be the most pro-ready offensive tackle in this year’s class.

Still, when it comes to offensive tackles and the NFL draft, nothing is guaranteed.

[lawrence-related id=30728,30751,30719,30687]

UGA’s Jake Fromm standing out in NFL interviews

Former Georgia Bulldog quarterback Jake Fromm is standing out in NFL Draft interviews.

Former Georgia Bulldog quarterback Jake Fromm is standing out in NFL Draft interviews according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Due to COVID-19, Fromm and 2020 NFL Draft prospects are having to conduct the vast majority of their interviews virtually.

Fromm has especially impressed NFL quarterback coaches in the pre-draft process. Fromm had control of Georgia’s offense throughout his career and is as seasoned of a veteran as any quarterback in the NFL Draft.

Despite a down junior season, it was inevitable that Fromm would rise during the interview process. Fromm never threw more than seven interceptions in his three seasons as a starter and his decision making and knowledge of the game are two strengths that general managers love.

Fromm helped UGA to three straight SEC Championship Games, winning his first. His steadying presence in the Georgia offense kept the Dawgs consistent and helped talented teams meet or exceed expectations year after year.

Additionally, Fromm learned to adapt to new receivers throughout the entire 2019 season. And given the adjustment from college to the pros, Fromm may be ahead of the pack in terms of the transition.

Fromm still likely won’t be a first round selection. That being said, his ability to operate an offensive system effectively won’t be overlooked.

Georgia fans should expect Fromm’s name to be called in either the second or third round.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1]

Mel Kiper Jr. gets Joe Burrow’s Bengals some critical help in 2-round mock draft

Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft sends some big help to the Bengals.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”HL696fuMNv-698992-7498″]

The last time Mel Kiper Jr. put out a mock draft he heaped praise on the Cincinnati Bengals in the process.

This time, Kiper wonders whether the Bengals can trade Andy Dalton after taking Joe Burrow — then used the second round to get Burrow some serious help up front.

Said help comes in the form of Houston offensive lineman Josh Jones:

“The Bengals get back 2019 first-rounder Jonah Williams, who missed his entire rookie season with a shoulder injury, so that fills the left tackle opening. But there are still holes at guard and right tackle. Jones started 45 games for the Cougars at left tackle, but some teams think he will move inside to guard. This would be the ideal top two picks for Cincinnati.”

Jones is a huge 6’5″, 319-pound prospect filled with untapped potential who looks like he could be a long-term starter on the left side.

Obviously, with Jonah Williams there, Jones could come in and fight it out with Bobby Hart on the right edge immediately. And if not that, as Kiper notes, he could always start his career inside.

This isn’t as flashy as a wideout for Burrow or a speedy linebacker. But taking a borderline first-round tackle and potentially upgrading the right side of the line might just end up being more important — especially during a year where offseason activities and even the preseason could end up shortened.

[vertical-gallery id=30471]

Cincinnati Bengals mock draft features big win with Willie Gay Jr. in second round

Willie Gay Jr. is a big get in a new Bengals mock draft.

[sendtonews_embed video_id=”HL696fuMNv-698992-7498″]

Willie Gay Jr. is the big talking point of a new 2020 NFL mock draft for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Not that Joe Burrow at No. 1 isn’t important or anything. But generally speaking, mocks that go beyond Round 1 are more noteworthy at this point.

And over at Pro Football Focus, a new three-round mock features a big win with Gay:

“This might seem high, but talent-wise, it’s probably still a steal. Gay has a career coverage grade over 90.0 and blew up the Combine. The Bengals’ need at linebacker is an obvious one.”

Gay is a bit of a traits-based prospect who put up wicked measurables, running a 4.46 40-yard dash at 6’1″ and 243 pounds. But it’s hard not to love the idea of his lining up with Germaine Pratt and patrolling the middle of a multiple defense.

Given that it is a three-round mock, the Bengals then turn around and grab offensive lineman Netane Muti at No. 65, an interior prospect who can compete, if not potentially start right away.

As always, some form of Burrow, plus linebacker and offensive line isn’t a bad way for the Bengals to go.

[vertical-gallery id=30471]

2020 NFL Draft: Georgia football OT Andrew Thomas to Cleveland Browns?

Georgia football OT Andrew Thomas says that the Cleveland Browns are interested in him ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Georgia’s Andrew Thomas is considered one of the best, if not the best, offensive tackles in the 2020 NFL Draft class.

He’s a guy that pretty much every NFL team will want to meet with prior to the draft, however, coronavirus has forced said meetings to be conducted via FaceTime or video conference chats.

One team that’s met with Thomas is the Cleveland Browns, where Bulldog legend Nick Chubb is making a name for himself as one of the league’s top ball carriers.

Cleveland holds the No. 10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and it appears they’re eyeing Thomas as a possible selection.

Thomas said that Browns GM Andrew Berry is impressed with him both on and off the field.

“Andrew (Browns GM) said I had a lot of the intangibles that they’re looking to add to their team, good character,’’ Thomas told cleveland.com in a phone interview. “They feel that translates to playing on the field, so I feel that’s something I have.’’

Referring to a separate phone call with the Browns, Thomas discussed how new head coach Kevin Stefanski viewed him.

“He was saying me being athletic is something that they like as far being able to open up holes in the wide zone,’’ Thomas said.

[vertical-gallery id=24661]

Could the son of a former Buccaneer be Tampa bound?

In Draft Wire’s latest 7 round mock draft, Luke Easterling has this receiver coming to Tampa. And it turns out he’s the son of a former Buc.

The NFL draft is less than two weeks away, so final mock drafts will be coming in at bulk over the next several days, which is good news for sports fans stuck inside at home.

While the general consensus among draft experts right now is that the Buccaneers will take an offensive tackle in round one to help protect new investment Tom Brady, it’s anyone’s guess what the Bucs will do in the following rounds. Running back and safety are needs as well, but what about wide receiver?

The Bucs certainly don’t seem to need help at that position, considering they have both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. But, both Evans and Godwin went down late last season with hamstring injuries, so perhaps getting some insurance might not be a bad idea.

In Draft Wire’s latest seven-round mock draft, Luke Easterling has the Bucs using their third-round pick (No. 76) on USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. If Bucs fans are wondering why that name sounds so familiar, it’s because his father, Michael Pittman Sr., was a running back for the Buccaneers for six seasons, including back in 2002 during the team’s Super Bowl-winning season.

Pittman Jr. would be a huge addition to an already stacked Bucs receiving corps. In his senior year at USC in 2019, Pittman had 101 receptions for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns. I’m sure Brady, and Pittman’s father, would approve of his selection by the Bucs, should it happen.

[lawrence-related id=30578,30308,30595,30568]

2020 NFL mock draft: Updated 7-round projections

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

We’re less than two weeks away from the 2020 NFL Draft, and as teams and prospects prepare for one of the most unique draft experiences in league history, it’s time to give you one last projection for all seven rounds of this year’s event.

This year’s draft will be a completely virtual experience for the league, the teams and the players, more closely resembling a fantasy football draft than what we’ve become accustomed to over the years.

In any event, here’s my updated look at how every pick could shake out later this month:

1. Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

2. Washington Redskins | Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

3. Detroit Lions | Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

4. New York Giants | Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa

5. Miami Dolphins | Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

6. Los Angeles Chargers | Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon

7. Carolina Panthers | Isaiah Simmons | LB | Clemson

8. Arizona Cardinals | Jedrick Wills | OT | Alabama

9. Jacksonville Jaguars | Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

10. Cleveland Browns | Mekhi Becton | OT | Louisville

11. New York Jets | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

12. Las Vegas Raiders | CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma

13. San Francisco 49ers (from IND) | Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia

15. Denver Broncos | Javon Kinlaw | DL | South Carolina

16. Atlanta Falcons | K’Lavon Chaisson | EDGE | LSU

17. Dallas Cowboys | CJ Henderson | CB | Florida

18. Miami Dolphins (from PIT) | Josh Jones | OT | Houston

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from CHI) | Jeff Gladney | CB | TCU

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) | Austin Jackson | OT | USC

21. Philadelphia Eagles | Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor

22. Minnesota Vikings (from BUF) | Jalen Reagor | WR | TCU

23. New England Patriots | Jordan Love | QB | Utah State

24. New Orleans Saints | Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma

25. Minnesota Vikings | Kristian Fulton | CB | LSU

26. Miami Dolphins (from HOU) | Cesar Ruiz | OL | Michigan

27. Seattle Seahawks | Xavier McKinney | S | Alabama

28. Baltimore Ravens | A.J. Epenesa | EDGE | Iowa

29. Tennessee Titans | Jonathan Taylor | RB | Wisconsin

30. Green Bay Packers | Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU

31. San Francisco 49ers | Ross Blacklock | DL | TCU

32. Kansas City Chiefs | Trevon Diggs | CB | Alabama

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

Cincinnati Bengals 7-round mock draft featuring trade down in 2nd round

Here’s a mock outlining a Bengals trade back in the second round.

With less than two weeks until the start of the most-unique NFL Draft we’ve ever seen, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shape of the draft is beginning to take shape. Teams are jockeying for position throughout the draft and mock drafts for 2020 will be coming to a close (and mocks for 2021 will begin soon thereafter).

This particular seven-round mock draft for the Cincinnati Bengals will focus on the hypothetical situation that the teams trades out of the No. 33 overall selection. We’ll be using Pro Football Network‘s Mock Draft Simulator for this exercise.

 

No. 1 – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Joe Burrow speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Teams such as the Miami Dolphins may still try up until the last minute to trade up to the No. 1 overall pick, but in the end, the Bengals are going to stay at the top and take the Heisman Trophy winner. And the team may have the luxury of letting Burrow develop and not be pressured into starting him right away, as Burrow (and literally every other player) have no idea when they will get to be back on the practice field. This is likely why Andy Dalton is going to stick around one more year as Burrow’s mentor and suddenly become the bridge quarterback in Cincinnati.

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

Adam Rank’s 2020 NFL mock draft gives love to the Bucs’ pirate ship

NFL.com’s Adam Rank thinks the Bucs should find protection for quarterback Tom Brady early as well as add a running back.

The 2020 NFL draft is just around the corner, and despite the fact that the event will be fully virtual this year in light of the coronavirus pandemic, we can be grateful that mock drafts are still being turned out.

While we’ve had several iterations from analysts and draft experts in the last few months, Adam Rank over at NFL.com released his first mock draft this week, and put a twist on it. Rank didn’t set out to predict which player teams will pick. Instead, he told teams who they should take, draft boards be damned. Rank pointed out at the beginning of his piece that had the Bucs listened to him in 2018, Chargers strong safety Derwin James would be in Tampa Bay instead of Vita Vea (not sure how Bucs fans feel about that).

Fortunately, in his 2020 mock, Rank says the Bucs should look to protect their newest asset, quarterback Tom Brady, by selecting offensive tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia, a player whose name keeps popping up more and more for the Bucs in recent mock drafts. In his reasoning, Rank not only gives love to Tampa Bay’s new unis, but also to their pirate ship of all things.

Per Rank:

“First off, love the new uniforms. Those look amazing. Second, you need a running back. But I don’t recommend that you take one here. Address that in the second round, when your options at No. 45 could include J.K. Dobbins, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and maybe even a surprise slider like Jonathan Taylor. Take Thomas to protect your most important asset for the team, Tom Brady. Well, second-most next to that huge pirate ship that Kevin Owens didn’t get to jump off for WrestleMania. And having that tackle will help you run the ball, too.”

The Bucs used the majority of their picks in last year’s NFL draft to fix their problems on defense, adding guys like Devin White, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean in the early rounds. It wouldn’t be a surprise if they focused on offense in the early stages of this year’s draft. Getting Brady protection up front and in the backfield would help make Tampa Bay’s passing attack even more explosive.

[lawrence-related id=30454,30440,30360,30240]

Cowboys News: The next Dez Bryant? Aldon Smith interview, draft invites

The 2020 NFL Draft is now two weeks away. More mock drafts surface along with plenty of analysis on potential draft picks for the Cowboys

The 2020 NFL Draft is now less than two weeks away. Virtual meetings have become a trending topic for all 32 teams as this has become the newest way to conduct pre-draft business. The Dallas Cowboys have been letting the fans in just a little bit as to what goes on behind the scenes in these very odd times.

Mock drafts are going to rev up in these next 14 days as everyone shoots for predicting the perfect draft. Cowboys legendary figure Gil Brandt compares one of the key wide receivers entering this year’s draft to Dez Bryant, who in fact is trying to reunite with his old team with a few documented workouts. The NFL is doing their part to help everyone affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and a few Cowboys are getting heavily involved. Dallas has plenty of options as to what direction they would like to go in this year’s draft and there are plenty of voices on the internet explaining why they should or shouldn’t draft specific players. All this and more in today’s news.

2020 NFL Draft: Prospect-pro comparisons for top wide receivers :: NFL.com

Dallas Cowboys legendary executive Gil Brandt compares several of the drafts top wide receivers to current or former stars, and sees a lot of former Cowboy wide receiver Dez Bryant in Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb.

Ezekiel Elliott, DeMarcus Lawrence doing part to support COVID-19 relief efforts :: The CowboysWire

The Dallas Cowboys are doing their part to help everyone who has landed on hard times during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Can Tony Pollard create own shine in Ezekiel Elliott’s shadow in 2020? :: Cowboys Wire

The focus has been on how Mike McCarthy will use Elliott, but what does the new coach’s history say about backup running backs and what does it mean for the promising youngster?

PFF 3-round mock gives Cowboys edge rusher, wideout, corner :: The CowboysWire

Mock drafts are about to get even heavier in the coming weeks. The CowboysWire breaks down this one done by Pro Football Focus.

1 Free Agent Still on the Market Who Can Help Each NFL Team in 2020 :: Bleacher Report

Even with the 2020 NFL draft just two weeks away, free agency remains open and the Cowboys can add another veteran to the defensive line. The aged wonder, Cameron Wake is still on the loose.

Possible Pick: How Murray Would Boost LB Group :: The Mothership

Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray was one of the recent virtual interviews for the Cowboys front office. See where Murray would fit in the Dallas scheme.

Is Cornerback The Cowboys Biggest Pre-Draft Need? :: Inside The Star

Every team in the NFL still have questions to be answered. Have the Cowboys done enough to fill the void that Byron Jones left?

Cowboys 2020 Draft: Mississippi State’s Willie Gay Jr. is an intriguing option at linebacker for Dallas :: Blogging The Boys

While the Cowboys continue their virtual meetings, introduce yourself to Willie Gay Jr.

Cowboys To Raise Funds In 3-Day “Draft-A-Thon” :: The Mothership

The Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army will be working together a little before Thanksgiving this year. Money will be raised throughout all major market television stations during this years 2020 virtual NFL Draft.

[vertical-gallery id=642587][lawrence-newsletter]