Who’s getting picked, who’s moving up, and who’s moving down? It all adds to the intrigue as the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is here.
It’s finally here. All the speculation, all the what-ifs, all the hypotheticals, all the combine grades and mock draft madness and virtual interviews… it all becomes real Thursday night when the 2020 NFL Draft kicks off in home offices and man caves and living rooms all over the country. From the teams doing deals on their sofas to the commissioner announcing the selections from his house to the prospects camped out around their kitchen tables, this year’s first round promises to be like nothing else the league or its fans have ever seen.
What remains exactly like drafts past, though, is the scramble for inside information in the hours leading up to the picks. From veteran reporters to network analysts to armchair GM wannabes on Twitter, everyone has a hot “I’m hearing” take or a fresh “sources say” scoop to share. Some of them will bear out to be true; many won’t.
Latest Rumors and Announcements
Here’s where we’ll plug in all of the latest rumors and rumblings to keep you as up-to-date as possible. Jump to the bottom of the article for the full first-round draft order.
Miami Dolphins’ thirsty for Burrow?
The Miami Dolphins have three first-round selections, and a ton of needs, so how they will spend those picks is a source of major guesswork.
Is Miami’s worry over Tua Tagovailoa’s health genuine and compounded by the fact that they were unable to meet with him in person before coronavirus travel restrictions set in? Or is some of this leaked concern a ploy to scare other teams off the Alabama passer? The Dolphins would presumably love to take an elite offensive lineman with the fifth pick and still land Tagovailoa.
Jerry Jeudy’s knee concerns
Medical concerns have also surrounded Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, to the point that Jeudy’s doctor wrote a note to all 32 teams explaining the wideout’s previous knee surgery.
Despite persistent whispers that Jeudy has some mysterious knee ailment that is worse than has been revealed, teams say that they have no doubts about Jeudy’s ability. But when it’s time to actually call a name, will those lingering stories be enough to sway a GM to look elsewhere?
Giants willing to dump Daniel Jones?
One of the more curious rumors floating around is the Giants’ apparent interest in Oregon quarterback Justin Hebert. The Giants just anointed Daniel Jones their signal-caller of the future after taking him sixth overall last year and benching Eli Manning in favor of him.
But Big Blue, with the No. 4 pick this year, has reportedly spent an incredible amount of time this offseason on Herbert.
What New York chooses to do with the fourth pick Thursday night will be fascinating to watch.
Lions want to get more picks and move down
Many teams will eagerly give up a selection that high for more draft capital in later rounds, knowing that a desperate team might overpay to get the player they covet. Expect lots of wheeling and dealing with so many teams seemingly unsure about prospects they were unable to spend time with in person.
Cowboys looking at a Center with No. 17?
Even the Cowboys- with the 17th pick- have been targeted as a team that could trade back. There is sure to be a player Dallas loves who’s available once they’re on the clock, but the lure of instead getting multiple prospects that they simply like a whole lot may be just too much for Jerry and Stephen Jones to pass up.
That may be a plausible scenario, but ESPN’s Todd Archer considers it doubtful. He also nixes the talk of the team taking Michigan center Cesar Ruiz with the 17th pick.
Falcons want to trade into Top 10
Of course, for teams to move down, there have to be teams who want to trade up. Atlanta seems to fall into that camp this year.
Yannick Ngakoue may get his wish to be traded
But it’s not just 2020 picks that can be used as collateral in a trade. It’s entirely possible that some clubs are burning up the phone lines prior to the draft trying to unload a current player from their roster.
And what about Jamal Adams?
That doesn’t bode well for Cowboys fans still clamoring for a deal that brings New York Jets safety Jamal Adams to Dallas, even though Jerry Jones has already tried to squash that rumor.
At least that’s what Jones said publicly. Part of a smokescreen? No one knows. And that’s what makes the draft such an endless source of intrigue for fans. It’s all possible. No conspiracy theory is too nuts, no potential deal is off the table, nothing is set in stone.
Until Thursday night rolls around, and then things suddenly are set in stone.
First Round Draft Order… For Now.
Here’s what we know for sure headed into the first round: the order of the 32 picks taking place Thursday night. In addition to Miami’s three Thursday-night picks, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Minnesota, and San Francisco each have two as well. Buffalo, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and the Los Angeles Rams will wait until later rounds to make selections.
The first round breaks down as follows.
2020 Draft Round 1 Order
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| Pick No. |
Team |
Selection |
School |
Trade Notes |
| 1 |
Cincinnati Bengals |
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| 2 |
Washington Redskins |
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| 3 |
Detroit Lions |
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| 4 |
New York Giants |
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| 5 |
Miami Dolphins |
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| 6 |
Los Angeles Chargers |
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| 7 |
Carolina Panthers |
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| 8 |
Arizona Cardinals |
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| 9 |
Jacksonville Jaguars |
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| 10 |
Cleveland Browns |
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| 11 |
New York Jets |
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| 12 |
Las Vegas Raiders |
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| 13 |
San Francisco 49ers (from IND) |
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| 14 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
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| 15 |
Denver Broncos |
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| 16 |
Atlanta Falcons |
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| 17 |
Dallas Cowboys |
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| 18 |
Miami Dolphins (from PIT) |
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| 19 |
Las Vegas Raiders (from CHI) |
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| 20 |
Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) |
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| 21 |
Philadelphia Eagles |
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| 22 |
Minnesota Vikings (from (BUF) |
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| 23 |
New England Patriots |
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| 24 |
New Orleans Saints |
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| 25 |
Minnesota Vikings |
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| 26 |
Miami Dolphins (from HOU) |
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| 27 |
Seattle Seahawks |
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| 28 |
Baltimore Ravens |
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| 29 |
Tennessee Titans |
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| 30 |
Green Bay Packers |
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| 31 |
San Francisco 49ers |
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| 32 |
Kansas City Chiefs |
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