In his mock draft over at NFL.com, Rhett Lewis has the Vikings hitting on two of those positions.
The Vikings go in many different directions with their two first-round picks.
Cornerback, wide receiver, offensive line and defensive end are all positions of needs.
In his mock draft over at NFL.com, Rhett Lewis has the Vikings hitting on two of those positions.
With the No. 22 pick, Lewis has the Vikings drafting Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos. With Everson Griffen gone, the Vikings could use some help opposite of Danielle Hunter.
And with the No. 25 pick, Lewis has the Vikings drafting Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell. Departures of Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander make this position an absolute priority for Rick Spielman during this draft.
The one position fans would probably like to see the Vikings address in the first round is the wide receiver spot after the departure of Stefon Diggs. After Adam Thielen, there’s not a lot happening on this depth chart.
Lewis has four wide receivers — CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and Justin Jefferson off the board before the Vikings pick at No. 22.
Jets Wire makes four bold predictions for general manager Joe Douglas and the Jets in the upcoming 2020 NFL draft.
It wouldn’t be draft season without some bold predictions being thrown out there.
Draft season is all about speculation. Analysts and fans spend all offseason predicting when a player might go off the board. Some analysts predict players to get drafted way higher than others expect, while others have teams taking players that have not been linked to the organization or ones who fill a high-priority need.
With Joe Douglas’ first draft as an NFL general manager approaching, it’s time for Jets Wire to get bold and take a crack at predicting what Douglas might do on draft day. Let’s get into it.
Douglas trades back
AP Photo/Butch Dill
No. 11 seems like the perfect pick for the Jets. Slotted just outside the top 10, New York can take either an offensive tackle to protect Sam Darnold or a top wide receiver for him to work with.
This year’s draft is about more than filling just one or two holes, though. Joe Douglas is well aware that the depth chart needs improving at multiple positions. What better way to address those positions than by trading back in the first round?
Trading back would not necessarily take the Jets out of the running for a standout tackle or receiver in the first round. Depending on how far they trade back, Houston offensive tackle Josh Jones and LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson should still be available for the taking. In this scenario, Douglas not only gets an impact player at a position of need, but he adds more draft capital to address other needs.
Everything New Orleans Saints fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft
Everything New Orleans Saints fans need to know heading into the 2020 NFL Draft.
VITALS
Head Coach: Sean Payton
General Manager: Mickey Loomis
2019 Record: 13-3
2020 DRAFT PICKS
1 (24)
3 (88)
4 (130)
5 (169)
6 (203)
TEAM NEEDS
Quarterback
The 2020 NFL season will likely be the last for Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints need to find his heir apparent. Taysom Hill has been a great addition to the team but his projection at this point doesn’t seem to be any more than a special teamer/gadget player/backup quarterback. The Saints could have an opportunity to grab their quarterback of the next decade plus if it all falls right for them in the first round.
Wide Receiver
The Saints have one of the best receivers in the game with Michael Thomas but one man cannot do it alone. The team needs to invest in a number two receiver in this draft class. A class that is full of receivers in one of the deepest classes in some time. It isn’t a position that needs to be address in the first round but definitely within their first three selections.
Linebacker
The defense needs to be addressed as far as their depth at linebacker. Manti Te’o is.a free agent, Another key linebacker was AJ Klein who moved on to Buffalo. With some of the talent at linebacker in the class, it wouldn’t be a stretch to find one on day three to come in and compete for a starting role or rotational role immediately.
Jags Wire’s James Johnson makes the Jags’ first round selections in KNID’s mock draft and bolsters their offense.
The NFL Draft is now five days away and mock drafts will be plentiful on the web. We’ll be doing at least one last full mock of our own before Thursday’s big event and will have plenty of news on prospects and more.
We’ve been also collaborating with others on draft related content in the form of radio appearances and podcasts, including a mock draft with KNID 107.1’s Corey Clark. I made both of the Jags’ first round selections taking Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas with pick No. 9 and Louisiana State wide receiver Justin Jefferson with pick No. 20.
The addition of both would upgrade the Jags’ offense as they attempt to build around Gardner Minshew II. With no trades and the top defensive options gone off the board, I went with Thomas because he’s what the Jags look for in an offensive tackle in terms of size (6-foot-5, 315-pounds) and the competition he faced at Georgia.
When reflecting on the mock, South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw may have been a better decision, however, as general manager Dave Caldwell believes there is a drop-off at defensive tackle early in the draft. Still, Thomas is a player that would be a tremendous addition as he could play guard himself or maybe kick Cam Robinson inside.
Jefferson, on the other hand, is a player who has been mocked to the Jags often. Pairing him with former LSU teammate D.J. Chark again could give the Jags their receiving duo for the next eight years or so. He’d also give the Jags a receiver to do the dirty work in the middle while Chark works the sidelines.
To hear the full analysis on both picks, feel free to listen via the media player below.
Justin Jefferson will be a member of the New England Patriots, according to a recent mock draft.
As the NFL Draft approaches, it is always interesting to look at mock drafts and see who the Patriots could land. A new mock draft came out on Wednesday that had the Patriots landing a wide receiver.
In his latest mock draft, Henry McKenna of For The Win had the Patriots selecting LSU wideout Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson was a key part of the LSU passing game . Led by quarterback Joe Burrow, the LSU wide receivers thrived. For his part, Jefferson caught 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. Those numbers were certainly a step up from the 875 receiving yards and six touchdowns he recorded the year before.
The New England Patriots certainly need depth at the wide receiver position. Led by veteran Julian Edelman, this wide receiving unit lacks explosive playmaking. Jefferson would certainly fit that mold. Measuring in at six-foot-three, 192 pounds, Jefferson has tremendous leaping ability, and would give the next New England quarterback a weapon to throw to. In his piece, McKenna had this to say about Jefferson.
“My initial thought was for the Patriots to A) trade back (because they don’t have a second round pick) or B) take center Cesar Ruiz. But Jefferson is too perfect for their offense. He’s versatile, athletic and productive. If Jefferson, N’Keal Harry and lesser-known receiver Jakobi Meyers continue to develop, the Patriots offense might have a group of strong wideouts that Tom Brady never seemed to have (except in 2007).”
Drafting Jefferson would certainly add use to the wide receiver position for New England. As McKenna alludes to, that would give New England a triple threat of young receivers with potential. With depth being a huge issue at the position for New England in 2019, drafting Jefferson would undoubtedly help the passing game.
Carter notes that there are receivers with different skills in this draft and that the Vikings should be focused on a receiver with speed.
After trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills, the Vikings are in desperate need as they head into next week’s draft.
Luckily, the 2020 NFL Draft looks to be stacked with receivers.
“I believe that there are at least 25 receivers that can be drafted in the first four rounds, so we’re gonna see some superstars come off the board in Day 2,” Former Vikings receiver Cris Carter said via Vikings.com.
Carter notes that there are receivers with different skills in this draft and that the Vikings should be focused on a receiver with speed.
“The Vikings, we need speed,” Carter said. “We don’t have a deep threat at wide receiver and we know we like to run the ball . . . We need someone who can take off the defense.”
Two specific players Carter mentions are LSU’s Justin Jefferson and Clemson’s Tee Higgins.
If Jefferson falls to 22 or 25, that would be a dream scenario for the Vikings. He ran a surprising 4.43 at the combine and could be a player who starts immediately. As for Higgins, he’s a player that could go late in the first round, or could potentially fall into the second round depending on when the wide receiver surge is.
The good news is for the Vikings is that there are plenty of options at receiver, it will just be about picking the right fit for what the Vikings want to do.
Dallas Cowboys news for April 16, 2020. One week away from the NFL draft. Mock drafts are getting heavier and the Cowboys have options.
The 2020 NFL Draft is now less than a week away and NFL fans along with the media have reached their breaking point and have exhausted their last bit of patience. It’s almost here!
The mock drafts are kicking into overdrive as the internet is trying not to psyche themselves out of their own respective original thoughts. There are dozens of possibilities that the Dallas Cowboys can go with at pick 17 but the question remains if it would be the best fit. In today’s news the mothership hints at a possible wide receiver that has great upside and while NFL.com agrees with the position pick, the player selection is not the same. Stepping away from the draft for a second, Bleacher Report is saying the 2020 Cowboys are playoff bound with their over/under win total. Conor Williams is making strides towards a bigger and better version of himself as he recovers from his season ending knee injury.
Randall Cobb leaving Dallas left the Cowboys WR room barren after Cooper and Gallup. The Cowboys are linked to a number of potential WR targets in the draft. Clemson’s Tee Higgins would offer a skill set the Cowboys don’t currently have.
NFL Network’s draft expert Daniel Jeremiah suggests another potential wide receiver target for the Cowboys. Jefferson is extremely versatile, and could line up in the slot or outside should the Cowboys upgrade their number three wide out.
Losing Travis Frederick to retirement means the rest of the Cowboys O-Line has to step up in 2020, starting with Connor Williams. Learn the latest about his recovery and who else could help out along the offensive line.
Preseason win totals are a fun way to project how competitive a team will be in the upcoming season. The Cowboys sit at 9.5 wins in this latest projection, with only a handful teams above them.
My triumphant 10 LBs (overall):
1. Isaiah Simmons (3) 2. Patrick Queen (18) 3. Kenneth Murray (20) 4. Zack Baun (33) 5. Jordyn Brooks (43) 6. Logan Wilson (63) 7. Josh Uche (75) 8. Malik Harrison (88) 9. Joe Bachie (94) 10. Shaquille Quarterman (97)https://t.co/GZderz0kgd
Cowboys fans are debating if they should select a wide receiver with pick 17 in the 2020 NFL Draft. If they don’t, do they have someone on the current roster who can fill that void at slot receiver?
Coming Fri Apr 17th at 4 pm CT, @michaelirvin88 headlines a group that breaks down Super Bowl XXVII in our first edition of “Cowboys Classics.”
The Cowboys have to address losing defensive end Robert Quinn. With questions in the air about Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith, the Cowboys sit down with another possible replacement.
The Philadelphia Eagles could be forced to trade up in the NFL draft for Justin Jefferson.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been linked to every wide reciever prospect in the NFL draft and the Birds are dealing with the conundrum of coveting great talent while owning an average pick.
The no. 21 overall pick in the draft has some value but It’ll likely be to far down in the draft process to land Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs or Justin Jefferson according to Mike Garafalo.
The former LSU star can be a game wrecker from the slot and appears to be rising quickly up draft boards after initially looking like a player the Eagles could easily land at no. 21 overall.
If Howie Roseman chooses to stand pat, he could decide to trade back and acquire more picks if he doesn’t see value in that spot.
Hollywood gets football right. From “The Program” to “Rudy” football movies inspire. What comparisons be found in the 2020 NFL Draft?
Player comparisons are an inevitability in every draft evaluation process. Some find them useful, others think they’re useless. But they give people a good general thumbnail of a prospect’s traits and attributes.
That said, we’re going a bit outside the box with these comparisons. Here, we align 2020 draft prospects with their fictional football doppelgangers.
Joe Burrow: Jonathan Moxon, Varsity Blues
(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
Joe Burrow is regarded by most as the complete quarterback in this draft class, and almost a lock to be the first player drafted when the NFL Draft begins.
Jonathan Moxon, however, was a backup. The caddy to Lance Harbor, the All-State quarterback with a scholarship waiting for him at Florida State. While Harbor was throwing touchdown passes all over the field for the West Canaan Coyotes and making the student body swoon with interesting pep rally speeches, Moxon was waiting on the sidelines, reading “Slaughterhouse-Five” instead of his playbook on Friday nights.
But when Harbor goes down due to a brutal knee injury, Moxon gets his chance. One of the things he installs in the new Coyotes offense in the movie’s critical final game – an offense he tried to install earlier, much to the chagrin of old school coach Bud Kilmer – is Mississippi Valley State’s “Oop-de-oop” offense. A five-receiver system that as Moxon points out, has MVS averaging over 44 points per game. Of course, it leads to Kilmer delivering a rather amazing comparison in this clip (which, by the way, is not exactly safe for work, but since you are likely working from home, just make sure the kids are in another room):
Now, it is important to remember for this comparison not that Burrow was an afterthought in the Ohio State quarterback room, which led to his transfer to LSU, but rather the offense that Burrow ran last season. Under Joe Brady, the LSU Tigers were predominantly a five-man protection scheme. Very similar, in that regard, to that vaunted Mississippi Valley State offense. That made Burrow responsible for the sixth man in any potential defensive pressure scheme. What does that look like on film?
nice 6 man pressure by georgia here. got the free rusher to the man side of the half slide. burrow just got the hot off pic.twitter.com/Yu5sdmyiri
