Tag: mock draft with trades

2022 NFL mock draft: 1st-round projections for draft week, with trades

With the 2022 NFL draft just days away, Draft Wire editor Luke Easterling updates his first-round projections, with a handful of trades

It’s officially NFL draft week, which means it’s time for an updated look at how this year’s first round could shake out.

In reality, no first round is complete without a few surprises and a handful of trades, so that’s what you’ll find in our latest projection.

Who will be the first quarterback off the board, and how long will he have to wait? Who will the Jacksonville Jaguars take, sitting at the No. 1 overall pick for the second year in a row? Which top prospects will unexpectedly slide down the board?

Here’s how the first 32 picks of the 2022 NFL draft could go down:

*denotes projected trade

2020 NFL mock draft: Final 1st-round projections with trades

Luke Easterling makes his final projections for the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, with a handful of big trades and surprise picks

The wait is nearly over, NFL fans.

In just mere hours, the 2020 NFL Draft will finally kick off, and the strangest predraft process in recent memory will crescendo in (hopefully) a glitch-free virtual experience.

Before the real action gets rolling, here’s my final attempt at projecting how the top 32 picks will shake out, including a handful of trades. This is how I think the first round might unfold, rather than the picks I would make if I had the chance.

Happy draft day, y’all. We made it.

*denotes projected trade

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

This has been set in stone for quite some time. No, Burrow never had any problems with the idea of playing for the Bengals, despite whatever rumors may have circulated throughout the draft process.

I also don’t buy the narrative that he can’t be successful in Cincinnati, or that the Bengals have a poor track record with drafting quarterbacks. Carson Palmer was one of the league’s best throughout his tenure in Cincy, and Andy Dalton was effective enough to be worthy of his second-round draft slot. They won the division twice with Palmer at the helm, and made five straight trips to the playoffs with Dalton.

The Bengals have been uncharacteristically aggressive in free agency this year, hoping to build a winner around their eventual franchise quarterback. Burrow is their man, and he’s got all the tools to return this team to playoff contention.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Surprise scenarios for every top-10 pick

What if a handful of blockbuster trades completely turned the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft upside-down?

We’re nearly a week away from the 2020 NFL Draft, so at this point, you’ve probably seen every possible mock draft scenario already.

Well, what it a truckload of trades turns the early part of the first round upside down?

Here’s a projection that throws a little chaos into the top of this year’s draft, starting with the No. 1 overall pick. Where’s what it might look like if a handful of blockbuster moves completely change the landscape of the first round and beyond.

1. Miami Dolphins (from CIN)

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

If there’s any team that has the ammo to put together a trade package that could entice the Bengals to move off this pick, it’s the Dolphins. They’re loaded with early round picks in this draft and the next one, giving them more than enough firepower to jump up from No. 5 overall.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Now, it’s easier said than done, but if the Bengals have the opportunity to fill multiple holes on their roster with premium picks, including a franchise quarterback at No. 5 overall, they have to listen.

Burrow is one of the best quarterback prospects I’ve ever scouted in over 20 years of evaluation, which means it wouldn’t surprise me for the Dolphins to make a bold move up the board to secure him. It would surprise me for the Bengals to give up the chance to draft him, but if the price is right, it could happen.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Updated 3-round projections with trades

Luke Easterling updates his three-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft after the first wave of free agency, with a few key trades

The first wave of NFL free agency has passed, and along with some big names changing teams of their own will, we’ve also seen some blockbuster trades executed over the past week.

All of these moves could have a significant impact on the early rounds of the 2020 NFL draft, as could further deals that take place once the draft has begun.

With all that in mind, here’s an updated look at how the first three rounds of this year’s draft could turn out, including a handful of projected trades that could shake things up.

*denotes projected trade

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

Despite rumors to the contrary, this has been set in stone for quite a while. Burrow won’t make trouble about playing in Cincy, and the Bengals finally get the franchise quarterback they so desperately need.

2. Washington Redskins

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

This is another no-brainer pick. Unless Washington gets a huge offer from a QB-needy team trying to jump ahead of everyone else on the board, this has to be the selection. Young is the best overall prospect in this year’s class, which makes him a steal anywhere else but No. 1 overall.

3. Miami Dolphins (from DET)*

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

It seems a foregone conclusion that the Lions will move out of this spot, selling the pick to the highest bidder that’s in search of a quarterback. If Miami ends up in a bidding war with the Chargers, don’t be surprised if they have to give up the higher of their two additional first-rounders to land their franchise quarterback.

4. New York Giants

Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa

Any of this year’s top four offensive tackle prospects could make a strong case to go here, which is good news for the Giants, who need a franchise player at the position. Wirfs is a rare athlete for his size, and has as much upside as any other tackle in the class. He’s ready to protect Daniel Jones from Day 1.

5. Detroit Lions (from MIA)*

Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

This is the ideal scenario for the Lions, who move back a couple of picks and pick up another first-rounder, still landing the player they likely would have taken anyway. After trading away Darius Slay to avoid paying him a huge extension, Detroit needs to replace him with a shutdown artist like Okudah, who is by far the top corner in this class.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Post-combine projections with trades

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling updates his first-round projections for the 2020 NFL draft, with a handful of big trades

The 2020 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books, and we’re already seeing draft stock moving in opposite directions for a long list of this year’s prospects.

As teams and prospects alike prepare for pro day workouts and the homestretch of this year’s predraft process, here’s an updated look at how the first round of the 2020 NFL draft could shake out, with a handful of trades that could provide a little chaos along the way.

*denotes projected trade

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

Burrow’s reticence in recent weeks appears to be much more about him than the Bengals, as he made clear in multiple interviews at the combine. He doesn’t want to just assume he’ll be the top pick, but if he is, it looks like he’ll have no problems putting on tiger stripes. The Bengals desperately need a quarterback who can change their fortunes, and Burrow absolutely has what it takes to make it happen.

2. Washington Redskins

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Sure, there’s plenty of talk about Washington pulling a Kyler Murray here and taking Tua Tagovailoa, despite having taken Dwayne Haskins in the first round last year. I’m not buying it just yet, especially with a rare pass rusher like Young available. If Washington isn’t bowled over by a trade offer, standing pat and taking the best player in the entire draft is anything but a consolation prize.

3. Miami Dolphins (from DET)*

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

Of all the things I think about this draft, I’m most certain about the Lions wanting to trade out of this pick. They can move down a couple of spots, get an extra pick or two, and still probably end up with the guy they would have originally taken here anyway. The Dolphins need to make sure they get the quarterback they want, and while there are rumors that’s Oregon’s Justin Herbert instead, I still think Tua is the better option if he’s fully healthy.

4. New York Giants

Mekhi Becton | OT | Louisville

Clemson defensive weapon Isaiah Simmons is tempting here, but I just don’t see Giants GM Dave Gettleman opting for a new-age hybrid defender over a trench player, particularly with the offensive tackles that are available to him this year. Gettleman could take any of the top four tackles here and they’d all be worthy, but I’m betting on the biggest one, with the most upside, and that’s Becton.

5. Detroit Lions (from MIA)*

Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

As I said earlier, this is the ideal scenario for the Lions, who still get the guy they probably would have taken at No. 3 overall. No matter what happens with Darius Slay, Okudah is the best blend of need and value here, as easily the top corner in this year’s class. He has all the physical and mental tools to be an immediate impact player for a defense that desperately needs more of them.

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2020 NFL mock draft: Post-Super Bowl projections with trades

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling throws out some potential trade scenarios in his latest projection for the first round of the 2020 NFL draft

I’ve watched the Super Bowl from many different places, but this was the first year in which I took in the big game while flying over the Atlantic.

On our way to attend my wife’s graduation in England, my nine-year-old daughter and I huddled around the screen in our seats and watched the NFL season come to an entertaining and dramatic end. It was a worthy ending to the league’s 100th season.

You know it’s always draft season around here, but now it’s official, as all 32 teams now enter the offseason with their sights set on getting to where Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs just went.

To that end, here’s an updated look at how the first round of the 2020 NFL draft could shake out, with a few trade scenarios that could spice things up:

*denotes projected trade

1. Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow | QB | LSU

This has seemed like a foregone conclusion for so long, that we’re starting to get to the point in the process where rumors and speculation start to swirl to the contrary. Don’t buy into the boredom; Burrow has always been the guy for the Bengals, and that’s not going to change between now and draft day.

2. Washington Redskins

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

This is an absolute no-brainer for Washington, unless they’re bowled over by a trade offer from another team. They have bigger needs at other positions, but there’s no way they should pass up a rare talent like Young at such a premium spot. He’s the best overall prospect in this entire class.

3. Miami Dolphins (from DET)*

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

This move just makes too much sense. Tagovailoa seems destined for Miami, as long as his recovery is in a good place. If the medicals are in order, though, the Dolphins will likely have to make a small jump up the board to make sure another team doesn’t leapfrog them. The position is too important, and Tua is too good a player, to risk losing out.

4. Carolina Panthers (from NYG)*

Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon

While the Dolphins moving up for Tagovailoa wouldn’t be a surprise, this move might be a bit more of a shock. New head coach Matt Rhule will be overseeing a huge rebuild, though, and will likely want to hand-pick his quarterback. Herbert followed up a solid career at Oregon with a Rose Bowl MVP and a strong week at the Senior Bowl, making him worthy of top-five consideration.

5. Detroit Lions (from MIA)*

Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio State

This is a fantastic scenario for the Lions, who trade back a couple of spots, get an extra first-round pick, and still land the player they likely would have taken at their original spot. Okudah is by far this year’s top corner prospect, and would team up with Darius Slay to give Detroit one of the league’s best tandems at a premium position. Don’t rule out Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown here, either.

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