Tag: Todd McShay

ESPN’s Toddy McShay calls Chase Young ‘an even better prospect’ than Nick Bosa

After Super Bowl LIV, Bosa’s stock is at an all-time high, and experts are still saying that Chase Young has a chance to be better.

For a fan of the NFL, one of the most exciting times of the year is in the weeks and months leading up to the NFL Draft, where rumors swirl and player-hype gets ramped up so much that you’re sure whatever guy your team selects will undoubtedly be the missing piece, and his presence on the roster will spur them to great success.

This anticipation and debate over who your team is going to draft should not be taken for granted, as many wouldn’t trade it for the world. Except for fans of the Washington Redskins, that is — they would gladly trade those months of speculation if it meant bringing in Ohio State DE Chase Young with the No. 2 pick.

That’s where Young has been slotted to go in about 98 percent of mock drafts so far this season, and it’s likely where he will end up in April. For ESPN’s Todd McShay, who released his 2020 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 on Tuesday, it’s an easy decision for Washington to make, and it has the chance to completely remake their future outlook.

This could be the easiest pick on the board, and considering the Redskins were 10th in the league with 46 sacks, it doesn’t have much to do with a particular need. No, this instead has everything to do with the special talent of Young, who has one of the highest grades I’ve given a player in two decades of scouting. Last year’s No. 2 pick and former Buckeyes teammate Nick Bosa was a difference-maker in Year 1, but the scary truth is that Young is an even better prospect.

An even better prospect. It’s hard not to read that sentence a few times over, especially when we are all fresh off of watching Bosa have a dominant impact against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV. His stat sheet may have only read five tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble, but Bosa was able to draw so much attention on the front line that his impact was felt across the defensive front.

Now, Chase Young — who is an even better prospect than Bosa — has the chance to come to Washington and follow in the path that his former teammate helped to carve out.

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Vikings take DT Ross Blacklock in Todd McShay’s 2nd mock draft

Blacklock missed the 2018 season with an Achilles injury, but returned to be named First-Team All-Big 12 in 2019.

It’s mock draft season, baby!

The Super Bowl is over and now it’s time to focus on the next big thing in the NFL.

That’s right . . . The NFL Draft!

The Vikings have the 25th pick in the first round after finishing the season 10-6 and winning their wild card matchup against the Saints.

In his second mock draft over at ESPN, Todd McShay has the Vikings selecting TCU defensive tackle Ross Blacklock in the first round.

Here’s a snippet of what McShay wrote about the pick:

Yes, Minnesota piled on 48 sacks last season and was in the top half of the league in run defense, but Everson Griffen is a free agent, and Linval Joseph isn’t getting any younger at 31. The big, athletic Blacklock can help that front remain strong.

In 2019, Blacklock had 40 tackles, nine for a loss and 3.5 sacks.

There are some injury concerns with the 6-4, 305-pound lineman. He missed the 2018 season with an Achilles injury, but returned to be named First-Team All-Big 12 in 2019.

With the uncertainty surrounding Minnesota’s defensive line in 2020, addressing that position seems like a sure-thing in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Saints pick big-time Clemson wideout in Todd McShay’s first 2020 mock draft

The New Orleans Saints picked Clemson Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first 2020 NFL mock draft from ESPN senior writer Todd McShay.

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The long 2020 NFL offseason is here, and the New Orleans Saints are hard at work in diagnosing the problems that sunk last year’s team. But that’s just one part of the job; they also have to analyze the free agency market and 2020 NFL Draft class to find the best available fits for their needs. It’s challenging to be sure, but also fun to speculate about, meaning everyone has opinions on which way the Saints should go next.

But the latest take comes from ESPN senior writer Todd McShay, who specializes in covering the NFL draft along with Mel Kiper. And McShay sees wide receiver as the clearest, most-pressing draft need for the Saints at this stage in the offseason. He’s projecting the Saints to pick Clemson Tigers wide receiver Tee Higgins:

Outside of Michael Thomas, Jared Cook and Alvin Kamara, what do Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense really have in the passing game? Not much. Ted Ginn Jr. was the second-most productive wide receiver behind Thomas with just 421 yards, and the next best was Tre’Quan Smith with a measly 234 yards. Whether or not it’s Brees throwing the passes in 2020 — yeah, quarterback is a position to watch here, too — the Saints have to address that lack of depth. The 6-foot-4 Higgins can make guys miss with his strength and will come down with anything thrown near him. He averaged a hair shy of 20 yards per catch this past season for the Tigers.

Higgins is, as McShay pointed out, something of a playmaker. He’s a tall, agile receiver that might resemble a young Julio Jones, but with greater college production (Higgins has caught 25 touchdown passes in his last 30 games, while Jones scored just 15 touchdown receptions in 40 games at Alabama). He’d be a tremendous fit in the Saints offense alongside Thomas, and would do a lot to help extend the viability of Drew Brees, if he returns — or provide a welcome boost to Teddy Bridgewater or Taysom Hill, should someone else start under center in 2020.

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ESPN’s Todd McShay has a surprise for Bills in latest 2020 mock draft

What the Buffalo Bills do in Todd McShay’s latest mock draft for ESPN.

The Bills had a productive season out of their third-round 2019 rookies last year. Among that pair of picks was running back Devin Singletary (& TE Dawson Knox).

In 12 games played due to a hamstring injury and sitting out Week 17, Singletary mustered up 775 rushing yards, a 5.1 yards per carry average and two touchdowns. Singletary also added 194 yards in the air on 29 catches with another pair of scores.

Still, ESPN’s Todd McShay says the Bills can’t pass up the chance in front of them in his latest mock draft. The Bills, at the No. 22 overall pick, select another running back to pair with Singletary. The pick is Georgia’s D’Andre Swift.

Here’s how McShay breaks down his decision:

Even with John Brown and Cole Beasley combining for 1,838 receiving yards in 2019, Buffalo could use an upgrade in the receiving corps (Clemson’s Tee Higgins could be an interesting fit). And with Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson both headed for free agency, no returning lineman had more than five sacks last season. But I just love Swift’s explosiveness, and adding a dynamic playmaker like him to a backfield that already includes Devin Singletary could really make this run-oriented offense pop in 2020. Plus, you can’t discount Swift’s pass-catching ability — he could be a great three-down back.

With Swift, the Bills take the first running back off the board in McShay’s draft. In 2019, the Bills did get solid production from Frank Gore early in the year, but as the season wore on, Gore slowed down. Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott did say at his end of season press conference that he believes the NFL is a two-back league. So with or without Gore, it likely won’t just be Singletary taking the load in 2020.

Singletary is a back that gets in and out of quick cuts with ease while Swift, with a solid frame at 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds, eats up yards with his mixture of hard-nosed running and explosive playing style.

As McShay’s analysis mentions, the Bills could use a receiver in their lineup, as things currently sit. The Bills pass on the likes of Higgins, LSU’s Justin Jefferson and Colorado’s Laviska Shenault when selecting Swift.

While perhaps unfair to the player, unless the Bills added a solid playmaker on the outside via free agency before the draft, one can think it’s safe to say fans wouldn’t be overly happy about this pick.

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Latest Todd McShay mock draft lands the Dolphins a surprise

ESPN’s Todd McShay has released his latest 2020 NFL mock draft and the Dolphins select a surprise at 26.

It’s the heart of winter, which means it is mock draft season across the NFL. And sure enough, the 2020 NFL Draft is beginning to heat up while the rest of the country cools off — and the rampant speculation is forcing fans to entertain new ideas seemingly by the day.

Thanks to ESPN’s Todd McShay, Miami Dolphins fans will have a unique outcome of their own to ponder this afternoon. McShay’s latest 2020 mock draft dropped overnight and with it came usual suspects early on. McShay, like most everyone in the industry, continues to peg Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to the Dolphins with the 5th overall pick. There will be widespread debate on whether or not Miami can actually secure Tagovailoa at 5, but for now that serves as the industry consensus.

At 18, McShay mocked the Dolphins Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. Thomas is a fairly new face for Miami, but is no stranger to the 1st-round mock drafts. Thomas entered the season considered the top offensive tackle in the country, but some questions about his fit in some systems has left him sliding early in the mocks. For Miami, no need to worry. The Dolphins need linemen who can reset the line of scrimmage — that’s Thomas’ specialty.

The real surprise comes at 26, where the Dolphins were mocked defender Zack Baun of Wisconsin. Baun’s specialty is his versatility — on that front he does make sense for the Dolphins. He’s only picked up steam as a potential 1st-round pick recently, but Miami could certainly make a play for him given the pipeline they have at outside linebacker and Wisconsin already with Vince Biegel and Andrew Van Ginkel on the roster. Baun’s role is yet to be determined — some feel he’s an off-ball linebacker while others seem to like him on the edge as a pass rusher.

With the NFL Combine three weeks away, our next steps to additional clarity will be here before we know it.

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Todd McShay has three Ohio State players going in the first round of his 2020 NFL Mock Draft

Toddy McShay has not two, but three Ohio State players going in the first round of his 2020 NFL Mock Draft. Who are they?

We’ve already told you what Mel Kiper thinks of a couple of Ohio State players will land in the 2020 NFL Draft, but where there’s Kiper, there’s also Todd McShay. Both guys are experts on the NFL Draft, sometimes even sparring with each other in the same ESPN takes.

Just like Kiper, McShay has also come out with his first official 2020 NFL Mock Draft, and he’s a little more bullish on Ohio State with three players going in the first round as opposed to the two Kiper noted.

You probably can guess the first two. Like most mock drafts out there, both Chase Young and Jeff Okudah are top five picks. McShay — like Kiper — has Young going No. 2, and Jeff Okudah being taken off the board at No. 3. So who is the third guy?

How about Ohio State’s single-season leader in rushing yards? Yep. McShay has running back J.K. Dobbins being selected very late in the first round at No. 31 by the San Francisco 49ers. That’s just barely inside the 1st round, meaning Dobbins is a borderline first-rounder, but also keep in mind that McShay will likely come out with his latest projection soon, and Dobbins had himself a day in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl after this list was first compiled.

So will Ohio State get two or three players taken in the first round? We’ll have to all tune in on April 23 to find out. Either way, there’s sure to be a slew of Buckeyes walk across the stage yet again.

Todd McShay’s 1st mock draft gives Ravens Penn State DE Yetur Gross-Matos

NFL draft analyst Todd McShay has the Baltimore Ravens picking Penn State’s Yetur Gross-Matos in his first 2020 mock draft

The NFL draft has become a really big deal. With teams utilizing the draft to rebuild their teams and stack already impressive rosters with more young talent, it’s become a beacon for many fans and analysts to envision what will happen. Among the best in the business, ESPN’s draft analyst Todd McShay has already begun to peek at the 2020 NFL draft as well.

With the playoff teams just about set and the draft order beginning to get finalized, McShay put together his first mock draft of the season. And with the very last pick in the first round, McShay has Baltimore grabbing Penn State pass rusher Yetur Gross-Matos.

“I thought about Wisconsin center Tyler Biadasz here, but Baltimore really needs another edge rusher. The Ravens have a middle-of-the-road sack total this season (34), and Matthew Judon will hit free agency. Gross-Matos needs some development, but he is an above-average pass-rusher and closes well.”

There’s good reasoning here for taking an edge rusher here. As McShay noted, outside linebacker Matthew Judon is set to hit free agency. And while the Ravens should have plenty enough cap space to re-sign him, we’ve seen top pass rushers break the bank and push themselves out of the price range Baltimore is willing to spend if they can hit free agency.

Even if Judon is retained, the Ravens desperately need more help at generating a pass rush. Baltimore ranks 17th in sacks-per-pass, getting to the quarterback just 7% of the time. And most of that has been thanks to defensive coordinator Don Martindale, whose aggressive schemes and blitz packages have generated more pass rush than the individual matchups would normally dictate.

Here, Baltimore might end up getting the steal of the draft in the first round. Gross-Matos was already a physical specimen at 6-foot-5 and 264 pounds but he’s really become a consistent defender this season, notching eight sacks for the second consecutive season and adding 13.5 tackles-for-loss. He’s widely considered one of the top pass rushers in the 2020 NFL draft and getting him with the very last pick in the first round would be an amazing get by general manager Eric DeCosta.

Of course, as is the case with every mock draft, things are undoubtedly going to shake out differently come the actual day. Trades, the occasional odd pick and players rising or falling after the combine are all to be expected. But if Baltimore can get lucky in April, they could walk away with a much-needed impact pass rusher.

Todd McShay NFL mock draft 1.0: Broncos select DB Grant Delpit

In his 2020 NFL mock draft 1.0, ESPN’s Todd McShay predicts the Broncos will select LSU safety Grant Delpit in the first round.

Todd McShay’s 2020 NFL mock draft 1.0 for ESPN has the Denver Broncos selecting LSU safety Grant Delpit in the first round (subscription required for link). In McShay’s mock, Georiga offensive tackle Andrew Thomas goes off the board to the New York Jets at No. 7 before Denver picks at No. 12.

One could argue that offensive tackle is one of the Broncos’ biggest needs this offseason but McShay noted that safety Justin Simmons and cornerback Chris Harris are both set to become free agents in 2020. McShay apparently hasn’t taken into consideration that the team has been hinting that Simmons will get a contract extension.

McShay did acknowledge that safety is just a “moderate need” before pointing out that there isn’t an offensive tackle who fits at No. 12. Of course, Denver’s draft order could change between now and the end of the season.

McShay’s first mock draft last year had the Broncos selecting Oklahoma wide receiver Marquise Brown late in the first round. His final mock draft of 2019 had Denver selecting Missouri quarterback Drew Lock. The Broncos did select Lock, but it was in the second round, not the first.

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Todd McShay’s first 2020 mock draft gives Dolphins their franchise QB

The Miami Dolphins’ three first round picks in 2020 were put to good use by Todd McShay during his first 2020 NFL mock draft.

Tis the season for mock drafts, although that time probably came for the Miami Dolphins a few months ago. Regardless, this week marked the release of ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay’s first mock draft of the 2020 draft cycle — and the Miami Dolphins would definitely be tickled by the excitement that a class featuring McShay’s selections would provide.

With three first round picks to make, McShay was able to address the quarterback position and both sides of the line of scrimmage — which of course serve as the premiere needs on this Dolphins roster. Here’s who McShay picked.

You can read McShay’s full 2020 mock draft here.

4th overall – QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Tagovailoa has been tied to the Dolphins since the summer and it is difficult to foresee that trend disappearing in mock drafts unless Tagovailoa decides to return to school. Tua would bring everything Miami needs in a quarterback — but would he be able to stay healthy behind Miami’s balky offensive line? That’s the big question Miami must decode between now and April.

20th overall (via Pittsburgh) – DE Curtis Weaver, Boise State

This is very much a “Brian Flores” type football player. Weaver was named an All-American this past week and the stats certainly back up the title. Weaver is a heavy handed defender who brings physical play on the edge and a relentless motor to hunt down opposing quarterbacks. Weaver has logged 34 sacks and 47.5 tackles for loss in three seasons at Boise State.

24th overall (via Houston) – OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama

Leatherwood would have chemistry with Tagovailoa quickly thanks to their years together at Alabama. With experience at both Right Guard (2018) and Left Tackle (2019), Leatherwood has the ability to aid the Dolphins’ needs at the most pressing position on the inside or on the island at tackle. That positional versatility is a nice bonus.

NFL Draft: Todd McShay on why he’d pick Chase Young over Joe Burrow

The Bengals need a franchise QB, but should they pass on Joe Burrow to pick Chase Young?

With two games left to play in the NFL’s regular season, the 1-13 Bengals have a 72.1 percent chance of locking up the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and Heisman finalist Chase Young are considered to be the top prospects in the class of 2020, and many draft analysts expect the Bengals to take a new franchise quarterback with their first pick, as Andy Dalton will be entering his age 33 season.

ESPN draft expert Todd McShay projected Burrow to be the No. 1 pick in his first mock draft, but he told Dan Patrick this week that if he were running the Bengals, he wouldn’t be able to pass on Young. According to McShay, drafting Young is the safest choice, as no quarterback in the 2020 class is a safe bet.

“I’m going to give you the honest answer. I would take Chase Young, and it’s almost never that I would say that. You look at the last two years for example, I think there are what, eight quarterbacks that were taken in the first round? I think [there’s[ two of them that you feel really great about that are going to be really good starters in the league for a long, long time.

Chase Young, it would be one of the biggest shocks of my scouting career, 20 years, if he didn’t turn out to be a very, very high-end player. And the quarterbacks, at best… they’re like 40-60, in terms of how they turn out. Now I know how important they are, but the second most important position in scouting, in evaluating, is finding the guy that can get after the quarterback. And if I know I can have somebody who is as good, if not better, than the Bosas in Chase Young, I would have to go in that direction.”

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