Tag: Todd McShay

Todd McShay gifts Joe Burrow to Bengals in latest mock draft

A new Todd McShay mock has Joe Burrow going to Cincinnati.

Everyone seems to be in a giving mood this time of year.

Boomer Esiason, for example, gave LSU quarterback Joe Burrow a Cincinnati Bengals helmet.

And now ESPN’s Todd McShay has given Burrow to the Bengals in his latest 2020 mock draft:

“Accuracy, toughness and pocket awareness — the total package. That’s what the Bengals would get with Burrow in their first No. 1 overall pick since Carson Palmer in 2003. Andy Dalton isn’t owed any guaranteed money in 2020 and could be released, and Ryan Finley didn’t look like the long-term answer in his terrible three-game stint as starter. It’s time to get Zac Taylor a quarterback to build around.”

This seems like one of the easiest first-overall picks in years to predict. Burrow just reeled in the Heisman Trophy after one of the most meteoric rises in recent memory as he led the Tigers to an undefeated season while completing 77.9 percent of his passes with 4,715 yards and 48 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Disclaimer — this oh-so-obvious pick at the top of the 2020 draft doesn’t happen if the Bengals don’t hold the first pick. They’re currently slotted to have it but that could change with two games left.

For now, even experts like McShay are in on Burrow to the Bengals.

[vertical-gallery id=26042]

2020 NFL draft: Jets take plug and play tackle in Todd McShay’s first mock

In ESPN’s Todd McShay’s latest mock, he has the Jets taking University of Georgia OT Andrew Thomas with the No. 7 overall pick.

In Todd McShay’s first 2020 mock draft, the Jets break tradition.

New York has gone the past 13 years without drafting an offensive lineman. However, the Jets break that streak in the ESPN’s personality’s first mock draft.

McShay has the Jets taking Georgia OT Andrew Thomas with the seventh overall pick. In this mock, Thomas is the first offensive lineman off the board.

Here’s McShay’s explanation for the pick:

When you invest an early draft pick in a franchise quarterback, as the Jets did with Sam Darnold in 2018, you have protect him. New York hasn’t, allowing 48 sacks this season (fourth most in the NFL). Both tackle positions could be upgraded in the offseason. Thomas is athletic and powerful, and he shows natural ability in the trenches.

Thomas officially declared for the draft on Tuesday. He’s a player that should be at the top of the Jets’ draft board given their continuous struggles on the offensive line. Kelvin Beachum is also set to become a free agent.

The last time the Jets took an offensive lineman in the first round was 2006. With Eric Mangini calling the shots, the Jets double-dipped on offesnive line help, selecting Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson in Round 1.

Thomas won’t immediately solve the Jets’ problems on the offensive line, but he can only help one of the league’s worst units. The Georgia product would be a building block of the future as Sam Darnold’s blindside blocker. Joe Douglas knows is a former offensive lineman and knows it all starts in the trenches, so don’t be surprised if this pick comes to fruition.

NFL Draft: Todd McShay on why Tua Tagovailoa is the biggest wild card

Todd McShay breaks down Tua Tagovailoa’s NFL draft stock.

NFL draft expert Todd McShay released his first 2020 NFL mock draft on Tuesday, and he has LSU quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow going first overall to the Cincinnati Bengals. According to McShay, Burrow may not have been the first quarterback off the board if Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa had been able to finish the season with the Crimson Tide.

Tagovailoa, who suffered an ankle injury earlier this year and was back on the field to face LSU after undergoing a second tightrope procedure in as many seasons, suffered a dislocated hip against Mississippi State on November 16th. Tagovailoa’s doctors are hopeful he’ll be able to make a full recovery and continue to compete at a high level.

Tagovailoa was projected to end the year as the clear No. 1 overall pick when the season began, but Tagovailoa has not yet announced whether he’s entering the draft or returning to school – and his draft stock could have a significant impact on that decision. McShay projected Tagovailoa as the No. 4 overall pick to Miami, but said on Tuesday that the uncertainty around his condition makes him the biggest wild card in the draft.

“This is going to be the biggest wild card of this entire draft class. It really is, because if healthy… if you just throw out the hip injury, I’m talking about him at No. 1 overall. I think the Bengals take him over Joe Burrow. So, that’s the kind of level of talent he has.

The problem is, in addition to – yes he’s had a knee injury, he’s had two ankle injuries – but the problem is with the hip, can he still have the same power, and still have the same twitchiness, if you will, that he had prior to the hip injury. And we’re not gonna know! And everyone’s saying ‘well, he’ll be back, he’ll be ready to throw the ball by the draft…’ He’s not going to be able to be 100 percent probably for over a year. He’s not going to be able to walk for three months. And so now you’re looking at a quarterback and saying ‘alright, if we get him back to 100 percent, we’re talking about getting a No. 1 overall pick. If we don’t, we just wasted a pick and probably around $28, $30 million dollars in terms of guaranteed money.”

[opinary poll=”would-you-draft-tua-tagovailoa-or-joe-bu” customer=”forthewin”]

[jwplayer d9Ewr3wj-q2aasYxh]

Eagles land a WR out of Alabama in Todd McShay’ mock draft 1.0

Eagles select Henry Ruggs III in Todd McShay’s 1st mock for NFL Draft

With Week 16 of the 2019 NFL regular season fast and approaching, some teams are preparing for the postseason, while 20 other teams will really start preparing for the 2020 NFL draft in Las Vegas.

The Philadelphia Eagles currently sit at 7-7 on the season and have a huge matchup with the Dallas Cowboys set for Sunday afternoon. If the Eagles win, they’ll likely be postseason participants.

If the Eagles lose, they’ll be one of the 20 teams intensely preparing to feel a boatload of needs on a aging roster.

With the NFL Draft season in full swing, Todd McShay has rejoined the slew of analysts and scouts set to break down college football’s best players.

On Monday night, McShay released his first way too early mock draft for the 2020 selection process and he predicted a playmaker for the Birds.

With the Eagles having needs at wide receiver, defensive line and in the secondary, McShay mocked Alabama star wideout, Henry Ruggs III to the Birds at pick No. 18.

18. Philadelphia Eagles
Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama*

Alshon Jeffrey and Nelson Agholor lead the Eagles’ wide receivers in yards with 490 and 363, respectively. And both have dealt with injuries this season. Last year’s second-rounder J.J. Arcega-Whiteside has just eight catches. Plain and simple: Philly must have speed and difference-makers at the position, and while Ruggs needs some development as a route runner, you can’t coach his 4.3 speed. He just explodes off the line of scrimmage.

This is the season for comparison and Ruggs III could be for Carson Wentz, what Tyreek Hill has become for Patrick Mahomes.

Ruggs III, Miles Sanders and a healthy DeSean Jackson could give the Eagles weapons that would present matchup nightmares for opposing defenses. If JJ Arcega-Whiteside can take the next step and Alshon Jeffery can return, the Eagles would present a formidable offense, capable of giving any defense in the league fits.

McShay’s draft order came from using ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) through Sunday’s Week 15 games and it will continue shift as the season winds down and draft positions change.

Underclassmen, must declare for the draft by the Jan. 20 deadlines.

Todd McShay thinks Giants should select a quarterback in 2020 NFL Draft

Todd McShay believes the New York Giants should move on from Daniel Jones and select a new QB in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the 2019 regular season unfolding as it has, it is growing more likely that changes are coming for the New York Giants this offseason.

While the status of the head coach and general manager positions remain in question as the season inches closer to the end, it seems likely that Big Blue will have a top five pick in April’s draft.

While many think Chase Young from Ohio State seems like a perfect match for a Giants team that lacks talent on defense, ESPN NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay has an unorthodox take on the direction the Giants should go in.

“Ready for a bit of a surprise? I would take a quarterback,” McShay said (ESPN Insider required). “I wasn’t a believer in Daniel Jones when he was the No. 6 pick last April, and he hasn’t done enough in my opinion to prove he’s the long-term answer in New York. In 10 starts, Jones has 11 interceptions and 15 fumbles (10 lost) this season. And his only really good games have come against bad teams (Buccaneers, Lions and Jets).

“However, New York needs a lot of pieces, including help just about everywhere on that defense. So while I like the idea of taking an elite franchise quarterback, I’d expect the Giants to focus on the other side of the ball. They are in the early stages of a rebuild and have nowhere to go but up — and this draft will be crucial in the process.”

McShay is one of Daniel Jones’ biggest critics. The rookie showed promise this season, but the volume of turnovers are alarming especially in the fumbling department — just as it was for Lamar Jackson, the likely NFL MVP, during his rookie campaign.

It’s hard to imaging the Giants giving up on Jones, who they clearly believe in despite the criticism that still lingers from their decision to select him in Round 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft.

It’s clear Jones has talent and assuming he can clean up the turnovers, the Giants have their quarterback of the foreseeable future.

With the Giants having just 10 wins over the last three seasons, they have been able to get key players through the draft to build around. There are still plenty of holes that need to be addressed on the roster and quarterback is near the very bottom of that list.

[lawrence-related id=635106,635100,635094]

Three Ohio State players included in latest Todd McShay 2020 Top 32 NFL Draft rankings

ESPN’s Todd McShay has updated his top 32 players for the 2020 NFL Draft, and three of them belong to Ohio State.

By all accounts and measures, the Ohio State football team is having a season for the ages. It has arguably the best player in college football wrecking offensive game plans from the defensive end spot, and one of the best quarterback and running backs in the country.

And that’s before we even start talking about the seasoned and talented guys in the secondary and wide-receiver position. With all that talent, you’re sure to hear some names called early during the 2020 NFL Draft.

But don’t just believe our word, how about one of the most respected and knowledgeable guys on this sort of thing, ESPN’s NFL Draft expert, Todd McShay. He just released his latest ranking of the top 32 players (subscription required) in the 2020 draft (or the entire first round) and there are three Ohio State players included.

Defensive end Chase Young is labeled as the overall top prospect, cornerback Jeffrey Okudah is No. 4, and running back J.K. Dobbins has moved up into the No. 23 spot. That means McShay now believes he’s the second-best running back available behind Georgia’s D’Andre Swift and ahead of Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor.

Here’s what McShay has to say about all three:

No. 1 Chase Young

Despite missing the last two games, Young has 13.5 sacks (No. 2 in the country), 15.5 tackles for loss (tied for seventh) and five forced fumbles (second). Let those numbers sink in for a minute. He has quickness and above-average bend, and he flashes the ability to convert speed to power, though he still has room for a little improvement getting off blocks. He best fits as a 4-3 defensive end, but he has experience dropping into coverage and could end up converting to a 3-4 outside linebacker role. He has been nothing short of dominant this season, head and shoulders above the rest of the edge rushers in the class.

No. 2 Jeff Okudah

A big, long corner, Okudah has smooth hips and quick feet. He occasionally lunges, but he also shows the ability to recover quickly in press coverage with his athleticism. He has tools to become a No. 1 corner. I love his versatility, as he lines up on both sides and in the slot while helping out in run defense. In 10 games, Okudah has hauled in three interceptions — including a highlight-reel-worthy snag — and he has 22 tackles, a forced fumble and four passes broken up.

No. 23 J.K. Dobbins

Dobbins has above-average balance and core strength. He shows average quickness through the hole and he builds to above-average playing speed. Dobbins is a little tight and isn’t an ankle-breaker in space, but he’s shifty between the tackles. As a pass-catcher, he flashes soft hands and is efficient after the catch. Through 10 games, Dobbins is fifth in the nation in rushing yards (1,289) with a 7.0-per-carry clip, and he has run it into the end zone 13 times.