17. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
In a sign of just how solid this wide receiver group is, Aiyuk is not the last receiver on this list. He is another home run hitter at the WR spot, with the ability to take simple slant routes to the house in the blink of an eye. He is also a tough, strong route-runner, as he displayed on a post route touchdown against Washington State, running through contact both before and after the catch. He has a great feel for getting into the blind spot of the nearest defender, and with his speed and burst he can be a factor in the screen game as well.
18. Michael Pittman, WR, USC
Pittman is a receiver who might be flying under the draft radar right now but perhaps not for much longer. He got the benefit of playing is pass-heavy offense, but the traits he displays as a WR are going to turn heads in scouting departments. He attacks the football at the high point, adjusts very well to the ball in flight and makes almost violent cuts on his routes, particularly on curls, comebacks and hitches. He also tracks the ball extremely well in flight, making him a threat in the vertical passing game. Pittman is not the biggest threat after the catch, and was used almost exclusively on the left side of the offense which might make for a big of an adjustment, but he has solid tools that translate well to the pro game.
19. Cesar Ruiz, OL, Michigan
Our first interior offensive lineman is Ruiz, the center/guard from the Michigan. Ruiz broke into the Wolverines’ lineup as a true freshman and become the starting right guard near the end of the season. As a sophomore in 2018, he slid inside to center, where he has been a starter ever since. Ruiz has a combination of pass-blocking and run-blocking skills that are coveted at the next level, and plays with a great pad level and power in his hands. He might be best suited for a team that relies on more gap/power blocking designs than zone blocking designs, but with the ability to play all three interior line positions, he will certainly be sought after.
20. Zack Moss, RB, Utah
Running backs face contact. A lot of it, in fact, making the ability to make defenders miss, or even run through contact, a huge part of playing the position. Moss has that part of the game down pat. He might not have the top end speed of other RBs in this class like Jonathan Taylor or D’Andre Swift, but he makes up for that with a running style reminiscent of Roger Craig, with the powerful knees driving defenders off of his body. He is also a solid back in the pass protection part of the game, making him a true three-down back at the next level. He is an older prospect, already 22 years old, and his lack of pure speed might cause some teams to shy away. But in today’s NFL, where running backs are somewhat undervalued, Moss is a solid bet.
21. Josh Jackson, OL, Ohio State
A versatile interior offensive lineman, Jackson began his career at Rutgers, where he was a starter at both center and then right guard. He transferred to Ohio State as a graduate prior to last season, and was slotted in as the Buckeyes’ starter at left guard. Over three seasons and spanning three different positions, Jackson allowed a total of one sack and 24 quarterback hurries. That is all. He shows tremendous contact balance for an interior offensive lineman and fights to maintain his block and balance even when stunned at the snap. He is also pro-ready, with nearly 400 true pass sets over his collegiate career, according to charting from Pro Football Focus.
22. Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota
We are not done with wide receivers just yet. Johnson might be a bit of a surprising selection given his rather “interesting” pre-draft process. First he bowed out of the East-West Shrine Bowl, then chose not to participate in workouts at the combine, betting on his pro day — which has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. But on film, Johnson is one of the best route runners in this class. He understands leverage very well, knowing just how to threaten a defensive back’s alignment and then break off of that stance. He can be a true threat in the red zone, on almost any kind of route, and plays through contact very well. His pre-draft process, coupled with his drops and some whispers of off-the-field concerns, might hurt his stock, but what he shows on film is worthy of an early selection.
23. K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
Teams that miss out on Laviska Shenault could look to Hamler as an appealing Plan B. The Penn State wideout is another offensive weapon who lines up at a variety of spots and excels at getting separation from his nearest defender. The Nittany Lions loved to use him underneath on slants and shallow crossers, aiming to get him the football in space and let him work after the catch. He is well-versed at running option routes, and given that he projects best to a slot receiver in the NFL, that skill will certainly help him make the transition to the league. Drops, as well as his size (5-9, 178 pounds), might raise some eyebrows, but his ability to get space from defenders reminds them that they can’t hit what they can’t catch.
24. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Love might be one of the more polarizing prospects in this entire draft class, on either side of the football. Proponents of the Utah State quarterback will point to his blend of athleticism, arm strength and potential, and make the case that with NFL coaching and NFL talent around him, he can reach his impressive ceiling as a prospect. Detractors will point to his 17 interceptions a season ago, even more head-scratching decisions that he made back in 2018, and wonder if he could possibly develop into an NFL passer. Ultimately, teams might look at the transition that Josh Allen, also from the Mountain West, made to the league. Allen, relying on his athleticism and arm strength, is growing into a pro quarterback. Perhaps Love can follow suit.
25. Ben Bartch, OT, St. John’s (Minn.)
Sports fans love an underdog story, and Bartch might be that prospect in this year’s draft class. A tight end coming out of high school, Bartch enrolled at Division III St. John’s (Minn.) hoping to lock down a spot in their offense. But with a deep tight end room, he added 70 pounds — thanks to a rather unappealing weight-gain shake he concocted — and slid inside to left tackle. He was dominant at the Division III level, but showed at the Senior Bowl that he could hang with elite talent. At times he looked like the best offensive tackle down in Mobile. Bartch combines strong and powerful hands at the strike point with an anchored and explosive lower body, and has the nasty streak on the field you want in a left tackle.