In honor of the 2020 NFL Draft, the USA TODAY network of writers took part in a live mock of the first round only. It wasn’t just one guy using his noggin and projecting what would happen, but instead, a collective group acting as NFL types in charge of drafting players they think would fit best with the teams they were assigned.
Through it all, you may be wondering what happened to the Ohio State players. How many were taken in the first round, when did they go, and to what teams?
We’d love to provide you with more intrigue and some seat-of-the-pants posturing, but the reality is that things fell pretty much in line with what all the draft experts have been saying. Chase Young was selected No. 2 by Mike Jones of USA TODAY who was representing the Redskins. Right after that, Buckeye teammate Jeff Okudah was picked by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, representing the Lions.
And that was it. No other Ohio State player was taken off the board the remainder of the first round. No J.K. Dobbins, and no Damon Arnette.
Our network experts make their picks. https://t.co/w5aqctUf80
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) April 21, 2020
But back to the two that did go off the board early. Here’s what both writers said about their picks.
2. Washington Redskins
“DE Chase Young, Ohio State: The Washington Redskins dangled their No. 2 overall pick a little bit between the combine and the draft in case they got a deal they couldn’t refuse. But they’ll wind up sitting tight and drafting Ohio State’s Chase Young, who is considered to be a generational talent. Head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio love pass-rushers, and the addition of Young to an already talented line could give Washington a top-10 defense.”
— Mike Jones, USA TODAY
3. Detroit Lions
“CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State: The Lions desperately want to trade down, but if they’re stuck at three they’ll take a cornerback who’s an ideal fit for their defense and locker room.”
— Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
As a reminder, the draft will kick off this Thursday and be done virtually. It will be televised by ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network beginning at 8:00 PM Eastern until the first round is complete.
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