2020 NFL Mock Draft: Scouting Combine Edition

Getty Oregon's Justin Herbert & Clemson's Isaiah Simmons

The NFL Draft season is officially upon us as the first day of on-field drills kick off on Thursday. Day one features quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends all looking to climb draft boards with stellar testing.

Will four quarterbacks hear their name on the first day of the NFL Draft? How many wide receivers will work their way into the first round? We take a look in our pre-combine 2020 NFL Mock Draft.

Jump to: Round 1 Mock Continued (Picks 17-32)

2020 NFL Mock Draft (Picks 1-16)

1. 1) Cincinnati Bengals
2. Joe Burrow | QB | LSU 

• Don’t let the small hands deter you from the fact that this pick is essentially set in stone. Ryan Finley is clearly not the guy for Cinci, while Andy Dalton is nothing more than a bridge quarterback at this point in his career. The type of accuracy Joe Burrow showed in the National Championship was mind-blowing. Add that to a core of skill players consisting of Joe Mixon, AJ Green (barring a trade), John Ross, and Auden Tate, and Cincinnati may actually have something.

1. 2) Washington Redskins
2. Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio St. 

• A fairly obvious pick here. While Washington’s handling of Dwayne Haskins has been detrimental to the young QB’s progress, he’ll likely have at least one more season to prove he’s the guy under center. This would allow Washington to snag the best overall player in this year’s draft, Ohio State’s Chase Young. Ryan Kerrigan led all Washington edge rushers with just 5.5 sacks in 2019. Young recorded 16.5 sacks in just 10 games this season.

1. 3) Detroit Lions
2. Jeff Okudah | CB | Ohio St. 

• Darius Slay is more than likely not coming back to Detroit next season. Justin Coleman is a nice slot-guy, but struggles on the outside. Okudah gives Matt Patricia a big-bodied corner to play the Stephone Gilmore position in his defense. Isaiah Simmons is a potential fit here as well, while the Tua-Train may pick up speed as we learn more about his health.

1. 4) New York Giants
2. Jedrick Wills Jr. | OT | Alabama

• Speaking of Isaiah Simmons, Giants fans would love nothing more than to see a rangy specimen such as Simmons roam sideline to sideline for their defense. New York hasn’t had a linebacker worth mentioning since the Antonio Pierce days. However, goal number one in New York is protecting Daniel Jones. Wills is in a battle with numerous offensive tackles to be the first off the board come late April, however, at just 20 years of age, his upside may push him to the top.

1. 5) Miami Dolphins
2. Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon

• Reports claim that Herbert is gaining significant momentum in the Dolphins building. Is it a smokescreen? As is the case with most reports that come out at this time, it’s likely. However, I’ll bite. Herbert has phenomenal traits and attributes, showed well at the Senior Bowl, and most importantly, is healthy. Miami has failed numerous times at the quarterback position that they may be wary of beating on Tua’s health.

1. 6) Los Angeles Chargers
2. Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama

• Philip Rivers has moved his family out of Los Angeles, likely spelling the end of his Chargers tenure. To replace him, the team may opt to go the free agency route, potentially by signing Teddy Bridgewater. Alternately, they could stick with Tyrod Taylor for this coming season, allowing Tua to slowly work his way back to full strength.

1. 7) Carolina Panthers
2. Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

• Derrick Brown is an athletic freak for his size, and someone who will likely be considered strongly to Detroit at three-overall. Vernon Butler has proven to be a major disappointment in Carolina, evident by his 59.0 PFF grade. Gerald McCoy, on the other hand, will be turning 32-years old, and he’ll be a free agent this offseason.

1. 8) Arizona Cardinals
2. Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa

• I, like many Arizona fans, likely prefer a wide receiver here. However, I’m not sure that’s what the Cardinals will want. Coach Kingsbury has already stated he believes there will be top wideouts available through the fourth round in this extremely deep class. Larry Fitzgerald will be back in 2020. Christian Kirk showed great promise a season ago. Plus, the team is just one draft removed from selecting three wide receivers, one of which, Hakeem Butler, will be returning from injury. Wirfs is an athletic freak that will likely blow up the combine. Many point to him playing predominantly on the right side at Iowa as a downside, but with left tackle DJ Humphries recently re-upped in Arizona, that won’t be an issue for the Cardinals.

1. 9) Jacksonville Jaguars
2. Isaiah Simmons | LB/S | Clemson

• Simmons offers superb range and athleticism that the Jaguars have been missing from the linebacker position since Telvin Smith abruptly retired. The do-it-all defender offers positional flexibility and the capability to play on all three downs, having started his career at safety. The one-time elite defense needs all the help they can get.

1. 10) Cleveland Browns
2. Mekhi Becton | OT | Louisville

• No team’s need in the NFL is more glaring than the Browns’ desperation for an offensive tackle, and that was before Greg Robinson’s arrest. Becton is seemingly soaring up draft boards and could end up as the first tackle selected come draft day. The Louisville product is a dancing bear standing at 6’7” and weighing in at nearly 370 pounds.

1. 11) New York Jets
2. Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama

• Jamison Crowder is a nice player, but Sam Darnold needs a legitimate number one receiver if the Jets have any hope of him taking the next step. Jeudy is arguably the best route runner to come out of the draft in the past 10 seasons. His explosiveness off the line of scrimmage and at the top of his route is second-to-none, and will likely transition extremely well at the next level.

1. 12) Oakland/LV Raiders
2. CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma

• When all is said and done, Lamb may prove to be the best receiver in this class. Oakland is hungry for a true WR1 in their offense. Lamb can be that and potentially more. The Oklahoma product possesses elite ball skills and lethal run after catch ability.

1. 13) Indianapolis Colts
2. Yetur Gross-Matos | EDGE | Penn State

• Justin Houston and Jabaal Sheard will both be on the wrong side of 30 when the 2020 season comes around. Darius Leonard was second on the team in sacks in 2019 as a 4-3 linebacker. Gross-Matos had 9.5 sacks in his last season at Penn State and possesses impressive length. Jordan Love is a very intriguing option here as well if the Colts feel inclined to go quarterback.

1. 14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Jacob Eason | QB | Washington

• Jameis Winston could very well return to Tampa Bay next season, but almost undoubtedly not under his current contract demands. If Tampa opts to move on from Jameis, Jacob Eason has been compared to Carson Palmer, a player that Bucs HC Bruce Arians worked wonders with during their time together in Arizona.

1. 15) Denver Broncos
2. Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama

• It’s was only a handful of games, but an argument could be made that Drew Lock is already the best QB to make his way to Denver since Peyton Manning. Whether that is a compliment to Lock’s abilities or simply an indictment on John Elway’s GM’ing skills remains to be seen. However, Lock will need more than just Courtland Sutton to prove his worth. Lock’s cannon arm and Ruggs’ 4.25 speed seem like a match made in heaven.

1. 16) Atlanta Falcons
2. Javon Kinlaw | DL | South Carolina

• Kinlaw’s athletic traits along with his elite length and frame make him scheme flexible, a must in the Falcons defensive scheme. The Falcons have already moved on from Vic Beasley, who led the team in sacks a season ago with eight. Kinlaw had a 90.7 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2019.

READ NEXT: Round 1 Mock Continued (Picks 17-32)