Post Free Agency 2020 NFL Mock Draft Continued: Picks 17-32

The New England Patriots will be on the clock soon with Jordan Love still sitting on the board. Will they find Tom Brady‘s heir apparent, or fill needs on the defensive side of the ball? Find out in the second half of our first round 2020 NFL Mock Draft.

RETURN TO: Round 1 Mock: Picks 1-16

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2020 NFL Mock Draft (Picks 17-32)

1. 1. 17) Dallas Cowboys
   2. Trevon Diggs | CB | Alabama
   4. I still like Xavier McKinney here as an upgrade over Xavier Woods. However, the loss of Byron Jones may be too glaring not to address, so we opt for a different Alabama defender for Dallas at pick 17.
   6. Trevon, the brother of now-Buffalo Bills wideout Stefon, offers similar length and athletic traits that Jones once did while manning the Cowboys CB1 role.
   1. 18) Miami Dolphins (VIA PIT)
   2. Javon Kinlaw | DL | S. Carolina
2. The Dolphins ranked dead last in sacks a season ago. However, they’ve signed Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson this offseason, likely taking them out of the edge defender market. Now they can grab Javon Kinlaw to team up with Christian Wilkins on the inside of their defensive front.
4. Kinlaw didn’t record a PFF pass-rushing grade below 88.7 in each of his final two years at South Carolina.
   1. 19) Las Vegas Raiders (VIA CHI)
   2. Xavier McKinney | S | Alabama
   4. Cornerback is the most glaring need here for Las Vegas, but Xavier McKinney may be too good to pass up. While the signing of Eli Apple may not be much to write home about, he does give the Raiders a stop-gap solution at the position.
5. Going safety in the first round in back to back years may seem odd, but a tandem of McKinney and Jonathan Abrams could be lethal, with each having experience operating at both safety positions.

1. 1. 20) Jacksonville Jaguars (VIA LAR)
   2. K’lavon Chaisson | EDGE | LSU
   4. The Jaguars continue to beef up their defensive front after willingly moving on from dominant playmakers. If Jacksonville trades away Yannick Ngakoue as we expect, they will need to find a replacement on the edge of their defense. Chaisson offers arguably the most upside of any edge defender not named Chase Young in this draft class.

1. 21) Philadelphia Eagles
2. Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU
4. The Eagles got their cornerback in Darius Slay, now they can shift their focus to grabbing Carson Wentz a legitimate receiving option. Jefferson’s 4.43 forty at the combine likely cemented him as the WR4 in this year’s class. His ability to operate out of the slot as a big-bodied receiver is reminiscent of Carson Wentz’s BFF Jordan Matthews, but to another level.

1. 22) Minnesota Vikings (VIA BUF)
2. Josh Jones | OT | Houston
4. Cornerback could be high on the Vikings priority list at this selection, yet Jones may offer too much intrigue to pass up. Jones is a player I personally prefer above Mekhi Becton who went in the top-10 of this mock.
6. Jones helps shore up the Vikings o-line and will be capable whenever the team opts to part ways with 31-year old left tackle Riley Reiff, who’s contract is up following 2020.

1. 23) New England Patriots
2. Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma
4. Many would expect the Patriots to enter the 2020 NFL Draft with their top goal being finding Tom Brady’s replacement. Which likely means in quintessential Bill Belichick fashion, there’s a great possibility they leave the draft without selecting a single one.

Jordan Love is an intriguing option here, but a player that I personally graded lower than Jarrett Stidham coming out of Auburn a season ago.

The Pats lost both Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins in free agency. Kenneth Murray gives New England the type of leadership and range that will draw comparisons to former Patriots standout Jerod Mayo.

1. 24) New Orleans Saints
2. Jaylon Johnson | CB | Utah
4. Eli Apple is gone, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up for debate. However, it still leaves a hole for the Saints to fill.  Saints can’t rely on a 31-year old Janoris Jenkins. Jaylon Johnson is gaining momentum in draft circles and may ultimately challenge for being the second corner off the board when all is said and done.

1. 25) Minnesota Vikings
2. Tee Higgins | WR | Clemson

The Vikings not only lost Stefon Diggs this offseason, but they also moved on from Laquon Treadwell. Kirk Cousins needs weapons and Tee Higgins is just that. Higgins is wildly underrated at the moment and deserves to be included with the likes of the big three (Jeudy, Lamb, and Ruggs) in this year’s class.

Jalen Reagor is also a possibility here, as his play models Diggs’ to a much higher degree than Higgins’ does.

1. 26) Miami Dolphins (VIA HOU)
2. Austin Jackson | OT | USC
4. Jonathan Taylor would make sense here, but the Jordan Howard signing will likely allow Miami to address other issues with this pick, most specifically, their offensive line.

The Dolphins allowed the most sacks in football a season ago. Jackson endured his fair share of lapses while at USC, but his ceiling is certainly high.

Miami will need to protect whichever young quarterback they bring in this offseason.

1. 27) Seattle Seahawks
2. Yetur Gross-Matos | EDGE | Penn St.
4. Whether Jadeveon Clowney ultimately returns to Seattle or not this offseason, edge rusher will still remain a pressing need for the Seahawks. Rasheem Green led the team in sacks in 2019 with a meager four.

Gross-Matos accounted for 9.5 sacks at Penn State last season and offers double-digit sack upside at the next level.

1. 28) Baltimore Ravens
2. Patrick Queen | LB | LSU
4. Giving Lamar Jackson another receiving option here would be much applauded. However, Chris Board and LJ Fort are currently penciled in as the Ravens’ starting inside backers, which is not going to cut it for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
6. Patrick Queen is an athletic freak with unlimited potential. Him roaming behind a defensive line consisting of Calais Campbell, Michael Brockers, and Brandon Williams should be a sight to behold.

1. 29) Tennessee Titans
2. AJ Epenesa | DL | Iowa
4. A player such as corner AJ Terrell makes sense here, but with Logan Ryan still on the open market, Tennessee could look to improve their pass-rush.
6. Epenesa didn’t test the way many had hoped, however, he rarely won with athleticism at the college level anyway. He’s a powerful, technically sound defender who will slide in nicely in the role left behind by Jurrell Casey.

1. 30) Green Bay Packers
2. Denzel Mims | WR | Baylor
4. The Packers haven’t addressed their glaring issues at receiver thus far in free agency, so they try to do so in the draft with Denzel Mims. Mims is skyrocketing up draft boards at the moment.  While his measurements (6’3”, 207 lbs., 4.38 40-yard dash) are eerily similar to current Green Bay wideout MVS (6’4”, 206 lbs., 4.37 40-yard dash), his college film is a whole lot more impressive.

1. 31) San Francisco 49ers
2. Jeff Gladney | CB | TCU
4. Jimmie Ward returning to San Francisco eliminates safety as a pressing need. However, cornerback Akhello Witherspoon must be upgraded, while Richard Sherman will be a 33-year old free agent come this time next year.

1. 32) Kansas City Chiefs
2. AJ Terrell | CB | Clemson

A running back here such as D’Andre Swift would make the Chiefs already lethal offense unfathomable. Yet, after losing Kendall Fuller in free agency, they may be best served to address their secondary.

Terrell, while slightly built, offers solid length in his 6’1” frame and should serve as a viable CB2 aside Charvarius Ward.

RETURN TO: Round 1 Mock: Picks 1-16

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