The country is quarantined. Sports are shut down for who knows how long. But, as of now, the NFL draft will still go on as planned! Hallelujah!
The time of the year that CFB fans, NFL fans, and draftniks come together as one is fast approaching! With everyone’s newfound time, you are getting more mocks than you can handle! And hey, I’m not complaining one bit even if they are bad!
But instead of hitting you with another mock with the same players going to the same spots, I have decided to hit you with some hot(ish) takes to hopefully make you think!
1. Five QBs in the First Round
Trying to pin down where QBs will go in this draft has been difficult, and predictions are all over the place. At one point, people predicted four drafted in the top 10! Recently, it seems like those same people only believe that three will go the entire 1st Round. Well, I am not one of those people. Not only do I think Jordan Love is very talented and deserving of a 1st Round draft slot, but QB always seems to get a huge bump come draft time. So who do I think will go in the 1st? I’ll even tell you where!
The easy one: Joe Burrow will be the top pick. Not much argument about that. The Bengals seem to love him, and he is the consensus top guy. Moving on.
Next is Tua Tagovailoa, who is my QB1 with injuries thrown out. Tua possesses everything you want in an elite QB when it comes to his skill set. Tagovailoa is one of the smartest QBs we have seen with a quick release, good arm strength, and accuracy. But where will he go? The “easy” landing spot for mock drafters is the Dolphins at Pick 5. It makes sense. They need a QB, and the teams between them and the Bengals don’t. But QB is way too valuable to sit back and wait. My guess? Either the Dolphins or another QB needy team will jump to the 3rd pick and get their guy!
Next up, Justin Herbert. Some have been claiming that teams like him more than Tua. I don’t buy it for a second. Even with the injury history, Tua is far and away a better prospect in pretty much every way. Herbert’s size is one advantage. Despite any comparisons, Herbert will still be a top 10 pick barring something crazy (though we have seen crazier). My guess: He lands on the Chargers. They just let their franchise guy walk and have no one to take over. The only other QB “needy” team within a shot of jumping the Chargers, are the Raiders. But, they would have to jump to Pick 5 (Dolphins) or even higher to do so, which doesn’t seem likely.
Now things get fun! Jordan Love should be, and likely will be, the next man up. The Raiders have two top 20 picks and will try to take a stab at QB with one of them. They don’t seem fond of Carr considering the numerous rumors surrounding them. If for some reason, they decide not to go QB, then there are two teams I would look for; the Saints and the Pats. The Pats just moved on from their HOF QB, and the Saints HOF guy is on his last legs. They will be looking for a replacement soon!
Lastly, and likely a very unpopular opinion, the 5th QB. Who is it? Where does he go? To me, the guy teams will be eying is Jacob Eason. A big-time HS recruit, P5 QB, and a guy with all the attributes teams fall in love with. He has the size and the arm strength but is lacking in production. No matter. Some team will fall in love with him in the back of the 1st Round and take their shot! Look for the Saints or Pats once again to be the team to do it.
2. Three RBs in the First Round
This may not be a hot take depending on who you ask, but recent mocks have seen only one RB, sometimes none, going in the First Round. I find that hard to believe. While this class if very, very deep, the talent at the top is very, very good. While some may not want to admit it, there are a few backs that rival some of the elite players we have seen in the recent past.
Jonathan Taylor blew up the combine. At his size with his production, he has landed at the top of many RB lists. Taylor has excellent balance and play-strength to shrug off defenders and has shown the long speed to break off huge runs. If he can continue to improve his pass-catching ability, Taylor could be one of the top backs in the NFL. A team like the Dolphins could pull the trigger to add more play-making to a team that desperately needs it.
D’Andre Swift is the other player getting 1st Round buzz and rightfully so. Swift may be the best all-around player in this class. He is explosive, productive, and does a great job catching the football. Swift may be the only back that has true three-down potential right off the bat. His value is already through the roof in dynasty circles. If he lands with a team like the Buccaneers, his value will go through the roof.
The third RB that could sneak into the 1st Round will be tough to peg, but the name that gets thrown around is Clyde Edwards-Helaire. While his combine performance was less than ideal, CEH possesses a ton of talent. He is extremely quick and makes defenders miss, even in traffic. He is also the best receiving back in this class, and it may not be close. Many teams could use a player like CEH. He has the chance to sneak into the back of the 1st Round.
3. No Safeties in the 1st Round
This may shock some people, so let me explain. Since people started pumping out mock draft towards the end of the CFB season, the safeties have been like a game of musical chairs. The two names you hear the most are Grant Delpit and Xavier McKinney. I have seen Delpit mocked as high as the Top 5 and McKinney in the Top 15. On the other hand, I have seen both drop completely out of the 1st Round. There is no telling what NFL teams will actually think or where these guys will wind up. So my prediction? Teams wait on safety. I am not sure there is a team that is desperate enough to grab a safety, and with no sure-fire top dog, teams will look to other talented positions in the 1st Round.
4. Only 3 WRs in the 1st Round
This is another prediction that has been all over the board when looking at mocks. I have seen as many as five or six WRs in the First Round. That is insanity! I think most are in agreement on the Top 3, but after that, opinions are all over the board. While WR is just as talented and as deep as the RB position, it is less top-heavy, and therefore will see less drafted at the top. The depth of this class is very good, which will likely lead teams to wait. If you can get equal talent in the 2nd Round as you can in the back of the 1st Round, why not just wait? This will definitely lead to a huge run on WR in the 2nd Round. The Top 3? I can’t wait to see!
5. No DB Drafted in the Top 10
Death, taxes, and a DB being drafted in the top 10. That’s how the saying goes right? It seems like every year, we see a top DB or two get taken very early in the NFL Draft. Often, it is entirely too early. Not necessarily because the player lacks talent, but because the talent gap between the next tier isn’t very significant.
I think that is what we see in the 2020 NFL Draft. There is no sure-fire safety that will be taken top 10, and I have highlighted that I think teams wait. When it comes to the corner position, there are some players getting the Top 10 buzz as of now. But as things get closer and closer, I believe teams will lean another direction. There is WAY too much talent at other positions to pull the trigger on a DB. With some stud OTs, QBs, and other players scattered in between, DB will take a backseat.
