I did a mock on the podcast earlier this week but considering I just released my final big board it makes sense to at least use it once to do a FINAL final mock draft. But enough with the formalities…
1. Bengals – Joe Burrow QB LSU
If this isn’t Burrow, all bets are off on this draft and this will go down as one of the biggest draft stunners in a long time.
2. Redskins – Chase Young EDGE Ohio State
I would say there is a slightly higher chance of a shocker here, especially with rumors that the Redskins are currently being offered some pretty sizable offers, but I’m still fairly confident this is the pick.
3. TRADE: Dolphins Receive Pick 3. Lions Receive Pick 5 and 26
Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa QB Alabama
According to the trade charts, this is a massive over payment as a 2nd round pick would more than suffice but teams are pushing really hard to move up and the Dolphins will likely have to give up another first to get this done. Also, it makes round one more interesting so here we are. As for the pick, I feel as though I shouldn’t really need to elaborate. There are rumors that they are going to trade up for an OT, but that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Not that it isn’t going to happen… just saying it’s stupid.
4. Giants – Jedrick Wills OT Alabama
The pick makes sense for several reasons. First, despite talk of other needs, tackle should be at or near the top. Add in the love Gettleman has for trench guys as well as big guys, the only real intersection of those factors is Wills and Becton. Wills is ranked #8 on my latest board. Becton is 14.
5. Lions – Jeffrey Okudah CB Ohio State
I’ve always felt a little iffy on this pick for several reasons and wouldn’t be surprised at all if they go another direction but at the very least it gives the Lions the ability to have to have a lock down corner group headed up by Okudah, with Trufant and the #2, and Coleman, who had success in Seattle, as their nickle corner.
6. Chargers – Justin Herbert QB Oregon
It’s a new era for the Chargers. Assuming they like Herbert, this is cut and dried. On the flip side, how many games does this team win with that terrible OL, Tyrod Taylor at QB, and a continually decreasing defense? My guess is not many. With that, I would probably draft either Simmons, Brown, or an OT and see what we can do at QB next year.
That’s me though, not what I expect the Chargers to do.
7. Panthers – Isaiah Simmons LB Clemson
The Panthers have a lot of needs but as I said in my mock earlier this week, this pick feels right. The guy who was fired the same year he drafted Luke Kuechly is now back with the Panthers and has the opportunity to draft the next freak LB.
8. TRADE: Jets Receive Pick 8. Cardinals Receive Pick 11 and 79 (3rd)
Jets – Andrew Thomas OT Georgia
First off, there has been talk about a lot of teams looking to move down including the Cardinals but with who? Most will look to the Falcons with all the rumors of moving up but they aren’t going to do it just to do it. Rumor is they want to get up to 2 for Chase and I would guess they’d be willing to move up for Okudah but with them gone I’m not going to just move up for anyone. Henderson and Chaisson are great options but I’m not going up to 8 for them.
That leaves the fact that there are some top tier tackles available and the Jets feel the need to get up in front of the Jaguars and Browns, both OL needy teams, to get their guy who in this case I’m going to say is Thomas. I do have Wirfs higher on my board but I’m sticking with my gut.
9. Jaguars – Derrick Brown DT Auburn
This is a really tough pick. My first thought is to watch for Jacksonville to trade up because they have a ton of ammo including 2 1st round picks and 3 4th round picks. That said it really just came down to OT or DT. My hang up with OT is the fact that we’ve invested in a RT just last year and LT the year before. They aren’t good but are we giving up already? Beyond that, Brown is the better player, we love strong DL’s, we are getting thin there and might lose Ngakoue. We’ll be responsible and take the best available.
10. TRADE: Falcons Receive 10. Browns Receive 16 and 78 (3rd)
Falcons – Javon Kinlaw DL South Carolina
The rumor about the falcons is that they want to trade up for an impact defender. In my book that’s a corner or pass rusher. Kinlaw, in my book, qualifies as a pass rusher. If we don’t want Kinlaw I don’t see a need to move up here but Kinlaw could legitamately be the pick for the Cardinals, Raiders, 49ers, and Bucs. He isn’t making it much longer. Now or never.
11. Cardinals – Tristan Wirfs OT Iowa
This might seem odd to trade away the pick that saw Andrew Thomas go just so we could take Wirfs, but in reality, Thomas, Brown, Kinlaw, and Wirfs are all great picks and we were offered a 3rd to move back 3 spots. We can’t miss. Wirfs was the last left on the list so that made our decision pretty simple.
12. Raiders – Ceedee Lamb WR Oklahoma
The Raiders surprised us last year but with the board the way it is, I’m comfortable going WR here (I took Kinlaw in my last mock). The question is who. For my money, I would take Jeudy but I’ll stick with my board that has Lamb as the 7th best prospect in this draft.
13. TRADE: Vikings Receive 13. 49ers Receive 25 and 58 (2nd)
Vikings – Jerry Jeudy WR Alabama
I probably shouldn’t but the 49ers want to go back BAD. They have 2 1st round picks and nothing after that until the 5th. I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade back again. Still, the question is with who. The Jaguars and Eagles make sense but they have way too many needs to trade up for something they can get by staying put.
It really came down to the Vikings or make the pick and with the deep desire to move back I figured why not. Vikings are going to swing for the fences in 2020.
14. Buccaneers – Xavier McKinney S Alabama
We went out and got Tom Brady and Gronk to add to our group of Evans and Godwin. The offense is fine. Defense is now the biggest need and safety seems to be the most lacking. Even if it isn’t, with regard to value, this makes the most sense to me.
15. Broncos – Henry Ruggs WR Alabama
This has been speculated for some time and with Ruggs at the top of my board this has literally been the easiest pick since pick 2.
16. Browns – Patrick Queen LB LSU
I really hate all this nonsense about the Browns wanting to move back but I’m playing along. Seriously though, why? It’s a huge need and you’re in a great spot to get an elite tackle… but you’re going to wait for Ezra in the 2nd round? Dumb.
Anyways, need and value intersect nicely at Patrick Queen. The pick makes me sick but again, I’ll play along.
17. TRADE: Jaguars Receive 17. Cowboys Receive 20 and 116 and 157
Jaguars – Mekhi Becton OT Louisville
I said I didn’t want the Jags to trade up for Jeudy but at 17 we have to offer less (1 of our 3 4th round picks and 1 of our 2 5th round picks) and we get a bigger need in OT. I’m actually really happy with this from the Jaguars perspective. Also, Mekhi is very unlikely to make it past the Dolphins and there’s a big drop off at tackle after him.
As for the Cowboys, I just don’t ever feel good about anyone I pick for them here. Hopefully the decision will be easier at 20.
18. Dolphins – Justin Jefferson WR LSU
This isn’t my favorite pick in the world (thanks a lot Jaguars), but at the end of the day we need offensive help for our new QB. OL is the biggest need but there aren’t any that are a good value. The decision was Jefferson or trade back. Sorry Packers fans, but the decision was to stay put.
19. Raiders – C.J. Henderson CB Florida
Pretty solid value for a guy that is getting potential top 10 buzz. And that really is what it came down to. The Raiders have a good amount of needs and at the top is a talented corner. That’s the whole story…
20. Cowboys – K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE LSU
It’s a strange pick but I’m sticking with it. Bottom line, although we have a great edge rusher already, having two is not something anyone should complain about. He’s also one of very few talented rushers in this class so let’s do it.
21. Eagles – D’Andre Swift RB Georgia
I’m going out on a pretty massive limb here but essentially, I don’t see WR as as big of a need as everyone is making it out to be. Jackson, Whiteside, and Alshon are there and are locked up for some time. I thought hard about Murray here but there’s a glimmer of hope in TJ Edwards and plenty of prospects in the later rounds.
Swift to me makes sense from the perspective that he’s not just another weapon but a receiving weapon, which seems to be a thing, we have no RB options that are remotely exciting, and let’s not forget last year we traded for Jordan Howard who is now a Dolphins which should signal our need and desire for a RB.
22. Vikings – Kristian Fulton CB LSU
The biggest need for the Vikings is corner so this isn’t a terribly difficult decision. The fact that we can trade up for Jeudy and not completely abandon being responsible makes me feel even better about moving up.
23. Patriots – A.J. Epenesa EDGE Iowa
I made this pick in my last mock and it still makes the most sense to me. The Patriots lived off defense last year and the DL is certainly beginning to erode. Epenesa is also a versatile inside outside guy which fits what the Patriots like to do.
24. TRADE: Ravens Receive 24. Saints Receive 28 and 106 (3rd)
Ravens – Denzel Mims WR Baylor
This definitely isn’t holding true to my board which has Mims at 41 behind Higgins, Aiyuk, and Reagor but I can’t exactly set aside all the rumors about Mims possibly going before 20. It’s also a good fit for the Ravens who need more WR help and a big body compliment to Hollywood.
As for the trade, the Ravens have a ton of ammo (2 2nds, 2 3rds, 2 4ths) and the Saints only have 5 picks this year with no 2nd round picks.
25. 49ers – Cesar Ruiz IOL Michigan
There is a lot of talk about the 49ers wanting to get some DT help to fill the void left by Buckner but they still have a stacked DL and also have another pick at 31. I’m looking at an interior OL that is sub par at best and filled with guys in the 28-30 year old age range.
With running the ball being as important as it is and IOL being as weak as it is in this draft, let’s just pull the trigger now.
26. Lions – Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE Penn State
The Lions just keep swinging at DL in the hopes of having something that resembles a competent unit with the ability to get the the QB. It’s funny to laugh about but in all seriousness if he pans out, with Okudah and Trufant… I don’t know. They might be not the worst ever this year.
27. Seahawks – Josh Jones OT Houston
Who knows what in the world the Seahawks will do but let’s just keep it simple. They still haven’t fixed the offensive line. Still. After all these years. So here I am again for the 50 billionth time in a row suggesting the Seahawks should look to improve the offensive line.
28. Saints – Ross Blacklock DL TCU
As I’ve said in every mock this year, the Saints don’t have a ton of needs. DL would be one area where some improvement wouldn’t kill them. They got some good players on the edge but the middle is a little soft. Blacklock should be an improvement against the run and also boost the pass rush moderately.
29. Titans – Zack Baun LB Wisconsin
This is an unusual pick with Murray still on the board but I struggled taking LB after the Ravens took Rashaan Evans in the 1st round just 2 years ago. Still it’s a big need and with Baun’s ability to rush off the edge I felt it was a good compromise with the Titans struggling off the edge as well.
30. Packers – K.J. Hamler WR Penn State
Ya that’s right I said it. Granted I’m doing what I want in this pick as opposed to what I think will happen but I can’t hype the guy up all year and not do this in my final mock. Ultimately I think Gute and his staff will look at Hamler and see 5’9″ and say “hard pass” but they also said they want a receiver that can do everything and to me that’s Hamler.
Hamler wouldn’t be the only 5’9 receiver to have success in the NFL by the way. Hollywood Brown is 5’9″ and nobody had an issue last year. Cole Beasley is also 5″9″ and Tyreek Hill is just an inch taller.
31. 49ers – Jalen Reagor WR TCU
I can feel the anger from Packers fans who are fans of Reagor, and for that I’m sorry. As for the pick, again, DT is supposedly a big want for the team but I just don’t like the value here. Reagor will make a solid replacement for the departed Emmanuel Sanders.
32. Chiefs – Kenneth Murray LB Oklahoma
There’s been a good amount of hate for Murray lately but this would be a great scenario for the Chiefs. They need help badly and Murray should be an instant upgrade.