Written by: Joseph McCarrie
Through multiple mock drafts and much research, we present to you our WegENT complete 2020 NFL Mock Draft of Round 1.
2020 NFL Mock Draft – Round 1
- Joe Burrow, QB (CIN)
- Chase Young, DE (WAS)
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB (LAC)
- Justin Herbert, QB (CAR)
- Jeffrey Okudah, CB (MIA)
- Isaiah Simmons, LB (DET)
- Mekhi Becton, OT (NYG)
- Jedrick Wills, OT (ARI)
- Jerry Jeudy, WR (ATL)
- Tristan Wirfs, OT (CLE)
- Ceedee Lamb, WR (NYJ)
- Derrick Brown, DT (LVR)
- C.J. Henderson, CB (DAL)
- Javon Kinlaw, DT (TB)
- Henry Ruggs III, WR (DEN)
- K’Lavon Chaisson, LB (JAX)
- Andrew Thomas, OT (SF)
- D’Andre Swift, RB (MIA)
- Justin Jefferson, WR (PHI)
- Tee Higgins, WR (JAX)
- Jordan Love, QB (LVR)
- Antoine Winfield Jr, S (MIN)
- Patrick Queen, LB (NE)
- Kenneth Murray, LB (NO)
- Josh Jones, OT (MIN)
- Cesar Ruiz, C (MIA)
- Yetur Gross-Matos, DE (SEA)
- Ben Bredeson, OG (BAL)
- Laviska Shenault Jr, WR (TEN)
- A.J. Epenesa, DE (GB)
- Brandon Aiyuk, WR (SF)
- Justin Madubuike, DT (KC)
1) Joe Burrow, QB // Cincinnati Bengals
There have been rumors about the Bengals trading this pick. That’s nonsense. Joe Burrow had statistically the best season ever in college football EVER. He grew up 2 hours away from Cincinnati. Nothing’s impossible, but it would have to be such a large ransom of picks that GM Michael Brown would the decision made for him.
2) Chase Young, DE // Washington Redskins
HC Ron Rivera has always had a disruptive defense and with the de facto best player in the draft, he’ll get that player that can completely change defense and hopefully restart a completely failed and inept organization.
3) Tua Tagovailoa, QB // Los Angeles Chargers
The Lions are in “win-now” mode, but if we can all be honest for a second, that’s such a lie. This organization wouldn’t know what “win-now” is if it slapped them in the face. The smart move, not saying that anyone over in Detroit knows what they’re doing, would be to trade down still in the top 10 and take someone that would’ve taken at 3 but garner picks so that there could be a possibility that they have a future where they can win MORE THAN ONE PLAYOFF GAME.
The Chargers pay that price to name the heir apparent to the Phillip Rivers dynasty and even if they don’t play him the first year, Tua is that guy. He’s got the skills. Everyone forgets that he is dominant when he’s on the field. He was everyone’s first overall guy until Joe Burrow came out of left field. The Chargers feel the need to move up so that he doesn’t fall to the Dolphins at pick number 5.
4) Justin Herbert, QB // Carolina Panthers
There’s a new regime in Carolina, one that pushed out former MVP Cam Newton this offseason. And if you need to be a hieroglyphist to read these signs: Matt Rhule is going to get his guy. A team that was flirting with the playoffs last year, makes the moves to go get the 3rd best QB in this draft to solidify a future of winning in Carolina.
It’s a hefty price, but yet again, it would be a real gamble to leave this guy on the board with the Dolphins after Tua is off the board.
5) Jeffrey Okudah, CB // Miami Dolphins
WELL, WHAT DO WE DO NOW?? is what I can imagine GM Chris Grier will be shouting at his assistants after the 3 QB’s are taken before they get a chance at pick number 5. The only logical move left is to draft the best player available.
Okudah is the best corner in the draft and to pair him with Byron Jones in Miami will create a no-fly zone for years. HC Brian Flores is a defensive-minded coach and to give him another piece to mold will be the best move going forward.
6) Isaiah Simmons, LB // Detroit Lions
Detroit makes the smart move here and trades down to take the guy they would’ve taken at pick number 3. Although Darius Slay left via trade and there is a hole at CB on the depth chart, but there is a much larger gaping hole at LB and the swiss army knife that is Isaiah Simmons will turn a so-so defense into something HC Matt Patricia can build around for years.
7) Mekhi Becton, OT // New York Giants
Becton recently failed a drug test but that doesn’t matter. There was a video of Laremy Tunsil using a gas mask bong and he was still drafted at number 13 in his draft. Becton is a giant among other giants. He will protect Saquan and Jones for years to come.
8) Jedrick Wills, OT // Arizona Cardinals
Arizona needs offensive line help desperately to help protect their quarterback of the future. Wills is the best OT in the draft and Arizona gets the player they need most without trading up.
9) Jerry Jeudy, WR // Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta is not shy about trading up for players they believe in. Do you know who those players are? Dominant receivers coming out of Alabama. They traded up for Jones and lucked out with Ridley, so trading up for Jeudy is a no brainer. This gives an aging Matt Ryan even more weapons to throw to in addition to drafting insurance for the oft-injured Julio Jones.
10) Tristan Wirfs, OT // Cleveland Browns
Wirfs is the second best OT in the draft and Cleveland needs an offensive line like Spongebob needs water. Their offense is almost complete. Mayfield, Chubb, Landry, OBJ, and Njoku. They have the weapons that can simply just play. They need to be able to get those plays off so Wirfs is the pick here.
11) Ceedee Lamb, WR // New York Jets
Robby Anderson was anything but dominant. He was hot and cold more often that a refrigerator that’s plugged in halfway. Pairing Ceedee Lamb with Sam Darnold gives the Jets a 1-2 punch for years to come. Ceedee Lamb is a legit number 1 guy that has Tyreek Hill level speed.
12) Derrick Brown, DT // Las Vegas Raiders
Mike Mayock spent years monitoring the draft as an analyst and he’s already hit with some picks like Jacobs and Crosby. Derrick Brown solidifies a defensive line for years with Crosby and Ferrell.
13) C.J. Henderson, CB // Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is in desperate need of secondary help. Henderson can attempt to fill in the shoes of Byron Jones, but it must be noted that Dallas has a pretty terrible draft record with CB’s in the 1st round. Although they could pick Javon Kinlaw here, I think Henderson is the pick.
14) Javon Kinlaw, DT // Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They got Tom Brady. They just got Rob Gronkowski. They already have a top 5 duo at receiver with Evans and Godwin. Tampa Bay just needs to draft defense. Solidify a steel wall on defense so that Tom Brady can go do Tom Brady stuff.
Tampa has a need at DT since McCoy left and Kinlaw fills that need.
15) Henry Ruggs III, WR // Denver Broncos
Denver takes the speedy Ruggs to pair with the vice grip of Courtland Sutton. It gives Drew Lock, their QB of the future, a guy to drop bombs in the endzone. Lock will be happy to unleash that cannon of an arm.
16) K’Lavon Chaisson, LB // Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville is all onboard for #TANKFORTREVOR. They can play the game where they can say they’re all in and #MINSHEWMANIA but when you trade 3 of you best players for whatever the other team will give you, it’s obvious you’re stashing picks. With that being said, Jacksonville will need to solidify a defense and since Telvin Smith evacuated the team, the linebackers that were so dominant have become vulnerable. Chaisson fortifies that broken wall.
17) Andrew Thomas, OT // San Francisco 49ers
Losing a Super Bowl is tough, but a top 20 pick helps. Trading out of the 13th pick to grab some more for this year or next year arms their arsenal for any midseason trades for a postseason run, plus trading down gives them a top offensive line pick that helps keep Jimmy G on his feet and gives running lanes for that stable of running backs.
18) D’Andre Swift, RB // Miami Dolphins
Although they signed Jordan Howard to a deal this offseason, the Philadelphia native and St. Joe’s Prep alum gives the Dolphins not only the best running back in the draft but a dynamic receiver out of the backfield for years to come.
19) Justin Jefferson, WR // Philadelphia Eagles
With the other 3 best wide receivers off the board, and the recent demise of Nelson Agholor, a former first-round pick, GM Howie Roseman needs a W. Armed with draft picks, Roseman moves up and takes the next best receiver to give Wentz someone who can ACTUALLY CATCH THE BALL! Jefferson balled out this last year at LSU and his skills look to transition to the NFL, and more specifically Doug Pederson’s West Coast-style offense, nicely.
20) Tee Higgins, WR // Jacksonville Jaguars
With the recent departure of Marquise Lee, Jacksonville uses this pick instead of trading down for more future picks to give themselves a speedy receiver who can flat out fly, but also someone who is familiar with Trevor Lawrence. It’ll make that duo even more deadly when Jacksonville tanks hard and picks Lawrence next year with the first overall pick #TANKFORTREVOR
21) Jordan Love, QB // Las Vegas Raiders
Man do I miss those Jon Gruden QB Camp videos!!! If I was betting man, this would be Jon’s guy. A project no doubt, Love is a guy with the intangibles that make great quarterbacks great. He’s got a bazooka of an arm but needs to hone in on his game management skills.
Being able to sit the bench and learn from Gruden as Derek Carr plays the remainder of his contract gives Gruden his arm of the future.
22) Antoine Winfield Jr, S // Minnesota Vikings
The NFL needs some feel-good stories right about now and how’s this? Son of a former star in Minnesota being drafted by the team in the first round? Sounds good to me. Fills a hole on the team? Even better! Winfield is the best safety in the draft and although they franchised Anthony Harris, he hasn’t signed his tender plus this gives them insurance for years to come if Harris moves on.
23) Patrick Queen, LB // New England Patriots
Although the Patriots have other needs, one of their most defining attributes over the years has been the stellar play of their linebackers. With the departure of Kyle Van Noy and the other on the roster getting older, Queen is the rejuvenation that this group needs.
24) Kenneth Murray, LB // New Orleans Saints
New Orleans is pretty solid at almost every position. Killer defensive/offensive line, WR, CB, QB, RB, they’ve got it all. Except for linebacker. When Kiko Alonso is “your guy” at linebacker, you’ve got problems. Murray is a good problem. He’s super fast and a nightmare on defense. They’re hoping he can come in and maybe help cover Gronk and O.J. Howard when they play twice a year.
25) Josh Jones, OT // Minnesota Vikings
Once toted as a top 10 pick, Jones has fallen with the rise of other players once not thought to go ahead of him. Minnesota will gladly take him to help fill in the rather large holes on their line to help protect their fully-guaranteed quarterback along with their star running back Dalvin Cook.
26) Cesar Ruiz, C // Miami Dolphins
If I was Cesar Ruiz, I’d send some money over to Jason Kelce. Ruiz, an avid blocker but undersized at the position, is the draft best center. Usually smaller centers were looked down upon, but the All-Pro play of Jason Kelce among others has made it rather sexy at the position. A guy who can hold coverage in pass protection but can get out and run with the running back? Miami takes him here to help pave the way for D’Andre Swift and Jordan Howard.
27) Yetur Gross-Matos, DE // Seattle Seahawks
Jadeveon Clowney might be returning to Seattle after no team is willing to pay his gross figure on defense. But in the off chance, he doesn’t take the hometown discount and come back to Seattle, Gross-Matos is a disruptive force that is so well utilized and so notorious in Seattle.
28) Ben Bredeson, OG // Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore is the home of the reigning MVP, Lamar Jackson. After an early exit due to the Titans last year, it’s time for them to fix their line. With Baltimore’s offensive line getting older and retiring, it’s time for them to invest in their star-studded workhorse so that he can play the way he does for years to come.
Bredeson is the best guard in the draft and even if it’s a bit of a reach, it’s what a team who’s really in the “win-now” mode goes out and gets.
29) Laviska Shenault Jr, WR // Tennesse Titans
If you’re going to a mouse a cookie, you’re going to need some milk. Likewise, if you’re going to sing Ryan Tannehill to a lucrative contract, go get him some weapons so that you can win some games. With all the higher touted WR’s off the board at this point, Shenault Jr poses a wide catch radius and a penchant for not dropping the ball. 1st round WR’s haven’t always done well in Tennessee, but this seems to be a pretty safe pick.
30) A.J. Epenesa, DE // Green Bay Packers
With the lackluster play of Rashan Gary, people have already labeled him with the “bust” moniker. I think he’s still legitimate but if Green Bay is already out on him, bring in someone else. Giving their defense another edge rusher adds to the already great defense they have established in Green Bay. And if Gary comes around, paired with Clark, Epenesa, and Smith, there will be problems for other NFC North teams for years to come.
31) Brandon Aiyuk, WR // San Francisco 49ers
John Lynch holds onto this pick to grab the last somewhat top tier wide receiver in the draft. Aiyuk has the speed to take the tops off of some defenses, which is huge when the rest of their receiving corp after Deebo Samuel have been virtually non-existent. Although this is a power run team, having weapons on the outside is also somewhat necessary. Case and point, Super Bowl LIV.
32) Justin Madubuike, DT // Kansas City Chiefs
Although the Chiefs will field calls from all around the league from teams trying to get back in the first round so that they can have that fifth-year option tied to first-round picks, they hold onto it here. Madubuike is a disrupter that will do well in a 4-3 defense and will also provide insurance for Chris Jones if he leaves anytime soon.
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