2020 NFL Draft: Predicting number of Round 1 picks by position
The 2020 NFL Draft will begin (virtually) in mere days but which positions will be coveted in Round 1 and which won’t be addressed hardly at all?
We’re just days away from the first-ever virtual NFL Draft as the 2020 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23. The first round on Day 1 is always special. Every team looking to select a can’t-miss prospect, a potential building block for the franchise.
Every draft has its strengths and weaknesses. Certain positions hold more value based on team needs and the depth of the draft, resulting in those positions being drafted more frequently than others, especially in Round 1. So how will that play out in the 2020 NFL Draft? Let’s break down the first round by position.
Joe Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 1 is a foregone conclusion, making him the seventh quarterback taken with the first pick over the last decade. But three other quarterbacks will hear their names called at some point in the first round as well.
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Tua Tagovailoa is the No. 2 quarterback on most boards and, while recent rumors have him falling, he’ll still get drafted in the first round. The other names that follow are Justin Herbert and Jordan Love, bringing the total to four. While the quarterback position is the most important, though, it’s not the positional king of the 2020 draft.
There are going to be plenty of receivers drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy lead the pack, followed by Henry Ruggs III. LSU’s Justin Jefferson is another wideout who’ll hear his name called despite not receiving the same hype as the other three names mentioned.
Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins, Van Jefferson and Denzel Mims are the other names linked to the first round. Even with so much talent, the magic number will be six, which would be tied for the most since 2010.
The offensive line is far too important to be ignored on Day 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft. Offensive tackle is the premier position along the offensive line. The big names leading offensive lineman rankings are Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Jedrick Wills Jr. and Mekhi Becton. All of the aforementioned are first-round locks. After them, players like Lucas Niang, Josh Jones, Austin Jackson and Ezra Cleveland could hear their names called in the first round as well.
At the interior position, three players stick out as potential first-round picks, Cesar Ruiz, Lloyd Cushenberry III and Tyler Biadasz. At least five tackles will hear their names called and one of these interior linemen. Expect the first round to conclude with six linemen taken.
Up next are the defensive backs. Safety has more overall depth than first-round talent. Alabama safety Xavier McKinney is the exception. At the corner position, Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah is a top-10 lock. Florida’s C.J. Henderson is up next while Kristian Fulton, AJ Terrell, Trevon Diggs and Jeff Gladney are also first-round possibilities. The total number of defensive backs drafted will be five.
On the edge, the 2020 NFL Draft doesn’t have the depth of years past. Nevertheless, expect no less than four players to hear their names called. The top guy is Chase Young, who will hear his name called inside the top five. LSU’s K’Lavon Chaisson won’t fall outside the top 20. Meanwhile, A.J. Epenesa, Yetur Gross-Matos, Terrell Lewis, Zack Baun and Curtis Weaver are first-round possibilities.
Thanks to dominant defensive tackles like Aaron Donald, Geno Atkins, Fletcher Cox and Chris Jones, teams want a dominant interior lineman. Three defensive tackles will hear their names called. Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw are first-round locks. After those two, players like Ross Blacklock, Justin Madubuike, Neville Gallimore and Marlon Davidson could hear their names called.
At linebacker, three names dominate the first-round conversation. The top guy is Clemson’s Mr. Everything, Isaiah Simmons. He will be the first domino to fall somewhere in the top 10. LSU’s Patrick Queen and Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray bring the total number of linebackers taken to three.
The running back group is a position of strength with talented ball-carriers available in every round. D’Andre Swift, Jonathan Taylor, J.K. Dobbins, Cam Akers and Clyde Edwards-Helaire dominate the conversation as RB1. Unfortunately, the position is devalued and the likelihood of two backs being drafted is slim to none. Just like in 2019, expect only one running back to hear his name called at the latter part of Day 1.
Next. 2020 Mock Draft: Unexpected picks for every team. dark
A year ago, we saw two Iowa tight ends drafted in the first round. But don’t expect to see any taken on Day 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft. This year isn’t the best year for the tight end position; it’s arguably the weakest position in the draft. However, the guys throwing them the ball takes precedence.
Could things play out slightly differently than this in terms of picks by position in the 2020 NFL Draft? Absolutely. But looking at what we know, this is a good baseline for how the league will value each position in the first round.