2020 NFL Draft: First-round mock and predictions for all 32 picks

First-round mock draft predictions for all 32 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, including trades, the latest rumors and more one day from the draft.

Ladies and gentlemen, we’re in the endgame now. Months of preparation and speculation have prepared us for the greatest three days in football. Spanning from Jay Berwanger in 1936 to Caleb Wilson in 2019, the NFL Draft has evolved into a three-day holiday unparalleled to any such event in sports. And now it’s time for the 2020 NFL Draft, which will offer a new venture.

Unfortunately, as you may have heard by now, this year’s NFL Draft will be held virtually. That may complicate things. But the best, most innovative teams will adapt just fine. Teams will have to be savvy with their communication skills, both internally and externally. Luckily, the NFL has seemingly provided failsafes for communication errors. I wonder how it may affect trading, though.

As a mock draft veteran (I have old notebooks from my childhood littered with them), I can confirm that mock drafting without trades is easier — but it is much less realistic. Last year, there were six draft-day deals that shook up mock drafts. In 2018, there were eight. Let’s just say I could see a little more wheeling-and-dealing this year, though I’m always thinking about possible movement.

One other tidbit for my mock drafts: I rarely guarantee anything. If you’re new to the NFL Draft, you might as well frame the following statement: No matter how much you think you know, you never know anything. The draft is wildly unpredictable. To tether yourself to one outcome is foolish because guarantees are rarely given for the draft. That’s why I don’t give any, either. At the end of the day, we only really think we know anything.

Some other quick notes before we begin:

• I have information on all 32 teams. I also have speculation. For most of the picks, the real scoop is the analysis that accompanies the pick, not the pick itself.
• SEC players will reign supreme. The past four drafts have averaged 9.75 SEC players in the first round. My mock has 15.
• I’m relatively confident that there will only be four quarterbacks drafted on Thursday night. In previous years, teams have been quick to move up and select a passer. Last year, that trend was bucked. I can see it going either way this year.
• The deepest position group this year is arguably the wide receivers. NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah has 18 of them in his top 106, equivalent to three rounds of selections. This doesn’t necessarily mean wide receivers will be plucked early. You’ll see more of my thought process in the later picks.
• This will likely not be my final mock draft. Every year, I only publish one first-round mock. I like to make sure I have the most updated information possible. Normally, that means releasing it a few hours before the actual draft. However, outside circumstances have gifted me the Wednesday before the draft instead. So if you’re looking for final, up-to-date projections, follow my Twitter @ZachCohenFB. I’ll release it prior to the draft.

This is all fun. No one can predict the future. At the end of the day, I know many predictions will be off. Some, like a good portion of my mock draft last year, will be accurate. But it’s not about accuracy. It’s about giving you the best, most logical analysis of each team’s possible plans. Sometimes, a team will select a player out of left field, while you thought they’d be pulling one from the dugout instead. With that said, let the games begin…

The Pick: If only all the picks were this simple. If Cincinnati was going to trade this pick, they would need a hefty haul of capital that no team, not even Miami, would want to surrender. This pick will be and always has been Joe Burrow. Next, please.

Alternative Picks: Thanos snaps his fingers before the Bengals can send in the pick.