2020 NFL Draft grades: Instant analysis of every first-round pick

Instant 2020 NFL Draft grades, analysis and reaction to every first-round pick, from the Bengals at No. 1 all the way through the Chiefs at No. 32.

To say that the 2020 NFL Draft will be unlike any other before would be a vast understatement. For the first time, it’s being held virtually due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The public event scheduled for Las Vegas from April 23-25 was canceled but the league has moved forward with the NFL Draft nonetheless, leading us to Thursday night and the 32 first-round picks.

Even if things are different this year, the ever-present fact is that every team picking in the first round has the potential to draft a franchise-altering player. The 2020 NFL Draft is one of the deepest talent pools we’ve seen in a long time. From Joe Burrow to Chase Young to Tua Tagovailoa (despite reports about his health and how teams feel) to many, many more, this is a loaded class.

But it’s not always about drafting the most talented player. When it comes to handing out NFL Draft grades, there are many factors that go into the marks a team earns. Part of the equation is the prospect, another part is the value of where they were taken and the other part is how they fit in terms of need and scheme with a team.

Hitting or missing on first-round draft picks is one of the most critical parts of building a franchise. And while it’s sometimes difficult to gauge things in the moment, we can take what we do know about the situation, player and so on and hand out instant NFL Draft grades and analysis. That’s what we’re here for.

So let’s go live for the start of the 2020 NFL Draft and hand out grades for every pick in Round 1.

Wow. What a shocker.

Okay, not at all. Joe Burrow has been the pick at No. 1 to the Cincinnati Bengals basically since the college season concluded and the Bengals got locked into the first overall selection. And we know why it’s a no-brainer. Burrow is the type of franchise-changing quarterback every team covets when they are in a position to take one. He should come in and immediately start taking Cincinnati to new heights.

Grade: A+

Is edge rusher the most immediate need for the Washington Redskins? No. Should that have ever stopped them from taking Chase Young out of Ohio State? Not even a little bit. He’s an absolute stud off the edge that has Pro Bowl potential as a rookie. His blend of size, strength and explosiveness is rarer and this was another easy pick at the top of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Grade: A+

I’m a big fan of Jeffrey Okudah, especially as the pick over Derrick Brown for the Detroit Lions. After trading Darius Slay to Philadelphia, the secondary in the Motor City does not have a great looking future. The Ohio State product immediately changes that as he has the ability to lock down in any type of coverage he’s asked to play.

Grade: A

Drafting Andrew Thomas makes a ton of sense for the New York Giants. For Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley to be quality players, they need quality protection. However, Dave Gettleman played it safely with the Georgia product. He should be very good in the NFL but he may not be as great as other players who were on the board at the position.

Grade: B+

There could’ve been a case for Tua Tagovailoa as the No. 1 overall pick with Burrow if not for his injury history. Instead, all of the questions arose and his stock was always all over the place. The Miami Dolphins stood fast with their guy and they select their franchise quarterback. If healthy, the southpaw could be the franchise-changer that the Dolphins tore it down to select.

Grade: A

Justin Herbert is a tantalizing prospect from a tools perspective. However, there are questions about how good he can be. Having said that, it makes sense for the Chargers to take him here as their quarterback of the future. He can learn early behind Tyrod Taylor. Even still, I would’ve preferred an offensive tackle here.

Grade: B

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that Auburn’s Derrick Brown could be a good player. However, his lack of athleticism and winning almost solely with power worries me. More importantly, I don’t know how the Panthers pass on linebacker Isaiah Simmons here when they have a need to replace Luke Kuechly in the middle of the defense.

Grade: C+

This is a tough one for me. The Arizona Cardinals desperately could’ve used an offensive tackle here. At the same time, how could you not be enamored with Isaiah Simmons. The Cards defense needs work as well and Simmons is the ultimate chess piece with his elite athleticism and versatility.

Grade: B

Love the addition of C.J. Henderson here for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In their rebuild, they traded away two elite cornerbacks in Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye. Henderson, however, checks all of the boxes to be an elite player in man coverage that should be able to remedy some of what they lost by trading away those two players.

Grade: A-

This would’ve been an A+ for the Browns had they taken Tristan Wirfs. Even still, Jedrick Wills Jr. is a player that Baker Mayfield and Cleveland need. The offensive line killed them in the 2019 season and the Alabama product can pair with Jack Conklin to immediately give the Browns a substantial upgrade on the O-line.

Grade: A

Honestly, I fully expected the New York Jets to make the first egregious mistake here and leave Sam Darnold out to dry by taking a receiver and not protecting him. Mekhi Becton is the right pick though. The athletic behemoth is just a freakish specimen that will help keep their franchise quarterback from seeing ghosts.

Grade: A

There is little question that Henry Ruggs III has the goods to be a stud in the NFL. His speed is unbelievable and he has the footwork and the RAC ability to make plays. However, taking him over Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb is egregious. Al Davis is probably celebrating the pick up above us, though.

Grade: B

TRADE ALERT: Buccaneers send No. 14 and 117 to 49ers for No. 13 and seventh-round pick

The Buccaneers knew they needed an offensive tackle to protect Tom Brady and allow this offense to function at top capacity. They get it by trading a fourth-round pick and landing Tristan Wirfs. The Iowa product was the OT2 on my board and he’s an athletic freak that should be able to come in and be an immediate effective starter on either side of the line.

Grade: A+

After trading DeForest Buckner this offseason, the 49ers are able to get a replacement with Javon Kinlaw. He’s not a complete interior lineman but his ability to penetrate on the interior as a pass-rusher is truly remarkable. While you could’ve taken a wide receiver here, it’s hard to hate getting Kinlaw to replace what they gave up and get a fourth-rounder in moving back.

Grade: A-

Many believed the Denver Broncos would have to trade up from No. 15 to get one of the top wide receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft class. Instead, they stayed right where they were and landed Jeudy. A supreme route-runner, Jeudy should be a perfect complement to Courtland Sutton and open up the offense in a big way.

Grade: A

I don’t care if we were told that A.J. Terrell might go in the first round — this is the first major, major shocker of the night. Make no mistake, the Atlanta Falcons needed a No. 1 cornerback in their secondary but I’m not sure Terrell is that. He was a second-round pick to me and this just seems like horrendous value on my board for Atlanta.

Grade: D

Many projected that the Dallas Cowboys would take either a cornerback or defensive end here. Of course, CeeDee Lamb wasn’t supposed to be on the board. The fact that they can add him to Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup gives Dak Prescott all the weapons in the world and this offense could be lethal with Mike McCarthy now calling the shots.

Grade: A

Austin Jackson is undoubtedly a reach with the No. 18 overall pick. However, the Miami Dolphins have to protect their investment in Tua. The USC product has a ton of athletic upside that can be a great player on the edge of the offensive line. With proper coaching, however, he can be the protector Miami needs up front.

Grade: B-

Man, this was a reach by the Las Vegas Raiders. I like what Damon Arnette brings to the table and I believe he can be a successful NFL cornerback. But with players like Kristian Fulton and Jeff Gladney on the board, it’s hard to believe the Raiders saw Arnette as the overall better prospect. This certainly wasn’t my choice.

Grade: C-

The primary goal of the Jaguars in the 2020 NFL Draft should’ve been rebuilding the defense. With Henderson at No. 9 and now K’Lavon Chaisson, they’ve effectively done that. Chaisson can be an absolute monster in the NFL off the edge with his versatility and explosiveness. He can be a double-digit sack guy sooner rather than later.

Grade: A

This was always going to be a pick at wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles and, in this deep class, it was hard for them to go wrong. While I would’ve preferred Justin Jefferson, Jalen Reagor fits extremely well in Philly. He’s a speedy player who can burn teams deep but also can create after the catch over the middle on short and intermediate routes. He’ll see a hefty share of passes thrown his way early on.

Grade: A-

With the pick the Vikings traded Stefon Diggs for, they get his replacement in Justin Jefferson. The LSU product is an absolute stud. Jefferson is a great route-runner with size and hands that make him lethal. Throw in surprising speed and athleticism and he’ll make it to where the Minnesota offense shouldn’t miss a beat.

Grade: A

TRADE ALERT: Chargers send No. 37 and 71 to Patriots for No. 23

After taking Herbert at No. 6, the Chargers got aggressive to take a defensive player that will fill a big hole on the middle of the defense. Kenneth Murray is a linebacker that was a tackling machine at Oklahoma and has the athleticism and length to be a game-changer in the middle of the field. The Chargers lacked that presence and should be a huge asset.

Grade: A

The New Orleans Saints have long been fans of replenishing the talent on the interior of the offensive line and Cesar Ruiz is a stud. However, I don’t get it right now. They traded up for Erik McCoy last year and have two quality guards. It just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for what this team needs.

Grade: C+

TRADE ALERT: 49ers send 31, 117 and 176 to Vikings for 25

I’ve never fully understood the hype on Brandon Aiyuk. He’s a speed guy who isn’t all that fast, even if he is quick, and he only has one year of production. Granted, I like him in the Kyle Shanahan offense, which makes sense. But trading up for him just doesn’t totally do it for me.

Grade: B-

TRADE ALERT: Packers send 30 and 136 to Dolphins for 26

The Green Bay Packers have had plenty of success at taking quarterbacks who fall in the draft and letting them sit behind a proven veteran. They do what they did with Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre now with Jordan Love and Rodgers. This is a perfect situation for Love as he can mold his elite tools behind a future Hall-of-Famer in a budding offense.

Grade: A-

I loved Jordyn Brooks as a middle-to-late Day 2 pick. He has no coverage experience but has range as a tackler. However, the Seahawks make another massive reach in the first round to take the Texas Tech linebacker. I can’t fail them because I do like the player but the value is unbelievably bad.

Grade: D+

In the playoff loss to the Titans, the Ravens need to improve the middle of their defense was on full display. They do that here with the addition of Patrick Queen. Though he started only one year at LSU, he was a star. He can fly all over the field against the run but also has the athleticism and range to drop into coverage and play at a high level.

Grade: A+

It’s clear that the Titans needed to replace Jack Conklin and they did so with Isaiah Wilson. I don’t love the value here but the simple fact is that the Georgia product is a behemoth who can develop into a road-grader for Derrick Henry to keep Tennessee doing the things that took them to the AFC title game a year ago.

Grade: B

Cornerback would not have been my first pick for the Dolphins’ third selection in the first round but Noah Igbioghene is a high-upside player. He has all of the physical tools necessary to be a top-tier NFL cornerback with some development and he’ll have time to do so behind Byron Jones and Xavien Howard.

Grade: B+

Love this value for the Vikings. They needed to replenish the cornerback room and they were able to trade back and still get a great man-coverage cornerback in Jeff Gladney. While he may need some development, his physical tools are elite and that’s what Minnesota should be ready to take advantage of.

Grade: A

Is drafting a running back a luxury for the Kansas City Chiefs? Absolutely. Does Clyde Edwards-Helaire make their offense all the more dangerous? 100 percent. The running back is an elite pass-catcher who thrives making people miss in space. He can help take this offense to the next level, which is a terrifying proposition for the rest of the league.

Grade: B+

We’ll see if these 2020 NFL Draft grades hold up as time wears on. But for now, this is how we feel about all 32 first-round picks.