The 2020 NFL draft was always expected to be a pretty good one. The end results though, may have surprised even those who saw it coming.
Before any of their names would be called across the virtual stage, many believed the wide receiver position was loaded with some ridiculous talent. While it was, it wasn’t the only position that yielded some unbelievable players already.
Like all drafts, there are some “can’t miss,” players who end up putting up a complete dud of a season. On the opposite end of that, there were a few players that made general managers scratch their heads as they try to figure out how in the world did they pass up on said player.
With the pandemic-stricken season behind us, it’s time to take a pull out the pen and paper and hand out a few grades for every player selected in the first round. Some players, such as Joe Burrow will be graded in the games he played in. It isn’t his fault that his season was truncated due to a torn ACL and MCL.
Some guys received the short end of the stick, such a change in quarterback due to either injury or contracting COVID-19, so those players will be slightly more difficult to grade.
Still, we won’t be taking it lightly on them. Sometimes, you simply have to work with what you got. We’ll keep things right by the book in terms of grading so we’ll be dishing out letters anywhere from A+ to D-.
Without further ado, let’s dive into these picks.
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
2020 stats:
- 2,688 passing yards
- 13 TDs, 5 INTs
- 65.3 completion percentage
- 89.8 passer rating
- 3 rushing TDs
For a number one overall pick, just about everyone had mixed feelings about Joe Burrow. Sure the stats he put up over at LSU were eye-catching and there’s no question that he had arguably the greatest season for a college quarterback of all-time. Let’s not forget that he broke nearly every SEC record, most notably becoming the first signal-caller to throw for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in the same year, but still, not everyone was sold on him. It could be because his team was loaded with talent all over the field. It also could be because he entered the league at the age of 23.
Whatever the case is, for a number one overall pick, Burrow was more so viewed as a good not great prospect. Now though, after taking a hard look at him during his truncated season due to injury, the kid is much better than expected.
The darts he threw all over the field in the college looked eerily similar to what he was doing on the pro level. His three consecutive games throwing for over 300 yards put everyone around the league on notice. The numbers may have been great but the wins certainly weren’t there as he won only two out of the ten he played.
But still, a 31-20 win over the Tennessee Titans offers a bit of hope that with time, he can turn into a winning player.
It isn’t going to be easy for him to bounce back from the horrific ACL and MCL injury he suffered but, future performances aren’t of importance with these grades. If we’re going by just what he did on the field, his grade has to be a really high one.
Grade: A+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 2. Chase Young, DE, Washington Football Team
2020 stats:
- 44 tackles
- 7.5 sacks
- 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumbles recovered
- 4 passes defended
For the most part, no matter how good defensive players are coming out of college, quarterbacks normally get the most love. Yet, in the case of Chase Young, there was serious consideration that he should be taken number one overall. After watching his first year in the league, you can easily see why.
Young is a rock star when it comes to rushing the passer. The former Ohio State Buckeye dominated his one on one matchups and managed to rack seven and a half sacks. His ability to get his hands on the quarterback was impressive but even more so, was the fact that coach Ron Rivera named the first-year pro a team captain in late December.
While Young was one of the main reasons why his team was able to sneak into the playoffs, we have to factor in that the NFC East was historically bad. So while he was terrific on the year, he wasn’t exactly at the level of San Francisco 49ers DE Nick Bosa who recorded more tackles and sacks during his rookie year last season.
Young’s 24 QB pressures were also a paltry number when compared to others at his position.
Look, Young is special and he a terrific season but he still has a long way to go before we can start mentioning him amongst the games best. For now, though, his stats scream that he’s going to be a monster down the line. But this isn’t down the line, we’re talking right now. He had a great season but Joe Burrow was rightfully selected ahead of him.
Grade: A
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 3. Jeff Okudah, CB, Detroit Lions
2020 stats:
- 47 tackles
- 2 passes defended
- 1 interception
Great things were expected of Jeff Okudah.
With Matthew Stafford slinging the ball around on the offensive end, their defense has always been an issue. Helping to mitigate those problems in a big way was thought to be the highly touted Corner out of Ohio State.
More than anything, now-former head coach Matt Patricia was thought to be an excellent defensive mind that would pair great with his new high first-round draft pick. With that said, nothing appeared to go right for the young corner. Cast aside the groin injury that ended his season early, let’s just take a look at the numbers he was putting on the field before he was hurt.
With nine games under his belt, he only managed to grab one interception. For a corner as highly praised as he was coming out, it doesn’t appear that anyone feared his reputation as quarterbacks targeted his matchup 50 times, 38 of those were caught by the way, not a good ratio.
And although it isn’t his fault entirely that his Lions team ranked dead last in terms of yards allowed per game and third to last when were discussing passing yards allowed through the air, he still takes some of that blame.
There’s still plenty of time for him to turn things around, but for now, we simply have to grade what we saw on the field this past season.
Grade: C-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 3. Andrew Thomas, OT, New York Giants
2020 stats:
- N/A
There’s really no other way to put it. Andrew Thomas was awful last season.
Offensive tackle was a huge need for the Giants. Considering quarterback Daniel Jones needed all the time in the world to find an open receiver and also factoring in the running lanes running back Saquon Barkley was hoping to receive upfront, the Giants figured that the big man out of the University of Georgia could get the job done.
However, after sitting back and watching him for the entirety of the season, Giants management must be scratching their head trying to figure out what the hell went wrong. Allowing 57 quarterback pressures is just flat-out unacceptable at the left tackle position. Too many times did Jones find himself running for his life or scrambling all over the field trying to buy more time.
If the high QB pressures weren’t enough, how about the ten sacks that were allowed from Thomas? No other player in the entire league allowed their signal-caller to hit the dirt as much as Thomas did.
It doesn’t exactly feel right to place all of the blame at his feet considering how bad they were as a collective unit but still, Thomas was expected to at least hold up his end of the bargain. By all accounts, he’s failed miserably at it. At least, for now.
Grade: D-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 5. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
2020 stats:
- 1,814 passing yards
- 11 TDs
- 5 INTs
- 64.1 completion %
- 87.1 passer rating
You know, Tua Tagovailoa has been treated as though he’s some sort of scrub. Now the numbers aren’t exactly what you would expect from a number five overall pick but there are a plethora of things that took place that simply wasn’t ideal.
First off, the Dolphins should have just kept the ball in the hands of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The veteran QB was on a roll when he was yanked not even halfway through the season in favor of Tagovailoa. That alone was an egregious mistake and one that many in the locker room acrimonious but all was forgiven once he kept the winning train going.
The main problem with what the Dolphins did and most notably, head coach Brian Flores, is that they kept pulling him when the going got tough.
The former Alabama star always produced in the clutch in college and produced one of the most memorable comebacks in college history but was seldom given that opportunity in the pros. Now, after a so-so year, they could be looking into trading him, a reality the first year QB is fully aware of but powerless to do anything about (subscription required). The Dolphins are simply a mess but Tagovailoa had a good year all things considered. The Dolphins just need to have more faith in their young QB.
Grade: B
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 6. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
2020 stats:
- 4,336 passing yards
- 31 TDs
- 10 INTs
- 69.5 quarterback rating
- 98.3 passer rating
Everyone’s jaw dropped the moment Justin Herbert dropped back and flung the football roughly 16 yards to running back Austin Ekeler for his first big play in the league. Everything about the throw was perfect. It wasn’t too early or too late and Ekeler didn’t have to stretch out for it in any way, shape or form. It simply fell right into his breadbasket.
The end result was beside the point. The Los Angeles Chargers won. Not officially, but they found their man. With 311 passing yards and a passer rating of 94.4, Herbert outperformed then, reigning league MVP in Patrick Mahomes.
What was thought to be a disaster as Herbert found out he would be starting just a few minutes before the game, turned out to be a star-making performance.
Over the course of his rookie year, Herbert had plenty of games like the one we just expounded on. Big numbers, eye-catching plays and of course, a loss. None should be pinned on him though. Well, that 45-0 beating they took at the hands of the New England Patriots should, but outside of that, Herbert balled out all season long.
With Herbert nabbing the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, year two could see his numbers jump up considerably.
Grade: A+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 7. Derrick Brown, DL, Carolina Panthers
2020 stats:
- 12 QB hits
- 2 sacks
The Carolina Panthers were laughable this year. Their 5-11 record screams just that. However, there was nothing funny when Derrick Brown stepped onto the field. The interior defensive linemen did all he could to pull his team up from the bottom-feeding position it has currently found itself in.
Grading just his performance and his performance alone, he did a helluva job. For players in his position, it isn’t about necessarily sacking the quarterback, although he did have two of those, it’s more so about collapsing the pocket and making the opposing signal caller uncomfortable. We also can’t forget about the four passes he defended and the near impregnable defense he played against the run. After running into a brick wall, backs started hitting the juke button and running on the outside against him.
Even with facing guys who were much more experienced than he was, Brown still managed to muscle through them to get a hit on the QB 12 times. The DL position isn’t one that grabs a lot of attention or fanfare but the sort of pressure he brings up the middle is exactly what quarterbacks hate to see and luckily for the Panthers, he’ll be there every Sunday for a long time.
Grade: B
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 8. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Arizona Cardinals
2020 stats:
- 54 total tackles
- 2 sacks
- 1 INT
- 1 forced fumble
- 1 fumble recovered
There are bad starts to an NFL season and then there’s the kind of start that Isaiah Simmons had which was abysmal. For the most part, though, it wasn’t his fault. The new face in the locker room simply couldn’t get much playing time on the field due to who was ahead of him.
In fact, in three of his seven games, Simmons might as well have not played at all. In those aforementioned seven games, Simmons was deployed onto the field less than ten times each game. As a rookie trying to find his footing in the league, he was given no time to get comfortable.
During the second half however, things really started looking up. For whatever reason, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph decided to roll the dice on his young player. He was immediately rewarded as Simmons began making plays all over the field.
With essentially half a season played, Simmons still managed to score 54 total tackles on the year. He also got his paws on the quarterback before he had a chance to throw the ball away on two occasions. In totality, his numbers don’t jump off the page but considering where he started his year to where he ended it, the progress is clear as day.
Now that his defensive coordinator knows he can trust him, you can expect Simmons to make a big leap in year two.
Grade: B
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 9. C.J. Henderson, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 stats:
- 36 total tackles
- 1 INT
- 6 passes defended
If the Defensive Rookie of the Year award could have been won in one game, then Jacksonville Jaguars Corner C.J. Henderson would’ve walked away with the hardware.
The University of Florida product came out of the gates seemingly pissed that he wasn’t picked first overall. Going into their game against the Colts, the Jags were given virtually no chance at pulling off the win. That, of course, proved to be laughable as Henderson took the game over.
The first-year corner gave an incredulous look to quarterback Phillip Rivers whenever he threw a ball in his direction as he broke up three passes. If that wasn’t enough of a warning, he picked off the future Hall of Famer for good measure. His efforts led to a huge upset win. More was expected of him but he simply couldn’t produce to the level he flashed in game one.
Not only would his interception against the Colts be his only one of the year but his 36 total tackles were a bit on the disappointing side.
Worst of all, Henderson’s year was truncated due to a nagging groin injury. Coming into year two, hopes and expectations will be high but as for year one, it was a bit of a dud.
Grade: C
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 10. Jedrick Wills, OT, Cleveland Browns
Season stats:
- N/A
The Cleveland Browns were unsure on Quarterback Baker Mayfield. After a rough 2019, many around the league believed it was about that time to ditch the former number one overall pick.
So what does Jedrick Wills have to do with any of that? Everything.
Wills did a good job of protecting Mayfield all season long last year. His run blocking left much to be desired but as important as it is for him to open up the running lanes, his main job was to keep his signal-caller upright. With only four sacks allowed throughout the entire year, he did a great job of doing just that.
The praise thrown in the direction of Wills is warranted but he does have one major flaw that he needs to correct as soon as possible. That would be his penchant for drawing penalties.
While 11 may not seem like a lot, when you consider that he was tied for first in that category, this could be a major flaw for him going forward.
Shoving that aside though, the first-year player played terrifically. With reports surfacing that Mayfield could be on the cusp of a huge deal, he should shell out a few bucks to his new left tackle.
Grade: A
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 11. Mekhi Becton, OT, New York Jets
Season stats:
- N/A
Underneath the horrific regular-season record, the poor play of quarterback Sam Darnold and the ineptitude of both the offense and defense lies a silver lining.
Offensive tackle Mekhi Becton simply got things done last year. Seldom was the big man’s name ever heard, which is a good thing. He just went out every Sunday, laced up his cleats and protected whatever Quarterback just so happened to be playing for him that day.
He may have done a stellar job both keeping his Quarterback upright and opening up gigantic holes for his Running Back, Becton did have a few brain farts. His seven allowed sacks and seven penalties aren’t horrific numbers at all but it’s something he can certainly improve on.
Year two could be a monumental leap. For starters, coach Adam Gase is gone and Robert Saleh has been plugged in. From everything that we’ve been hearing and seeing for ourselves, Saleh is a master at motivation.
A fired-up head coach pushing his star OT to be even better? It was already nearly impossible to get by him this past season. Good luck sacking the quarterback with Becton on the field next year as he’ll be motivated as hell by his new head coach.
Grade: B+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 12. Henry Ruggs, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
2020 stats:
- 452 yards
- 2 TDs
- 26 receptions
There’s really no other way to say it. Henry Ruggs just wasn’t very well last year. In a league where the offense is catered to, there’s no reason why someone as talented as Ruggs doesn’t at the very least double the production he gave you last season.
Two touchdowns and less than 500 yards? Flat out unacceptable. Now to be fair, he didn’t get as many targets as he should’ve with 43. But the first-year receiver really needs to work on separating from his defenders.
In a draft that many believed was going to dish out several high-caliber players, Ruggs was at the top of most lists. It’s difficult to place any of the blame on quarterback Derek Carr either. Say what you want about him but he did rank ninth in the league in completion percentage.
There were certainly flashes of greatness from the young stud but they happened so infrequently. In no way am I saying he won’t bounce back in a big way next season. In fact, I expect him to. But what I am saying is, as the first wide receiver taken off the board in such a deep class, you can easily make the case that he had the worst season of them all. He just didn’t get the job done.
Grade: C-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 13. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 stats:
- N/A
Joe Burrow was great. Chase Young was outstanding. There are also a few other names that we didn’t quite get to on this list that played incredible but every single one of them has to take a backseat to Tristan Wirfs.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Wirfs was amongst the best at his position all year long. You may even be able to make the argument that no one should be ranked ahead of him but that’s a bit hyperbolic.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes standout didn’t play like a rookie. As is the case with most first-year players, the growing pains will eventually show up. Yet with Wirfs, he never hit the rookie wall.
Only three times did he cause a penalty and although that is ridiculously impressive, this next stat will blow your mind. Only once did Wirfs get beat on a play to allow a sack. Yes, you read that right.
Once.
It’s practically impossible for an OT to win Rookie of the Year but this year, an exception should have been made.
Again, both Burrow and Chase Young were terrific but they didn’t come close to the sort of season Wirfs had over in Tampa Bay.
Grade: A+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 14. Javon Kinlaw, DT, San Francisco 49ers
2020 stats:
- 33 total tackles
- 1.5 sacks
- 1 INT
- 4 passes defended
Javon Kinlaw was an alright player his first year in the league. Not awful, not great, or even good, just alright. Now that isn’t necessarily a bad thing but it isn’t good either.
Coming out of South Carolina, many had high hopes for him. The six-foot-five inch DT was expected to put his hands in the dirt, pin his ears back and go balls to the wall until he got his hands on the quarterback. Well, if you consider that he got there a measly 1.5 times, you would have to consider him to be a failure in that regard.
In some instances, it’s true. Kinlaw, for whatever reason, couldn’t get the sort of leverage on his bull rush that was needed to make more of an impact. With that said, he did one helluva job getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. But, he’s had serious issues when it comes to stopping the run.
For the most part, he’s been an alright player. And while that isn’t what fans of the 49ers want to hear after spending an early pick on him, just give him some time and he’ll turn into a stud in no time.
Grade: C
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 15. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
2020 stats:
- 856 receiving yards
- 52 receptions
- 3 TDs
- 16.5 yards after catch
Just how in the world did Jerry Jeudy end his rookie year just over 850 yards with Drew Lock throwing him the ball? No disrespect to the talented young quarterback but he simply isn’t the answer over in Denver.
Yet, at times, Lock appeared to be a star as he piled up big yards on several occasions this season. That however, wasn’t because of his own skills, but more so because of what first-year wide receiver Jerry Jeudy brought to the table.
The former Alabama standout started off a bit slow due to the turnstile of early quarterbacks but once Lock was locked in, no pun intended, Jeudy took off in a huge way. With his comfort level finally getting where it needed to be, Jeudy had his first 100 plus yard game in week 8 against the Atlanta Falcons.
The good news is, he racked up 125 yards that day. The bad, that was his only game with over 100 yards for the year.
All in all, Jeudy had himself a pretty good year but we just can’t give him an outstanding grade due to the litany of quarterbacks failing to get him the ball. Count on his numbers to increase significantly in year two.
Grade: B
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 16. A.J. Terrell, CB, Atlanta Falcons
2020 stats:
- 74 total tackles
- 3 forced fumbles
- 1 INT
Fans of the Atlanta Falcons have to be feeling pretty good about their first-round pick. After all, if you can end your first season in the big leagues with 74 tackles, and three forced fumbles, you really can’t go wrong.
Also, consider this, he didn’t play in two games. It’s always easy to project things after the fact but if Terrell laced up for the entire season, there’s reason to believe he would’ve easily eclipsed 100 tackles during his rookie year.
His five penalties on the year should point to a player who’s disciplined and won’t make the same mistakes that have normally haunted this Falcons defense over the years. A case in point would be their monumental defensive collapse during the Super Bowl several years ago where they lead 28-3 until coughing it all away against the New England Patriots.
All in all, this team seems destined for a rebuild in the not-so-distant future. Quarterback Matt Ryan isn’t in the upper echelon anymore and 2021 could be his last as their starter. Now while that sounds depressing, Falcons fans can take solace in knowing they’ve at least got one player who could morph into one of the very best corners in the league.
Grade: B
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 17. Ceedee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
2020 stats:
- 935 yards
- 74 receptions
- 5 TDs
Ceedee Lamb is good, really good. So much in fact that the Cowboys never even needed him to begin with.
Going into the 2020 NFL draft, the Cowboys had all of the offensive weapons in the world. From Wide Receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup to Running Backs Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard, they simply didn’t need any more firepower.
What they were desperately lacking were a few defensive pieces. Still, that didn’t stop them from taking CeeDee Lamb, the stud out of Oklahoma.
Simply put, they never expected Lamb to still be there and took the explosive star without a moment’s hesitation.
Their fascination with him was a no-brainer as he got off to a great start. In just his second game, Lamb hauled in 6 receptions for 106 yards. But many believed his production would crater once signal-caller Dak Prescott tumbled out of the lineup due to injury.
Yet, he still managed to get 935 yards with backups Andy Dalton and Ben Dinucci. With Prescott on his way back to begin the year, you can expect Lamb to put up well over a thousand yards next season.
Grade: B+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 18. Austin Jackson, OT, Miami Dolphins
2020 Stats:
- N/A
Austin Jackson had himself a good first year playing with the big boys. For young players, the hardest thing to teach them is discipline. That said, Jackson proved to be a quick learner with only five penalties on the year.
That’s a number a coach can live with and something the Miami Dolphins are hoping will continue going down the line. Another impressive number that the rookie OT put up was four. Meaning, that’s the number of times his quarterback was sacked primarily because of him. Keeping the jersey of the most important offensive player clean is another great sign of things to come.
Now while I sing his praises, that doesn’t mean he was perfect. He did miss a number of assignments and dealt with a few stints of being on the injury list and even battled COVID-19. Assuming the deadly virus will be behind us by next year, he shouldn’t be expected to miss as many games in his sophomore campaign.
Overall, he still has a ton to work on including his technique in the pass blocking as opposed to run blocking. If he can get that behind him though, then the Dolphins just found their man for the next decade.
Grade: B-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 19. Damon Arnette, CB, Las Vegas Raiders
2020 stats:
- 21 tackles
- 2 passes defended
It’s really not fair to grade Damon Arnette. There were too many outside factors to really give him a fair assessment. For starters, the young corner coming out of Ohio State immediately dealt with injuries including a concussion and broken hand. Both of those issues took a huge chunk out of his year.
While injuries are always a part of the game, grading a young player when he wasn’t allowed to fully get his feet wet doesn’t seem right. Now, admittedly enough, there are a number of players who had their season cut short due to stints on the injury list such as number one overall pick Joe Burrow. The difference here is that through ten games, there was really nothing more that needed to be seen. Burrow is a stud, no questions about it.
In total, Arnette only played five games and while the numbers were awful, he didn’t get the full opportunity that a lot of other guys on this list did. Coming out of the draft, Arnette was highly regarded and was mostly viewed as a player with tremendous promise.
With that said, we’ll give him a break this year but next season? It’s put up or shut up time.
Grade: Incomplete
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 20. K’Lavon Chaisson, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 stats:
- 18 total tackles
- 1 sack
One sack during the entire year? Come on, we just can’t excuse that. K’Lavon Chaisson was the second of two first-round picks for the Jaguars.He didn’t see much playing time as he only started three games but when he was out there, he didn’t justify why he should be playing more.
With only 18 tackles during his rookie year, Chaisson simply couldn’t wrap up defenders fast enough or beat them to their spots early. On rare occasions when he found himself in the right place at the right time, opposing defenders would either find their way around him or slip right through his fingers.
The pedestrian numbers are obvious but he did get a bit better as the season wore on, most notably in his ability to pressure the QB.
Still, his first year under the bright lights wasn’t very encouraging to Jaguar fans who know good and well that in this year’s draft, they’re getting a generational quarterback in Trevor Lawrence out of Clemson with the number one overall pick. If Chaisson can step things up in year two, they’ll welcome him with open arms. If not, this could be a waste of a pick they’ll look for his replacement sooner rather than later.
Grade: D
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 21. Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
2020 stats:
- 396 yards
- 31 receptions
- 1 TD
Jalen Reagor just didn’t pop. But anyone who saw him play over at TCU isn’t entirely surprised. Simply put, he was up and down and then back up and cratered all the way down.
After going for 576 yards in his rookie year in college, Reagor nearly doubled his numbers with 1,067 in year two. At this point, he was considered one of the best in the nation and a lock for the first round. In fact, many believe he could sneak in the top 12 with another monster year.
In his third and final season however, he regressed tremendously. His 611 yards were nothing to celebrate over and his five TDs were the lowest of his collegiate career and with that, his first-round assumptions plummeted. Still, the Eagles made him a first-round pick and with all honesty, probably regret it.
He may have missed a few games with ligament damage to his thumb but when he did play, you could hardly tell. It’s entirely too early to call him a bust and with a new system and quarterback, there’s reason to believe he’ll bounce back. But that’s a future possibility. For now, though, his grade with us won’t be a good one.
Grade: D-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 22. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
2020 stats:
- 1,400 receiving yards
- 88 receptions
- 7 TDs
Ding, ding, ding we’ve got a winner ladies and gentlemen.
It’s easy to say Justin Jefferson was the best rookie wide receiver in the league last season so we’ll go one step further in saying he was one of the best in the league overall.
Jefferson’s 1,400 receiving yards broke Anquan Boldin’s Rookie record. Also, when you consider everyone sat back and castigated the Vikings for dealing away Stefon Diggs as he had an unbelievable season himself, the pressure was somewhat on him from the jump.
With that said, the noise surrounding that move quickly quieted once Jefferson got rolling. Consider this, for the most part, Diggs was the receiving yards leader this past year with 1,535 but while his level of production was higher than anyone else’s in that regard, the wideout only compiled 135 more yards than Jefferson. With a non-pandemic-stricken year under his belt next season, Jefferson figures to only get better.
Much of his success, of course, will hinge on QB Kirk Cousins. From that standpoint, Diggs has Jefferson beat as Josh Allen has turned into a bona fide MVP candidate. If however, they can stay on the same page, there’s reason to believe that Jefferson could have a monster year as a sophomore.
As for his grade for his monstrous campaign, there’s only one score we can give him.
Grade: A+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 23. Kenneth Murray, LB, Los Angeles Chargers
2020 stats:
- 107 total tackles
- 1 sack
- 3 passes defended
The stats on Kenneth Murray are a bit eye-catching. Anytime you can make a total of 100 plus tackles you’ll always be given a nod of appreciation. When you do it as a rookie, you’ll get a pat on the back and a huge dose of respect.
But while Murray did a good job in terms of stats, the eye test tells us something else entirely.
Although sacking the QB isn’t his first priority, it would be nice to see the first-year man get more than one. In addition that, the former Oklahoma Sooners ability to drop back in coverage was pretty dreadful for most of the year. On too many occasions was he burned for huge chunks down the field. His ability to stop the run, on the other hand, was pretty solid. For whatever reason though, he never quite put everything together. But he does have plenty of time in that regard.
As mentioned previously, the numbers look pretty good on paper, but his overall play just seemed to be spotty and inconsistent. Overall, it was a solid first year for him. Fans can certainly look towards a much-improved sophomore run in year two.
Grade: B-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 24. Cesar Ruiz, C, New Orleans Saints
2020 stats:
- N/A
As a Center, it’s always difficult protecting your quarterback, especially in your first year, but things can be a bit easy once you figure out their rhythm. For rookie Cesar Ruiz, he wasn’t afforded that time as he dealt with three QBs who had nothing in common in terms of style of play.
After getting acclimated with protecting the non-athletic Drew Brees, Ruiz had to get accustomed to the cadence of Taysom Hill. Needless to say, the first QB was much more mobile in the pocket. If that wasn’t a huge difference in how to position yourself in order to protect your signal-caller back there, things only got worse when Jameis Winston was given his chance.
By all accounts, Winston is somewhat of a mixture between Brees and Hill. He isn’t an incredible runner but he certainly presents a threat to the defense. With that said, more times than not, Winston is looking to sit. in the pocket and throw bombs.
Despite it all, Ruiz didn’t give up a single sack. In fact, the Saints feel so confident in him moving forward that they’ve gone ahead and released guard Nick Easton which will ultimately open up more playing time for Ruiz. He still needs to clean up a few things in pass protection but the first-year pro had a great Rookie year.
Grade: B+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 25. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
2020 stats:
- 748 receiving yards
- 60 receptions
- 5 TDs
Brandon Aiyuk could’ve had an even better season than what he already had. Unfortunately for him, he was tasked with catching the ball from Nick Mullens as opposed to Jimmy Garoppolo due to injuries.
Nevertheless, the rookie out of Arizona State balled out. In a league where offense clearly rules with an iron fist, it’s somewhat disappointing when any receiver doesn’t record a thousand-yard season. But still, Aiyuk showed flashes of how good he can be when an adequate quarterback is throwing him the ball. Case in point would be his week 7 performance in which he hauled in 115 yards from just six receptions.
All in all, Aiyuk’s first season should be considered successful despite hauling in only 748 yards. Presently, the QB position for the 49ers is a picture that could allow Aiyuk to shine next season or ultimately look like a bust.
With Garoppolo seemingly on his way out, that could presumably place the ball in the hands of Mullens full time. Or, another scenario that has floated around is the 49ers end up getting their hands on all-world QB DeShaun Watson.
For Aiyuk’s sake, he should be hoping for the ladder. The kid is good and he’ll only get better but he’ll need a good QB to get him the ball on a consistent basis.
Grade: B+
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 26. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
2020 stats:
- N/A
Listen, it’s not the kid’s fault but he didn’t play a single second in his rookie season. It also isn’t his fault that he won’t get to. see the field next year either.
Before the Green Bay Packers decided to draft Jordan Love, they knew good and well that they had Aaron Rodgers, an otherworldly QB. Still, with somewhat of a down year last year, Rodgers best years, by and large, were though to be behind him. That of course, proved not to be the case as he threw for a league leading 48 touchdowns against only five interceptions. He also just edged out QB Drew Brees in competition percentage at 70.7.
Love is currently sitting in the worst position of any of the other first-rounders. With Rodgers taking home this season’s MVP, it’s safe to say he isn’t slowing down. With numerous reports surfacing that he is also looking for a contract extension, it doesn’t appear that he will be leaving the only team he’s known all his career anytime soon either.
Love’s best chance at seeing the field would be through injury, but outside of that, he has virtually no chance of ever beating out Rodgers for the starting gig.
Does he have potential? Yes. Will he get a failing grade because he failed to play this season and probably won’t play for years to come? Also yes.
Grade: F
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 27. Jordyn Brooks, LB, Seattle Seahawks
2020 stats:
- 57 total tackles
- 2 passes defended
If the grade of Brooks was based solely on how he defended the run, he would get an A+++ but, other factors are counted into his grade as well. Before we go into the other parts of his game, let’s highlight his run defense for a moment.
The first-year LB was as stout as they come. On a consistent basis running backs were met with his muscular open arms and the end result was comparable to a car crash. Only in this particular situation, only one party nursed injuries.
Now that the good has been highlighted, here comes the critiques.
Despite playing 14 games, his stats just weren’t very impressive. 57 tackles with only two passes defended aren’t what the Seattle Seahawks were expecting or hoping for. Couple that with his ineffectiveness in coverage and you have yourself a player who has a questionable future as an impact player.
Once opposing QBs figured out how good of a run stopper he was, they began using his strengths against him as he would routinely bite on play-action passes which would leave gaping holes down the field.
It’s early in his career so there’s nothing to really panic about but as of now, the kid has a long way to go.
Grade: C-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 28: Patrick Queen, LB, Baltimore Ravens
2020 stats:
- 106 total tackles
- 3 sacks
- 2 forced fumbles
- 2 fumbles recovered
- 1 INT
If the Baltimore Ravens make a defensive selection, that simply means they see something in that player. That’s an analysis that can be said for just about every team but with Baltimore, things are a bit different. They simply know a great defensive player when they see one.
Patrick Queen showed exactly why he won a national championship and was named the defensive MVP of that game. The kid is a young monster. Not only did he record over 100 tackles but when he hit his opponents, he made sure they were slow to get up.
The new Baltimore Linebacker fits in perfectly with an already great defense but if there is one knock against him, it would be his inability to cover receivers one on one out in space. He’ll certainly need to clean that part of his game up but his first year was an overwhelming success.
Also, and more importantly, the Ravens have always had a glaring hole at the LB position. Queen’s emergence doesn’t immediately solve those issues but if he can continue to wrap up ball carriers and put occasional pressure on the quarterback, the Ravens will have their LB for the next decade-plus.
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Grade: A-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 29. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Tennessee Titans
2020 stats:
- N/A
Isaiah Wilson is somewhat of a different story when we compare him to earlier selection Jordan Love.
You can make the argument that Love won’t see the field for about five years with Aaron Rodgers looking as dominant as ever. His selection to the Green Bay Packers, according to multiple reports, was mainly to motivate Rodgers. With the QB hauling in yet another MVP award, it appears that it worked out.
In the case of Wilson, he just had a variety of other issues that kept him off the field. Still, you expect him to be a big part of the Tennessee Titans going forward. His first year simply wasn’t one to remember.
Regardless of that, I refuse to give a failing grade to a player without knowing exactly what he’s got. Again, the same can be said for Love, but he won’t be realistically assessed until Rodgers either moves on or he is traded to a better situation. For Wilson, he’ll get his shot to prove he’s the real deal from the moment the doors to training camp open up in the next few months.
Until then, hold your horses when you’re trying to grade him. Simply put, it’s too early to tell.
Grade: Incomplete
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 30. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Miami Dolphins
2020 stats:
- 13 total tackles
- 2 passes defended
- 1 fumble recovery
This is quite possibly the most difficult pick to give a fair grade to. The NFL newcomer only began playing the position in 2018. Before then, he was a wide receiver. Why exactly did he switch positions is another story entirely. The main point is that he’s a project, always has been.
Fans of the Dolphins can care less about that, they simply want to see production. Well, with 13 total tackles on the year, Igbinoghene didn’t give his team any of that.
His selection at the back half of the first round was a bit of a perplexing one. In two full seasons at the position, Igbinoghene registered 92 tackles and one interception for Auburn University. He also showed off his versatility as he ran back two punt returns for touchdowns.
But although the numbers were solid, Igbinoghene simply didn’t have the reps on the collegiate level to further his development. Now, the coaching staff down at Miami will be tasked to peel out every bit of his potential.
First-rounders are typically ready to compete from day one but in Igbinoghene’s case, he just wasn’t.
Still, don’t give up on him just yet but as for his first year, it flat out wasn’t any good.
Grade: D-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 31. Jeff Gladney, CB, Minnesota Vikings
2020 stats:
- 81 total tackles
- 3 passes defended
The numbers were there but the impact, not so much.
For Cornerback Jeff Gladney, he was pretty reliable out in coverage, he did however, find himself on the wrong end of a few bombs that were lofted right over his head. When you consider that he was a heavy contributor to a defense that ranked in the bottom ten with an average of 258.8 passing yards given up, it doesn’t shine an encouraging light on Gladney.
Of course, their faulty defense wasn’t solely on his shoulders but he did play a big part as to why they were gashed Sunday after Sunday.
Still, it isn’t every day where a first-year player can casually jump onto the field and make 81 tackles. At one point in time, the Minnesota Vikings were considered one of the best on the defensive side of the ball. The offense was always somewhat of a crapshoot with Kirk Cousins throwing the ball to the other team but their defense all kept them in games.
Now, they solely rely on the arm of Cousins which isn’t a good feeling for Vikings fans. If Gladney can take the next step in his play in his sophomore campaign, he could be a big reason why they turn around their defensive woes.
Grade: B-
Grading every rookie from the 2020 NFL Draft: 32. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
2020 stats:
- 803 rushing yards
- 4 TDs
- 4.4 average
Cylde Edwards-Helaire was viewed as more of an ancillary piece with the last pick in the draft. With quarterback Patrick Mahomes already in possession of every possible weapon known to man, there really wasn’t a need to add another mouth to feed at the wide receiver position.
Instead, the Chiefs decided to pick up a running back. Despite his stellar career on the collegiate level, there was absolutely no pressure on the shoulders of their new addition and no expectations. Essentially, he was there for the ride. However, after feeding him the ball a few times early on, the Chiefs realized that they had themselves a stud.
For as much as Mahomes throws the ball, it’s beyond impressive that Edwards-Helaire was able to get close to rushing for a thousand yards. With his new team making it all the way to the Super Bowl, many were wondering why didn’t they put the ball in his belly more often after their offense fell flat.
Year two could be a big one for him and considering that he didn’t have as many opportunities as a few other players on this list, that makes what he accomplished even more eye-catching.
Grade: B+