Riordan’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Riordan’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

1.01 CINCINNATI BENGALS – Joe Burrow – QB – LSU

Joe Burrow is the consensus #1 quarterback in the draft and there is not a chance that the Bengals trade out of this spot.

1.02 WASHINGTON REDSKINS – Chase Young – Edge – Ohio State

The Redskins hold strong and take the most disruptive defensive player in this year’s draft.

1.03 DETROIT LIONS – Derrick Brown – DT – Auburn

Detroit has a good opportunity to move back here and still get a great player, but when the Dolphins and Chargers decide to stay put, the Lions choose to go with the best interior defensive lineman in draft.

1.04 NEW YORK GIANTS – Tristan Wirfs – OT – IOWA

The Giants decide to stay where they are and get the offensive lineman of their choice.

1.05 MIAMI DOLPHINS – Tua Tagovailoa – QB – Alabama

The Dolphins have been putting up smoke screens about their interest in quarterback Justin Herbert. While there are question marks with Tua’s health, the Dolphins don’t hesitate to grab the quarterback they wanted the whole time.

1.06 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – Henry Ruggs – WR – Alabama

The Chargers want to win now, the only problem is that the Chiefs are in their division. They could get their future quarterback here or bolster their defense, but I predict they shock the world and draft wide receiver Henry Ruggs over both CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy. The Bolts have been looking for a speed option at wide receiver for a while to compliment Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, and they’ll get that and more with Ruggs.

1.07 CAROLINA PANTHERS – Isaiah Simmons – LB/S – Clemson

Newly hired Head coach Matt Rhule has already been quoted saying that he likes “positionless” players on defense. So, after losing future hall of famer linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement, wouldn’t linebacker/safety Isaiah Simmons be the perfect fit.

1.08 ARIZONA CARDINALS – Jedrick Wills – OT – Alabama

The Cardinals want to protect quarterback Kyler Murray, and they believe Wills is the best fit for Kliff Kingsbury’s pocket moving offense.

1.09 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS – Mekhi Becton – OT – Louisville
*Traded up from 1.14 / Originally owned by Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are tempted to take cornerback Jeff Okudah here, but when the Buccaneers realize that they may need to move up to get one of the top four offensive tackles they send the rebuilding Jaguars an offer they can’t refuse.

1.10 DENVER BRONCOS – Jerry Jeudy – WR – Alabama
*Traded up from 1.15 / Originally owned by Cleveland Browns

The Browns would definitely like to get offensive tackle Andrew Thomas here, but Denver is determined to get in front of the Jets, Raiders, and 49ers for wide receiver Jerry Jeudy to compliment Courtland Sutton. The Browns decide that they can still get good value later in the round and agree to give the Broncos their pick.

1.11 NEW YORK JETS – CeeDee Lamb – WR – Oklahoma

There is an embarrassment of riches available here for a team with a ton of holes. Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas and cornerback Jeff Okudah are still on the board, but the Jets are compelled to get Sam Darnold an explosive weapon and decide to go with the wide receiver.

1.12 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – Jeff Okudah – CB – Ohio State

The Broncos and the Jets have just gone back to back, taking two wide receivers that the Raiders would have scooped up without hesitation. Now forced to go best player available, they take the consensus #1 cornerback in the draft, Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State to pair with Trayvon Mullen.

1.13 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – Javon Kinlaw – DT – South Carolina

The 49ers might have gone wide receiver here if any of the top three had made it this far. Instead they use the pick to replace defensive tackle Deforest Buckner.

1.14 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – Andrew Thomas – OT – Georgia
*Traded up from 1.23/ Originally owned by Tampa Bay Buccaneers, traded to Jacksonville Jaguars

The Patriots use their many later picks and move up nine spots to get in front of the Browns to get the offensive tackle that the Buccaneers could have got if they stayed put. The Jaguars move back for the second time.

1.15 CLEVELAND BROWNS – Joshua Jones – OT – Houston
*Traded back from 1.10/ Originally owned by Denver Broncos

The Browns were close to dropping back and still getting one of the top four offensive tackles. The Patriots didn’t let that happen, but they’re still happy to get Jones.

1.16 ATLANTA FALCONS – K’Lavon Chiasson – Edge – LSU

The Falcons have been publicly open about their willingness to move up in the draft. They end up staying at sixteen and having a top-rated pass rusher fall right into their laps.

1.17 DALLAS COWBOYS – Yetur Gross-Matos – Edge – Penn State

The Cowboys could definitely go with safety Xavier McKinney or cornerback C.J. Henderson here, but ultimately, they decide to go in a pass rush direction with the unrefined, yet explosive Gross-Matos still there.

1.18 – MIAMI DOLPHINS – Xavier McKinney – S – Alabama

The Dolphins took their future quarterback Tua Tagovailoa out of Alabama with their first pick. They decide to take care of the back end of their defense by selecting his teammate and top-rated safety Xavier McKinney with their second pick.

1.19 – LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – Justin Jefferson – WR – LSU

The Eagles or Vikings might try and get in front of the Raiders and steal Jefferson away. In this scenario, that doesn’t happen and the Raiders are psyched to come away with cornerback Jeff Okudah and wide receiver Justin Jefferson with their first two picks.

1.20 – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – C.J. Henderson – CB – Florida

The Jaguars have already moved back twice and they still get the #2 ranked cornerback in the draft.

1.21 – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – Patrick Queen – LB – LSU

The Eagles really need help at the wide receiver position, but they choose to add the rangy, athletic linebacker instead of reaching at this point in the draft. The 2020 wide receiver class is deep, so they will have to address that particular need in a later round.

1.22 MINNESOTA VIKINGS – Cesar Ruiz – C/G – Michigan

The Vikings took center/guard Garrett Bradbury in the first-round last year, but he struggled mightily as a rookie. The interior of the offensive line is still the top priority, and bringing in Ruiz to compete with Bradbury will help solidify the position and give the line more versatility.

1.23 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – Justin Herbert – QB – Oregon
*Traded up from 2.05 / Originally owned by New England Patriots, traded to Jacksonville Jaguars

The Chargers took wide receiver Henry Ruggs with their first pick, but are still able to get the quarterback they passed on by moving back into the first round. The Jaguars have now moved back for the third time.

1.24 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – Kenneth Murray – LB – Oklahoma

The Saints think about taking quarterback Jordan Love to sit behind Drew Brees or a wide receiver with this pick, but instead they go best player available and take middle linebacker Kenneth Murray.

1.25 MINNESOTA VIKINGS – Jalen Reagor – WR – TCU

The Vikings have done their homework on this wide receiver class, especially after trading Stephon Diggs away to the Bills. They’ve addressed their offensive line need with their first pick and now they get the wide receiver that they feel brings the best overall skillset to their offense.

1.26 MIAMI DOLPHINS – Johnathan Tayler – RB – Wisconsin

Consensus says that D’Andre Swift will be the first running back taken in the draft. The Dolphins get to choose for themselves and decide to go in more of a “Derrick Henry” direction. They take the big, explosive workhorse back out of Wisconsin. The Dolphins are ecstatic to get Tua, Taylor, and McKinney with their first three picks.

1.27 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – A.J. Epenesa – Edge – Iowa

The Seahawks don’t hesitate to take edge rusher A.J. Epenesa if he falls this far.

1.28 BALTIMORE RAVENS – Zach Baun – LB – Wisconsin

The Ravens would have liked to move up to draft either middle linebackers Kenneth Murray or Patrick Queen. Instead they take pass rush specialist outside linebacker Zach Baun, who fits in well with what the Ravens like to do on defense.

1.29 TENNESSEE TITANS – Trevon Diggs – CB – Alabama

Diggs has slipped a little in a lot of the expert’s rankings as of late, but the Titans need a #1 cornerback and I believe Diggs has the best chance of the remaining corners to develop into that. They could choose to go with cornerbacks A.J. Terrell, Jeff Gladney, or Jaylon Johnson in this spot, but I’m picking Diggs to be there guy.

1.30 GREEN BAY PACKERS – Austin Jackson – OT – USC

The Packers could have easily gone wide receiver here, but instead they choose to protect their all-pro quarterback with USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson. Jackson has the size and the tools to be a dominant force at the next level, but he will need to be coached up on his fundamentals to reach his full potential. 

1.31 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – Jordan Love – QB – Utah State
*Traded up from 2.02 / Originally owned by San Francisco 49ers

After this pick, the 49ers didn’t have another one until the fifth round. The Colts have already given them one pick in this draft and when they offer to give them some more the Niners are happy to oblige. The Colts move up four spots to jump into the back end of the first round and select their future quarterback to groom behind Philip Rivers.

1.32 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – D’Andre Swift – RB – Georgia

With final pick in the first round, the Chiefs go with the player that many think is the best running back in the draft and also the most perfect fit for their offense.

Other Mock Drafts:

CT’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Von’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 w/ Dynasty Analysis

Riordans’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

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