NFL Mock Draft 2020: Colts, Patriots make surprise trades for QBs; Browns move up inside top 10
Forecasting the first round of this year's draft -- with six projected trades!
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1 min read
The (virtual) 2020 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and aside from maybe the first two picks of the process, no one's sure exactly how things will play out from the homes of all 32 NFL teams. What better way to welcome the unpredictable than by trying to predict it? Is Tua Tagovailoa actually going to fall past the Miami Dolphins? Will Justin Herbert be the second quarterback off the board? Are the New England Patriots truly content riding with Jarrett Stidham instead of pursuing a big-name Tom Brady replacement?
All of those questions -- and lots more -- are answered in the mock draft below, with a whopping six projected trades included in the first-round rundown. Will these picks come to fruition? Only time will tell! But in the meantime, try to enjoy (or, you know, find me on Twitter and ridicule me like it's your job):
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
With or without Andy Dalton, the Bengals get their new face of the franchise. Welcome to Cincy, Joe.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
At the end of the day, a premier pass rusher is too much to pass up for new coach Ron Rivera. Washington instantly makes its front four one of the most promising in the NFC.
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Mock Trade from
Detroit Lions
Round 1 - Pick 3
Dolphins acquire No. 3 from Lions for No. 5, No. 39. Tua's medical questions may be legitimate, but Miami isn't going to shy away from this year's smoothest winner at the QB position. After watching Josh Rosen collapse in the pocket, they convince themselves Tagovailoa's upside and pocket poise is a better gamble than Justin Herbert. The move up simply ensures no one can steal their guy.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Word around town is Dave Gettleman loves himself some Wirfs. There are more pro-ready options, but at least the Iowa product gives Daniel Jones some help.
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Mock Trade from
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 5
Lions acquire No. 5, No. 39 from Dolphins for No. 3. Bob Quinn gets his wish and collects another high draft pick, all while scooping up a Day One replacement for Darius Slay on the outside.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
If Anthony Lynn's touting Tyrod Taylor and/or wanted Tom Brady, it sure seems like he'd prefer to win now, and the rest of his roster justifies that mentality. So while Justin Herbert might be tempting, Wills immediately shores up the left tackle spot and pushes L.A. one step closer to the playoffs.
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Mock Trade from
Carolina Panthers
Round 1 - Pick 7
Browns acquire No. 7 from Panthers for No. 10, No. 74, 2021 seventh. Andrew Berry makes like old boss Howie Roseman in his first year fully in charge, taking a big swing for a play-maker. A tackle makes all the sense in the world for Cleveland, but Simmons is a bona fide star-in-the-making who fills not one but two needs (LB, S) for the Browns' defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
With both Wirfs and Wills off the board at OT, Arizona adds more beef to its D-line in an effort to at least replicate San Francisco's trench warfare in the West, getting maybe the best gap-plugging defender in the class.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
With Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye both long gone, Jacksonville finds its new No. 1 corner, keeping the play-making Henderson close to home.
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Mock Trade from
Cleveland Browns
Round 1 - Pick 10
Panthers acquire No. 10, No. 74, 2021 seventh from Browns for No. 7. Carolina could've easily just stood pat and taken Simmons at No. 7, but instead, Matt Rhule adds another high pick for his rebuild, and Carolina snags one of the top interior D-linemen of the class -- a local product who can help their porous run "D" from the jump.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Joe Douglas wants desperately to build New York from the trenches, and something says George Fant isn't his only plan at LT for protecting Sam Darnold. Becton's massive frame gives the Jets a blind-side blocker for the long haul.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Jon Gruden is ready to win some ballgames. A year after striking out on Antonio Brown, he and Mike Mayock get the guy who best resembles Brown's abilities on the field. A pro-ready route runner, Jeudy can step in and make plays from Day One.
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From
Indianapolis Colts
Round 1 - Pick 13
If Kyle Shanahan is looking for a play-maker to replace Emmanuel Sanders, you can't do much better than this.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
A trade up for someone like Wills would be ideal, but the reasoning for Thomas is the same: They need an OT who can help keep Tom Brady upright, and they need one now.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
John Elway gets his own version of Tyreek Hill, adding a historic and much-needed deep-ball weapon for Drew Lock.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
If C.J. Henderson were available, he'd almost have to be the guy. Instead, the Falcons pair the draft's second-best edge rusher with new addition Dante Fowler for a much-improved DL.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Michigan OL Cesar Ruiz seems like a real possibility, especially with Travis Frederick gone. But can the Cowboys resist Jefferson, a near-perfect fit in the slot, where Randall Cobb no longer resides? If Chaisson is gone and CBs can be had later, why not give Dak Prescott even more weapons?
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From
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1 - Pick 18
With their QB in tow, the Dolphins use the pick they got for Minkah Fitzpatrick to add a guy who's drawn Fitzpatrick comparisons, replacing Reshad Jones and bolstering Brian Flores' rebuilt defense.
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Mock Trade from
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 1 - Pick 19
Patriots acquire No. 19 from Raiders for No. 23, No. 87. Surprise! Josh McDaniels bangs the table over Zoom as Herbert slides within reach, and New England gets a mentally sharp, physically gifted signal-caller for the post-Brady haul. Yes, they may have been fine rolling with Jarrett Stidham, but for this price, why not take the gamble?
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 20
A reach at No. 20? Perhaps, but this is the kind of versatile, high-effort D-lineman Jacksonville covets after unloading Calais Campbell and Marcell Dareus.
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Mock Trade from
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 1 - Pick 21
Saints acquire No. 21 from Eagles for No. 24, No. 130. New Orleans is strictly in win-now mode for Drew Brees' last hurrah, and they also don't have a ton of needs. So they move up to secure the draft's top LB, a local standout who instantly brings instincts to the middle of their "D."
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From
Buffalo Bills
Round 1 - Pick 22
This is purely a value pick from Rick Spielman, who can address WR and CB later. The Vikings are in perpetual need of OL reinforcements, especially now that they're increasingly built around their ground game.
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Mock Trade from
New England Patriots
Round 1 - Pick 23
Raiders acquire No. 23, No. 87 from Patriots for No. 19. Mayock isn't leaving the first few rounds without a CB, and Terrell hails from Clemson, which both Mayock and Gruden adore. This is a prospect who's familiar playing with Trayvon Mullen and brings the toughness both decision-makers like.
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Mock Trade from
New Orleans Saints
Round 1 - Pick 24
Howie Roseman is absolutely no lock to be pigeonholed into WR, but after moving down to collect an additional pick, he gets the next best thing at wideout after Justin Jefferson: a versatile big-play target for Carson Wentz.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
The Vikings need corners like crazy after the departure of their top three guys from 2019, and Johnson fits their system like a glove.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 26
With Tua on board, the Dolphins still need more help up front, where their line was horrendous throughout 2019. Jackson gives them a starter at either LT or RT.
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Mock Trade from
Seattle Seahawks
Round 1 - Pick 27
Colts acquire No. 27 from Seahawks for No. 34, No. 75. "Take that, haters" -- Frank Reich and Chris Ballard, to all the Colts fans ripping them for making Philip Rivers the only solution at QB. Indy jumps back in the first by way of the trade-happy Seahawks (and without mortgaging a huge haul) to get a high-upside project for Reich. With Rivers locked in as the stopgap for 2020, Love becomes the Colts' franchise QB-in-waiting.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Baltimore gets a steal at the back of the round, finally striking on a successor for C.J. Mosley in the middle of their "D."
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Round 1 - Pick 29
With Jurrell Casey shipped out of town, the Titans land his replacement -- an underrated chess piece for Mike Vrabel's line.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
An O-lineman like Cesar Ruiz could be a sneaky good pick here, but Mims gives Aaron Rodgers the WR depth he needs.
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Mock Trade from
San Francisco 49ers
Round 1 - Pick 31
Lions acquire No. 31 from 49ers for No. 35, No. 152, 2021 fifth. Detroit makes use of its extra capital from the earlier trade with Miami in order to add a compact complement to Kerryon Johnson. D'Andre Swift would seemingly be in play as well, but either way, the Lions capitalize on San Francisco's desire to trade back and give Matthew Stafford a new toy.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
The Chiefs just re-signed Bashaud Breeland, but they surely aren't done at CB. Gladney can step in right away as a slot starter and develop alongside Tyrann Mathieu.
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