A collection of established veteran quarterbacks are likely to land on new teams this offseason, but a few rebuilding teams are going to wait until the draft to address the game's most vital position.
One of those latter teams is likely to be the Miami Dolphins, and even after the dust settles on the veteran quarterback market in March, they will probably realize it'd be a minor miracle if Tua Tagovailoa lasts all the way until the No. 5 overall pick. So they make a trade to go up and get him in this mock.
The draft order is now set. Position rankings are based on our composite prospect rankings.
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Now, to the picks.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Joe Burrow
QB
LSU
• 5
• 6'4"
/ 215 lbs
At this point, you can just start reading mock drafts at pick No. 2. Because that's essentially when the draft will really begin. The Bengals are taking Burrow.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Chase Young
EDGE
Ohio State
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 264 lbs
Washington very well could trade back, but I have a hard time believing Ron Rivera would be cool with the club passing on Young during his first draft as the team's head coach.
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Mock Trade from
Detroit Lions
Round 1 - Pick 3
Alabama
• 5
• 6'1"
/ 225 lbs
I'm starting to realize the Dolphins aren't just going to be able to lay comfortably in a beach chair at pick No. 5 overall and have Tagovailoa fall right into their lap. They have the ammo to trade up, and in this deal, it'd only take a second-round pick (No. 39 overall) and a late-rounder to get the deal done with Detroit. During his time in New England, Lions GM Bob Quinn saw many trade backs from Bill Belichick.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Mekhi Becton
OL
Louisville
• 5
• 6'7"
/ 363 lbs
I actually really like this prospect-team pairing. Nate Solder was a colossal flop for the Giants, and Daniel Jones needs to be protected better. Becton is a gargantuan, highly athletic tackle who may take some time to acclimate to traditional pass blocking but has all the tools to rock in that area and is a club bouncer at a bar frequented by unruly patrons in the run game.
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Mock Trade from
Miami Dolphins
Round 1 - Pick 5
Jeff Okudah
CB
Ohio State
• 5
• 6'1"
/ 205 lbs
The defender routinely mocked to the Lions, but two picks later and with extra picks in tow. Good stuff here by Detroit. Okudah is the best man-to-man cornerback in this class by a wide margin.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Iowa
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 320 lbs
The Chargers have the pieces on defense to stop modern-day offenses. They need more nastiness up front. Wirfs is a superb athlete for his size and got better every season at Iowa.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Clemson
• 5
• 6'4"
/ 238 lbs
Could the Panthers be gearing up for a low-key tank in 2020? It's all about the long-term with a new owner and a new head coach, so don't be surprised when Cam Newton is traded in March. Matt Rhule loves freaky athletes, and Simmons is the modern-day linebacker prototype.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
CeeDee Lamb
WR
Oklahoma
• 5
• 6'2"
/ 200 lbs
I keep wavering back and forth between Lamb and an offensive tackle for Arizona. Both position groups are deep in this class, but in this mock, Kliff Kingsbury gives Kyler Murray his familiar target from Oklahoma to jump start the Air Raid in the desert.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Javon Kinlaw
DL
South Carolina
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 319 lbs
The steadiest player in Jacksonville over the past few seasons has quite easily been Calais Campbell, and the towering defensive lineman could be a cap casualty this offseason. Therefore it'd make sense for the Jaguars to replace him with a similarly tall, explosive, dominant pass-rusher like Kinlaw.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Georgia
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 315 lbs
Cleveland's new head coach Kevin Stefanski is going to want to run the football, and Thomas is a mack truck in the run game. He's darn impressive in pass protection too, which is a good thing for Baker Mayfield.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Alabama
• 6'0"
/ 190 lbs
With three tackles off the board, the Jets go with pure speed for Sam Darnold. I'm thinking he's going to run in the 4.20s at the combine, and that type of acceleration down the field historically has not lasted long in the draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Oregon
• 5
• 6'6"
/ 236 lbs
The Raiders are so difficult to peg because Derek Carr could definitely be the quarterback in 2020 and I don't think many people would view that as a massive mistake. But Herbert's size, athleticism, starting experience, and arm talent get him drafted inside the top 15.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Jerry Jeudy
WR
Alabama
• 5
• 6'1"
/ 195 lbs
Free agency or trade route for the Colts at quarterback this offseason, right? If so, they'll need to address the receiver group and do so in a major way with the electric Jeudy here.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
K'Lavon Chaisson
EDGE
LSU
• 5
• 6'3"
/ 245 lbs
Shaq Barrett and Chaission would formulate one heck of a dynamic edge-rushing duo in Todd Bowles' defense.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Auburn
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 320 lbs
The Broncos have to get more talent on the inside of their defensive line. This is a rather easy, best-player-available pick for John Elway.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
A.J. Epenesa
EDGE
Iowa
• 5
• 6'6"
/ 260 lbs
Epenesa is an instant, three-down defensive lineman who can win from anywhere across Dan Quinn's front.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Trevon Diggs
CB
Alabama
• 5
• 6'2"
/ 195 lbs
Diggs is an ultra-physical cornerback who can make plays in man or zone but is best near the line of scrimmage where he can use his length and physicality to disrupt the beginning of receiver's routes.
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From
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1 - Pick 18
Josh Jones
OL
Houston
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 339 lbs
This is the sensible pick here for Miami. Get your quarterback early. Then take a high-upside offensive tackle. Jones has All-Pro abilities.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 19
Colorado
• 5
• 6'1"
/ 224 lbs
The Raiders get Shenault to be their chain-moving -- but still explosive -- top wideout of the future.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 20
Alabama
• 5
• 6'0"
/ 201 lbs
With McKinney, the Jaguars get a safety who can play as a linebacker and slot corner when he's not ranging from center field toward the sideline.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Tee Higgins
WR
Clemson
• 5
• 6'4"
/ 219 lbs
Higgins is there for Philadelphia. Marvelous situation for Carson Wentz. Higgins has otherworldly ball skills and deceptive long speed.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
LSU
• Sr
• 5'11"
/ 197 lbs
Somewhat of a surprise pick here for Buffalo, but the club does have a sizable need at No. 2 cornerback, and Fulton is one of the cleanest prospects at that position in this class.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Yetur Gross-Matos
EDGE
Penn State
• 5
• 6'5"
/ 265 lbs
Gross-Matos has prototypical defensive end size and length, and he grew as a pass-rusher in 2019 by utilizing more effective moves at the point of attack.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Jalen Reagor
WR
TCU
• 5
• 5'11"
/ 197 lbs
Reagor is Brandin Cooks 2.0 and the Saints absolutely need a threatening complementary target to Michael Thomas.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
TCU
• Sr
• 6'5"
/ 307 lbs
The Vikings suddenly need some defensive line reinforcement, and Blacklock is a big, super-athlete on the interior who Mike Zimmer will love.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 26
Arizona State
• 5
• 6'0"
/ 200 lbs
Love this addition for the Dolphins, a rebuilding club that gets a scary downfield weapon for Tagovailoa near the end of Round 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
LSU
• 5
• 6'3"
/ 208 lbs
Another stellar pick I can't move off at this point in time. Delpit is an intimidating presence at strong safety and has good coverage ability. Pete Carroll will clean up his tackling issues.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Curtis Weaver
EDGE
Boise State
• Soph
• 6'2"
/ 265 lbs
Weaver is a Ravens-type edge rusher. He's an oversized outside linebacker with quality pass-rushing moves and bend around the corner, and he provides some coverage help.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
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Round 1 - Pick 31
California
• 5
• 6'1"
/ 202 lbs
Davis is a super-rangy free safety in a strong safety's body with a linebacker's mentality against the run.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Auburn
• 5
• 5'11"
/ 197 lbs
Igbinoghene is a former receiver turned corner with amazing athletic traits and mirroring ability down the field. The Chiefs add another awesome physical specimen to the secondary after drafting Juan Thornhill last year.
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