The regular season has come to an end, which means a majority of the first round 2020 NFL Draft order is set. NFL Draft projections will start to become more consistent over the next four months. The early declaration deadline in late January will solidify the pool of talent available to each of these teams.
In the latest projection, we make a guess on Tua Tagovailoa's Jan. 6 announcement and the corresponding impact. There is little early debate over the first two picks, so the draft essentially starts at No. 3 overall with the Detroit Lions.
Let's get to it!
How will the bowls impact the 2020 NFL Draft? Chris Trapasso and Ryan Wilson break down the latest draft talk on the Pick Six Podcast. Listen below and be sure to subscribe for daily NFL goodness.
The draft order is based on team records through the regular season.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Cincinnati is in need of a quarterback. They have already shown that Andy Dalton and Ryan Finley are not a part of their future plans.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Young is the best prospect regardless of position. Washington drafted their quarterback last year so Young should be an obvious choice for them.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
The Lions have undergone some changes in their secondary. The franchise appears ready to usher in a new age of talent. Okudah is easily the best cornerback available. He is a bit slight in frame but aggressive in run support, similar to Denzel Ward.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
General manager Dave Gettleman and the Giants have prioritized the offensive line but it has not worked out just yet. Thomas can slide in at left tackle for the expensive yet under-performing Nate Solder.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Simmons can be successful inside or outside. He is a really talented, fluid player. There is no prospect better at making open field tackles. Miami needs talent upgrades across the board and Simmons is the best available.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Los Angeles has not been able to rely on Russell Okung. Wills has been playing right tackle but his athleticism would likely allow him to transition to left tackle seamlessly.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Tagovailoa announces his NFL Draft decision on Jan. 6 so this selection could be irrelevant in four days. Carolina appears poised to make a change this offseason. Cam Newton is a very talented player but he can not be relied upon.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury have provided a lot of optimism on offense but now Arizona needs to improve on defense. Epenesa is a really gifted pass rusher. The team needs to apply more pressure beyond Chandler Jones.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
DJ Chark Jr. had a great season for Jacksonville but they need more production from the position. Jeudy has the highest floor of any wide receiver in this draft class. His attention to detail is much further along than most of his peers.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
Cleveland's decision comes down to Javon Kinlaw and Delpit here. They need offensive tackle help but the remaining options do not warrant such an early selection.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
The Jets are going to prioritize the improvement of their offensive line this season. It was a common core value in Philadelphia and fans have already been able to see that carry over to New York. Wirfs can play inside or on the edge.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
The Raiders are commonly attached to wide receivers. Antonio Brown was supposed to be their No. 1 wide receiver that could stretch the field, but that clearly did not work out. Lamb can fulfill their original expectation, with Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow able to capitalize.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Brown will be a common projection for the Colts. The team has attempted to add defensive tackle help capable of drawing attention from their smaller but talented linebacker unit. Brown will allow them to be stronger at the point of contact.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Fulton is the second cornerback off the board. He was also the best value at this position. Tampa Bay needs more consistent production at the position. They need offensive tackle help but it was too early for some of the remaining talent.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Ruggs working underneath with Courtland Sutton on the edge and Noah Fant flexed out would be difficult for opposing defenses to defend. It is a great combination of size and speed. From there, the attention should turn to improving the offensive line for quarterback Drew Lock.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
The Falcons need to find a way to generate more pass rush next season. Takk McKinley has not been the answer. Weaver is fast and does a great job shedding blocks. He could step in and start as a down defensive end in Dan Quinn's system from Day 1.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
McKinney continues to be one of my favorite players to watch because of his fluid motion and positional flexibility. He is a chess piece for whoever ends up being Dallas' head coach next season. At the end of the day, improvement in the secondary was a must.
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From
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1 - Pick 18
Chaisson showed his capabilities against Oklahoma in the Peach Bowl. His bend around the edge may be the best in this class and he looked comfortable in coverage. With Simmons and now Chaisson, Miami has fortified their linebacker unit.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 19
Jon Gruden has his choice of Justin Herbert, Jordan Love and Jacob Eason at this stage. Love is probably the least likely because of his poor decision-making. It comes down to Gruden's personal preference but Eason is a great option as the team looks to become more explosive before their first game in Las Vegas.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 20
Jacksonville showed some flaws on their front seven this season but they still have some strong structural pieces with Josh Allen and Calais Campbell. Kinlaw can push the pocket from the interior, which makes them even more difficult to stop.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Philadelphia could be staring down some wholesale changes at the wide receiver position this offseason. Higgins is a No. 1 caliber wide receiver, which would allow Philadelphia to move the ball downfield more aggressively.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Murray seems like the missing piece for Mike Vrabel's defense. Vrabel wants someone that he can trust to communicate the calls and make plays; Murray is a great option. He is a fluid mover capable of playing sideline to sideline.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
John Brown had a great season but, is it sustainable? Justin Jefferson is either a great compliment or an insurance policy for a team that wants to push the ball downfield with the strong-armed Josh Allen. Jefferson has great hands and body control. He supplies a highlight reel catch seemingly every day.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Minnesota addressed the center position in the first round last year and now they need to strengthen the edge. Leatherwood is a strong player that has been playing left tackle for the Crimson Tide, but he could slide over to right tackle if the Vikings felt it was in his best interest.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 25
The Dolphins need to strengthen their offensive line before throwing a franchise quarterback or running back in there. Running backs have the shortest career span, so it does not make much sense to waste a year of that until the team is ready to compete.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
Pass rush and secondary help were the two primary considerations for Seattle at this point in the first round. Henderson has great potential but he battled through injuries this season. Seattle could land a steal in the second half of the first round.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
New England's secondary has been fantastic this season but Bill Belichick is proactive, not reactionary. The addition of Hall, who is an aggressive player that does a good job locating the ball in the air, is a plan for the future. Hall is coming off a season-ending ankle surgery in October.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Reagor is a reliable Randall Cobb-like contributor that Green Bay has been missing. The TCU product could work out of the slot with Davante Adams over the top. The Packers need to take advantage of the final years with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Humphrey is a rock, solid replacement for Mitch Morse, who departed last offseason. He blocks with great leverage and would serve as Phase 1 in the organization's effort to improve the offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Michael Thomas can not do it all himself forever. Shenault is a great fit because he is not going to challenge Thomas as an outside receiver. Shenault has some running back like ability that would allow him to be more effective closer to the line of scrimmage.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
San Francisco has exceeded everyone's expectations this season. Their defensive line has been tremendous but the linebacker unit has room for improvement. Gross-Matos would be a great addition as an outside linebacker in that scheme. The attention commanded by the defensive line would only free him up to make more plays.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Yes, the Ravens have Mark Ingram and Justice Hill, but Swift is all in one. He can also serve as the future alongside Lamar Jackson. Swift is great a pass protector and pass catcher, which allows for even more wrinkles in that creative Baltimore offense.
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