We're a quarter of the way through the NFL season and quarterbacks remain the most important position on the field. This isn't some grand revelation, just a weekly reminder in the face of some truly terrible football. And because demand outstrips supply, fully expect these quarterback-needy teams to overdraft their next face of the franchise.
With that in mind, we have four quarterbacks going in the first round, including replacements for Kirk Cousins in Minnesota and Drew Brees in New Orleans.
We also have a whopping eight Alabama players going in the first 32 selections. Keep reading our latest 2020 mock draft to see who lands where and why.
Before you get angry at the draft order, please know that it's based on the current SportsLine Super Bowl odds projections and has nothing to do with us hating your favorite team.
Alright, let's get to it.
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
Tagovailoa has been playing out of his mind this season and the only real mystery to this point is how much of that success (1,718 yards, 23 TDs, 0 INTs, 76.4 completion percentage) is due to his talents and how much we should attribute to the first-round picks that are on the receiving end of his throws. There's still plenty of time for Justin Herbert or even Chase Young to end up going first overall, but a month into the college season -- and given the Dolphins' struggles -- Tua seems destined for this spot.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Yes, the Redskins have glaring needs along the offensive line, due in large part to the Trent Williams holdout. But Young may be too good to pass up. An explosive first step off of the edge allows Young to get into the backfield quickly and often. He already has eight sacks this season and he'd join 2019 first-rounder Montez Sweat along the Redskins' defensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Andy Dalton isn't the problem in Cincinnati. And there's no guarantee that, say, Justin Herbert will be able to come into this offense and be anything other than replacement level, at least for the first couple seasons. Not only that, the Bengals like rookie Ryan Finley and may be willing to give him a chance before starting over at quarterback. Knowing that, and with 2019 first-rounder Jonah Williams set to return next season, Cincy makes protecting whomever's under center its top priority. Wirfs, who has a little Cody Ford in his game, is surprisingly athletic for his size, and his combination of strong hands and quick feet allows him to control would-be pass rushers. If he gets his hands on you it's over, and he also has the ability to get into space and pave the way in the running game.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Kyler Murray has already been sacked 20 times this season and if Kliff Kingsbury's offense is going to have any chance of working, the Cards will need to protect the franchise QB. Thomas not only looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds, he plays like a dominant left tackle. He's again protecting Jake Fromm's blind side at Georgia through quick feet, athleticism and strength. Coming into 2019, Thomas has allowed just four sacks in two seasons and he can take over in the run game.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
The Jets' offense has been a disaster. Yes, Sam Darnold is recovering from mono but the lack of playmakers is a glaring need no matter who is playing QB. Heading into Week 5, Le'Veon Bell is the team's leading receiver. Jeudy is an elite route runner who does everything well. If you're looking to nitpick, he doesn't have top-end speed, though you wouldn't know it to watch him in games.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
The Broncos' secondary hasn't been good through the first month of the season and came into Sunday's game against the Jaguars with the 26th-ranked pass defense. Rookie Gardner Minshew threw for 213 yards and 2 touchdowns and Denver dropped to 0-4. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, Okudah is a physical cornerback who excels in man coverage. He earned his first college interception two weeks ago and he has 11 passes defended dating back to last season.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Regularly the fastest player on the field, Ruggs is a YAC monster who dominates short and intermediate routes and must be accounted for on every play. Tight end Darren Waller currently leads the Raiders with 33 receptions, nearly double that of Tyrell Williams, who is second on the list with 17.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
The Falcons' defensive line has been stout against the run, thanks largely to Grady Jarrett, but ranks as one of the worst units against the pass. Epenesa will help in both cases. Huge. Strong. Epenesa can rag-doll offensive tackles with a straight-arm and while he's not explosive, he has the strength to control the line of scrimmage. He's a high-motor edge setter in the run game who can't be contained by just one player.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Feelings are mixed on Herbert, who has been much better in 2019 than he was last season. It's easy to see why NFL teams could fall in love too; Herbert's 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, incredibly athletic, has one of the best arms in the country and when he gets hot he's hard to stop. The question is consistency -- can Herbert play at a high level from one play to the next, something we've seen glimpses of this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
This may be a tad high for Shenault, who is currently battling an injury and hasn't gotten off to the start he hoped this season. But when he's healthy, he's a game-changer. He lines up all over the field -- in the slot, offset tight end, H-back, quarterback. Shenault has strong hands -- he's made a living out of plucking the ball out of the air with a defender draped all over him. He can win at every level and is always one play away from taking it to the house. Think a stronger, more physical N'Keal Harry.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Okwara is coming off a 3-sack, 2-forced fumbles effort against Virgina. He plays bigger than his listed 240 pounds, shows good hand usage and quick first step around the edge and has the athleticism to sink hips and blow past the offensive tackle. He's quick-twitch explosive, not easily blocked, and even when he doesn't get to the quarterback his hands are up trying to make a play. Shaq Griffin is on a one-year deal but even if the Bucs bring him back you can never have too many edge rushers.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
The 2019 Jaguars' defense hasn't been nearly as dominant as recent seasons and who knows if Jalen Ramsey ever takes another snap for Jacksonville. Either way, upgrading the secondary makes sense here, especially if Delpit is on the board. Delpit can line up anywhere -- in centerfield, the slot, near the line of scrimmage, off the edge -- and wherever he ends up he consistently makes plays. He's best coming downhill but he'll continue to improve the other aspects of his game and his long, lean frame coupled with his fluid movements make him look like a natural playmaker.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Isaiah Simmons is a hybrid capable of dominating the linebacker position but with the athleticism to drop into coverage like a safety. He even stood out on Clemson's stacked defense from last season's national championship team and Simmons should only get better in 2019. If Dylan Moses returns to Alabama in 2020, Simmons is the top-rated linebacker while also being one of the nation's top-rated safeties.
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From
Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1 - Pick 14
Raekwon McMillian has been one of the few brights spots on the Dolphins' defense and with needs up and down the roster, bolstering the middle of htis unit certainly seems like a good place to start. Moses will miss the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL in August. Still, he is the prototypical NFL inside linebacker in that he's explosive, extremely athletic and has sideline-to-sideline playmaking abilities. He can rush off the edge and has the ability to sift through trash and knife would-be blockers to make plays in the backfield. Moses was the best inside linebacker on Alabama's defense a season ago (and that included Browns fifth-rounder Mack Wilson).
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Round 1 - Pick 15
Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay both have contracts that expire after the 2020 season, and Lamb is an elite route runner who has some of the best hands in college football. His next-level body control allows him to adjust to throws in mid-air, often with defenders draped all over him. And while he needs to put on weight and get stronger, he's a willing blocker. Either way, the bottom line is that Lamb is a game-changer.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
As Josh Allen continues to mature, why not give him a big-play wideout. Higgins, the 6-foot-4 playmaker with a huge catch radius can high-point the ball as well as anyone in this draft class.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
The Panthers just lost Kawaan Short for the season and while he'll return for 2020, the Panthers can move on from Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy in the spring. Enter Brown, who is hard to move off the ball and has the strength to push the pocket, even against double teams. He doesn't have the dynamism of a Quinnen Williams or Jeffery Simmons but he is a space-eater that is disruptive around the line and allows teammates around him to make plays.
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From
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 18
Smith needs to put on weight but he's one the toughest players on Alabama's roster, and he has the best ball skills among Jeudy, Ruggs and Jaylen Waddle. It helps explain why he leads the team in receiving yards (537), yards per catch (17.3) and touchdowns (8) through five games. And now he reunites with Tua in Miami.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
Leatherwood, who has played left tackle, right guard and left tackle again during his college career, would add some much-needed consistency (and, if needed, versatility) to the Browns' offensive line. On paper, Cleveland is one of the best teams in the AFC, but keeping Baker Mayfield upright will ultimately determine how good they can be.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
It's hard to imagine but the Ravens' have a replacement-level defense, and this includes the pass rush. Gross-Matos has good pursuit down the line of scrimmage, the ability to make backside tackles and uses his quickness to knife through the line. He needs to get stronger but has the quickness to regularly find himself making plays in the backfield.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Yes, the Chargers have been plagued by injuries, especially on defense, but the fact remains that this unit has been abysmal against the pass. Fulton, who considered entering the 2019 NFL Draft, has quick feet, smooth hips and was arguably LSU's best cornerback last season even though he played across the field from Greedy Williams, the Browns' second-round pick this spring. According to Pro Football Focus' metrics, Fulton allowed just 41.5 percent of the passes thrown in his direction to be caught and held receivers to 49 yards after the catch during the '18 season. Fulton's off-field history may give some NFL teams pause but his on-field abilities are undeniable.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
The 49ers' defense has been lights out but their biggest liability is at safety. McKinney is stronger, faster and more explosive than former Alabama teammate Deionte Thompson, and he's much more versatile. In San Francisco, he'll enjoy playing with one of the best young defensive lines in football.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
Kirk Cousins has not been good. He's been fine, but the Vikings feel they should get more for their $84 million than "fine." Jake Fromm would make sense here too, but Fromm shares a lot of the same physical characteristics as Cousins and that may be too much for coach Mike Zimmer to process. Instead, Minnesota takes Eason, whose arm strength is second to none. He's still raw after sitting out last season, and he'll need to play with more consistency over the next two months to convince teams he's worth a first-round pick, but the upside is hard to ignore.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
Seattle's offensive line ranks 22nd in pass protection and 30th in run blocking. Upgrading the offensive line, as seems to be the case every year, certainly makes sense. Niang started 13 games last season and didn't allow a sack, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the best pass-blocking tackle in the Big 12.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
The Eagles have to fix its secondary and Hall seems like an obvious fit. He's a tall, physical corner who isn't afraid to gamble. Last season Hall played mostly off-coverage in zone looks but showed the instincts and athleticism to come off his responsibility to make plays. He's also stout against the run and is a solid open-field tackler. If Hall had come out after his junior season there's a chance he would've been a first-round pick.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
The Rams' defensive line ranks 14th in pass rushing, according to Football Outsiders, and Chaisson, an elite athlete who missed all but one game of the 2018 campaign with a knee injury, could make his way up draft boards if he continues to play at a high level in '19.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
The Packers' offensive line has been replacement level in both run blocking and pass protection, and the interior O-line has struggled the most. Biadasz has few flaws and would've probably been a first-rounder if he declared for the 2019 draft.
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From
Chicago Bears
Round 1 - Pick 28
The Raiders came into Week 4 ranked 30th in pass defense. Ideally, they'd land a pass rusher with one of their two first-rounders but with five already off the board they look instead to bolster the secondary. Adebo had a forgettable outing against UCF last month, but he is a physical ballhawk who began his career as a wide receiver, and would fit right in with this Raiders secondary.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Drew Brees is 40 years old. Teddy Bridgewater is in the final year of his deal, as is Taysom Hill, who at 29 is two years older than Bridgewater. We've had Jake Fromm going to the Saints at the bottom of Round 1 in previous mock draft but given the way Hurts has played, and that he's a more refined version of what Hill gives New Orleans' offense, he makes a lot of sense here. Plus, it's hard to argue with Lincoln Riley's track record; the Oklahoma coach has back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners AND first-overall draft picks.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
The Chiefs have to get better on defense. If Diggs didn't suffer an injury last season he would've been a first-round pick. At 6-1, 200 pounds, he has the prototypical size and speed for today's NFL cornerback and he has the strength, speed and athleticism that will likely see him go in Round 1 next spring.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Jeff Heath is in the final year of his rookie deal. Jones is a thumper who is more comfortable near the line of scrimmage who can also cover running backs and tight ends in the passing game.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Reagor has gotten off to a slow start to the 2019 campaign (just 11 catches and a touchdown through four games) but he is electric with the ball in his hands. A season ago he had 72 receptions with 11 total touchdowns and is also a threat in the return game. With the Antonio Brown saga lasting just 11 days in New England, the Pats get another playmaker in Reagor.
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