New draft order shakes up this first-round 2020 NFL mock draft

Trying to predict the future with this complete first-round 2020 NFL mock draft.

The Week 16 NFL slate significantly changed the 2020 NFL draft order. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, we get to see how the new draft order has impacted the draft class. Up first, the Cincinnati Bengals, who were able to lock in the first overall pick with their loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

No surprise here. Quarterback is the most important position in football, the Bengals need a franchise quarterback and Joe Burrow is the top quarterback in the draft class. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Bengals bring in Burrow to lead their franchise into the future.

The Washington Redskins could go in a couple of different directions with this pick, but Chase Young is simply too good of a player to pass up. Young is an explosive edge rusher who has an incredible combination of size, power and speed on the edge. The Redskins have larger needs, but Young is the best player on the board. Talent over need for Washington.

Jeffrey Okudah is the best cornerback in the 2020 NFL draft class and has a chance to be a complete shutdown player at the next level. Okudah is a fantastic athlete who is tremendous in man-to-man coverage and has great ball skills. Pairing him with Darius Slay would give the Detroit Lions an incredible duo at the cornerback position.

I could see an offensive tackle for the New York Giants here. That being said, Clemson defensive superstar Isaiah Simmons could be an absolute game-changer for this team. Simmons is an elite athlete at the linebacker position. He has tremendous coverage skills, defends against the run well and can even create pressure on the passer. Simmons plays all over the field for Clemson and will be a tremendous playmaker at the next level.

I cannot get away from Tua Tagovailoa as the first pick of the Miami Dolphins. Tagovailoa is an elite-level quarterback prospect who has big-time upside at the next level. The hip injury is obviously a concern, but as long as the hip checks out, the Dolphins will likely make him their franchise quarterback.

With the sixth pick of this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Wide receiver is such an obvious need for the Jags and Lamb is an incredible playmaker on the outside. He is an ideal addition for this team that is clearly looking to rebuild.

The Los Angeles Chargers could certainly consider a quarterback, but with Andrew Thomas on the board, they fill their major need at offensive tackle. Thomas is a big and powerful left tackle prospect who dominates in the run game and shines in pass protection. They need to find a long-term solution at quarterback but Thomas would be the better value selection for the Chargers.

The interior defensive line could quickly become a massive need for the Carolina Panthers this offseason. With this pick, the Panthers fill that need by bringing in Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown. Brown has an incredible combination of quickness and power that gives him massive upside at the next level. The Panthers add a true star playmaker up front who can rush the passer and defend against the run.

The Arizona Cardinals simply need to protect Kyler Murray better going forward. He has been running for his life all season long and they need to invest in some legitimate offensive line talent. Tristan Wirfs is an extremely talented offensive tackle prospect who could immediately help solidify the Cardinals’ offensive line situation.

Jerry Jeudy is a fantastic wide receiver prospect who consistently shines on the field. He is a tremendous route runner who is also fantastic after the catch. His combination of quickness and athleticism on the outside gives him huge upside at the next level. The New York Jets have larger needs but Jeudy would be a brilliant addition for their team.

Courtland Sutton on one side and Henry Ruggs III with all of his speed and quickness on the other. Drew Lock would have more than enough to work with on the outside and the Denver Broncos could quickly an explosive offensive attack to lead them into the future.

With incredible power and solid movement skills, Jedrick Wills could end up being OT1 in this draft class. Whether he sticks on the right side or moves to left tackle, Wills is an extremely talented player who could fill a major hole for the Cleveland Browns.

With the 13th pick of this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Atlanta Falcons select Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa. With a tremendous combination of power and athleticism, Epenesa defends the run well and shows some tremendous pass-rush upside. He is a fantastic defensive line prospect who will be able to make an impact on the inside and the outside at the next level.

Cornerback stands out as a major need for the Oakland Raiders and Trevon Diggs is undoubtedly one of the best in the class. Diggs is a big and physical corner on the outside who also shows impressive overall athleticism and strong ball skills. Diggs is a true lockdown corner who has tremendous natural upside at the next level.

If Grant Delpit continues to struggle with his tackling, he could fall even further than this. However, he is still an extremely talented safety prospect who shines in coverage. The Dallas Cowboys need significant help in the secondary and Delpit could provide immediate value.

Jacoby Brissett is a good NFL quarterback, but if we are being honest, his upside is limited. If the Indianapolis Colts really want to take the next step into competitiveness, they will likely have to find a new franchise quarterback. Justin Herbert is certainly a little rough around the edges, but he is an incredibly talented player who could take the Colts to the next level.

Javon Kinlaw has long arms and he is incredibly quick and powerful up front. He has obvious upside as an interior rusher and would solidify the Bucs defensive line situation.

Taking KJ Hamler here may seem like a bit of a reach. That being said, the Raiders desperately need some speed at the wide receiver position and Hamler his one of the fastest and most explosive receivers in the 2020 NFL draft class. A trade back would probably be ideal, but I love the fit here and the value is not too bad.

K’Lavon Chaisson is an extremely long and athletic edge rusher who has massive upside at the next level. He is certainly a bit of a raw prospect, but Chaisson has a chance to be something special. The Dolphins add a defensive piece with their second of three picks in this 2020 NFL mock draft.

The loss of Jalen Ramsey leaves an obvious hole at the cornerback position for the Jacksonville Jaguars. With one of the picks they got in exchange for Ramsey, the Jags take a chance on Kristian Fulton, a strong man-to-man cover corner who would immediately help fill a role in the secondary.

C.J. Henderson does not like to tackle, nor does he make much of an impact at the line of scrimmage. That being said, he is an extremely smooth and instinctive cornerback prospect who sticks to receivers well and knows how to make a play on the ball. The Philadelphia Eagles clearly need to find some help at cornerback and Henderson has a chance to be one of the best in this draft class.

With the 22nd pick of this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Tennessee Titans take a shot on Alabama edge rusher Terrell Lewis. While Lewis has missed significant time due to injuries in college, it is easy to see how he can be an impact player at the next level. Lewis is an explosive edge rusher who always seems to create pressure. If he can just learn to close on the quarterback a bit better, he would be a dominant player.

The Buffalo Bills need help at wide receiver and Tee Higgins feels like a perfect fit. His catch radius is massive and he consistently dominates contested-catch situations. Bills quarterback Josh Allen has played well, but let’s be honest, he is not the most accurate. Allen could certainly use a guy like Higgins making plays for him on the outside.

Cornerback is becoming a major need for the Minnesota Vikings. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, they pick up Jeff Gladney out of TCU. Gladney is a strong cover corner whose ball skills are particularly impressive. Gladney is an extremely talented player who could quickly become a fantastic defensive asset for the Vikings.

When it’s all said and done, I imagine that Josh Jones will end up being a late first-round or early second-round pick. His combination of length and athleticism at the offensive tackle position is rare and there are simply too many offensive line needy teams out there who could use a guy like him. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, Jones lands in Miami as they rebuild their offensive line.

The Kansas City Chiefs must work to protect Patrick Mahomes going forward and that means working on their interior offensive line. Tyler Biadasz is a mean and nasty center prospect who shines in pass protection and run blocking. He is a tremendous player who would fill a huge need for the Chiefs up front.

Yetur Gross-Matos could easily go earlier than this in the 2020 NFL Draft. He is an extremely long and athletic rusher who has obvious upside on the edge. He does fall down the board a bit here, presenting the Seattle Seahawks with a golden opportunity to improve at a position of need.

Whether he plays tackle or guard, Alex Leatherwood is a good offensive lineman who has a bright future at the next level. The Green Bay Packers will likely have needs at both tackle and guard this offseason and Leatherwood should be able to compete for snaps immediately.

It sure feels like the New England Patriots should be working on their offense, but in this 2020 NFL mock draft, the add to the defensive side of the ball. Curtis Weaver is an extremely powerful edge rusher who uses his hands well and is always working to make a play on the ball. He is quick off of the snap and always gets strong upfield burst. The Patriots find themselves a good one late in this 2020 NFL mock draft.

Dylan Moses is a fantastic football player who is built for the modern NFL. A torn ACL suffered before the season has hurt Moses’ draft stock, but he is still an incredibly talented player who would immediately help take the New Orleans Saints’ defense to the next level.

The San Francisco 49ers do not have many needs, but they could certainly use some help in the secondary. Shaun Wade can play inside or outside and he does both at a high level. The 49ers could go in many different directions with this pick, but Wade feels like a great pick.

With the finals pick of this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Baltimore Ravens select Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault. I absolutely love this fit as Shenault would not only give the Ravens a strong option at wide receiver, he is a versatile weapon who they could create offense for in a variety of ways. Shenault is a tremendous player with the ball in his hands and the Ravens have the perfect kind of creative offense to make the most out of his abilities.