2020 NFL Draft: Patriots find a QB of the future in two-round mock draft

After selecting Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals now show a little love to the defensive side of the ball. Kenneth Murray is regarding as the top true linebacker prospect in the draft and is slated as a first-round pick by many. Here he falls to 33 primarily because of team needs but would pair with Germaine Pratt to roam the middle of the field in Cincinnati.

A lot of people have Jordan Love as the Colts first-round pick for the 2020 NFL Draft. I think he’s a little raw to go that early, but he definitely has the talent and potential to develop into a solid NFL quarterback. If the Colts aren’t 100% sold on Jacoby Brissett they can see what Frank Reich can do with this kid.

Xavier McKinney is one of my favorite prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft. He does everything for the Alabama defense and is right there in play with Delpit as the number one true safety in the draft and to be selected by the Bucs at 14.

Teams just have so many other needs and safeties don’t typically get drafted as early as they should, so that is why McKinney is slated here in the second round. I would take him much higher, but putting him next to Isaiah Simmons? Wow, Matt Patricia would be jumping for joy.

Well, the Giants played their way out of the Chase Young sweepstakes. In the second round here they stick with the defensive side of the ball and take a chance on a talented, but raw, pass rusher. Julian Okwara is a gifted athlete who excels as a speed rusher. The Giants have to hope that he can give them a pass rush element that they have not had consistently since the days of Jason Pierre-Paul.

The Chargers found a new quarterback in the first round of this 2020 NFL draft scenario. Now, it’s time to get a tackle to protect him. One of the most polarizing prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft, Prince Tega Wanogho is about as raw as they come in a top prospect. But he is highly regarded for a reason. Although he is still very new to the game of football, he has the physical tools to become a Pro Bowler with the right coaching.

Notice a trend? Pairing tackles and quarterbacks seems like a smart move to me. After taking Andrew Thomas in the first round, the Panthers land a new toy for new head coach Matt Rhule. Rhule saw a little bit of Jalen Hurts in the Big 12 this season. If you can’t beat them, join them? Hurts and the Sooners defeated Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game, so maybe Rhule would like to have Hurts on his side this time.

Who knows what exactly the plan is with Cam Newton. If they decide to go in another direction, I love the fit for Hurts. The opportunity to run another college-like system with a new head coach? Running the read option with Christian McCaffrey and throwing deep balls to D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel? Sign me up.

The Dolphins are really in a great position to make a big splash in this 2020 NFL Draft. So far, they have addressed a lot of needs with a lot of great players. Tua, Gross-Matos, Becton and now the first running back off the board. D’Andre Swift is a versatile, three-down back with homerun capability every time he touches the ball.

Raekwon Davis hasn’t been the most productive player in Alabama history, but he has shown plenty of signs that he can carry on the tradition of elite Tide defensive linemen in the NFL. He is big, physical, and sneak slippery to get into the backfield. The Cardinals defensive front needs all the help it can get, so wherever Davis lines up he should be able to contribute early and often.

Along with their offensive line woes, the Browns may be in line to replace both safeties from last season. Ashtyn Davis can really fill either role. He has great ball skills and instincts as a free safety roaming in centerfield but is also a very physical and effective tackler in the run game. Cleveland would still need to add some secondary help or hope that one of the young players they currently have breaks-out and prove themself as a legitimate starter if they want to have a truly elite defense.

Patrick Queen flew up draft boards after his National Championship Game performance. He can really fly around the field and would be great next to Myles Jack. The Jags already replaced one key component of their stout defense from their near Super Bowl run just a few seasons ago, and now will look for Queen to help fill the shoes of Telvin Smith.

The Bears finally get to pick! They say they’re sticking with Mitch Trubisky this season. We will see about that, but either way, they will need some offensive line help if they are going to keep any quarterback upright in 2020. Lucas Niang is a very mobile tackle who could help in the run game as well for Chicago.

The Colts find a new nose tackle here in Neville Gallimore. Gallimore is a huge, strong force in the middle with good initial quickness and power off the snap. The Colts have some nice young pieces on their defense, and Gallimore would be a nice addition up front.

J.K. Dobbins had an incredible season for the Buckeyes and may have even played his way into the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Dobbins does everything well, is a very powerful runner and has surprising long speed. Dobbins would give the Bucs a true three-down, workhorse running back.

Jeff Gladney is a very versatile corner who excels in both man and zone coverage. He has quick feet and great ball skills. With the future of Chris Harris up in the air and not much depth at the position behind him, Gladney makes a lot of sense for Denver.

Similar to the Vikings, the Falcons once had a very good secondary with strong corner play. Injuries have hurt them, but the Atlanta secondary was one of the absolute worst in 2019. Bryce Hall is a very long and athletic corner that excels in press coverage. He can set the edge in the run game and has great ball skills when dropping in zone.

The Jets lack talent hardly any edge-rushing talent at all on their current roster. They drafted Quinnen Williams to play on the inside very early last year, and now add his former teammate in Terrell Lewis. Lewis has solid potential as a 3-4 outside linebacker with a well-built frame and a high level of physicality.

Finally a tight end! I don’ really think that any of the 2020 NFL Draft tight end prospects are worthy of a first round pick, but there are a ton of solid players at the position that could go in round 2-5 and make an immediate impact. Brycen Hopkins is regarded as the top tight end in the class and is really a big-body receiver that can hold his own at the end of the line. But he has great hands and ball skills and is very athletic for his frame. The Steelers need all the pass catchers they can get, especially big bodies over the middle.

As you may have been able to tell from their last pick, I’m not quite buying it when the Bears say they’re sticking with Trubisky. With the defense that they have and the solid receivers and improving young running back, the Bears could realistically win now. Jake Fromm could be the type of guy that they need. He isn’t super flashy but he makes smart plays and takes what the defense gives him. He takes care of the ball and methodically moves his offense down the field.

Another tight end! Cole Kmet was a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame and is a decent two-way tight end in terms of receiving and blocking. While he isn’t exactly another tackle of the end of the line, he can hold his own and shows flashes of great blocking ability as a tight end. Kmet runs smooth routes and is great at winning contested catches with his big frame and strong hands. Jason Witten has to actually retire sometime soon, right?

Welcome to the party Los Angeles Rams! With their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Rams address their terrible offensive line. Daryl Williams has the size and length you look for in a lineman with great power. He is smart and tough with experience at multiple positions in college, allowing the Rams to play him wherever they please.

Here in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Eagles get the chance to address their disappointing secondary with a payer that many view as a first-rounder. A.J. Terrell is an incredible athlete with very fluid hips to shift and stay right with receivers. He uses his length well to break up passes thrown his way but can make some poor decisions when dropping into zone.

Without too many big body wide receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft class, the Bills take another route to get a reliable red zone and jump ball target. Hunter Bryant is primarily a receiver anyway and excels when shifted out into the slot. He is very athletic and great after the catch.

It’s no secret that Devonta Freeman has had his fair share of injury concerns throughout his career. Is he the long term option for the Falcons at running back? I don’t think so. But Jonanthan Taylor certainly could be. One of the most well-rounded running backs in the nation and one of the most productive runners in college football history. The only real knock on him is that he ran too much in college.

Now it’s time to get Tua a new weapon to throw to. The Dolphins have bigger receivers in DeVante Parker and Preston Williams but K.J. Hamler would give them a small, shifty, fast receiver who can make plays all over the field.

This pick was originally Travis Etienne, but while I was writing this he announced that he will be returning the Clemson for his senior season. On the other hand, the running back for the National Champion Tigers has declared for the 2020 NFL Draft and takes the spot here.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire managed solid production even with LSU’s potent passing attack. He possesses a great mix of power and agility and is very effective as a receiver as well. He is really like a blend of the two running backs that the Texans employ right now.

If he can stay healthy, Trey Adams right here may be the steal of the draft. Aside from a couple of serious injuries, Adams has the skillset and physical traits of a first-round tackle. The Vikings offensive line has greatly improved from a few years ago, but they could still use a more reliable tackle on either side.

The Seahawks have found two great NFL receivers in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Giving Russell Wilson another reliable target would be dangerous for opposing defenses. Brandon Aiyuk will excel in the slot in this offense with his sound route running, strong hands and toughness over the middle of the field.

The Ravens drafted a wide receiver in the first round last year. Now as Lamar Jackson has developed, they could use another receiver that consistently runs solid routes and gets open. Quartney Davis is that guy. He is a very crisp route runner who can line up anywhere on the field and get open. Combined with Hollywood Brown deep and Mark Andrews over the middle of the field, Jackson will be smiling.

The Titans found an edge rusher earlier in the 2020 NFL Draft and now select their future nose tackle. Leki Fotu has the potential to be the next great defensive tackle. He is huge, powerful and disruptive in the middle. He is quick off the ball and is very good at shedding blocks to make a play. The Titans’ defense just keeps getting even better and better.

A priority for the Packers, as is the case for most teams, is to keep their elite quarterback healthy. Aaron Rodgers hasn’t had too many health issues recently, and I’m sure the Packers want to keep it that way. While they have a very good left tackle in David Bakhtiari, right tackle Bryan Bulaga has seen better days. Josh Jones from Houston has the physical traits to be an outstanding tackle in the NFL but just needs some more coaching and development.

Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette had a very solid career with the Buckeyes. Although he has some physical limitations that may prevent him from keeping up with some of the faster and quicker offensive weapons in the NFL, he is very smart and almost always puts himself in the right position to make a play. The Chiefs could use some solid depth at corner.

After snagging an edge rusher in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Seahawks round out the second round with another defensive line selection. Justin Madubuike plays with great leverage inside, using his strength and quickness to jump into the backfield. He would see some playing time right away in a less-than-stellar group of defensive tackles in Seattle.