First-Round 2020 NFL mock draft with many interesting trades

I am not the biggest Justin Herbert fan. He simply does not read through his progressions well and has too many issues with decision making. That being said, there is no denying his raw talent and somebody is going to take a chance on him early in the draft. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, the Los Angeles Chargers are the team to take the plunge.

Philip Rivers is unlikely to be back with the Chargers next season and they will undoubtedly be in the market to replace him with a young signal-caller in April. Herbert is an athletic quarterback prospect who moves in the pocket well, has an extremely strong arm and shows good accuracy to all fields. If it all clicks for him at the next level, the sky is the limit and the Chargers would suddenly have a fantastic young offensive unit.

The Carolina Panthers have quickly become one of the most interesting teams in the NFL this offseason. Owner David Tepper is a forward-thinking decision-maker and he made a great head coach hire in bringing in Matt Rhule to lead them going forward. The addition of offensive coordinator Joe Brady is just the cherry on top.

With Brady scheming the offense and the entire team under the direction of Rhule, the Panthers could quickly become a force to be reckoned with in the NFC South.

I could see the Panthers getting aggressive and trading up Tua. Herbert could also be an option for the team if he falls to the pick. Utah State quarterback Jordan Love could even be a realistic possibility. That being said, it is hard to ignore Derrick Brown here.

Brown has an incredible combination of power and speed up front. He is a fantastic one-gap penetrator who can shoot the gaps to make plays in the backfield and create pressure on the passer. Brown is a true high-floor, high-ceiling player who has a chance to become an elite interior rusher at the next level.

I always struggle a bit when I get to the Arizona Cardinals in a 2020 NFL mock draft. The offensive line is undoubtedly their biggest need, but head coach Kliff Kingsbury runs an offensive system that typically gets the ball out quickly. They may not want to invest such a valuable pick in the offensive line. They also have needs at all three levels of the defense and they would undoubtedly love to get another dynamic weapon for Kyler Murray in the passing game.

Honestly, I could see the Cardinals going in many different directions with this pick and they could be a great trade-down candidate. However, they stand pat in this 2020 NFL mock draft and take Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy.

Jeudy is the best in a loaded draft class at the wide receiver position. He is an incredibly quick, smooth and athletic receiver who consistently creates separation with his routes. He is a fantastic route runner and incredible playmaker with the ball in his hands. Jeudy has had some issues with drops, but his dynamic play-making ability should shine through at the next level.

Right now, the Cardinals have one of the most interesting young offenses in the entire NFL. Pairing Jeudy with Murray could make this unit elite.

This 2020 NFL mock draft has gone too long without a trade. Let’s shake things up a bit. The New York Jets desperately need an upgrade at the offensive tackle position and there are three top-tier offensive tackles in this draft class. Holding the 11th pick in the draft, the Jets may find themselves just outside the range of these offensive tackles. In order to secure the player that they want, the Jets trade up two picks and snag Alabama OT Jedrick Wills Jr. here.

Wills is an absolute mauler on the offensive line who shows dominant power at the point of attack. His raw play strength and competitive toughness are elite and give him obvious upside at the next level. Wills is not the quickest or most athletic offensive lineman around, but he does move pretty well for such a big and strong players.

A dominant run blocker and promising pass protector, Wills would be an ideal pick for the Jets in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Cleveland Browns are another team with an obvious need at the offensive tackle position. In this 2020 NFL mock draft, the board breaks well for them as they stand pat and still land one of the top-tier guys at the position.

Tristan Wirfs is another offensive tackle with impressive raw power at the point of attack. He is quick off of the ball, shows a strong initial punch and does a great job of driving defenders off of the ball. Wirfs also shows plenty of athletic upside and the ability to get out in space and make blocks at the second level.

He does struggle at times in pass protection, but those lapses are typically mental. His combination of athleticism and power will play at the next level and would make him an immediate improvement over the Browns’ current offensive tackle situation.