Two-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Where will the top players land?

This is where this 2020 NFL mock draft really begins. The Lions have many problems, namely their head coach, however, there’s nothing I can do about that. Detroit could use some more help on the defensive line, but probably have bigger needs than that. They traded away defensive back Quandre Diggs to Seattle for some strange reason and only got back a fifth-round pick.

Matthew Stafford could definitely use a wide receiver so he doesn’t have to force the ball to Kenny Golladay every play. However, I believe it’s a bit too early to grab a receiver here at three. This could in all likelihood be a trade out, but there’s no trades in this mock. The best scenario would be to take the best defensive back and that would be Ohio State’s cornerback Jeff Okudah.

Okudah uses all of his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame to pump receivers in press coverage. He’s very athletic and has plus speed which allows him to recover well if the receiver gets behind him or if he stumbles. Pairing Okudah with Darius Slay could be a really nice start to building up their secondary.

The New York Giants just named former Patriots special teams coordinator Joe Judge as their head coach and there’s not much information on how he’d like to build this team. What he did stress in his introductory press conference was to play the right away and compete individually and as well as a team. I would guess that he would like to see some improvements in the trenches, specifically on the offensive line.

Jedrick Wills has been rated all over the place when it comes to the top offensive lineman in this 2020 NFL Draft class. I personally have Wills as my top-rated lineman and would love to see him become Daniel Jones‘ blindside protector for many years. General manager Dave Gettleman has taken some backlash from Giants’ fans for his questionable decisions on trades and free-agent signings, however he has faired well in the draft.

The one thing I do know about Judge is that before he coached under Bill Belichick in New England he was an assistant on Nick Saban’s coaching staff in Alabama. Saban could give him important information and feedback on Wills which could be convincing enough to take him at 4 overall.

One spot after his blindside protector gets drafted, Tua Tagovailoa goes to Miami. This is a perfect landing spot for the Alabama product as the Dolphins could and should resign Ryan Fitzpatrick so Tagovailoa could sit and fully recover from his hip surgery. Fitzpatrick played pretty well for Miami this season, but he’s been known to have a dangerous and wild playstyle. However, he should be able to hold down the fort until Tua is ready to go.

Miami has two more first-round selections and could add some weapons for whenever Tagovailoa is ready to play. There’s some talk that teams could try and jump Miami and take the Alabama quarterback, but the Dolphins do have the ammunition necessary to move up and secure Tua if they absolutely have to.

The major concern with Tagovailoa is his injury history. He’s been injured multiple times with lower leg injuries, the latest being a dislocated hip which needed surgery. His hip has been the main focus in his evaluation thus far, but the latest word is he should be ready to throw for team sometime before the draft.

As a quarterback prospect, Tua is a traditional pocket passer with precise accuracy and decent arm strength. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but it shouldn’t be a problem.

His decision making is excellent and he also has plus pocket presence. He’s calm and relaxed navigating through traffic as he works through his reads. The only real negative is how concerning his injuries really are. It felt like every game where it looked like Tua was shaken up. He is a tough kid and has zero red flags off the field. He’s exactly the kind of person you would want to represent your franchise.

The Chargers organization is entering a new era for their football program as Phillip Rivers will likely leave in free agency after 16 seasons with the team. The Bolts will be looking for a quarterback to lead their franchise into the next decade and at 6 overall have a chance to take one.

Justin Herbert likely would’ve been the number one quarterback taken had he entered the draft last season. He instead opted to return for his senior year for the opportunity to play with his younger brother. This decision could have been a blessing considering where he could have landed had he declared last season. The Chargers are a team with a ton of talent and could be a place where Herbert can succeed fairly early.

They still need some fine-tuning at certain areas, maybe they could grab an offensive lineman in free agency or later in the draft, but they already have some solid weapons for Herbert to work with. The Chargers will have a decision to make on whether they retain running back Melvin Gordon or if they are better off rolling with Austin Ekeler, who will be a restricted free agent.