2020 NFL Draft Top 50 Big Board: Post-Combine Rankings

Ranking the best prospects after the NFL Scouting Combine in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft with a top 50 big board.

The 2020 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be an impressive one following the conclusion of the combine. The offensive class remains top-heavy in terms of offensive tackles and is deep with receiver talent- four ended up in the top 20 on this list. With many obtaining low floor, high ceiling potential. You also can’t forget to mention the two popular quarterback candidates: Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.

On the defensive side of things, cornerback and edge rushers seem to be the strongest positions as both offer immense talent until even the second and third rounds. Prospects like Bradlee Anae and Troy Pride Jr. are prime examples.

Anyway, let’s see who showed enough at Lucas Oil Stadium and on film to thrust themselves up into this ranking of the top 50 prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Like many others, Chase Young is my top player in the 2020 NFL Draft. Young is so polished as a pass-rusher. He exhibits tremendous technique and athleticism that he utilizes to dominate the trenches. Young shoots off the line like a cannon with aid from his explosive initial step and maintains ideal speed throughout; succeeds at running the arc.

He’s able to constantly gain leverage on the outside against tackles from his excellent flexibility, bend and burst. When you pair his aggressive hand usage and the arsenal of moves up his sleeves, you have yourself one deadly player. Simply put, he’ll likely win the battle on the line going through you or around you. Young can do it all and is an inevitable top-five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Joe Burrow is the safest quarterback prospect to enter the NFL Draft since Andrew Luck. He led LSU to a National Championship title as he continued to break NCAA and school records, earning himself the Heisman Trophy. Burrow took control of the offense like a true quarterback should and threw for at least five touchdowns in multiple games last year.

He displays terrific field vision as he works through his progressions and tacks along a wonderful arm. Burrow has the capability to become the next big thing in the league since Patrick Mahomes. He looks to be something special and looks to be the guaranteed No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Go get him Cincinnati.

Jeffrey Okudah has established himself into his own tier in the 2020 NFL Draft in regards to cornerbacks. Expected to go in the top-five, Okudah is someone quarterbacks have-and will- keep their eyes away from. Okudah holds flawless man coverage skills, oily hips and balanced footwork.

He has the best closing speed out of almost anyone I’ve ever seen from the defensive back position. His change of direction is also noteworthy. Recently, Okudah proved the tape doesn’t lie after an impressive performance at the combine. All in all, he is the top defensive back in this year’s class by a long shot.

Andrew Thomas is an excessively lengthy tackle with ropy arms which measured over 36 inches long in Indianapolis, making the 97th percentile at this year’s combine. Good luck getting your hands on the pads of this guy. He is also a nasty blocker in the run game as he drives his legs with tenacity, maneuvering defensive lineman to open pathways.

Thomas’ ideal leg bend and hip rise grants him outstanding power at the point of attack. He also has the quickness to swiftly reach those second-level blocks against linebackers. Balanced on the perimeter as you can rarely find him falling to the turf on film. In my opinion, he has the most upside out of any offensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Jerry Jeudy is an absolute game changer and is the most athletic player in the 2020 NFL Draft. Extremely deadly YAC ability and is a marvelous route-runner. He commonly displays crazy wiggle and leverage at the top of the route to gain separation with amazing footwork and body control. Jeudy has very long legs and ran an impressive 4.45 forty at the combine.

To add to his resume, he’s as threatening from the backfield as Rams’ wide receiver Robert Woods on plays like the jet sweep and bubble screen. Overall, Jeudy has the potential to become the No. 1 wide receiver on plenty of NFL teams.

Even though I have Andrew Thomas as my top offensive tackle, this 2020 NFL Draft class is insanely top-heavy at the position and Jedrick Wills from Alabama isn’t far behind. He acquires a solid 312-pound frame and ballerina tier footwork for an offensive lineman and uses those attributes to lean and torque defenders towards the sidelines.

I enjoyed watching his technique on film, getting low and utilizing his hip strength to properly anchor the outsides with raw strength and power. In terms of the passing game, he’s no doubt the best in the class and is so smooth at controlling the arc. He solidified his status with a pleasant showing in Indianapolis, displaying better numbers than 90 percent of offensive lineman in the combine in the 40-yard dash, broad jump and vertical jump.

Tua Tagovailoa’s 2020 NFL Draft stock took a tumble after suffering an injury with Alabama late last year. Regardless, his collegiate play before the season-ending ailment was enough to keep him in the top ten draft conversations. In 2018, the left-handed quarterback threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 43 touchdowns, completing 69 percent of his passes.

Tagovailoa obtains a high football IQ. He knows when to climb the pocket and throw it out of bounds to avoid the sack. His pocket awareness and mobility reminisce close to that of Russell Wilson. He’s difficult to sack and is slippery within the tackle boxes. He has a quick and fluid release of the football.

Like Joe Burrow, Tagovailoa has outstanding ball placement and the mistakes remain minimal. Tagovailoa excels at throwing the deep ball and reading the defense. He even showed off his talents enough to start a trend in the 2020 NFL Draft: Tank for Tua.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, Tristan Wirfs broke offensive lineman combine records in both the broad and vertical jumps. Raising his already high 2020 NFL Draft stock. Did I mention the 320 pounder’s record night consisted of an OL-best 4.85 forty time? Wirfs is no stranger to breaking records as he beat Iowa’s power clean title with four reps of a whopping 450 pounds.

Acclaiming Wirfs to be a freak athlete is an understatement. Wirfs blocks with finesse in both phases of the offense. He possesses optimal stature, strength and short-area quickness to start at the professional level. He can absorb hits with ease as he displays a strong ‘punch’. He even proved to be versatile last season, lining up on both the left and right side of the line. Many even see him succeeding as a guard at the next level.

Versatility is Isaiah Simmons’ middle name. Even though he’s rostered as a linebacker, he performed well at more than a handful of defensive positions during his reign at Clemson last season. With 40 percent of his snaps aligned at the slot cornerback position. Simmons cemented his elite prospect status at the NFL Scouting Combine with a sub-4.4 forty. The fastest time for a linebacker at the combine this year.

Last season, Simmons filled up the stat sheet with 102 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, three picks and eight sacks. These feats eventually earned him the 2019 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award.

Simmons is a smooth and fast player with a lengthy tackle radius and top-notch blitzing ability. Covers a lot of ground with his lateral quickness. He can also succeed when he drops into coverage as he demonstrates proper awareness of his surroundings. Love his pursuit and angles to the ball carrier.

I could see him excel in the NFL at halting running backs in the passing game, an everlastingly growing element to modern-day offenses. Whoever selects Simmons in the 2020 NFL Draft will get themselves one fine player on the defensive side of the ball.

Perhaps the most under-valued prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft is Derrick Brown. Can you believe people have him falling down the boards in the 2020 NFL Draft due to a mediocre three-cone? This year, NFL teams should likely learn not to value combine performances so much after D.K. Metcalf, who also had a lousy three-cone, dropped to the last pick of the second-round in the 2019 draft to the Seattle Seahawks. And look at the rookie impact he had.

On the field at Auburn, Brown had a knack for disrupting the flow of the play. First thing I noticed on tape: This big man can move! He packs elite tackling skills with his ability to plug the gaps and swiftly reach the quarterback. For a man of his frame, he is highly explosive in both his hands and lower body.

Brown moves well in space and is flawless at disengaging blocks. His strength and power allow him to consistently drive guards back with a simple bull rush. Honestly, he’s the total package for a defensive tackle.

Even with free agency around the corner, these standings are pretty concrete. I project all these players to be selected on either day one or day two of the 2020 NFL Draft. They all possess the capability to become starters in this league.

Teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins could all turn it around if they play their cards right on draft day and select valuable players worth fitting into their schemes. The NFL Draft is were the rebuild truly begins for teams.