2020 NFL Draft: Three-Round NFL mock draft with major trades in top 10

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 10
Next
Zack Baun 2020 NFL Draft
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images /

DL. Iowa. A.J. Epenesa. player. 26. Scouting Report. 28. Pick Analysis

A.J. Epenesa had a disappointing combine performance, but we knew his athleticism was limited beforehand. He was still an extremely productive and disruptive defensive lineman in college who could bully opposing offensive linemen into submission. Epenesa is an extremely powerful player who also gets off of the ball well.

He will not be a consistent edge defender at the next level, but I think he could have a lot of success with a team that would be willing to mix him inside and outside. The Baltimore Ravens have many defensive front seven needs and would undoubtedly be able to find a role for Epenesa up front.

Washington. 29. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. QB. Jacob Eason. 35

Ryan Tannehill played extremely well down the stretch for the Tennessee Titans last season, but are they really going to move forward with him as their long-term franchise quarterback? Perhaps they will, but they should at least consider making a significant investment through the draft at the position. The upside of Jacob Eason could prove to be too tempting for the Titans to pass up.

Eason is an extremely gifted quarterback prospect who has tremendous natural arm talent. While his accuracy is a bit inconsistent, Eason shows the ability to place the ball on a dime at times. He struggles at times working through his reads and does not have the most poise in the pocket, but if he can clean up those parts of his game, the sky is the limit. Eason is a low-floor, high-ceiling player who could become a massive difference-maker for the Titans.

LB. player. 47. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Wisconsin. Zack Baun. 30

Zack Baun just feels like a perfect fit for the New England Patriots. Baun primarily played on the edge in college, where he showed an explosive first step and plenty of speed on the edge. He also changes directions quickly and showed some impressive ability in his limited coverage reps.

Baun is a do-it-all kind of player whose versatility would be particularly appealing to the Patriots. The Pats love to line players up all over the field and Baun has the skills to play on the edge as a stand-up rusher or as an off-ball linebacker. New England is expected to lose some significant linebackers in free agency (Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins in particular) this offseason and Baun could come in and help fill the void left by those players.

Pick Analysis. OT. TCU. Lucas Niang. Scouting Report. 31. player. 31

The San Francisco 49ers hold the 31st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. As things stand now, they do not go on the clock again until the fourth round (137th overall), making them an obvious trade-down candidate in the first round. While the 49ers do not pick up a ton of capital in this trade-down scenario, it is still something else for them to work with and add to their roster. Plus, they are only moving down five picks.

The New York Giants are the team coming up to No. 31, as their aggressive attack their offensive tackle need after passing up the position early. Lucas Niang struggled with injuries in college, but he was dominant when he was on the field. Niang has an ideal combination of long arms, quick feet and power at the point of attack. He has tremendous upside as a pass protector and could grow into a legitimate franchise left tackle at the next level.

Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 32. player. 124. IOL. Michigan. Cesar Ruiz

With the final pick of the first round, the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs solidify their interior offensive line. The Chiefs simply must do what they can to protect Patrick Mahomes as best as they can and the interior offensive line stands out as a weakness right now. Cesar Ruiz has an impressive blend of quickness and power from the center position.

He is a particularly strong fit in Kansas City because of his high-level ability in pass protection. Ruiz would undoubtedly help keep Mahomes clean in the pocket and could be a major asset for this team for many years.