2020 NFL Draft: First-Round 2020 NFL mock draft mid-free agency

With the run on receivers that went on between picks 10 and 20, there are no more wide-outs left on the board that would make sense for the Eagles to pull the trigger on drafting this early in the 2020 NFL Draft. With that said, the next biggest need for the Eagles is an off-ball linebacker who can take over and be a commanding force all over.

LSU’s Patrick Queen provides just that with electric sideline-to-sideline speed and athletic ability. He is fairly quick to diagnose plays and can lend a helping hand against the run while being a strong defender against the pass as well. The do-it-all linebacker is what the Philadelphia defense needs to give them a solidified unit in the middle of the defense.

The Minnesota Vikings lost multiple talented defensive linemen this offseason and will need to draft at least one, but probably more, to replenish what they’ve lost. Iowa product A.J. Epenesa gives them a versatile defender that excels in run defense both on the interior of the line and on the edge, while also providing a solid pass rush as well.

Epenesa mainly wins using power moves like the bullrush and may be better suited to play an outside three-technique as opposed to the classic defensive end position. At the end of the day though, he brings valuable skills from all over the line and against all types of offensive linemen.

Another team that finds themselves in need of a pass rusher, the New England Patriots take on Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos. Gross-Matos isn’t a finished product and will need to be taught how to win reps using more than just athletic ability, but he is very good at what he does and Bill Belichick will like his floor in addition to what he can become with time and practice.

Once he learns how to add some pass rush moves to his repertoire of power rushes and athletic prowess, he could become one of the best young pass rushers in the league.

With the addition of wide receiver Emmanual Sanders in free agency, the Saints no longer have to go into the 2020 NFL Draft with the sole purpose of drafting a receiver in round one. And with no more quality round one options left at this point in the draft, the Saints look to upgrade the middle of their defense with Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray.

He isn’t the dynamic athlete that LSU’s Queen is, but he is still very quick and can handle the duties of being the LB1 for a team. He could use some improvement against the pass, but he won’t be a liability in coverage. His fire and passion for the game will quickly land him in favor with his teammates and it won’t be long until he earns Captain status on the team.

The Vikings added a pass rusher with their earlier pick and now look to replace the two corners they lost this offseason. After cutting a regressing Xavier Rhodes and being unable to re-sign Trae Waynes, they draft the corner out of LSU, Kristian Fulton. Fulton isn’t a complete product but is the best remaining option at cornerback here and has the tools and tape worthy of a round one selection.

He’s solid all around and has good recovery speed, but can get beat off the line leading to trouble when defending the short to intermediate routes on the field. But the tools he has to work with and the promise he has shown should lead people to believe that he can develop into a very solid and reliable cornerback for his NFL team.

The Dolphins were aggressive early in round one shipping the 18th and 56th overall picks to Detroit to snag the falling Joe Burrow. Now, they need to protect their new franchise passer and they do so by adding a big tackle from Houston. Jones is a physical specimen to behold and plays like it.

He is strong at the point of attack and shows great drive off the ball. However, his technique needs some work but he shows enough athleticism to where he should be able to work it out. The Dolphins desperately need help on the offensive line and Jones gives them a big man with plenty of promise.

For much of his career, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been running to keep plays alive as his protection breaks down in front of him. It’s high time the team gets him some quality help in the form of a highly drafted interior lineman.

Cesar Ruiz is best suited to play center but can shift over to guard if he needs to for Seattle. His combination of power and athleticism will make him a good fit in Seattle and Wilson would enjoy having a quality interior protector for (hopefully) the rest of his career.

The Baltimore Ravens have a few needs they need to address if they are to gear up for another Super Bowl run, but there is no other linebacker worth taking at this spot. So turning the attention to the offense, the Ravens get the final piece to what would be a young but promising wide receiver room.

Pairing the elusive and strong-handed Laviska Shenault Jr. with speedster Marquise Brown and big Myles Boykin would give them a complete wide receiver trio. Combined with tight end Mark Andrews, the addition would provide quarterback Lamar Jackson with one of the best group of targets in the league.

The Tennessee Titans have a couple of solid outside pass rushers lead by Harold Landry, but they still need a good interior option to trot out there on game day. Gallimore provides them with that and is already quite the interior run defender. He still needs more of a planned approach when rushing the passer but he is still strong enough to win his fair share of the battles. Gallimore should be able to step into a starting role by day one, even if it’s just as part of a subpackage.

Jalen Reagor is an explosive receiver who would be able to excel opposite Davante Adams in the Green Bay scheme. Reagor is a master with the football in his hands and can create space at any level of the field. Aaron Rodgers would likely love feeding Reagor the ball as his ability to get constant separation would quickly find him a favorite of his.

While he would need to fix the concentration drops he can occasionally have, (Rodgers would not like that) his other positive traits give him the boost he needs to make it inside the end of the first round.

After trading away their 13th overall pick, the Colts find themselves without a first-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. Luckily for the Colts, they have two second-round selections and can ship one of them, combined with a fourth-rounder, to jump back into the late first round. It’s likely that they could land Jordan Love in the second round at 34th overall, but would then not be able to exercise the extra year option all first-rounders get.

Love is able to hit the big plays but can also be prone to throw the interception or two from time to time. His big arm and mobility give him the edge most of the time, but his propensity for making odd decisions can lead to killer turnovers. However, he can sit a year and maybe learn to cut down on those while Philip Rivers leads the Colts for a year.

With the last pick in the first round, the Kansas City Chiefs add more fuel to the fire that is their offense and takes UGA running back D’Andre Swift. Swift is a back that can do anything you need him to, from running both inside and outside with success to catching passes out of the backfield with ease. He is also a very good pass blocker when that is his assignment.

Swift is the best running back in the 2020 NFL Draft and has much less mileage on his legs as well. That, compared with his uncontested mixture of high-level skills makes him the perfect three-down back to add to the Kansas City offense