2020 NFL Draft: First-Round 2020 NFL mock draft with counterintuitive picks throughout
By John Newman
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Alabama. 50. Wide Receiver. Jerry Jeudy. 3. player
Replacing cornerback Darius Slay with Desmond Trufant during free agency, the Detroit Lions seem to have addressed their lead cornerback position for the 2020 season. The heavy man-coverage defense Detroit uses means the team will need to find at least one more serviceable cornerback in the 2020 NFL Draft. But heading into this year’s draft, the defensive side of the ball is not their biggest need.
While most mock drafts have the Lions picking up Jeffrey Okudah at number three in the 2020 NFL Draft, in this scenario the team goes in the exact opposite direction.
Right now, the offense is where the most help is needed. It is no secret that head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn are on their last leg this season after two disappointing seasons from the Patricia regime. It is this year or bust for this leadership group and they will need to at least win the NFC North if they hope to keep things going past 2020.
That means out-scoring the other team. Wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola are all in the last year of their contracts and if things get hairy early in 2020, it would be difficult to keep them motivated on the offense. Quarterback Matt Stafford needs an elite wide receiver, someone who can get things going early and often on the offense.
At number three, the Detroit Lions should draft Jerry Jeudy from Alabama. With Jeudy, Stafford would have the first truly elite wide receiver in Detroit since Calvin Johnson. With Stafford’s ability to air the ball down the field and Jeudy’s ability to get deep and bring in contested catches, the Lions could turn the NFC North upside down in 2020.
As the 2020 wide receivers take the field for their combine workout, here's a look at the top prospects by Production Score.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 27, 2020
CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma), Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) and Tyler Johnson (Minnesota) top our list of the most productive WRs in this year's class.#NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/VHQAYauUnN
Patricia and Quinn have to do something different this year, right? The plan to be the “NFC Patriots” is getting stale in Detroit heading into its third year. Fans do not show up for superb tackling and interior pressure on the defensive line. They show up to see the 30-yard bomb for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It may go against every instinct Patricia has developed as a defensive coordinator, but he’ll at least need to show some offensive improvement this season.
He’ll have to shelve his game plan and win the way everyone else has over the last five seasons: consistently prioritize the offense.