2020 NFL Draft: Consensus First-Round Picks for all 32 Teams

One of the largest problems quarterback Daniel Jones had in college was inadequate protection at the line of scrimmage. With Jones forcing the ball downfield, he gave up 29 interceptions in three seasons at Duke, along with 12 interceptions in his first season with the New York Giants. In 2019, Jones sustained 38 sacks in 13 games, the highest number of sacks by any quarterback in the NFC East.

With the Nate Solder acquisition in 2018 now solidly considered a mistake, the Giants need to build through the trenches. Watching Giants games last season, it is clear to see Jones has many redeeming qualities as a starting quarterback. He’s got a strong arm and deep ball accuracy, but he is constantly feeling pressure, being forced to throw too early.

With an offensive tackle like Andrew Thomas, Jones would get a boost of protection at the line, along with a versatile tackle who could serve a variety of roles on the offensive line. While Solder will be with the team in 2020, he has already said he is open to playing right tackle if the Giants drafted a successor at left tackle, according to NYPost.com.

Combine that with the fact Thomas played right tackle during his freshman season at Georgia and the Giants suddenly have a solid offensive line in New York City that can play multiple positions based on need. Thomas is the best offensive tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft and his presence on the offensive line will create more safety for the team’s future franchise quarterback.

With a deep wide receiver class in 2020 general manager Dave Gettleman can afford to wait until Day Two to bring in a wide receiver. Extra help at the offensive line would also help Saquon Barkley, who the team has hailed as a main pillar of their offense, despite the rushing game ranking just nineteenth in 2019, according to NFL.com.

Despite reports that the Miami Dolphins are apprehensive about drafting Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, these reports seem to be little more than subterfuge to mask the team’s true intentions. Like the Bengals, the Dolphins have a lot of work to do on this roster in the 2020 NFL Draft but none of the work can start without a new quarterback.

There has been some discussion about Tagovailoa’s injury history in recent weeks, but his upside is just too good. Tagovailoa may have finished his 2019 season with a seriously injured hip, but he finished his three-season career with the Crimson Tide with a passing efficiency rate of 199.4. That’s the highest efficiency rate in history, per Sports Reference.

Tua may have a history of injuries, but if the Dolphins pass on him at number five another quarterback-needy team will move up and draft him. Tua showed an incredible amount of skill during his three seasons playing at Alabama. If he had not been injured in 2019, Tua and Burrow would likely have been playing against each other in the National Title game this past January. Who knows which player would have been drafted first overall if that happened?

With the Philip Rivers era now officially over with the Los Angeles Chargers, it is time for the organization to start looking for their next starting quarterback. While many have the team drafting a quarterback in the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft, there is a solid argument to be made they will defer drafting a quarterback until 2021.

Head coach Anthony Lynn worked with current quarterback Tyrod Taylor with the Buffalo Bills and despite a rocky season in 2017, Taylor was able to lead the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The team brought in Taylor in the 2019 off-season to be a backup but 2020 might be the year he gets another chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

In any case, the Chargers need help on the offensive line. If Taylor is going to have any chance of succeeding in 2020, the team must bring on board an elite left tackle to defend Taylor’s blindside. Mekhi Becton is listed as the best left tackle in the 2020 NFL Draft after Thomas. Becton showed at the 2020 NFL Combine why he may be the best tackle in this years draft class.

At 6-foot-7, 364-pounds, Becton will be a dynamic left tackle in the NFL. Even with his large frame, Becton is athletic and fast on his feet. He is great at all aspects of blocking and can be a valuable tool in both pass protection and run-blocking. These will be essential traits for the Chargers offensive line if they hope to compete against other AFC West opponents, which features some of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.