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

Acquired from the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, pick number thirteen in the draft will be used to replace DeForest Buckner on the San Francisco 49ers defensive line. While many assume this draft pick will be used to bring in a number one wide receiver, head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense doesn’t exactly require a true number one receiver.

The 49ers offense made it to the Super Bowl last season with the thirteenth ranked offense in passing yards, per NFL.com. What they will need to do is build up more protection on the defensive line. In 2019, the 49ers ranked seventeenth in rushing yards allowed, averaging 112 rushing yards per game. And that was with Buckner on the roster.

By trading Buckner to the Colts for a first-round pick, they essentially trade in one great defensive tackle for a younger player when they draft Derrick Brown from Auburn. Brown is an all-around elite defensive tackle, who can push the pocket back while also defending against the run. Considering the 49ers don’t have a pick from the second to the fourth round, finding a replacement for Buckner is the first round will be essential.

Brown started full-time on the Auburn defensive line in 2017 and immediately made an impact on the defense. In his four-season college career, Brown had 33 tackles for a loss, 12.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, according to Sports Reference. The 49ers will essentially be trading Buckner for Brown, except Brown will be on a rookie contract and have four fewer years of wear and tear.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally have their quarterback of the future. He just happens to be 42-years old and named Tom Brady. But with a resume of six Super Bowl wins, you can’t blame the Buccaneers for going for it in 2020. The roster is stacked, the defense is solid and Jameis Winston had ample time to improve over his four season NFL career.

But while the offense has plenty of playmakers, the offensive line is far from perfect. They still need a right tackle to defend Brady and make sure he is kept clean long enough for plays to develop. Brady might be the king of comeback routes but none of that will matter if Bruce Arians can’t keep him upright.

With Tristan Wirfs at right tackle, the Buccaneers get a pocket protector who has the raw physical skills to defend their future Hall of Fame quarterback. At 6-foot-5, 320-pounds, Wirfs showed he had the physical tools to be an immovable pass protector at Iowa. He excelled with the Hawkeyes in run defense and pass protection and has the arm reach to stop double teams.

Wirfs has quick, nimble feet. He can plant his feet and protect against bull rushers, absorbing the hit and keep the pocket clean. While protecting Brady with a rookie on the right side of the offensive line might keep a head coach up at night, Wirfs is one of a select group of prospects in the 2020 NFL Draft that will be more than ready to play in 2020.

Football experts have been expecting the Denver Broncos to bring in a wide receiver in the first round since they traded Emmanuel Sanders to the 49ers. Now that the team appears to have the quarterback of the future, the next step is giving Drew Lock plenty of targets to throw to.

Lock won’t have any trouble finding Henry Ruggs III from Alabama. He ran a 4.27 at the 40-yard dash during the Combine this winter and many experts thought he would run faster than that! With 24 touchdowns in three seasons, he averaged 17.5 yards per reception and looks to be one of the best wide receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He would have even more touchdowns if he wasn’t competing with Jeudy for receptions at Alabama.

While the defense could use some more pieces and the offensive line needs an interior player or two, the consensus pick for the Broncos in the first round is an elite wide receiver.

Players like Ruggs don’t come around every year and general manager John Elway should secure a true number one receiver for his second-year quarterback. Defeating divisional rivals will depend on a top-shelf wide receiver for the foreseeable future.