2020 NFL Draft: NFL Mocks’ final three-round 2020 NFL mock draft

The Dallas Cowboys need to add some firepower to each level of their defense. They need a couple of defensive linemen and a couple of defensive backs, and they solve the first part of their problems by drafting LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson.

The edge-rushing linebacker is quick as a snake with his first step, striking quickly from the edge. He has some development to do though, as he needs to finish better and better deploy his secondary pass-rush moves. Here, the upside is worth the risk though with Chaisson.

A.J. Terrell is a cornerback from Clemson who has a bunch of experience playing on the highest level of the game. Playing in multiple College Football Playoff games, Terrell has yet to see a stage too bright for him. A team that plans to return to the Super Bowl will find that kind of experience a plus.

Terrell is more than just experience though, as he is a good man-coverage corner who uses his length and eye discipline to his advantage in coverage. Learning from a corner like Richard Sherman would do a world of wonder for Terrell’s development and reaching his ceiling.

The Las Vegas Raiders added an alpha wide receiver with their 12th overall pick and now add Jeff Gladney from TCU to their cornerback room. Gladney possesses the mentality that there is no receiver he can’t compete with and that is largely true.

He has all of the physical gifts he needs to win his one-on-one matchups, he just needs to play with a more refined technique. Add in his willingness to help in run support and you’ve got the makings of a tough, scrappy corner that can help the Raiders’ secondary improve right away.

After addressing their front-seven with their top-10 pick, the Jaguars turn their attention to grabbing a versatile safety from Alabama. Xavier McKinney can play both free safety and strong safety, with a little nickel mixed in. He has great range and can cover from sideline to sideline and offers plus run support. The Jaguars land a leader that can be the backbone of the secondary for years to come.

There have numerous reports that the Cleveland Browns have zeroed in on Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland. After trading back twice and accumulating some extra day two picks, the Browns stay put at 21 and make the Cleveland pick. The Browns like his developmental upside due to his athleticism and technique. He will need to add a considerable amount of strength to his frame if he is to become the starter that the Browns seem to envision.

The Minnesota Vikings got rid of cornerback Xavier Rhodes this offseason and lost others at the position to free agency. They need to add one in the 2020 NFL Draft and might look into trading up for one of the top two or three corners.

If they stay put, watch LSU’s Kristian Fulton closely. He fits the mold that the Vikings seem to like in their corners, athletic and flexible. He is quick to flip his hips and react with the receiver he’s covering. Fulton has the ability to come in his rookie season and make an impact right away.

One year after drafting a wide-out in the first round, the New England Patriots do it again by selecting LSU’s Justin Jefferson in the first round this year. Jefferson is a smooth operator, running his routes crisply and efficiently. He also has better than advertised long speed and his hands are as sure as they come. He will be a welcome addition to a Patriots team and quarterback that needs the addition of offensive firepower.

The New Orleans Saints watched their top wide receiver target at 24 get sniped one pick in front by the Patriots and now turn to addressing their top need on the defensive side of the ball. They snag the best pure linebacker in the draft in Patrick Queen.

The LSU linebacker is fast, quick, and super athletic, able to cover from sideline to sideline. He is also a reliable run defender, using his quick reactionary ability to read plays and plug the designed hole. Queen will have a big impact as a rookie, it’s just a question of where. Here, it turns out to be in New Orleans.

After successfully filling the void at cornerback, the Minnesota Vikings use the 25th overall pick to replace Stefon Diggs, who was traded to the Buffalo Bills. They do so by selecting Baylor’s Denzel Mims.

Mims is a big-bodied receiver that uses his speed and body-positioning to win on jump balls downfield. He’s more than just a jump-ball receiver though. He knows how to run routes and he has strong, reliable hands. Mims can win in all assets of the game and creates separation as well. He is a good complement to Adam Theilen’s game and would provide Minnesota with a quality number two option his rookie year.

After selecting a franchise offensive tackle and quarterback earlier in the draft, the Dolphins go back to the offensive line well and take the top interior player in the draft. Cesar Ruiz has guard/center versatility, giving Miami some different options on what they can do from an offensive line standpoint. With the three new additions to the offense, things are starting to look brighter under the Florida sun.

This was a pretty easy match to make at this point in the draft. After not re-signing Jadeveon Clowney in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks need to reload at the position. PSU edge rusher Yetur Gross-Matos seems like a natural fit in the Seattle defense.

He is a bit raw but that has never stopped the Seahawks from picking athletes like him. Gross-Matos is a very good athlete, bt relies on that athleticism a little too much and needs to develop his counter moves if he is to become an impact edge defender in the NFL.

Here’s a bit of a surprise pick, but some whispers have been going around that Jordyn Brooks could go in the first round. Brooks comes from a league where passing the football is all the rage so he has ample experience in defending the pass and he does it well enough.

He is a better run defender than one would think though and is a sure tackler. The biggest thing going against him is his lack of ideal size for a middle linebacker. Overall, Brooks is a consistent player who reads his keys and performs his duties well.

Another match that was too good to pass up, A.J. Epenesa mixes well with the defensive scheme that the Tennesse Titans run. While they need an edge defender, Epenesa gives them someone that primarily plays on the edge of the defense but he can also shift down into the interior of the defensive line as well.

That versatility is something the coaching staff will no doubt covet and decide is worth the 29th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. His strength will help him to win more reps on the inside, but he will need to further develop his game if he is to be a high-level game-changer off the edge. His upside is that of Detroit Lions’ defensive end Trey Flowers and that is enough to gamble on him with the 29th pick.

There are two quarterbacks that could fall to this pick: Justin Herbert and Jordan Love. It’s doubtful that Herbert falls this far but he could possibly fall into this range. However, it’s entirely plausible that Love is sitting here when the Green Bay Packers are on the clock. And that’s a selection that the brass will have to consider.

Love needs time to develop and would get that with Aaron Rodgers ahead of him for a year or two. The Utah State quarterback is not too careful with the ball in his hands and will need to cut down on those mistakes. His accuracy isn’t bad, he just makes too many bad decisions when the play starts to break down or when he starts to hold onto the ball a little too long.

His upside is nice though, as his arm strength, mobility, and ball placement. Sitting and learning behind Rodgers, assuming the veteran would be willing to teach him, would be good for Love and would do nothing but help the soon-to-be rookie quarterback.

With the penultimate in the first round, the San Francisco 49ers address a need on their offensive line. Houston tackle Josh Jones is worth a first-round pick and head coach Kyle Shanahan would be extremely interested in taking Jones and putting a human that massive on the offensive line.

Jones is a big man and moves well for a man of that size and uses his power well. He still needs a lot of work done to refine his technique and footwork. Luckily, he won’t be pressed to play right away in San Francisco. Jones has to improve in those technical areas if he is to ever become an impact starter. The good news is he has a good chance to do so in San Francisco.

Many people are projecting the Kansas City Chiefs to go with a running back here, but with a big need at cornerback, it doesn’t make sense to pass up on a guy like Utah’s Jaylon Johnson. Johnson has the size and strength you want in a corner and is wonderful in press-coverage. He will also be more than willing to help in run support when the time comes. If Johnson is still on the board when the Chiefs are picking at 32, he should receive strong consideration for the pick.