Ranking the five best value picks in the 2020 NFL Draft

1. Bradlee Anae, DE, Dallas Cowboys

Round 5, Pick 179

I still cannot believe that Bradlee Anae fell almost completely out of the first five rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. To me, Anae was a clear Day 2 talent who has obvious value at an extremely important defensive position. At worst, Anae should have been an early Day 3 selection. However, in the end, Anae ended up falling all the way to the last pick of the fifth round, where the Dallas Cowboys happily scooped him up to fill a clear need on their roster.

Anae was an extremely productive college player who was a stable force on the Utah defensive line for the last three seasons. Over the last three seasons, Anae played in 36 games and piled up 40 tackles for loss and 29.5 sacks. He also showed the ability to make plays on the ball, batting down three passes at the of scrimmage and forcing five fumbles over the last three years.

Simply put, Anae was an impact playmaker for Utah up front and was a consistent force to be reckoned with on their defensive line. He won with a quick first step, tremendous power at the point of attack and a relentless motor.

Anae is not the most elite athlete at the edge rusher position, but he gets off of the ball quickly and always makes the most out of his talent. He was never going to have the physical skill-set to be a first-round pick, but he is a rock-solid football player who can help an NFL team right away. Anae falling to the last pick of the fifth round was absolutely foolish.

Teams clearly were turned off by Anae’s performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. While he certainly had his struggles at the combine, I just don’t understand how that testing meant more to teams that his three years of top-notch college production. Make no mistake about it, Anae is a good football player who will be able to fill an immediate need for the Cowboys up front. Snagging him with the 179th overall pick was without a doubt the biggest steal of the 2020 NFL Draft.