Analyzing the best draft pick that each AFC North team made in the 2020 NFL Draft.
There’s a feeling of fresh confidence with every fan base after the draft, and the 2020 NFL Draft is no different. Everyone feels like their team got better in some capacity, and now we have to wait to see it play out on the field.
The AFC North is a division built on tough rivalries, but that really wasn’t in the cards in 2019. After Ben Roethlisberger went down, it looked like the division was up for grabs. The Baltimore Ravens snatched it, winning 12 in a row after starting 2-2. The Steelers, Bengals and Browns are all chasing now, and they needed good drafts to do it. Cincinnati is hitting a reset button, and the other two are continuing to build.
Let’s look at how the improvements through the NFL Draft went and look at the best pick for every team in the AFC North.
Baltimore Ravens: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Round 1, 28th overall
The Ravens put together an outstanding NFL Draft from top to bottom, getting great value at every spot. They did some great work in the third round, selecting both Justin Madubuike and Malik Harrison to help out the front seven, along with Devin Duvernay to add more speed to the receiving group.
Their best pick, however, came in the first round. It felt clear that linebacker was important to address for Baltimore, but forcing the issue in round one isn’t the way to go. The good news is that they had a top talent in the draft fall to them at 28 in Patrick Queen.
Queen will do so much for a defense, and it’s crazy to think about how he flew under the radar until the postseason. He has such an excellent feel for coverage and reading the quarterbacks eyes, and is a good finisher working downhill. Queen’s speed and athleticism will help his transition, and he could make a big impact in year one.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Highsmith, Edge, Charlotte
Round 3, 102nd Overall
The Pittsburgh Steelers had an interesting 2020 NFL Draft, especially because early in the 2019 season, they shipped their first-round pick off to Miami for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. That’s worked out so far, as Fitzpatrick looked like one of the best defensive backs in the league last season at just 23 years of age.
Pittsburgh had limited resources in the NFL Draft and tried to make the most of it. They went wide receiver in the second round, selecting Notre Dame combine standout Chase Claypool. His size and speed will bring a new dynamic. But, the best pick for the Steelers came at the end of day two.
With the 102nd pick, a compensatory selection in round three, Pittsburgh selected Charlotte edge rusher, Alex Highsmith. Highsmith showed some flashes as a junior, where he recorded 18.5 tackles for loss, but didn’t fill up the sheet in terms of getting home as a pass rusher.
As a senior, it all changed. Highsmith put together a phenomenal year, posting 15 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. He showed a great first step, strong hands, and an ability to threaten the outside track. He may not get a ton of snaps in 2020, but he should be able to affect the quarterback in those before potentially taking over in 2021 as a starter on the edge.
Cleveland Browns: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
Round 1, 10th Overall
The Cleveland Browns entered the offseason after what many believed was a failure in 2019. The expectations were very high, and the team fell flat with Freddie Kitchens, the offense, and the locker room.
Now it’s a new era with Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski. That era started with the signing of Jack Conklin to fix the issue at tackle that was a major problem in 2019, and keeping Baker Mayfield clean is important as we turn to the 2020 season. That issue wasn’t completely fixed heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, and luckily the Browns got an elite tackle in the first round.
Jedrick Wills didn’t come in to 2019 as the top tackle on the radar for draft analysts, but he rose up the ranks with an outstanding year. The first thing that stands out with Wills is his recovery quickness and his ability to change direction quickly to stay in front of rushers. He’s also very powerful at the point of attack, and can instantly move defenders off their spot.
The biggest question with Wills is his ability to transition to play left tackle. While it’s easy for some, others in the NFL have talked about how it would be difficult. If Wills can do that, he will be very effective in this Browns offense.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Round 1, 1st Overall
As if this one wasn’t an obvious one. Is it easy to say the number one overall pick was the best pick? Yes, of course it is. This isn’t to say that the Bengals didn’t make other important additions in the NFL Draft.
Tee Higgins should bring more to the offense, especially with a quarterback now who likes to trust his receivers with 50-50 balls. Cincinnati also heavily invested in the linebacker position, adding both a special athlete who can blitz, rush, spy, and cover in Akeem Davis-Gaither, and three down potential in Logan Wilson.
But, ultimately, the best pick they made was Joe Burrow. Burrow is the pick that needs to be made to turn the franchise around, one that failed to get over the hump (in terms of advancing through the postseason) in the 2010s.
New head coach Zac Taylor gets a quarterback that is accurate to all levels of the field, one who makes good decisions, and one who works through full-field reads. Is his arm strength top-notch? No. However, good and quick mechanics make up for that, and he can push it down the field.
Burrow is entering a pretty good situation around him, between quality weapons at receiver and a workhorse running back. This will be a fun Bengals team to watch come the fall.