2020 NFL Mock Draft - RD1 Picks 17-32

For reference's sake, these comments/opinions are being written two days after watching this dork drop 333 YDS and 19 TDs on the Eagles' secondary; therefore, if I come off somewhat jaded and angry please forgive me, as my intention was to come off VERY jaded and angry. The only bright side from this past weekend was getting to see LB/Idiot Zach Brown get fired after he decided it was a good idea to announce to the world that Kirk Cousins sucks right before the Eagles played the Vikings. Granted, most Vikings fans would probably agree with him, but Earth to Zach Brown: You suck too...(AND you're unemployed). Another balm that provided instant relief to my wounds was seeing Dallas fall to the winless Jets...Ha Ha!

I've resisted slotting CBs to the Eagles in RD1 the past two years because the Eagles have invested in a youth movement in their secondary, and the thought was they just needed time to mature. Welp, they've matured now...matured into a bunch of crappy corners. The Eagles finished 30th in pass defense last year, and currently are holding down the 29th position this year. Is it really possible that the best defensive back the Eagles have drafted in the last 10 years is freaking Jalen Mills? Go ahead and laugh at that statement...but then name someone the Eagles have drafted that's any better.

As far as this year's draft goes, everyone's impulse will be to scream for the Eagles to go Corner in RD1. Not me. I don't trust them to pick a defensive back that high. If they want to trade their RD1 pick for an established CB that's already proven he can play in the NFL, go ahead (although I'd rather they trade for a 2nd tier guy who's less expensive). If they keep their RD1 pick, I'd rather they use it at a position they've had at least some success at. Aside from the Jets game, the D-Line isn't wowing anyone this year, either.

- Broz, Eagles Analyst

The Carolina Panthers have a legitimate MVP candidate, and it's not Cam Newton. Christian McCaffrey has taken the NFL by storm and currently leads the NFL in rushing yards at 618. Tampa Bay has seemed to have figured out the formula on how to halt his production, but since the Carolina Panthers already played them twice this year, Christian McCaffrey has a chance at breaking the NFL Yards From Scrimmage record. That's no small feat. McCaffrey is unquestionably one half of the reason why the Panthers are 4-2 going into their Bye Week, and I don't care what PFF and Sam Monson have to say about it!

The other half is just how vicious this defense has been for Carolina. Affectionately self-named "The Sackstreet Boys", Carolina's front seven currently lead the NFL in sacks at 27. This is due in large part to the Panthers having two players in the top 15 in sack-getters in Mario Addison (6.5) and Brian Burns (4.5), respectively. It also helps when multiple members of the Panthers' defensive backfield have notched multiple INTs during that time. A lot has changed in the sport of football, but if you're getting to the opposing team's QB, and intercepting their passes, you're damn sure doing something correct. If you noticed, I left out all the talk of a QB controversy until it actually matters. Because right now, it just doesn't. Check out the C3 Carolina Cat Chronicles podcast Tuesday nights at 9 PM, and 30 minutes after the game to hear us discuss all the latest in Panther Nation!

- Cody Lachney, Panthers Analyst

Darn those cheeseheads! Well, moreso the zebras who were officiating Monday night's contest. Two phantom illegal hands to the face penalties cost Detroit claim to first place in the NFC North division. Flowers, who had never once been called for that type of penalty in his 4-year career, found a way to get the call go against him twice in the same quarter, both on crucial downs where Detroit actually got the stop they were looking for. Detroit has had its fair share of disappointing losses in the last decade and the officials always seem to be in the muck of it.

As unfortunate as the loss to Green Bay is, the Lions now find themselves in a sort of precarious situation. At 2-2-1 and having been only a few plays away from being 5-0, it's difficult to truly say what this team needs. Is it another defensive player to help finish games? The Lions have lost 2 straight games to top-level teams (Kansas City and Green Bay) in the final drives, allowing their opponents to seal the game with a score, while also allowing the Kyler Murray-led Cardinals to make a comeback charge to force a tie in Week 1. Is it adding an offensive player to boost a unit that could also be labeled as having an inability to "finish" games? The Lions "settled" for 5 field goals on Monday night and hindsight being 20/20, just 1 touchdown in any of those situations would have likely swung the game in Detroit's favor.

Whatever positional group they choose to take, it's clear that the recurring theme of this team through 6 weeks is the inability to finish against top competition, likely meaning they are only a few pieces away from pulling these games off. In a fiercely competitive NFC North, there is literally no more room for error if they have eyes on winning the division.

- Doug Hyde, Lions Analyst

Dallas has committed a serious 3-week flip-flop, toppling from a 3-0 impressive record to 3 straight losses (marking the first time since Games 9-11 in the 2017 season that they have lost three consecutive games). In addition, it's the first time they have lost two games by two points in a single season since 1986 (33 years ago), and now it's happened twice in 3 weeks within a 6-game span. This brief parlay into history has Cowboys' fans calling for changes up and down the organization.

Players ignored Garrett's motivational hand-slap attempts during the game (do I hear hot seat?). But in reality, how many of them will be on the 2020 roster? Dallas has the highest percentage (40.59%) in the league of snaps given to players who will reach UFA status in 2020. Naturally, some of them will be re-signed; however, based on the last 2 weeks, I still believe they will focus on the defensive side of the ball during the 2020 Draft. My vote goes to Defensive Line and Defensive Secondary positions . . . now watch them draft a QB!

- Long Ball, Cowboys Analyst

At the beginning of the season, we said the number we'd be watching would be the sack totals. With 9 on the year, the Raiders have shown strong improvement, but still sit in the bottom quartile of the league. Benson Mayowa, interestingly, may be the least-loved by Gruden on the entire roster, but he leads the way with 4.5 sacks --the same number as Khalil Mack. Clelin Ferrell has been solid for a rookie (not-so-great for a #4 overall, though), and Mad Maxx Crosby looks like a Day-3 steal. Hurst and Hall have been okay, and there's enough there in the unit overall to think that maybe DL isn't in crisis mode anymore. Still, an elite prospect like big Derrick Brown would be a monster get for this team. I hate to mention it again, as it feels like Groundhog Day, but the Raiders need a LB. Currently, their roster doesn't even have a 2-deep and 40% of their unit began the season on a practice squad. One can always dream this will be the year the Raiders stop settling for the trash heap of LBers!

I don't know if watching Jalen Ramsey moping on the bench nursing his "sore back" affected team cohesiveness, but his departure to sunny LA can only help improve the mood at 1 TIAA Bank Field.

What to do with the shiny new draft pick??

Offensive firepower comes to mind - given the lack of scoring in several of their games. The emergence of D.J. Chark is a pleasant surprise, he's 3rd in the NFL through 6 games with 528 yards receiving, and tied for 2nd with 5 TDs, but the Jags rank mid-pack in key offensive categories. Further, Dede Westbrook and Chris Conley, the Jags' #2 and #3 options, are free agents following the 2020 season. We're not really sure what's going on with expensive Marqise Lee --he hasn't been a part of the Jags' offense and has seen only 2 catches on the season.

DeVonta Smith (not Jerry Jeudy?) has emerged as the favorite target of Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama, it seems. The 'Bama WR corps possess potentially four RD1 picks, but it's Smith who is gaining traction. He's got a fiery nature - Smith will serve a half-game suspension for throwing a punch in the Texas A&M game, but he's the only Alabama player to be named to the Associated Press Midseason First-Team All-America.

Since my last submission two weeks ago, things have been looking up for the Ravens! Two wins against divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati --the former on the road-- have moved Baltimore into 1st place. The Offense leads the league, well, in offense - something fans are not accustomed to seeing. Through 6 games, John Harbaugh's team has generated 451 ypg, with 205 ypg coming on the ground. For comparison, no team has ever averaged over 200 rushing yards per game over an entire season since the NFL went to a 16-game format in 1978. The 2006 Atlanta Falcons (Michael Vick, Warrick Dunn) are still the best in the 21st century with 183.7 rypg.

I fear for Lamar Jackson's legs, but watching Jackson chew up yardage (Week 6 highlights) is remarkable. He looks like a supercharged version of himself from his Louisville days!

Defensively, the Ravens are not doing a good job pressuring the opposing QB. The team jettisoned Terrell Suggs and Zadarius Smith in Free Agency, and face the potential loss of Matt Judon and Pernell McPhee following this season. As a team, the Ravens are 24th in the NFL (after 6 games) with just 11 sacks --with Judon and McPhee accounting for 7 of those! Further, the team ranks 28th in hurries with just 14. GM Eric DeCosta has been drafting Day 2 Edge Rushers over the past few years (Jaylon Ferguson 2019, Tyus Bowser 2017, Tim Williams 2017), but they haven't yet emerged or in the case of Williams, the Alabama product was recently cut.

Help!! DeCosta must do whatever he can to re-sign Judon and McPhee, and add a quality EDGE in RD 1 of the 2020 Draft.

Miami hoped that the RD1 pick they secured from the Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade would have been in the top 15. Unfortunately for the Phins, the Texans are dominating their division, and look primed to make a long run into the playoffs. With that said, Miami will still have the chance to address one of their most-glaring needs. If the Phins do indeed go QB and OT with their first 2 picks, then they should be looking at EDGE, CB, OG, or WR. Miami should look to RD2 and beyond,to address the WR and OG positions due to their depth in this draft.

In this scenario, most of the top EDGE prospects are off the board. Miami would love one of Yetur Gross-Matos, A.J.Epenesa, or Terrell Lewis to fall. Kenny Willekes could be an option, but his stock has dropped of late. The Phins only have 5 sacks through 5 weeks of the season so far. Conversely, the Phins will have their choice of 2 of the top 3 CB prospects. Kristian Fulton is off the board, so the choice is simpler: it's between Jeffrey Okudah (Ohio State) and Bryce Hall (Virginia). Okudah ticks all the boxes in terms of size and scheme fit for Miami. Okudah has quick feet and excellent recovery skills that could make him a perennial Pro-Bowler in the NFL. The Phins only have 1 interception so far this season. If Miami can get a bookend CB across from Xavien Howard, the secondary could become a big strength for the Phins.

- David Payne, Dolphins Analyst

Since we've run our last CMD, all Kirk Cousins has done is complete 79% of his passes (would be well over 80 if not for more than a couple drops), throwing for 639 yards, 6 touchdowns, and only one INT, which was on one of those drops from Stefon Diggs that actually bounced off his face at the sideline and back into the field. He's been good. That said, I'm not ready to crown his ass as the franchise QB just yet. Personally, I need to a few more big wins against good teams. He'll have plenty of opportunities as well, with the Vikings visiting the Lions, Chiefs, and Cowboys over the next four weeks (with a home "trap game" against the Redskins in there).

Perhaps the most encouraging sign from Cousins over the past couple of games has been his willingness to take shots down the field to the Vikings' dynamic duo of receivers. His Adjusted Yards/Attempt since the woeful Bears game, according to ProFootballReference.com, has been about 12.75 yards, which is over 5 yards higher than his career average. This is obviously unsustainable, but it points to the fact that he's slinging the ball and doing it accurately, which is a must if the Vikings want to be a threat in the NFC come January.

With a top-3 defense, oodles of cap money to sign and re-sign free agents, college scouts freed up from having to look for a franchise signal-caller, and the wiggle room of 9 draft picks, Brandon Beane is in the catbird seat of the S.S. Playoffs. With needs at OT, EDGE, and third Pro-Bowl-caliber OLB heading up his "To Do" List, I bet these priorities are filled before he gets to DraftVegas.

I was initially surprised to see the DraftTek computer pick a running back in RD1, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. Jonathan Taylor is the ideal complement to Devin Singletary once Gore hangs up his cleats. Taylor offers the NFL's best run-first team an unequalled size-speed combination. His size, team-first attitude, and dedicated work ethic remind me of Gore. Taylor's missed tackles forced and jump-cuts remind me of Singletary. Taylor adds another dimension for Daboll in the passing game, as well. For now, Taylor's #3 in the Heisman rankings with a sick 735-4,996 (6.8 ypc), 43 TD career stat line. Head on to RD2 to see if we add one of these OTs in RD2.

- Dean Kindig, Bills Analyst

Andy Reid's offense is accentuated by amazingly spectacular skill players. The two recent losses to the Colts and Texans, however, are a direct result of Reid's over-reliance on forcing spectacular plays instead of running the boring things that win games. Against Houston, KC's offense refused to slow down their pace and run the ball. Having possessed the ball for only 20 minutes and 17 seconds against Houston, KC is now on record for having the shortest time of possession by a home team since the stat was introduced in 1977. Hey, I get it! We are not spilling any beans when we admit that Reid prefers his offense throw the ball. The point is, you do not win games by giving the other team more opportunities.

Comparing to last season's totals at this point, the Chiefs are behind 18 rushing attempts. That's 176 fewer rushing yards (balanced offense) and more time of possession.

I'm also growing weary on the chatter circling Patrick Mahomes' mobility issue contributing to our losses. The concern should not be the QB's ankle, it's the guys in front of him who are failing to hold their blocks --except when they hold on their blocks. It is time for GM Brett Veach to invest in the athletes who support his standout performers. Adding an upper-tier O-Lineman will ease the pressure on Mahomes and provide support in the run game.

As for defensive needs? Ugh! We need to trade down and acquire more draft picks.

~ KCBudMan, Chiefs Analyst

As Tony Gonzalez said, "the Seahawks never blow anyone out." Russell Wilson has gone on record saying he loves playing in close games, which is good considering Pete Carroll's philosophy is to outlast opponents. Even with the passing game coming alive in 2019, Seattle wins games by running the ball effectively even when the bad guys know it's coming. On 3rd and short this season, the Hawks have handed the ball off 12 times for a whopping 5.3 YPC (since 2014 they've averaged 4.7 YPC).

You accomplish this in two ways, having a perennial MVP candidate at QB to keep a run defense honest and finding the biggest/nastiest power blockers. Tyler Biadasz has been an anchor for the Wisconsin OL that does a great job opening huge holes for their back -which is nothing new for the Badgers. Justin Britt currently starts at Center but has a cap hit of $11.7 million in 2020, which would make him the 3rd highest-paid center in the NFL -cutting him would result in just $2.9 million of dead cap. Biadasz plays in a similar offensive scheme and could slide in easily and not have the offensive front miss a beat.

~ Jeff Chapman, Seahawks Analyst

A Week 6 win over DET leaves the Packers at 5-1 and sitting in the driver's seat in the NFC North. The 2019 squad has already exceeded its 2018 totals in division wins (3 vs 1) and road wins (2 vs 1). In a comeback victory over the Lions, LaFleur's team showed the ability to overcome injuries and turnovers to gut out a win against a quality opponent. The highlight of the first six weeks may be the pass-rushing combo of Za'Darius Smith (6 sacks) and Preston Smith (7 sacks), the only teammates in the NFL to both rank in the top 10 in sacks as of October 15.

Though the Packers carry an Offensive DVOA score of +8.7% into Week 7, their production out of the WR group during Davante Adams' absence has been anything but efficient. Against DAL and DET, Green Bay's WRs have accounted for just 35% of the offense's catches and 43% of its yards. The Packers are lucky that Adams is only expected to miss 2-6 weeks, but GM Brian Gutekunst may be wise to think about a contingency plan in 2020 and beyond. Clemson's Tee Higgins offers the size (6'4" and 200 lbs) and big-play ability (22.9 ypc in 2019, 17 career TDs) to make him an attractive target for GB near the end of RD1.

- James Siebers, Packers Analyst

I still have hope that LSU's QB Joe Burrow will be available for the Saints when all is said and done at the 2020 NFL Draft. For this CMD, however, Burrow is off the board to the Vikes. Mickey Loomis will have to put together some moves to pull off a trade-up if the Saints really want him that badly. The way the season is going for Burrow, he may be the #1 pick overall by next year.

Meantime, future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees is still on the mend and not due back for a few more weeks, which has given Teddy Bridgewater enough time to go undefeated in the interim starting role. He has helped the Saints solidify first place in the NFC South, but the scoring was a little.....shall we say, limited, this past week vs Jacksonville.

If the Saints decide to pass on QB this year, look for them to go wide receiver or add another gem to a defense that is growing better and better each and every game. Adding a solid starting-caliber CB to the back-half rotation can never do you any harm, and Bama's Trevon Diggs can help push that unit to become even stronger. The only question for Diggs is the ability to stay healthy, but when he is and he's on the field, you know it. 20 total tackles a year ago, along with a pick and a forced fumble.

New Orleans could also be in the hunt for a RD1 TE talent, or a solid starting LB and the aforementioned WRF, so any of these positions are atop the list of "needs" when it comes to the 2020 NLF Draft for the Saints. - Rick McGlothlin, Drafttek Senior Analyst

Sitting at 5-0 through the first six weeks of the season, the Niners have yet to show any true weaknesses, staying undeterred on offense despite losing both starting OTs and maybe the best FB in football to injury. Watching the defense last season was a waking nightmare for Niners fans, but thanks to a retooled pass rush, it's now the opposing offensive coordinators waking up in a cold sweat.

Keeping in mind that San Francisco's run-heavy approach has been part of the plan, there is still space at the top of the WR depth chart. Outside of TE George Kittle, none of the Niners' pass-catchers really scare you. That's where Oklahoma State WR Tylan Wallace might be able to help. At 6'0, 185 lbs., Wallace has put the Cowboys' passing offense on his back this season to the point where he accounted for all but eight of his team's receiving yards in a win over Kansas State. Combining strong hands with speed to burn and an uncanny ability to dominate at the catch point, Wallace would be a welcome addition to the Niners' offense.

- Brett Clancy, 49ers Analyst

The New England Patriots have had nothing short of a pinball experience in 2019 at the Receiver position. Prior to Josh Gordon's reinstatement, the position looked on paper as a clear weakness. Outside of Julian Edelman, no pass catcher had significant chemistry with Tom Brady. Phillip Dorsett was set to be the second- best receiver on the team. In the wake of Rob Gronkowski's retirement, Tight End was a complete non-factor. First round pick N'Keal Harry battled injuries all throughout minicamp and pre-season.

Then Gordon was reinstated, and it appeared the weakness had transitioned into "good-enough" territory. Then came the Antonio Brown experiment. For one week of football, New England looked absolutely loaded offensively and had media folks pontificating that they could once again push for 19-0.

Since then, Brown has been cut, and the Patriots have strung together back-to-back middling offensive performances considering the level of competition. Gordon was injured in their most recent game, and it is unknown how many games he will miss, if any. Dorsett has battled injuries himself, and Edelman has never been the picture of health. This is becoming an enormous question mark as we get into the middle of the season. On the bright side, Harry is slated to return to practice and the team is bringing back Ben Watson.

- Jonathan Rosenberg, Patriots Analyst