2020 NFL Mock Draft: Breaking Down Post-Week 14 Predictions

The 2020 NFL draft may as well be renamed the Joe Burrow draft.

The LSU senior quarterback has set college football on fire this season and surpassed Alabama junior quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as the most sought-after QB in this year's class.  

Burrow is responsible for his own surge, though. In his second season as LSU's starter, Burrow has torched opponents for 4,715 yards and 48 touchdowns opposite only six interceptions with a 77.9 completion percentage.

There are plenty of quarterback-needy NFL teams craving that type of production. Topping that list through Week 14 are the 1-12 Cincinnati Bengals, who have benched veteran Andy Dalton for rookie fourth-rounder Ryan Finley before returning to Dalton.

Below is a projection for the Bengals' No. 1 pick as well as every first-round selection.

2020 Round 1 Mock Draft

1. Cincinnati Bengals (1-12): Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2. New York Giants (2-10): Chase Young, DE, Ohio State

3. Washington Redskins (3-10): Andrew Thomas, OL, Georgia

4. Miami Dolphins (3-10): Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

5. Detroit Lions (3-9-1): Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

6. Arizona Cardinals (3-9-1): Tristan Wirfs, OL, Iowa

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

8. Atlanta Falcons (4-9): A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

9. New York Jets (5-8): Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

10. Los Angeles Chargers (5-8): Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

11. Denver Broncos (5-8): CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

12. Carolina Panthers (5-8): Grant Delpit, S, LSU

13. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7): Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

14. Oakland Raiders (6-7): Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama 

15. Indianapolis Colts (6-7): Derrick Brown, DL, Auburn

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7): Jacob Eason, QB, Washington

17. Cleveland Browns (6-7): Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin

18. Oakland Raiders via the Chicago Bears (7-6): Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

19. Tennessee Titans (8-5): Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina

20. Jacksonville Jaguars, via the 8-5 Los Angeles Rams: Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama

21. Dallas Cowboys (6-7): Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri

22. Miami Dolphins, via the 8-5 Pittsburgh Steelers: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

23. Miami Dolphins, via the 8-5 Houston Texans: Austin Jackson, OL, USC

24. Minnesota Vikings (9-4): Xavier McKinney, CB, Alabama

25. Buffalo Bills (9-4): Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

26. Kansas City Chiefs (9-4): Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

27. Green Bay Packers (10-3): Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State

28. Seattle Seahawks (10-3): CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

29. New England Patriots (10-3): Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

30. New Orleans Saints (10-3): Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson

31. Baltimore Ravens (11-2): J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State

32. San Francisco 49ers (11-2): Trey Adams, OL, Washington

Order via Tankathon

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

The "Tanking for Tua" mantra took a hit because of Tagovailoa's injury-riddled 2019, which ended with a dislocated hip on Nov. 16.

The 2018 Heisman Trophy runner-up underwent successful surgery at Memorial Hermann in Houston. The hospital's chief of orthopedic surgery, Walt Lowe, though mostly touting optimism, offered caution in terms of Tagovailoa's recovery to the Montgomery Advertiser's Alex Byington:

"And this is one of those situations that even with a great surgeon and a great surgical result, you don't know the outcome of it for a while. ... The most critical time is the first six months, then after that, if he looks great, the odds get better and better that he's not going to have that problem. But there's some worry about it (as far) out as probably a year to a year and a half to two years, I'd guess."

Tagovailoa had previously undergone surgery for a high ankle sprain in late October but only missed Alabama's Oct. 26 game against Arkansas. 

When healthy under center, Tagovailoa looked every bit a generational talent. The 21-year-old tallied 2,840 yards, 33 touchdowns and three picks on 71.4 percent accuracy in addition to two rushing touchdowns.

There will be a team that selects Tagovailoa in the first round. The question will be when. The Miami Dolphins, sitting at No. 4, haven't had a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino. For a franchise so desperate, the potential Tagovailoa has shown when healthy to be that guy figures to outweigh any long-term concerns.

Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

The Bayou has been all about Burrow this season, but he isn't the only first-round talent on head coach Ed Orgeron's undefeated squad.

Senior cornerback Fulton has been a bright spot on the Tigers' 32nd-ranked defense:

The 4-9 Jacksonville Jaguars, as with any sub-.500 team, have several needs to address. However, a gaping hole was left in their secondary when they traded 25-year-old All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams in mid-October. 

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

The 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs' glaring weaknesses are on defense, but the opportunity to pair an all-purpose running back like Taylor with their high-octane offense could be too tempting to pass up.

Kansas City's future is mostly set on offense with reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and skill players such as receiver All-Pro Tyreek Hill, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce and rookie second-round receiver Mecole Hardman. The issue is at running back. 

The Chiefs have been limping through this season with the 24th-ranked rushing offense behind 31-year-old LeSean McCoy and often-injured Damien Williams. Mahomes has also dealt with injuries—an ailing ankle and dislocated kneecap—that highlight the need for a better running game. 

Taylor finished the regular season second in FBS with 2,118 all-purpose yards, second with 1,909 rushing yards, second with 146.8 rushing yards per game and tied for second with 21 rushing touchdowns. The Wisconsin junior is also the reigning Doak Walker Award winner. 

The Chiefs saw the dividends of having a game-changing running back alongside Mahomes last season before releasing Kareem Hunt after a TMZ Sports video showed Hunt shoving and kicking a woman.

Taylor possesses all the tools to bring a dynamism out of the backfield to Kansas City.