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2020 NFL Draft Order: Updated First-Round Listings After Week 16
December 23, 2019
It's been another tough season for Cincinnati Bengals fans but good news has arrived. The Bengals are on the clock with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
With Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati is now locked into the top spot in the upcoming draft. The Bengals fell to 1-14, and no other team has fewer than three wins this season.
It's the first time Cincinnati will have the No. 1 pick since 2003, when it drafted USC quarterback Carson Palmer. Many are projecting the Bengals to potentially take another quarterback, LSU's Joe Burrow, with the top pick this time around, but there is still a lot of time for mock drafts and predictions to change.
After Sunday's Week 16 action, here's a look at how the first round of the NFL draft would unfold based on the current standings.
Current 2020 NFL Draft 1st-Round Order
1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Washington Redskins
3. Detroit Lions
4. New York Giants
5. Miami Dolphins
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
7. Los Angeles Chargers
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Arizona Cardinals
10. New York Jets
11. Denver Broncos
12. Cleveland Browns
13. Atlanta Falcons
14. Oakland Raiders
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Indianapolis Colts
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Oakland Raiders (from Chicago)
19. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh)
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from L.A. Rams)
21. Philadelphia Eagles
22. Tennessee Titans
23. Buffalo Bills
24. Minnesota Vikings
25. Miami Dolphins (from Houston)
26. Kansas City Chiefs
27. Seattle Seahawks
28. Green Bay Packers
29. New England Patriots
30. New Orleans Saints
31. San Francisco 49ers
32. Baltimore Ravens
A New Franchise Quarterback in Cincinnati?
There are still four months until the draft, but it's clear the Bengals need a new quarterback.
Andy Dalton, who is 32, has been unimpressive the past few seasons, and this year he's thrown only 11 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions in 11 games. He is not the future at the position for Cincinnati, so it's time for it to draft his replacement.
Burrow appears to be the top option right now, as the LSU quarterback recently won the Heisman Trophy after leading the Tigers to the SEC championship and their first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. He has set the SEC records for passing yards (4,715) and passing touchdowns (48).
The Bengals have missed the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, but this year has been the low point. It's the first time Cincinnati has won fewer than six games in a season since 2010. If the Bengals don't beat the Browns in Week 17, it will be the first time they've ever had fewer than two wins in a year.
Washington Closing in on Securing No. 2 Pick
The Redskins lost to the NFC East-rival Giants in overtime on Sunday, but that was actually a good thing for their draft position. Washington fell to 3-12, which currently slots it in at the No. 2 pick, just ahead of Detroit at 3-11-1.
If the Redskins lose to the Cowboys in Dallas in Week 17, they'll be locked into the No. 2 spot. However, the Lions have three wins and the Giants and Dolphins each have four, so there could still be some movement in the top five, including Washington moving down.
After drafting Dwayne Haskins last year, it's unlikely the Redskins would take a quarterback with their early pick. But it's possible they could take another Ohio State player—defensive end Chase Young, a Heisman Trophy finalist who is the best defensive player in the class.
Or Washington could target one of the top wide receivers, such as Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb or Alabama receivers Henry Ruggs III or Jerry Jeudy. Of course, the Redskins have a lot of holes on their roster, so there are quite a few ways they could go with their pick.
Miami Preparing to Make Trio of Picks in Opening Round
The Dolphins are closing in on having a top-five pick. But that'll only be the first of three times their team's name is called on the opening night of the draft in Las Vegas in April.
Miami has acquired two additional first-round picks in trades this year. On Sept. 1, the Dolphins got a 2020 first-rounder from the Texans in the deal that sent tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills to Houston. Then, they picked up another one in the trade that sent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers on Sept. 16.
So, Miami will have several opportunities to better its team on the first night of the draft alone. It's possible the Dolphins could target a quarterback, such as Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa or Oregon's Justin Herbert, but they also might go for the best available players at each pick.
No matter who they select, how the Dolphins fare with these three picks could greatly affect the direction of the franchise for the next few years.