Ranking Every Position in the 2020 NFL Draft
The 2020 NFL draft class looks like one of the most balanced in recent memory.
A historic season from Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow throws a bigger spotlight on quarterbacks—as much as a strong push from Ohio State defensive end Chase Young puts a target on them.
But the class is anything but top-heavy or isolated to one or two good positions. Wideout is the deepest its been in years, the offensive line is rebounding, pass-rushers abound and the versatile nature of defenders at all three levels offers intrigue.
Weighted by the top-end talent of each position more than anything else—the biggest stars have the most impact potential, after all—here's a ranking of each position in the NFL draft from weakest to strongest before the April 25-27 event.
9. Tight Ends
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Top Prospects
- Brycen Hopkins, Purdue
- Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
- Hunter Bryant, Washington
A year after T.J. Hockenson went in the top 10 and Noah Fant went in the top 20, this group probably won't see a tight end go in the top 50 picks.
That's a product of class quality as much as it is a likelihood that teams will splurge on the deep wideout crop.
Purdue's Brycen Hopkins is in contention to be the first tight end off the board, which makes sense for a 6'5" target with 61 catches, 830 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. It's a similar story for Notre Dame's Cole Kmet (6'5"), a breakout high-upside athlete who caught 43 passes and six scores. And Washington's Hunter Bryant, while only 6'2", caught 52 passes with 825-plus yards in an expanded role.
Otherwise, the class has the usual safety-risk balance. LSU's Thaddeus Moss has big upside but played with Burrow, which may have padded his weaknesses, and a senior like Oregon's Jacob Breeland provides a nice floor but isn't exciting.
It's a quiet year for tight ends.
8. Running Back
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Top Prospects
- D'Andre Swift, Georgia
- J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
The 2020 running back class looks ho-hum—just like the 2019 edition, which featured Josh Jacobs as the obvious No. 1 and plenty of depth.
Georgia's D'Andre Swift leads the way a season removed from averaging 6.2 yards per carry with 1,218 yards and seven scores, plus another 24 catches.
J.K. Dobbins out of Ohio State (6.7 rushing average, 2,003 yards and 21 scores on the ground; 23 catches) and Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor (6.3, 2,003, 21, 26, respectively) have similar stories in that they can shred on the ground and contribute through the air as complete backs.
Beyond those sure rookie contributors, the position has plenty of depth—from sheer bully backs such as AJ Dillon out of Boston College to shifter guys like Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Eno Benjamin and Lamical Perine.
As in 2019, this group won't have a top-10 contender, but it's matching the positional trend by offering a little something for any team that needs a backfield rotation piece.
7. Cornerbacks
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Top Prospects
- Jeff Okudah, Ohio State
- Trevon Diggs, Alabama
- CJ Henderson, Florida
Corner is in a similar position to last year when only one came off the board in the opening round (the Giants' Deandre Baker, No. 30) before a flurry started Day 2.
There is no question as to which corner hears his name first this year. In fact, Ohio State's Jeff Okudah has the traits, production and upside to be a top-10 pick. That's what happens for prospects from big programs who check in at 6'1" and 200 pounds and are capable of physically matching up with bigger players in man-to-man coverage all over the field.
Which isn't to say teams can't find good prospects later. Alabama's Trevon Diggs is 6'2" and a former wideout who was exposed to various coverages during his time under Nick Saban, and he's got eventual starting boundary corner written all over him.
Elsewhere in the SEC, CJ Henderson used a lanky, 6'1" frame and superb speed to get all over the field in coverage for the Gators. Like the other two detailed here, some strong aggressiveness in terms of ball skills should translate well.
Corner looks like it might offer a double-digit serving of top-100 prospects, mainly from bigger programs. Scheme and position fits abound, though Okudah sits above the rest.
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6. Safeties
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Top Prospects
- Grant Delpit, LSU
- Xavier McKinney, Alabama
- Ashtyn Davis, California
Safety has seen a draft resurgence over the last few years. Last offseason, two came off the board in the first round (Darnell Savage, Johnathan Abram), and nine were top-100 picks.
As the NFL strains to contain versatile quarterbacks, this should only repeat, starting with LSU's Grant Delpit. A star for the national champions, Delpit checks in at 6'3" and can play numerous spots, whether it's lining up in the slot, dropping back, applying pressure or moving like a linebacker in varying coverages.
Xavier McKinney might not get as much attention, but he isn't as far behind Delpit as it might seem. Thank his incredibly rangy play when pushed deep downfield. Some experience at linebacker in sub-packages sure doesn't hurt, nor does his SEC experience.
From there, name recognition falls off a cliff, though it might be wise to learn about California's Ashtyn Davis, another bigger (6'1", 200 lbs) safety with loads of experience in 45 games for the Golden Bears. He's more about upside than instant production, but his flashes of strong coverage skills while manned up or deep back in a zone scream "Day 2 pick."
As with many defensive positions, the strain of containing evolving offenses demands more versatility and transitions than ever, and the top 2020 safeties have it all. Plenty of names down the board excel in at least one area, making for another deep class with plenty of specialized defenders.
5. Linebackers
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Top Prospects
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson
- Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma
- Malik Harrison, Ohio State
The continued merging of skill sets required for each linebacker position in response to the NFL's pass-happy ways was a problem for a few years.
But not for this inbound linebacker class.
Clemson's Isaiah Simmons is the prototype. The hybrid player is a probable top-10 pick who can float between linebacker and safety roles and play the matchup game against tight ends or patrol deep with his range.
Kenneth Murray's skills might put the Oklahoma defender into the first round too. Like Simmons, he's a nasty blitzer and can match well with running backs or otherwise while making plays in a sideline-to-sideline manner. Ditto for Malik Harrison out of Ohio State, who's blossoming as a pass defender but excels more than Simmons and Murray against the run.
And that's just the top three, as quality top-50 candidates such as LSU's Patrick Queen, Oregon's Troy Dye and Texas Tech's Jordyn Brooks sit on big potential. It's a good time for a team to need a linebacker and a bad time for a veteran linebacker to hit the free-agent market.
4. Offensive Line
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Top Prospects (OT)
- Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama
- Andrew Thomas, Georgia
- Tristan Wirfs, Iowa
Top Prospects (IOL)
- Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin
- Nick Harris, Washington
- Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU
The 2020 class represents a resurgence for the offensive trenches, which the NFL won't complain about.
At offensive tackle, the pecking order is well-agreed upon. Alabama's Jedrick Wills Jr. excelled in the SEC and has the eye of folks such as The Athletic's Dane Brugler, who told Ethan Greenberg of the Jets' official website: "We knew he was a mauler in the run game, but he's an ascending pass protector as well. He's explosive, he's long, he can move and he has the competitive appetite that you want at the position."
Georiga's Andrew Thomas also bullied the SEC and looks like a first-round prospect, and Iowa's Tristan Wirfs, a massive 6'5" and 322 pounds, fits that description out of the Big Ten.
While the interior offensive line rankings aren't as uniform yet, it's hard to complain about yet another Wisconsin lineman leading the way. Tyler Biadasz was the No. 1 center and a top-25 prospect on a recent big board from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Washington's Nick Harris and LSU's Lloyd Cushenberry III will be on early-round NFL radars after they played well at big programs.
This sort of top-end talent pairs nicely with the usual depth, which ranges from smaller-school projects with high ceilings to guaranteed middle-round guys with decent floors.
3. Defensive Line
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Top Prospects (EDGE)
- Chase Young, Ohio State
- A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
- K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Top Prospects (IDL)
- Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina
- Derrick Brown, Auburn
- Ross Blacklock, TCU
Were it not for Burrow's historic season, Young would probably be the No. 1 pick—and he still could be.
Young's resume doesn't need much detail, as he's a Nick Bosa-level prospect with immense upside and immediate impact. It's a shame his status overshadows that of somebody like Iowa's A.J. Epenesa, who should be a mid-first-round pick thanks to his blend of size (6'6", 280 lbs) and athleticism, which helps him make plays all over the field. LSU's K'Lavon Chaisson is a fast-riser with immense upside who can stand up or put his hand in the dirt in any formation.
Inside sits a wicked set of prospects who tout versatility and explosiveness. Javon Kinlaw's meteoric rise continued at Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama, where he put on a show, per NFL.com's Bucky Brooks. Auburn's Derrick Brown is second only to Young on Daniel Jeremiah's big board at NFL.com, and TCU's Ross Blacklock is a quick-rising player with enough burst to rush the passer but is still stout enough to stay on the field against any look.
Thanks to the talent at the top, the defensive line group is among the year's best. Rich in pressure creators for various packages and stalwart defenders inside who can kick outside in multiple looks, this is yet another infusion of diverse, scheme-varying talent that pro coordinators probably can't wait to get their hands on.
2. Wide Receiver
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Top Prospects
- Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
- Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
- CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Listing the best wideout prospects could take a long, long time.
It should say a lot about Jerry Jeudy that he's seemingly the consensus top player, though. The 6'1", 192-pound Alabama star put up 1,000-plus yards in consecutive seasons while scoring 24 total touchdowns and averaging at least 15 yards per catch each year, which is a testament to his superb route running and slippery open-field nature.
Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb isn't far behind, though—not after 1,100-plus yards and 25 combined receiving touchdowns over the past two years with a minimum average of 17.8 yards per catch each season. With a similar build to Jeudy, the 6'2", 189-pound Oklahoma star is dynamite at working himself open before exploding after the catch.
And the talent of those two undermines just how good Alabama's Henry Ruggs III is, thanks to his speedy game that mimics the likes of Tyreek Hill. Though he caught no more than 46 passes in each of his three seasons with the Crimson Tide, he posted 24 receiving touchdowns.
Despite the above talent, this is hardly a top-heavy class. Experienced wideouts such as Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk and USC's Michael Pittman Jr. could make immediate impacts, and high-upside guys such as Penn State's KJ Hamler and Clemson's Tee Higgins won't last long into Day 2.
While it sometimes seems as though notable wideouts fall while teams prioritize talent elsewhere, this sort of offering could see 10 or more prospects come off the board in the top 50.
1. Quarterback
9 of 9
Top Prospects
- Joe Burrow, LSU
- Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
- Justin Herbert, Oregon
Burrow is the likely No. 1 pick. His list of accolades is lengthy after his breakout 2019 season, which included 60 passing touchdowns and just six interceptions, but the bigger allure is his demeanor and pro-level traits, including the ability to read defenses.
And hip injury or not, Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa figures to come off the board in the top 10 thanks to his versatile, modern set of NFL-worthy skills. Over just 252 attempts in 2019, he completed 71.4 percent of them with 33 touchdowns and three picks—adding two rushing scores.
There's a dip after that, with Justin Herbert's stock cooled compared to this time a year ago. The Oregon product still threw 32 touchdowns and just six picks, but he's evened out while others have ascended.
While it's hard to say if this class could produce a later-round surprise like a Gardner Minshew II, there are guys with interesting brews of traits (Jalen Hurts, Jordan Love) and steady starting experience that could translate in the right situation (Jake Fromm, Jacob Eason).
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