NFL Mock Draft 2020: Early Outlook and Predictions for Entire 1st Round

The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have reached the pinnacle of the NFL world. On Sunday, they'll play in Super Bowl LIV with a place in the fraternity of champions on the line. This is where every NFL team hopes to be, and a game in which every incoming NFL prospect hopes to one day play.

This April, 256 NFL hopefuls will be drafted, marking their first steps on a journey that, for many, will take them to the Super Bowl.

Not all of these future Super Bowl participants will be selected at the top of the draft, but NFL teams certainly hope that their early picks help take them there.

2020 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State

4. New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson 

5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

7. Carolina Panthers: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

8. Arizona Cardinals: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn

10. Cleveland Browns: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

11. New York Jets: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa

12. Las Vegas Raiders: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

13. Indianapolis Colts: K'Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE, Iowa

15. Denver Broncos: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama

16. Atlanta Falcons: Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin

17. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama

18. Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh): J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State

19. Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago): Javon Kinlaw, DL, South Carolina

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams): Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame

21. Philadelphia Eagles: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida

22. Buffalo Bills: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

23. New England Patriots: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

24. New Orleans Saints: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma 

25. Minnesota Vikings: Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia

26. Miami Dolphins (from Houston): Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

27. Seattle Seahawks: Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State

28. Baltimore Ravens: Terrell Lewis, EDGE, Alabama

29. Tennessee Titans: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

30. Green Bay Packers: Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin

31. Kansas City Chiefs: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia

32. San Francisco 49ers: Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Bengals Will Listen to Offers

The Cincinnati Bengals currently have their choice of players in the 2020 draft. With the No. 1 pick, they can literally take anyone they want. The two favorites to go No. 1 are LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Ohio State edge-rusher Chase Young.

Of course, the Bengals could opt to select neither player and instead trade down for more selections. Given the team's overall lack of talent—they went 2-14, after all—this wouldn't necessarily be the worst way to go.

Earlier this month, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Bengals weren't interested in trading the No.1 pick. However, Cincinnati director of player personnel Duke Tobin has since pushed back against that notion.

"The phone's always on," he told NFL Network during the Senior Bowl.

While it would likely take a large bounty to pry the first pick away from Cincinnati, there are teams in position to do so. The Miami Dolphins, for instance, have three first-round picks this year alone. The Las Vegas Raiders have two. Expect a trade to remain in play for Cincinnati at least through February's scouting combine.

Is Tua The Top Quarterback?

Vasha Hunt/Associated Press

While Burrow is likely to be the first quarterback off the board—winning the Heisman and a national title in the same seasons look great on an NFL resume—at least one analyst believes that Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa is actually the better prospect.

"He's the finest prospect I've ever evaluated," former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl-winner Trent Dilfer said, per Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "His leadership qualities are second to none. He's smart. He's tough. ... I'm not saying he's going to be the greatest of all time, but as we sit here right now, he's the finest piece of clay I've ever seen."

If Tagovailoa were healthy, there probably would be more debate about whether he or Burrow should go No. 1. Unlike Burrow, he put more than one stellar season on film, and he played in two national championship games. However, Tagovailoa also suffered a dislocated hip and underwent surgery this past season.

Tagovailoa's recovery and medical outlook will be the keys to his draft stock. If it appears he'll return to pre-injury form, teams like the Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers could be heavily interested in him. The Bengals might be more comfortable trading back a few spots if they believe Tagovailoa can be their franchise quarterback.

Chargers Could be Interested in Love

While the Chargers could make a play for Tua or take Oregon's Justin Herbert—who won both Practice Player of the Week and MVP at the Senior Bowl—buzz is building that L.A. has a different prospect in mind.

"The Los Angeles Chargers need a quarterback, and word around Mobile is that the team likes Utah State's Jordan Love," Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller wrote.

While Love had a down year in 2018, he was fantastic the previous season, passing for 3,567 yards with 32 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Physically, he might be even more impressive than statistics would indicate.

"I've seen some similarities between Jordan Love and Patrick Mahomes," former Utah State and current Kansas City Chiefs running back Darwin Thompson said, per Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com.

Love flashed impressive arm talent and athleticism at the Senior Bowl, and he appears to be a prospect on the rise. A strong performance at the scouting combine could potentially land him near the top of Round 1.

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Check out a two-round mock draft on the latest edition of the Stick to Football podcast: