NFL Draft 2020 Rumors: Latest on Chase Young, Possible Joe Burrow Trade, More

Though the 2020 NFL draft is just two weeks away, the first-round picture remains a bit cloudy. However, we do know LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is likely to be the first player off the board followed closely by other quarterbacks and Ohio State edge-rusher Chase Young.

As is always the case with the draft, though, there's no guarantee of how things will unfold.

Perhaps the surest thing right now is that Young isn't going to last long on opening night.

According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the 20-year-old hasn't been getting public interest from teams selecting lower than third overall:

If the Cincinnati Bengals take Burrow with the No. 1 pick, as most expect, Young likely won't make it past the Washington Redskins at No. 2 or the Detroit Lions at No. 3. This is a sentiment apparently shared by other NFL teams. The lack of contact may also suggest that teams don't believe a trade up to secure Young is possible.

According to ESPN's John Keim, Washington has "long liked" the Buckeyes sack-artist. If the Redskins trade out of the No. 2 spot, it will likely be so that a team can get a quarterback and will likely be for a rich trade haul.

If Washington does trade down, the Lions will most likely pounce on Young.

Of course, as Rapoport pointed out, some teams could simply be feigning disinterest in Young. It won't come as a shock for a team to make a move up when either Washington or Detroit is officially on the clock.

A Dolphins-Burrow Trade 'Not Impossible'

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

What happens if the Bengals don't take Burrow at No. 1? For starters, the first round will immediately be a lot more interesting. Secondly, it will likely mean either Cincinnati took Young instead of a quarterback or it moved down for a massive trade package.

In the first scenario, teams will be scrambling to make a deal with Washington. In the latter, there's a good chance that Miami ends up with the LSU star.

According to ESPN's Cameron Wolfe, some NFL decision-makers believe the Dolphins could make a deal with Cincinnati.

"Some league executives told ESPN that a Dolphins trade for Burrow is unlikely, given all that goes into it, but it's not impossible," he wrote. "The Dolphins like Burrow a lot, according to sources. Plus, Burrow would be happy to play in Miami if it works out that way, another source said."

Miami owns three first-round picks in this year's draft, including the fifth overall selection. If the Bengals only have to move back four spots, they may still have a shot at Oregon signal-caller Justin Herbert or Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. That possibility, along with a bevy of fresh draft capital, could convince Cincinnati to make a move.

"I've heard there are some inside the Bengals who are true believers in Herbert, and if so, such a deal could be intelligent for Cincinnati," NBC Sports' Peter King wrote.

The question for Cincinnati is whether it values Burrow more than, say, Herbert and two or three other franchise building blocks.

The McKinney Draft Buzz is Growing

If the Bengals do trade down for a package of Dolphins picks—Miami also owns the 18th and 26th selections—one player they could target is Alabama safety Xavier McKinney. That could be huge for Cincinnati, as he appears to be one of the biggest late risers in this draft class.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, teams are even higher on the Crimson Tide star than the early predraft buzz might have indicated:

"One player who got more love than I expected when I was calling around this week: Alabama S Xavier McKinney. I got an Earl Thomas comp out of one of the NFL's most respected evaluators, and not a lot of disagreement when I ran that by a couple of other veteran evaluators. Another called him 'premium ... one of the best safeties I've ever watched.' Teams love his athleticism and his versatility to play up, back or in the slot."

This is interesting because McKinney has largely been overshadowed by teammates Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III during the draft process. He's also been overshadowed by defensive prospects such as Young, Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown.

However, McKinney, who racked up 95 tackles, three interceptions and four forced fumbles in 2019, is being viewed as an elite defensive prospect.

The next Earl Thomas? That might be a bit of a stretch at this point, but the comparison should have defensive coordinators drooling at the thought of snatching up the 21-year-old safety.