The Most Overrated Players in the 2020 NFL Draft

Every year, at least one emerging NFL prospect rises like a rocket through the predraft process only to crash down to earth once he reaches the pro playing field.

One of the few constants in the NFL draft is that whether due to impressive measurables, a strong combine performance, stellar interviews or gaudy statistics, players get overrated and overdrafted.

When overrated players fail to meet expectations, they're labeled as busts—even though they largely had nothing to do with said expectations.

Here, we'll examine the six most overrated players of the 2020 draft, based on recent reports and mock draft trends. To be clear, we're not saying these players will be busts or won't be tremendous NFL players—only that they shouldn't be as highly regarded as they are with only a few days to go.

---

Tune in to our 2020 NFL Draft Show for live, in-depth analysis on what each pick means for your team, with hosts Adam Lefkoe, Matt Miller and Connor Rogers. No fluff, no B.S. Download the B/R app and watch starting Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. ET.

Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins regularly shows up in the first round of mock drafts, often among the first few receivers taken. NFL.com's Charles Davis, for example, recently mocked Higgins at No. 21, the fourth receiver off the board.

It's not hard to understand the Higgins hype. He's a 6'4", 216-pound pass-catcher who racked up 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. However, he is more of a body-control winner than a separator, and he could struggle to get loose against big, physical NFL corners.

"The transition to NFL press corners will be an early challenge that could take some time to solve," NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote.

Higgins ran a good-not-great 4.54-second 40 at his pro day.

While he has size and tremendous ball skills, Higgins isn't a plus athlete. That's OK, because with his skill set, he can be a very good possession receiver at the next level. He just isn't likely to be a true No. 1 like fellow prospects CeeDee Lamb of Oklahoma and Jerry Jeudy of Alabama.

Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

Vasha Hunt/Associated Press

When it comes to wide receivers, NFL decision-makers love speed. And when they find it, they can fall hard. This is why Alabama's Henry Ruggs III is likely to be drafted ahead of Higgins and possibly near the top of Round 1.

Unlike Higgins, Ruggs showed his speed at the combine. He ran an impressive 4.27-second 40. He isn't just a track athlete either, as film study will show he consistently creates separation against college opponents.

However, Ruggs is also a smaller receiver at just 5'11" and 188 pounds. He could struggle against pro corners in press coverage, and he isn't going to dominate like a No. 1 wideout in the mold of Julio Jones or DeAndre Hopkins. He rarely dominated at Alabama, averaging just 3.3 receptions per game in 2019.

Speed is not everything. Ruggs could be the next DeSean Jackson or Tyreek Hill. He could also be the next John Ross. The mere idea that he could be the first wideout off the board in a ridiculously deep receiver class makes him overrated—and it could indeed happen if the New York Jets get their wish. The Jets have been eyeing Ruggs "very closely," according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Like Higgins and Ruggs, Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton is getting a ton of predraft hype because of his size and speed. The Cardinals star measured in at a hulking 6'7" and 364 pounds in Indianapolis and then ran the 40-yard dash in just 5.1 seconds.

That size-speed combination is difficult to ignore.

However, some team intoxicated by Becton's measurables could ignore the fact that he is unpolished as a pass protector. He was underwhelming in his first two seasons as a starter, and his strong 2019 campaign may have been deceptive.

"The Louisville offense featured a lot of play-action passes and screens in 2019, which in turn, restricted Becton to only 73 true pass sets (i.e., standard quarterback dropbacks)," Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus wrote. "On those 73 true pass sets, Becton allowed eight pressures, which is a concerning rate."

Becton may not be ready to start as a rookie, which could be problematic if a team drafts him in the top 10—as the Jacksonville Jaguars do in the latest mock of NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah.

Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Georgia offensive tackle Andrew Thomas is sort of the antithesis of Becton. A seasoned left tackle with limited upside, Thomas has the potential to be a pro-ready blocker but perhaps not a great one. As Bleacher Report draft analyst Matt Miller recently noted, this could be enough to make him the first tackle off the board.

"In a world rocked by pandemic and with the league facing uncertainty over when training camps or practices will happen, Thomas' NFL traits and readiness are more valuable than the projected ceilings of the other tackle prospects," Miller wrote.

The problem? While upside shouldn't be the sole basis for drafting a player highly, neither should pro readiness. If Thomas can only be an above-average starter, he should not be a top-five or top-10 selection.

"Thomas is a gritty player with above-average recovery talent to 'get the job done' when his process breaks down," Zierlein wrote of Thomas.

That does not sound like the type of tackle NFL teams should be scrambling to land.

Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon

Collin Andrew/Associated Press

Oregon's Justin Herbert is not the only quarterback on this list who is being overrated because of his physical attributes. However, the idea that he will be the second quarterback off the board because of his big frame (6'6", 236 lbs) and powerful arm is a bit scary.

Yet Herbert could indeed be the second signal-caller drafted. He's reportedly the favorite of the Miami Dolphins, according to Miller, and Miami owns the fifth overall pick.

Herbert has the measurables, and he looks great throwing the ball from a clean pocket. However, he does not possess the intangibles teams should want in a top-five quarterback.

"That's what concerns me about Justin Herbert," ESPN's Dan Orlovsky said on the Dan Patrick Show. "No one's going, 'Man, he's got great instincts,' or 'Gosh, his accuracy is ridiculous,' or 'He's just got this ability to make all these different kinds of throws.' Those are all the things that people talk about—or I talk about—that he struggles with."

This doesn't sound like the sort of quarterback teams should be eager to put into the driver's seat.

Jordan Love, QB, Utah State

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

A few years ago, Utah State's Jordan Love would likely be viewed as a prospect with plenty of upside but too many question marks to consider in the first round. However, the emergence of Patrick Mahomes has caused many folks to rethink their view of unpolished quarterback prospects with questionable habits.

Love was recently mocked all the way up at No. 10—in a trade by the New Orleans Saints—by NFL.com's Chad Reuter.

Given the desire of teams to land their franchise signal-callers, Love could indeed be a high first-round pick. However, his potential alone should not entice teams to climb into the top 10 to get him. While his athleticism and arm talent are impressive, Love failed to elevate the talent around him, particularly in 2019.

Last season, he passed for 3,402 yards with just 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.

Zierlein's pro comparison for Love? Blake Bortles. That says plenty about how Love is being overrated as a potential top-10 selection.