Second Round Pre-Combine 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings
11) KJ Hamler (WR – Penn State)
After morphing into Penn State’s best weapon as a redshirt freshman a season ago, Nittany Lions wide receiver KJ Hamler was even better in 2019 with 904 receiving yards and eight touchdown receptions. While that stat line doesn’t look amazing on paper, keep in mind Hamler was playing on a run-first Penn State offense.
In fact, the Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford failed to reach 200 passing yards (six games) more times than he reached the 300-yard (twice) mark. Listed at 5’9″, 176 pounds, there will be obvious concerns about Hamler’s ability to stay healthy at the next level. Along with size concerns, Hamler displayed inconsistent hands in 2019, with 12 drops on 92 targets.
12) Henry Ruggs III (WR – Alabama)
There is a growing first-round buzz surrounding wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, but I’m lower on the Alabama prospect than most. While I see the obvious skillset on display, I just don’t think Ruggs III is as good of a football player as fellow speedsters Hamler and Reagor. Ruggs III has consecutive seasons with less than 750 receiving yards, but the explosive wide receiver has shown big-play ability with 24 total touchdowns in three seasons.
13) Justin Jefferson (WR – LSU)
After sleep-walking through his first two seasons, LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson exploded in 2019 under Joe Brady and the resurrected Tigers offense. Jefferson excelled after moving inside as LSU’s “big-slot” receiver, so the question remains if the wide receiver can win consistently on the outside.
14) Bryan Edwards (WR – South Carolina)
While this ranking might be too rich to some, I actually think I could be under-selling talented South Carolina wide receiver Bryan Edwards in my pre-combine 2020 dynasty rookie rankings.
I had Edwards as high as number ten overall back in December, but missing the 2020 Senior Bowl raised enough injury concerns that I felt compelled to drop him a half-tier. Even with Edwards admitting his knee wasn’t 100% enough to compete in the Senior Bowl, the wide receiver is largely expected to be ready for the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
15) Zack Moss (RB – Utah)
Running back Zack Moss — a chain-moving, tackle-breaking machine at Utah — has the type of game that translates to the National Football League. According to Pro Football Focus, Moss’s 204 broken tackles over the past three seasons were second-most in college football over that span, and his “0.37 broken tackles per attempt this past season is the third-best figure we’ve ever seen.”
Moss fought his way through injury woes for the majority of his college career, so the medicals at the 2020 NFL Combine are crucial to the running back’s stock.
16) Denzel Mims (WR – Baylor)
After a dominating performance at the 2020 Senior Bowl practices, former Baylor wide receiver Denzel Mims cemented himself as one of the best jump-ball receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft. With Mims showing explosion and the ability to separate at the Senior Bowl, another good showing at the 2020 NFL Combine could lock-in the wide receiver’s status as a day-two selection.
17) Brandon Aiyuk (WR – Arizona State)
As a former junior-college player with a late breakout in college football, Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is sure to be one of the most polarizing players in the 2020 NFL Draft.
While you can certainly understand the hesitation of trusting a “one-year wonder,” there’s little doubt that Aiyuk possesses more than enough traits to make an impact. Unlike former Sun Devils’ teammate N’Keal Harry, Aiyuk has the long-speed to separate at the next level.
18) Joe Burrow (QB – LSU)
After dominating the 2019 college football season en route to both a Heisman Trophy and a National Championship victory, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is largely considered a lock to be drafted number one overall by the Cincinnati Bengals. While there are notable concerns about Burrow’s ability to match his great 2019 season, there’s little doubt that the LSU quarterback will be given every opportunity to excel in the NFL.
Burrow will most likely walk into Cincinnati with running back Joe Mixon and slot-receiver Tyler Boyd locked in as his top offensive weapons while impeding free-agent A.J. Green’s status is very much in the air. The Bengals, a notoriously frugal franchise under owner Mike Brown, have so far been unwilling to pay the veteran wide receiver the money he deserves.
19) Tua Tagovailoa (QB – Alabama)
Don’t let Tua Tagovailoa’s season-ending hip injury fool you; the debate over QB1 in the 2020 NFL Draft would be one for the ages if the Alabama quarterback were fully healthy. Even though Burrow is the overwhelming consensus number one overall pick, Tagovailoa was viewed as one of the best quarterback prospects in recent memory before the injury.
Once fully healthy, Tagovailoa will almost certainly become one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. There’s just more risk involved with Tagovailoa’s questionable injury history, so Burrow is the logical, safe choice for the Bengals. If Tagovailoa were to be miraculously healed tomorrow, he’d jump ahead of Burrow as QB1 in my pre-combine 2020 dynasty rookie rankings.
20) Tyler Johnson (WR – Minnesota)
Another polarizing prospect, Minnesota wide receiver Tyler Johnson is sure to create plenty of debate between now and the 2020 NFL Draft. Johnson dominated the CFB world with 2,487 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns over the past two seasons, but there are concerns about his athletic ability and concentration issues with drops. Johnson seems to lack that second-gear on tape, so the 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Combine will be of utmost importance for the former Minnesota wide receiver.
Turn the page for our third and fourth round rankings