The NFL Combine is almost an unofficial holiday for football fans and especially for dynasty players. This is the first time we have been able to see most of these players on the field since bowl games and even earlier for some who chose to sit them out. Between the Senior Bowl and Combine, other than sparse coverage of pro days, this was your last chance to evaluate and get numbers on guys before draft day. Do we probably put too much emphasis on the NFL Combine and the numbers that come out?
Yes, we probably do, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t useful parts that can be taken from it. It’s all about building on your process on how you evaluate talent. Taking game film and being able to add hard numbers can be what finally separates two players you might have right next to each other. Let’s dive in and see where players shake out in this three-round Superflex rookie mock draft.
The one caveat I will add is this can all be blown up and thrown in the trash can depending on what happens at the NFL Draft in April. All we are doing right now is going talent vs. talent in a vacuum. The only player we feel confident in predicting his future team is Joe Burrow to the Cincinnati Bengals as they need a quarterback and have the number one overall pick. Anything past that, until it happens at the draft, is pure speculation and will then deserve re-evaluation.
1.01 – Joe Burrow (LSU – QB1)
6-2 1/2″- 221 | There is no need to overthink this pick. In Superflex formats, the quarterback is king, and Joe Burrow sits on the throne of the 2020 class. He was my number one QB going into the NFL Combine, and even though he didn’t work out, he didn’t need to. Burrow threw for almost 5,700 yards this past year and became the first QB to throw for over 5,000 yards and 60 touchdowns in a single season. He did this all while completing 76.3% of his attempts and only throwing six interceptions on the year. Lock it in and move on to the next pick of the draft.
1.02 – Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama – QB2)
6-1″ – 218 | While Tua Tagovailoa didn’t work out, he still put on an excellent performance by winning his medicals, which is what he said he wanted to do leading up to the event. While Burrow had the best single-season, Tua showed sustained excellence for multiple seasons, and if not for the injury concerns, would be a coin flip for the 1.01. In this spot in the draft, my thought process is grabbing whichever QB falls, as both are cornerstones for the future to build on.
1.03 – Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin – RB1)
5-10 1/4″ – 226 | For those of you just now jumping on the Jonathan Taylor RB1 train, welcome aboard. If there was any hesitation or discussion between Taylor and D’Andre Swift for the top running back spot, Taylor shut that down quickly when he ran a position best 4.39 40-yard dash. I can go on and on about my love of Taylor, but fellow PFN fantasy analyst Andrew Hall already stated his case as to why Taylor is the best running back in the class.
1.04 – D’Andre Swift (Georgia – RB2)
5-8 1/4″ – 212 | Sitting at the 1.04 and getting a running back like D’Andre Swift feels like stealing, but this is what Superflex does to drafts. With the top two quarterbacks off of the board, this pick is relatively easy for me. Swift can fit in any scheme, and he’s going to give you the ability to catch passes out of the backfield as well. He also doesn’t have a ton of wear and tear from his time in college.
You can make the case to take the best wide receiver here, and I could understand. But for me, I prioritize the running back as I feel the drop is steeper when missing out on the top tier guys when building a team.
1.05 – CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma – WR1)
6-1 5/8″ – 198 | Speaking of the top wide receiver in the draft, that is CeeDee Lame of Oklahoma. Being able to watch him and Jerry Jeudy at the NFL Combine battle it out in the same drills was a genuine threat for the football fan. He backed up what we saw on film as someone who can not only win one-on-one and high point a ball but take a quick screen or slant and be a YAC monster by using his 4.50 speed to take it to the house.
📼 Compilation 📼 Audio up!
CeeDee “YAC Monster” Lamb being absolutely ridiculous. 2020 Wide Receiver One. Let’s Go! 🔥
Smoke Screen 70 Yard TD pic.twitter.com/6QqNjh8pnv
— Ray G 🏁 (@RayGQue) March 4, 2020
1.06 – Jerry Jeudy (Alabama – WR2)
6-1″ – 193 | It’s hard not to be happy getting who was the majority of the communities WR1 before the season at 1.06. Jerry Jeudy is the best route runner in this class and can step in on day one as a teams’ WR1 in the NFL. He is going to go inside the top 15 on draft day. The gap between Lamb and Jeudy is minimal, and depending on the landing spot could be flipped.
1.07 – J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State – RB3)
5-9 1/2″ – 209 | While players in Indy stole the spotlight, everyone needs to remember how much of a freak athlete J.K. Dobbins is. His skill set is that of a true three-down workhorse. He can run in between the tackles, make someone miss one-on-one, and showed his ability to catch out of the backfield. Dobbins scored 43 times in his three years at Ohio State while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
J.K. Dobbins is going to make a serious case for the RB2 in dynasty drafts once his Pro Day numbers come out.
Imagine running a 4.45 as an incoming freshman. pic.twitter.com/B28Uk0NInZ
— Tommy Garrett (@TommygarrettPFN) March 5, 2020
1.08 – Justin Herbert (Oregon – QB3)
6-6 1/4″ – 236 | Justin Herbert will consistently be the third quarterback off the board in rookie drafts as this is the start of the tier break at the position. If you look at his stats and measurables, Herbert looks to have all the talent necessary to be an NFL quarterback. He threw for an eye-popping 10,541 yards for his career on 64% of his passes along with 95 touchdowns to 23 interceptions. While this and his size look great on paper, one of the knocks against him is his failure to show up and elevate his play in big games.
1.09 – Cam Akers (Florida State – RB4)
5-10 3/8″ – 217 | While we always want a running back to land on a team with an elite offensive line, at least we have seen what Cam Akers can do with a poor one as Florida State was one of the worst statistical lines in the country. Still, Akers ran 586 times in his career for 2,875 yards (4.9 avg) and 27 touchdowns. Add in his 69 catches for seven touchdowns, and Akers can thrive at the next level.
1.10 – Jalen Reagor (TCU – WR3)
5-10 5/8″ – 206 | Did Jalen Reagor run a 4.3 40-yard dash? No. He didn’t need to either. We have already seen on game film for the past three years Reagor has top-end speed to lose almost every defensive back he faces. His burst and acceleration out of a cut are only rivaled by Henry Ruggs from Alabama. Although under 6 feet tall, his 42″ vertical allows him to win jump balls more times than not and will be a problem for shorter cornerbacks in the NFL. If people want to be down on him because he ran a 4.47 at Indy and let him slide in drafts to me later on, please keep doing it.
1.11 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire (LSU – RB5)
5-7 1/4″ – 207 | Of all the running backs I have watched game film on this off-season, I have enjoyed Clyde Edwards-Helaire the most. Although smaller in height, he can put a defender in a spin cycle and just as easily lower his shoulder and run through them. He is a nightmare in open space. He and Swift are the two best receiving backs in the draft. The issue Edwards-Helaire has is that he is a liability in pass protection and will need coaching in the NFL to improve his craft. Watch his 2019 game against Alabama and try not to come away extremely impressed with what he brings to the field.
1.12 – Justin Jefferson (LSU – WR4)
6-1 1/4″ – 202 | Justin Jefferson was, arguably, the winner of the NFL Combine. Jefferson will come in and instantly fill the slot role wherever he is drafted too. His 4.43 40-yard time surprised scouts and even himself. Jefferson led the NCAA with 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2019, and he proved he has the speed to create separation. Draft capital will not be an issue for Jefferson as I expect him to go in the first round in the upcoming draft.