17) Dallas Cowboys: CeeDee Lamb, WR Oklahoma
This is a steal. Not much more to be said. CeeDee Lamb might slip a little bit because his athletic numbers at the NFL Combine won’t be top-tier, but he’s still a very dynamic offensive threat with awesome body control and run-after-catch ability. He’ll have the Cowboys saying “Amari Who?” within weeks.
18) Miami Dolphins: A.J. Epenesa, EDGE Iowa
The best-case scenario here would have been if one of the big four offensive tackles remained on the board for the Dolphins to take, but no matter. It’s hard to make a negative out of having three first-round picks, as the Dolphins will soon learn, once they put Jeffrey Okudah and AJ Epenesa on the same team.
Epenesa isn’t as twitchy or explosive as other edge options in this class, but he has the size, power, and requisite athleticism to perform a multitude of roles on the defensive line. For Brian Flores, Epenesa brings a high floor and valuable versatility.
19) Washington Redskins (from LVR via CHI): Kristian Fulton, CB LSU
Take a bow, Kyle Smith. The Redskins were the beneficiaries of a friendly draft board earlier when Clemson unicorn prospect Isaiah Simmons fell into their laps. Now, they get another potential steal in LSU cornerback Kristian Fulton.
Fulton has great length at 6-foot, 200 pounds, and he’s very fluid and explosive as a mover, with the closing speed to hawk on dangerous passes. The Redskins, with Josh Norman now gone and Quinton Dunbar’s future murky, need a new number one cornerback at the very least, and Fulton can fill in right away.
20) Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR): Jeff Gladney, CB TCU
The Jaguars got their replacement for Ngakoue earlier, but they still need a cornerback on the outside to lessen the blow of losing Jalen Ramsey via trade. Fulton would have been a nice fit here, but given the early depth of the 2020 cornerback class, the Jaguars have some flexibility at this pick.
There’s bound to be a cornerback with CB1 upside still available, and that’s evident in the selection of Jeff Gladney. Gladney is a top-notch athlete with the closing burst and instincts to make an impact on day one, especially behind a retooled Jaguars front seven.
21) Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson, WR LSU
The Eagles haven’t had very much luck at wide receiver in recent years, between injuries and investments that didn’t quite pan out. They clearly have a need at the position, but investing a first-round pick always comes with risks. Thus, taking a stab at the safest option available isn’t a bad idea, and it comes with only a small hit to overall value.
Justin Jefferson is a bit underrated in his dynamism, as he has the size, speed, and route running suddenness to be an immediate weapon for Carson Wentz. He won’t pace the class athletically, but he’s far from lacking in terms of tools, and he has very solid hands as well.
22) Buffalo Bills: Laviska Shenault, WR Colorado
From the Buffaloes to Buffalo, Laviska Shenault is an excellent fit for the Bills offense under Brian Daboll and Josh Allen. The Bills have done a good job mitigating the variance of Allen’s play style, while also honing in on his best traits, and with Shenault, they can carry on that process.
Shenault has the athleticism to be a threat downfield, but he’s also an incredibly exciting run-after-catch threat, who can help Josh Allen as a dump-off option in the open field. He also offers size that the Bills’ other receivers can’t match.
23) New England Patriots: Grant Delpit, S LSU
The tackling inconsistencies apparent with Grant Delpit have some people wondering if he could ultimately sink back below the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft. His stock has certainly been falling compared to other safety prospects, but the NFL Combine should renew NFL teams’ confidence in Delpit’s potential.
The Patriots could use an infusion of youth on the back end, and taking needs and talent into account, Delpit is the best value available here; he has the athletic upside to be a key playmaker for years on end.
24) New Orleans Saints: Jalen Reagor, WR TCU
The Saints are set to take on one last season with legendary signal-caller Drew Brees, and in order to get the most out of it, they’ll need to be fully staffed on offense. A lot of the requisite talent is in place, but there is a void at wide receiver, where Michael Thomas could use a dynamic compliment.
Jalen Reagor fits that mold to perfection, as he’s an explosive offensive threat with eye-popping speed, short-range burst, and play-making ability. Some scouts will knock his production, but he won’t be dealing with shoddy accuracy catching passes from Brees.
Related: Building the perfect wide receiver prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft
25) Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Henderson, CB Florida
Trae Waynes is hitting the free agent market. Xavier Rhodes is on the decline, despite his late Pro Bowl addition. Now is the perfect time for Rick Spielman to submit to his most famous indulgence, and draft a cornerback in Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft.
At pick 25, Florida’s C.J. Henderson is a good fit. He has some issues with tackling and physicality, but his athletic upside is second to none, and with some development and seasoning at the NFL level, his closing burst and coverage moxie will be assets on the back end.
26) Miami Dolphins: Lucas Niang, OT TCU
The Miami Dolphins need help at offensive tackle more than almost anything else, and although the board didn’t fall the way they’d hoped early on, there’s still a chance for them to lock down an exciting talent right here. This may be viewed as a reach in some corners, as Lucas Niang does have some refinement to undergo.
But in terms of size-mobility combinations, he has one of the best in the class, and he has an innate understanding of leverage. If any tackle prospect outside the big four has the profile to challenge the top, it’s Niang, and at number 26, the Dolphins can afford to make sure he’s destined for Florida.
27) Seattle Seahawks: Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE Penn State
Yetur Gross-Matos is a great get for the Seattle Seahawks this late. Gross-Matos is a fighter who’s persevered through a great deal of adversity, and his persistent instincts show up on the field as well. The 6-foot-5, 264-pound edge rusher has an impressive spark in his step, and he covers ground very quickly for his size.
Couple his mobile freedom with his length and power at the point of attack, and Gross-Matos is a versatile prospect who can maximize his upside with some more development in Seattle’s defense.
28) Baltimore Ravens: Kenneth Murray, ILB, Oklahoma
All of a sudden, the Baltimore Ravens are paper-thin at linebacker, when they once boasted one of the deepest linebacking cores in the NFL. The Ravens could go with an edge rusher here, but if they decide to tag Matthew Judon, they’ll want to look somewhere else.
Kenneth Murray is a player who has all the physical traits necessary to excel, with his stocky frame and exceptional range standing out amongst the competition. Murray still needs to keep developing mentally, but his fast play speed will be a welcome sight in Baltimore’s defense.
29) Tennessee Titans: Austin Jackson, OT USC
Every draft, teams take gambles on players who sell NFL scouts on their physical upside. Austin Jackson is one such player who could rise higher than his current caliber, as NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah recently noted that Jackson could rise as high as the Top-15.
On tape, Jackson isn’t a first-round player, and some tackles with less buzz than him have arguably more upside. But Jackson’s tools are promising in their own right, as he’s very fluid laterally, with the foundation to capitalize when leveraging in the NFL. He’ll need a good offensive line coach, but Jackson could replace Jack Conklin at right tackle.
30) Green Bay Packers: Patrick Queen, LB LSU
The hype around Patrick Queen got a little carried away when the linebacker received heightened press in the College Football Playoff, but the Tigers prospect is a first-round candidate and rightfully so. It helps that the 2020 linebacker class is relatively weak, but
Queen is a smart player with more than enough speed and range to get by in coverage. Those are two traits that have been lacking in the Packers linebacking core. It makes sense for the Packers to address their need at linebacker now, and address talent on offense later, in a class that’s deeper at wide receiver and tight end.
31) San Francisco 49ers: Xavier McKinney, S Alabama
The 49ers have the look of a team that won’t go away after one Super Bowl loss. John Lynch built his squad well, and Kyle Shanahan has the golden helmets primed to compete for another year.
The 49ers have some flexibility here, but if the value is good, they need to address their safety situation. Having more versatility and reliability there could help them combat high-octane passing offenses like Kansas City’s, and those two qualities can be provided by Alabama’s Xavier McKinney.
32) Kansas City Chiefs: Noah Igbinoghene, CB Auburn
The honeymoon is still very much in progress for the Super Bowl champions, but they can’t forget how much work they have to do this offseason. A lot of holes will be opened up in free agency, and the Chiefs need to work on restructuring their defense through the 2020 NFL Draft, if they’re unable to retain players like Chris Jones and Bashaud Breeland.
Noah Iginoghene is a very, very bold selection this early, but the NFL Combine should do well to quantify his otherworldly athleticism. He has excellent speed, acceleration, and hip fluidity, and he also has the length and the frame to be a lockdown cornerback at the next level.
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