NFL
2020 NFL Draft Top-25 Rankings
PSO's 2020 NFL Draft Top-25 Rankings
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With the highly unusual circumstances the world is currently facing, a “virtual” version of the 2020 NFL Draft is set to get underway on Thursday, April 23rd. Many franchises are looking for a fresh group of players to contribute to their Championship aspirations in 2020 and beyond. After breaking down each player’s Physical Tools, Game Film, college Production, and overall Risk, here are PSO’s Top-25 NFL Draft prospects in 2020. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here. Create your own NFL Draft big board below and save the ranking for future reference.
If it weren’t for Joe Burrow’s legendary season, Chase Young would be a slam dunk top overall pick. Coming into the 2019 season as the consensus top prospect, Young somehow exceeded expectations, breaking the school’s single-season sack record (16.5) despite missing two games due to a controversial suspension.
Chase Young is a freak athlete whose game has reached an entirely new level. He was far and away the most talented player in College Football, and it was evident all season long. The phrase “generational talent” is thrown around much too often these days, but Chase Young fits the bill. He is the definition of a game-wrecker.
Any “concerns” are extremely minor, such as pad level and rush planning — things that require just a little bit of attention to detail to fix. He is the most pro-ready prospect in the entire class but doesn’t throw the football, which is why he will likely fall to the 2nd or potentially even 3rd pick, depending on the QB market.
Despite being named Ohio’s Mr. Football in High School, Joe Burrow was unable to win the starting job from Dwayne Haskins at Ohio State and promptly transferred to Ed Orgeron’s LSU Tigers. After a mediocre 2018, he wasn’t expected to go much higher than the 3rd round of this year’s draft… Then came the Texas game, where he put the entire country on notice. After torching 5 of the next 6 opponents, Burrow cemented his legacy in CFB with a monumental shootout victory over Alabama, the Tigers’ 1st since 2011.
Once Playoff time rolled around, Burrow looked like he was playing against a bunch of inferior squads. After ravaging a potential CFP team in the SEC Championship (Georgia), not only did he absolutely decimate a talented Oklahoma defense, Burrow tore up Brent Venables’ vaunted Clemson unit as well en route to a 15-0 National Championship ending with 1,305 yards, 16 pass TDs, 69% comp, & 2 rush TDs during the 3 most important games.
While his 2019 will go down as one of the greatest seasons in CFB history, it’s reasonable to question his mediocrity the year before. He didn’t get to Baton Rouge until the summer, meaning there still wasn’t much chemistry with his receivers yet at the start of the season. Adding fuel to the fire, the Tigers used seven different starting OL combinations, so he was never able to get comfortable in the pocket or maintain a solid rhythm. His receivers returned (plus one Ja’Marr Chase), the OL gelled together, the playbook was opened up for him, and the results were astounding.
Take a quick glance at Simmons’ athletic profile and it’s easy to see why he’s such an exciting prospect. Beginning his Clemson career at S, Simmons moved into a hybrid LB/slot CB role as a Sophomore, then became the ultimate chess piece as a Junior. Logging more than 100 snaps at S, LB, slot CB, and EDGE, he didn’t just play every position, he excelled in every position, earning 80+ PFF grades in coverage, run defense, pass rushing, and tackling.
The frame and length of an EDGE, the speed and quickness of a WR, the coverage ability of a DB — Simmons has an incredibly diverse skill set that the NFL hasn’t exactly seen before, and should be utilized as such. Instead of a team trying to pigeon-hole him into a single position, his unique abilities should be maximized by moving him around based on matchups whether it be on a play-by-play, or game-by-game basis.
The first Unanimous All-American CB in Ohio State history, Jeff Okudah is one of the most technically-refined college corners in recent memory. Along with some of the most impressive footwork and hips, Okudah has a terrific frame and overall athletic profile. Incredibly skilled in man-to-man, he’s terrific in press coverage as his ability to jam the release and flip his hips to run down the sideline is second to none in this class, along with his short-area and reactionary quickness.
Okudah’s only relative weaknesses are long speed (4.48s) and tackling. The former didn’t appear to be an issue on film, as he was able to keep pace with every single WR, without giving too much cushion. The latter will simply come along with coaching, as he plays with great physicality and can certainly bring the thunder for a CB.
Though he may not have an astounding frame, Jedrick Wills is the most well-rounded prospect of this stacked OT class. An absolute mauler in the run game, his dominant functional strength moves the LOS almost at will. Not only is he physically overpowering, but Wills has proven to be a stout pass blocker as well with terrific footwork, hand usage, and balance.
Despite an impressive athletic profile and technique, many have defaulted to his exclusivity on the right side as the reason he cannot be this year’s OT1. While that’s typically a valid point in most situations, Wills played on the right because his QB was left-handed (protecting his blindside). Give him some time and quality NFL Coaching, and he should easily be able to replicate his performance at RT over to LT (assuming his NFL QB is right-handed). Plus, NFL edge rushers move all around nowadays — nobody can hide their “bad” OT on the right side anymore.
With that being said, Jedrick Wills is the most pro-ready OT of this great group. With fantastic length, power, and explosiveness, he can handle anybody at the point of attack. Once the initial strike is quelled, he can either match-and-mirror all day or bury his matchup and remove them altogether.
Though he’s built like a prototypical NT, Derrick Brown has experience at every position across the D-Line (even out on the edge) and can effectively execute various assignments on a play-to-play basis. Productive and durable in three years as a starter with steady improvement in multiple facets, all that’s really needed to know is his tape against the eventual National Champions this season.
Best utilized in a multi-front defense, the key to Brown’s success at the next level is the creation of one-on-one opportunities that will allow him to take advantage of overmatched opponents. His combination of size, burst, and power is simply too overwhelming for the average OL to handle on his own. Though he profiles closer to a run-stuffer, Brown has consistently generated pressure against some of the best pass-blockers college football has to offer. One of the “safer” defensive prospects in the class, Derrick Brown is a plug-and-play starter from year 1 regardless of scheme.
Probably the most discussed player over the last several months, Tua Tagovailoa cemented himself as a College football legend instantly after he emerged onto the scene. Tua shined in the National spotlight under the most pressure possible when he replaced Jalen Hurts at halftime of the 2018 CFP Championship Game and leading the most prestigious NCAAF team from getting shutout to a double-digit comeback in OT. Tua then went on to flat-out dominate the SEC over the next 2 seasons as ‘Tank for Tua’ movements began to surface among the NFL community.
Although his production was off the charts, it must be understood that Alabama’s offense is absolutely loaded at skill positions and on the O-line. They didn’t “carry” Tua, however — he accentuated everyone’s strengths. With pinpoint accuracy, uncanny pocket poise, and a terrific feel for the game, Tua executed two different schemes to near perfection.
Smaller than the prototypical QB, Tua is more in the modern-day mold similar to Brees, Wilson, Mayfield, and Murray — precise yet athletic. If it weren’t for the lower-extremity injuries, there is no doubt that “Burrow vs Tua” would be the most heated discussion topic of this year’s NFL Draft. His health will be closely monitored for the next several years, but Tua has the ability and mental makeup to quickly become the face of a franchise and an upper-echelon signal-caller.
One of this class’s most disruptive interior forces, Javon Kinlaw has an incredible highlight reel and backstory. Homeless for a period of his childhood, the JUCO product has battled adversity every step of the way and never dreamed he’d have an opportunity such as this. With such a humble, grateful approach to such a monumental accomplishment, it’s hard not to root for Kinlaw.
In regards to his on-field performance, Kinlaw was very inconsistent. He’s reckless and lacks any sort of consistent technique, yet still obliterates his matchup more often than not. Far from a finished product, the countless flashes of pure dominance make his rare talent quite obvious. With a concerted focus on improving his hand placement, body control, and mental processing, Kinlaw has the physical ability to become one of the most destructive DL in football.
Leaving Alabama after a highly productive and decorated 3-year career, Jerry Jeudy is arguably the most impressive route runner of any NFL prospect in recent memory. At times, his upper half seems almost completely dissociated with his lower body, fooling DBs into running the complete opposite way. So smooth, yet explosive in and out of his breaks, Jeudy has natural hands and an incredible football acumen — he can manipulate DBs to create additional separation in man-to-man yet also understands how to identify and exploit zone holes. He is a QB’s best friend because he always knows how to get open.
As mentioned in CeeDee Lamb’s Scouting Report, the decision between he and Jeudy comes down to the team selecting. While Lamb is more physically-imposing and has more experience out wide, Jeudy is incredibly refined and has dominated the SEC’s best in a variety of alignments. No matter who gets drafted first, both of them are unbelievable talents that will make an immediate impact wherever they end up.
With three different (but extremely talented) starting QBs throughout his three seasons at Oklahoma, CeeDee Lamb’s production only increased with each new installment of Lincoln Riley’s offense. Finishing his career in Oklahoma’s all-time top-10 in all three main receiving stats (receptions, yards, TDs), Lamb has more than proven his superb ability week-in and week-out. An absolute beast after the catch, his physicality and ball skills will become an even greater strength if he keeps adding to his frame.
Quite frankly, deciding between Lamb and Jeudy comes down to splitting hairs. They’re both great athletes and should be able to produce immediately, it just depends on a given team’s preferred type of WR. Lamb is slightly bigger, more physical, and has much more experience and production out wide. Yet, he didn’t play the greatest defensive competition and is not the route technician that Jeudy is. Regardless, it’s impossible to go wrong either way — both would without a doubt be WR1 in almost any other draft class.
Tristan Wirfs already looked like a surefire 1st-rounder during the 2019 season, but then the Iowa native essentially broke NFL Twitter with a record-setting performance at the Combine. With a SPARQ rating in the 99th percentile and a terrific 3-year career that culminated in Big Ten OL of the Year honors, there’s no reason to overthink his projection.
Sure, there are plenty of technical adjustments and refinements to improve upon with his natural abilities, but the unreal athletic profile and top-tier production make for an incredibly high ceiling. He simply needs to be taught how to effectively utilize his immense physical gifts.
A consistent blindside protector and powerful run blocker, it’s difficult to ignore Andrew Thomas’ production. The 2x All-American and 2019 SEC Jacobs Award winner graded out as the 3rd-best OL in FBS despite facing top-tier competition on a weekly basis.
An average overall athlete, Thomas’ greatest physical quality is his length and strength. Despite a poor bench performance at the combine, his functional strength is evident on film. Combined with 36″ arms, most edge rushers won’t stand a chance once he can consistently seize control after striking. With his extended experience and outstanding production, Thomas is arguably the “safest” among the elite OT prospects in the class of 2020.
One of the most electric playmakers in this year’s draft, Ruggs’ legendary speed made his 40-yard dash must-watch TV. Though Ruggs is a certified burner, he’s a much more complete player than given credit for, and despite relatively low volume in targets, the rate at which he produced is staggering. A great route runner and explosive threat after the catch to go along with unmatched speed, Ruggs should be able to produce immediately and create openings underneath for the rest of his offense.
While he doesn’t necessarily possess the athletic profile of Jeff Okudah or CJ Henderson, Kristian Fulton’s extensive experience and expertise in press-man will be highly-coveted. After returning from an 18-month suspension (lasted 2 seasons), he has proven week after week that he can jam up on the SEC’s best and win his matchup more often than not. Like most collegiate CBs, he could definitely add some strength. However, he consistently puts forth great effort, even when physically overmatched.
Spending 2 seasons as Nick Saban’s swiss-army knife, Xavier McKinney is the most pro-ready Safety in this class. Not the greatest athlete or most intimidating presence, McKinney is so intelligent and technically sound that it doesn’t even matter inside the lines. Controlling the back-end of Alabama’s defense, he moved all over the field, either creating matchup problems or masking them.
While one could argue he isn’t spectacular in any single area, the value he brings across the board cannot be understated. Problems covering TEs? Xavier can handle it. Thin at LB or CB? Xavier can fill in. Need a roamer underneath? How about a classic free safety? Of course, Xavier is there.
Despite his relative lack of athleticism, McKinney is already such a smart and well-rounded football player. It’s truly rare that a player of his age is so capable and comfortable playing in various alignments at such a high level — some defensive coordinator is bound to fall in love with him.
Primarily playing out wide as a sophomore (79% snaps), Justin Jefferson was a pretty productive deep threat, averaging 16.2 YPC on 54 receptions. In Joe Brady’s offense, however, Jefferson shifted to the slot for 92% of his snaps and put up video game-like numbers, setting records alongside Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase.
While he put up elite numbers from the slot this past season, its reasonable to question whether that success can only be replicated from the slot and/or without elite talent around him. With a great catch radius, a solid athletic profile, lots of potential as a route runner, and a high football IQ, Jefferson should be able to step into the slot and immediately contribute. If he can prove an ability to get off press and win consistently on the outside, however, Jefferson may be a legitimate steal in the back-half of the first round.
Heavily questioned for returning to school last season despite being considered an option for the #1 overall pick, Justin Herbert accomplished his most successful season since joining the Ducks by winning the Rose Bowl. The Eugene, OR native brought the “Granddaddy of Them All” to his hometown to cap off an illustrious 4-year career; not too bad of a decision with added context.
As a prospect, Herbert is extremely enticing. He possesses the prototypical size, athleticism, and natural cannon of an arm that will turn heads, just as he did at the combine. While he didn’t effectively utilize his athletic ability enough at Oregon, his growth in that area was evident down the stretch in 2019 (3 rush TDs in the Rose Bowl).
Though he was essentially a 4-year starter, the lack of progression after his injury-shortened Sophomore season is concerning. The ill-fitted scheme and underwhelming skill group might have had a lot to do with that, but the situation in the NFL won’t always be ideal either. All-in-all, Herbert is big, athletic, has a live arm, and a lot of experience, which is why he will likely end up in the top half of the 1st round.
There is no doubt that Mekhi Becton had one of the most impressive Combine performances in recent memory. His truly amazing 5.11s 40 time at 364 lbs has skyrocketed him to OT1 according to several analysts, but there are a lot of questions to his game that the others don’t have.
Obviously, the size and athletic profile are a fantastic starting point. He routinely forklifts 270-pound grown men that are actively fighting him out their cleats — not something seen every day. He is, however, still relatively close to that starting point.
While improving dramatically after finally finding a home at LT in 2019, Becton is quite raw in most facets of his game. He didn’t face the greatest EDGE talent in the world and lacks experience in a true dropback passing offense (which unlike College, is almost every NFL team). His natural power and mobility are off the charts, however, as Becton will simply need good O-Line coaching in order to reach the ceiling he’s capable of.
An incredibly unique talent at WR, it’s difficult to not get excited by Laviska Shenault’s potential. Built more like a RB (Jordan Howard specifically) than any normal WR, he’s a natural hands-catcher and an explosive threat on the boundary. Virtually impossible for any Pac-12 DB to bring down on their own, “Viska” was a big play waiting to happen from any alignment.
His truly special YAC ability will play immediately in the NFL, but he’s currently a work in progress outside of that. However, after splitting snaps between the slot and outside pretty evenly in 2018 (204 – 231), Shenault played almost exclusively out wide when lined up as a WR in 2019. While he didn’t produce quite the same, that experience will help his transition to the NFL tremendously.
Despite his obvious physical gifts, Grant Delpit can be an extremely frustrating, enigmatic prospect at times. He’s shown to be capable of making some incredible plays in coverage, but the number of horrendous tackling efforts on his film is alarming. Sometimes he seemed lackadaisical, but most of the time he simply looked like he did not want to wrap up and finish the play.
That’s something that a team will have to address in their interviews with Delpit, as it can definitely be fixed. What he brings to the table (natural size, coverage skills, playmaking potential), however, cannot be taught. His prototypical body type and range will allow him to be seen as a potential TE neutralizer. If he can ramp up the physicality and shore up his tackling woes, however, then Delpit’s game will be taken to a whole different level that could lead to multiple All-Pro recognitions.
A former high school basketball star, Josh Jones is an experienced, athletic OT prospect with a very high ceiling. The combination of size, length, strength, and athleticism he brings to the table is enticing on its own, but Jones also earned the 2nd-highest PFF grade among all OT’s in 2019, matching potential with production and improved every year of his 4-year career.
Finishing his collegiate career with an outstanding PFF grading profile, the question is obviously about competition, coming from the AAC. While his Senior Bowl performance quelled some of those concerns, the NFL is still an entirely different level in terms of physicality. It may take him a year or two to fully adjust, but Josh Jones clearly possesses the raw talent to become a franchise OT.
A 3-year starter at both Guard and Center, Cesar Ruiz grew into arguably the sturdiest IOL in the Big Ten, a conference well-known for its development of offensive linemen. Anchoring one of the country’s better OL units, Ruiz is battle-tested, intelligent, athletic, versatile, and most importantly, a leader.
While Michigan’s offense was relatively run-heavy (55%), Ruiz graded out as a premier interior pass-blocker, allowing 0 sacks his Junior Year. His experience in a pro-style system, positional and schematic versatility, along with a solid frame and athletic profile make for a high-floor prospect that should become a starter sooner rather than later.
After Jeff Okudah, CJ Henderson is the most naturally talented man-to-man CB in this class. While he battled a nagging ankle injury and had some head-scratching mental mistakes this past season, his sophomore (2018) film is more than enough evidence of his special man-to-man ability.
Although his game lacks physicality, his elite foot speed and hip fluidity more than make up for it, even in press coverage. His ability to mirror routes and make a play at the perfect time is uncanny, and if his 2019 film was even remotely close to 2018, there would most certainly be a case for Henderson as CB1.
There are reasonable concerns to his game that may require a certain scheme fit, but CJ Henderson’s elite traits and natural man-to-man coverage ability simply cannot be taught and will be highly coveted.
K’Lavon Chaisson is a classic “tools” prospect — possesses all of the physical attributes needed to dominate, and flashes exactly that, but for some reason has failed to put it all together for an extended period of play.
Those physical gifts, however, earned him 1st-Team All-SEC honors in his return from an ACL tear despite lackluster production. Primarily thought of as a pure speed rusher, Chaisson brings an underrated power component to his game and is no slouch in run support nor in coverage.
While raw from a technical standpoint, Chaisson’s top-of-the-line burst combined with his size, flexibility, and overall athleticism makes for an incredibly exciting mold that most coaches should be itching to develop at the next level.
An impressive athlete built like a prototypical LB, Kenneth Murray produced at an extremely high level manning the middle of Oklahoma’s defense for 3 years, but his immediate fit at the next level will likely be as a strong side LB rather than a true MLB.
While he’s not a liability in coverage, he’s at his best barreling downhill, blowing up blockers, and utilizing his unique combination of size, length, and speed to make plays on the boundary. However, as of now, he simply is not comfortable enough dropping back into coverage to deploy at MLB in year 1. However, his presence will be felt in the run game and when rushing the passer.
