Kyle Yates’ 2020 NFL Mock Draft (2.0)

Kyle Yates’ 2020 NFL Mock Draft (2.0)

At the time that this mock draft is published, there are 43 days until the NFL Draft in Las Vegas. While a lot still has to happen in that time span, we’re getting closer and closer to finding out what our favorite NFL teams are going to do.

The NFL Combine is behind us, which resulted in a ton of movement for these prospects and where they’ll be valued by NFL teams. We saw some players tumble down draft boards, while some others skyrocketed up from their dominant performances in Indianapolis.

Additionally, NFL free agency is next week, which means that team’s draft needs are going to shift and change dramatically. However, before that happens, it’s a perfect time to get a mock draft out to see just how much an organization’s philosophy can change in just a week. Your favorite team may desperately need a CB, which leads every NFL analyst to give them one in their mock drafts, but if they fill that hole via free agency, they now have other options with that high draft pick.

Before the chaos descends next Monday, let’s dive in here to a two round NFL Mock Draft (no trades…yet) and find out who your favorite team should be adding on the first two days of the NFL Draft.

Round One

1. Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow (QB – LSU)
This was the pick in my Mock Draft 1.0 and it will most likely be the same pick all the way through the NFL Draft. Burrow’s a phenomenal talent at the QB position and will give the Bengals a spark they’ve so desperately needed at that position for a long time. Burrow walks into an actually very good offensive foundation with players like Tyler Boyd, A.J. Green, Joe Mixon, and John Ross there already. If they get the offensive line healthy, this could be a very good offense in 2020.

2. Washington – Chase Young (EDGE – Ohio State)
Washington has been rumored to be seriously considering Tua Tagovailoa, but I’m not buying it. The reason is not simply because Dwayne Haskins is there, but also because Alex Smith is still on that roster and has a healthy cap hit this season. The Redskins most likely won’t be dressing three QBs each week, which means that Smith either stays on the roster for a very hefty cap charge or they look to trade Dwayne Haskins. They won’t be seeing the return value for Haskins there and will be sacrificing an opportunity to draft the best defensive player in this draft. Chase Young is a luxury pick with Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat, but you can never have too many players that can get after the QB. Chase Young is the selection here.

3. Detroit Lions – Isaiah Simmons (LB – Clemson)
When trying to figure out what the Detroit Lions are going to do in the 2020 NFL Draft, you have to remember that Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn have to win this season or they’re out of a job. That defense still needs a ton of work, but they have to add high impact players right away. After seeing what Isaiah Simmons did at the NFL Combine, it’s going to be very difficult to bypass him in the NFL Draft. There aren’t many (if any) athletes like Simmons and he’d be a perfect fit in that Lions hybrid scheme. If the Lions do get a call for this pick though, they should seriously consider moving back to accumulate more picks and upgrade this defense.

4. New York Giants – Mekhi Becton (OT – Louisville)
The New York Giants have a need at OT. While Nate Solder plays the LT spot, Mekhi Becton here at No. 4 overall is going to be way too difficult for Dave Gettleman to pass on. There just aren’t many humans on earth who are 6’7/364 that can run a 5.1 40-yard dash. Becton measured in with 35 5/8 inch arms, which are going to make it impossible for speed rushers to get all the way around him and you’re certainly not moving him off his spot very easily. Gettleman put all his chips in the Daniel Jones basket and he needs to protect him now. There’s a possibility the Giants could even go after someone like Jack Conklin in free agency, let Nate Solder go to avoid his massive cap hit, and draft Becton here. That’d be a pretty damn impressive offensive tackle group.

5. Miami Dolphins – Jedrick Wills (OT – Alabama)
Hear me out, I don’t think the Dolphins are drafting a QB this year. With Ryan Fitzpatrick returning for another season and the Dolphins committing to a long-term rebuild, they need to have an offensive line in place for whoever does end up starting for them for the next 10+ years. Right now, they don’t have that…Tua Tagovailoa‘s the popular pick here, but there’s no way you put a high investment pick like Tua behind that shoddy OL they currently have. They need to add back all the pieces that they traded away this season first and then target their QB in a good 2021 QB class. Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Brock Purdy, or maybe even Jamie Newman could all be targets for them in 2021. And remember, they still have two first round picks and two second round picks next season to work with and move up or down the board. In the meantime, they add the No. 1 OT on some analysts boards here at pick number five. Jedrick Wills is as solid of a prospect as they come and he’d immediately help improve that offensive line there in Miami.

6. Los Angeles Chargers – Tua Tagovailoa (QB – Alabama)
The Los Angeles Chargers are heading into 2020 with Tyrod Taylor as their starting QB. While he’s a decent option, they need to have a long-term play in mind at the position. The Chargers desperately need something to excite their fanbase in LA and Tua would provide that spark. While Tua’s progressing well as he makes his way back from injury, he’s still unlikely to be ready to roll week one of the NFL season. Tyrod would be able to start those games for them until Tua’s ready to take over and lead the Chargers into a new era after Philip Rivers.

7. Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown (iDL – Auburn)
The Carolina Panthers are blowing everything up and have needs all over their roster (seriously, go check out their pending free agents). There’s a strong possibility that they are entering a full blown rebuild and may look to address the QB position in the 2021 draft. In the meantime, they need to add foundation pieces to this roster and Derrick Brown is just that. Brown may not enter into the league and produce incredible sack numbers, but his contribution is going to be so much more than that. He’s able to absorb double teams in the middle, be an anchor in the run game, and provide interior pass rush pressure, which will only help Brian Burns on the outside. The Panthers start their rebuild the right way and add a foundation piece here with the young player out of Auburn.

8. Arizona Cardinals – Tristan Wirfs (OT – Iowa)
Tristan Wirfs is an elite athlete, as evidenced by his NFL Combine performance. With that being said, he’s also an incredibly solid OT prospect. The Cardinals need help on the offensive line and Wirfs brings them some versatility to either play inside at guard or outside at tackle. The Cardinals resigned D.J. Humphries, but they still need a solid option opposite of him. Their objective should be to protect Kyler Murray and Wirfs is a perfect start.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeff Okudah (CB – Ohio State)
Due to a run on offensive tackles, plus gauging the true needs of the teams ahead of the Jaguars, Okudah falls here to the Jaguars No. 9 overall. Okudah’s a smooth and fluid CB prospect that tested extremely well at the NFL Combine. The Jaguars are close to going into full blown rebuild mode, so there’s a possibility that if Okudah isn’t here they may trade back to a team that could be coming up for Justin Herbert and accumulate more picks.  However, without projecting trades in this mock, the Jaguars happily address a gaping hole in their defense with an elite prospect. Okudah to the Jaguars makes too much sense with Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye no longer on the team.

10. Cleveland Browns – Kenneth Murray (LB – Oklahoma)
The Browns have a well-documented need at offensive tackle, yes. However, they may now have an even more pressing need at linebacker. Joe Schobert is going to walk in free agency and the team just parted ways with Christian Kirksey. As of the time of writing, Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki are their only linebackers under contract for 2020. The Browns take a birds-eye view of the draft here and choose to take advantage of a deeper OT class and address a critical need here with the speedy and rangy linebacker out of Oklahoma. Murray is the No. 8 overall player on my Big Board and he’s going to immediately step into that locker room as a leader. A two-time captain at Oklahoma, Murray is a standup person, but also is an outstanding player. Asked frequently to spy mobile QBs in college, Murray frequently shut them down with his pursuit speed. (Go watch Murray track down D’Eriq King in the Houston game) In a division that features Lamar Jackson, Murray makes a ton of sense to prevent Lamar from gashing them on defense all game long…twice a year.

11. New York Jets – Andrew Thomas (OT – Georgia)
Joe Douglas and the New York Jets are extremely happy that the Browns chose to go linebacker at 10, because that means a damn good football player falls right in their lap. Andrew Thomas is a large human being with vines for arms. (36 1/8″) The Jets have needs at OT and Thomas slides right in as an instant upgrade, which allows Douglas to build this team from the trenches out.

12. Las Vegas Raiders – Jerry Jeudy (WR – Alabama)
The Las Vegas Raiders (I definitely typed Oakland here before I caught it in proofreading) need help desperately at the WR position. Tyrell Williams isn’t a no. 1 receiver and Hunter Renfrow purely plays the slot, which means that they need someone who can come in and make an impact immediately. Jerry Jeudy is that player. One of the best route-runners at the receiver position in the last few classes, Jeudy can step right in and help Derek Carr out at all levels of the field. The Raiders should stick with Derek Carr at QB, so they need to surround him with the necessary weapons to help elevate his play. Jeudy offers that right out of the gates.

13. Indianapolis Colts – CeeDee Lamb (WR – Oklahoma)
The Indianapolis Colts struggled immensely at the WR position last season after sustaining injuries to their top guys. T.Y. Hilton hasn’t played a full 16 game season since 2017 and Parris Campbell barely saw the field after dealing with his own injuries. The popular discussion is replacing Jacoby Brissett, but he really wasn’t given a great supporting cast in 2019. The Colts love Brissett and they need to do everything they can to help him. CeeDee Lamb steps right in and brings a different skillset to the table than Hilton and Campbell. Lamb’s an alpha receiver and he’d step right in and be a reliable target for Brissett.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Justin Herbert (QB – Oregon)
In reality, there’s no way that Justin Herbert is lasting here until pick 14. While I’m not the biggest fan of his tape, he brings the intangibles to the table that NFL evaluators like and some team is going to trade up into the top-10 to acquire him. However, in a mock draft without trades, this is where Herbert lands. Bruce Arians is ecstatic to get his hands on a young QB with a rocket arm and mobility. While Herbert can struggle with the more nuanced requirements of the position, Arians can work through that and iron those issues out. Meanwhile, his offense doesn’t take a step back and allows Herbert to sling the ball all over the field. Something he’ll be great at once he gets more comfortable…

15. Denver Broncos – Henry Ruggs III (WR – Alabama)
Henry Ruggs III has the speed, which we all know about. However, he’s much more than that and will be a perfect compliment to the weapons already in Denver. The Broncos have potentially found the long-term answer at QB, so now they need to do everything they can to surround him with a good supporting cast. Ruggs will step in nicely alongside Courtland Sutton, DaeSean Hamilton, and Noah Fant and help elevate this offense right out of the gates.

16. Atlanta Falcons – K’Lavon Chaisson (EDGE – LSU)
The Atlanta Falcons are moving on from Vic Beasley and need to have someone step up as an outside pass rusher. This Falcons defense started to play well again towards the back half of the season, but they still have needs in several key areas. Chaisson has the potential to go even higher than this in the NFL Draft, but the Falcons are happy to have him still on the board. This EDGE class has a talent drop-off after the first few names, so taking Chaisson here to address a critical need is the right move.

17. Dallas Cowboys – Kristian Fulton (CB – LSU)
Byron Jones seems destined to be leaving in free agency, which means that the Cowboys have a critical need in their secondary. Here, they choose to take a top-tier prospect that gets pushed down the board due to other team’s needs in Kristian Fulton. Fulton’s a physical, strong corner who will be able to keep up with nearly anyone in the NFL. He’ll step in and help that secondary not miss a beat.

18. Miami Dolphins – Javon Kinlaw (iDL – South Carolina)
As mentioned before with the Dolphins, they need to rebuild this roster completely and starting with the trenches is not a bad way to go about doing it. Especially when a player of Javon Kinlaw‘s caliber is still here on the board. Christian Wilkins was a first round pick last year and John Jenkins is 30 and slated to hit free agency. While Davon Godchaux played decently well last year, Kinlaw’s a whole different type of animal on that defensive line. Sliding Wilkins, Godchaux, and Kinlaw around on that defensive line would be fun to watch and immediately gives them a dominant trio in the AFC East.

19. Las Vegas Raiders – Patrick Queen (LB – LSU)
The Raiders are now up again after selecting Jerry Jeudy with their first first round pick, which allows them to select another critical position of need: linebacker. Right now, Nicholas Morrow and Marquel Lee are their only linebackers under contract for 2020, which is atrocious. They need help and they select the last of the top-tier linebackers here in this class. Queen’s excellent dropping into coverage and has incredible sideline to sideline ability. While he struggles to “work through the weeds” and navigate traffic well in the run game, Queen’s just scratching the surface of his ability. Queen dramatically improved throughout the course of 2019 and brings a high level of character and winning mindset to the Raiders, which we know GM Mike Mayock covets.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars – CJ Henderson (CB – Florida)
Yes, the Jacksonville Jaguars did just take a CB at No. 9 in this draft. However, this is a critical area of need with Ramsey and Bouye both gone now. D.J. Hayden played well, but he’s going to be hitting 30 years old here soon. Meanwhile, Tre Herndon isn’t (or shouldn’t be) more than a depth piece for this defense. The Jags still have other needs on this defense, but there aren’t any other players here at those needs that are worth taking at this point. Instead, they double down on the position and turn a gaping hole into potentially one of the strongest units in the NFL. Okudah and CJ Henderson side by side would be an incredible tandem for this unit and would allow them to flourish and grow right alongside one another.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Grant Delpit (S – LSU)
The Philadelphia Eagles need secondary help in general. They would’ve loved to see CJ Henderson fall into their laps, but he goes one pick above them to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Instead, they look at their safety room and realize that Rodney McLeod is a free agent and Malcolm Jenkins is 32 years old now. They need to replenish that room, so Grant Delpit is the selection here. Delpit played through injuries in 2019 and switched from strong safety (which he played in 2018) to free safety to compensate for an injured teammate. Because of that, Delpit saw his production take a step back. However, Delpit still put out some very good things on tape and showed his playmaking ability around the box. The Eagles need WR help, but they can address that later on in this draft with the depth at that position. At this spot though, they take the talented safety out of LSU and hope they can get him playing to the level of his 2018 tape, which would have put him in the top-10 of this class.

22. Buffalo Bills – Yetur Gross-Matos (EDGE – Penn State)
The Buffalo Bills desperately need size at the WR position, but just like other teams ahead of them, they choose to take advantage of the depth in this class and address another need here. The Bills have Trent Murphy and Jerry Hughes under contract for next season, but they’re getting older and the Bills need to make long-term plans at the position. Yetur Gross-Matos is a bull in a china shop and would step right in to an already talented defense. Sean McDermott is one of the best coaches in the league and knows how to get the most out of his players. I wouldn’t be surprised to be talking about Gross-Matos as a DROY candidate next season with this landing spot.

23. New England Patriots – Cesar Ruiz (iOL – Michigan)
Don’t look now, but the New England Patriots have needs everywhere. They have a critical need at the interior of their offensive line though as Ted Karras and Joe Thuney are both free agents, which means that if Tom Brady is back in New England, he’s going to need new protection up front. Cesar Ruiz solidified himself as one of the top interior offensive lineman in this class at the NFL Combine and slides in perfectly to this offensive scheme to protect Brady, or whoever else is behind center next season.

24. New Orleans Saints – Justin Jefferson (WR – LSU)
The New Orleans Saints are going to go one more time with Drew Brees at the helm, most likely. If they’re going to do that, they need to make sure that they do everything they can to surround him with great weapons. Michael Thomas is insane, but he can’t be targeted on every play. Tre’Quan Smith hasn’t been able to stay on the field, but he could still fill that Ted Ginn role on the outside. However, the Saints have a need for a slot receiver and there might not be anyone better in this class than Justin Jefferson. In his rookie profile, I called him a separation artist, which is a perfect compliment to what Thomas brings to the table.

25. Minnesota Vikings – Antoine Winfield Jr. (S – Minnesota)

The Minnesota Vikings need help at CB, yes. However, their need at safety is being completely unaddressed. Harrison Smith is one of the best strong safeties in the league, but he’s their only safety under contract for 2020. Meanwhile, Anthony Harris will command a big payday and Jayron Kearse and Andrew Sendejo are free agents as well. The Vikings need someone who can play center field and help Smith patrol the back end. The Vikings stay in state and bring in the Minnesota product, Antoine Winfield Jr. to address a critical need. Winfield Jr.’s a playmaker on the back end and ran much faster than people projected him to at the NFL Combine. He’s a perfect compliment to this defense and shores up an area of need.

26. Miami Dolphins – Josh Jones (OT – Houston)
The Dolphins continue their rebuild through the trenches here and scoop up the athletic tackle from Houston. While Jones is still a bit raw, he shows the flashes of being a top-tier tackle in the NFL. Walking out of the first round with Jedrick Wills and Josh Jones to replace the mess of J’Marcus Webb, Jesse Davis, and Julie’n Davenport is not bad at all…

27. Seattle Seahawks – A.J. Epenesa (EDGE – Iowa)
A.J. Epenesa‘s Combine performance wasn’t great, but it works out well for Seattle because a phenomenal football player falls into their lap here at No. 27. Make no mistake about it, Epenesa has some of the best tape out there in this EDGE class and would be a great addition for this Seahawks scheme. Epenesa could play as the EDGE in their 4-3 scheme or he could even kick inside as an undersized iDL. If Jadaveon Clowney ends up leaving in free agency, or even if he stays, this is a great addition. Otherwise, look for the Seahawks to trade back from this pick to a team coming up potentially for a QB.

28. Baltimore Ravens – Xavier McKinney (S – Alabama)
Xavier McKinney didn’t have the greatest Combine performance, but there’s a possibility that he wasn’t at 100%. However, the tape doesn’t lie and the tape says that McKinney is a very good safety prospect coming out of Alabama. With Tony Jefferson being released, the Ravens have a need at the position. While Chuck Clark played well last season, McKinney is an incredibly intelligent safety prospect that provides versatility all over that defense. All in all, McKinney screams a Ravens draft choice…

29. Tennessee Titans – Jonathan Taylor (RB – Wisconsin)
The Tennessee Titans are an extremely smart organization and it’s hard to picture them paying big money to a RB that’s had the wear-and-tear on his body that Derrick Henry has accumulated. Instead, the Titans let Henry walk and draft his replacement here with Jonathan Taylor. Taylor is a big back that would slot right into the role Henry played, but could provide even more explosiveness and top-end speed. Taylor makes perfect sense here if the Titans do indeed let Henry walk in free agency.

30. Green Bay Packers – Lucas Niang (OT – TCU)
The Green Bay Packers have a few needs on their roster, but Bryan Bulaga is slated to be a free agent and the depth behind him isn’t great. Offensive tackle needs to be a priority for them, either in free agency or the draft. Lucas Niang had a disappointing 2019 season, but it was one that was marred by a hip injury that he played through. At this time, it sounds like his recovery is on track and that everything is progressing nicely. The Packers take a chance on the talented tackle prospect out of TCU and hope that he can play consistently at the level that he’s displayed at times during his college career.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jeff Gladney (CB – TCU)
In actuality, there’s no way that the 49ers stay here and make this selection. With no 2nd, 3rd, or 4th round picks, they need to trade back and accumulate some picks to fill the holes on their roster. This is most likely the spot that a team comes up to trade for Jordan Love out of Utah State, but we’re not projecting trades, remember? If they do stay put, Jeff Gladney makes a ton of sense for this roster. Gladney is an incredibly long and lean corner with tremendous speed and playmaking ability. He’ll be the perfect compliment to Richard Sherman, while Sherman plays out the final years of his career.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – A.J. Terrell (CB – Clemson)
The Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions! However, they have glaring holes all over their roster that need to be addressed. Potentially none more so than the CB group that will only have Charvarius Ward and Rashad Fenton under contract for 2020. AJ Terrell is a damn good corner prospect and one who I walked away with really impressed after studying his tape. While I do believe that Terrell would be best suited as a CB2 on a NFL team, the Chiefs take one of the best remaining options here off the board at the end of the first round.

Round Two

33. Cincinatti Bengals – Justin Madubuike (iDL – Texas A&M)
The Bengals take care of the offensive side of the ball with the No. 1 overall pick and double back here and address a need in the middle of their defensive line. The Bengals need help everywhere on that defense and Mudubuike’s a solid player.

34. Indianapolis Colts – Jordan Love (QB – Utah State)
Jordan Love is a polarizing prospect, but he does bring the arm talent and intangibles to the position that NFL teams will love (no pun intended). With him still on the board here, the Colts take a chance and will let him sit for a year behind Brissett before determining if he’s the future for their franchise. If he’s not, they now have a trade piece to dangle in front of a QB-needy team in 2021.

35. Detroit Lions – Noah Igbinoghene (CB – Auburn)
The Lions reeled in Isaiah Simmons with their first round pick and continue addressing the needs on the defense with Noah Igbinoghene out of Auburn here. A former WR, Igbinoghene is still learning the position, but he’s shown his top-tier athleticism and is worth taking the shot on here to address a critical need.

36. New York Giants – Tee Higgins (WR – Clemson)
Tee Higgins didn’t participate in the NFL Combine and his stock has slipped slightly because of it. However, we need to remember how talented he is and that this is a steal for the Giants here at 36. Sterling Shepard can’t be relied on with his injury history and the Giants surround Daniel Jones with more weapons.

37. Los Angeles Chargers – Matt Peart (OT – UConn)
The Chargers need upgrades all over their offensive line. While snagging Trai Turner was a good start, they still can use some help. I love what I saw from Matt Peart on tape and think he could actually kick inside and be a great guard, if need be. The Chargers can start him out at tackle and work on his hand technique and kick him inside if it doesn’t work.

38. Carolina Panthers – Zack Baun (EDGE – Wisconsin)
The Panthers lost Luke Kuechly to retirement and are about to lose a ton more pieces to free agency. This defense needs reworked and Derrick Brown and Zack Baun are a good start. While Baun brings versatility and some pass rush chops off the EDGE, I like him best as a 4-3 SAM. In Phil Snow’s hybrid defense, he’ll be a chess piece that can be moved around to help alleviate the loss of Kuechly.

39. Miami Dolphins – Tyler Biadasz (iOL – Wisconsin)
The Dolphins continue reloading that offensive line in this draft by adding Tyler Biadasz out of Wisconsin, who is one of my favorite iOL players in this draft class. He brings versatility to that unit as either a center or guard and is great in the run game. They’re not the sexiest picks, but a solid OL is the way to fast-track your rebuild.

40. Arizona Cardinals – Neville Gallimore (iDL – Oklahoma)
The Arizona Cardinals took Tristan Wirfs with their first round pick and turn back around to address the other side of the trenches. This defense needs help and Neville Gallimore is a great fit for the 3-tech in their defense. He’s ultra athletic and plays with a high motor, however, he sacrifices leverage routinely and plays way too high. If he can work out those issues, he’ll be an instant impact player for the Cardinals defense.

41. Cleveland Browns – Austin Jackson (OT – USC)
The Browns addressed a critical need at linebacker with their first round pick and double back and snag a great OT prospect here in the second round with Austin Jackson. The Browns gambled a bit, but it paid off and they’ve got two great football players to build their roster around.

42. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jalen Reagor (WR – TCU)
The Jaguars appear to be committed to Gardner Minshew moving forward. If that is the case, they need to do everything they can to surround him with weapons. Reagor had a confusing Combine, but he’s still one of the best playmakers in this class. D.J. Chark, Dede Westbrook, and Jalen Reagor as your starting wideouts? Talk about speed.

43. Chicago Bears – Jeremy Chinn (S – Southern Illinois)
The Bears are up with their first selection in this draft and they go right to a great strong safety prospect out of Southern Illinois. Jeremy Chinn blew up the Combine to go along with his stellar tape and will slide right in as the perfect compliment to Eddie Jackson. This allows Chinn to play in the box or even as a sub-linebacker and frees Jackson to roam about in centerfield.

44. Indianapolis Colts – Kyle Dugger (S – Lenoir-Rhyne)
Doesn’t this just scream a Chris Ballard pick? The Colts add a versatile weapon to their defense with Kyle Dugger here at pick No. 44, who can come out and play safety for them right away or even linebacker alongside Darius Leonard. He’ll take some time to learn the nuances to the positions, but you can’t teach his level of athleticism.

45. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – D’Andre Swift (RB – Georgia)
Due to a deep RB class, D’Andre Swift somehow slides all the way to pick No. 45. Justin Herbert in the first round to pair with potentially the best RB in the entire class? Sign me up.

46. Denver Broncos – Lloyd Cushenberry III (iOL – LSU)
The Denver Broncos helped Drew Lock with a receiving weapon in round one and they double back here and protect him in round two. That Broncos OL needs help and Cushenberry can come in right away and do just that.

47. Atlanta Falcons – Trevon Diggs (CB – Alabama)
The Falcons addressed EDGE with K’Lavon Chaisson in the first round and they come back here and add an extremely talented CB in the second round in Trevon Diggs.

48. New York Jets – Michael Pittman Jr. (WR – USC)
Michael Pittman Jr. is flying incredibly under the radar in this year’s class and he deserves to be considered here in the second round. The Jets need WR help and reunite Sam Darnold with his former WR at No. 48 overall.

49. Pittsburgh Steelers – Brycen Hopkins (TE – Purdue)
The Steelers appear to be locked into Ben Roethlisberger for the next few seasons, so they need to do their best to make it work. Brycen Hopkins is an incredible athlete and is a dynamic receiving threat. He’d be a great addition to that receiving corps and provide an upgrade over the players they have at the position currently.

50. Chicago Bears – Bryce Hall (CB – Virginia)
A safety and corner both in the second round? Yes, when those players are this good. Bryce Hall would be a first-round lock if it weren’t for his ankle injury that caused him to miss the majority of last season. However, the tape he put up before then was incredible, which makes him a solid option here in the middle of the second round. The Bears quietly have some holes in the secondary and shore them up with their first two picks.

51. Dallas Cowboys – Denzel Mims (WR – Baylor)
The Cowboys need a safety, but there aren’t any here on the board that work for what specifically they need. Meanwhile, it’s not looking likely that Amari Cooper is back in Dallas next season (barring some miraculous turnaround with contract negotiations) and the WR room is depleted without him. Mims has been a fast riser throughout this process, but he still has some things that he needs to work on and develop. Here at 51, the Cowboys take the athletic wideout to pair him with Michael Gallup.

52. Los Angeles Rams – Matt Hennessy (iOL – Temple)
The Rams need iOL help and need to get younger. With their first pick in the draft, they add a great player out of Temple.

53. Philadelphia Eagles – KJ Hamler (WR – Penn State)
The Eagles need to build WR depth, but they also need to replace Nelson Agholor out of the slot. Hamler comes right in and gives this offense a spark from day one. He’s an electric playmaker and would be a ton of fun to watch in this offense.

54. Buffalo Bills – Antonio Gandy-Golden (WR – Liberty)
This may be looked at by some as a reach, but it shouldn’t…AGG is special. While the competition jump certainly is intense, he’s excelled at every part of the pre-draft process and looks like he belongs in the NFL. Gandy-Golden has some AJ Green to his game and Josh Allen would love to have a weapon like him in this offense.

55. Atlanta Falcons – J.K. Dobbins (RB – Ohio State)
The Falcons rolled the dice with their earlier second round pick and hoped that a good RB prospect would still be on the board. They hit the jackpot here with Dobbins still on the board in the middle of round two. Devonta Freeman‘s days in Atlanta are numbered and the Falcons wouldn’t be able to send in this pick fast enough.

56. Miami Dolphins – Josh Uche (EDGE – Michigan)
Goodness, how many freaking picks do the Dolphins have?! The reload continues here with a dynamic EDGE player out of Michigan. Uche’s an incredible athlete and a better fit as an off-ball linebacker, in my opinion, but he’d come in and provide some versatility to a defense that needs some attention at the EDGE position.

57. Houston Texans – Jonah Jackson (iOL – Ohio State)
The Texans are on the clock for the first time in this draft and take the iOL prospect out of Ohio State, Jonah Jackson. Jackson’s a phenomenal pass blocking guard and has the versatility to play either position on the interior. The Texans have made significant strides over the past few seasons to shore up their line and they continue to do so here.

58. Minnesota Vikings – Prince Tega-Wanogho (OT – Auburn)
The Vikings need an upgrade over Riley Reiff. Tega-Wanogho shows flashes of his talent on tape and has the build to be a great tackle in the NFL, but he may not be ready to start day one. With Reiff still in place, they can groom his replacement and hope to get their long-term LT here late in round two.

59. Seattle Seahawks – Donovan Peoples-Jones (WR – Michigan)
The Seahawks have DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but they don’t have anyone else behind them that can contribute regularly. Peoples-Jones is an athletic freak, which Seattle’s shown they know how to work with already…DK, DPJ, and Lockett would be a dynamic trio for Russell Wilson to be throwing to every game.

60. Baltimore Ravens – Laviska Shenault Jr. (WR – Colorado)
Full disclosure, Laviska Shenault’s injury history concerns me. If I were the Ravens, I would be very hesitant on making this pick, but when Shenault is healthy, there might not be a better playmaker with the ball in his hands in this draft. Shenault lined up everywhere at Colorado and he could do the exact same here in Baltimore. Can you picture a backfield alignment of Lamar Jackson, Mark Ingram, and Shenault? Yikes.

61. Tennessee Titans – Jonathan Greenard (EDGE – Florida)
The Titans need a running mate opposite of Harold Landry at the EDGE position and Greenard would be able to step right in and provide that immediately. Greenard’s one of my favorite players in this class and he’d be a perfect fit here in Tennessee.

62. Green Bay Packers – Chase Claypool (WR – Notre Dame)
Chase Claypool is the definition of an elite athlete, but he may not have a true position in the NFL. For Matt LaFleur though, he’ll be happy to get a receiving option like Claypool into his offense. Claypool’s essentially a big slot WR/TE and would be able to help work the short to intermediate levels of the field, but also provide some yards after catch ability. He’d be a perfect compliment to Davante Adams.

63. Kansas City Chiefs – Darrell Taylor (EDGE – Tennessee)
The Chiefs need an EDGE presence opposite of Frank Clark and they’re going to be hard-pressed to find a better one at this point of the draft than Darrell Taylor out of Tennessee. He has all the athletic traits you look for in an EDGE rusher and shows a knack for getting home consistently. The only thing that stood out to me when watching his tape was that he needed to add a little bit more strength to his frame, but he’s a terrific player and one that could rise more than this point of the draft come April…

64. Seattle Seahawks – Ross Blacklock (iDL – TCU)
The Seahawks have never been shy about loading up on defensive lineman. After adding A.J. Epenesa in the first round, they double back here and add the ultra-athletic defensive lineman out of TCU.


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Kyle Yates is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Kyle, check out his archive and follow him @KyleYNFL.

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Kyle Yates

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Kyle Yates is an independent content creator that's passionate about helping people dominate their fantasy football league. He's spent time previously as a writer for The Fantasy Footballers, was a full-time fantasy analyst for FantasyPros from 2020-2022, and was the Fantasy Football Content Director at Pro Football Network.

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