The 2019 NFL season is finally getting interesting after a month of action. September may be a month in which teams still are trying to figure out exactly who they are in the grand scheme, but most now have realistic goals to strive for at the end of the year. The deficiencies on either side of the ball could be just a case of a group trying to gain their footing on the year or could be a high-priority need going into 2020.
There has already been a fair amount of shakeup in player rankings five games into the college season and that should only amplify as the best players begin to class and faceoff against the top teams in the country. The receiver class that was pegged as one of the best in recent memory is making good on their expectations and could have up to seven players taken in this year’s draft. In a relatable matchup, the corner class is also starting to establish themselves as one of the most underrated of all the position groups.
This is a look ahead to the players that could be taken next April in the October edition of the 2020 NFL mock draft.
October First-Round 2020 NFL Mock Draft
Draft positions are based on a mix of a team’s current record and where they are projected to finish the 2019 season.
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Miami Dolphins – Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) – Quarterback
The Dolphins are clearly trying to get to the bottom of the league as fast as possible and that means reconstructing from the ground, up. Josh Rosen may have been dealt an unfair hand (twice) but that won’t stop Brian Flores from getting the guy he wants to build his team around. Tagovailoa is separating himself from the rest of the quarterbacks in his class and is close to becoming a lock for whoever has the first overall pick in 2020.
2. Cincinnati Bengals – Justin Herbert (Oregon) – Quarterback
With the Bengals once again stumbling out of the gate, it’s time to move on from Andy Dalton. They clearly can’t win with him and need to find a quarterback that can be more of a game-changer than he ever was as soon as possible. Herbert is a step behind Tagovailoa right now but has played solid ball since Oregon’s collapse against Auburn in their season opener. With 14 touchdowns, no picks and on pace to surpass his passing totals from a year ago, so far in 2019, he’s having his best season in his final season in college.
3. Washington Redskins – Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) – Wide Receiver
Even with his former Ohio State teammate Terry McLaurin looking great as a rookie, Dwayne Haskins is going to need more weapons on one of the worst receiving corps in football. Jeudy may be the best overall player in the draft and is showing why he deserved to receive the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver a year ago. He isn’t as big as a Julio Jones but is as complete a receiver coming out of college.
4. Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh Steelers) – Andrew Thomas (Georgia) – Offensive Tackle
If Pittsburgh really is as bad as they look right now, the Dolphins are going to have a very tough choice to make here at number four. They’ve already won the trade by getting this high a pick and could elect to go franchise pass rusher or tackle. Here they choose the latter. Thomas is the anchor of a great Georgia run-blocking line and is as athletic as they come at his position. The Dolphins need to protect their franchise quarterback after moving Laremy Tunsil.
5. New York Giants – Chase Young (Ohio State) – Edge
With Jeudy off the board, the Giants elect to go with maybe the next best overall player in the draft. Young is long, quick, and big — the prototype for a pass rusher in today’s NFL. Though Ohio State has not faced any major competition outside of Nebraska, Young has been dominant off the edge. Through just five games this season, he is only 2.5 sacks short of his season total (13 games) in 2018 at 8.0. It’s impossible for any opponent to not base your game-plan around containing Young right now.
6. Denver Broncos – Grant Delpit (LSU) – Safety
The Broncos defense is failing most at getting to the quarterback right now but with two studs off the edge, they need to upgrade their defense in some other way. Delpit can cover sideline to sideline in any secondary. Kareem Jackson is currently listed as the Broncos strong safety but could better translate to free safety going on age 32. Delpit is crazy athletic and will instantly improve a defense that has slouched to just average after being great for so long.
7. Tennessee Titans – Jake Fromm (Georgia) – Quarterback
The 2019 Marcus Mariota looks nothing like the player the Titans drafted back in 2015 and it’s probably time to move on. With Derrick Henry in Tennessee’s backfield, Fromm could be asked to play a similar role to the one he has played in Georgia. The Dawgs run-first attack has limited the frequency of which Fromm passes but he has the ability to make the passes asked of an NFL quarterback. His performance when head coach Kirby Smart let him throw in their matchup with Notre Dame looked like one of a quarterback ready to lead a team in the NFL. Whether Fromm’s stats hold him from being drafted this high is still unknown.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Tristan Wirfs (Iowa) – Offensive Tackle
This may be a bit high for Wirfs but getting a franchise piece on the offensive line should be a huge priority for Bruce Arian’s team. If they elect to stick with Jameis Winston going forward, it makes sense to give him as much help as he can. Wirfs is a terrific athlete with quick feet and all the other traits that make for a good NFL lineman. Demar Dotson is on his way out and Wirfs would be a nice replacement.
9. Las Vegas Raiders – Isaiah Simmons (Clemson) – Linebacker/Safety
The Raiders could very well go for a quarterback here but with three already off the board, it’s hard to see them reaching for one as opposed to trading back and getting their guy later. However, Simmons is well worth the ninth overall pick. If there is one guy coming out of college this year that passes the eye test, it’s Simmons. He’s quick, has great coverage ability as a linebacker, and makes plays all over the field. The Raiders need to continue to add to their subpar defense and Simmons has enough athletic ability to account for two pieces.
10. Arizona Cardinals – Trey Adams (Washington) – Offensive Tackle
The Cardinals line has not looked good in 2019 and if not for Kyler Murray’s ability to extend plays with his legs, could look even worse. Adams is a left tackle with great size at 6’8” and 322 pounds and could be the first piece in stabilizing Arizona’s line going forward. He is excelling as a pass blocker now that he’s finally healthy with the intangibles to become a good blindside blocker in the NFL.
11. New York Jets – Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado) – Wide Receiver
The Jets free fall in a year they should be improving with Sam Darnold, is unfortunate but also tells you a lot about their weak spots. One of those spots is at receiver. Shenault, like Jeudy, can do a little bit of everything and has good NFL size at 6’2” and 220 pounds. His 2019 has not been as impressive as one would think but Darnold needs game changers around him. Shenault has shown throughout his college career that he can be one of those guys in the open field.
12. Carolina Panthers – Tyler Biadasz (Wisconsin) – Center
The Panthers are facing a lot of questions in 2019. With the confusing nature of quarterback Cam Newton‘s health, it’s hard to tell what the Panthers will choose to address. Protecting that quarterback could be a good option. Biadasz is the best interior lineman in the upcoming class and could step in and start right away for the Panthers. He’s shown he’s both strong and has the motor to completely overpower players at the college level.
13. Atlanta Falcons – A.J. Epenesa (Iowa) – Edge
The Falcons once again look like a team that is not ready contend nor should they tear it all down. For that reason, they grab the best pass rusher on the board. Epenesa has not exploded in 2019 the way many thought he would after receiving more snaps but he is still a force off of the edge. The Falcons defense actually hasn’t given up all that many yards in 2019 to this point but used so much draft capital on offense over the past two years that beefing up their defense makes sense. Epenesa would give Atlanta a big presence on the defensive line who can line up at multiple positions.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars – CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma) – Wide Receiver
The chemistry Gardner Minshew is showing with his receivers so far the season is impressive but none are the caliber of player Lamb is. Lamb is very quick but is more than just a deep threat. His route-running ability is great and his hands are just as solid. This would give the Jaguars and whoever is playing quarterback a true number one receiver to work with. Lamb has seven touchdowns on just 17 touches in 2019. That’s insane.
15. Buffalo Bills – Tylan Wallace (Oklahoma State) – Wide Receiver
Back-to-back receivers go as the Bills grab themselves a player who is continually improving. Wallace broke out in 2018, leading the Big XII in receiving yards and is currently on pace to surpass both his receiving yards and touchdown totals. He is a true big-play threat evidenced by his crazy 22.1 yards per reception average. His speed and Josh Allen’s arm could be a pairing to behold over the next decade.
16. Detroit Lions – Bryce Hall (Virginia) – Cornerback
The Lions have looked great out of the gate but could still use a partner alongside Darius Slay. Hall could be the best corner in the draft next spring and has great length as well as the ball skills to blanket top receivers in the NFL. The Lions defense is still giving up a decent amount of yardage this season but a combination fo Slay and Hall could certainly improve that going into 2020.
17. Seattle Seahawks – Tee Higgins (Clemson) – Wide Receiver
The Seahawks only really have two ways to go in their draft in 2020: receiver or offensive line. If the board fell like this, there’s no doubt that with this pick, Seattle would be looking to move back. Here, they take Higgins. Higgins’ ability to high point the ball may be the best in this loaded class of receivers to go along with his incredibly secure hands. It may be the jersey, but he looks exactly like Mike Williams did coming out of college. Russell Wilson needs more to work with at receiver if the Seahawks hope to be competitive again.
18. Indianapolis Colts – Derrick Brown (Auburn) – Defensive Tackle
Amidst Andrew Luck’s retirement, the Colts are showing why they were pegged as Super Bowl contenders before the loss of their star quarterback. Therefore, the defense looks like the side of the ball most likely to be addressed. Brown is great value at 18 and brings with him a huge frame that can stop the run and get to the quarterback. He’s played well against good competition in 2019 and that should translate well over to the NFL. The Colts needs to improve their run defense and how they push the pocket.
19. Minnesota Vikings – Raekwon Davis (Alabama) – Defensive Tackle
With the Kirk Cousins experiment failing, the Vikings could easily go with a quarterback and ride out the last year of their current quarterback’s contract. However, adding to an already stout defense could make this a non-issue. The Vikings defensive line is already pretty solid and adding a giant presence to the middle of the unit in Davis could transform them into perhaps the best in the NFL.
20. Dallas Cowboys – Jeffery Okudah (Ohio State) – Cornerback
It’s hard to fully evaluate Okudah having seen limited action against good opponents. However, in those games, he’s been incredibly impressive. Okudah had not registered an interception in his career coming into 2019 but has emphasized his first-round talent by grabbing three already this season. Dallas’ secondary is the weakspot of their defense and Okudah has the intangibles to be a really good NFL corner.
21. Cleveland Browns – Walker Little (Stanford) – Offensive Tackle
Getting Little at number 21 looks like a perfect fit for the Browns assuming he decides to enter the draft. Little’s season was ended by a knee injury in Stanford’s first game of 2019 but was touted as a potential top-10 player prior. The Browns need to draft a tackle in this coming draft with how poor their offensive line has started the season and a healthy Little could anchor the left tackle spot for a long time.
22. San Fransisco 49ers – Paulson Adebo (Stanford) – Cornerback
After only having forced seven turnovers all of 2018, the Niners have rebounded by forcing that same amount in just three games in 2019. This has largely been due to the greatly improved pass rush up front as the Niners returned a ton of starters from last year’s secondary this season. Adebo is a smart, lengthy corner with a knack for undercutting throws. He’s been ranked top-three in pass defenses in the Pac-12 each of his three years in college.
23. Miami Dolphins (via Houston Texans) – Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State) – Edge
After already securing maybe the two most important pieces of their future franchise, the Fins go with an edge rusher teeming with talent. Gross-Matos is one of the most gifted pass rushers in the country but is still somewhat raw as a prospect. He’s started out strong in 2019 but was stifled in the Nittany Lions narrow win over Pitt. However, he has so much natural talent that it would be hard for the Dolphins to pass on him here in a potential ‘best player available’ situation.
24. Philadelphia Eagles – C.J. Henderson (Florida) – Cornerback
With the way the Eagles secondary has played in 2019 (and 2018 for that matter), they don’t have a choice but to address the secondary this upcoming off-season. Not only that, but they probably need more than just one new corner. Adding Henderson could be a good start. He has natural ball skills and could be even more complete if he fills out his frame a little more. Henderson could impress after returning from an ankle injury that has kept him out of his past three games and his draft stock could rise even more.
25. Baltimore Ravens – Curtis Weaver (Boise State) – Edge
Baltimore’s defense in 2019 has not been good. This year’s Ravens defense looks nothing like the one that allowed the least points against and second least yards against in 2018. Combined that with the fact they still aren’t forcing turnovers and you get a team that badly needs another star on defense. With Weaver, the Ravens get a pass rusher to add to a unit that has struggled for two years. This would help them pressure the quarterback and thus create turnovers. Just look at what the Niners did last off-season.
26. Los Angeles Chargers – Calvin Throckmorton (Oregon) – Offensive Tackle
The Chargers have looked just OK through four weeks and though their offense has been a top-five unit in terms of yardage, the offensive line could use some improvements. They were one of the worst units in the entire NFL in 2018 and could use some more talent next season. Neither of their tackles has contracts that exceed the 2020 season and Throckmorton has lined up at both left and right tackle in college. He has also now played 1,133 consecutive snaps without committing a penalty.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears) – Jalen Reagor (TCU) – Wide Receiver
If the Raiders are planning on sticking with Derek Carr, there doesn’t seem to be a situation in which they don’t target a receiver in the first round. Reagor hasn’t had an ideal start to his season at TCU but is still one of the most explosive receivers in the nation. Though not particularly elusive, his cuts are deadly and it leads to a ton of big plays. There’s no one like Reagor on the Raiders.
28. Green Bay Packers – Henry Ruggs III (Alabama) – Wide Receiver
The more and more Ruggs plays, the more and more there is to like about him. His numbers were subdued besides Jeudy in 2018 but he has come out in 2019 with a number of standout games. It could even be argued he is close to pulling even with Jeudy in the race for the nation’s top-receiver. The Packers offense is in clear need of another pass catcher not named Devante Adams and Ruggs could do a lot with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball. He could line up outside because of his blazing speed or in the slot because of his great hands and breakaway ability.
29. Los Angeles Rams – Dylan Moses (Alabama) – Inside Linebacker
The weak spot in the Rams defense as of now is their linebackers. This was on no better display than in their loss to the Bucs last week where they continuelly gave up passing yards in the middle intermediate of the field. None of the linebackers appear to be long-term fixes but Moses could begin to improve the unit. Moses is a terrific talent and has all the traits the NFL likes in a middle linebacker. He’s good in coverage, he’s rangy, he can diagnose plays, and can tackle with the best of them. The only thing keeping him from going higher is the ACL tear that will keep him from playing in 2019 and could leave him as one of the drafts biggest question marks.
30. New England Patriots – Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina) – Defensive Tackle
The Patriots defense looks really good so far in 2019 and could get even better at rushing the passer. Up the middle, Kinlaw has the talent to wreak havoc and get in the quarterbacks face. He has great size for a pass rushing interior defender at 6’6” and production to match this season with 4.0 sacks. Danny Shelton’s contract is up at the end of the year and Kinlaw should be an upgrade at the position.
31. New Orleans Saints – Albert Okwuegbunam (Missouri) – Tight End
Jared Cook has been one of the biggest off-season disappointments only registering 90 yards through his first four games as a Saint. He’s also been the third new starting tight end in New Orleans over the past three seasons. Sean Payton is looking for a player to be the next Jimmy Graham and though Okwuegbunam may not perfectly fit that mold, he is a great option at this point in the draft. The tight end competition is very close in the 2020 draft but the Saints would love Drew Brees throwing to a red zone threat like Okwuegbunam.
32. Kansas City Chiefs – D’Andre Swift (Georgia) – Running Back
The Chiefs get the luxury of selecting one of the most talented players in the entire draft with the final pick of the first round. He’s a crazy elusive runner that can factor into both the ground and pass game. Swift is averaging a crazy 7.9 yards per run so far in 2019 and could be a huge improvement and scheme fit for Andy Reid and the Cheifs offense. With how effective their makeshift backfield has done post-Kareem Hunt, Swift could make the Cheifs offense significantly more dangerous.
