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The top 20 picks of the 2020 NFL draft are settled. The Cincinnati Bengals will pick first overall, followed by Washington, the Detroit Lions, and the New York Giants. Here is a full list of the draft order of the top 20:
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Washington
- Detroit Lions
- New York Giants
- Miami Dolphins
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Carolina Panthers
- Arizona Cardinals
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Jets
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Indianapolis Colts
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Denver Broncos
- Atlanta Falcons
- Dallas Cowboys
- Miami Dolphins (via Pittsburgh Steelers)
- Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (via Los Angeles Rams)
The Bengals are expected to take LSU QB Joe Burrow with the first-overall pick to make him their franchise QB. Cincinnati received poor QB play in 2019, which strongly contributed to their league-worst 2-14 record. As a team, the Bengals had the league’s worst passer rating at 76.2, significantly below the 2019 league average passer rating of 90.9. Burrow, the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, is an exciting prospect who has displayed big passing upside and could eventually develop into a top fantasy option at QB.
Washington is expected to take Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young with the second-overall pick. An explosive pass rusher that has a chance to strongly impact games at the NFL level, Young is considered the best defensive player in the draft, and has an argument as the best overall player in the draft. Young led college football in sacks per game (1.38) and total sacks (16.5), with his 16.5 sacks an Ohio State school record for most sacks in a season. Young is a candidate to provide an immediate boost to Washington’s defense in 2020 and eventually develop into a game-breaking force off the edge.
The Lions badly need a pass rusher and appear to have fallen just short of a chance to draft Young. Detroit generated the fourth fewest sacks in 2019, and their overall defense was very poor. The Lions ranked in the bottom seven in points allowed, passer rating allowed, and total yards allowed. Other top pass rushers that could be selected at the top of the draft include Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa, and Detroit may find Epenesa an appealing option at third overall.
The Giants also need a pass rusher, but they also badly need help on the offensive line to help protect franchise QB Daniel Jones. LT Nate Solder has been a free agency bust, and Solder has been open to changing positions to stay with New York. With Chase Young highly unlikely to fall to the Giants at 4th, Georgia OL Andrew Thomas is a potential option for the Giants to help boost their offensive line. The Giants’ offensive line allowed the third most QB hits in 2019.
The Dolphins need a QB of the future, but Miami could elect to take another rebuilding year and go after massive QB prospect Trevor Lawrence in 2021. If Miami elects to try to go after Lawrence in 2021, they could instead draft the best non-QB available in 2020 draft. Miami badly needs help on the offensive line after trading stud LT Laremy Tunsil to the Texans earlier in the season. The Dolphins’ offensive line allowed the most QB hits and most sacks in the league in 2019.