Nick Farabaugh’s pre-free agency 2020 NFL Mock Draft

The NFL free agency period is only a short time away with many moves already being made across the NFL landscape. Teams have already begun to franchise tag players and release others from contracts as the offseason picture comes into focus. Following some new information from the combine and pro days, Nick Farabaugh makes his picks in his pre-free agency 2020 Mock Draft.

Related | NFL News and Rumors Tracker: Free Agency, 2020 NFL Draft, and More

Nick Farabaugh’s 2020 NFL Mock Draft 3.0: Pre-Free Agency

1) Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
This one is as obvious as it gets. Cincinnati is not overthinking this one, and Joe Burrow will be a Bengal. They get their franchise guy and move on from Andy Dalton despite the rumors over the past few months.

2) Washington Redskins: Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State
Washington already has a great defensive line with guys like Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Ryan Kerrigan, and Matt Ioannidis working in the defensive trenches. Still, Chase Young is the clear best player in this draft and the obvious pick for them here. There is no reason to get cute unless you get a mind-blowing trade offer. Fortify the defensive line and terrorize offenses for years to come with that impressive front.

3) Detroit Lions: Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
The Darius Slay trade rumors are still a thing, and we have no idea if he will be back in the Motor City in 2020. Regardless, Jeffrey Okudah is the best cornerback in this class, and it fills a big need for the Lions in the meantime as well. This one seems like a match made in heaven as long as the Lions choose to stay their hand here.

4) New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
I love Isaiah Simmons, and he screams of a Dave Gettleman pick to me. No matter the point, the Giants need help in the middle of their defense desperately, and that is exactly what Simmons brings to the table. He can be an impact, multi-dimensional defender that gives the Giants a key building block on defense.

Related | Tony Pauline Mailbag: What the Giants might do in the 2020 NFL Draft

5) Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
This is another one that seems destined to happen. The Dolphins need a young, franchise quarterback, and Tua Tagovailoa can be that guy. Aside from the injury concerns, I think Tagovailoa is pound-for-pound the best quarterback in the draft. Tony Pauline ranks him as the top quarterback in the 2020 draft. His skill set will be a great note to start the rebuild for the Dolphins.

6) Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
I have more doubts than I did a month ago if this really happens. There seems to be some smoke suggesting the Chargers might use this pick on a tackle rather than a quarterback with Russell Okung now out of Los Angeles. But the strong-armed, mobile signal-caller in Justin Herbert is too tempting to pass up. He has fantastic upside and would mesh well with the weapons in Los Angeles.

7) Carolina Panthers: Javon Kinlaw, IDL, South Carolina
I am beginning to think Javon Kinlaw might just go before Derrick Brown at this rate. Kinlaw is an obvious physical specimen with great tape and a fantastic upside to his game. There are a lot of ways Carolina could go, but with the top three quarterbacks off the board, Kinlaw makes a lot of sense here for the Panthers in this mock draft.

8) Arizona Cardinals: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
I am still sticking with this one going forward. The Cardinals need offensive line help, but they also need that number one receiver to take the Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray offense to the next level. Ceedee Lamb is my top-rated receiver in the draft and fits exactly the alpha type the Cardinals need as they reunite the former Sooner teammates.

9) Jacksonville Jaguars: C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
I have seen this one go around a lot lately, such as our own Ben Allbright, who recently mocked this pick on Twitter. Henderson’s stock is soaring through the roof, and if the Jaguars want him, they probably have to grab him here. After running a 4.39 40-yard dash, Henderson put himself in this conversation. Add in the fact that the Jaguars traded both A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey, and the recipe is here for this pick.

10) Cleveland Browns: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
No tackles off the board until this point is probably a surprise, and the Browns reap the benefits in this pre-free agency 2020 mock draft. Tristan Wirfs might just be the best tackle in this class period and fits with Kevin Stefanski’s outside zone scheme well. He will give the Browns a plug-and-play starter at right tackle from day one.

Related | Tony Pauline’s 2020 NFL Draft Top 300 Big Board

11) New York Jets: Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
The Jets need a lot of things, but an offensive tackle might just be at the top of that list. Alabama’s Jedrick Wills is a great athlete for the position and a straight-up mauler. Sam Darnold will have to worry about pass rushers a lot less with Wills in protection.

12) Las Vegas Raiders: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
Well, this is another one that seems natural. The Raiders need a number one wide receiver to help out Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow, and Jerry Jeudy is that guy with his elite route-running and after-the-catch skills.

13) Indianapolis Colts: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Colts fans have been clamoring for a quarterback for months. Jordan Love is the polar opposite of Jacoby Brissett as a gunslinger with elite arm talent. There is a lot of risks associated with Love’s high-upside skill set, but with Frank Reich as his mentor, you can trust the staff to develop Love’s potential into on-field success.

14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mekhi Becton, OT, Lousiville
There is always one guy that receives top-10 buzz that falls down the board a bit, and in this case, Mekhi Becton is that guy. He has been mocked frequently in the top-10 due to his superb athleticism for his size and mauler mentality. Tampa Bay desperately needs a tackle, and Becton gives them that protector that they badly need.

15) Denver Broncos: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
You just feel like this one is going to happen. Ruggs is a dynamic speed threat that fits perfectly with Drew Lock’s big arm and opens up the offense for Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant in the aerial attack. He has been rumored to the Broncos for months, and with the fit being natural, it is not hard to see why.

16) Atlanta Falcons: Derrick Brown, IDL, Auburn
This might just be about a dream scenario for the Falcons. They badly need some pass rush help, whether that be off the edge or on the interior. Derrick Brown experiencing a fall on draft day is not out of the question, and with excellent tape and a need to fill here, the Falcons jump on this one with ease.

17) Dallas Cowboys: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Kristian Fulton had a strong combine, but that is not only why he goes to Dallas here. Dallas will likely need help in the secondary after Byron Jones likely leaves in free agency, so Fulton makes a lot of sense to fill the void.

18) Miami Dolphins: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
This one is a gift that the Dolphins will gladly eat up all day and night. Andrew Thomas has legitimate top-10 tape and is probably the third-best tackle in this class. After trading Laremy Tunsil, the Dolphins desperately need offensive line help, and Thomas will help the o-line in a big way.

19) Las Vegas Raiders: Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
I think this might be a tad high for Queen, but man, he seems like a Gruden and Mayock pick. He comes from a program with great success and has athleticism that the Raiders desperately need in the middle of their defense. It gives them a key cog to stop the bleeding in the second level of their defense.

20) Jacksonville Jaguars: K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
This is a “best player available” scenario for the Jaguars after shoring up their cornerback need earlier with Henderson. Now they get strong value with K’Lavon Chaisson, a springy and bendy edge rusher. The Jaguars get two solid pieces to rebuild their once-dominant defense.

21) Philadelphia Eagles: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Denzel Mims’ stock seems to be flying through the roof after running a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. No one has helped their stock throughout the entire draft process more than Mims. As for the Eagles, we know how badly they need wide receiver help, and Mims brings fantastic body control and athleticism to a position that needs a reliable playmaker.

22) Buffalo Bills: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
The Bills sent an absolute contingent to Clemson for Higgins’ Pro Day. It really seems like they are enthralled with the Clemson product. I think Laviska Shenault is a better fit, but a jump ball receiver who plays with some of the best physicality in the draft is not out of the question either for the Bills. They currently lack size at receiver, and Higgins fills that need for Josh Allen.

23) New England Patriots: Zack Baun, EDGE, Wisconsin
This one is a sleeper pick, but Zack Baun fits exactly what Bill Belichick loves in his defensive players. Baun is a versatile, high-intensity player that has high football IQ and can fill a variety of roles on the Patriots defense, including the pass rush. The fit is natural, and Baun can legitimately go this high.

24) New Orleans Saints: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Something about the Saints and finding that elusive third option in the offense has been so key. They have Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara to shoulder a lot of the load, but a reliable possession target who can eat over the middle of the field is a big need. With his quickness and route-running prowess, Justin Jefferson is an excellent fit. 

25) Minnesota Vikings: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Jeff Gladney is an extremely fluid, physical cornerback that played at a high level in 2019. There should be no reason that the Vikings will not look his way, especially after the release of Xavier Rhodes and with a ton of question marks surrounding the futures of Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander.

26) Miami Dolphins: Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama
Three slam dunk picks here for the Dolphins in this pre-free agency 2020 mock draft. In this case, they simply select the best player available in Xavier McKinney. McKinney is a rangy free safety with top-notch ball skills that will make him a playmaker at the next level. And after trading Minkah Fitzpatrick this past season, the Dolphins get a guy who can do it all and is a perfect fit in Brian Flores’ scheme.

27) Seattle Seahawks: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
The offensive line has been an issue in Seattle for years at this point. Josh Jones has some warts, but this is a guy with great functional athleticism and power at the point of attack. It makes a lot of sense for Seattle to capitalize on a deep tackle draft and get a day one starter here.

28) Baltimore Ravens: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
The Ravens have a lot of ways they could go here, but they decide to get Murray, who is an athletic specimen with a hot motor. The second level of the defense needs help for the Ravens, and bringing in an athletic, instinctive linebacker like Murray helps out their cause to repeat as AFC North champions.

29) Tennessee Titans: Yetur Gross-Matos, EDGE, Penn State
Gross-Matos is an athletic pass rusher who is rawer than sushi, but his hot motor and work ethic are traits that can lead to him capitalizing on his great potential in the long-term. In the short-term, Tennessee adds a strong run defender who can create havoc off of twists that scheme him open.

30) Green Bay Packers: Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
Maybe I am a bit higher on than the consensus with Niang, but I believe he has the potential to be a first-round draft pick. The Packers need a right tackle, and Niang was a stalwart for the Horned Frogs at right tackle with heavy hands and good functional athleticism. He joins the Packers to protect Aaron Rodgers.

31) San Francisco 49ers: Cesar Ruiz, IOL, Michigan
This is the surprise pick of the first round. The 49ers do need some help on the interior of their offensive line, and with freaky good movement skills and fluid feet, Cesar Ruiz fits the bill to help them just as well as anyone. He is able to play both center and guard, and he is a natural at reaching the second level. 

Related | Tony Pauline’s 2020 NFL Draft Offensive Center Prospect Rankings

32) Kansas City Chiefs: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
The Chiefs have so very few needs that taking a running back here is extremely tempting, but I have my doubts that they will actually take one. That is an already absurdly talented offense with a ton of weapons, and a good running back can be had later in the draft. The Chiefs need more cornerback talent, though, and Trevon Diggs adds just that with high football IQ and great ball skills.

NEXT PAGE: ROUNDS 2-3

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