The draft is just 48 hours away and I feel like a youngin' counting down the hours 'til Christmas. But with graying hair, that can't be the case, so I'll call on Michael Jackson to represent my excitement: "Cause we're almost there--just one more step--we're so close, I can taste it--a life so sweet!" Let's hope that sweet life is on the back of a perennial all-pro, multi-MVP, multi-Super Bowl winning transcendent superstar franchise quarterback drafted No. 5 overall in 2020, eh?
I'm still tweaking the final edition of my draft projection (expecting to release here Thursday afternoon), but I was inspired to create an in-depth position rankings guide for the first time this year. Mike Mayock used to have the monopoly on these, but since he landed with the Black Hole, I've noticed a void in sports writing as far as annual prospect position rankings go--which is unfortunate, given how valuable that information can be to someone who loosely follows NFL drafts. While I surely can't fill that Mayock-sized void, I hope I can provide some insight and guidance to this year's historic draft for my fellow 'Fins. Feedback is always appreciated!
These rankings are the culmination of countless hours of research and film study on the 2020 NFL draft class. Players are ranked 1 through 10 at their respective positions (QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, OG, OC, DE, DT, EDGE, OLB, ILB, CB, S). Players are assigned a draft grade; this grade is not a projection, but an indication of the perceived value of the player and in what frame I would reasonably draft them, all things equal.
QB
- Joe Burrow, LSU | Top 5
- Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama | Top 5
- Justin Herbert, Oregon | 1st
- Jake Fromm, Georgia | 2nd
- Jacob Eason, Washington | 2nd
- Jordan Love, Utah State 3rd
- James Morgan, Florida International | 4th
- Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma | 4th
- Anthony Gordon, Washington State | 5th
- Tyler Huntley, Utah | 6th
RB
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin | 1st
- D'Andre Swift, Georgia | 1st
- Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU | 2nd
- Cam Akers, Florida State | 2nd
- J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State | 2nd
- Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State | 3rd
- A.J. Dillon, Boston College | 4th
- Zack Moss, Utah | 4th
- Joshua Kelley, UCLA | 5th
- Eno Benjamin, Arizona State | 5th
WR
- CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma | Top 10
- Jerry Jeudy, Alabama | Top 10
- Henry Ruggs III, Alabama | 1st
- Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado | 2nd
- Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State | 2nd
- K.J. Hamler, Penn State | 2nd
- Tee Higgins, Clemson | 3rd
- Justin Jefferson, LSU | 2nd
- Antonio Gandy-Golden, Liberty | 3rd
- Michael Pittman Jr., USC | 3rd
TE
- Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri | 2nd
- Brycen Hopkins, Purdue | 2nd
- Hunter Bryant, Washington | 2nd
- Adam Trautman, Dayton | 3rd
- Thaddeus Moss, LSU | 4th
- Cole Kmet, Notre Dame | 4th
- Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic | 4th
- Colby Parkinson, Stanford | 4th
- Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati | 5th
- Devin Asiasi, UCLA | 5th
OT
- Andrew Thomas, Georgia | Top 10
- Tristan Wirfs, Iowa | 1st
- Mekhi Becton, Louisville | 1st
- Jedrick Wills, Alabama | 1st
- Josh Jones, Houston | 2nd
- Austin Jackson, USC | 2nd
- Ezra Cleveland, Boise State | 2nd
- Isaiah Wilson, Georgia | 2nd
- Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn | 3rd
- Trey Adams, Washington | 4th
OG
- Netane Muti, Fresno State | 2nd
- Ben Bredeson, Michigan | 2nd
- Shane Lemiuex, Oregon | 2nd
- Solomon Kindley, Georgia | 3rd
- John Simpson, Clemson | 3rd
- Hakeem Adeniji, Kansas | 4th
- Damien Lewis, LSU | 4th
- Jonah Jackson, Ohio State | 5th
- Logan Stenberg, Kentucky | 5th
- Jon Runyan, Michigan | 5th
OC
- Lloyd Cushenberry, III LSU | 1st
- Cesar Ruiz, Michigan | 2nd
- Matt Hennessy, Temple | 2nd
- Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin | 3rd
- Nick Harris, Washington | 3rd
- Jake Hanson, Oregon | 4th
- Daryl Williams, Mississippi State | 4th
- Frederick Mauigoa, Washington State | 5th
- Keith Ismael, San Diego State | 5th
- Sean Pollard, Clemson | 6th
EDGE
- Chase Young, Ohio State | Top 5
- Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State | 1st
- Bradlee Anae, Utah | 2nd
- Julian Okwara, Notre Dame | 3rd
- Alton Robinson, Syracuse | 3rd
- Curtis Weaver, Boise State | 4th
- Jabari Zuniga, Florida | 3rd
- Darrell Taylor, Tennessee | 4th
- Terrell Lewis, Alabama | 2nd
- Jonathan Greenard, Florida | 4th
DE
- A.J. Epenesa, Iowa | 1st
- Marlon Davidson, Auburn | 2nd
- James Lynch, Baylor | 3rd
- Nick Coe, Auburn | 3rd
- Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State | 4th
- Jason Strowbridge, North Carolina | 4th
- McTelvin Agim, Arkansas | 4th
- Joe Gaziano, Northwestern | 4th
- Kenny Willekes, Michigan State | 5th
- Christian Rector, USC | 6th
DT
- Derrick Brown, Auburn | Top 5
- Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina | Top 10
- Justin Madubuike, Mississippi State | 2nd
- Raekwon Davis, Alabama | 3rd
- Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma | 3rd
- Ross Blacklock, TCU | 3rd
- Benito Jones, Ole Miss | 3rd
- Leki Fotu, Utah | 4th
- Khalil Davis, Nebraska | 4th
- Jordan Elliott, Missouri | 4th
ILB
- Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech | 2nd
- Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma | 2nd
- Malik Harrison, Ohio State | 3rd
- Logan Wilson, Wyoming | 3rd
- Jacob Phillips, LSU | 4th
- Joe Bachie, Michigan State | 5th
- Shaquille Quarterman, Florida | 5th
- Cam Brown, Penn State | 5th
- Michael Pinckney, Miami | 6th
- Evan Weaver, California | 6th
OLB
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson | Top 10
- K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU | 1st
- Patrick Queen, LSU | 1st
- Josh Uche, Michigan | 2nd
- Zack Baun, Wisconsin | 2nd
- Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State | 3rd
- Troy Dye, Oregon | 3rd
- Anfernee Jennings, Alabama | 4th
- Khaleke Hudson, Michigan | 4th
- Michael Divinity Jr., LSU | 5th
CB
- Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State | Top 10
- Trevon Diggs, Alabama | 1st
- C.J. Henderson, Florida | 1st
- Jeff Gladney, TCU | 2nd
- Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State | 2nd
- Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn | 2nd
- Jaylon Johnson, Utah | 2nd
- Bryce Hall, Virginia | 3rd
- Kristian Fulton, LSU | 3rd
- Stanford Samuels III, Florida State | 4th
S
- Xavier McKinney, Alabama | 1st
- Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota | 1st
- Grant Delpit, LSU | 2nd
- Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois | 2nd
- Ashtyn Davis, California | 2nd
- Kyle Dugger, Lenoire-Rhyne | 2nd
- Terrell Burgess, Utah | 3rd
- Brandon Jones, Texas | 4th
- J.R. Reed, Georgia | 4th
- K'Von Wallace | 5th
Notable Snubs:
- Jake Luton, QB, Oregon State
- Antonio Gibson, RB, Memphis
- Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
- Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
- Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
- Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
- Cheyenne O'Grady, TE, Arkansas
- Robert Hunt, OT, Louisiana-Lafayette
- Matt Peart, OT, Connecticut
- Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
- Ben Bartch, OG, St. John's
- Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
- Trevis Gipson, DE, Tulsa
- Alex Highsmith, EDGE, Charlotte
- Willie Gay Jr., OLB, Mississippi State
- Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
- A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
- Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
- Javaris Davis, CB, Auburn
- Shyheim Carter, S, Alabama
Stronger-Than-Average Position Groups:
Weaker-Than-Average Position Groups:
- TE
- OG
- DE (5-tech/hybrid d-linemen; not EDGE)
- ILB
- S
Last edited: Apr 22, 2020