Final PhinPhanatic 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Full first round with trades
By Brian Miller
player. 59. . Center/offensive line. Miami Dolphins. Cesar Ruiz. 26
Miami finally drafts their offensive lineman but it is not a guy to play the outside. Since their last pick the offensive tackle class isn’t really all that impressive compared to some of the talent expected on day two. Ezra Cleveland is a guy that Miami could target early in round two and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go, offensive lineman, three times in a row.
Ruiz is a very good center. The only knock is that he isn’t a huge guy. Building the offensive line from the inside out will help and given the available talent at this point in the draft, Ruiz makes a lot of sense.
A.J. Epenesa. 27. player. 36. . Edge. Seattle Seahawks
I hear Epenesa and I see the Pittsburgh Steelers. Don’t know why. It doesn’t matter, the Steelers have no pick in the first round and the Seahawks need edge help unless they figure out how to get Jadeveon Clowney back.
Jordan Love Trade W/ Ravens. 28. player. 46. . QB. Indianapolis Colts
Don’t laugh. Or Laugh, it’s o.k. The Colts have Phillip Rivers but he isn’t their long-term solution. The Colts still need a future QB. Jordan Love is a project and while many think that he will be gone middle of the first, I wonder where exactly that would be. I don’t see it unless it’s Miami.
There are two reasons why I have the Colts moving into round one with a trade with Baltimore. One, the Ravens don’t have any glaring needs and can use the draft capital the trade brings in, two, the Colts know that the Patriots are likely going to target him at 30. Jim Irsay likes to be proactive and this is proactive.
LB. Tennessee Titans. Zach Baun. 29. player. 35.
The Titans have a few needs but they need linebacker help and while there isn’t a ton available right now, Baun is no second rate linebacker. He will provide immediate help for a defense that came up a tad short in the AFC Championship game last year.
30. player. 47. . Safety. New England Patriots. Xavier McKinney VIA Trade w/ GB
The Patriots don’t “need” a safety. They need a quarterback but Bill Belichick isn’t going to draft Jacob Eason or Jake Fromm in round one. If he doesn’t trade up for Jordan Love at 23, I would expect him to trade back. There is an arrogance about Belichick and to sit at 23 and take a QB prospect, I think he balks, trades down, and goes with one of the better secondary players with Love gone. Don’t be surprised if he trades out of the first entirely.
31. player. 42. . WR. San Francisco 49ers. Brandon Aiyuk
The 49’ers made their big trade earlier and I would not be suprised to see them make another trade and get more draft capital on day two where they only have what the previous trade gave the. Likely a 3rd. WR is a need and they missed out on the top guys earlier. Aiyuk is a solid possession receiver and should do well on the 49’ers offense.
124. . RB. Kansas City Chiefs. D'Andre Swift. 32. player
What does a Super Bowl championship team need when they didn’t really lose a lot in free agency? Not much but they do enter the draft with a big need at running back. It is possible that one of the teams above draft Swift, it is also entirely possible that he falls to the end or out of the first round. The Chiefs would be thrilled if Swift is on the board when the first round ends.