With Round 1 of the 2020 NFL Draft in the books, here’s a look at how Rounds 2 and 3 could play out on Friday night, beginning at 7 p.m. ET (NFL Network/ABC/ESPN).
ROUND 2
School: Wisconsin | Year: Senior (RS)
The
Bengals need linebacker and pass-rush help. Guess what? Baun gives them both!
Tee Higgins – WR
School: Clemson | Year: Junior
Higgins has tremendous hands and is an A+ ball-winner on the second and third levels of the field.
Ross Blacklock – DT
School: TCU | Year: Junior (RS)
The
Lions need to add rush and disruption — two things that just happen to be Blacklock’s forte.
Marlon Davidson – DL
School: Auburn | Year: Senior
Versatile big man with rush who can play up and down the line — and even stand up on the edge.
Cole Kmet – TE
School: Notre Dame | Year: Junior
History has shown that young quarterbacks can thrive with big safety blankets at tight end.
Jaylon Johnson – CB
School: Utah | Year: Junior
Press-man cornerback with solid ball skills and good toughness? Yep, that’d help mitigate the loss of
James Bradberry.
D’Andre Swift – RB
School: Georgia | Year: Junior
Gifted runner with a low mileage total on the odometer and a chance to make an immediate impact.
Yetur Gross-Matos – Edge
School: Penn State | Year: Junior
Gross-Matos still needs some refinement, but the long edge could give this thinning
Texans front some much-needed pass rush.
Xavier McKinney – S
School: Alabama | Year: Junior
Free safety with man-cover experience from the slot and a pedigree that any team will appreciate.
Jonathan Taylor – RB
School: Wisconsin | Year: Junior
Leonard Fournette appears to be
on the way out. Taylor would be more than capable of filling that void.
Antoine Winfield Jr. – S
School: Minnesota | Year: Sophomore (RS)
Tremendously instinctive safety with
NFL bloodlines who adds to the
Bears‘ defensive IQ.
Robert Hunt – OL
School: Louisiana-Lafayette | Year: Senior (RS)
Talented tackle/guard with outstanding athleticism who might have been a late first if not for injury.
J.K. Dobbins – RB
School: Ohio State | Year: Junior
The run on running backs continues, as Dobbins has “start now” potential for
Tom Brady and the Bucs.
Joshua Jones – OT
School: Houston | Year: Senior (RS)
It’s no secret that the
Broncos must improve the left tackle spot, as 2017 first-rounder
Garett Bolles hasn’t worked out as hoped. Jones is a great value here.
Josh Uche – Edge
School: Michigan | Year: Junior (RS)
The
Falcons can’t be happy with their pass rush at the moment. Uche adds explosiveness off the edge.
Trevon Diggs – CB
School: Alabama | Year: Senior
The former wide receiver has some of the best ball skills in this CB class. He will be a welcome addition to a team needing coverage help.
A.J. Epenesa – Edge
School: Iowa | Year: Junior
The
Steelers get a future starter with skilled hands who might be a sneaky-good fit in their defense.
Denzel Mims – WR
School: Baylor | Year: Senior
Chicago needs a receiver. Mims offers premium size, speed and athleticism.
Julian Okwara – Edge
School: Notre Dame | Year: Senior
Okwara was polarizing in the scouting community, but he’s an upside talent who just needs consistency.
Cam Akers – RB
School: Florida State | Year: Junior
The
Rams need a true early-down runner who can step in for
Todd Gurley. Akers is a great get here.
Darrell Taylor – Edge
School: Tennessee | Year: Senior (RS)
Taylor’s size and explosiveness have a “Frank Clark 2.0” feel, but there is still development needed.
Kristian Fulton – CB
School: LSU | Year: Senior
An athletic cornerback with smooth hips, Fulton has the ability to fortify Buffalo’s cornerback spot as a future starter.
Jordan Elliott – DT
School: Missouri | Year: Junior (RS)
The
Ravens‘ need for defensive line help is filled by one of the more talented interior defenders in this draft.
Neville Gallimore – DT
School: Oklahoma | Year: Senior (RS)
Few are as active as Gallimore, who makes his living creating disruption in the backfield.
Logan Wilson – LB
School: Wyoming | Year: Senior
As a three-down linebacker with a nose for the football, Wilson brings tremendous ball skills and instincts in coverage.
Jeremy Chinn – S
School: Southern Illinois | Year: Senior
Ball-hawking free safety with jaw-dropping combine numbers who can take over for the franchise-tagged
Anthony Harris after 2020.
Ezra Cleveland – OT
School: Boise State | Year: Junior (RS)
Cleveland proved his toughness by playing through a bad toe injury all last season. He’s an athletic fit here, but he needs to get stronger.
Michael Pittman Jr. – WR
School: USC | Year: Senior
Pittman is a big, smart player who has sharpened his route running. He’ll give
Lamar Jackson a sure-handed ball-winner on the outside.
Jacob Eason – QB
School: Washington | Year: Junior (RS)
Quality backup option behind Tannehill who has a big arm and offers the potential for more in the future.
Adam Trautman – TE
School: Dayton | Year: Senior (RS)
The
Packers didn’t pick up a receiver in the first, but they get a true Y tight end who can help as a pass catcher here.
Matt Hennessy – C
School: Temple | Year: Junior (RS)
Zone-scheme center with excellent range as a run blocker and a chance to start right away.
Raekwon Davis – DT
School: Alabama | Year: Senior
Davis has an outstanding frame and flashed big-time potential early in his Alabama career.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.