2020 NFL Draft First Round Picks with Grades

The first round of the NFL Draft is over. Ben grades and gives a comment on each pick. The second and third rounds go on Friday night at 7pm.

1)Cincinnati Bengals, QB Joe Burrow, LSU. Grade: A

Comments: This guy might not be the next Joe Montana, as the Dolphins believe, but he's extremely accurate. He can move and has good size. He just doesn't have a gun of an arm, but he can read defenses and is smart. Always a learning curve with the NFL and it will take some time with the Bengals. People make Cincinnati out to being a bad franchise, but when A.J. Green was healthy with a younger Andy Dalton, they were competitive.

2)Washington Redskins, DE Chase Young, Grade: A+

Comments: Some say Young is the best player in the draft. Isaiah Simmons might argue that, but he's really good. Will be playing for his hometown team (he played at famed DeMatha HS). Not many guys are sure things, but he is. The NFC East has Carson Wentz, Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott who will also have to check on Young pre-snap. The Ohio State has become EDGE-U with the Bosa brothers and now Young.

3)Detroit Lions-CB Jeff Okudah, Ohio State: Grade: A-

Comments: Another Ohio State pick. Burrow played for Ohio State, before transferring to LSU. Slight surprise that the Lions didn't trade this pick. But you can't go wrong with drafting a big, long corner who can play press. There's a big drop-off from Okudah to the next best corner, who many say is C.J. Henderson from Florida. He fills in right away for Darius Slay. Good pick, though you wonder if some in the organization wanted Derrick Brown instead.

4)New York Giants, OT Andrew Thomas, Georgia. Grade: C+

Comments: First slight surprise here. Many had Thomas behind Tristan Wirfs and Jedrick Wills. This seems like a reach. Solid player with great arm length. Very good pass blocker and can play both sides. Could they have traded down to get him one of the tackles? Would he have gone top 10 had the Giants not taken him? If he becomes a Pro Bowl starter, that won't matter.

5)Miami Dolphins, QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama. Grade: B+

Comments: No shocker here. So all the talk about Miami trading up or down didn't come to fruition (happened later). A lot of talk and little action. Welcome to pre-draft talk. Tua throws a great deep ball and had great receivers around him. Miami better protect him because of all the injuries. Do they play him right away or do they sit him and keep building the team around him?

6)LA Chargers, QB Justin Herbert, Oregon. Grade: C-

Comments: This is a reach, but the Chargers desperately needed a future starter with Philip Rivers gone. Tyrod Taylor could start for a season so Herbert can learn. Herbert is your prototype 6-6 quarterback with a big arm and some mobility. Holds the ball too long. Smart off the field. Three quarterbacks taken in the first six picks. Has struggled with consistency on deep throws and his touch can be erratic. Nobody is going to doubt his arm strength.

7)Carolina Panthers, DT Derrick Brown, Auburn. Grade: A

Comments: Panthers got the best defensive tackle in the draft and here is a guy who is smart and disciplined with a father being an Army veteran. Bottom line is that is versatile and consistent. He can play defensive tackle in a 4-3 or defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. Has very long arms and is fast for his size. Not a great pass rusher-yet. Could have gone in top three and it wouldn't have been a bad pick. SEC Defensive Player of the Year. That says something.

8)Arizona Cardinals, LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson. Grade: A+

Comments: Is there a better player in the draft? Maybe Chase Young. Can play inside or outside. Even play safety. Ran a 4.39 40. At 6-4, 238, could get a little bit bigger. Also played corner, but don't see that in the NFL, though maybe he could play slot corner. He's a unique player who doesn't come around too often and very few guys can run at that size. A defensive coordinator's dream. Arizona desperately needed an offensive tackle, but you can't pass up this guy.

9)Jacksonville Jaguars, CB C.J. Henderson, Florida. Grade: B+

Comments: Second-best corner. Not a shocking pick. Good corner, but he's not Okudah. Very talented cover corner, but weak tackler. Surprising since he's 6-1, 204. Needs to get stronger and will struggle with bigger receivers. But this is a solid pick for basically a home-town guy. Needed to replace Jalen Ramsey so a solid pick.

10)Cleveland Browns, OT Jedrick Wills, Alabama. Grade: B+

Comments: Good pick. Not a reach for the Browns and they didn't go with a skill position player. Can he play left tackle? Jack Conklin plays right tackle. Wills was arguably the best tackle in the draft. Very good pass protector for Baker Mayfield. Bigger issue is moving to left tackle, which he should be able to do. Grabbing an Alabama offensive lineman is not the worst thing to do.

11)NY Jets, OT Mekhi Becton, Louisville. Grade: B-

Comments: Becton is enormous and can move at 365 pounds. Weight is a bit of a concern and tested positive, so slight red flag. Ran a 5.1 40 at 6-8, 365. Huh? That's incredible. Amazing athlete who can become elite. Not a bad pick and they could have been ok with a wide receiver like Jeudy or Lamb. Will need to take a receiver later in the draft.

12)Vegas Raiders, WR Henry Ruggs III, Alabama. Grade: B-

Comments: Might be the most predictable pick of the draft after the first two. So Raiders. He could be the next Tyreek Hill, but Raiders are gonna Raider. Not as smooth as Jeudy or Lamb. Ran a ridiculous 4.27 40. Also a former basketball player and can fight DBs in the air with a 42-inch vertical. He's a vertical threat to start, but has to work on route-running. If he becomes the next Hill or close to that, this was a good pick.

13)Tampa Bay (trade with San Francisco), OT Tristan Wirfs, Iowa. Grade: A-

Comments: The Bucs move up one spot to take Tristan Wirfs, a 6-5, 320-pound tackle. They trade a fourth rounder and their 14th pick and get this pick and a seventh-rounder from the 49ers. Good value and pick up here. He can play left tackle, but would likely play right tackle in Tampa Bay. Still a bit raw but despite that, is really good in pass protection. Moves extremely well and is still getting better. Rna an incredible 4.85 40.

14)San Francisco 49ers, DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina. Grade: B+

Comments: Great story as a player who was homeless at one point. Very long arms. Has quick first step. Can play 3-4 defensive end. Good fit since they traded away DeForest Buckner to the Colts. That's where they got this pick, from the Colts. Can also play inside as well. Huge hands and good upper body strength. Could have gone receiver here and would have still been a quality pick, but no problem with Kinlaw.

15)Denver Broncos, WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama. Grade: A+

Comments: Only concern is knee issue in 2018. Great route runner. Smooth. Best pure receiver in the draft and great value with this pick. Average size at 6-1, 193. Needs to get a little bit stronger. Has outstanding hands and ran a 4.4 40, so he can fly even if he's not Ruggs. Put him on the outside or in the slot. Love this pick.

16)Atlanta Falcons, CB A.J. Terrell, Clemson: Grade: B-

Comments: Terrell had a great 2018 championship game, grabbing a pick-six. Then had trouble in coverage against Clemson in the 2020 title game. Has good recovery speed. Tends to lack consistency and could have issues with penalties if he continues to grab guys at the next level. Good speed at 4.42. Can play press coverage.

17)Dallas Cowboys, WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma. Grade: A-

Comments: This was a surprise, though the Cowboys probably were thrilled Lamb was available. Can play the slot or outside. Dallas did need a receiver with Randall Cobb leaving in free agency. Thought they might go with an Edge rusher. Can't go wrong with Lamb. Very good value pick, but they do need defensive help so they went with splashy pick to go along with Amari Cooper. Offense wins games, but defense wins championships. At least new coach Mike McCarthy will be happy with that pick.

18)Miami Dolphins, OT Austin Jackson, USC. Grade: C+

Comments: They got this pick last season for trading S Mikah Fitzpatrick to the Steelers. Ok, yes Miami desperately needed a tackle with the top four guys going off the board. But this is a bit of a reach. They could have gotten him with their later first-round pick. A lot of people did not have him ranked in the first round with guys like Ezra Cleveland, Josh Jones and Isaiah Wilson expected to go over him. Certainly has the athleticism. Just 20 so he might not play right away. Long arms. Good punch. But very raw against elite pass rushers. Will need time to develop Tua and so you might think both might redshirt this season. Not sure you take a guy that's basically a project in the first round.

19)Vegas Raiders, CB Damon Arnette, Ohio State. Grade: D+

Comments: Huh? Ohio State has Okudah and Arnette going in the first round. Arnette was a second-round pick on most boards. About 6 feet tall and 195. Can play the slot, but why would you take him that high? Is tough and physical. Can play press coverage. Wouldn't have taken him over Trevon Diggs. So Raiders reach a little for Ruggs and a lot here. Some things never change.

20)Jacksonville Jaguars, OLB K'Lavon Chaisson, LSU. Grade: A-

Comments: Good pick for Jags. Now they can trade Yannick Ngakoue. Raw player who needs to add strength. More about potential because production wasn't great last year. Sets the edge pretty well despite being just 6-3, 254.

21)Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU. Grade: B-

Comments: Interesting that they would bypass Justin Jefferson from LSU to take Reagor. He's 5-11, 206 and has good genes as his father played defensive line in the NFL. Has a great vertical leap and is a good return guy. Great athlete, but Jefferson is a better overall receiver. Played for a poor quarterback at TCU. Needs to improve as a route runner. Eagles desperately needed a receiver.

22)Minnesota Vikings, WR Justin Jefferson, LSU, Grade: A-

Comments: Good pick for the Vikes, who traded away Stefon Diggs to Buffalo. Underrated receiver if that's possible. Decent size at 6-1, 202. Jefferson is a slot receiver who has the speed to play outside. Some concern about his ability to separate from the outside. Runs good routes. Will be interesting what they do with Adam Thielen, whether he continues to play in the slot. Ran a 4.46 at combine.

23)LA Chargers (trade from New England), LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma. Grade: B+

Comments: Trade second and third-round picks to get the 23rd. Really good trade for the Patriots, who needed picks. Chargers could have taken Jordan Love here, but they already took Herbert with the No. 6 pick. Don't love the trade, but like the pick of Murray. They couldn't have picked him with their early second-round pick, because Ravens would have selected him at 28. He's 6-2.5, 240 and second-best linebacker after Simmons. Can get to the passer and has good closing speed. Has good burst and is a leader.

24)New Orleans Saints, OL Cesar Ruiz, Michigan. Grade: B+

Comments: Interesting. Thought they might go with Jordan Love here to groom behind Drew Brees. Ruiz is the best center in the draft. Has long arms and is a good pass blocker. Can also play guard as he started five games there as a freshman. Not a glamorous pick, but you always add to the offensive line on the interior. They didn't necessarily need a center, so Ruiz could move to guard.

25)San Francisco (from the Vikings). WR Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State: Grade: B-

Comments: San Francisco got this pick from Minnesota for their 31st, 117th and 176th pick. That's a lot to move up six slots. The Niners desperately needed a receiver with Emmanuel Sanders. Has an 81-inch wingspan and 40-inch vertical to make up for his 6-foot height. A bit underrated and a strong returner. Can make big plays though not a burner. Still raw in route development. Not a bad pick for late in the first round. I guess they valued Kinlaw over taking a receiver like Jeudy at 14. Would have gone with Jeudy there and possibly Ross Blacklock from TCU here. But he's not Kinlaw and I guess they felt Aiyuk will be a very good No.2 receiver and nearly as good as Jeudy or Lamb.

26)Green Bay Packers (trade with Miami), QB Jordan Love, Utah State. Grade: C+

Comments: So this would have been Houston's pick. They trade Laremy Tunsil to Miami for a first-rounder, which became the 26th pick. Miami traded away their 26th pick to Green Bay for their 30th pick and the 136th pick in the draft. They take a stunning pick here with Jordan Love, another California native. Nothing against Love, but Rodgers isn't Dree Brees. He should have 2-3 years left. Love has great tools. For a team that needs wide receiver help and some more weapons for Rodgers. They rarely pick up free agents, so they better add some help late in the draft. They must really like Love and while Rodgers has declined some, he is still a top-10 guy. Head scratcher that you would trade up for him. Love struggled at Utah last season after a very good sophomore season. He could learn from Rodgers no doubt.

27)Seattle Seahawks, ILB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech. Grade: B-

Comments: At this point, not a bad pick. Though Patrick Queen made more sense. Struggles in coverage at times, but is a tackling machine. He's 6-0, 240, not tall but well built. Wasn't a first-rounder according to most experts.

28)Baltimore Ravens, ILB Patrick Queen, LSU. Grade: B+

Comments: Ravens went for need. They lost both starting inside linebackers to free agency. Undersized at 6-0, 230. Can cover. Very athletic. Needs to add some bulk. Speed will help. Also helps to play behind Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe and Brandon Williams. Should start right away.

29)Tennessee Titans, OT Isaiah Wilson, Georgia. Grade: B+

Comments: Nice pick for that Titans this late. Wilson was a borderline first-rounder. Is huge at 6-6.5, 350 and is a dominant run blocker. Great size for a right tackle. Needs to improve his footwork and is still developing as a pass blocker. Titans love to run so he fits well.

30)Miami Dolphins (trade from Green Bay). CB Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn. Grade: C

Comments: Miami trades down to grab a corner that was supposed to go in the second round and they take him over Trevon Diggs. He's 5-11, 198 with great speed. Pretty raw in some areas. Should at least help as a nickel corner and a return man.

31)Minnesota Vikings (trade with San Francisco). CB Jeff Gladney, TCU. Grade: B+

Comments: Has first-round ability but concerns about knee issues. They certainly need help at corner with Xavier Rhodes gone and they really struggled on the back end last season. At 5-10, 191, most likely will defend the slot.

32)Kansas City Chiefs, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU. Grade: C

Comments: Another shocker. Thought they might go with D'Andre Swift from Georgia. Good back with good quickness and can catch the ball. But he's more of a third-down back that lacks top-end speed. Maybe he fits with Patrick Mahomes better than Swift due to his catching ability. Can make people miss. Strong lower body. Needs to work on pass protection. Tough to be a three-down back for the Chiefs without it.