2020 NFL Draft Preview: The top 15 offensive players available
Apr 15, 2020, 6:40 AM | Updated: 7:09 am
The NFL Draft is slated for April 23-25, providing seven rounds for the Broncos and other teams to find their stars of the future. At this point, Denver is slated to have 10 total picks, five of which will fall within the first 95 selections. In other words, John Elway will have plenty of assets to work with throughout the weekend.
What will he do with those picks? That’s anyone’s guess. But in the coming weeks, 1043TheFan.com will provide an overview of the best prospects.
Today, we continue by looking at the side of the ball where the Broncos need the most help – offense. While Denver has invested heavily on defense, they haven’t spent lavishly on offense, other than ill-fated attempts to find a veteran quarterback. As a result, the team is lacking playmakers on that side of the ball and the team’s offense has been anemic since winning Super Bowl 50. In recent years, they’ve started to address this issue. Young players like Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, Dalton Risner and Drew Lock appear to be mainstays in orange and blue for years to come. But the job isn’t finished yet. If the Broncos are looking to continue to bolster their offense, here are the players to consider for the job:
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1. Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Alabama – If not for the serious hip injury he suffered late in the 2019 college football season, Tagovailoa would be the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Even though everything has checked out medically post-surgery, some teams will still be scared off, letting him tumble a bit in the first round. But whoever takes the gamble will get the best pure passer in the draft. His 2018 campaign at Alabama says it all. That season, Tagovailoa threw 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Incredible.
2. Joe Burrow | QB | LSU – Unless something drastic happens between now and the draft, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner will be the first player selected. And for good reason. He had a season for the ages in 2019, throwing for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns while leading LSU to the national championship. Burrow doesn’t have the strongest arm in this year’s class, but he can make all the necessary throws, has an ability to make plays off schedule and carries himself like a franchise quarterback.
3. Jedrick Wills Jr. | OT | Alabama – Almost every scouting report on the Alabama tackle refers to his mentality. He’s repeatedly referred to as “a dog,” which is meant as a high compliment. Wills is tenacious on the field, as he doesn’t back down from any opponent. The only thing hurting his stock is that he played right tackle in college; whether or not he can make the transition to the left side in the pros remains a question mark.
4. Mekhi Beckton | OT | Louisville – At 6-foot-7 and nearly 370 pounds, the thing that first jumps out about Beckton is his size. He’s just a massive human being. Combine his physical stature with his athletic ability and we’re talking about an unbelievable prospect. He can simply overwhelm opponents in the running game, while also making it very difficult for pass rushers to get around him. He dominated at Louisville, something he should also do in the NFL.
5. CeeDee Lamb | WR | Oklahoma – When it comes to making plays in the passing game, few are as talented as Lamb. Time after time at Oklahoma, he’d make the spectacular play look easy, which has scouts raving about his ball skills. While not the fastest wide receiver in the draft, Lamb is still considered the best in a very good group because of his overall skill set. He’s a very good route runner, has good size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, and can outmaneuver defenders for the football.
6. Andrew Thomas | OT | Georgia – For whatever reason, Thomas has seen his stock bounce all over the board. It was up, then it was down, and now it’s up again. This is a classic example of scouts overthinking things. He’s the prototypical tackle, checking in at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds. He has good feet, great strength and a high football IQ. Thomas started at left tackle for three seasons in the SEC; if he’s good enough for Georgia, he’s good enough for the NFL.
7. Henry Ruggs III | WR | Alabama – Speed. Speed. And more speed. That’s what Ruggs brings to the table, as he’s projected to be a Tyreek Hill-type of player in the NFL. In other words, he’s a match-up nightmare for the opposition, as few defenders can stay with him stride for stride. He didn’t have huge production at Alabama and he’s a little on the slighter side (5-foot-11, 190 pounds), but those potential negatives are greatly outweighed by his upside. There’s no better player in the draft once the football is in his hands.
8. Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama – The more-productive of the Alabama wide receivers, Jeudy posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Crimson Tide. In 2018, he 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns. Last year, he posted 1,163 yards and 10 scores. Primarily, that’s because he’s an elite route runner who knows how to get open. Some scouts have compared him to Marvin Harrison, which sets some lofty expectations. While he doesn’t have the blazing speed of his college teammate, Jeudy can certainly stretch the field.
9. Tristan Wirfs | OT | Iowa – Most teams have Wirfs as the second-best tackle on the board. That seems odd, given that many of those same reports talk about the Iowa product’s ability to move inside and play guard. In fact, a lot of scouts think he’s better suited to play interior offensive line, given the fact that his pass sets aren’t the best. That’s a bit of a red flag for someone projected as a top-10 pick.
10. Justin Jefferson | WR | LSU – Jefferson is a classic example of scouts looking at the measurables instead of watching the game film. Anyone who saw the wideout at LSU, particularly in big games, knows that he has a nose for the football and/or end zone. His four-touchdown performance, all in the first half, against Oklahoma in the national semifinal game was off the charts. Somehow, however, he’s fallen down the draft board and some scouts see him as only a third-down receiver in the NFL. He’s too productive to be limited in that way.
11. Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon – Herbert’s stock has been all over the board. At one point, he was a consensus top-five pick. Midway through the college season, however, there were rumblings that he might fall out of the first round, similar to what’s happened to Jake Fromm. But after a strong finish to the season, as well as a pro day at Oregon where he showed off a monster arm, Herbert is once again projected to go high in the draft. He has big-time talent and is a great teammate, making him a top-10 prospect.
12. Jordan Love | QB | Utah State – When it comes to rising stocks, the hottest IPOs on Wall Street would have a hard time competing with Love. Last season at Utah State, he threw for 3,402 yards and 20 touchdowns, but also tossed 17 interceptions. He was on no one’s radar as a first-round prospect. But after a strong showing at the Senior Bowl, as well as the Scouting Combine, Love has become “the next Patrick Mahomes” in the minds of some teams. He could go in the top 15, which would be a meteoric rise.
13. Jonathan Taylor | RB Wisconsin – Taylor is a true workhorse running back. At 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds, he has the build to withstand the punishment of 20-plus carries per game, something he demonstrated repeatedly at Wisconsin. During his last two seasons as a Badger, Taylor eclipsed the 2,000-yard rushing barrier, while also crossing the goal line a combined 37 times. He can run between the tackles and move the chains, but also possesses the speed to be a game-breaker in the open field.
14. Laviska Shenault | WR | Colorado – Injuries. Injuries. Injuries. That’s the story with Shenault, as it’s been throughout his career. At Colorado, he was typically the best player on the field, able to make spectacular catches, break tackles in the open field and generally dominate games. The problem, however, was that he was constantly nicked up and unable to play. That trait has continued as he’s transitioned to the pros, as a core injury hobbled him at the Scouting Combine and surgery cost him his pro day. He’s a risk, but there is a lot of upside.
15. Cesar Ruiz | C | Michigan – Most draft boards have Ruiz as the only center with a first-round grade. That’s because at Michigan, he was able to demonstrate that he has all of the skills necessary to play at the NFL level. He’s quick and strong, has really good hands, and has the football IQ to pick up stunts and blitzes. He has the chance to start for a team right out of the gate.
