2020 NFL Draft 2nd and 3rd Round Grades
2020 Second Round
33)Cincinnati Bengals, WR Tee Higgins, Clemson. Grade: B+
Comments: Big receiver from Clemson. Passed on OLB Zack Baun, which was a need. But if you draft a franchise quarterback, you need to give him weapons. A.J. Green hasn't played in the last two years due to injuries. Could he be the next Green? Doesn't quite have the speed, but has the vertical leap and long arms make up for it in the red zone. Solid pick.
34)Indianapolis Colts, WR Michael Pittman, USC. Grade: A-
Comments: First pick of the draft, so they had to make this count. And they did. Pittman's father was a tough runner for Tampa Bay. His son is 6-4, 223 pounds. Decent speed at 4.52 with a lot of size and strength. A lot of tools. More than Higgins, but not quite as smooth. I would have taken him over Higgins.
35)Detroit Lions, RB D'Andre Swift, Georgia. Grade: B+
Comments: Thought they would go defense again here with an edge rusher. Detroit hasn't been a relative team for running backs since Barry Sanders in the mid-nineties. Swift isn't Sanders, but he's a very good back. Arguably the best back in the draft, with receiving ability. Very explosive.
36)New York Giants, S Xavier McKinney, Alabama. Grade: A+
Comments: McKinney is the top safety in the draft and was taken in the second round. Guess not many teams wanted safeties. Struggled at the combine with his 40 time and that didn't help. Great pick by the Giants. Smart player who plays the run well.
37)New England Patriots, S Kyle Dugger, Leonoir-Rhye. Grade: B
Comments. A Division II safety who is big and can really play. Great size at 6-1, 217. Big adjustment from D2 to the NFL. Belichick must have loved him. Can also return punts. Ran a 4.49 40 so he does have the speed to hang with the pros.
38)Carolina Panthers, DE Ytur Gross-Matos, Penn State. Grade B+
Comments: Had 9.5 sacks at Penn State last season. First-round talent. Good size at 6-5, 266. Will now play with Derrick Brown, so for a team that desperately needed defensive help, it's a solid pick for new coach Matt Rhule.
39)Miami Dolphins, OG Robet Hunt, Louisiana. Grade: B-
Comments: Big man show played both tackle positions as well as left guard. Probably the second-best guard after Cesar Ruiz. Arms are not very long but can overpower teams.
40)Houston Texans, DT Ross Blacklock, TCU. Grade: B
Comments: Bill O'Brien's first pick was a soli one. Blacklock is an agile player at 6-3, 290. Not really big for a defensive tackle. Could eventually develop into an interior pass rusher.
41)Indianapolis Colts (from Cleveland), RB Johnathan Talor, Wisconsin: Grade: B-
Comments: Second pick for the Colts, who traded with Cleveland. They gave up picks 44 and 160. Big, strong and fast. Nobody doubts his production with 6,174 rushing yards. One problem? Ball security. Had 18 career fumbles and 15 lost. Never a good thing for a back. If he gets away from the fumbles, he could be a great back. Not a great receiver either and rarely lined up in pass protection.
42)Jacksonville Jaguars, WR Laviska Shenault, Colorado. Grade: B+
Comments: Another wide receiver is taken. He's a powerhouse and is built more like a running back at 6-1, 227. Not a burner so a little concerned about taking him over Denzel Mims. But is basically a running back once he touches the ball and loves contact. A bit like Anquan Boldin.
43)Chicago Bears, TE Cole Kmet, Notre Dame. Grade: B-
Comments: Solid tight end, who ran a 4.7 40. So he's not likely to become an elite TE. Good size, who has the frame to become a better blocker. Good athlete. Best of a mediocre tight end group. The Bears now have 10 tight ends on their roster.
44)Cleveland Browns (from Indy), S Grant Delpit, LSU. Grade: A-
Comments: Browns gave up the 41st pick to get this pick and the 160th. Very good pick here by the Browns. Delpit won the Jim Thorpe Award last season for the best DB in the country. Has the size at 6-3, 213 and the speed at 4.5 in the 40. However, he does have tackling issues. Missed a ton last season possibly due to a high ankle sprain. Had a much better 2018 season when he was healthy. At least you know he has the size to cover tight ends.
45)Tampa Bay Buccaneers, S Antoine Winfield, Minnesota. Grade: B+
Comments. Solid pick here and another safety. Father was a first-round pick in 1999 by Buffalo. He's not very big at 5-9, 203, but has tremendous ball skills. Very good against the run.
46)Denver Broncos, WR K.J. Hamler, Penn State. Grade: C-
Comments: Interesting pick by John Elway. Another receiver after he picked up Jerry Jeudy in the first round. Just 5-9, 178 but a playmaker with insane speed. But had nine drops last year. He didn't run at the combine due to a hamstring issue. That probably helped him drop some. The drops and the lack of size didn't help either. Mims is surpassed again
47)Atlanta Falcons, DT Marlon Davidson, Auburn. Grade: C
Comments: A slight reach here. He played defensive end at college at 6-4, 305. Needs to get his weight down, but looking at the three technique. Ran a 5.04 40, which isn't great. Hda good production and will set the edge at the size. Good thing is that he can play inside or out.
48)Seattle Seahawks (from NY Jets), DE Darrell Taylor, Tennessee. Grade: B-
Comments: Seattles gives the Jets their 59th pick and 101st to get the 48th. Played linebacker in college. Struggled with injuries last season. Does help as an Edge rusher assuming they lose Jadeveon Clowney. Ran a 4.65 40. I had him going to Seattle with their pick at 64.
49)Pittsburgh Steelers, WR Chase Claypool, Notre Dame. Grade B+.
Comments: Candian wide receiver from Notre Dame at 6-4, 238 pounds, who ran a 4.42 40. The bigger issue is whether he can separate. At least he'll be a big target in the red zone.
50)Chicago Bears, CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah. Grade: A-
Comments: Played last season with a torn labrum. That's impressive. Not bad size at 6-0, 193 and showed toughness. Good player that will help if he can stay healthy. If not for that, he might have gone in the first round. Good gamble.
51)Dallas Cowboys, CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama. Grade: A
Comments: Good pick here. Younger brother of Stefon Diggs. Good size at nearly 6-2, 205. Could play safety and that's where he started his career. Strong in press coverage. Needs to get more consistent. Has all the tools to be very good. Has first-round talent.
52)LA Rams, RB Cam Akers, Florida State. Grade: A
Comments: Have to grade this one an A since I called that pick hours earlier. Will need to improve as a receiver. Has the size and speed to be very good. Played for a subpar Florida State team and didn't get much help. Should fit in well with Rams who got rid of Todd Gurley.
53)Philadelphia Eagles, QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma. Grade: C
Comments: Huh? Don't they have a guy named Carson Wentz? So you draft a quarterback in the second round to be a Taysom Hill-type? Nothing against Hurst nor Jordan Love. Just don't like the situation. Still raw as a passer, but made great strides last year at Oklahoma. Drafting a quarterback in the second round to use him in run packages? Is this the new NFL or just the fact that they are afraid of Wentz's injury history? Incredible runner but at some point, he'll want to be a starter and then the Eagles can trade him or Wentz.
54)Buffalo Bills, DE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa. Grade: A-
Comments: Really good pick here. A first-round talent. Not a very explosive pass rusher. Has good size at 6-5, 275. Very productive despite lack of great explosion.
55)Baltimore Ravens, RB J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State. Grade: B+
Comments: This pick came from the Hayden Hurst trade. Thought they might go guard or receiver here. Not a major need. Very productive back in college. Mark Ingram is now over 30. Dobbins is more explosive than their top two backs in Ingram and Gus Edwards. Needs to improve his receiving skills.
56)Miami Dolphins, DT Raekwon Davis, Alabama. Grade: A-
Comments: Never a bad thing to take an Alabama defensive player and one who was a three-year starter. Talented lineman. Not a great pass rusher. Strong hands and good run stopper. Good size at 6-6, 311.
57)LA Rams, WR Van Jefferson, Florida. Grade: C-
Comments: Started career at Ole Miss and transferred to Florida. Son of Shawn Jefferson, a former NFL receiver and Jets WR coach. Decent size and good route runner. He's the 12th receiver taken in the first two rounds.
58)Minnesota Vikings, OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State. Grade: B
Comments: Good player at 6-6, 311 and ran 4.93. May end up playing guard because he has short arms for a tackle. Has good feet and toughness. Vikes had a need here.
59)New York Jets, WR Denzel Mims, Baylor. Grade: A
Comments: Mims is 6-3, 210 and ran a 4.38 40. Baylor receivers don't run all the routes in the route tree, so there is an adjustment. But the size and speed are worth taking a shot on. It might take him a year, but for a late second-round pick, this was nice.
60)New England (with Baltimore), OLB Josh Uche, Michigan. Grade: C
Comments: So Patriots also get Ravens' 129th overall pick and give up the 71st and 98th pick. Basically a second and a fourth for two thirds. He's 6-1, 240. Not very tall for an outside linebacker. Smart player, which is what Belichick likes. Undersized edge rusher who needs to improve against the run.
61)Tennessee Titans, CB Kristian Fulton, LSU. Grade: B+
Comments: Good selection here, though Fulton had some drug testing issues at LSU. Very talented player with decent size at 6-0, 197. Not great length, but good speed. Could end up in the slot, but they are getting good value here.
62)Green Bay Packers, RB A.J. Dillon, Boston College. Grade: C-
Comments: No knock against Dillon. Packers need a receiver. Dillon will help the running game. Great size at 250 pounds and ran a 4.52 40. Not a great receiver. Packers seem to be going old school, back to the Jim Taylor days and Aaron Rodgers is becoming Bart Starr.
63)Kansas City Chiefs, LB Willie Gay, Mississippi State. Grade: C-
Comments: Had off-the-field issues in terms of academic and fighting in practice. This is a game. He is 6-1 and 243 with some ability. Does have the talent to be a second-round pick and has great speed at 4.46 in the 40. If he can stay out of trouble, this is a steal.
64)Carolina Panthers (from Seattle), S Jeremy Chinn, Southern Illinois. Grade: A-
Comments: Nice pick here for an FS player that ran a 4.45 40. That's even more impressive for a guy who is 6-3, 220. Tackling machine and great range. Good ball skills. This would have made sense for Seattle. A perfect fit for former Legion of Boom.
Third Round
65)Cincinnati Bengals, ILB Logan Wilson, Wyoming. Grade: B+
Comments: Decent size at 6-2, 240. Hard hitter. Has good ball skills and was a defensive back in high school. Very solid pick up.
66)Washington Redskins, WR/RB Antonio Gibson, Memphis: Grade: A-
Comments: Is he a running back or a wide receiver? Maybe that's why he fell to the third round. Explosive player with great size at 6-0, 228. But as a receiver, he's not very polished when it comes to running routes. Will be interesting to see how they use him.
67)Detroit Lions, OLB Julian Okwara. Notre Dame. Grade: B-
Comments: Very athletic at 6-4, 252. Has the speed to get to quarterbacks as an EDGE. Needs to get stronger in the lower body to be able to set the edge. Not a three-down player yet.
68)New York Jets, S Ashtyn Davis, California. Grade: C+
Comments: Decent size at 6-1, 208. Very good range and instincts.
69)Seattle (from Carolina), OL Damien Lewis, LSU Grade: B+
Comments: Good upper body strength. A short interior lineman at 6-2, 326. Not good length but very strong.
70)Miami Dolphins, S Brandon Jones, Texas. Grade: C
Comments: Not very big at 5-11, 198. Very good tackler and outstanding punt returner. Good hitter, but not a ball hawk.
71)Baltimore (from New England), DT Justin Madubuikie, Texas A&M. Grade: B
Comments: Ravens traded down to get Madubuike. Adds some pass rush from the interior at 6-3, 290. Has the quickness to get int he backfield. Very strong. Can play next to Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams, who can take two linemen. They desperately needed some pass rush help.
72)Arizona Cardinals, OT Josh Jones, Houston. Grade: A
Comments: Very good value pick. Jones doesn't have the length that scouts are looking for, but he can be a starting tackle. Good pass blocker and that will help Kyler Murray.
73)Jacksonville Jaguars, DT Davon Hamilton, Ohio State. Grade: B
Comments: So Ohio State is going to have their entire starting unit get drafted? He plays the nose at 6-4, 325. Six sacks is pretty good for a nose guard. Pretty good pick here.
74)New Orleans Saints (from Cleveland), LB Zack Baun, Wisconsin. Grade: A-
Comments: Can't believe Baun went this late, even with a drug test issue. Tested positive for a diluted sample. Very productive player and good closing speed. Not very big at 6-3, 238. Rangy defender that can use some more size. Good instincts in coverage. Saints traded up to get him. Some medical concerns as well.
75)Detroit (from Indy), G Jonah Jackson, Ohio State. Grade: B-
Comments: Another Buckeye. A former Rutgers Scarlet Knight. Good draft for Detroit thus far, getting two offensive players and two defensive guys. Good upper body strength. Needs to improve pass blocking and strong run blocker.
76)Tampa Bay Buccaneers, RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn, Vanderbilt. Grade: C
Comments: Nothing fancy at 5-10, 214 with 4.52 speed. Basically a north-south runner. Not a bad receiver. Doesn't really move the pile. Not a bad number two back behind Ronald Jones. Will need to catch passes from TB12.
77)Denver Broncos, CB Michael Ojemudia, Iowa. Grade: C
Comments: Wait, they didn't draft a third receiver? Good size at 6-1, 200. Smart player, but maybe a reach in the third round. Probably a fourth or fifth-rounder.
78)Atlanta Falcons, C Matt Hennessy, Temple. Grade: B+
Comments: The first true center at 6-4, 307. Decent size for that position with good quickness. Short arms. Good zone blocker with solid quickness.
79)New York Jets, DE Jabari Zuniga, Florida. Grade: C
Comments: Good motor and decent size at 6-3, 264. Good rund defender and solid burst. Not a great athlete.
80)Vegas Raiders, RB/WR Lynn Bowden, Kentucky. Grade: B-
Comments: Jack of all trades player. Kind of like a younger Randall Cobb, who will play in the slot. Sturdy at 5-11, 204 and a former quarterback, last season. Not super fast, but quick and perfect for the slot, but they can line him up all over the field.
81)Vegas Raiders, WR Bryan Edwards, South Carolina. Grade: B-
Comments: Another receiver for the Raiders. They also have Ruggs and Bowden. Edwards has good size at 6-3, 212 with good speed. He does have the speed that the Raiders love, but inconsistent hands.
82)Dallas Cowboys, DT Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma. Grade: C-
Comments: Another Canadian. A bit of a reach here. Not consistent. Is 6-3, 304 but not very athletic. Is strong and can get off blocks.
83)Denver Broncos, C Lloyd Cushenberry III, LSU. Grade: B+
Comments: Should have been drafted in the second round. Good player at 6-3, 312 and smart. Needs some strength. Good knee-bender. Has big hands and good mobility.
84)LA Rams, LB Terrell Lewis, Alabama. Grade: A-
Comments: First-round talent who has battled injuries. Good size at 6-5, 262 and athleticism. If the Rams just use him as a pass rusher, he'll thrive. Missed most of the 2017 and all of the 2018 seasons with injuries. Use him as a situational guy and he could get double-digit sacks.
85)Indianapolis Colts (from Philly through Detroit), S Julian Blackmon, Utah. Grade: B-
Comments: A second-team All-American who tore his ACL in the Pac-12 title game. Good player if healthy. Maybe he redshirts this season. Average size at 6-0, 187.
86)Buffalo Bills, RB Zack Moss, Utah. Grade: C+
Comments: Another Utah player. Cousin of Santana and Sinorice Moss. So he has good genes. Very productive back. At 5-9, 223, is a physical runner. Good pass blocker. More of a zone scheme runner. Not a burner, but has pretty good playing speed. Broke 53 tackles this past season.
87)New England Patriots, OLB Anfernee Jennings, 6-2, 256, Alabama. Grade: B+
Comments: Bill finally went with an Alabama player. Jennings had eight sacks last season. He's 6-2, 256, so not huge for a defensive end/OLB. Has good quickness and power. Smart player with a good motor and that's a New England trait. They've gone all defense with their three picks.
88)Cleveland Browns, DT Jordan Elliott, Missouri. Grade: B+
Comments: Decent size at 6-4, 302. Will shore up the interior of the defensive line. Good quickness and power.
89)Minnesota Vikings, CB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State. Grade: B-
Comments: A tall, lanky corner at 6-2, 188. They take another corner after drafting Jeff Gladney in the first round. A tough press corner who ran a very slow 40 time at the combine.
90)Houston Texans, LB Jonathan Greenard, Florida. Grade: C-.
Comments: A linebacker without great athletic gifts to rush the edge. Good size at 6-3, 263 but the lack of closing speed will limit him.
91)New England (Trade Raiders), TE Devin Asiasi, UCLA. Grade: C-
Comments: Decent size at 6-3, 257. Pretty good hands. Not a bad blocker, but needs to get stronger. Pretty athletic for his size. Pats are desperate for tight end help as they were awful at that position last season, but he's not even Gronk-lite.
92)Baltimore Ravens, WR Devin Duvernay, Texas. Grade: B-
Comments: Just 5-10, 200 pounds. Ravens need a receiver, but they could use some size. Duvernay does not supply that, but he is another burner. Most likely will play in the slot, but not this year with Willie Snead still around. Needs to work on his routes. A slot receiver who runs a 4.39 to eventually team with the even faster Hollywood Brown is not a bad thing. He also has good hands.
93)Tennessee Titans, RB Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State. Grade: B
Comments: Not the biggest back at 5-10, 203, but the Titans don't need one with Derrick Henry. Evans can catch the ball and replace Dion Lewis in the passing game. He can also give Henry a rest, which he does need occasionally.
94)Green Bay Packers, TE Josiah Deguara, Cincinnati. Grade: C
Comments: Just 6-3, 242. Not good size. Very productive at Cincinnati. Rodgers must still be scratching his head. Good thing is that Deguara can run and has good hands. Bad thing is lack of size and doesn't do a lot after the catch.
95)Denver Broncos, DT McTelvin Agim, Arkansas. Grade: B
Comments: Solid pick here as Agim is 6-3, 309 and could push to start. Has some skills as a pass rusher and has good length. He provides depth the ability to start next to Jurell Casey in a year or two.
96)Kansas City Chiefs, OT Lucas Niang, TCU, Grade: B+
Comments: Like this pick. Niang provides depth and could start in a few years. Good athlete and has some length. Could develop into an elite pass blocker.
97)Cleveland Browns, ILB Jacob Phillips, LSU. Grade: B
Comments: The 10th pick for LSU. Very quick to ball. Can't go wrong with getting another LSU linebacker. They were terrible against the run last season. Also a good special teams player.
98)Baltimore Ravens, ILB Malik Harrison, Ohio State. Grade: A-
Comments: Another inside linebacker at 6-3, 247 or is he? The Ravens struggled against the run, allowing 4.4 yards per carry. Their linebacking play was weak up the middle and on the edge. Harrison can rush the passer and is fast for his size with a 4.66 40. Steal here in the third round. A two-down linebacker that can get off the field on third downs.
99)NY Giants, OT Matt Peart, UConn. Grade: B-.
Comments: Not a bad pickup for a very tall (6-7, 318) tackle from a bad program. Can play either tackle spot. Could eventually replace Nate Solder down the line.
100)Vegas Raiders, S/LB Tanner Muse, Clemson. Grade: C
Comments: Good size at 6-2, 227. Hybrid safety and linebacker. A lot of hybrid guys going fairly early. Muse is really athletic, but what is he? A linebacker? A big safety? Good against the run.
101)New England (from the Jets), TE Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech. Grade: C-
Comments: Has decent size at 6-4, 254. Pats are going tight end crazy. They took Keene over Troutman, which made little sense. Most likely a number two tight end at best.
102)Pittsburgh Steelers, OLB Alex Highsmith, Charlotte. Grade: C+
Comments: Had 14 sacks last year. Former walk-on. Good size at 6-3, 248. Ran a 4.7 40. Just their second pick. Good closing speed and is a disruptive run defender. Steelers usually do well with drafting 3/4 outside linebackers.
103)Philadelphia Eagles, OLB Davion Taylor, Colorado. Grade: C-
Comments: Almost no high school football experience. Ran 4.49 40. Great athlete. Can play a lot of positions. Not very big at 6-1, 228. But he's another hybrid safety/linebacker type. Good speed but coverage is not as good as you'd think.
104)LA Rams, S Terrell Burgess, Utah. Grade: B-
Comments: Decent size at 6-0, 205. Can play safety or nickel. Versatile player. Solid tackler and can play close to the line of scrimmage. Not a ballhawk.
105)New Orleans Saints (from Vikings), TE Adam Trautman, Dayton. Grade: A
Comments: Good size at 6-5, 255. Ran a 4.8 40. Maybe that's why he went this low. Very productive player. Good value pick. Has good quickness and plays faster than his 40 time showed. Needs to improve blocking, but you can say that about most receiving tight ends. Had 70 catches last season. That's impressive for a tight end at any level.
106)Baltimore Ravens: OT Tyre Phillips, Mississippi State. Grade: C
Comments: Is 6-5, 330. Played left tackle, but could move to guard. Ravens are desperate for help there. Can he play right guard to replace Marshall Yanda or left guard and they can move Bradley Bozeman to right guard. Also could battle Ben Powers for right guard spot. If he can make that transition, this is a quality pick in the third round.
