2020 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

USC’s Austin Jackson To Declare For Draft

January 16th, 2020 at 9:03pm CST by Ben Levine

USC offensive lineman Austin Jackson is heading to the NFL. The junior announced that he’ll forgo his final season at USC and declare for the NFL Draft (via Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times).

“USC has truly been such a special place to call home for the last three years,” wrote Jackson. “Thank you to the boys on this team. I couldn’t imagine a better group to have played with. It’s been an honor to be a part of this incredible Trojan brotherhood and to go to war with you guys every day.

“With that shared, I will be foregoing my senior year to pursue my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL.”

Despite undergoing offseason surgery, Jackson earned All-Pac-12 first team honors during his final season at USC. This performance helped boost his draft stock, as the left tackle is expected to be selected at some point during the first two rounds. Kartje notes that some scouts consider Jackson a bit of a project, but his size and athleticism will make him a commodity.

Kartje writes that USC is still awaiting word on the status of junior wideout Tyler Vaughns, who’s been debating staying or declaring. Vaughns finished this past season with 74 receptions for 912 yards and six touchdowns.

LSU’s Lloyd Cushenberry, Jacob Phillips Declare For Draft

January 16th, 2020 at 6:18pm CST by Ben Levine

After winning the national championship, a number of LSU players are planning their next move. Center Lloyd Cushenberry III, linebacker Jacob Phillips, and offensive tackle Saahdiq Charles were among the notable members of the squad to declare for the NFL Draft today.

This past season, Cushenberry helped lead a unit that earned the Joe Moore Award for best offensive line. The six-foot-four, 315-pound center started 28-straight games during his time with the Tigers. Thanks in part to the consistency and durability, the lineman could end up being a first- or second-round pick.

Phillips is projected to go around the same range as his teammate. The linebacker had a standout season for LSU, compiling 113 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. Charles doesn’t have the same draft stock as Cushenberry or Phillips, but he was still a major part of the award-winning offensive line. He missed six games this past season due to disciplinary issues.

LSU had a number of additional players declare for the draft today: safety Grant Delpit, linebacker Patrick Queen, wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

LSU WR Justin Jefferson Enters 2020 Draft

January 15th, 2020 at 10:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

LSU wideout Justin Jefferson has declared for the 2020 NFL draft, as he tells Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports.

“We just had a perfect year,” Jefferson said. “We won the national championship and set records. We had a lot of awards and did it with our team. I feel like it was the best way to go.”

Jefferson, who stands 6’3″ and 192 pounds, posting an outstanding campaign during his final year at LSU, catching 111 passes for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns while hauling in passes from Heisman winner Joe Burrow. In the National Championship Game, Jefferson posted nine receptions for 106 yards.

In an exceptionally deep wide receiver class, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network ranks Jefferson as the draft’s seventh-best wideout and the 36th overall player, meaning he could potentially come off the board at the end of the first round or the beginning of Day 2.

LSU’s Grant Delpit Enters Draft

January 15th, 2020 at 3:20pm CST by Zachary Links

Soon after Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins announced his draft decision, he was joined by his championship game opponent. LSU safety Grant Delpit will forgo his remaining eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

“We are champs. We hoisted the trophy for you and LSU fans everywhere,” Delpit wrote. “I’ve decided to move on to the NFL. I will carry the joy and excitement of this season with me forever.”

Delpit notched five tackles and one sack in LSU’s championship victory. All in all, he closed out three seasons with a combined 199 tackles, 17.5 sacks, seven interceptions, 24 passes defended, and two fumble recoveries.

Delpit has demonstrated the ability to lock down defenders in both man and zone coverage. He’s also an effective blitzer, as evidenced by those 17.5 sacks. He’ll have to tighten up his tackling form at the next level, but evaluators say his future is bright.

Clemson WR Tee Higgins Enters Draft

January 15th, 2020 at 3:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Clemson wide receiver Tee Higgins is leaving school early to enter the NFL draft. Come April, he’s likely to be a first-round selection.

At 6’4″, Higgins has tremendous size for the position and a game tape filled with highlights of major gains. Last year, Higgins caught 59 passes for 1,167 yards – good for an eye-popping 19.8 yards per catch –and scored 13 touchdowns for the Tigers.

Higgins is just one of several talented wide receivers in this year’s crop, which runs deep at the position. Other notable WRs in the mix include Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, and Jeudy’s teammate, Henry Ruggs III.

Fresh off of back-to-back double-digit seasons, Higgins could be a target for teams like the Bills, Broncos, and and Raiders.

Tua Tagovailoa Expected To Throw For Teams By April

January 14th, 2020 at 7:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa will have a pre-draft workout process; it just may be limited compared to most quarterbacks who have entered the draft. But the Alabama prospect is expected to be ready to throw by April, according to agent Leigh Steinberg (via Mike Rodak of The Birmingham News).

Tagovailoa, who declared for the draft last week, plans to hold an approximate 40-minute session in which he throws 60-80 passes for teams, Steinberg said. It is not certain the southpaw will be ready to throw by Alabama’s March pro day, but the other plan would be to hold an independent session closer to the draft.

Given the nature of his hip injury, this spring session might be all teams have to go on (as far as pre-draft work) going into the April 23 event. But as of now, the plan is for Tagovailoa to also work out for teams individually before the draft, per Rodak. As for the Combine, Tagovailoa will do interviews but will not go through the drill circuit or throw.

The two-year college starter is expected to be a first-round pick, with many mocking him to the Dolphins at No. 5 overall. The Crimson Tide superstar rocketed into the NFL draft picture with a dominant 2018 season, which ended with the then-sophomore throwing 43 touchdown passes and six interceptions for a one-loss team. This season, Tagovailoa had a 33-3 TD-INT ratio before being carted off in a mid-November game against Mississippi State. He underwent surgery soon after and is expected to make a full recovery, though he cautioned he may need to make some adjustments to account for his surgically altered hip.

Iowa T Tristan Wirfs Declares For Draft

January 14th, 2020 at 6:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Shortly after Iowa’s first-round edge defender prospect declared for the draft, the Hawkeyes’ Round 1 tackle hopeful did the same. Tristan Wirfs will forgo his senior season to be part of the 2020 draft, he announced (via Instagram).

Wirfs is not rated quite as highly as A.J. Epenesa, with Scouts Inc. tabbing the junior edge blocker as the No. 52 draft-eligible prospect. Wirfs, however, was a first-round mock pick, per ESPN’s Todd McShay, and rates 17th in this class, per Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.

Interestingly, Wirfs primarily played right tackle in his Iowa career. He spent all of his 2018 sophomore season on the right side and started nine games there this season, while playing the remainder of the campaign on the left edge. The Iowa native earned Big Ten lineman of the year acclaim this season.

Wirfs joins a stronger-than-usual tackle class this year. Georgia’s Andrew Thomas and Alabama’s Jedrick Willis look set to go off the board early in this draft. No draft has seen three tackles go in the first half of the first round since 2016, when Ronnie Stanley, Jack Conklin and Laremy Tunsil were off the board by No. 13.

Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa Enters Draft

January 14th, 2020 at 10:17am CST by Zachary Links

Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa is going pro. On Tuesday, the top pass rusher announced that he’ll skip his senior season and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

Epenesa is widely projected to be a first-round pick and could very well land in the Top 10. Ohio State’s Chase Young ranks as everyone’s top edge rusher, but after that, Epenesa figures to be the second defensive end taken in April.

Epenesa boasts serious power and block-shedding ability at 6’6″ and 280 pounds. This year, he notched 11.5 sacks and 15 tackles for a loss, cementing his status as one of the best at his position.

The Buccaneers, who pick at No. 14 overall, could represent Epenesa’s floor. Epenesa could help the Bucs replace Shaquil Barrett if he signs a lucrative free agent deal elsewhere. Or, better yet, the Bucs could retain Barrett and slot Epenesa in at the other bookend to bolster their pass rush.

Updated 2020 NFL Draft Order

January 13th, 2020 at 11:01am CST by Zachary Links

The stage has been set for the conference championships. The Titans, Chiefs, 49ers, and Packers are moving on to the semifinals, while the Texans, Seahawks, Ravens, and Vikings will begin planning for the offseason ahead. Unfortunately for the Texans, their first round pick belongs to the Dolphins.

Here’s an updated look at the 2020 NFL Draft order from Nos. 1-28:

1. Bengals (2-14)

2. Redskins (3-13)

3. Lions (3-12-1)

4. Giants (4-12)

5 Dolphins (5-11)

6. Chargers (5-11)

7. Panthers (5-11)

8. Cardinals (5-10-1)

9. Jaguars (6-10)

10. Browns (6-10)

11. Jets (7-9)

12. Raiders (7-9)

13. Colts (7-9)

14. Buccaneers (7-9)

15. Broncos (7-9)

16. Falcons (7-9)

17. Cowboys (8-8)

18. Dolphins (via Steelers 8-8)

19. Raiders (via Bears 8-8)

20. Jaguars (via Rams 9-7)

21. Eagles (9-7)

22. Bills (10-6)

23. Patriots (12-4)

24. Saints (13-3)

25. Vikings (10-6)

26. Dolphins (via Texans 10-6)

27. Seahawks (11-5)

28. Ravens (14-2)

James Lynch Enters NFL Draft

January 13th, 2020 at 10:56am CST by Zachary Links

Baylor defensive tackle James Lynch announced that he’ll enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Lynch may wind up as a first round pick in April with many already connecting dots between him and new Panthers head coach Matt Rhule.

Lynch was a part of Rhule’s first recruiting class at Baylor and met the lofty expectations set for him on campus. Together, they helped Baylor go from 1-11 in 2017 to 11-3 in 2019. In 2019, Lynch was named the Big 12’s defensive player of the year with 10.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss.

With evaluators drooling over his upside, Lynch will forgo his final year of eligibility with the Bears. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has Lynch ranked as the fifth-best defensive tackle in this year’s crop and most prognosticators see him as a Day 2 pick, at minimum.

The Panthers’ pick at No. 7 is probably too high for Lynch, but, then again, we’ve seen teams reach before. Just last year, we saw two major surprises in the Top 10 when the Raiders took Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 overall and again at No. 6 when the Giants grabbed Duke’s Daniel Jones. A more likely scenario, if the Panthers want to pounce on Lynch: a second round selection, move up to pick again in the back end of the first round, or a trade back from No. 7 to add more picks to their arsenal.

2020 NFL Draft News & Rumors