2020 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Jonathan Taylor Declares For Draft

January 3rd, 2020 at 6:44pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the most productive players in recent college football history is leaving school early. Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor will forego his final year of college eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft, he announced in a video posted to Twitter.

Taylor isn’t considered to be a first-round pick by most analysts as of right now, but he’ll be among the first handful of running backs to be selected and has the potential to rise throughout the process. In his latest mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller had Taylor getting taken 54th overall. Taylor became a starter at Wisconsin as a freshman, and instantly started etching his name in the record books. During Wisconsin’s bowl game this past week, he became the second college player ever to have multiple 2,000 yard rushing seasons.

He finished with at least 1,977 rushing yards in all three of his college seasons, and has the most ever by any player through his junior season. He was a unanimous first-team All-American in each of the past two seasons, and won the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s best running back in each of the past two years as well. The Badgers legend was a non-factor in the passing game his first two years, but managed to catch 26 passes for 252 yards and five touchdowns in this most recent campaign. That aspect of his game will be crucial for his draft stock.

D’Andre Swift Declares For Draft

January 3rd, 2020 at 4:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

One of the top skill position players in college football is foregoing his final year of college eligibility and entering the draft. Georgia running back D’Andre Swift is leaving school early, he announced on Twitter.

Judging from recent mock drafts and projections, Swift has a good chance to hear his name called in the first round, and he is also viewed by many analysts as the top running back prospect in the 2020 draft. He might be competing with fellow recent early entrant J.K. Dobbins to be the first runner off the board. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report tweeted soon after the news broke that he has Swift as a first-rounder on his board.

Swift averaged a ridiculous 7.6 yards per carry as a freshman in 2017, and has dominated in each of his three collegiate seasons. This past year he rushed for 1,218 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 24 catches for an additional 216 yards through the air. He earned all sorts of accolades during his college career, and was recently named a first-team All-SEC selection.

Chase Young Enters NFL Draft

January 3rd, 2020 at 12:11pm CST by Zachary Links

Ohio State star Chase Young has officially declared for the 2020 NFL Draft. The superstar edge rusher figures to be one of the very first players selected in April.

Young is widely regarded as the top overall talent in this year’s class. If the Bengals select Joe Burrow or another quarterback at No. 1, he’ll be there for the Redskins and new head coach Ron Rivera at No. 2.

Young, listed at 6’5″ and 265 pounds, has been on an absolute tear at Ohio State. This year, he finished out with 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss in just 12 games. He was suspended for two games by the NCAA after he was found to have taken a loan from a family friend that he later paid back, but that didn’t slow him down much. That incident won’t have any bearing on his draft stock, either.

Talent evaluators have been salivating over Young for years. He arrived on campus in 2017 as a top recruit out of DeMatha Catholic High School and made noise right off the bat. Then, in 2018, he broke out with 10.5 sacks and major stops against some of Ohio State’s biggest rivals.

The Lions, Giants, and Dolphins round out the top five in the draft.

Alex Leatherwood To Stay In School

January 3rd, 2020 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

Alex Leatherwood could have been a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Instead, the left tackle will return to Alabama in order to earn his degree.

“My three years at Alabama have been some of the best of my life,” Leatherwood said. “I’ve used my time in Tuscaloosa to grow significantly as a player and as a person, but I believe that I have more left to learn. When I decided to come to Alabama it was always important to me to win football games, but it was equally as important that I earn my degree. I realize that my career on the field will not last forever and walking across that stage has always been a goal of mine.”

There’s some risk involved here, but Leatherwood figures to be one of the top prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft after he gets some additional seasoning with the national powerhouse. Evaluators were already salivating over Leatherwood’s skillset after he successfully shifted from playing right guard in 2018 to manning LT in 2019.

Other top tackles in this year’s class include Alabama’s Jedrick Wills Jr., Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs, and USC’s Austin Jackson.

Cole Kmet To Enter NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2020 at 3:35pm CST by Zachary Links

On Thursday, Notre Dame’s Cole Kmet announced that he’ll enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Kmet, regarded as one of the best tight ends in this year’s crop, was widely expected to forgo his remaining eligibility and turn pro this year.

Kmet is a jack-of-all-trades tight end with powerful blocking and reasonably soft hands. Kmet had no touchdowns to his credit before the 2019 season, but he broke out with 43 catches, 515 yards, and six TDs in his final season for the Fighting Irish.

The Patriots could theoretically use a tight end like Kmet to fill the void left by Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement last offseason. The Panthers and Bengals are also among the teams with potential needs at tight end, though they may or may not be in the market for one by the time the draft rolls around.

The NFL committee that advises underclassmen gave Kmet a second-round grade, but there aren’t many TEs in this year’s crop that offer a skillset like Kmet’s. If his workouts go as expected, Kmet seems likely to be a Day 1 pick.

Curtis Weaver To Enter NFL Draft

January 2nd, 2020 at 12:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Curtis Weaver is going pro. This week, the Boise State outside linebacker announced that he will enter the 2020 NFL Draft and forgo his senior season.

“I came here as a fat boy and I’m leaving as a young man,” Weaver announced on social media. “I poured my heart and soul into Boise State Football every time I set foot onto the field. I am forever grateful and honored to be a Bronco.”

After notching 52 tackles, 13.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble, most expected Weaver to make the jump. He leaves Boise State with 34 career sacks and a strong chance of being a first-round pick in April.

On his latest big board, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller slotted Weaver as the biggest riser of any edge rusher, though he has him ranked behind eleven other edge players. Other analysts are higher on him – ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked as the second-best outside linebacker in this year’s class. Meanwhile, ESPN’s Todd McShay had him going No. 20 overall in his latest mock draft.

Ohio State’s Chase Young, who is also expected to skip his final year of eligibility, is universally considered to be the best edge rusher in this year’s class.

Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah Enters NFL Draft

January 1st, 2020 at 1:40pm CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday, Ohio State standout Jeff Okudah announced that he’ll enter the 2020 NFL Draft. Okudah profiles as the best cornerback in this year’s class and could wind up as a top ten selection.

Okudah, a 6’1″, 195-pound junior, tallied three interceptions, 34 tackles, and nine pass breakups last year. He was one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award, which is given to the best defensive back in college football.

“It has been an honor to be a part of a brotherhood as strong as the one here at Ohio State,” Okudah wrote on social media. “I hope that during my time here, that I did not only grasp, but embodied what it means to be a Buckeye.”

With Okudah’s departure, the Buckeyes could lose their three best cornerbacks. Damon Arnette – who has a chance at being a Day 2 pick – is graduating. Meanwhile, Shaun Wade could skip his final two seasons of eligibility to go pro, even though he’s rather green.

J.K. Dobbins Enters NFL Draft

December 30th, 2019 at 5:30pm CST by Zachary Links

J.K. Dobbins is going pro. On Monday, the Ohio State running back announced that he’ll forego his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft.

With that, the already deep 2020 running back crop has become even more stacked. This year, Dobbins became the school’s first player to break 2,000 yards in a single season, topping Eddie George’s single-season rushing record. Before that, he eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in each of his previous campaigns.

Dobbins is no stranger to the limelight, either. He was a four-star prospect combing out of La Grange High School, despite missing most of his senior season with an ankle injury. Dobbins, who offers serious power at 5’10” (or, perhaps, 5’9″), is true stud and profiles as a strong first-round candidate for April.

Other top running backs in the 2020 NFL Draft class include Georgia’s D’Andre Swift, Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor, Clemson’s Travis Etienne, Alabama’s Najee Harris, and Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard.

Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb Enters Draft

December 29th, 2019 at 5:54pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The 2020 NFL Draft picked up another top prospect Sunday. Oklahoma receiver CeeDee Lamb will forego his final season of college eligibility and enter the draft, he announced in a tweet.

Lamb is considered by many to be the top available wideout, and is almost certainly going to be a first-round pick in April. As things stand right now, he appears to have a good shot at being a top ten selection. Lamb became a key player for the Sooners as a freshman, and has dominated the past couple of seasons. This year with Jalen Hurts throwing to him, Lamb racked up 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also averaged an impressive 21.4 yards per reception.

He had 119 yards in Oklahoma’s College Football Playoff loss to LSU. There are plenty of teams who could use receiver help, and this is considered a very good class for pass-catchers. Unlike last year when no receivers were taken in the top 24 picks, wideouts could be flying off the board this time around.

Jacob Eason Enters NFL Draft

December 26th, 2019 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Jacob Eason is going pro. On Thursday, the Washington quarterback announced that he’ll forego his remaining eligibility to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

“Playing this season for the University of Washington has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. UW has given me an incredible opportunity to develop as a football player and a person, and I am forever grateful and honored to be a Husky,” Eason wrote in a letter to his fans and followers.

Eason, a five-star recruit out of Washington’s Lake Stevens high school, started his collegiate career at the University of Georgia, but a knee injury late in the 2017 season caused him to change course. When Eason was unable to regain his job from Jake Fromm, he transferred to UW and took over as the starter in 2019. In 13 games this year, Eason completed 64.2% of his throws for 3,132 yards with 23 touchdowns against eight interceptions.

Eason is widely projected to be selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft and could very easily go in the top 32 if he performs well in workouts. Some evaluators may prefer Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jordan Love, but Eason is widely regarded as having the best arm strength of any top QB in this year’s class.

2020 NFL Draft News & Rumors