2020 NFL Mock Draft: Redskins take Tua, Chase Young falls to Giants, Chargers trade up for Justin Herbert

Maybe another two weeks without sports will put me in a mindset to have the Bengals trade down or take Chase Young, but I’m not there yet.

The Redskins quietly tried to trade Haskins before making this pick but found no takers. They take Tua anyway, so Haskins is on the block and is likely to go at some point during the draft. Just like Rosen last year.

The Lions are eternally grateful to the Redskins for taking Tua, as it made their No. 3 pick extremely valuable. In the end, the Chargers wanted Herbert more than the Dolphins or anybody else, and move up to get him.

Remember when the Giants beat the Redskins late in the season, and it angered fans because it cost them a chance to draft Chase Young? Well, not in this quarantine-induced fever-dream, it doesn’t!

The Dolphins flirt with the idea of taking Isaiah Simmons here, but decide that addressing the offensive line is much more important. Even with two more first-round picks, the top OTs could all be off the board before picking again at No. 18.

If Matt Patricia is truly a student of Bill Belichick, he’ll know that Belichick prefers to build his defense from the back end these days. So he gets the best corner in the draft and picks extra assets while doing so. Truly Belichickian.

Simmons is one of the three best players in this draft on my board, but circumstance drops him to seventh here. Carolina is pretty all right with the developments.

It might be Wirfs, it might be somebody else, but after trading for DeAndre Hopkins, I’m more convinced than ever that Arizona is taking a tackle here.

Derrick Brown is extremely good at his job, but I’m not 100 percent convinced his pass-rush ability is strong enough to convince teams to take him this highly. Still, the Jaguars need help on the interior of their defensive line, and Brown’s easily the best player in this draft there.

Same story as the Cardinals here in that I’m not sure which OT the Browns prefer, but I’m convinced an OT will go here.

The Jets would love to take a tackle here to protect Sam Darnold. The problem is the top three are off the board, so instead of getting Darnold some protection, they get him a weapon.

There are receivers in this draft with higher ceilings than Jeudy, but I’m not sure there’s one in the class with a higher floor, or who is more ready to contribute right away than Jeudy.

Ruggs is one of those receivers with a higher ceiling. I don’t know that he’ll ever be a No. 1 from a target volume standpoint, but he has excellent hands and incredible athleticism and speed. He reminds me a lot of Santana Moss and could fit well with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle in the 49ers passing attack.

Thomas is the fourth OT to go off the board in this mock draft, but he could easily end up as the best player at the position in this draft.

All the top OTs are gone, as are the top three WR. Instead of addressing those needs, I have Denver taking a top CB. It’s a need, and there will likely be a good WR available when they pick again in the second.

I’ve had Chaisson going to the Falcons in so many mocks that I’m convinced there isn’t the slightest chance of it happening.

The Cowboys have to address their need at corner and will likely draft more than one in the draft. Maybe it’s not Fulton here, but it should be a corner.

After taking an OT with their first pick, Miami addresses its need at safety here by taking Delpit. Opinions vary, but I have him as the best safety in this class.

Others have Xavier McKinney as the best safety in the class, and Las Vegas (yes, I typed Oakland at first) addresses a need in the secondary with him.

I don’t think receiver is the most significant need in Jacksonville, but it’s a need, and a second first-rounder allows them a chance to go for a “luxury” pick. Jefferson is likely better-served to be a No. 2 WR in the long run, but he could prove to be the best one Jacksonville has right away.

In this mock, the Eagles decide to wait on addressing the need at WR and instead fill a need at linebacker with Murray. He’s a sideline-to-sideline player that can get a bit overzealous at times but has a good chance of being a solid NFL starter.

I really like Johnson, and I think his physicality will appeal to the Vikings. He’s a corner with a bit of a strong safety mentality.

Epenesa’s talent and versatility make him the type of player that should appeal to Bill Belichick. You know, assuming New England doesn’t trade down. Also, I’m not convinced the Pats will be taking a QB early. They took Jarret Stidham last year knowing full well that Brady could leave after the 2019 season.

Emmanuel Sanders makes taking a WR less of a priority, and the Saints still need help at LB. They take the local kid with a whole lot of potential.

Mims isn’t a finished product, so he’s not going to step in and replace Stefon Diggs. He does offer the big-play threat that Diggs had, and he has room to develop further.

They missed out on Tua and Herbert at the top of the draft, but the Dolphins get Love here. This allows them a shot to develop him to be The Guy, but it comes at a cost that gives them the flexibility to go back to the QB well again next year if they have to.

I like Gross-Matos, but opinions on him vary. I almost had the Patriots taking him at 23. Instead, he falls to the Seahawks, where I think he’d be a good fit.

It’s possible Baltimore trades down here without a top LB available, but getting Lamar Jackson another weapon in the passing game would be nice too. Shenault is more of an all-around threat in the passing game than Marquise Brown but has big-play ability of his own.

One of the unexpected consequences of the Redskins taking a QB is that Kinlaw drops down the first round, which is welcome news to the Titans who are all too glad to snap him up late.

The search for a reliable receiver to pair with Davante Adams continues, with Jalen Reagor being the next candidate. I like his odds of sticking. He has good footwork and plays quicker than his 40 at the combine suggests. He’ll drop some passes, though, which could put him in Aaron Rodgers’ dog house.

San Francisco will likely look to trade down here to get more picks, but I’m not sure who is moving up for what in this spot. So they take an intriguing prospect for the interior of their defensive line.

There was once a time when Andy Reid had a three-down back he could rely on, and was nearly a guarantee to be a top player in your fantasy league. Well, Andy’s going back to the old days with D’Andre Swift, making an unfair offense a little less fair.