Three-Round 2020 NFL Mock Draft: Dolphins pass on Tua Tagovailoa but go QB later; Colts, Bucs find Day 2 QBs

Easiest decision in the entire 2020 NFL Draft. Burrow is a franchise QB, the Bengals need a franchise QB. Done and done.

Unless the Redskins are blown away with a trade-down offer, take Chase Young (and do not even consider Tua Tagovailoa).

Isaiah Simmons told us at the combine that his versatility is what makes him so special and it’s hard to argue. He patterns his game after Tyrann Mathieu and Von Miller, though he also reminds us of Derwin James. Whatever player comp you use, the Lions’ defense is vastly improved with him on it.

Turns out, Tristan Wirfs is somehow more athletic than any of us thought; at the combine he ran a 4.85, had a vertical of 36.5 inches, and oh by the way, he’s one of the best players in this draft class. As an O-linemen, he can play either tackle position, and even kick inside to guard.

What if the Dolphins don’t love Tua? Or perhaps they’re worried about his medicals? They could stay put and have a great chance to land Okudah, the best CB in this class and it’s not even close.

With Philip Rivers gone, the Chargers need a quarterback. And if the Dolphins are interested in Jordan Love (which has been reported), L.A. could have to choose between Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert (and possibly Love).

The Panthers re-signed Kyle Allen last week … and that will have no effect on their long-term QB plans. If Herbert is on the board here the organization will have a tough decision to make.

The Cardinals need to get better up front; the O-line ranked 21st in run blocking and 26th in pass blocking, according to Football Outsiders. At 6-7, 364 pounds, Becton is a mountain of a man, but he moves like someone who weighs more like 260, which pairs nicely with his footwork, balance and strength.

Brown is the best defensive lineman in this class and his blend of strength, quickness and overall athleticism would fit nicely into a Jaguars defense that’s looking to rebuild.

Baker Mayfield can’t spend Sundays running for his life; the Browns’ O-line is an obvious area of need and Jedrick Wills is an obvious solution to that problem. He hoped to run a sub-5.0 at the combine (Wills finished with a still-impressive 5.05) though he admitted to us that running that time was mostly for bragging rights. The man is a terror in the run game and will only continue to get better in pass protection.

Both left tackle Kelvin Beachum and right tackle Brandon Shell have contracts that are set to expire. Thomas was a freshman All-American right tackle and then moved to left tackle the last two years where he dominated while protecting QB Jake Fromm, who will hear his name called in the 2020 NFL Draft too. In New York, Thomas will protect Sam Darnold, who is coming off an up-and-down sophomore campaign.

The Raiders head to Las Vegas with plenty of questions, but CeeDee Lamb would give Jon Gruden an immediate playmaker to pair with Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. Lamb is the toughest WR in this class and he’s coming off a remarkable season for the Sooners where he averaged more than 20 yards per reception. The biggest question he must answer: Can he consistently beat press coverage, something he rarely saw in the Big 12?

The Colts need to upgrade their pass rush and GM Chris Ballard loves athletes like Chaisson, who is bendy and explosive around the edge and has the ability to take over games. He’ll probably need to add some weight at the next level.

Ndamukong Suh, Beau Allen and Rakeem Nunez-Roches appear headed for free agency and Kinlaw is the best pass-rushing interior defensive linemen in this draft class. The rebuilding of the Bucs’ D continues after a strong 2019 draft haul.

This WR draft class is DEEP, so passing on Jerry Jeudy at No. 15, while tough, makes some sense. Meanwhile, Chris Harris’ contract is set to expire, and he was the Broncos’ most consistent cornerback last season. Fulton had an up-and-down 2019 campaign, but is undoubtedly a first-round talent — which was also the case a year ago when he considered leaving school early.

The Falcons secondary is young, but they have to get better to compete in the NFC South; the unit was 25th against the pass, according to Football Outsiders. C.J. Henderson is a long, cover corner who blazed a 4.39 at the combine, and he has the ability to lock down the opponent’s best receiver.

Who knows what becomes of Amari Cooper in the weeks to follow, but even if Cooper returns, Dak Prescott desperately needs help and Jeudy, who came into 2019 as our No. 1 prospect, would be a gift too good to pass up here.

Could Love last this long? Possibly, but it’s more likely the Dolphins would have to trade up for him with their second pick. Either way, the team had Love in for a pre-draft visit before the NFL shut things down because of the coronavirus outbreak. You don’t do that for a player you’re not interested in.

The Raiders need to upgrade their secondary even after drafting Johnathan Abram a year ago. McKinney is arguably the most versatile defender in this draft class after Isaiah Simmons.

Queen is undersized, but he flies all over the field. He has sideline-to-sideline speed, the ability to make plays in the backfield and the athleticism to cover RBs and TEs, which is exactly what the Jags need.

Ruggs *only* managed a 4.27 40-time at the combine. This isn’t why he “falls” to 21st here, but again, he’s a victim of a run on other players and positions with not nearly the depth. But this is great news for the Eagles, who need help on defense but will find it hard to pass on Ruggs here.

Freakish athleticism and coming from a limited offense at Baylor, Mims is the type of playmaker who could help take Josh Allen’s game to the next level.

Jones had an outstanding season for the Cougars, improved his draft stock at the Senior Bowl in January, and has the type of strength and athleticism that translates well to the NFL.

Jefferson told us at the combine that he would surprise a lot of people with his speed and he went out and ran 4.43. At 6-1, 200 pounds, he dominated from the slot last season for the Tigers, but he can also play outside. Wherever he lines up, Jefferson would make New Orleans’ offense even more potent.

Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander enter the final year of their contracts, and Xavier Rhodes, who struggled for much of the season, was just released. Adding help at cornerback will be a priority this offseason. Igbinoghene quietly had a strong 2019 season, followed it up with a great combine and has shown the ability to match up with NFL WRs.

The Dolphins appear to have interest in Dobbins and there’s a chance they could grab him at the top of Round 2. But after drafting Jordan Love, they may be eager to surround him with playmakers.

Jadeveon Clowney was dominant at times, but he was mostly going it alone. Both he and Ziggy Ansah are headed for free agency and the Seahawks desperately need to bolster their pass rush. Gross-Matos is a physical freak who has yet to scratch the surface on just how good he can be.

Josh Bynes played out of his mind last season, but he’s 30 and was on a one-year deal after spending the previous two seasons in Arizona (and the three before that in Detroit). Murray is a middle-of-the-field playmaker who has the talent to be the next great inside linebacker in Baltimore.

Logan Ryan and Tramaine Brock are two of the Titans’ top three cornerbacks and both will be out of a contract in March. But even if Tennessee brings back one (or both), you can never have enough defensive backs on the roster. Gladney quietly had a standout season for the Horned Frogs and he might be one of the best cover corners in this draft class.

Bryan Bulaga is 30 years old and his contract is up this week. Jackson, meanwhile, is an athletic left tackle coming off a strong 2019 campaign, and he will only get better.

Terrell was lost in the mix the last month or so while other CBs moved up draft boards. But he was the best cornerback in the ACC and he has a chance to be better than former teammate and Raiders 2019 second-rounder Trayvon Mullen.

Bashaud Breeland and Kendall Fuller appear headed for free agency. Either way, the Chiefs need to improve their secondary and Diggs (brother of Stefon Diggs) is a long, physical cornerback who can match up against the tall, physical NFL wideouts.