2020 NFL Mock Draft: How Do Brady Signing, Hopkins Trade Affect Board?

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow - Quarterback, LSU
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young - Defensive End, Ohio State
3. Miami Dolphins (trade up with Detroit Lions): Tua Tagovailoa - Quarterback, Alabama
4. Los Angeles Chargers (trade up with New York Giants): Justin Herbert - Quarterback, Oregon
5. Detroit Lions (trade down with Miami Dolphins): Jeff Okudah - Cornerback, Ohio State

In an unusual twist, being located in Los Angeles actually hurt the Chargers in their pursuit of Tom Brady, who reportedly preferred to stay on the East Coast. While it's still hard to discount the possibility of them becoming a suitor for Cam Newton if he's given a clean bill of health, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network says that the team doesn't intend to sign or trade for a veteran quarterback, and will instead have former Buffalo Bills' starter Tyrod Taylor take over for Philip Rivers. That may be the case, but as they move into a new stadium and attempt to gain any sort of traction in the LA market, they need someone that will help sell tickets. Brady would have been that. Newton, as Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has noted, would be that. Whether Justin Herbert will prove to be that is unclear, but the Chargers need something that they can sell to the limited fanbase they have.

6. New York Giants (trade down with Los Angeles Chargers): Isaiah Simmons - Linebacker, Clemson
7. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown - Defensive Tackle, Auburn
8. Arizona Cardinals: Mekhi Becton - Offensive Tackle, Louisville
9. New York Jets (trade with up Jacksonville Jaguars): Tristan Wirfs - Offensive Tackle, Iowa
10. Cleveland Browns: Andrew Thomas - Offensive Tackle - Georgia

Whether it was Sam Darnold under center or someone else, the Jets struggled to protect the quarterback in 2019, with Pro Football Focus ranking them the 28th best offensive line in the NFL this past season. Poor offensive line play was likely a contributing factor to former All-Pro Le'Veon Bell averaging a career-low 3.2 yards-per-carry in his first season with the Jets. So, in our latest mock, the Jets move up two spots to secure former Iowa tackle Tristan Wirfs to help fix their offensive line. Wirfs, the 2019 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, showed out at the NFL Combine, setting new records for highest vertical jump by an offensive lineman and fastest 40-yard dash time by a player 320 pounds or heavier. Moving up for him is the first step in helping to solidify the offensive line for Gang Green.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade down with New York Jets): Javon Kinlaw - Defensive Tackle, South Carolina
12. Las Vegas Raiders: Jerry Jeudy - Wide Receiver, Alabama
13. San Francisco 49ers: CeeDee Lamb - Wide Receiver, Oklahoma
14. Miami Dolphins (trade up with Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Henry Ruggs III - Wide Receiver, Alabama
15. Denver Broncos: Kenneth Murray - Inside Linebacker, Oklahoma

While it's pretty unlikely Kyler Murray and CeeDee Lamb will be reunited in the NFL now, in our latest mock, the Dolphins move up four picks - one ahead of the Denver Broncos - to secure wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, and pair him with Tua Tagovailoa in the NFL. Some will say it's unlikely that the Dolphins move up twice in the first round, and perhaps it will prove to be. However, they own three first-round picks this year, two next year, and four picks in the second rounds of the next two NFL Drafts. If any team can afford to move up twice, it's the Dolphins. Based on how they've acted in free agency - singing Byron Jones, Kyle Van Noy, Ereck Flowers and Jordan Howard - you don't get the sense that the Dolphins plan for a drawn out rebuild. And pairing Ruggs III with DeVante Parker would allow Tagovailoa to hit the ground running whenever he's ready to make his NFL debut.

16. Atlanta Falcons: K'Lavon Chaisson - Outside Linebacker, LSU
17. Dallas Cowboys: Xavier McKinney - Safety, Alabama
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (trade down with Miami Dolphins): D'Andre Swift - Running Back, Georgia
19. Las Vegas Raiders: Kristian Fulton - Cornerback, LSU
20. New England Patriots (trade up with Jacksonville Jaguars): Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama

It's hard to know whether Antonio Brown will be cleared by the NFL to play in 2020 - or in good enough standing legally - but Tom Brady reportedly has some interest in reuniting with the 31-year-old. Even if the Buccaneers don't share that interest, Brady is going to be like a kid in a candy shop with the ability to throw to Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Cameron Brate in 2020. However, the Buccaneers could stand to upgrade their rushing attack, which ranked just 24th this past season. Pick No. 14 may be too early to do that in this year's draft, but in this scenario, the Buccaneers capitalized on the desire of a more wide receiver-needy team, moved down four picks and were still able to land D'Andre Swift, who Joe Marino of The Draft Network ironically compares to Cadillac Williams, a member of the last Buccaneers team to reach the postseason in 2007.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson - Wide Receiver, LSU
22. Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Henderson - Cornerback, Florida
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade down with New England Patriots): Grant Delpit - Safety, LSU
24. New Orleans Saints: Laviska Shenault Jr. - Wide Receiver, Colorado
25. Minnesota Vikings: Brandon Aiyuk - Wide Receiver, Arizona State

Even after acquiring Darius Slay from the Detroit Lions, the Eagles still have work to do as they retool their secondary. However, priority No. 1 needs to be getting Carson Wentz some weapons to work with. For much of this draft season, we've seen Laviska Shenault Jr. as a fit, but his injury history may be enough to turn off an Eagles team that was devastated by injuries to wide receivers last season. Though he perhaps won't bring the juice that the Eagles need in their offense, Jefferson feels like a relatively sure thing, with Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network saying he believes the former LSU Tiger can develop into "a deadly No. 2 threat" at the next level. If the Eagles add Jefferson and a quicker option in the mid rounds of the draft, they could vastly improve their offense in 2020, especially if DeSean Jackson is able to stay healthy and stretch the field.