The full st round NFL mock draft with Walter Football and the Fantasy Football Counselor. A big episode as we ramp up to the highly anticipated NFL draft 2020. Full Fantasy Football podcast transcript below:
Joseph Robert:
Welcome to the show, everybody. Joseph Robert, the fantasy football counselor. We’ve got an exciting episode. We’re talking NFL 2020 mock draft predictions and I’ve got the guy, the OG of football everything, with me who’s got one of the best sites for everything football, from point spreads, to mock drafts, to everything you can think of. It’s Walter from Walter football. What’s going on, Walter?
Walter:
Not much. Eight days until the drafts, so excited to do this 2020 NFL mock draft with you.
Joseph Robert:
I’m excited. We need this right now more than anything. I mean the draft is going to be so explosive because I think so many people are going to want to watch this and just get exposed to anything sports at this point.
Walter:
Yeah, I agree. I mean we need a break from everything that’s going on. And what better than the NFL draft for a whole weekend? Can’t wait for it.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, me too. So guys, what we’re doing for this show, very simple. We’re going to run through the first round of the NFL mock draft. Walter has all the information on that. He knows which players should be going off in what round. Okay. So I’m going to go through every team in the first round. Walter’s going to give his prediction because he knows this more than me. I’ve been following the draft a little bit, but he’s the guy. He’s got inside information. He’s got feet on the street. He knows what’s going on with every team, the interests, the meetings. He knows that stuff.
Joseph Robert:
So what we’re going to do is we’re going to run through the first round. We’re going to talk about the teams that are drafting in the first round, starting with one all the way to 32, and he’s going to give us who he thinks the team is going to pick for that pick. Okay? Team by team. And it’s going to be super exciting, and we’re going to try to focus on primarily the offensive players.
So I’m going to ask some questions. We’re going to talk a little bit about fantasy football in this as well. But primarily, the NFL draft is what we want to focus on because this is very important for fantasy football. Where these players land is going to impact fantasy football players, right? Because if they land a depth chart is going to get shifted and moved. This is a very important episode and we’re talking mock draft. And this is going to be super exciting. I’m excited about the draft, Walter, I can’t contain the excitement.
Walter:
Yeah, me too. It’s going to be a blast. And you’re right, I mean this is kind of like the final piece of the puzzle for the fantasy football rankings that we’ll have for 2020. So once we know where every rookie is going to go, we can finally get our final rankings going.
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Before we get into this, guys, make sure you are subscribed to the number one fantasy football podcast and leave a comment below. Interact, guys. I try to get back to as many people as I can. And I’m going to force Walter. And Walter, I don’t care how busy you are doing this draft research, you’ve got to get into the comment section and you’ve got to get in and comment back. Walter, you’re going to have to comment back to some of these people.
Walter:
All right, will do.
Joseph Robert:
I’ve got the phone ringing in here. I’ve got to hit mute here. All right, so let’s get to this, guys. Very simple, we’re going to go with the first pick here. The first guy I want to talk about here is, first-team is Cincinnati. They’re picking first overall, and I think it’s pretty obvious unless there’s some sort of trade or something going on. Who is Cinci taking?
Walter:
It’s Joe Burrow, quarterback LSU. I mean it’s locked in, I think, pretty much. I don’t see them trading. They need a franchise quarterback to replace Andy Dalton and Joe Burrow is by far the best quarterback in this class, considering Tua Tagovailoa’s health.
Joseph Robert:
Is this pretty much clear-cut from what your research … First of all, I started to go out on a tangent. What research do you do? I mean, how do you get this inside information? You don’t have to give all the secrets, but what do you do to get this info?
NFL Mock Draft 2020
Pick 1: Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow
Well, everyone knows Joe Burrow is going to be the first pick. But for other picks that we get correct, usually, I want to say I want to reference Charlie Campbell, our senior NFL draft analysts. He talks to everyone it seems like in the NFL. So he has a good idea of what most teams are going to do. So I get information from Charlie, I have some sources myself, not nearly as many as Charlie. So we collaborate during the draft week and we talk about what our mock drafts are going to look like. And Charlie’s had the most accurate mock draft on the internet two out of the last three years. So yeah, I mean, it’s great information and yeah, we’re going to discuss. I look forward to talking with him.
Joseph Robert:
That’s why I brought you on because I want Counsel Nation to get the best of the best. That’s why you’re here. So, Joe Burrow, it seems pretty clear-cut since he is gunning for him, period.
Walter:
Yeah, absolutely. I mean they need a franchise quarterback and if Tua Tagovailoa were healthy, you could probably have a good debate on which quarterback they should take, but it has to be Borrow right now.
Joseph Robert:
Okay guys, start filing this in your brain. If Borrow is there, the value goes up with Boyd and AJ Green if he comes back healthy. And I heard today, I don’t like to, rumors this and that, well this is kind of solidified, but I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but Joe Mixon threatened to hold out. You’ve probably heard about that.
Walter:
Yeah, he’s entering this contract year. It makes sense. But if he doesn’t, if he eventually practices and reports for week one, I think his stock increases as well with Joe Burrow because they’re going to have more offensive success, and he’s going to have more goal-line opportunities.
Joseph Robert:
Right. So yeah, I’m excited to see Joe Burrow on Cinci. They definitely need a quarterback. And do you think, this is a little off-topic, let’s just focus. We’re going to focus on the picks more or less, but do you think Burrow gets to start immediately based on the talent that you’ve seen with him and what you’re hearing?
Walter:
Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean they’re not going to sit him unless he has just an abysmal preseason, which I don’t see it happening. I mean he’s going to be the starter right away.
Pick 2: Washington Redskins – Chase Young OLB
Joseph Robert:
Perfect. Okay. Pick number two. Redskins are picking number two. You’ve got here a defensive end or outside linebacker. Is Chase Young going to be the guy here for the Redskins, what they’re looking for here?
Walter:
Yeah, they love him. Charlie reported back in February before the combine that the Redskins were not going to trade down. There’s been speculation that the Redskins have moved down, switching with the team that needs a quarterback. But they love Chase Young so much that they’re not going to do it. He doesn’t even really fit a need because they have a good address right now. But he is the best player in this draft, and they need talent. The Redskins, that’s their number one need is that they need talent overall. And I don’t think they can live with themselves if they pass up a Chase Young and he gets 15 sacks every single season.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, I mean the talent is there. I was just reading here because I’m always looking at the news. Chase Young, the guy he wants to sack the most is Lamar Jackson. I don’t know if you read that yet.
Walter:
I didn’t read that, but that’s quite the challenge because he’s tough to bring down
Joseph Robert:
That’s what he wants. Man, these guys are super competitive. And Joe Burrow was saying, “Hey, I don’t like to lose, I don’t lose.” That type of thing, so very competitive athletes here in the first round. All right, pick number three here, I think it’s the Lions going at three. But you’re saying that there may be a switcheroo here between them and the Chargers. What’s going on? Are the Lions, you think they’re going to pick at three?
Walter:
I would say it’s not a lock that they trade down. Obviously, they could stay a three if they don’t get a good deal, but the Chargers need a quarterback. And I think they might be scared that the Dolphins will take their guy if they prefer one of the two top quarterbacks remaining. There’s also a possibility that a team that we don’t know of, once a quarterback will move up like Jacksonville, we all assume that they’re going to tank for Trevor Lawrence in 2021, but they need a quarterback. They could trade up.
Walter:
The Patriots, obviously they have nothing at quarterback. They could make a move. So I think the Chargers might want to take matters into their own hands and move up to number three for either Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert. If they like one of them much more than the other, I think it’s likely that they will trade up. If they feel equal on both, then they could just probably stay at six and just be secure. But I think there’s a decent chance that the Chargers move up.
Pick 3: Los Angeles Chargers – Tua Tagovailoa QB
Joseph Robert:
Okay. So let’s go with what you’ve got for your mock jobs. The chargers take Tua, right? Is that your prediction here?
Walter:
Yeah, I mean I’m still holding-
Joseph Robert:
Chargers at three take Tua, that’s your prediction.
Walter:
Yeah. Chargers take Tua at three. I’m still holding out for information that we might gather, so maybe they like Herbert more. But Tua is, I think, the better draft prospect. The only thing is his injury history, but if the Chargers feel fine about that, then I don’t see why they wouldn’t trade up for Tua.
Pick 4: New York Giants – Tristan Wirfs OT
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Number four, Giants, what’s your prediction with the Giants?
Walter:
So the Giants need a tackle. They have to protect Daniel Jones. And their general manager, Dave Gettleman, loves the hog Molly’s as he calls them. So I think they have to go tackle here and Tristan Wirfs, the tackle from Iowa makes a ton of sense. He’s so athletic, he’s big, and he can really protect Daniel Jones.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, I need that. We need those holes for Saquon Barkley. We need any type of O-line help we possibly can get. So do you like this? It helps everybody, right? It helps Jones, Barkley, everybody.
Walter:
Yeah, whichever tackle they like the most. It could be Jedrick Wills from Alabama, but whichever tackle they like the most, I think they have to take at four.
Pick 5: Miami Dolphins – Justin Herbert QB
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Number five, who do you have? You have the Dolphins taking Justin?
Walter:
Justin Herbert, yeah. The last of the three top quarterbacks. I initially had Tua to them throughout the whole season because they were tied to Tua, but I’ve hears from a source that the Dolphins like Justin Herbert is a little bit more than Tua. They like both. So I think the Dolphins will just stay put and take Herbert at five, although I could see them moving up one spot, kind of offering a fifth-round pick to the Giants to go with the four just to make sure they get Herbert, just to make sure no one moves ahead of them. We saw it with the Bears in 2017 when they moved up from three to two to take Trubisky. That happens all the time. So I could see, I think the Dolphins take Herbert at five or four.
Joseph Robert:
And Justin, Tua, and Burrow, the three guys, you think they’re going to get an immediate plug and play, right?
Walter:
Well, not Tua because he’s injured. I don’t think Tua is going to play in his rookie year. In fact, his agent, Leigh Steinberg, he tweeted out saying that he doesn’t believe that rookie quarterbacks should play in their first year. And I mean, his top client is Patrick Mahomes, and that worked out for him. So I think Tua is going to take a red shirt year. And the Dolphins or the Chargers, whichever team gets him, if it’s the Chargers, they’re going to start Tyra or Taylor. If it’s the Dolphins, Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Pick 6: Detriot Lions – Isaiah Simmons LB
Joseph Robert:
Okay, let’s rip through this. Number six we said, you said Lions at six. Who are they taking?
Walter:
So if they trade down or they stay at three and take the same guy, which is why it makes sense for them to move down. I have them taking Isaiah Simmons, the linebacker from Clemson. He’s so athletic and he could really be a great chess piece for them defensively. And he’s the team captain, which means a lot to them.
Joseph Robert:
They need a running back too. I’m not sold on Kerryon Johnson. But I mean, if they need the linebacker more, that’s probably more of an important need, right?
Walter:
Yeah. And if they move down, they’re going to have two second-round picks. Right now, they have the second-round pick. It’s number 35 right now, and they could get Jonathan Taylor there, or JK Dobbins, or Ken Acres. I think they take the running back in the second round.
Pick 7: Carolina Panthers – Derrick Brown DT
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Moving on to number seven, Carolina. I thought they needed a receiver. They addressed that in free agency acquiring Robby Anderson. So that’s probably out. I think DJ Moore and Robby Anderson could hold the fort down. Who are the Carolina Panthers taking at seven?
Walter:
Derrick Brown defensive tackle from Auburn. Some people think he’s the second-best prospect in this class, and I don’t blame them for thinking so. They really need help stopping the run. They had the worst run defense in the NFL last year. And he’s a great player, so I think he makes so much sense for them in seven.
PICK 8: Arizona Cardinals – Jeff Okudah CB
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Arizona, eight, I see you have them taking a cornerback. You’re going to tell us who that is in a second. But I heard there was a rumor that they may be, which is crazy, but they may be looking at an ace wide receiver. Is that insane or do you see them taking this quarterback? Who do you have them taking?
Walter:
I have a feeling that’s smoked because granted, they have four-receiver sets. They run four-receiver sets a lot. So they have Hopkins, Kirk, and Fitzgerald right now. So they need a fourth, but they drafted so many players at receiver last year. They have Andy Isabella. They have Keyshawn Johnson. They have some other guys there that they can start at the receiver, so I think it would be a big mistake to take a receiver at eight. If they go offense, I think it’s a tackle. But they resigned their two tackles in free agency, so I have them going Jeff Okudah, the cornerback from Ohio State who’s just an incredible prospect.
Pick 9: Jacksonville Jaguars – Javon Kinlaw DT
Joseph Robert:
Perfect. Let’s keep moving. Now you’ve got some more defensive players. We’ll rip through them. Number nine, Jacksonville, you’ve got them taking a defensive tackle.
Walter:
Yeah, Javon Kinlaw. They lost the Calais Campbell. They traded him to Baltimore, so there’s a huge hole in the defensive line. I think Jackson was like the Redskins, they just need talent. They really have nothing left. So I think they just take the best player.
Joseph Robert:
I think they need a wide receiver. I’m not really sold on their current wide receivers. I mean, we’ll I will have to see. But yeah-
Walter:
I think they need everything.
Pick 10: Cleveland Browns – Jedrick Wills OT
Joseph Robert:
They need everything. That’s the bottom line. All right, Browns, who do you have the Brown’s taking at number 10?
Walter:
Jedrick Wills right now, the tackle from Alabama, I think he fits their blocking scheme perfectly. But I heard a rumor, I think it was from Peter King, who said that they like Ezra Cleveland, the sacker from Boise State who they could take in the second round. So if they pass on Wills, it might be another position. And there were some Odell Beckham Jr. rumors flying around today that they might trade him to Minnesota. So if that happens, it would be a receiver here.
Joseph Robert:
Wow. Yeah, I don’t know. I think it could be a good home for Odell. If he busts again, then he’s totally out of excuses because I mean all these quarterbacks throwing to him and can’t do anything. We have another guy like Hopkins who’s had a bunch of quarterbacks throwing to him and he’s never had an excuse. He’s always performed. So yeah, I mean it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens there with the Browns and the Vikings. Number 11, Jets, who do they take?
Pick 11: New York Jets – Mekhi Becton OT
Walter:
Yeah, Charlie reported yesterday that the Jets are leaning toward a tackle here. And they could go receiver, obviously. They have defensive needs. But they have to protect Sam Darnold, and whenever Darnold has been under pressure last year when they had injuries on the offensive line, he was awful. So they need to make sure he’s protected. So I have them taking Mekhi Becton, the tackle from Louisville.
Pick 12: Las Vegas Raiders – CeeDee Lamb WR
Joseph Robert:
Nice. Good call. All right, this is where it gets interesting to fantasy football fans. The Raiders, you have them taking a Ceedee Lamb who I love. I think he’s one of the best receivers out of this draft. I think he’s just a wiry guy. He can come down with the ball. I like him. I think he’s going to be explosive there. Do you really feel confident about this, Raiders taking CeeDee?
Walter:
Yeah. If he’s there, that’s the question. He might go nine. He might go 10 if the Browns trade O’Dell. He might go 11 if all the tackles are gone, but if he’s available at 12, I think it’s going to be CeeDee Lamb.
Joseph Robert:
Okay. So yeah. So let’s just say the Browns take him at 10, then do you think the Raiders definitely go Jeudy if he’s available or vice versa?
Walter:
Yeah, I think they go receiver. After what happened with Antonio Brown last year, really Derek Carr had no one to throw to besides Aaron Wall or a tight end. So they really need a receiver and there are two great ones in this class.
Pick 13: San Francisco 49ers – Jerry Jeudy WR
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, I read a report yesterday I think. Yeah, Raiders, they’re gunning for receivers. So if you want a receiver, Browns, Jacksonville, Arizona, wherever you guys are before the Raiders, you better snipe your receiver because you’re not going to get a top-three guy, a top-four guy. All right, number … Where are we? Number 13, San Fran, you have Jerry Jeudy going there.
Walter:
Yeah, I heard that they liked Judy a lot, so it makes a lot of sense for them. They lost Emmanuel Sanders in free agency so they have to replace him. They need another receiver to go with Debo Samuel. So yeah, Judy makes a ton of sense for them.
Pick 14: Tampa Bay – Andrew Thomas OT
Joseph Robert:
Number 14, who do you have, Tampa Bay?
Walter:
Tampa Bay would be the last of the first round. Not first round, but the top four tackles, Andrew Thomas from Georgia. So they’ve got Tom Brady, they need to protect him. He’s a 43-year-old quarterback. And they have a big hole at right tackle, so they could take Thomas. And they also need a running back, but they could take one in the second round.
Pick 15: Denver Broncos – Henry Ruggs WR
Joseph Robert:
Right, they definitely have to get somebody to compliment Ronald Jones or take the job from Ronald Jones, vice versa. I don’t think Ronald Jones has got what it takes. All right, 15, I’m really excited about this pick. I mean Ruggs, I think he’s kind of raw for me. I don’t know how he’s going to do. I don’t know if he’s over … Do you think he’s overvalued here? In Denver, I think he was a good pick because I think he’s going to be a good compliment to Courtland Sutton here. But, Ruggs, do you think he’s that good or do you find him kind of raw? What do you think, overrated or the real deal?
Walter:
Yeah, I think he’s a little overrated. He ran a great 40 at the combine, but we’ve seen the history of these guys running 4.2’s at the combine. And they really don’t really translate to the NFL. And I mean he has a ton of upside for sure. So I wouldn’t say he’s going to be a complete bust, but I would definitely prefer Judy and Lamb in some order before Rugs. I call them a fancy Dante Stalworth who was a decent receiver but not great, not worth the 15 picks in the draft. The Broncos need a second receiver.
Pick 16: Atlanta Falcons – CJ Henderson CB
Joseph Robert:
Yeah. Don’t get all smoke and mirrors everybody because I remember years ago, I think it was like 2015. I can’t remember what year it was, but Keith Marshall, running back. And he ended up on the Redskins, ran a 4.29. I was all excited, this Keith Guy. And then he did nothing. He never even played I don’t even think. And then we had the Ross situation, a wide receiver. He’s done nothing. So yeah, I’m not really excited, but maybe Rugs could prove us wrong. Who knows? Moving on here I’ve got some defensive players, so we’ll rip through them quickly. Fantasy fans, relax. Atlanta, who are they taking at 16?
Walter:
CJ Henderson, a cornerback from Florida. They traded Desmond Trufant, so they need a number one corner. And there’s a lot of interest in Henderson. Charlie heard from some teams. They believe Henderson is going to go in the top 10.
Pick 17: Dallas Cowboys – K’Lavon Chaisson
Joseph Robert:
Cool. Okay. Dallas at 17?
Walter:
Yeah. K’Lavon Chaisson, a defensive end from LSU. They lost Robert Quinn in free agency so they’re replacing him, which they need to do.
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Raiders, I think they’ve got two picks here. They’re coming back at 19. You’ve got them getting a linebacker, right?
Pick 18: Miami Dolphins – Austin Jackson OT
Walter:
Well, the Dolphins at 18, I have them taking Austin Jackson, a tackle from USC. They have the worst offensive line in the NFL, so they need to protect their quarterback. And yeah, the Raiders, Kenneth Murray at 19. The Raiders made some linebacker upgrades, but they still need one more linebacker. And Murray has a high football IQ, and he just makes a lot of sense with the Raiders, what they’re looking for.
Pick 19: Las Vegas Raiders – Kenneth Murray LB
Joseph Robert:
I was testing if you were paying attention. Guys, if you’re paying attention, I jumped over here. The Dolphins right to the Raiders, that’s too much. I don’t care about the Dolphins. I’m just joking, guys. All right, raiders, yeah, again, hearing that rumor though that they may load up on wide receivers here. There’s no chance they’d go two wide receivers, would they?
Walter:
It depends on how much they like Justin Jefferson or maybe Denzel Mims. But. I think it’s more likely they go linebacker or corner at 19
Pick 20: Jacksonville Jaguars – Patrick Queen LB
Joseph Robert:
Okay, 20, I’m not going to skip over these guys. Who do the Jags take in here?
Walter:
Patrick Queen, a linebacker from LSU, yet another star player. They lost some of their linebackers, not even free agency or cutting them, just basically retirement. So they need to replace the linebackers they had, so Patrick Queen to 20.
Pick 21: Philidelphia Eagles – Justin Jefferson WR
Joseph Robert:
Okay, I really like this one at 21. If he falls, Justin Jefferson for the Eagles. They definitely need a wide receiver if you’re thinking of fantasy. I mean Karsten West needs to receive, period. I love this one. Makes sense, right?
Walter:
Yeah. I mean you can’t count on Alshon Jeffrey and the Desean Jackson. They’re still on the roster technically, but they can’t stay healthy. You can’t really count on them. So the Eagles need a number one receiver, and Justin Jefferson, I think, fits in well with him because he can play in the slot and you can have Jeffrey and Jackson on the outside if they manage to stay healthy.
Pick 22: Minnesota Vikings – Josh Jones OT
Joseph Robert:
Okay, 22, who are the Vikings taking?
Walter:
Josh Jones, a tackle from Houston. So, Riley Reiff, is there left tackle right now, but he’s owed $10 million. And the Vikings don’t have any cap space because of the Kirk Cousins situation. So I think they take Josh Jones or another tackle, and then they cut Riley Reiff.
Pick 23: New England Patriots – Xavier McKinney S
Joseph Robert:
Nice. And then 23, you’ve got the Pats taking a safety.
Walter:
Yeah, it’s Xavier McKinney, a safety from Alabama. He’s so versatile. He fits what Belichick wants. But I think it’s more likely the Patriots trade down because they don’t have a second-round pick, and they need a quarterback. So if they can’t move up for Tua or Herbert, I think they move down for maybe Jake Fromm, Jacob Eason, something like that.
Pick 24: New Orleans Saints – Ross Blacklock DT
Joseph Robert:
Okay. Saints at 24, who are they taking?
Walter:
Ross Blacklock, a defensive tackle from TCU. They just need another defensive tackle to help stop the run and get pressure on the quarterback, strengthen their defense. So I think it’s either a defensive tackle or corner.
Joseph Robert:
Pick 25: Minnesota Vikings – Yetur Gross-Matos DE
Vikings at 25?
Walter:
Yetur Gross-Matos, a defensive end from Penn State. So they lost Everson Griffin to free agency so they need another edge rusher.
Pick 26: Miami Dolphins – DeAndre Swift RB
Joseph Robert:
Okay. This is interesting and I’d hate to see this happen at Deandre Swift, but 26, you’ve got the Dolphins taking Deandre Swift, stud running back.
Walter:
Right. I could see why you hate this right now because the Dolphins are a mess. You’ve been wanting to skip over their pick and rightfully so just because they’re so bad. But you know what? I think in a couple of years this is going to look great because they have so many draft picks they can retool their offensive line. If their quarterback turns out to be a good player, suddenly their offense is going to look pretty good. And Swift is going to be a great fantasy player, so I think you just have to be patient with this one.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah. Guys, go back and check out the video on rookie running backs. He is probably the most complete back in the draft. Am I correct, Walter? He runs, he catches, does everything.
Walter:
Yeah, I think he’s the number one back. Jonathan Taylor is close, but he’s number one.
Pick 27: Seattle Seahawks – Jeremy Chinn S
Joseph Robert:
Right. I think he can catch more. So, 27?
Walter:
Right now I have Jeremy Chinn on the site, a safety from Southern Illinois. And I’m thinking about changing it to Joshua Uche, edge rusher from Michigan. But Seattle is, except that the Patriots, I think they’re most likely to trade down. They always trade down. They don’t have that many picks in the first few rounds. So it just seems like Seattle always takes a guy who’s like a second or third round prospect, but they trade down. What they really do is look at how guys performed in the senior bowl, so Uche makes a lot of sense.
Pick 28: Baltimore Ravens – Zack Baun DE/OLB
Joseph Robert:
So that’s Seahawks, 28, who were the Ravens taking?
Walter:
Well, I had Jonathan Taylor here for a while, but I’m hearing that the Ravens will go linebacker or probably will go linebacker. Patrick Green makes a lot of sense that he’s available or Kenneth Murray. They’re not, so I have them taking Zack Baun from Wisconsin. He can play anywhere on their defense, so he makes a lot of stuff for them.
Joseph Robert:
They need to address the wide receiver. There’s all this talk, there’s that rumor with Antonio Brown, and that got kind of pushed away. Don’t they need a wide receiver urgently?
Walter:
Yeah, but if the top four guys are gone, I think they just wait until the second round. They have 55 and 60, so they have two second-round picks, so they can even double up on receivers in the second round and get two pretty decent ones.
Pick 29: – Tennesse Titans – AJ Epenesa DE/OLB
Joseph Robert:
Right, maybe one of them hits. All right, 29, the Titans, what are they doing?
Walter:
AJ Epenesa, DE from Iowa, they had Cameron Wake there last year and he’s not there anymore. So they need to improve their edge rush. Mike Vrabel is always looking to help out the edge rush, so I like that pick.
Pick 30: Green Bay Packers – Denzel Mims WR
Joseph Robert:
30, Packers?
Walter:
Denzel Mims from Baylor, just an explosive player, a downfield threat for Aaron Rogers who has really nothing to work with outside of the Davante Adams and maybe Allen Lazard if you like him. But they need number two receivers, so Mims would help Rogers a lot.
Pick 31: San Francisco 49ers – Cesar Ruiz C
Joseph Robert:
Yeah. MVS didn’t do anything. Nobody did anything. So yeah, they need somebody to just step it up. Two more here, we’ve got the 49ers, what are they doing?
Walter:
Cesar Ruiz who could play center or guard. He’s from Michigan. The Niners need to improve the interior of their line. Their center right now may not be able to play next year because of an injury. So they kind of hedged their bets there and even get an upgrade in the interior of the line.
Pick 32: Kansas City Chiefs – Damon Arnette CB
Joseph Robert:
All right, and 32, the Chiefs?
Walter:
Damon Arnette, cornerback from Ohio State. If Arnette didn’t have any off the field problems, he’d be probably a top 20 pick. But he has off the field issues. But Andy Reid has shown that he’s willing to take a chance on these guys who have problems like Marcus Peters, that pick from a few years ago. This kind of reminds me of that. They really need a corner and Arnett is just very talented.
Joseph Robert:
Wow! We just crushed 32 teams in under, I don’t even know. I don’t have the timer here, probably like just under 30 minutes. That’s insane.
Walter:
Yeah, less than 30. Yeah.
Joseph Robert:
Is there any surprises here? I know I’m throwing you a curveball here. Is there anything that’s going to happen in the draft? I know you talked about some trades happening. Is there anything that’s going to make us go, wow, I can’t believe that team did that? Do we anticipate anything happening that’s going to say really, wow? Like somebody’s going to try to take that first overall pick. Anything like that at all that you’re hearing?
Walter:
Nothing crazy is going to happen with the first two picks. I think the real draft starts at three. We could see an unexpected team move up for a quarterback. That wouldn’t shock me at all. Like if the Patriots, if they traded twice. If the Patriots, before the draft, moved from like 23 to let’s just say 13, 14 something like that, I think they’re a team to look out for to move up to number three. You’re going to see a player you don’t expect in the first round. That always happens.
And you’re going to see a player drop. Last year, Jawann Taylor, who was a tackle from Florida, everyone had him projected from between seven and 10. He didn’t even go in the first round. And then we found out later it’s because of an injury that teams didn’t disclose. So there’s going to be a player who drops out of the top 15 and doesn’t go in the first round because of an injury.
Joseph Robert:
That’s interesting. So are you set because the Redskins, are they sold on Haskins? They need a quarterback. I mean, don’t you think? I don’t know man, I’m not sold on their quarterbacks.
Walter:
Well, Dana Snyder loves Haskins. I mean just because he grew up in the area and he thinks he can sell tickets. And Haskins, he looked terrible at times last year, but every single game he looked better and better. He wasn’t great at any point, but at the end of the year I thought he was half decent. So I think they’re going to give him another chance. They’re going to take Chase Young, a number two. So they’re going to give Haskins one more year, and if it doesn’t pan out, there are some great quarterbacks in 2021. Trevor Lawrence, I mentioned him, he’s better than any quarterback in his class. You also have Justin Fields, Jamie Newman, maybe another guy steps up. So you’re going to have like three legitimate first-round quarterbacks in 2021.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, and the Redskins could suck again and get another first or second-round pick. So they might do that on purpose. Right? So yeah, I appreciate it, man, I know you’re busy with the draft, so we’re not going to keep you long. And man, I’m excited that you came on. So guys, make sure you comment below. Let me know what you guys think. Make sure you guys follow Walter Football. How do they find you? I mean, it’s pretty obvious, Walterfootball.com correct?
Walter:
Yeah, Walterfootball.com. We have tons of content there, not just the NFL draft. We have fantasy rankings and picks against the spread. And we grade every free agency signing. Or you can follow me @WalterFootball on Twitter.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, man, you’re crushing it. And you’ve been at this what, like 20 years, is it?
Walter:
Yeah, 20 and a half years now, yeah. We started in ’99 and we’ve been around forever.
Joseph Robert:
What were you, like five years old when you started or what?
Walter:
I was 17, so you can probably guess how old I am.
Joseph Robert:
Oh my goodness. Yeah, you don’t look that old, man. And you’ve been at this a long time. So yeah, I appreciate you coming on. Guys, there it is, the NFL mock draft 2020. Going to give you guys some good insight here. I mean, that’s almost as close as it gets to anyone making a prediction on this. And, of course, guys, there’s going to be variances. There are going to be some shocking picks I’m sure. Someone, instead of a defense, may take a wide receiver, a running back. But one more thing here, running backs, so you honestly see what, two running backs going in the first round, right?
Walter:
So in this mock draft, we only had one because I moved Taylor out of 28.
Joseph Robert:
Oh, right.
Walter:
So I moved Taylor to 35 to Detroit, which I liked that fit a lot. So I think you could see a bunch of running backs go in round two.
Joseph Robert:
Yeah, I mean I think if Detroit gets him in the second round, that’s a steal, isn’t it? He’s just super talented, that guy.
Walter:
Yeah, he could go in the top 25 with no issues. He can go as high as 18 and I wouldn’t have a problem with it. The problem is that teams don’t need running backs really. I mean look at the first round, how many teams in the 16 through 32 need running backs? Not that many. So it’s tough to slot them somewhere.
Joseph Robert:
Right. All right. Thank you, Walter, for being on. Guys, smash a thumbs up, comment, interact below and yeah, we’ll see you guys in the next video. Thanks, Walter for being on.
Walter:
Thanks for having me.
Joseph Robert:
I’m excited guys. NFL draft 2020, it’s coming. Hang onto your seats and we’ll see you guys in the next video.
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