2020 NFL Draft - Positional Ranks - Skill Positions (QB/RB/WR/TE)

Hello all, it’s been a while. I have excuses but you don’t want to hear them, and I want to, as always hurriedly tell you about the 2020 NFL Draft. I will say that because of the lack of pro days I have rated a lot fewer prospects but we’ll still have enough for a big board I promise. I’m going to do four pieces this year. Skill Positions (QB/RB/WR/TE), Offensive Line (OT/G/C), Front Seven (Interior/Edge/Off-Ball LBs), and Defensive Backs (CB/SS/FS).

Quarterbacks
This is the Skill Position rankings and we start with the premier position in the NFL, Quarterback. This is a good year for QBs with two, very good, prospects up top, and a strong group of just behind who offer a bunch of different styles to choose from.

Name | Team |Height, Weight | Attempts | Completion % | Role (Grade)

Joe Burrow | LSU | 6’4”, 216 lbs. | 527 | 76.28% | ES (7.0)

Tua Tagovailoa | Alabama | 6’1”, 218 lbs. | 252 | 71.43% | ES (6.5)

Burrow and Tua would be equals for me but Tua’s hip is well enough known and the risks have been talked about and discussed that I matters. Both are exciting prospects. Burrow is a one year wonder but he has the recruiting pedigree and he rose to the occasion multiple times this year while taking full advantage of a new offensive system. Tua burst onto the scene with a stellar performance in relief of Hurts as a true freshman and has the arm talent to make throws that many cannot. He needs to improve his decision making and his self-preservation but if healthy he could very easily be the QB1 of this draft when all is said and done.

Justin Herbert | Oregon | 6’6 1/4”, 236 lbs. | 428 | 66.82% | PS (6.0)

Jake Fromm | Georgia | 6’2”, 220 lbs. | 385 | 60.78% | PS (5.8)

Jordan Love | Utah State | 6’4”, 220 lbs. | 473 | 61.95% | PS (5.6)

Jalen Hurts | Oklahoma | 6’2”, 219 lbs. | 340 | 69.71% | PS (5.6)

This next quartet all have high upsides, but they all have potentially fatal flaws. Herbert is the proto-type size-wise, and is well above average as an athlete. He had to deal with injuries around him at Oregon this year but he also made an increased number of baffling decisions with the football that raise a lot of questions. This wouldn’t be a problem if he was trying to play hero ball and make up for the roster deficiencies but he didn’t really drag the team kicking and screaming to victory very often. He’s a good prospect and the highs are sky high. (Note: This isn’t me saying he can’t lead, that’s stupid he didn’t become a starter at a P5 school and lead them to well over .500 by not being able to inspire, lead, and encourage.) Fromm took a step back after the stellar start to his career but watching him you can see it’s all there. He needs to be a bit more aggressive, but he makes tight window throws, he moves well enough, and sees/understands the game extremely well, but is definitely the boring/safe choice at QB. Love and Hurts are kind of inseparable to me. They had opposite 2019’s with Love taking a step back under a new coaching staff and scheme and Hurts taking a step forward under a new staff and scheme. Love has all the physical tools he can make wow throws off platform. He also was unlucky to lose talent around him and a head coach heading into the most critical year of his career. Hurts was better than expected at Oklahoma, not that he was expected to be bad, but I think he exceeded most expectations and he and Lincoln Riley did well to meld what they both do best. I still have questions about Hurts as a pure passer and his decision making at times but he and Love both deserve a shot to lead teams in the NFL.

Jacob Eason | Washington | 6’6”, 228 lbs. | 405 | 64.20% | PS (5.4)

Tyler Huntley | Utah | 6’1”, 205 lbs. | 301 | 73.09% | PS (5.3)

Anthony Gordon | Washington State | 6’3”, 205 lbs. | 585 | PS (5.1)

Cole McDonald | Hawaii | 6’3 1/8”, 215 lbs. | 511 | PS (5.0)

Jake Luton | Oregon State | 6’6 1/8”, 224 lbs. | 358 | PS (5.0)

This last quintet are all more flawed quarterbacks, but each has a trait that I liked. Eason has the arm. The ball explodes of his hand but he’s too inconsistent right now especially when under duress. Huntley is a baller. He can make odd angled and body position throws and gets the team up the field. He’s 80% Hurts and that could be a useful player but there’s a lot of variance right now. Gordon, well Gordon is the perfect embodiment of his head coach. The system is there, and he plays generally within it but he’s reckless and will just go off. It’s frenetic, it’s fun to watch but he is about as true a “Swing that Sword” mentality as we’ve seen out Wazzou in a while. Speaking of going of script and off the rails, Cole McDonald. McDonald is going to have to clean up a lot, his season went from hug wins at the start of the year to being benched for too many turnovers. The Arizona game is a perfect encapsulation of the good and bad. He methodically picks the Arizona defense apart, he also threw 4 interceptions, but he threw 4 TDs and 378 yards and won the game. McDonald has traits and tools but needs to be reigned in like a colt, if he’s going to realize what looks to be a good amount of potential. Luton is Fromm but less consistent. He generally makes the right read, can make all the throws, but he misses too frequently and gets a bit too skittish under pressure but he should be a good backup who’s serviceable if unspectacular when he gets a chance to lead the team.

I like the QB class. Burrow and Tua are franchise leaders. Herbert, Love, Hurts and Fromm all have flaws but in the right system and with coaching who understands what they’re good at they all have the chance to start for someone for 15 years. Behind that you need to the right system, patience, and a bit of luck in development of the quarterbacks but that’s right on par with just about every year.

Running Backs

This year’s running back class is good, relatively deep, and as always has players that fill a variety of roles. For me there’s a trio of trios at the top of the draft, and some disagreement with the consensus.

Name | Team |Height, Weight | Touches (Rushes + Catches) | Adj. Yards Per Rush | Adj. Yards Per Catch | Production Score | Role (Grade)

Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin | 5’10 1/4”, 226 lbs. | 328 | 7.91 | 9.96 | 15.45 | S (7.3)

D’Andre Swift | Georgia | 5’8 1/4”, 212 lbs. | 220 | 6.87 | 7.35 | 8.60 | S (7.2)

Cam Akers | Florida State | 5’10 3/8”, 217 lbs. | 261 | 6.07 | 7.56 | 9.40 | S (7.1)

Three at the top of the group for me are all a bit different and played in different landscapes in college. Taylor was behind a good, but not great offensive line at Wisconsin. He saw plenty of big holes, but his acceleration and top end speed allowed him to bust many big plays in tighter spaces. He’s a bit stiff in the hips but he’s not untwitchy, he has good vision, and despite a lack of receiving opportunity looked good in space in his limited, but increased, chances in the passing game in 2019. Swift is electric in the pass game. He’s no slouch in the run game. He’s quick, solid, understands how to utilize his blocking and his leverage, he’s consistent and gets what’s there and can break one. He truly reminds me of Jacobs in the run game, with a bit more dynamism in the passing game.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire | LSU | 5’7 1/4”, 207 lbs. | 270 | 7.95 | 6.47 | 11.44 | ES (6.7)

J.K. Dobbins | Ohio State | 5’9 1/2”, 209 lbs. | 324 | 7.94 | 9.21 | 14.96 | ES (6.6)

Zack Moss | Utah | 5’9 3/8”, 223 lbs. | 328 | 7.91 | 9.96 | 12.18 |ES (6.4)

Speaking of dynamism in the passing game, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (CEH) is that. CEH is the guy who gets you what you need when you give him the ball. He’s low and stocky, with good balance and a knack for the sticks. He produced in a much improved LSU offense that finally seems to have realized that players that can make things happen in space are a good thing to utilize out of the backfield. Dobbins embodies what Ohio State has been on offense the last couple of seasons he’s quick, agile, and often one of the best athletes on the field. He had a big workload at Ohio State and was productive in an offense that was wide open with Justin Fields and Ryan Day at the helm. Dobbins is behind the top group for me because I felt he was too inconsistent about hitting the right hole and with his hands in the passing game. He’s a good player and cleaning up some things he’ll be a long term asset (whatever that means at RB) for the club that drafts him. Moss is the player I like that worries me the most. He’s short and think with great balance, good vision and understanding and poor metrics. He gets the job done and was the engine for a Utah offense that was more efficient than expected in 2019.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn | Vanderbilt | 5’10”, 215 lbs. | 226 | 6.03 | 7.82 | 8.19 | ES (6.1)

Darrynton Evans | Appalachian State | 5’10 1/8” lbs. | 276 | 7.10 | 10.52 | 12.28 | PS (6.0)

AJ Dillon | Boston College | 6’0 3/8”, 247 lbs. | 331 | 6.11 | 12.61 | 14.32 | PS (6.0)

Vaughn is the darling of many, and I don’t not like him, but I see flaws. He’s athletic and has some wiggle but he misreads holes too often and is more of a solid option out of the backfield who did well in a bad situation than a game changer for me. Evans is my favorite running back in this draft. I loved watching him, the burst and elusiveness he’s going to be a contributor in a spot role early on in the NFL. Dillon is discount Derrick Henry, with less athleticism. And that’s a useful back in the NFL but suppresses his value moving to the next level.

Eno Benjamin | Arizona State | 5’8 7/8”, 207 lbs. | 295 | 5.01 | 6.89 | 9.04 | PS (5.6)

Benjamin reminds me of, and I know this will seem uninspired, Jalen Richard. Richard has had a solid if unspectacular career with the Raiders but he’s productive, been used in a main role in a pinch, and provides a great change of pace and receiving threat. Benjamin is twitchy and bouncy he handled a large workload behind a bad offensive line and tough to bring down in space on pass plays out of the backfield. He’s undersized but not small, but unlike CEH or Swift I just don’t see him being an every down back and there is no shame in that.

Wide Receivers

Receiver is insanely deep this year I have half dozen players rated in the starter role and 15 doesn’t even get us out of the players that I think have a better chance than not to contribute as a starter in the league.

Name | Team | Height, Weight | Targets | Adj. Yards Per Catch | Production Score | Role (Grade)

Jerry Jeudy | Alabama | 6’1”, 192 lbs. | 108 | 12.56 | 10.44 | S (7.7)

CeeDee Lamb | Oklahoma | 6’1 5/8”, 198 lbs. | 88 | 18.15 | 26.91 | S (7.7)

Jeudy and Lamb are my top two and there’s not much to separate them even if they’re different receivers. Jeudy is a technician running routes, just watch the first snap of the LSU game and you know he’s special. He’s got good hands and was by far the most targeted receiver on the Crimson Tide this year. Lamb was a standout for the Sooners the last two seasons and his game is based a bit more on physicality and body control. They’re both excellent options, I prefer Jeudy slightly but not enough to separate them at the grade level.

Henry Ruggs III | Alabama | 5’10 1/8”, 190 lbs. | 55 | 16.02 | 14.85 | S (7.3)

Ruggs is dangerously explosive, great hands, raw but semi-refined and had his production hurt by being on a roster with WR1 and at least one more player that will go round one in the NFL draft.

Brandon Aiyuk | Arizona State | 5’11 5/8”, 205 lbs. | 99 | 13.60 | 22.69 | S (7.1)

Micheal Pittman Jr. | USC | 6’4”, 223 lbs. | 161 | 9.24 | 11.79 | S (7.1)

Tee Higgins | Clemson | 6’3 5/8”, 216 lbs. | 87 | 16.30 | 23.89 | S (7.1)

Aiyuk is solid, productive, and a good route runner. He’s my Gallup in this draft and may have a gap year before truly breaking out. Pittman is a physical freak and was the most consistent part of the USC passing game while being the focal points of the defenses USC faced. Tee Higgins scares me. He’s got the size, he’s athletic enough, and has a crazy catch radius and body control. He’s also the archetype that gets me in trouble but I’m betting he’s Josh Doctson+ and not Josh Doctson. Fingers crossed I’m not an idiot (Just in this case).

Denzel Mims | Baylor | 6’2 7/8”, 207 lbs. | 113 | 11.08 | 21.09 | ES (6.9)

Bryan Edwards | South Carolina | 6’3”, 215 lbs. | 107 | 8.71 | 15.70 | ES (6.8)

Justin Jefferson | LSU | 6’1 1/4”, 202 lbs. | 134 | 14.09 | 31.80 | ES (6.7)

Jalen Reagor | TCU | 5’10 5/8”, 206 lbs. | 88 | 8.04 | 11.92 | ES (6.7)

Mims is a great athlete but raw as a receiver and I think he can get there but he needs work. Edwards was less productive this year at South Carolina but he’s a well-rounded player and was certainly hurt by QB uncertainty at South Carolina. Justin Jefferson confuses me. His production at LSU was fantastic, he’s athletic (4.43 40, 37.5 Vert), but I kept wanting him to create more separation when I watched him and I don’t know what to do with him. Reagor is my bet for the Deebo award. Reagor is a burner and creates space on the inside. He’s going to be an asset for a team but he’s a bit more situation dependent than others above him.

Laviska Shenault Jr. | Colorado | 6’2”, 227 lbs. | 80 | 10.52 | 14.17 | ES (6.6)

Antonio Gibson | Memphis | 6’0 3/8”, 228 lbs. | 58 | 15.33 | 14.99 | ES (6.5)

This is the do everything tier. I’m putting Gibson in the WR. He only had 30 rushes last season and they were all power. He needs some refinement at the next level, but I think he’s Tony Pollard as a WR, has the skills to be both but better suited to WR to Pollard’s RB. Shenault is the guy whom every college football fan will tell you to be really excited about when your team drafts him. He’ll need to get smarter about when and where he puts his body on the line but Shenault can do anything you ask of him and more than your coach ultimately will.

Donovan Peoples-Jones | Michigan | 6’15/8”, 212 lbs. | 57 | 9.72 | 9.33 | ES (6.4)

Quintez Cephus | Wisconsin | 6’0 7/8”, 202 lbs. | 91 | 11.39 | 17.46 | ES (6.4)

Tyler Johnson | Minnesota | 6’2”, 200 lbs. | 119 | 13.18 | 26.44 | ES (6.4)

A trio of Big Ten players to finish out the receivers. Peoples-Jones is all upside, and probably a little too high but I love his talent. Cephus is the opposite producing well on a Badgers team that didn’t throw all that much. Johnson is the middle ground he produced very well at Minnesota but was a bit inconsistent and there were always rumblings around him with the Gophers. We’ll have a good idea what the NFL thinks in a couple of days, where his draft position will tell us a lot.

Tight Ends

Tight End is underwhelming this year. After last seasons Iowa class this one is pedestrian but there are some useful players.

Name | Team | Height, Weight | Targets | Adj. Yards Per Catch | Production Score | Role (Grade)

Harrison Bryant | FAU | 6’4 3/4”, 243 lbs. | 94 | 12.12 | 30.24 | ES (6.5)

Brycen Hopkins | Purdue | 6’3 7/8”, 245 lbs. | 89 | 10.84 | 25.62 | ES (6.2)

Adam Trautman | Dayton | 6’5”, 255 lbs. | 95 | 12.49 | 31.49 | ES (6.1)

Bryant was by far the most consistent player to me. He isn’t the fastest, but he’s quick enough, he’s a consistent catcher, and he produced at FAU. Hopkins was similar and played in the Big Ten but he didn’t consistently show the ability to produce and find space, but he moves very well and showed the positive traits you look for in a modern tight end. Trautman looked hilarious against FCS competition at Dayton as he looked like a slightly undersized giant among boys. I wasn’t wowed by his athleticism at the level which is what kept him from challenging Bryant for me, but he moved well enough in space and tested well in the agilities at the combine making him worth the risk. Especially in this class.

Hunter Bryant | Washington | 6’2 1/4”, 248 lbs. | 80 | 11.04 | 23.44 | PS (6.0)

Albert Okwuegbunam | Missouri | 6’5 1/2”, 258 lbs. | 44 | 9.59 | 11.20 | PS (6.0)

Cole Kmet | Notre Dame | 6’5 3/4”, 262 lbs. | 61 | 10.34 | 16.75 | PS (5.9)

Josiah Deguara | Cincinnati | 6’2 3/8”, 242 lbs. | 71 | 9.00 | 16.97 | PS (5.8)

Let’s point to the big difference here for me from a lot of others and potentially the NFL. I’m low on Kmet. He wasn’t great blocking and he was the second-best receiving option at TE for Notre Dame and he was more or less fine but he wasn’t what I hoped he would be. Bryant is more of an H where he’ll play in space and off the line. I didn’t love him blocking but I don’t necessarily need that from a player who was targeted 80 times in 2019. Albert O has a ton of potential but he’s pretty raw still and wasn’t utilized at Missouri the way he could have been. And Deguara was fine and hard-nosed if unspectacular at Cincinnati.

Charlie Taumoepeau | Portland State | 6’2 1/4”, 240 lbs. | 53 | 9.67 | 13.61 | PS (5.6)

Giovanni Ricci | Western Michigan | 6’3”, 220 lbs. | 92 | 8.66 | 21.15 | PS (5.5)

Devin Asiasi | UCLA | 6’3”, 257 lbs. | 68 | 10.56 | 19.07 | PS (5.5)

These three are more intriguing if nothing else in a class that loses my interest pretty quick. Taumoepeau is a wild card, and raw as all hell and I don’t know why Portland State didn’t use him more but when they did no one at the FCS level could handle him. Ricci is really, really undersized but he produced at WMU in an offense that was a mess, but he has solid body control, but he might just be a tweener who never really finds a home at the next level. Asiasi stood out as a receiver, played in the slot, and lined up in-line and was ok as a blocker but nothing special. He’s fluid and was productive at UCLA and could surprise but needs refinement.

There we are Skill Position players wrapped up. The only real weak class is TE, with QB and RB being good up top and WR being really, really deep with good players with potentially great upsides. All-in-all it makes this a really fun year for the positions most people pay attention to whether because of fantasy football or because they’re the ones that score touchdowns.