Let's just be clear right away. This is an extremely early projection of the first round of next year's NFL draft. I haven't even studied tape on most of these players yet; I start in on that next week, so these evaluations are based on watching players in person or on TV last season. The names on this list will change quite a bit even by the start of the 2019 college football season, so take the following 32 predictions for what they are: a premature look at the 2020 NFL draft.
I didn't decide on the draft order. It was generated by Football Outsiders, using its early projected records for the 2019 season. They forecast a range of possibilities for each team's offense, defense and special teams based on numerous factors including personnel changes, three-year performance, standard regression toward the mean and schedule strength.
This exercise is typically a good introduction to the draft class. Last year's way-too-early mock featured 13 prospects who ultimately ended up going in the 2019 first round. Three top-10 picks remained as such and a bunch of second-round talents littered the field, while five players decided to stay in school another season (four of them are on here again this year). But again, this is 12 months out. Boston College safety Lukas Denis, coming off a seven-interception campaign, was also on my list last year, but he ended up going undrafted. It happens this early. And that's not even to mention injuries, which caused running backs Bryce Love and Rodney Anderson to slide to Day 3. Regardless, let's have some fun here.
Note: Underclassmen are noted with an asterisk. And since the Raiders will officially be in Las Vegas at draft time, they are referred to as the Las Vegas Raiders in this mock.
1. Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama*
Josh Rosen gets bumped by yet another No. 1 overall pick. Tagovailoa completed 69 percent of his passes last season, and he threw 43 touchdowns and only six interceptions. His 93.1 Total QBR trailed only Kyler Murray. The 6-foot-1, 218-pound lefty looks as if he could be the Dolphins' long-term answer at quarterback -- but most other teams likely to land the first overall pick would also take Tagovailoa without a second thought. He's that good.
2. Arizona Cardinals
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama*
The Cardinals certainly don't need a quarterback. But they could definitely use a shifty, talented receiver like Jeudy. Tagovailoa's favorite target caught 68 balls for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, averaging nearly 20 yards per catch. He is dangerous with the ball in his hands, and Kliff Kingsbury would love to have another dynamic player in his offense.
3. Denver Broncos
Grant Delpit, S, LSU*
The Broncos -- or any team, for that matter -- would covet this kind of range in their defensive backfield. The 6-3 playmaker had 74 tackles, five interceptions, nine passes broken up, five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2018. That's quite a résumé. And Justin Simmons is set to be a free agent after this season.
4. Washington Redskins
Chase Young, DE, Ohio State*
The Redskins added Montez Sweat in the first round last week, but you can never have enough talented edge rushers. And we're talking about a kid who had 9.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss coming around the corner for the Buckeyes in 2018.
5. Las Vegas Raiders
Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
If he had declared for the 2019 draft, he might have been a top-10 pick -- and for good reason. The 6-6, 233-pound quarterback has a good combination of arm strength and touch, and he threw for 3,151 yards and 29 touchdowns for the Ducks last season. He is also mobile and can run when he needs to. But he does have some room for development in decision-making.
Oregon QB Justin Herbert tosses a 7-yard pass into the end zone to TE Jacob Breeland, who makes the catch to extend the Ducks' lead.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
Brown was consistently in my 2019 top-32 rankings before he decided to return to Auburn. No matter, he's right back in the fold for the 2020 draft. He is an easy mover and shows good initial pop at the line. Brown closed 2018 with 10.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
7. Cincinnati Bengals
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma*
Jalen Hurts is going to love this talented receiver in that Oklahoma offense, and Cincy wouldn't mind him, either. Lamb has good, 6-2 size and knows his way to the end zone. He caught 65 balls for 1,158 yards and 11 scores in 2018.
8. New York Giants
Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado*
The Giants continue to look for receiving assets to replace Odell Beckham Jr., and the speedy, 6-2 Shenault would certainly give them an athletic target. He hauled in 86 passes for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns last season -- and had five scores on the ground.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars
Collin Johnson, WR, Texas
At 6-6, Johnson is a massive target, and Nick Foles could use a red zone weapon. The Jaguars really want reliable wide receivers, and Johnson's 68 catches for 985 yards and seven touchdowns suggest he could help.
10. Buffalo Bills
Terrell Lewis, DE, Alabama*
The redshirt junior missed last season because of a torn ACL, but he is a talented pass-rusher off the edge. Jerry Hughes will be 31 this season and is on an expiring contract, so the Bills could look for an edge guy to stick next to defensive tackle Ed Oliver in the trenches. Lewis had a sack in five games back in 2017.
11. San Francisco 49ers
CJ Henderson, CB, Florida*
Henderson has six interceptions in two seasons with the Gators. And the Niners need options at defensive back.
12. Atlanta Falcons
Lorenzo Neal, DT, Purdue
The son of longtime NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal, this 315-pounder would help in the middle of a Falcons line potentially losing Grady Jarrett after the 2019 season. Neal made 30 tackles, including three for loss, last season.
13. Las Vegas Raiders (via Chicago Bears)
Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson*
Jon Gruden continues to rebuild with early picks, thanks to this apparent regression by the Bears. A converted safety, Simmons is all over the field for Clemson. He made nine tackles in the national title game in January. On the season, Simmons made 89 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, and had 1.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
14. Minnesota Vikings
Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama
Davis is a 6-7 menace along the defensive line. I love his agility and the way he fights through double-teams. He had 5.5 TFLs in 2018.
15. Carolina Panthers
A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson*
Terrell hauled in three picks for the Tigers in 2018, and he took one to the house. Ross Cockrell and James Bradberry are both scheduled to be free agents after the 2019 season.
16. New York Jets
Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin*
How about Football Outsiders projecting eight wins for the Jets! Biadasz was first-team All-Big Ten in 2018 after starting all 13 games at center for the Badgers. He'd help give Le'Veon Bell some run blocking while also keeping Sam Darnold upright in the passing game.
17. Houston Texans
Walker Little, OT, Stanford*
Sure, the Texans added some linemen in the 2019 draft, but they still have room for improvement. Little started all 12 games at left tackle for the Cardinal and was an All-Pac-12 first-teamer.
18. Cleveland Browns
Trey Adams, OT, Washington
Adams was a potential first-rounder for 2019, but then he got hurt, and then he decided to return to Washington. He's a powerful, 6-8 blocker who can move defenders in the run game, and his length allows him to stall speed rushers.
19. Baltimore Ravens
Nick Coe, DE, Auburn*
Coe had seven sacks and 13.5 TFLs last season. Even after drafting a productive pass-rusher, Jaylon Ferguson, the Ravens could use that kind of presence on the edge.
20. Seattle Seahawks
A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa*
Put up 10.5 sacks, 16.5 TFLs and four forced fumbles and you're going to get the draft buzz started early. I think new Seahawk L.J. Collier is going to be effective in the pros, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for this 6-6, 277-pounder flying off the edge in Seattle.
21. Tennessee Titans
Jabari Zuniga, DE, Florida
Zuniga's 11 TFLs and 6.5 sacks sound even better when you remember that 2019 first-rounder Jeffery Simmons ought to be healthy and ready to make plays on that line alongside him.
22. Indianapolis Colts
Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama*
And the entire AFC South collectively shudders at the thought of having to slow Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton, Parris Campbell and Ruggs. This burner out of Bama scored 11 times in 2018.
Jalen Hurts connects with Henry Ruggs III on a screen pass for a 13-yard touchdown.
23. Detroit Lions
Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson*
By the time you finish reading this sentence, Etienne will have scored three touchdowns. He popped off 24 of them last season while rushing for 1,658 yards. Pairing him with Kerryon Johnson, the Lions' run game could do some damage.
24. Dallas Cowboys
Alex Leatherwood, OT/G, Alabama*
Leatherwood has experience at both tackle and guard, and he started all 15 games for the Crimson Tide last season. Alabama gave up only 16 sacks over that span.
25. Philadelphia Eagles
Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Diggs was limited to just six games in 2018 after breaking his foot. In addition to being a solid cornerback (one interception and six passes broken up in limited time last season), he has returned kicks and punts for the Crimson Tide in the past.
26. Kansas City Chiefs
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin*
Taylor and his 4,000-plus rushing yards over the past two seasons could be a final touch in making the Chiefs' offense unstoppable.
27. Green Bay Packers
Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson*
Aaron Rodgers still needs help. And this 6-4, 200-pound receiver might be an answer. He had 59 catches for 936 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018.
Trevor Lawrence lofts a pass to Tee Higgins, who goes up over the top for a 28-yard gain.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers
Jared Pinkney, TE, Vanderbilt
Fifty catches for 774 yards and seven scores is impressive production for a tight end. He could end up being the Steelers' new Heath Miller.
29. Los Angeles Rams
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State*
While his yards per carry fell from 7.2 to 4.6 in 2018, Dobbins still broke 1,000 yards and scored 10 times. He is strong and athletic, and with Todd Gurley and Darrell Henderson, the Rams would have the NFL's most elite backfield.
30. New England Patriots
Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri*
Albert O is a 6-5, 255-pound athlete with ability to create after the catch. He has 17 touchdowns over two seasons with the Tigers, and he could be a Rob Gronkowski replacement for Bill Belichick.
31. Los Angeles Chargers
Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
The Chargers drafted Easton Stick in the fifth round, but he's probably not the heir to Philip Rivers' throne. Stanley has the tools to become a starting NFL quarterback, and I think his decision to get another season of college game experience will pay off. He threw for 2,852 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. This is going to be a very good quarterback class.
32. New Orleans Saints
Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Hall broke up 22 passes in 2018. He also had a pair of sacks and pulled in two picks. He'd be a good asset for the Saints to add to their cornerback group.