30 big questions on the 2020 NFL draft: The Kiper and McShay preview

Welcome to 2020 NFL draft season. The College Football Playoff field is set, the Heisman race is all but over, and we're 135 days away from the first round, which is April 23 in Las Vegas. That means it's time for ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay to tell you what you need to know about the Class of 2020.

A lot has changed since Kiper and McShay previewed the class heading into the season, including the meteoric rise of LSU's Joe Burrow and a devastating injury to Tua Tagovailoa. But a lot has remained the same, too.

What's next for Burrow and Tagovailoa? Which other quarterbacks could go in Round 1? Could a pass-rusher go No. 1 over the QBs? Kiper and McShay answer 30 big questions to get you ready for the draft:

Who's the No. 1 prospect now?

Kiper: Thank you for an easy one to start. It's Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young, who has 16.5 sacks and is on a run of dominance. He's clearly the best prospect in this class, and I expect him to stay at the top of my Big Board through April.

Now, that doesn't mean Young is a lock to be the No. 1 pick, particularly if the Bengals keep losing. Teams covet quarterbacks. And LSU's Joe Burrow, the best quarterback on my board, could be a franchise-changing player.

Is Burrow the clear top quarterback?

McShay: Yes, particularly following Tua Tagovailoa's season-ending hip injury. No player in the 2020 class has improved his stock like Burrow, going from fringe prospect before the season to potential No. 1 overall pick. Burrow's rise is very similar to Baker Mayfield's and Kyler Murray's the past two years. Burrow has shown elite accuracy and anticipation on throws, and I really like his pocket presence and toughness. Oregon's Justin Herbert is the No. 2 QB in my rankings -- No. 5 overall -- but he hasn't been nearly as consistent as Burrow this season.

If Tagovailoa were completely healthy, this QB picture would be much cloudier -- the Alabama lefty would still be QB1 for me if this was based on talent and tape alone. He is a special prospect, with incredible accuracy at all levels, a strong arm and great vision.

What are the chances Tagovailoa drops out of Round 1?

Kiper: Slim to none -- if there are no setbacks in his rehab from his hip injury. As you said, Todd, Tagovailoa is just too gifted. You're talking about the best pure passer in this class. Could he drop to the middle of the first round because of the injury? Yes. But he's going to go earlier than most people think. And some team is going to find its quarterback of the future.

Should the Bengals target a quarterback if they get the No. 1 pick?

McShay: They absolutely need to. I'm going to have a higher grade on Young than I did on former Ohio State pass-rushers Joey and Nick Bosa, but the Bengals -- or any team, for that matter -- can't compete for a Super Bowl without a top-tier quarterback. Andy Dalton could be gone this offseason, and while I liked rookie fourth-round pick Ryan Finley coming out of NC State, he doesn't have the ceiling of Burrow, Tagovailoa or Herbert. Go get your quarterback, Bengals!

Could this class have five first-round QBs like the 2018 class?

Kiper: It's highly doubtful. Burrow, Tagovailoa and Herbert are near locks, so that's three. The fourth guy on my board is Washington's Jacob Eason, who's super talented but still raw and could return to school. Georgia's Jake Fromm hasn't taken a leap this season, and he has another year of eligibility. I don't have first-round grades on Stanford's K.J. Costello or Utah State's Jordan Love or Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts. This is a good class overall, but it's not five-first-round-QBs good.

But Eason could be that fourth QB in Round 1?

McShay: He's the wild card of this QB class. You can't deny Eason's raw talent -- he has the size (6-foot-6) and arm strength to be an elite player -- but he would benefit from another full season of college reps, and he's not a lock to enter the draft. In fact, of the top group of QBs, only Burrow and Herbert are seniors, which means Tagovailoa, Eason, Fromm and Love could all return to school for another year. But if Eason does enter the 2020 draft, I could see a team taking him in Round 1 based on that natural ability.

Are there any teams likely picking in the middle of Round 1 that could target a QB?

Kiper: The Chargers jump out to me. They could pick in the 8-15 range. Philip Rivers has struggled this season, and he will be a free agent. Tyrod Taylor, who's under contract for 2020, could be the bridge to a young quarterback. One other team that is interesting: Tampa Bay. Are the Bucs really going to give Jameis Winston a long-term deal this offseason? Could they bring in a first-round pick to compete with him?

Enough of the quarterbacks. What's the deepest position in this class?

McShay: I have 15 wide receivers ranked among my top 64 prospects. That's not normal. Over the past three drafts, there have been an average of 7.7 receivers taken in the first two rounds. We could blow that out of the water in 2020.

It all starts with Alabama's Jerry Jeudy, one of the best college route runners I've ever evaluated. He's going to be an immediate high-impact player in the NFL. Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb is a star, too. Both are in the top 10 in my rankings. Two other Alabama pass-catchers -- Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith -- along with LSU's Justin Jefferson, Clemson's Tee Higgins, Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk and Colorado's Laviska Shenault Jr. are all among my top 32 players. This is a deep receiver class.

How high could Jeudy go in this draft?

Kiper: He could go as high as No. 3. You're talking about an elite prospect, but no receiver has gone No. 1 since Keyshawn Johnson in 1996 or No. 2 since Calvin Johnson in 2007. It just doesn't happen.

Who's the burner of this wide receiver class?

McShay: It's Ruggs, whom I'd put an early wager on to run the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine. We're talking speed in the 4.3s. He can improve as a route runner, but this dude is a nightmare matchup because of how quickly he chews up a cushion from opposing defensive backs.

Could the Jets get a playmaker in the top 10?

Kiper: There's not an elite running back or tight end in this class, and I don't have any in my top 15. As Todd said, though, there could be a few receivers who go in the first half of Round 1. Sam Darnold has been playing without a true difference-maker on the outside, so the Jets could look at Jeudy or Lamb if they pick in the top 10 again. This is the draft to grab a receiver.

Does Alabama still own April's draft, or is Ohio State -- led by Young -- now the most prominent school?

McShay: The Crimson Tide missing the College Football Playoff doesn't change draft evaluations, and their class is still loaded. I have seven Alabama prospects in my top 32 and 15 in my top 120 (though many are underclassmen who haven't yet decided whether to return to Tuscaloosa). We've talked about some of the offensive weapons, but Alabama also boasts defensive playmakers, including outside linebacker Terrell Lewis, cornerback Trevon Diggs, safety Xavier McKinney and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis.

While Alabama still has the most high-end prospects, the Buckeyes will have multiple first-rounders, too. And no player in the class matches Young's talent.

OK, if Washington gets the top pick, is it Young or bust?

Kiper: No, and hear me out: I would take Burrow. Yes, the Redskins used the No. 15 pick on Dwayne Haskins in April's draft, but Burrow is going to have a much higher grade on my board. Washington is going to have a new coach (and potentially front office) who isn't tied to Haskins. Let Burrow and Haskins duke it out, like they did when Haskins won the job at Ohio State in 2018. It's worth noting that Arizona just did this with Josh Rosen in 2018 and Kyler Murray in 2019.

This team does have several needs -- add offensive tackle, receiver and cornerback to the list -- and the ideal scenario would be to trade down to pick up more high-level assets. That's not easy; it takes two sides to make a trade.

Who are the edge rushers to know after Young?

McShay: Curtis Weaver (Boise State) isn't getting a lot of attention, but he has 23 sacks over the past two seasons and is my second-ranked edge rusher. Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos is a riser in the class, and Bama's Lewis is a physical freak off the edge. Julian Okwara (Notre Dame), Anfernee Jennings (Alabama), Zack Baun (Wisconsin) and A.J. Epenesa (Iowa) round out the edge rushers in my top 40.

But it's a weaker pass-rushing class than in 2019, right?

Kiper: Yes, there's a big drop-off after Young. In the 2019 class, we had Nick Bosa and Josh Allen as the two elite edge rushers, but there is no one in Allen's league in 2020 as the clear No. 2. There were 13 defensive linemen/outside linebackers taken in Round 1 last April; that's not going to happen in this class.

The defensive tackle group is really solid, however, and teams will be able to find good players in the second and third rounds. That group is headlined by Auburn's Derrick Brown, who could have been a top-20 pick if he had entered the 2019 draft.

How high could Brown go now?

McShay: He's a top-10 pick. Brown is a complete player and an easy mover for a 6-foot-5, 318-pound interior lineman.

You get to call dibs on one 2020 prospect: Who's your guy in this class, Mel?

Kiper: Give me Laviska Shenault Jr. before Louis Riddick tries to claim him. I just love the way the Colorado receiver plays, breaking tackles after the catch like a running back. He has even played some Wildcat quarterback at times. Shenault hasn't produced as much as some of the other top wideouts -- blame inconsistent quarterback play -- but I love his versatility. I'd take him in the top 15.

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What about you, Todd?

McShay: I've been banging the table for Clemson's Isaiah Simmons since the start of the season (currently No. 8 in the rankings). He's exactly what NFL teams are looking for in today's game. A safety-turned-linebacker, Simmons has elite coverage skills and has proved disruptive as a pass-rusher, contributing to just about every column of the stat sheet this year. His versatility, production and athleticism will translate extremely well to the next level.

How could Miami hit a home run even without the No. 1 pick?

Kiper: Adding Tagovailoa after using its first pick on someone else. That was unthinkable a month ago. The ESPN Football Power Index (FPI) projects the Dolphins to have picks Nos. 4, 19 and 24, and they also have an extra second-round pick. Could they grab another player at No. 4, then package a few picks to move up in the first round for Tagovailoa? I don't think he's going to be around at No. 20. Either way, the next step in the Miami rebuild is finding a franchise quarterback.

The Giants are projected to have a top-five pick. What's their biggest need?

McShay: Ready for a bit of a surprise? I would take a quarterback. I wasn't a believer in Daniel Jones when he was the No. 6 pick in April, and he hasn't done enough in my opinion to prove he's the long-term answer in New York. In 10 starts, Jones has 11 interceptions and 15 fumbles (10 lost) this season. And his only really good games have come against bad teams (Buccaneers, Lions and Jets).

However, New York needs a lot of pieces, including help just about everywhere on that defense. So while I like the idea of taking an elite franchise quarterback, I'd expect the Giants to focus on the other side of the ball. They are in the early stages of a rebuild and have nowhere to go but up -- and this draft will be crucial in the process.

The Jaguars will likely have two top-20 picks. What could they target to get back to the playoffs?

Kiper: Jacksonville has quarterback issues it needs to sort out, but it has a ton of money invested in Nick Foles. Could it keep 2020 open as an audition for Foles and Gardner Minshew? The FPI projects the Jags to pick seventh and 20th as it stands, so there's a chance none of the top three quarterbacks will be around for their first pick (unless they trade up).

Outside of quarterback, their top needs are at defensive back (well, they did trade Jalen Ramsey for two first-rounders), outside linebacker (they felt the loss of Telvin Smith this season) and a pass-catcher, either at wide receiver or tight end.

OK, what are the chances no tight ends go in Round 1?

McShay: Over the past three years, there has been an average of two first-round tight ends, and Iowa's T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant were both top-20 picks last April. But don't expect a repeat. No one has really emerged this season like Hockenson, Fant and even Irv Smith Jr. did in 2018. The top tight end in my rankings is Vanderbilt's Jared Pinkney at No. 49. Unless we see an underclassman rise through the process, I don't see a first-rounder in this group.

Over/under: 2.5 offensive tackles in Round 1?

Kiper: Over. There were four first-round offensive tackles in the 2019 class (and eight in the top 41 picks), and it's a good class again. Georgia's Andrew Thomas is a lock -- he's the top tackle on my board and a technician in pass protection. Tristan Wirfs (Iowa) and Alex Leatherwood (Alabama) are also likely first-rounders. Next up are Josh Jones (Houston), Jedrick Wills Jr. (Alabama) and Matt Peart (UConn).

What about running backs: Over/under 1.5 in the first round?

McShay: That's a tough one, but I'll go with the over. And the explosive D'Andre Swift out of Georgia and tough-to-take-down J.K. Dobbins from Ohio State would be my picks. They both project to go in the late first round or early second round. Dobbins might be the top pass-catching back in the class, too -- he has 65 catches over the past three seasons.

Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor could also be in the mix for the first round, but he's more likely a Day 2 talent. And while Clemson's Travis Etienne has the ability to make a cut and go, he's a tier below that trio.

Could a safety go in the top 10?

Kiper: Yes, but there's really only one candidate, and he hasn't had a great season. LSU's Grant Delpit dealt with an ankle injury in 2019, and he hasn't been as consistent as he was as a sophomore. He's a complete safety when he's at his best -- he had a tremendous sack on a blitz in the SEC title game -- and he should light up the combine. But Delpit isn't a sure-fire top-10 pick. The only other safety in the first-round discussion for now is Alabama's McKinney, whom Todd mentioned earlier. Keep an eye out for the defensive-back-needy Cardinals, Lions and Jaguars.

Are there any clear-cut No. 1 corners in this class?

McShay: I really like Ohio State's Jeff Okudah, fourth overall in my rankings, and I think he'll be a No. 1 corner at the next level. He's athletic and versatile, and he'll make plays on the ball. Okudah could absolutely go in the first five picks and continues a line of talented Day 1 Buckeyes defensive backs, including Denzel Ward, Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker and more.

Beyond Okudah, there are a few other potential Day 1 names to watch: Florida man-to-man technician CJ Henderson, Stanford ballhawk Paulson Adebo and perhaps even the instinctive Kristian Fulton out of LSU. And don't sleep on Bryce Hall (Virginia) -- an injury limited him to just six games this season -- or Alabama's Diggs.

Who's your highest-rated offensive prospect from a Group of 5 school?

Kiper: These aren't the sexiest of picks, but it's senior offensive tackles Josh Jones (Houston) and Matt Peart (UConn). I have a similar grade on both, and they could be first-round picks if they perform well at the Senior Bowl (they have both accepted invites) in January and the combine in February.

OK, what about the top defensive prospect from a Group of 5 school?

McShay: Weaver, the Boise State edge rusher. He has 13.5 sacks this season (fifth in the nation) and 18.5 tackles for loss, using his power to be effective. He's No. 16 in my rankings.

Who are the prospects we'll all be calling 'freaks' after the NFL combine?

Kiper: McShay mentioned Ruggs, so I'll give you three more prospects. Oklahoma defensive tackle Neville Gallimore is a fantastic athlete, and he'll put up great numbers for his 300-pound frame. TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor is just 5-foot-11, but he has a first-round case based on his athletic traits (I just wish he had fewer drops). Vanderbilt running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn is going to test extremely well and could move up based on his workout.

Who's your favorite prospect who likely won't be picked on Day 1?

McShay: Baun, the aforementioned Wisconsin outside linebacker, is one of my favorite players in the country. He has great versatility, plays hard and has some shock in his hands coming off the edge. I have him ranked at No. 35, and I think he could be a huge Day 2 steal for a team.