Believe it or not, the 2020 NFL draft is only a little over three weeks away. Scouts and prospect evaluators are into the final stages of stacking their draft boards.
As rankings get some finishing touches, it's sometimes easier to compare players graded very close together by tiering them. Thanks to our Scouts Inc. draft grades, we can separate the top prospects into different groups to help predict where they will come off the board during the first three rounds of the draft.
Here are my draft tiers for 2020, covering all 99 prospects with a first-, second- or third-round grade, beginning with an elite pass-rusher in a tier all by himself.
Jump to a tier: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
Position breakdown
Tier 1: Young all alone
Grades of 95 or higher. Elite prospects. Should be immediate NFL starters and project as perennial All-Pro players. Worthy of a top-five pick most years. I had two players in this tier in 2019.
1. Chase Young, DE, Ohio State (95)
Young is special off the edge and by far the top prospect in the class, regardless of position. His hand quickness and closing burst are outstanding, and he is the most physically gifted player on the board. That 95 grade puts him in the same class as elite pass-rushers of recent years, including Nick Bosa, Bradley Chubb and Myles Garrett. Though he is not yet as refined as Bosa was coming out of Ohio State, he has the potential to be even better than the No. 2 overall pick in 2019.
Tier 2: 10 prospects
Grades between 92 and 94. A notch below the elite class but still considered a plug-and-play NFL starter with high-level potential. Worthy of a top-15 pick most years. I had seven players in this tier in 2019.
2. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU (94)
3. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn (94)
4. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama (94)
5. Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State (94)
6. Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson (94)
7. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama (93)
8. Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (93)
9. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma (92)
10. Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (92)
11. Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama (92)
We have our top two quarterbacks in the class sliding into this second tier. Burrow is likely the No. 1 pick in April, and he would bring his high-end pocket presence, toughness and accuracy to the NFL. Tagovailoa, meanwhile, comes with the injury and medical risk, but he has the talent to be a franchise quarterback for a team drafting early on Day 1.
But what really stands out about my second tier -- and just about every tier that follows, for that matter -- is the abundance of talented wide receivers. Marquise Brown was the only receiver in the top two tiers last year, but three make the board this time. Each brings something unique to the table: Jeudy is perhaps the most exceptional route runner I've ever seen coming out of college, Lamb is a yards-after-the-catch monster and Ruggs is a human torch, showing off his 4.27 speed in the 40-yard dash in February at the combine. If you're a team in need of a playmaking receiver, this is the year to find one.
Jerry Jeudy is considered to be one of the best wide receivers to ever play at Alabama. Whose helmet will he put on next?
Tier 3: 10 prospects
Grades between 90 and 91. Good NFL starters and are considered strong values in the bottom half of Round 1 in any given draft class. I had eight players in this tier in 2019.
12. Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama (91)
13. D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia (91)
14. Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama (91)
15. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina (91)
16. CJ Henderson, CB, Florida (91)
17. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (91)
18. Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (90)
19. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State (90)
20. Patrick Queen, ILB, LSU (90)
21. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU (90)
Where are all the edge rushers? After Young, there just isn't much out there in the pass-rush realm. There were at least four high-quality edge prospects in the top three tiers in 2019 (Bosa, Josh Allen, Rashan Gary and Montez Sweat), but at this point in 2020, we still haven't seen even two. Instead, we are treated to a couple of impact receivers and powerful offensive tackles in Tier 3, along with our first running back. Swift is as explosive as they come and projects as a three-down back in the NFL.
One player I really like in this range is Kinlaw. He's an absolute physical specimen and will make any team's run defense and interior pass-rush more dynamic. Consider him a plug-and-play starter at the next level with the upside to be a true game-breaker.
Tier 4: 22 prospects
Grades between 85 and 89. Good future NFL starters. Second-round value. I had 28 players in this tier in 2019.
22. Jordan Love, QB, Utah State (89)
23. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State (89)
24. K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU (89)
25. Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon (89)
26. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa (89)
27. Kenneth Murray, ILB, Oklahoma (88)
28. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin (88)
29. Josh Jones, OT, Houston (88)
30. Grant Delpit, S, LSU (88)
31. Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota (87)
32. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU (87)
33. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State (87)
34. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson (87)
35. Austin Jackson, OT, USC (86)
36. Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan (86)
37. Zack Baun, OLB, Wisconsin (86)
38. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama (86)
39. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, USC (86)
40. Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M (86)
41. Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma (85)
42. Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame (85)
43. Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State (85)
Finally, we see another edge rusher. Chaisson finished up his career at LSU especially strong and looks as if he could be a problem for opponents off the edge. And Epenesa isn't the quickest coming around the corner, but he is a great hands fighter and could develop into a quality starter in the NFL.
Two more quarterbacks fall here, with Love and Herbert receiving matching 89 grades. Both have a big arm and good mobility, but each also comes with some decision-making risk, too. We also see our first tight end in the class, Kmet, way back here at No. 42, one year after three broke into the top four tiers.
At the back end of this group of 22 prospects are a few potential steals with lots of upside. I love Winfield's game -- he is a tough, physical tackler and can make plays on the ball, despite his smaller frame. Speaking of tackling, Edwards-Helaire is really tough to bring down, running with great contact-balance. Baun has a great motor off the edge, Pittman possesses terrific hands, and Madubuike and Gallimore are athletic interior forces on the defensive line. There's a lot to like here.
Mike Tannenbaum and Louis Riddick evaluate the draft stock and pro potential of Utah State QB Jordan Love.
Tier 5: 19 prospects
Grades between 80 and 84. Future solid to good NFL starters but might need to serve in substitution package/situational roles early in career. Mid- to late-second-round value. I had 19 players in this tier in 2019.
44. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU (84)
45. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State (84)
46. Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois (84)
47. Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri (84)
48. Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn (84)
49. Josh Uche, DE, Michigan (83)
50. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado (83)
51. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson (83)
52. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU (83)
53. Zack Moss, RB, Utah (83)
54. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor (82)
55. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah (82)
56. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU (82)
57. Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia (82)
58. Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin (81)
59. Terrell Lewis, OLB, Alabama (81)
60. Jacob Eason, QB, Washington (81)
61. Jason Strowbridge, DT, North Carolina (80)
62. Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri (80)
Four value cornerbacks appear on the board in Tier 5, starting with LSU's Fulton. He has strong coverage skills and will mix it up in run support. We also see two more QBs here, but there are plenty of questions still around the NFL potential of Fromm and Eason.
Two guys who I really like in Tier 5: Akers and Mims. Akers shows fantastic instincts and burst, and I think he's one of the most underrated running backs in the entire draft class. And Mims has the speed and size to be a real factor in both the vertical game and the red zone.
Tier 6: 37 prospects
Grades between 70 and 79. Project as future solid starters but need time to develop, have limited upside or come with baggage. Third-round value. I had 53 players in this tier in 2019.
63. Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama (79)
64. Netane Muti, G, Fresno State (79)
65. Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia (79)
66. AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College (79)
67. Jared Pinkney, TE, Vanderbilt (79)
68. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas (79)
69. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia (78)
70. Bradlee Anae, DE, Utah (78)
71. Anfernee Jennings, OLB, Alabama (78)
72. Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington (78)
73. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn (77)
74. Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic (77)
75. KJ Hamler, WR, Penn State (77)
76. Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame (76)
77. Ashtyn Davis, S, California (76)
78. Trey Adams, OT, Washington (76)
79. Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty (76)
80. Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State (75)
81. Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State (75)
82. Akeem Davis-Gaither, OLB, Appalachian State (75)
83. Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn (75)
84. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton (75)
85. Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne (74)
86. Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU (74)
87. Malik Harrison, OLB, Ohio State (73)
88. Colby Parkinson, TE, Stanford (73)
89. Troy Pride Jr., CB, Notre Dame (72)
90. K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State (72)
91. James Lynch, DE, Baylor (71)
92. Ke'Shawn Vaughn, RB, Vanderbilt (71)
93. Collin Johnson, WR, Texas (71)
94. Logan Wilson, ILB, Wyoming (70)
95. Keith Ismael, C, San Diego State (70)
96. John Simpson, G, Clemson (70)
97. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma (70)
98. Anthony McFarland Jr., RB, Maryland (70)
99. Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR, Michigan (70)
Most of these players will need some time to develop, but there is plenty of reason to believe each can be an impact player at some point in the NFL. Davis is huge in the middle of the defensive line and plays with power but needs to improve his body control. Weaver produced at Boise State but hasn't shown consistent burst at this point. Hall and Hamler have plenty of talent, but there are questions surrounding injuries there. And while Hurts was extremely productive in Lincoln Riley's system at Oklahoma, concerns remain about his accuracy. There is potential in this group, but it might take a little time for these prospects to put it all together.