When I went through my 2020 NFL Mock Draft 3.0 last week, I had a tough time finding a spot for Utah State's Jordan Love, my fourth-ranked quarterback. Could he go in the top 10? What about the top 20? Because I can't project trades for quarterback-needy teams, I couldn't find the perfect fit and eventually pegged him to the Patriots at No. 23.
But when Round 1 of the 2020 NFL draft begins on April 23, Love is going to go higher than No. 23 -- there's no question. So because I have some time on my hands, I wanted to go through an exercise and see what happens when I project Love to go higher, and how all of the picks change underneath. Even changing just one pick can cause chaos.
My colleague Todd McShay thinks Love will be the third quarterback off the board, but I don't see it. And as the top 10 stands now, I don't see Love breaking in. So let's skip the top 10 picks and check out 11-32.
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My projected top 10 picks
1. Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2. Washington Redskins: Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
3. Detroit Lions: Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State
4. New York Giants: Isaiah Simmons, OLB, Clemson
5. Miami Dolphins: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
6. Los Angeles Chargers: Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon
7. Carolina Panthers: Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
8. Arizona Cardinals: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
10. Cleveland Browns: Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville
My new projected picks 11-32
11. New York Jets
Original pick: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
New pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
OK, let's start here. With free agent Robby Anderson officially gone to Carolina, the Jets desperately need a No. 1 receiver. Jeudy can step in immediately and be that guy, ahead of new addition Breshad Perriman. This is a crucial season for third-year quarterback Sam Darnold, but he will love Jeudy.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
Original pick: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
New pick: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
Yes, the Raiders have Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota under contract, but Jon Gruden gets to hand-pick his new quarterback in this scenario. The Carr and Mariota contracts aren't onerous for Las Vegas; the team would owe just $2.5 million in dead money on its 2021 cap if it cut both signal-callers after this season. And Love gets a redshirt year to adjust to the speed of the NFL.
13. San Francisco 49ers (from IND)
Original pick: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
New pick: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
With Jeudy off the board, let's get Kyle Shanahan the second-best wide receiver in this class. Lamb is just barely behind Jeudy on my Big Board.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Original pick: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
New pick: Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
The draft appears to be Tampa Bay's best place to fill its void at right tackle, because this is class has a great top tier of offensive tackles. Wills drops a few spots, and the Bucs can pounce -- and help Tom Brady.
15. Denver Broncos
Original pick: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
New pick: Ruggs
I'll stick with Ruggs, who would be a great complement for Courtland Sutton.
16. Atlanta Falcons
Original pick: K'Lavon Chaisson, OLB/DE, LSU
New pick: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
The Falcons end up in a great spot in this scenario because they can address their need at pass-rusher and cornerback no matter what. Henderson didn't have a great 2019 season, but he has a high ceiling, and his 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine showed his elite speed.
17. Dallas Cowboys
Original pick: CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
New pick: K'Lavon Chaisson, OLB/DE, LSU
Chaisson would play defensive end if he landed in Dallas, which needs to replace the production of Robert Quinn (and Michael Bennett). The Cowboys still need to find a third receiver, but they could wait until Day 2 to add one in a deep class.
18. Miami Dolphins (from PIT)
Original pick: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
New pick: Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
I couldn't pass up the sturdiness of Thomas here, as this would be a home run start to the draft for the Dolphins. They'd have the quarterback (Tagovailoa) and left tackle of the future, with the No. 26 pick to come.
19. Las Vegas Raiders (from CHI): Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR): Antoine Winfield Jr., S/CB, Minnesota
21. Philadelphia Eagles: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
22. Minnesota Vikings (from BUF): Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
These picks wouldn't change in this scenario, with three wide receivers falling in line on my board. Winfield is a great fit in the Jacksonville secondary.
23. New England Patriots
Original pick: Jordan Love, QB, Utah State
New pick: Zack Baun, OLB/DE, Wisconsin
So Love is off the board, which means I'm going with a versatile outside or inside linebacker to help Bill Belichick's defense. We know Belichick loves hybrid defenders, and Baun is one of the best in this class. He had 12.5 sacks and 76 total tackles for the Badgers last season.
24. New Orleans Saints
Original pick: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
New pick: Murray
I wouldn't bet against the Saints taking a wide receiver here, even after adding Emmanuel Sanders, but Murray could get a bunch of snaps at linebacker for Dennis Allen's defense.
25. Minnesota Vikings
Original pick: A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
New pick: Epenesa
It's pretty strange to see my second-ranked defensive end falling all the way to No. 25, but that just shows how different the 2020 class is when compared with previous edge-rusher-heavy classes. Epenesa is a good-not-great prospect, and he might end up playing defensive tackle in a 4-3. He fits in Minnesota as a replacement for Everson Griffen.
Mel Kiper Jr. explains why Tua Tagovailoa is now slotted at No. 5 in his most recent NFL mock draft.
26. Miami Dolphins (from HOU)
Original pick: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
New pick: D'Andre Swift, RB, Georgia
It's really tough to find a fit for Swift in Round 1 unless it's with the Dolphins. Which other teams need a running back? (McShay has suggested the Chiefs make sense at No. 32, but we'll see.) There's a decent chance no back goes in the first round, but Swift is the clear top guy based on his running and receiving ability.
27. Seattle Seahawks
Original pick: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
New pick: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
With Jones still available, Seattle should pounce on the four-year starter from Houston. Brandon Shell signed a short-term deal to be the Seahawks' right tackle, and Jones could challenge him to start while eventually taking over as 34-year-old Duane Brown's successor on the left side.
28. Baltimore Ravens
Original pick: Patrick Queen, ILB, LSU
New pick: Queen
This fit makes too much sense, as the Ravens still need a fill-in for C.J. Mosley, who left in free agency a year ago.
29. Tennessee Titans
Original pick: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
New pick: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Gross-Matos is still available in this scenario, and the Titans could add him as the third edge rusher to rotate with Vic Beasley Jr. and Harold Landry III. Cornerback also could be an option for Tennessee.
30. Green Bay Packers
Original pick: Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
New pick: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
This pick isn't affected by the Love dominoes; I just went back to the tape on Aiyuk and bumped him into Round 1 again, over Claypool. Green Bay has to get some help for Aaron Rodgers, and Aiyuk also will help in the return game.
31. San Francisco 49ers
Original pick: Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
New pick: Igbinoghene
If the 49ers go with a receiver at No. 13, cornerback or defensive tackle makes the most sense here. I also could see them keeping a close eye on the tackles in this class; left tackle Joe Staley will be 36 when the season starts.
32. Kansas City Chiefs
Original pick: Cesar Ruiz, C/G, Michigan
New pick: Ruiz
Ruiz is the only interior offensive lineman who I have graded as a first-round pick -- this isn't the class to reach for a guard or center. He'd fill a need in Kansas City.