2020 NFL Mock Draft Day 2: Trent Williams hot-spot, Redskins pick
The first day of the 2020 NFL Draft is in the books. Now, the Redskins shift their attention to Day 2 as they look to add a quality player at 66 and potentially trade Trent Williams.
The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft has now come and past and the Redskins ended up with the player that had been the favorite for the No. 2 selection all along. The team went with Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young, choosing to go with talent over need in the first round and opting not to trade down. That matched well with Ron Rivera’s draft strategy, so it made sense.
Now, heading into Day 2, the Redskins have some key decisions to make. First of all, they need to decide who to target with the 66th overall pick. And second, they need to see if they can, in fact, get a Day 2 pick in exchange for Trent Williams. Luckily, a number of tackle-needy teams could consider trading for him at the right price.
With that said, it’s time to take a look at a mock of the 2020 NFL Draft’s second and third rounds ahead of Day 2.
33. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Zack Baun, Wisconsin. The Bengals could go with an offensive lineman like Josh Jones here to help protect Joe Burrow. But they also could try to upgrade their defense given their already solid-looking offense and Jonah Williams’ return from a missed rookie season. Baun had 12.5 sacks last year for Wisconsin and could give the Bengals a versatile linebacker and edge rusher.
34. Indianapolis Colts: CB Jaylon Johnson, Utah. The Colts could go with several corner options here, but Johnson may fit what they’re looking for best. He was productive for the Utes and would mesh well with what the Colts have at corner in Kenny Moore, Xavier Rhodes, Rock Ya-Sin, and T.J. Carrie.
35. Detroit Lions: RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia. As much as a defensive tackle would make sense here, Swift may be too good to pass up for the Lions. Kerryon Johnson is talented, but has trouble staying healthy. Perhaps with Swift there to carry the load, the duo could become a ground-and-pound offense that takes some pressure off Matthew Stafford and keeps him from getting hit too much.
36. New York Giants: WR Chase Claypool, Notre Dame. The Giants fixed one of their biggest remaining offensive weaknesses in the first round by selecting offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. Could they fix another by adding a third receiver to their offense? Claypool would give the team a big-bodied option to go with speedster Darius Slayton and quality slot-man Sterling Shepherd. If the team wants to help Daniel Jones, this may be the way to do it.
37. New England Patriots: EDGE A.J. Epenesa, Iowa. I love Epenesa’s fit in New England. He’s well-coached, big, long, and while he may not be the best athlete, he always found a way to be productive at Iowa. He could be a nice complement to Chase Winovich, a better athlete, and the Patriots would surely find a way to utilize Epenesa’s versatility.
38. Carolina Panthers: CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama. The Panthers lost a bigger, more physical corner when they elected not to re-sign James Bradberry in free agency. Here’s a quality replacement, as some thought that Diggs was the third-best cornerback in this draft class.
39. Miami Dolphins: RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin. The Dolphins probably like multiple running backs considering their decision to pass on one at No. 30 overall and go with Noah Igbinoghene. Taylor was a strong runner at Wisconsin and totaled multiple seasons of 2,000-plus yards. He’d be a huge upgrade over Jordan Howard and would take pressure off Tua Tagovailoa, whenever he may be on the field.
40. Houston Texans: DT Ross Blacklock, TCU. Bill O’Brien could do anything with the DeAndre Hopkins pick, but we’ll assume that he hasn’t completely lost his mind yet. Blacklock was a potential first-round player who could find a home playing next to J.J. Watt. He’d at least help replace D.J. Reader, though he’s much smaller than the departed nose tackle.