The first round of the NFL Draft is finished, with a handful of surprises spreading across the round. Some teams benefited from players who slid, while others made bold picks that could make or break the franchise for years to come. There’s a reason it’s one of the most important days of the NFL calendar, after all.
So who did the best? Here are the five best picks of the 2020 NFL Draft’s first round.
5. Broncos select Jerry Jeudy 15th overall
There were rumors that the Broncos were going to try to move up to draft Jeudy. They managed to get him without even having to trade up. Jeudy is an incredibly well-rounded receiver who should be ready to get volume targets immediately. That’s great news for young quarterback Drew Lock, who will want weapons to assist his effort in becoming the franchise quarterback. Jeudy is a perfect weapon, and he should improve the Denver offense immediately.
4. Dolphins select Tua Tagovailoa 5th overall
The Dolphins were comfortable with Tagovailoa medically, and that was all that mattered. They tuned out the noise, pushed aside the chatter about a trade, and drafted a franchise quarterback. As long as Tagovailoa stays healthy, he should be a success in the NFL. For Miami to get him at No. 5 when it looked like he was going to be the consensus No. 1 pick a year ago is a huge win, and they did the right thing when it came time to make the pick.
3. Ravens select Patrick Queen 28th overall
One of the best value picks of the round, Queen was one of the defensive MVPs for LSU’s championship team. He fits in with the Ravens perfectly, as he fills a need and is likely to be ready to start immediately. Queen is a dynamic player who goes sideline-to-sideline, and with so much talent on defense around him, he won’t be under huge pressure or a massive spotlight. The Ravens are great at developing quality defensive players, so don’t be surprised if Queen follows in that tradition.
2. Buccaneers select Tristan Wirfs 13th overall
Tampa Bay’s offseason plans have revolved around Tom Brady, and so does this pick. Brady has weapons in Tampa, but he needed protection. The Buccaneers responded by getting their new quarterback one of the top offensive linemen in the draft while only having to move up one pick to do so. Wirfs was another player who was expected to go in the top ten, but the Buccaneers were the beneficiaries of his modest slide. Brady, for one, should be very happy.
1. Cardinals select Isaiah Simmons 8th overall
Simmons might be the best athlete in the draft. He can play all over the defense, which should provide the Cardinals with significant flexibility as they scheme against the talent in their division. With Arizona’s offense looking to be on the rise, they needed defense here. Simmons was a top five pick in the minds of some, so for him to drop to No. 8 is a major coup. Simmons has all the tools to be a star, and might become the new leader of the Arizona defense in the years to come.
