This new section highlights which players have improved or worsened their 2020 NFL Draft stock as the draft approaches.
By Charlie Campbell.
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2020 NFL Draft Stock Up
Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon Many around the league believe Herbert is the favorite to be the second quarterback drafted after LSU’s Joe Borrow and the Miami Dolphins are expected to take Herbert with the fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Herbert has enjoyed a strong offseason, showing his good skill set at the Senior Bowl and combine while also having a solid performance in team interviews. Herbert’s good showing in the draft process and the injury concerns with Tua Tagovailoa have resulted in Herbert jumping Tagovailoa in the consensus view around the league.
Justin Strnad, LB, Wake Forest There a lot of non-pass-rushing linebacker prospects who will be chosen in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, but one linebacker who could sneak into the third round is Strnad. As a senior, Strnad totaled 69 tackles with an interception, two sacks, and four passes batted. He recorded 105 tackles in 2018 alongside five passes broken up, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Some team sources think Strnad could be a late third-round or fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan Sources say they expect Ruiz to be the first center taken in the 2020 NFL Draft, which could be as soon as the second round. Teams like Ruiz’s flexibility to move to guard and feel he could be a versatile contributor on the inside of the offensive line. It isn’t impossible that Ruiz sneaks into the end of the first round because there are often some surprise interior linemen who go to playoff teams.
Robert Hunt, G, La.-Lafayette Sources from around the league like Hunt and think he is a solid player. They feel he has good feet for a big guy and should be a sound pass protector in the NFL. While Hunt is being projected inside to guard as a pro, some feel he could move back to tackle in a pinch, as he has tackle experience from college. The 2020 NFL Draft should have at least nine offensive tackles get selected in the first rounds. Unless some of those tackles are being taken to move inside to guard, Hunt could be the first pure guard drafted. Some sources believe Hunt won’t get out of the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Jordyn Brooks, LB, Texas Tech I know of three different teams with varying degrees of need at linebacker that are high on Brooks. He really impressed teams with how fast he ran at the combine in the 40-yard dash – 4.54 seconds – without any pre-combine training. After suffering a torn labrum late in the season, Brooks was rehabbing his injury and unable to spend time on improving his 40 like most prospects do. Some teams had him faster than that official time. The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Brooks was productive defender who made a lot of big plays for Texas Tech and has good tape. In speaking with numerous team sources, it sounds like Brooks should go in the second round at the lowest and could be a high second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
2020 NFL Draft Stock Down
Jordan Love, QB, Utah State The national media and staff at NFL.com are finally coming around to the realization that NFL teams are not as high on Jordan Love as the media hype has suggested over the past few months. There have been a lot of mock drafts on NFL.com with Love going in the top 20 and some even in the top 10, but now NFL.com has caught on that teams don’t value Love that much. Some teams have Love graded in the mid-rounds, but with his excellent skill set, he probably will have some team take a chance on him in the early rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. It stands to reason that he will likely go in the second round, but perhaps a team will trade into the first round for him to get the fifth-year option on his rookie contract.
Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin Some teams are very down on Biadasz and think he is just a guy for the NFL. Some graded him as a backup for the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft, and there is not a lot of enthusiasm over the Badgers center. It looks like Biadasz will slide into the mid-rounds and could get selected on the final day of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Solomon Kindley, G, Georgia There are some team sources who are really high on Kindley and think he could be an excellent guard in the NFL. However, they expect Kindley to fall to the third or fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft because there are a lot concerns about Kindley’s weight. Being overweight at the combine despite having a lot on the line has caused teams to question Kindley’s commitment and work ethic. Thus, he is expected to slide to the mid-rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Terrell Lewis, DE, Alabama Last week, team sources told WalterFootball.com they expect Lewis to go in the third round and feel his medical report is too scary for him to get selected in the first or second round. Lewis ended his Alabama career on a high note, flashing a very good skill set and enjoying a solid senior year, but that was after suffering major injuries during the previous seasons, including a torn ACL. Some teams feel that Lewis’ knee was not completely healed when they watched him at the Senior Bowl. Thus, he could be in store for a slide in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Lamical Perine, RB, Florida Team contacts say they expect Perine to fall into the late rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft. They liked him at Florida, but his drop in production as a senior has evaluators questioning whether he will translate well to the NFL and might limit him to being a third-string backup who contributes on special teams. Perine could end up being a late-round steal given how much better he was a junior when Florida had a more experienced offensive line.
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