2020 NFL Draft recap: AFC North
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| Baltimore Ravens | Notable picks: The Ravens went LB twice in its first five picks. It is a position that they plan to revamp with Queen and Harrison. Harrison relied on his natural instincts in school and Queen outran any poor reads. Both players have to develop quickly for the team to come close to its 2019 success in 2020. | |||
| Round, Selection, | Player | School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (28) | Patrick Queen | 6’1 229 LB/LSU | 90/3rd Round | Despite being just a one-year starter, the Ravens are banking on Queen’s foot speed to outrun any rookie mistakes. |
| 2 (55) | J.K. Dobbins | 5’9 209 RB/Ohio State | 45/2nd Round | This was an interesting selection. Sure it looks good to have another RB in the mix, but where does his insertion into the rotation leave Gus Edwards (back-to-back 700-yard campaigns) and Justice Hill (2019 4th -round pick). |
| 3 (71) | Justin Madubuike | 6’3 293 DT/Texas A&M | 30/2nd Round | For a DT with just 9-inch hands, Madubuike certainly overpowered a number of OL in school. His biggest weakness actually revolves around hand placement. He was flagged for four facemask penalties in 2018. |
| 3 (92) | Devin Duvernay | 5’10 202 WR/Texas | /3rd Round | Duvernay’s breakout 2019 season featured increased understanding of the position. He has flashed as an outside receiver as well. If he can begin to use his strength more on the outside lanes, there are possibilities for multiple roles. |
| 3 (98) | Malik Harrison | 6’3 247 LB/Ohio State | 18/2nd Round | Harrison fits more of the 1980s profile for exchange LBs. His eyes have often taken him where he needs to get but he left some plays on the field. His coverage capability will either make him a starter or solid backup. |
| 3 (106) | Tyre Phillips | 6’5 331 OG/Mississippi State | 273 /4th Round | The collegiate left tackle more than held his own as the Bulldogs blindside protector in 2019. During the postseason, he displayed starting capability as a guard. Either way, his presence (84 5/8-inch wingspan) gives the Ravens one of the bigger offensive lines in the league. |
| 4 (143) | Ben Bredeson | 6’5 310 OG/Michigan | 125/3rd Round | Bredeson plays balanced and completes a large majority of his assignments. His latch needs to improve when sustaining blocks. Bredeson was the rare junior team captain in the Jim Harbaugh-era at Michigan. |
| 5 (170) | Broderick Washington | 6’3 305 DT/Texas Tech | 374/5th Round | Washington has enough quickness to play the four-technique in three-man fronts, three-technique in four-man fronts and occasional one-technique DT. He is heavy-handed and durable (37 straight starts to end career). |
| 6 (201) | James Proche | 5’11 201 WR/SMU | 119/3rd Round | Proche caught 301 passes for 3,949 yards for an eye-popping 39 TDs in school. He excelled at making the acrobatic catch in school but also has outstanding strength (20 reps-225 lbs.). |
| 7 (219) | Geno Stone | 5’10 207 S/Iowa | 266/4th Round | The junior-entry has enough instincts to play a nickel linebacker spot in school. He carries a number of similarities to former Tennessee Titans fourth-round pick Amani Hooker in terms of size, responsibility in school and play speed. He will have to make an impact on special teams to make the final roster. |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Notable pick: The Bengals have a number of weapons available at Burrow’s disposal. The most important -RB Joe Mixon- can serve the role of Burrow’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire at LSU. Burrow may just be the QB to take advantage of Mixon’s skill-set. | |||
| Round, Selection, | Player | Position/School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (1) | Joe Burrow | 6’3 221 QB-LSU | 15/2nd Round | Burrow’s quick decision-making will be asked to ramp up early in a division that may be competitive down to the last week of the season. He excelled in spread sets as a senior and expect the Bengals to incorporate plenty of those concepts. |
| 2 (33) | Tee Higgins | 6’4 216 WR-Clemson | 33/2nd Round | A.J. Green’s long-term prospects with the team is uncertain. Higgins’ long arms and deceptive running style carry similarities to Green’s and the two would be a viable pair to complement John Ross and Tyler Boyd. |
| 3 (65) | Logan Wilson | 6’2 241 LB-Wyoming | 27/2nd Round | Wilson -a former star high school DB- recorded 10 interceptions in college and was a magnet chasing plays down sideways. If he can improve his initial footwork, he should be able to compete early in an underrated LB corps. |
| 4 (107) | Akeem Davis-Gaither | 6’2 224 LB-Appalachian State | 85/2nd Round | It could be argued that Davis-Gaither fits the LB room as good -if not better- than Wilson. He was one of the more impressive LBs during the postseason and his on-field range stands out week-to-week. |
| 5 (147) | Khalid Kareem | 6’4 268 OLB/DE-Notre Dame | 172/4th Round | Kareem is a power rusher with positive awareness to affect the passing game once his rush has been stopped. He has experience rushing from a four-point, three-point or two-point stance. |
| 6 (180) | Hakeem Adeniji | 6’4 302 OG/OT-Kansas | 89/3rd Round | One of the most durable OL in the draft, Adeniji made starts at LG, RT and LT in school. He needs to improve versus line games, but exhibited quickness and explosiveness in school. |
| 7 (215) | Marcus Bailey | 6’1 235 LB-Purdue | 309/5th Round | If not for durability concerns during his career, Bailey would likely have gone much higher in the draft. He finished his career with 327 tackles and 28 TFLs. |
| Cleveland Browns | Notable pick: The team has been looking for a consistent left tackle it seems since Baker Mayfield entered the lineup. Although Wills, Jr. protected the blindside for Tua Tagovailoa, it was from the right side. How he adjusts to the other side will determine the Browns success in 2020. | |||
| Round, Selection, | Player | School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 1 (10) | Jedrick Wills, Jr. | 6’4 312 OT-Alabama | 3/1st Round | Wills, Jr. continued to improve what was already satisfactory hand placement in 2019. The penalties were a problem. For a team that had its issues with those in 2019, it must be something they address with him early in the season. |
| 2 (44) | Grant Delpit | 6’2 213 S-LSU | 50/2nd Round | Perhaps no prospect was as mystifying as Delpit. The 2019 Jim Thorpe Award winner missed so many tackles during his award-winning year that injuries were given as part of the problem. Either way, he will have to make the one-on-one tackles in a bruising division. If he can live up to the task, then his athleticism should shine getting off of the hash marks. |
| 3 (88) | Jordan Elliott | 6’4 302 DT-Missouri | 121/3rd Round | Elliott was probably most effective when the team clearly defined his responsibilities. He is a positional-flex candidate with quickness and a slippery nature. |
| 3 (97) | Jacob Phillips | 6’3 229 LB-LSU | 160/3rd Round | He can slide effectively for a taller LB and actually sink to tackle. Phillips does take an extra step or two to get in-and-out of transition. As he grows into his role for the team, making positive weight gains could help his cause. |
| 4 (115) | Harrison Bryant | 6’5 243 TE-FAU | 114 /3rd Round | Bryant went to a team that may use him in two TE sets quite a bit of the time. With David Njoku’s injury history a subject of concern, Bryant may get an opportunity sooner than later. |
| 5 (160) | Nick Harris | 6’1 302 OC-Washington | 166/3rd Round | Harris will get the opportunity to become the team’s eighth OL on game day with the new NFL rules allowing for two more OL to suit up on game day. His mobility could add layers to the Browns offense. |
| 6 (187) | Donovan Peoples-Jones | 6’2 212 All-purpose-Michigan | 168/4th Round | The former Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year was an underrated punt returner in school and routinely made some spectacular adjustments on difficult catches. Rounding out his consistency could give him a chance to make the team. |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Notable picks: McFarland may seem like a pick to simply add a different element, but if 2018 is any indication, he could steal valuable playing time from a number of quality RBs in front of him on the depth chart. | |||
| Round, Selection, | Player | School | DN Big Board Rank/ Grade | ‘Nasty’ Take: |
| 2 (49) | Chase Claypool | 6’4 238 All-purpose/ Notre Dame | 23/2nd Round | We were trying to find a way to put into perspective the number of special teams plays Claypool made while at Notre Dame (25 tackles). But those plays only amplify some of his high-wire body control full extension grabs. He gets stronger as the season progresses. |
| 3 (102) | Alex Highsmith | 6’3 247 OLB-Charlotte | 170/4th Round | Consistent three-year starter with non-stop energy. He reacts well to counter OTs, but his tendency to leave his feet as a pass rusher is something the team may look to adjust early in training camp. |
| 4 (124) | Anthony McFarland | 5’8 208 B-Maryland | 120/3rd Round | McFarland’s home run gear will add a jolt to the Steelers offense not seen since the days of Willie Parker. |
| 4 (135) | Kevin Dotson | 6’4 310 OG-Louisiana Lafayette | 178/4th Round | Standing 6-foot-4 with 10 1/2-inch hands, Dotson does not have a lot of bulk in the lower body. Instead, he wins with solid hat-and-hand placement on a down-to-down basis. His length gives him a chance to keep pass rushers at bay on the interior. |
| 6 (198) | Antoine Brooks | 5’11 220 S/LB-Maryland | 77/2nd Round | There’s not much Maryland did on the football field defensively without Brooks in mind. Over the course of his stay in school, he was used at LB, nickel, safety and on the punt team. Brooks contains an outstanding feel for working through tight spaces to make tackles. |
| 7 (232) | Carlos Davis | 6’2 314 DT-Nebraska | 237/4th Round | The two-sport athlete was a second-team All-American in the discus. On the football field, he is an effective two-gap defender who needs to improve his balance. |
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