Biggest Winners and Losers of 2020 NFL Draft
By Michael Luciano
The 2020 NFL Draft has seen the best teams in football reload with young talent, while teams that are rebuilding have identified their next franchise cornerstones. As always, some teams nailed the draft more so than others, with the disparity between the winners and losers looking even more pronounced this year. Three teams really stood out with their picks, while three other ones left us shaking out heads.
6. Winner: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals made one of the most obvious picks in the history of the draft when they snatched up LSU's Joe Burrow to be the next franchise quarterback in Cincinnati, but they continued to dominate on Days 2 and 3. They gave Burrow a shiny new weapon in 6-4 receiver Tee Higgins, while adding Wyoming's Logan Wilson, Appalachian State's Akeem Davis-Gaither, and Purdue's Markus Bailey to a defense that ranked dead last in the league against the run last year. 2020 might be rough, but the future in Cincy is bright.
5. Loser: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers managed to end up in the losers section despite hitting a home run with the selection of Javon Kinlaw 14th overall. The team failed to recoup any second, third, or fourth-round picks, trading them away in order to grab Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk when better receivers were on the board. Selection's like West Virginia's Colton McKivitz and Georgia fullback/tight end Charlie Woerner were questionable to say the least, giving John Lynch as less than exemplary grade for this draft.
4. Winner: Dallas Cowboys
Lost in all the bombast that comes with the franchise is the fact that Jerry Jones and his scouting team have really done an excellent job in the draft of late. After stealing Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb 17th overall and making two of the best value picks in the entire draft in third-rounder Neville Gallimore and fifth-rounder Bradlee Anae, Dallas managed to bring in some top talent while upgrading their secondary thanks to the selections of Alabama's Trevon Diggs and Tulsa's Reggie Robinson II.
3. Loser: Chicago Bears
Chicago native Cole Kmet is one of the best tight end prospects in the NFL, but is adding a TE to a roster that already has NINE really the best use of a second-round pick? Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson was a nice selection, but not getting to pick until the fifth round after that, and subsequently using that pick on Tulsa's Trevis Gipson shows that Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace might not be the best at finding value in the middle rounds.
2. Winner: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens would have been a winner on the back of picking LSU linebacker Patrick Queen alone, but they continued to add impact players at positions of need in all phases of the draft. Drafting Ohio State running back JK Dobbins in the second round was pure genius, and supplementing that with Texas receiver Devin Duvernay, Mississippi State offensive lineman Tyre Phillips, and Ohio State linebacker Malik Harrison proves that it's Eric DeCosta's world, and we're all just living in it.
1. Loser: Green Bay Packers
There are three ways you can look at the Packers draft and cite them as one of the biggest losers of 2020, if not the worst. First, they didn't draft a wide receiver despite a crippling need for some speed. Second, they used a second-round pick on Boston College running back AJ Dillon despite the presence of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. Finally, and fatally, they TRADED UP for Utah State's Jordan Love despite having Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback. What a mess from start to finish.