2020 NFL Mock Draft: Carolina Panthers land Brown, Jeudy to Jets, More

The jury is still out on whether quarterback Drew Lock is indeed the right guy to build around as a future franchise quarterback. The Denver Broncos won’t really know until another year or two but for now, the writing is on the wall that they need to keep rebuilding to eventually field a winning team.

General manager John Elway has a tough decision here as the Broncos have many areas of need but goes with the best player available on his draft board in wide receiver Tee Higgins out of Clemson. Higgins is underrated and considered to be a hidden gem of a pick here. In just three years at Clemson, he totaled 2,448 receiving yards, 135 receptions, and 27 touchdowns.

Higgens is a natural-born playmaker and well, if Lock is to succeed and hopefully develop to the next level, he’ll need someone of this caliber to help him thrive. It might take some time but this is a great situation for Higgins to be a No. 1 receiving option in the future once everything falls into place.

If it’s one thing the Atlanta Falcons need is more pass-rushing defensive linemen. It’s hard to believe that defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw out of South Carolina has dropped down to No. 16 but the Falcons know talent when they see it.

At 6-5 and 324lbs, Kinlaw uses his incredible size to dominate opposing offensive linemen without even breaking a sweat. Kinlaw will develop quickly into an elite defensive tackle that will bring the heat against opposing quarterbacks and finally put the Falcons’ defense on the map.

The truth of the matter is, the Falcons’ pass rush over the last few years hasn’t been anything worth talking about as this is a huge upgrade on defense. At least now with Kinlaw in the mix, it’s a start at having a decent pass rush that down the road can be competitive.

The Dallas Cowboys have one of the worst safety situations in the entire league. It’s so bad that if they don’t address it with the No. 17 overall pick, it’ll be a decision they’ll regret for many years. Luckily, common sense hit when the Cowboys are on the clock and they take the best available safety.

Safety Xavier McKinney is a disruptive kind of defensive back that loves to hit hard, make big defensive stops, and make sure his presence is felt every single time he’s on the field. He is a team-first kind of player that doesn’t mind being in a rotational role when needed either as a safety or cornerback.

This is a great pick here for the Cowboys who are committed to returning back to the postseason by addressing this issue head-on. Hopefully, McKinney lives up to his potential as he can be the next big safety of the NFL representing America’s Team.