The first round of the 2020 NFL Draft is in the books and it provided plenty of surprises for fans to enjoy on draft night. Now with Day 1 wrapped up and Day 2 of the NFL Draft just hours away, we should see even more surprising moves on Friday.
There likely won’t be a move quite as surprising as the Green Bay Packers trading up for Jordan Love. However, there are some big names available on the trade market and we could see plenty of talented players dealt on Friday.
Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft will also be defined by many of the selections that are made, with first-round caliber prospects being scooped up after not hearing their names called on Thursday.
We’re expecting plenty of action on Friday with a flurry of moves that will shake up the league. Let’s dive into our five bold predictions for Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Trent Williams is traded to the Minnesota Vikings
While the Redskins aren’t specifically allowing Williams to seek a trade, it remains inevitable that the 31-year-old tackle will be traded. The relationship between Williams and the organization can’t be repaired, so Washington might as well move him for a draft pick. Given the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns spent first-round picks on tackles, though, Washington’s options are dwindling.
The Vikings might be one of the few teams left with interest in acquiring the seven-time Pro Bowl tackle. They also have five picks on Day 2, the kind of draft capital that will allow them to make a big move. If the Vikings offer the No. 105 pick, Washington should go for it as it will likely be the best offer they get. As for the Vikings, they land an elite left tackle and will be in an even better position to protect Kirk Cousins and dominate next season.
Jalen Hurts is the first quarterback drafted
Now that Love is off the board, Hurts becomes the most intriguing developmental quarterback in this class. Better yet, he offers the ability to become a weapon on offense in his rookie season with a creative offensive coordinator who uses him in different situations.
The Las Vegas Raiders were reportedly high on Hurts after a strong NFL Combine performance. But Hurts likely won’t be around long enough to find a home in Las Vegas. Instead, we expect the Indianapolis Colts to take an early shot on Hurts with one of their two second-round picks. He can begin the season as the team’s No. 3 starer and Frank Reich is exactly the right guy to develop him while finding ways to get him on the field as a rookie.
O.J. Howard becomes a draft-day gift for Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals came out of Day 1 elated with Joe Burrow officially a part of their future. They’ve already done a nice job putting some talent around him, but we don’t expect they are even close to being finished. The No. 33 pick gives them a great shot to take an offensive tackle or receiver, but that’s not the only big move they could make.
Burrow enjoyed having a big, athletic tight end at LSU and O.J. Howard is a superior player to Thaddeus Moss. While the Buccaneers are publicly suggesting they want to keep Howard, we expect the conversations are very different with other teams. Cincinnati can deal its fourth-round pick, No. 107 overall, giving Tampa Bay the top pick on Day 3 and providing Burrow with a potential star at tight end.
New England Patriots don’t draft a quarterback
After trading out of the first round, many expect Bill Belichick to use one of his five picks on Day 2 to take a quarterback. If Love slipped to the second round or the Patriots traded down again from the No. 37 pick, we could see them taking a quarterback early. Instead, we expect the Patriots to pass on a quarterback all together on Day 2.
At this point, the options just don’t seem compelling enough for New England to invest in. Jacob Eason offers the most physical talent with considerable upside, but he’s a major work in progress that comes with character concerns. While Jake Fromm is incredibly intelligent and could start in his rookie season, there’s no upside in a player with limited physical talent. The Patriots love Jarrett Stidham and he’s better than any of their likely Day 2 options. Look for the Patriots to build their defense and add some pass catchers on Day 2 of the NFL Draft with a quarterback likely coming on Day 3.
Eight running backs are drafted on Day 2
The Kansas City Chiefs surprised a few people when they closed out the first round by taking Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Kansas City got the running back it coveted in a very good class and we expect plenty of NFL teams behind them to follow closely behind to start the second round.
It could start with the Detroit Lions at the No. 35 pick, bringing in a running back to pair with Kerryon Johnson. After that, the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles could all be threats to take a running back. Jonathan Taylor, D’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins, Zack Moss, Cam Akers and A.J. Dillon are all available and headline what could be a busy day with potentially eight running backs flying off the board.