We’re starting to hear a lot of rumors surrounding the top of the 2020 NFL Draft following the league’s scouting combine in Indianapolis. While the Cincinnati Bengals are locked in to Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall selection, the next two picks are up in the air.
Earlier on Tuesday, ESPN’s Todd McShay broke some news by indicating that the Washington Redskins plan to pass on former Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in favor of edge rusher Chase Young with the second pick.
Washington had been bandied about as a potential landing spot for Tua after reports broke this past week that it told the youngster the team was not sold on 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins.
If Washington does go Young at two, the Detroit Lions find themselves in a great position to net draft pick assets in a trade down from the third pick. According to an unnamed general manager, that’s exactly what the team is going to do.
“I think Detroit is going to trade the pick,” the GM said, via Mike Sando of The Athletic. “Put Tua in there, but they will trade the pick. Someone else will take Tua.”
Despite earlier rumors that they could look to trade franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, that does not seem to be in the cards. If so, moving the third pick to a team looking to trade up for Tua could make the most sense. Of those squads, the Dolphins make the most sense picking No. 5 overall.
As it relates to the Lions, they have been linked more to defensive players. Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah and fast rising Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons come to mind. A trade down to five with Miami would pretty much guarantee that Detroit lands one of these two players.