Because of the continuous spread of the coronavirus pandemic, changes will be made in the upcoming 85th NFL Draft that will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is set to happen on April 23 until the 25th in a Television studio.
Aside from that, the players will not be physically present on the draft day and can only be interviewed via video conference. But, despite the chaos brought by the COVID-19, football analysts and sports insiders still manage to give their opinions and have their prospect rankings for the 2020 NFL draft betting season — most of them come up with the same names.
With that, let’s get to know the top 5 prospect players for this year’s draft season.
Chase Young of Ohio State
Height: 6 ft. 5 inches
Weight: 265 lbs.
Class: Junior
Position: Defensive End/ Edge Rusher
Career Highlights: Chuck Bednarik Award (2019), Bronko Nagurski Award (2019), Ted Hendricks Award (2019)
Chase Young placed fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting and is the top-ranked prospect for the 2020 NFL Draft. Aside from that, most sports analysts consider him the best edge rusher in the past ten years — even better than the former Buckeyes members Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa.
“The Complete Freak,” “The Predator,” and “A Total Beast,” these labels are attached to his name, and he earned them during his career with the Buckeyes. Moreover, Young’s pass-rushing grade of 96.5 from Pro Football Focus in last year’s season is the best record, so far, for the analytic website. Even though he’s just turning 21 years old on April 14, his career and performance in the sports industry are already outstanding.
Joe Burrow of the LSU
Height: 6 ft. 4 inches
Weight: 216 lbs
Class: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Career Highlights: Davey O’Brien Award (2019), Heisman Memorial Trophy (2019), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (2019), Maxwell Award (2019), Walter Camp Award (2019)
Joe Burrow is one of the 2020 NFL Draft hopefuls who is going to make a leap from college to go professional in this season. Before going to Louisiana State University as a graduate student, he spent a couple of years at Ohio State, where he began his career as a true freshman and played as a backup player.
When he transferred to LSU, Burrow played two seasons with the Tigers before leading them to a national title during last year’s season. Moreover, aside from his career in football, Joe was also one of the top basketball players in Ohio.
However, according to NFL.com, he declined the mid-major basketball opportunities in order to pursue his football career.
Jeff Okudah of Ohio State
Height: 6 ft. 1 inch
Weight: 205 lbs.
Class: Junior
Position: Cornerback
Jeff Okudah is one of Ohio’s top cornerbacks in 2019 and the Buckeyes’ defense leader. As a true freshman in 2017, he played in all 14 games and obtained 19 tackles — but after the season, he underwent shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, during his sophomore year in 2018, he played in 13 games and recorded 34 tackles.
In 2019, he played as a true junior and earned his first football career interception during their game against the Miami University Redhawks. Aside from that, he already played in 27 games having a career total of 53 tackles, two forced fumbles, and nine passes defended. With that, the Buckeyes’ star cornerback decided to forgo his senior year and declare the 2020 NFL Draft.
Isaiah Simmons of Clemson
Height: 6 ft. 4 inches
Weight: 238 lbs.
Class: Junior
Position: Linebacker
Career Highlights: Dick Butkus Award (2019)
Isaiah Simmons is an American football linebacker who has an extraordinary length, versatility, and speed to create mismatches for the offense, depending upon the lineup. He is an athletic defender who shifted from safety in 2017 to a linebacker position in 2018.
In his second year at the position, he earned the Dick Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker in 2019. Aside from that, he was also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award, and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama
Height: 6 ft.
Weight: 217 lbs.
Class: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Career Highlights: Maxwell Award (2018), Walter Camp Award (2018)
An American football quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is one of the top players in the 2020 NFL Draft class. However, the only thing that could keep him from being the top pick would be his health condition due to his injury last year.
In 2019’s season, Tagovailoa got injured during the game and dislocated his right hip and also suffered a posterior wall fracture. He underwent hip surgery in November and wasn’t able to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine.
Additionally, the NFL teams may not get to see him personally before the draft day because the executives and scouts can’t have a pre-draft visit with their prospects due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Tua appears to be in good condition based on the recent videos posted on his Instagram, showing his workouts. In fact, the team who examined him during his two days of medical testing gave overwhelmingly positive reports regarding his dislocated hips. With his fast recovery, the star quarterback of Crimson Tide manages to enter the 85th NFL Draft and also become one of the top prospects for that big day.
Takeaway
The five players mentioned above are the top prospects in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft this coming April 23 to 25. These football stars have the unique abilities to play their positions so well and can lead the team to success. If you want to know more about the techniques and skill sets of these players, you can watch their previous games or take a look at their career stats posted online.
