The first two days of the 2020 NFL Draft are over, and these five picks in the second and third rounds deserve applause for their value.
5
Ezra Cleveland
OT Boise State
The Minnesota Vikings did a nice job landing Cleveland in the second round. Cleveland tested incredibly well at the NFL Scouting Combine and was thought to be a borderline first-round choice. He should be a plug-and-play starter for Minnesota, helping general manager Rick Spielman fix what has long been a problem spot.
4
Zach Baun
LB Wisconsin
Baun was one of there curious situations of the draft. He seemed to be almost a consensus late-first round talent coming out of Wisconsin, having notched 12.5 sacks last year. However, it took until the third round for Baun to hear his name, with the New Orleans Saints trading up for him. New Orleans could have a talented kid with a chip on his shoulder coming to the Bayou.
3
Kristian Fulton
CB LSU
Fulton is another first-round talent who almost got into the third round. The Titans scooped the national champion cornerback up with the No. 61 choice, helping out their secondary after losing Logan Ryan to free agency. Fulton can play in both man and zone coverage, giving Tennessee some much-needed versatility on the back end of its defense.
2
Jalen Hurts
QB Oklahoma
Many Philadelphia Eagles fans are furious their team took Hurts here, but the value can’t be ignored. After playing under Nick Saban and Lincoln Riley in college, Hurts has high football IQ and with the Sooners last year, totaled more than 5,000 yards from scrimmage with 52 touchdowns. Considering Carson Wentz’s injury history, this is a smart move by general manager Howie Roseman.
1
Denzel Mims
WR Baylor
Simply put, Mims never should have gotten into the second round, let alone the end of it. The Baylor product was dominant for three years in Waco, and should immediately provide the New York Jets with a top target on the perimeter. Going into the draft, most pundits saw Mims as a safe first-round pick.